bishop's hull parish magazine edition 34/10 march 20206 bishop's hull parish magazine edition 34/10...

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Bishop's Hull Parish Magazine Edition 34/10 March 2020

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Where in the village is this wall? Does anyone know its history?

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Bishop's Hull Parish Magazine Edition 34/10 March 2020EDITOR

Bob Coombs 2 Waterfield Close Bishop’s Hull Taunton, TA1 5HB

01823-253697 Email: [email protected]

TREASURER & ADVERTISINGMANAGER

John Chidgey 26 Shutewater Close, Bishop’s Hull Taunton.

01823-972908 E-mail: [email protected]

MAGAZINE SUPPORT TEAMRegular Helpers: Clem & Val Pryer and Margaret CoombsMagazine Cover: Photographs by Bob Coombs & Bob Winn

Magazine Distributors:

Margaret Baker 274542 Christine Chidgey 972908Margaret Coombs 253697 Jane Gurr 272415Pam Lloyd 251599 Kath Mogford 461735Rosemary Lockley 275867 Jo YeandleJohn Prinsep 253740 Clem & Val Pryer 282390Janet Reed Mary Trevelyan 256406Joan Williams 327249 Roger Farthing (Reserve)

Articles relating to all aspects of our village and community are welcome.

Final date for acceptance: Mid-day on 12th of the month.Please help to make the magazine interesting by contributing material.

Magazines are delivered monthly to subscribers at a cost of £6.00 per annum.(Please note: Individual copies are now priced at 60p)Copies posted will attract a stamp fee (2nd class large) per copy .

Our magazine year starts on June 1st. Annual subscriptions are due onthis date.Complimentary copies are sent to the LMG, Hospices and the localnursing and residential homes.

ADVERTISERS: Without the support of our advertisers this magazinewould not be financially viable. Please try to support them whenever

possible, and mention this magazine when doing so.It is emphasised that the views expressed in this magazine are notnecessarily those of the the magazine editorial team,unless attributable,

or those sent in by identifiable contributors.COVER PICTURE: Below Netherclay & opposite the Old Mill

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DATE FOR THE DIARY

April Trip to Weymouth £12.50 - see Celia for more information

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Vicar:Reverend Philip Hughes ,The Vicarage, Bishop's Hull Hill,Bishop's Hull, TA1 5EB01823-336102

Church Wardens:Mr Will Osmond, 01823-461820Mrs Jo George, 01823-331432

As I put pen to paper this month the whole world is on high alert as a newvirus ‘jumps’ from country to country - the ‘Coronavirus’. I need not gointo detail here as by now everyone must have heard all about this virus andwill be keeping themselves up-to-date with the latest news. Let us hope andpray its spread will eventually be halted and it will be added to the ever-growing list of bugs we can be immunized against.Looking back in history there have been terrifying pandemics recorded andmost of these happened when world-wide travel was just a distant dream formost of the population. Medical knowledge was often rather thin on theground and no one knew exactly how these diseases were transmitted. Eventoday scientists are still struggling to understand why some humans only passon this virus to one or two people whilst others are infecting many, many more.It is at times like this that we realise just how frail human life is - we conquerone bug and up pops another or a mutation of one science thinks it has undercontrol.Are we all born with some kind of immunity against the most common bugs?After birth antibodies are passed on to the baby in colostrum and in breastmilk. However, babies' immune systems are still not as strong as adults'.Babies produce their own antibodies every time they are exposed to a virus orgerm, but it takes time for this immunity to fully develop. This probablyexplains why babies are more prone to die from certain types of infectionswhilst the adult survives.As more and more of us have to use public transport to get to work we aremore likely to pick up an infection from things we touch than if we had stayedat home. It seems, if you travel in London, you enter ‘hotspots’ every day.Scientists have discovered the cocktail of germs and bacteria being picked upby people on London's public transport every day. Millions could be leavingthemselves open to skin infections, respiratory infections and even foodpoisoning. Among the bugs found were bacteria from the Staphylococcusspecies, including S. aureus - which can cause skin infections, respiratoryinfections such as sinusitis and food poisoning. Thankfully most of us areimmune to most of these. Using UV lighting, the London Under theMicroscope project highlighted 121 different bacteria and mould strains onpublic transport – including nine bacteria species associated with antibiotic-resistant super bugs. Please don’t panic. As our bodies mature we developmasses of good bugs to keep us safe - if we didn’t then probably there would beno one left to read this article.

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The Vicar writes …..Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shallreturn.

Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.”Church of England, Times and Seasons

Lent begins each year with Ash Wednesday and continuesuntil the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter. The AshWednesday words often used are words which need to be part of our daily life,part of what we do all the time as Christians. We fall short, we miss the mark,on a daily basis, so need to be penitent on a daily basis. Our faith is not aconstant: it needs also to be renewed and refreshed each day. Penitence is part ofthat, a reminder of how much we need God’s grace to live our lives as weshould.Lent, (from the Old English word for Spring), is meant to be a time especiallyfor that renewing and refreshing, to rediscover the freshness that faith can bring.There are ample opportunities (if we create them) with others to explore newpaths; to sit in silent contemplation; to remember and reflect on just what it isthat Jesus does for us on Good Friday, how His giving overcomes our non-giving. But there also needs to be the time we spend privately on our ownselves, on our own faith, with our own prayers and thinking on our own faith,giving our time and making it into God-time.While you gaze out a window, think about the parable of the sower: the seed’sgrowth in us can be obstructed by many things and many, sometimes imagined,cares and concerns. We are all called to work with God within the Church tomake ourselves places of good growth, fruitful growth, growth that can feedothers. So we begin with repenting - asking God’s help to root out the weeds,remove the stones, prepare and fertilise the soil, committing ourselves to Hiscare alone. Distractions and obstructions removed we can get on with believing,putting our faith into action, making it alive, new, vital.This rhythm of repenting and believing, looking back and looking forward, infaith and trust needs to be a given in what we do day by day - making room forGod and letting him speak to us. May we all know something of the presenceand love of God as we make time for Him this Lent.The service book Times and Seasons ends (and so will I) with these words ofLenten blessing:

Christ give you grace to grow in holiness, to deny yourselves,take up your cross, and follow him.

Your brother in Christ,Rev Phil Hughes

Vicar and Chaplain.

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Church Hall News!

For many years the church hall bookings have been under the careful andwatchful eye of Sue Faire as Booking Secretary. In this time there havebeen many gatherings and groups using the hall for a variety of reasons – artsand crafts, baby and toddler groups, Children’s birthday parties, familygatherings, committee meetings, social gatherings, planning meetings, hellosand goodbyes, interviews, coffee mornings, sleep-overs for weary sponsoredcyclists, a temporary place of shelter for those with no-where else to go,pancake parties, snow day parties, elections and keeping fit. And that is not theend of the list!

In January 2020 Sue decided to step back from her role as Booking Secretaryand I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Sue for allthe time and work she has put in over the many years. It is fair to say that Suehas been a key person in the use of the hall for both the church and widercommunity for a long time and you will be missed. When I say a ‘key person’ Imean so much more than just being the person who issued and received backthe hall key, but the person who was central in so many ways to enable somany people to do so many things in our humble church hall. Sue, thank you.

So, what of the hall now?

As we say goodbye to Sue, we say hello to Belinda Luke our new BookingSecretary! All our regular hirers are being written to explaining the change inBooking Secretary and confirming the arrangements for ongoing hire. Restassured, there is no change to the agreed hourly rate of just £9 per hour for allnew hirers and we hope things will continue as before.

Most people will know that the time is coming when we will be able to put aplan in place for the closure of the hall to make way for a brilliant new welcomearea at the entrance to the church. When that time comes we will let all thehirers know and hope to have some sort of celebration/party – but we are notthere yet! Until then, if you want to know if the hall is available for an eventyou are planning then give Belinda a call (details on back page) and she will beonly too happy to work with you to see if your idea can become a reality.

Every blessingRev Phil Hughes, Vicar and Chaplain

Help Required

Sunday 22 March - is Mothering SundayIf you have a spare moment and wish to help with the

flowers and posies for Mothering Sunday please do contactthe St Peter & St Paul flower lady

for more information.

Church Flowers: Belinda Luke 289537

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People & ThingsSaving your used Stamps

Diana Rose thanks everybody whocollected used postage stamps in aidof the Children’s Hospice inBarnstable.

If you have not yet ‘delivered’ yourstamps you can either leave themwith Diana, the village shop or StPeter & St Paul church.

Thank you one and all.********

Bob’s Beetroot Sale

Wednesday 29th January 2020.

Bob and Margaret Coombs wouldlike to thank everyone who supportedtheir Sunday vegetable sales againthis past ‘year’.

Today we made our final sale to oneof our best customers and this meansBob will soon have to start the annualdigging of his back garden (if andwhen it dries out).

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New Church HallBooking Secretary

As from January the Church Hallhas a new Booking Secretary.

Mrs Belinda Luke, whose detailsare listed on the back cover of theMagazine. *****

DAY TRIP TO WEYMOUTH

FRANK BOND CENTREMOUNTWAY ROAD

WEDNESDAY 22nd APRIL 2020

COST - £12.50 per personCoach will leave the

above addressat 9.35 a.m.

(This is to allow for people comingfrom the village on the bus)

CONTACT Celia on07990 674362

for further information

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Bishop’s Hull Parish Councillor VacancyBishop’s Hull Parish Council has two vacancies for Parish Councillors.The position of Parish Councillor is voluntary with no financial reward but itdoes bring involvement in what happens locally and an opportunity to have aninput on matters affecting Bishop’s Hull.The Parish Council meets on a Thursday evening and has 10 meetings a year,and between meetings there will be correspondence and other papers to readand consider. If you are interested in becoming a Parish Councillor and you areover 18, registered to vote, male or female and live within three miles of theParish please contact Helen McGladdery, the Clerk to the Council. **********

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Funds summaryIssued in 2019:Bishop’s Hull Village Hall & Playing Fields Trust — Total £21,101.25£17,000.00 — Contributions towards refurbishment of old Pavilion£850.00 — Bench repairs on the Playing Fields£3,251.25 — Drainage works on playing fields ~ to be paid on completion ofworksFrank Bond Centre — £2,000.00 — contribution towards new canopy at theCentre.Two Community Defibrillators — one at the Frank Bond Centre (alreadyinstalled) and one on the new HUB building — Using £2,650.00 of CIL fundsRingfenced:Bishop’s Hull HUB — £50,000.00 — contribution for the new hallBishop’s Hull HUB — £6,000.00 — contribution to new car parkContribution to Netherclay Footbridge repairs — £1,000.00

PRECEPT REQUESTThe Parish Council also provides bins, benches and notice boards. It hasinvested in the most dog bins of any Parish in Taunton Deane and isresponsible for meeting the emptying charges which are currently over £1,000per year; in addition the Parish Council supports local groups within theParish. During the last year it has assisted with the project to build a newvillage hall by financing the professional construction fees. This financialcommitment came from Parish Council reserves. Importantly, without thissupport, the £223,000 of Section 106 funds from Persimmon, the developer ofthe Kinglake Estate, would not have been utilised. The Parish Council reservesare now at the minimum legal level required . Consequently they need to beslowly rebuilt. The decision has therefore been taken to increase the totalParish Council Precept this year by £3,000. This equates to a Council Taxincrease for a Band D property of £2.43 per household spread over thewhole year i.e. 20p per month. Hopefully you feel that, taking intoconsideration the numerous services delivered by the Parish Council, this smallincrease is justifiable. What it will ensure is that the same level of service andcommitment can continue to be provided to the residents of Bishop’s Hull.

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BISHOP’S HULL IN TIMES PAST by John Hamer50 years ago

The final round of the Women Conservatives inter-branch quiz contest, heldat the County Hotel, brought victory to the Bishop’s Hull team. Thisfollowed gallant attempts in previous years, as runners-up. The winning team,who were opposed by a team from Wilton Ward, comprised Miss P Waterfield,Miss M Sibley, Miss E Farrant and Miss B Harris. At a separate event, asuccessful wine and cheese party was held by permission of Mrs Eyles atMeryan House. There was a brief address by Mr A G J Booth, Chairman ofTaunton Conservative Association. Two prizes for the draw were given by thebranch President, Mrs A Luckes, and by Miss H Saunders. The winners wereMiss M Hewlett and Mrs M Morse.

Bishop’s Hull Labour Party held a very successful social and dance at theTrident Youth Club, with Sid Roberts and his band providing music for thedancing. Steve Mama, the prospective Parliamentary Labour candidate for theTaunton constituency, gave a brief talk. The monthly meeting was held at theNew Inn with Alan Payne in the chair. Mr GF Martel, treasurer of TauntonRural District Council gave a talk on how the ratepayers’ money was used tothe best advantage. He explained how expenditure was budgeted for and howthe rate was arrived at each year. The evening ended with a raffle and bingosession, raffle prize winners being Mrs R Payne and Mr Burrows.

The meeting of the Good Companions’ Club stood in silence in tribute to MrKenneth Ingerset, who had died recently in Musgrove Park Hospital. MrHorne arranged three games of bingo. Two grocery vouchers were donated bythe Hillview Stores as prizes. It was agreed to arrange a talk on decimalcoinage.

At the Women’s Institute Annual Meeting, the President Mrs Lodge welcomed34 members. In her report, she expressed regret that there had been a slightfall in membership. Mrs Ham, reporting on the Group meeting at Galmington,said that the exhibition of exercises given by Galmington WI’s ‘Keep Fit’ classmade a welcome change from drama. It was announced that Miss Pearce, oneof the oldest members, was no longer able to attend the monthly meetings, butwould appreciate visits from members. Mrs Griggs was the competitionswinner for the whole year, with Mrs Chandler the runner-up. Mrs Makepeace,voluntary county organiser, gave a talk on ‘What the WI means to me’. One ofthe main things she appreciated was the friendship found at every level. In themonthly competition for ‘a piece of handwork’ both Mrs Chandler and MrsMartin gained full marks.

The Chief Education Officer for Somerset, Mr Robert Parker, addressed theParent Teacher Association at the primary school on the subject of ‘RecentDevelopments in Education’. Mr Parker gave an outline of changes in thecurriculum at primary level and also gave information regarding the prospects

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for the reorganisation of secondary education in the area. Reference was madeto the need for remodelling old buildings and the lack of funds available forthis purpose. Consideration was being given to the provision of extraaccommodation at Bishop’s Hull School. Among points raised by parents atquestion time were the need to provide co-education at grammar schools inTaunton, the need for primary school accommodation at Galmington and thereplacement of the room hired from the Territorial Army with accommodationbelonging to the school. Mention was also made of the danger to children whohave to cross the A38 road on their way to school and the need for some formof footbridge. Mr A Payne proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Parker.

BELFRY NEWS March 2020

Writers Block is a condition that has affectednumerous authors over the years, and myselfat present ! But simply writing that sentence brings newideas into my brain !

Bellringing methods (the 'tunes' that we perform onbells), are constructed according to various rules andconventions which have been adhered to over the years.Occasionally the rules are relaxed a bit and newconstructions are allowed. This occurred a year or so ago,allowing a method of construction previously frownedupon. The new group of methods, many of which have stillnot been rung or named (you can only name them once

they have been rung to a quarter peal), are known as 'Block' methods because ofthe way they are constructed. The ones already rung have names like 'MentalBlock', 'Stumbling Block', 'H-Block', 'Un-Block' etc. Yesterday, our Wednesdayringing group rang and named one of these methods, calling it 'Concrete Block'.We have plans to ring and name others, names like 'Cylinder Block' and 'WritersBlock' spring to mind, which is where I started this article !! What goes aroundcomes around !

As I sit here on a beautifully sunny early February day it really feels as if Springis on the way! In reality, we are awaiting storm Ciara to come barrelling in fromthe Atlantic and cause a lot of disruption over the weekend. Travel decisionshave to be taken. After the weekend our group of ringers plan to visitSnowdrop Valley, near Wheddon Cross, and walk through the woods to see thebeautiful floral display. Prior to that, we intend to ring a quarter peal of''Snowdrop Treble Bob Minor' on the bells of nearby Cutcombe church. Let ushope that storm Ciara has not blown all the blooms away !

Giles Morley.

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1 March - St David’s Day: time for daffodils

1st March is St David’s Day, and it’stime for the Welsh to wear daffodilsor leeks. Shakespeare called thiscustom ‘an honourable tradition begunupon an honourable request’ - butnobody knows the reason. Whyshould anyone have ever ‘requested’that the Welsh wear leeks or daffodilsto honour their patron saint? It’s amystery!We do know that David - or Dafydd - of Pembrokeshire was a monk andbishop of the 6th century. In the 12th century he was made patron of Wales,and he has the honour of being the only Welsh saint to be canonised andculted in the Western Church. Tradition has it that he was austere with himself,and generous with others - living on water and vegetables (leeks, perhaps?!)and devoting himself to works of mercy. He was much loved.In art, St David is usually depicted in Episcopal vestments, standing on amound with a dove at his shoulder, in memory of his share at an importantSynod for the Welsh Church, the Synod of Brevi.

8 March - Woodbine Willie:bringing love with cigarettes and the Bible

Here’s a ‘saint’ that the Church ofEngland remembers from the 1st WorldWar - the Revd. Geoffrey Studdert KennedyMC, or ‘Woodbine Willie’, as everyone knewthis popular, much-loved army chaplain onthe Western Front.

Studdert Kennedy (27th June 1883 – 8thMarch 1929) had been born in Leeds as theseventh of nine children. After readingdivinity and classics at Trinity CollegeDublin, he’d studied for ordination at RiponClergy College, and served his curacy atRugby.

By the time war broke out in 1914, Studdert Kennedy was vicar of St Paul’sWorcester. He soon volunteered to go to the Western Front as a chaplain tothe army. Life on the front line in the trenches was a desperate affair, butsoon Studdert Kennedy had hit on a way of bringing a few moments of relief tothe stressed out soldiers: as well as good cheer he gave out copious amounts of‘Woodbines’, the most popular cheap cigarette of the time.

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One colleague remembered Kennedy: “he'd come down into the trenches andsay prayers with the men, have a cuppa out of a dirty tin mug and tell a joke asgood as any of us. He was a chain smoker and always carried a packet ofWoodbine cigarettes that he would give out in handfuls to us lads. That's howhe got his nickname. He came down the trench one day to cheer us up. Had hisBible with him as usual. Well, I'd been there for weeks, unable to write home,of course, we were going over the top later that day. I asked him if he wouldwrite to my sweetheart at home, tell her I was still alive and, so far, in onepiece… years later, after the war, she showed me the letter he'd sent, very niceit was. A lovely letter. My wife kept it until she died."Kennedy was devoted to his men, so much so that in 1917 he was awarded theMilitary Cross at Messines Ridge, after running into no man’s land in order tohelp the wounded during an attack on the German frontline.During the war, Kennedy supported the British military effort withenthusiasm, but soon after the war, he turned to Christian socialism andpacifism. He was given charge of St Edmunds in Lombard St, London, andtook to writing a number of poems about his war experiences: Rough Rhymesof a Padre (1918) and More Rough Rhymes (1919). He went on to work for theIndustrial Christian Fellowship, for whom he did speaking tours. It was onone of these tours that he was taken ill, and sadly died in Liverpool in 1929. Hewas only 46.His compassion and generosity in the face of the horrors of the Western Frontwas immortalised in the song ‘Absent Friends’: "Woodbine Willie couldn't restuntil he'd/given every bloke a final smoke/before the killing." He himself hadonce described his chaplain’s ministry as taking “a box of fags in yourhaversack, and a great deal of love in your heart.”

The Revd Canon David Winter considers the Royal Family.Family and Freedom

The ructions in the Royal Family in January, widely reported (whether a factor guess work) remind us that while they are ‘royal’ they are also a ‘family’.God sets the lonely in families, the Bible says. But He also sets the awkward,the odd and the rebellious in them. Families are not associations of theidentical, but places where difference is recognised and honoured.Prince Harry is not Prince William, but neither is he Prince Charles, his father.Perhaps he is a bit more like the independent Diana, his mother.Recognising difference, and respecting it, lies at the heart of family life, andalways has. We may wish our children were replicas of ourselves, but they arenot. My late wife was a nurse, and I was a journalist and broadcaster. We hadthree children. Today one of them manages a posh shop in Covent Garden, oneis a musician travelling the world with a well-known folk-rock band, andanother is a vicar. Long live the difference!Families are wonderful. But they seem to work best when the individualmembers are set free to be themselves. We are not all the same, thank God! #

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DAY 60 ISLE OF PORTLAND 10th July 2017

DAY MODERATE This leg TotalDistance 13.2 miles 588.1 milesAscent 339 m 32,850 m

Well this was a pleasant day to look forward to. Start and finish point thesame, and the company of two very dear friends Ian and Mike. Carole,Mike’s wife, would be spending the day with Sam. Ian, who lives in Chard, wasvery prompt, opening the door to us at 07.00 (he had grimaced when we toldhim the start time, as it’s his day off). We made good time and were in FerryBridge by 08.40. I sent a text to Mike to warn him that the Billy Winters cafésigns weren’t out (it was our meeting place), and within a few minutes heappeared, glad of the notice.

It was a little cooler today, which was good as it was a long walk. After my lastwalk I had felt particularly tired and wasn’t sure if I’d been dehydrated, so hadinvested in some hypotonic powders. I’d made up the solution and wasinterested to see if it made any difference.

The first part was all by the main road along the causeway. The constant humof cars exiting from the Island made us wonder if there would be anyone leftthere. We were glad to get off this road and on to the coast proper. Here wespotted a couple of divers kitting up for a shore dive from Chesil Cove. Iwouldn’t fancy that – there was some steep shelving on the pebbly beach toclimb up when emerging with wet kit.

We climbed up the steep track and started the ‘3 miles of airy cliff top walking’towards Portland Bill. The white Portland Stone is famous and has been usedfor many buildings. In London it gave the Palace of Whitehall its name, as wellas the road that leads to it. There is a lot of quarrying still going on in this area.On the way to Tout Quarry, I came across a stone armchair, reminiscent of‘Game of Thrones’, so felt obliged to pose. The quarry turned out to be afascinating Sculpture Park, well worth a visit, with many different sculptures ofanimals and what looked suspiciously like a roulette table in the centre. Wewalked along and went through a stone arch. It was all a little like a lunarlandscape but made for interesting walking.

The way to Portland Bill was even and easy, but the buildings looked rather sadand tired. We felt that it all needed a bit of regeneration, as it has so muchpotential. The scenery was of wild moorland with tussocks of grass, large whitePortland rocks, and various wildflowers. As we approached Portland Bill andits two lighthouses, we met Carole and Sam, who had driven to the Bill, hadtheir coffee, and were just setting off on their shorter walk around the tip.We ummed and aahed about coffee, but since, apparently, I was the boss(makes a change!) I made an executive decision that coffee would be good. We

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sat outside the Lobster Pot café overlooking the sea (and those hills for the nextwalk) and soaked up some sunshine. When we once more set off, we saw a fewhorses in a paddock, one parading as a zebra, as its blanket was of black andwhite stripes! And a little further along were a group of schoolchildrenpreparing to go ‘cannoning’ – where you jump into the sea, swim to the nextcliff and repeat. Good fun. There were masses of yellow flowers and pink seathrift on this level pathway, with the sparkling deep blue sea below. There wasobviously a breeze, since I couldn’t hear my recording very well!As we walked along, we spotted a man disappearing over the cliff with abucket, and thought we were going to have to call out rescuers, but as wewatched, he reappeared on a large rock below. From here he was pulling on arope, and pulling, and pulling – it was obviously quite long, and quite heavy –until finally a lobster pot appeared. He wasn’t impressed with the small crabsinside and threw them back, replacing the bait inside. Better luck next time.Heading towards Church Ope Cove now, there was a lot of vegetation thatlooked suspiciously like cotoneaster. Ian works for a company that gives grantsto various charities. He had visited Portland a few years ago to follow up onethat they had given to the island to remove said Cotoneaster, which wasbecoming invasive. At the time, it seemed to have been successful, but it wouldappear that said shrub has returned. Ah well, win some lose some.

It was getting towards lunchtime as we spotted a Coast Path sign with adiagram of the Isle of Portland etched on it. We were just trying to find our wayout of a very secluded Church Ope Cove, when Ian asked if anyone else washungry. We thought we’d look for a spot that was ‘in the shade (it was verywarm now) with a view of the sea, and preferably somewhere to sit’. Right,we’ll see what we can do Ian. Well, within two minutes, just up some steps andaround the corner, I looked to my left to see a bench set in a shady leafy recess,overlooking the sea. ‘Will this do?’ I asked. Perfect. I think I shall enter thephoto in the next Bishop’s Hull Flower show, as one of the classes is a photo of‘Beach’ – and my picture looks like a tropical island!

Several walkers passed us andlooked enviously at oursuperb lunch stop. Refreshed,we continued up to RufusCastle and along the oldrailway, where I was struck bythe scent of all the buddleiaplants along the way. Ichecked our directions andthought that we should be upon the skyline, and beforelong we came to the turning –and steps. Well, we hadn’tdone much climbing today.Once at the top we were in

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front of the old Young Offenders Unit, but it was all closed down now. It wasafter this bit that things started to go a bit awry – we thought we’d gone alongthe right path but couldn’t find this ‘brow of a hill’ mentioned. Looking at theGPS we realised that we were on the wrong road, but decided to continueanyway and walk back along the roads rather than retrace our steps (we haddone about 10 miles by now).

Nearing the causeway that had been so noisy this morning, Ian suggested wetry along Chesil Beach – he thought he’d seen a track. ‘You go ahead and findout’ we suggested. Which he did. And turning back, waved us to follow. So wedid. It was after trudging through the pebbles for about 15 minutes that we sawa local man coming off the bank and heading towards the road. Deciding hemust have local knowledge, we followed. More stuff for the Flower show as Icollected some driftwood and a beautiful shell. I think, like us, he just wantedto get off the pebbles. Good one Ian! We realised as we returned to the roadthat there was a track on the other side, parallel to the harbour, so followedthat until we saw Sam waving at us from the other side of the road. BillyWinters was closed today, so he’d found an alternative refreshment venue; he’sgood at that. Tea, ice cream and cakes were ordered, and we compared ourdays. What a wonderful walk, thoroughly enjoyable. I had sipped at myhydration solution in between drinking throughout the day, and felt so muchbetter, not tired at all. And I had no aches and pains the next day, though wassporting a very angry red rash in reaction to my new cotton socks, which tookseveral days to reduce.

Church pot £14. Total £695 +Sponsorship £305 = £1000 Thank you God.

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Letter from the Right Reverend Ruth Worsley, Bishop of TauntonFor Parish Newsletters – March 2020

Let’s talk

‘I t’s good to talk!’ so the old BT advert (othertelecommunications firms are available)used to say. I agree. Who doesn’t feel betterafter having a good old chat with a friend, oreven after having a quick chat with a strangerwhen stuck in a tedious queue? It may seemthen, that this year’s Lent Challenge fromBishop Peter and myself is no great challenge atall as we are simply suggesting that we haveconversations with our neighbours, family and friends.

The challenge comes in what we might talk about. We are encouraging all ofus, including Bishops, to step outside what may be our normal topics ofconversation, and perhaps our comfort zones, and grapple with some simplequestions about life, death and everything in between. The challenge is bothto listen to someone else’s viewpoint and to ask ourselves how our ownanswers connect to what we believe.

In order to help us have those conversations the Go Team and discipleshipteam have produced a handy pack of question cards, and by the time Lentbegins, we hope that each church will have received at least one of these packsof 40 Everyday Questions. The questions are suitable for all ages so can beused in a whole host of ways – with friends, family, colleagues, in school,with a Lent group, at a ‘bring and share’ lunch, even in church on a Sunday.

We’ve already been out and about across the diocese asking people some ofthe questions on the cards. And you can bet that asking school childrenquestions like ‘Should all bad people be punished?’ or ‘How would youdescribe God?’ has yielded some very interesting conversations. We will besharing some of the conversations we’ve had with a range of people onFacebook and Twitter so if you are on social media then do keep an eye outfor them during Lent, and by all means let our communications team knowhow you are getting on using the hashtag #40questions.

We really hope the 40 Everyday Questions cards generate some interesting,meaningful and indeed, Godly conversations that will help us hear the pointof view of those around us and refresh and deepen our faith in God this Lent.

The Right Revd Ruth WorsleyBishop of Taunton

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BENCH ENDS AND PULPITS

Somerset has always been a land ofmoors, mists and legends. Inmedieval times, the Quantock hillsmust have seemed particularly wildand forbidding. The medieval churchwas wise enough to permit thepresence of symbols both in and on itschurches, and in no place is this moreevident than in this corner ofSomerset. In this rural area survivaldepended to a very large extent on thequality of the harvest – this wasreflected in the design of many of thebench ends in Taunton Deane.

Most surviving bench ends belong tothe 15th and 16th Century. Beforethis, churches were open and peoplejust stood for services. This need anddesire for seating boosted the qualityand quantity of wood carving, andgenerated a new school in woodcarving skills. It also coincided inSomerset with the prosperity broughtto the area by the development of thewool trade, and was furtherencouraged by a good supply of oaktimber.

The standard of wood carving becamevery high. The carvers were laymen,not usually able to read or write;however as villagers they would havebeen exposed to the superstitions andintrigues of medieval country life,which at that time were very strong,often with pagan influences, and yetwere tolerated by the clergy whenincorporated into the churches. Littleis known of the identity of the carvers,but one of the few whose name isknown is Simon Warman, whosecarving was of a very high standardand who probably had a workshop inone of the Quantock villages close toTaunton.

The subjects of the carvingsrepresented those things thatmattered to medieval people. Theyfall roughly into 7 main types:Symbols, Birds, Pelicans, Greenmen,Quadrupeds, People and Plants.

SYMBOLS

These fall into two groups – thoseassociated with the church, and thoseassociated with contemporary tradesand crafts. Very little appears onSomerset bench ends which could nothave been easily understood by thepeople of the time; it should beremembered that the vast majority oflocal people could neither read norwrite.BIRDSThese play a large part, and wouldhave been familiar to carver andparishioner. They were oftenportrayed as pests eating the crops.Storks and spoonbills are commonlyportrayed – they may have still beenpresent on the Somerset marshes andso would have been a familiar sight.PELICANThis is the symbol of the Eucharist,the feeding of the young with theblood of the parent symbolising thechildren of God being fed with theblood of Christ.GREENMENA crop fertility symbol believed toensure an abundant harvest.QUADRUPEDSA wide variety depicted, includinghorses, dogs, cows, a cat, a badger,and many others.PEOPLEBoth ecclesiastical (saints, bishops,priests, etc.) and local tradesmen.PLANTSA wealth of foliage is represented onthe Bench ends of Somerset.

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21

Bishop's Hull Parish Magazine Edition 34/10 March 2020BOOK REVIEWS

The Silent Patientby Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson’s life is seeminglyperfect. A famous paintermarried to an in-demand fashionphotographer, she lives in a grandhouse with big windows overlookinga park in one of London’s mostdesirable areas. One evening herhusband Gabriel returns home latefrom a fashion shoot, and Aliciashoots him five times in the face, andthen never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give anykind of explanation, turns a domestictragedy into something far grander, amystery that captures the publicimagination and casts Alicia intonotoriety. The price of her artskyrockets, and she, the silentpatient, is hidden away from thetabloids and spotlight at the Grove, asecure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminalpsychotherapist who has waited along time for the opportunity to workwith Alicia. His determination to gether to talk and unravel the mystery ofwhy she shot her husband takes himdown a twisting path into his ownmotivations—a search for the truththat threatens to consume him..

Disappearing Earthby Julia Phillips

One Augustafternoon,on the shorelineof the north-eastern edge ofRussia, twosisters areabducted. In theensuing weeks,then months, thepoliceinvestigationturns up nothing. Echoes of thedisappearance reverberate across atightly woven community, with thefear and loss felt most deeply amongits women.

Set on the remote Siberian peninsulaof Kamchatka, Disappearing Earthdraws us into the world of anastonishing cast of characters, allconnected by an unfathomable crime.We are transported to vistas ofrugged beauty – densely woodedforests, open expanses of tundra,soaring volcanoes and the glassy seasthat border Japan and Alaska – andinto a region as complex as it isalluring, where social and ethnictensions have long simmered, andwhere outsiders are often the first tobe accused.

In a story as propulsive as it isemotionally engaging, and through ayoung writer's virtuosic feat ofempathy and imagination, thispowerful novel provides a newunderstanding of the intricate bondsof family and community, in a Russiaunlike any we have seen before. ##

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Bishop's Hull Parish Magazine Edition 34/10 March 2020EAT WELL FOR LESS

Leftover chicken and sweet cornnoodle soup

Ingredients

● 1 roast chicken carcass and skin,broken up into pieces

● 2 garlic cloves, grated● 5cm/2in piece ginger, peeled and

grated● 2 tsp reduced salt soy sauce● 1 red chilli, seeds removed,

roughly chopped● 100g/3½oz cooked cold egg

noodles● 195g tin sweet corn in water,

drained● 1 lime, juice only● 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh

coriander

Method

Put the chicken carcass in a largesaucepan and cover with 2 litres/3½pints of cold water.Add the garlic, ginger, soy and halfthe chilli to the pan and bring to theboil.Turn the heat down and simmer for30 minutes until the liquid hasreduced by half.Strain the liquid into a cleansaucepan and return to the boil.Add the egg noodles and sweet cornand simmer for 2 minutes, untilheated through.Stir in the lime juice, remaining chilliand coriander and servestraightaway.

Smoothie bowl

Ingredients

● 160g/5 2/3 oz strawberries,hulled and roughly chopped

● 1 red-skinned eating apple, coredand roughly chopped

● 1 ripe banana, peeled and roughlychopped

● 80g/2 2/3 oz porridge oats● 150ml/¼ pint coconut water (see

recipe tips)● 80g/2 2/3 oz mixed fresh berries,

such as raspberries, blackberries,blueberries and extrastrawberries (or frozen anddefrosted berries)

● 1 tbsp chia seedsMethod

Tip the strawberries, apple, banana,oats and coconut water into a largeblender and blitz together untilsmooth, scraping down the sides onceor twice.Divide the oat smoothie mixturebetween two serving bowls, then topwith the mixed berries and chiaseeds. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

You can use any plant-based milksinstead of coconut water; simply pickyour favourite one. There are severalchoices readily available, includingalmond or cashew milk, as well ascoconut milk – just ensure that youchoose the unsweetened version. ##

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24


Your Gardening Tips for MarchSpring arrives

Spring usually arrives by mid-March and the frequent sunny days providethe opportunity for an increasing range of gardening tasks. It's time to getbusy preparing seed beds, sowing seed, cutting back winter shrubs andgenerally tidying up around the garden.● 1 Protect new spring shoots from slugs● 2 Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes● 3 Plant summer-flowering bulbs● 4 Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials● 5 Top dress containers with fresh compost● 6 Mow the lawn on dry days (if needed)● 7 Cut back Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) grown for colourful winter

stems● 8 Hoe and mulch weeds to keep them under control early● 9 Start feeding fish and using the pond fountain; remove pond heaters● 10 Prune bush and climbing roses

Here are your vegetable garden jobs for this month:●

● Dig in green manures grown over the winter. Do this while stems are stillsoft.

● Dig compost, well-rotted manure or green waste into your vegetable bedsto prepare for the growing season ahead. Dig in a 5cm (or more) layerwhen the soil becomes workable.

● Weed vegetable seed beds.● Cover prepared soil with sheets of black plastic to keep it drier and warmer

in preparation for planting.● Weed and mulch asparagus beds. Asparagus has shallow roots so weed

by hand to prevent damage.In the fruit garden

● Cut autumn-fruiting raspberry canes to the ground to stimulate new canes,which will fruit in the autumn.

● Cut the tips of summer-fruiting raspberry canes that have grown beyondthe top of their supports; cut just above a bud.

● Feed blueberry plants with ericaceous plant fertiliser.● Protect the blossoms of apricots, peaches and nectarines from frost with a

screen or horticultural fleece.● Mulch fruit trees with well-rotted manure or garden compost. Take care not

to mound mulch up around tree trunks.● Cover strawberries with a cloche to encourage earlier fruiting.● Mulch rhubarb with a thick layer of well-rotted manure to keep it healthy

and reduce moisture loss through the soil. Take care not to cover thecrown. ####

25


Local Plan Consultation

For this month's article I thought I'd bring yourattention to our district council's Local PlanConsultation, covering the Somerset West andTaunton Council area.

The council are consulting on the Issues andOptions document (link at Bishopshull.com) untilMonday 16 March 2020. The Local Plan will setout where new development should go and how itshould be designed. It covers spatial strategy and policies to address issuessuch as climate change, housing, jobs, infrastructure, the environment andcommunity facilities.It also details the policies that planning applications will be assessed against.

Before a Local Plan can be adopted, it has to go through a number of stages ofpublic consultation and independent examination in public. The issues andoptions document are the first consultation stage in the Local Plan process. Itsets out draft objectives and key issues for the Local Plan particularly aroundclimate change and development needs over the next 20 years, taking intoaccount Taunton's Garden Town status The Council has already organised aseries of road-shows for members of the public to learn more about the LocalPlan with officers on hand to answer specific questions. The Taunton road-shows took place at the Orchard Shopping Centre on 6 February, and DeaneHouse 27 February,.Paper copies are available at Deane House, Taunton.

Responses can be made using the online consultation portal yoursay.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk or by returning the paper questionnaire byfreepost.

All the responses will be analysed to help inform the next stage — a draft of theLocal Plan which SWT will consult on in late 2020.

Above text copied from somersetwestandtauntongovuk.John Hunt

Charity Gig to raise funds for St Margaret's Hospice

Saturday 7th March — 8pm at The Trident, Galmington

Rock band Hellraiser will be playing a variety of rock songs.

Tickets £12.

Tel: Samantha 079770 330557 for information and tickets

26


Real Easter Eggs celebrate their 10th birthday!

The Real Easter Egg campaign has beenrunning since 2010 and involvesthousands of churches, schools and groups.It crosses all denominations and offersindividuals a simple way to share the EasterStory while supporting Fairtrade andcharitable projects.

The idea began in 2008 when I was given achocolate Easter Egg. On the side of the boxit read: ‘Easter is the festival of chocolate andloveliness’. I began to wonder – was it rightfor the manufacturer of an Easter egg tochange the meaning of a religious festival inthis way? Imagine the outcry if this had been

done to Christmas.

I searched for an Easter egg which mentioned the Christian story of Easter. Itbecame clear that out of the 80 million eggs on sale there was not a singlemanufacturer who was willing to mention the religious aspects of the festival.So, I started The Meaningful Chocolate Company to manufacture the UK’s first‘Real Easter Egg’.

For it to be a ‘Real Easter Egg’, it had to reflect the Easter themes of hope andnew life and do three things – have a copy of the Easter story in the box, bemade from Fairtrade chocolate and support charitable causes.

The Real Easter Egg was launched in 2010. It was a struggle, as thesupermarkets turned down the idea. It was left to churches and schools toplace orders and fund the making of The Real Easter Egg.

Ten years on, more than a million eggs have been sold, with over 750,000 eggssent through the post directly to customers. The rest have been sold throughretailers and supermarkets.

Nearly £275,000 has been donated to charitable projects with FairtradePremium fees paid to farmers allowing them to buy everything from school-books and solar panels to providing fresh water.

For Easter 2020, there are five types of Real Easter Eggs available, all with newcontent. Each egg has an edition of the Easter story included. There is a new24-page version in the Original and Dark eggs with activities, biblical text anda prize competition worth £200. There is a poster activity version of the Easterstory in the Sharing Box and Fun Pack and a simple guide version in theSpecial Edition. Both the Original and Dark 2020 eggs are plastic-free and allour chocolate is Palm Oil free.

This year churches are encouraged to read more or order at www.realeasteregg.co.uk

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David Pickup, a solicitor considers what can happen with neighboursThe joys of neighbours in the Spring!

Spring has finallysprung, and ourthoughts turn naturallyto … the garden. Thefirst sunny day is anopportunity to cut thegrass with your newmotor mower, prunenext door neighbour’stree which overhangs,have a big bonfire to getrid of the rubbish, andend the day with a noisybarbecue!

All of these activities can lead to problems. Nuisance, in a legal sense, issomething for which you make a claim in a civil court, the aim being forcompensation or an order to stop someone causing the problem.

Nuisance can also happen when a landowner does something on his or her ownland which affects another person’s use or enjoyment of their ownneighbouring land.

It is probably noise which causes most complaints. This could be noise from amotor mower, music or just people arguing.

Burning rubbish on bonfires could also cause a nuisance, if done when yourneighbour has washing on their line. You might need to check if there is a localbyelaw on when you can and cannot have a fire.

Not everyone likes pets, and they can cause damage. There are laws ondangerous dogs, and the more pets you have, the more chance of problems.

You can trim back overhanging branches from your neighbour’s tree, butremember, you will be liable if your pruning kills the plant. You may also haveproblems if your tree roots damage the pipes in your next-door garden.

Disputes between neighbours are always tricky and court action is a last resort.So, how should you be a good neighbour? Be reasonable and sensible. If thereis a problem, go and speak to your neighbour. It is much cheaper to speakdirectly to them rather than speak to them through a lawyer.

Think about the situation. Does your neighbour have young children orsomeone who works shifts? Tell them what you, or they, are doing. If you wantto cut the hedge or mend a fence or have a party, speak to your neighbour first.

As always this is a complex legal area and get proper legal advice. ##

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22 March - Mothering Sunday and Mother Church

The Fourth Sunday in Lent wascalled ‘Mid-Lent’ or‘Refreshment Sunday’, when therigours of Lent were relaxed morethan was normal for a feast day. It iscalled Mothering Sunday as areference to the Epistle reading forthe Day (Galatians 4:21-31). TheLenten Epistles follow from eachother with teaching about our life asChristians and how we are to followChrist.On Mid-Lent Sunday the Epistle talks of bondage and freedom; thebondage of the Law and the Old Covenant as compared to the freedom inChrist, "the promised one", and the New Covenant. Verse 26 reads "ButJerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." We gainour freedom from Christ and, as it was seen before the Reformation, theChurch.

Thus, Mothering Sunday is about the freedom that we gain through thepromise of Jesus Christ delivered through our Mother the Church. Peoplewere encouraged to go to their ‘Mother Church’ (their home church or theirhome Cathedral) to worship and give thanks. Hence apprentices, andothers, went home for the weekend and often brought gifts (oraccumulated pay) home to their family.

On the other hand, Mother's Day is a secular festival invented in 1904 andis celebrated on the 2nd Sunday in May in most countries in the world. The UK seems to be the exception. In recent years Mothering Sunday hasbeen hijacked to take the place of a special, secular day to give thanks forour mothers.

WELLS CATHEDRALThursday 12 March 1.05 – 1.40pm (in the Quire)

LUNCHTIME ORGAN RECITALGreg Morris (St Margaret’s, Westminster)

Admission: free Retiring collection in aid of Wells Cathedral Music—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 19 March 1.05pm (in the Quire)THE TRIO SONATAS OF J.S. BACH – PART 2

James Gough (Temporary Assistant Organist, Wells Cathedral)A complete performance, over two recitals, of J.S. Bach’s

sublime and intricate Trio SonatasAdmission: free Retiring collection in aid of Wells Cathedral Music

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A further extract from E W Hendy’s book (1943)Somerset Birds and some other folk.

These young merlins, having survived so far, had a good chance of reachingmaturity; would their prospects have been better had they been reared in atree-nest? The tree-nesting habit, in so far as it protects the eggs and youngfrom ground-haunting enemies, works for the survival of the species: but a treenest, especially when it holds young in white down, is easily discovered byman. Merlins are courageous in defending eggs or young from intruders; Ihave seen them drive off herons, ravens, buzzards and crows, and I have nodoubt they would tackle a stoat, a hedgehog, or an adder. But badgers are saidto eat eggs and nestlings: they and also foxes, are common in the tree-nestingmerlins’ country, and I fear that even those brave little hawks would be unableto repel a raid by so formidable a marauder as reynard or brock.In 1938 I found a merlin’s nest on the ground in tall heather. It contained foureyases recently hatched. Six days later the nest was empty; there were no signsof bloodshed or destruction. It is possible that the disappearance of the youngwas due to human agency, but either badger or fox may have been the culprit.Security from the latter type of enemy may explain the origin of this arborealnesting in certain localities. Again, in 1937, a merlin’s ground nest wasdestroyed, probably by a deer or a pony stamping on the eggs, for I found thebroken egg shells in the scrape. This is another danger which arboreal sitesescape. The tree nesting habit would in time produce a strain of birds thatpreferred such a situation and eventually the custom would become universalwith their descendants. Though in winter merlins leave the moorland which isat that time almost deserted by the meadow pipits and other small passereswhich are their principal prey, they evidently visit their old nesting haunts.In November and December 1936 I found droppings and merlin’s feathers nearthe fir sapling by the nesting place of the previous summer, and the same wasthe case in the following March and April.In the spring merlins begin to frequent the area that is chosen for the nestingsite later on. Towards the end of February 1938 I went to the coombe in whichravens had nested two years before, hoping to find signs of their intention tonest there. Though I saw the ravens,the old nest had not been repaired; butwhile I was walking up the coombe ahen merlin twice glided past me. Twicein March I saw both jack and hen in thesame place. For various reasons I wasunable to go to the coombe duringApril, but on May 4th the hen merlinappeared on the skyline as soon as Ireached the coombe. She was evidentlyuneasy at my presence, for she pitchedon the thorn and rowan trees growingthere and watched me intently.

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I waited to see whether she would give me any hint as to the nesting site, but asshe merely kept me in view I climbed the rowan tree which contained the oldravens’ nest and found in it two merlin’s eggs. I had suspected that this sitewould be chosen, though I believe these merlins were the pair which hadnested on the ground less than a mile away in the two previous years. As one ofthese nests was that in which the eggs were trampled by deer or ponies thebirds may have decided to try a safer situation.Some ten days later I found the hen incubating four eggs, two of which were ofa lighter colour than the original pair. She did not leave the nest until I hadclimbed nearly up to her; her behaviour was curious; she fluttered clumsilythrough the branches, and seemed—I prefer not to be more positive-—t0 adoptsomething very near the ‘broken-wing’ tropism, flying low above the heatherand spreading out her tail. By this time the rowan was in full leaf and theravens’ nest was quite invisible until I was directly beneath the tree, anotherexample of the protection afforded by the arboreal nesting habit.

(To be continued)

Bishop’s Hull Cricket Club

Summer is fast approaching and we are making plans for the newcricket season starting at the beginning of May.

Our firsts are in the first division and the seconds are in the fifthdivision.

We are still seeking new players, and anyone interested shouldcontact a committee member or Paul Bulbeck([email protected]).

Indoor nets start mid-March at Castle School.

We are also starting an Under 11 side this season.

We are looking for 10 or 11 year olds who are interested in playing.

We have the playing equipment for the team, and experience is notnecessary, but will be useful.

Anyone interested, please contact

Paul Bulbeck ([email protected]) or Darren Wellman([email protected]), giving brief details of date of birth andexperience.

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POINTS TO PONDEREat seasonally

Eco-warriors who lead protestmarches may have good intent,but what are they doing at home?Are they block-paving their gardensor eating avocados, for example?Alan Titchmarsh, writing in hisrecent column in Gardeners’ World,points out: “We cannot beratemembers of the Royal family andglobal superstars for flying hither andyon in private jets if we buystrawberries in January, for they, too,will have necessitated the burning offossil fuel to reach our table.”Titchmarsh says that if we really wantto make a difference, we should eatseasonally. “I yearn for a return to ….English apples and pears in autumnand winter, strawberries andraspberries in summer, andasparagus from April to June.And while he would not depriveanyone of “a slice of lemon for theirG&T,” he does worry “about thegrowing consumption of avocados,which is causing the destruction ofMexican rainforests to make way foravocado plantations.”So instead of avocados this month,why not consider some artichoke,beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,cabbage (both Savoy and white),carrots, chicory, cauliflowers,endives, fennel, or spinach, to namebut a few of the vegetables in seasonin March?

*****Are you a late bloomer?

Are you crossing life’s milestoneslater than your grandparents andeven parents did? Not to worry – youare not alone.

The office for National Statistics hasrecently revealed that for many of us,life’s milestones are happening later.We are marrying, buying our firsthomes, becoming parents, divorcing,becoming grandparents, and retiringlater than ever.The average age for women to givebirth in 1999 was 29 years; in 2018 itwas 31.The average age for a man todivorce in 1998 was 40.4; in 2018 itwas 46.9.The average age for retirement inwomen in 1999 was 60.8; in 2019 itwas 64.3.If you are older, here’s a great bit ofnews: men and women aged 65-74are happier than any other age group.(Those aged 40-50 are least happy.)

*****Why women over 50

should slim down

Most women who are over 50would be wise to lose someweight, and thereby reduce theirchance of developing breast cancer.So says some recent Harvardresearch, which found that those wholost the most weight also cut theirrisk of breast cancer by up to aquarter.Two in three women in Britain areoverweight or obese. One in eightwomen in the UK will develop breastcancer. Being overweight is a drivingfactor, as after the menopause,

32


oestrogen drops, but fat cells keep thehormone raised, which can causetumours to grow.

*****Do you need a dachshund?

Never mind Labradors and Frenchbulldogs – the latest ‘must have’dog is rapidly becoming thedachshund.The number of dachshund puppiesregistered in the UK has risen by 112per cent in just the last five years. In2013, 4,887 dachshund puppies wereregistered with the Kennel Club. By2018, this had risen to 10,377.As a Kennel Club spokesman said: “Itisn’t surprising, especially as trendstowards smaller homes and busylifestyles grow. The breed has

become ‘Insta-famous’, withthousands of social media fans. Manycelebrities own one, and there is nodoubt these dogs have the cutefactor.”But he went on to warn: “Althoughdachshunds are fun, friendlycharacters, they are also strong-willedand take time and commitment. Weurge people to make sure theyunderstand their preferred breed andits characteristics before making adecision to buy a dog.”

*****The soaring cost and changing

tastes in funerals

Never mind living, soon it will betoo expensive to die! The cost of

funerals has reached record highs,with families now spending anaverage of £9,493 on a funeral.

That is an increase of more than threeper cent in just the past year. Only ifyou are really strict, and shop around,can you still find a very basic funeralfor just under £4,500.But it seems that more and more ofus want extras. And they can bequirky! Seven out of ten funeraldirectors have reported requestsranging from a Disney-themedservice, to an all-pink wedding-styleceremony. They have been asked torelease balloons at the end of theservice, or even doves. As forappropriate music, whereas once‘Abide with Me’ was the favourite,these days it can be ‘Another OneBites the Dust’ by Queen.As for getting your loved one to theirfinal resting place, nowadays youneedn’t rely on the hearse; use amotorcycle and sidecar instead. Or,most spectacular of all, you can evenchoose to place the ashes of yourloved one into a large firework, andblast them off, high up into the sky!The research was done by theCompetition and Markets Authority.

*****Run yourself to fitness

The London Marathon will be runnext month (April). Here is somegood news for anyone training for it:running a marathon for the first timecan reverse key markers of your

33


ageing by up to four years. Researchat University College London andBarts Health NHS Trust found thatpeople who trained for six monthshad major improvements in theirblood pressure and arterial stiffness.While marathons are great, they arenot for everyone, and one doctorstressed that anyone can benefit fromtaking more exercise. “Keeping activereduces your risk of having a heartattack or stroke and cuts yourchances of an early death. Settingyourself a goal, such as training for amarathon, is a great way to staymotivated.”

*****What’s in your child’s lunchbox?

Ten years ago, too many children’slunch boxes contained processedham sandwiches and packets ofcrisps. Sadly, today, little haschanged.A recent study at Leeds Universityhas found that the majority of lunchboxes still fall well below nutritionalstandards. Only one in five includeany vegetables or salad. Less thanone per cent have sandwiches withplant-based fillings, such as humus.There is also a drop in variousminerals and vitamins such as A, Cand zinc. Even the bread is lesshealthy: as tortillas and wraps aregaining in popularity.But as one public health informationofficer points out, “given the choice ofunhealthy food and drinks that are

often marketed as ‘family packs’ or‘good for lunch boxes’, it is hardlysurprising that busy parents go forthese options.”

*****Garden trends for 2020

What plans do you have for yourgarden this year? Probably youwill slow down on the digging, andmaybe try making some mud pies byyour new bee hotel instead. Theseare among the predictions of TheRoyal Horticultural Society (RHS).The RHS reports a growing desireamong gardeners to keep their soilhealthy by adopting a ‘no dig’philosophy, which limits damage tosoil structure and wildlife.As for mud pies, the RHS hopes thatmore parents will tempt theirchildren into the garden to enjoythemselves with simple fun, and alsoto enjoy the benefits of soil bacteriaon their immune system.And bee hotels? They are just one ofmany ways in which we can takepositive steps towards helping nature.Gardens need to be a bit less tidy,with seed heads left for the birds toeat, fallen logs left for the hedgehogsand beetles to sleep in, and piles ofdead grass and weeds for ourwoodlice and other small crawlies.Gardens also need simple ponds, andplants for pollinators. Clippedshrubs, manicured lawns andpesticides do not help nature at all.As Guy Barter, RHS chiefhorticulturists says: “There’s a risingtide of concern about theenvironment…. In the garden at leastwe can have some control. Now weare all wildlife gardeners, helpingsongbirds, helping beetles andwoodlice.” *****

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THIS IS OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE

BIOENGINEERING IS A NEW DISCIPLINE that is going to dramaticallyimpact our food. The petroleum era ushered in companies such as IBM,BP and Texaco. But we are increasingly aware of the impact they have had onthe environment. We know that we need to reinvent manufacturing toimprove our planet and health.In 2020, we are going to see biology “eat” the manufacturing world — andnew companies will spring up to reinvent the processes by which our food isgrown, made and distributed. Biology is already being engineered to reinventmany of the food processes that were developed by the petroleum era. ApeelSciences which uses nano-technology to apply protective “peel” material tofruit and vegetables, allowing them to last up to three times longer withoutrefrigeration.This isn’t just a question of keeping your strawberries fresh: in many cases acold chain is no longer needed, greatly decreasing cost and increasingoptionality — and directly addressing worldwide food waste. Othercompanies have engineered products such as non—browning apples byediting the gene that causes the apple to brown. These products are better forconsumers — and help our global systems by extending trade routes, openingup new markets and reducing food waste on a global scale. And of course weare seeing a move into plant—based “meat”. Companies such as ImpossibleFoods and Beyond Meat have created an alternative to animal protein withoutthe downsides of the traditional meat industry, such as production of thegreenhouse gas methane, consumption of grain by livestock, and E. colicontamination. 1112020, we will see this industry shift further intobioengineered meat made directly from animal cells and requiring neitherthe birth nor the slaughter of more animals. This approach to manufacturingwill spill over into many other food products. Dairy alternatives are alreadybeing produced in ways that don't involve cows, from new plant products suchas oat milk to milk products that can be grown in plants instead of beingsecreted by cows. Fish, too, will increasingly be grown using these techniques,helping to address environmental problems such as over fishing and toxicmaterials in our aquatic ecosystems. These products, designed by humansusing nature’s own processes, will be revolutionary in the impact they haveon our global economies and the world’s health. And the way they areproduced will spill over into other sectors. As bioengineering “eats” our foodsystem, the biology of our food will in turn “eat” more of our manufacturing.Companies such as Mycoworks and Bolt are already using materials such asmushrooms to create “leather”, and we’ll see much more of that - such as treelights and houses that are grown instead of built. We are now seeing the firstwave of a coming era in biological innovation, and companies in the sectorwill become as big as those that came before — think a bio Del Monte for the21st century. By Vijay Pande (WIRED)

35


The Awful Jokes PageLove is a Many Splendoured Thing...

A woman, cranky because herhusband was late coming homeagain, decided to leave a note, saying, "I've had enough and have leftyou...don't bother coming after me"Then she hid under the bed to see hisreaction.After a short while, the husbandcomes home and she could hear himin the kitchen before he comes intothe bedroom. She could see him walktowards the dresser and pick up thenote.After a few minutes, he wrotesomething on it before picking up thephone and calling someone."She's finally gone...yeah I know,about time, I'm coming round to seeyou. I love you...can't wait to see you."He hung up, grabbed his keys andleft.She heard the car drive off as shecame out from under the bed,seething with rage and with tears inher eyes.She grabbed the note to see what hewrote. "I can see your feet. We're outtabread; be back in five minutes."

*****

A man went in to the doctors andsaid, “ Doctor, doctor I think I’ma moth”.The doctor said, “Sorry, I can’t helpyou, you need to see a psychiatrist,there’s one up the road”.“I know”, he says, “I was on my waythere and then I saw your light on”.A turtle is crossing the road when he’smugged by two snails. When the

police show up, they ask him whathappened. The shaken turtle replies,“I don’t know. It all happened sofast.”

*****

A man spots a sign outside a housethat reads “Talking Dog for Sale.”Intrigued, he walks in.“So what have you done with yourlife?” he asks the dog.“I’ve led a very full life,” says the dog.“I lived in the Alps rescuingavalanche victims. Then I served mycountry in Iraq. And now I spend mydays reading to the residents of aretirement home.”The guy is flabbergasted. He asks thedog’s owner, “Why on Earth wouldyou want to get rid of an incredibledog like that?”The owner says, “Because he’s a liar!He never did any of that!”

*****

A man, shocked by how his buddyis dressed, asks him, “How longhave you been wearing that bra?” Thefriend replies, “Ever since my wifefound it in the glove compartment.”

*****

A ventriloquist is performing withhis dummy on his lap. He’stelling a dumb-blonde joke when ayoung platinum-haired beauty jumpsto her feet. “What gives you the rightto stereotype blondes that way?” shedemands. “What does hair colourhave to do with my worth as a humanbeing?”Flustered, the ventriloquist begins tostammer out an apology.“You keep out of this!” she yells. “I’mtalking to that little jerk on yourknee!”

*****

36


Things to Ponder

A man with a stutter died while inPrison...., before he could completehis sentence.

##########

Today a man knocked on my doorand asked for a small donationtowards the local swimming pool. Igave him a glass of water.

###########

I find it ironic that the colours red,white, and blue stand for freedomuntil they are flashing behind you.

##########

When wearing a bikini, womenreveal 90% of their body... men areso polite they only look at thecovered parts.

##########

Relationships are a lot like algebra.Have you ever looked at your X andwondered Y?

##########

You know that tingly little feelingyou get when you like someone?That's your common sense leavingyour body.

##########

Did you know that dolphins are sosmart that within a few weeks ofcaptivity, they can train people tostand on the very edge of the pooland throw fish to them?

##########

I think my neighbour is stalking meas she's been Googling my name onher computer. I saw it through mytelescope last night.

##########

You're not fat, you're just....easier tosee.

##########

If you think nobody cares whetheryou're alive, try missing a couple ofalimony payments.

##########

Money can’t buy happiness, but itkeeps the kids in touch! ##

A young monk arrives at themonastery. He is assigned tohelping the other monks in copyingthe old laws of the church by hand.He notices, however, that all of themonks are copying from copies, notfrom the original manuscript. So,the new monk goes to the headmonk to question this, pointing outthat if someone made even a smallerror in the first copy, it wouldnever be picked up! In fact, thaterror would be continued in all ofthe subsequent copies.The head monk, says, “You make agood point, my son.”He goes down into the dark cavesunderneath the monastery wherethe original manuscripts are held ina locked vault. Hours go by andnobody sees the head monk. Theyoung monk gets worried and goesdown to look for him. He sees himbanging his head against the walland wailing.“We missed the R! We missed the R!We missed the R!”“Father!” cries the young monk.“What’s wrong?”The head monk with tears in hiseyes replies, “The word iscelebrate!” *****

The village blacksmith finallyfound an apprentice willing towork hard for long hours. Theblacksmith instructed the boy,“When I take the shoeout of the fire, I’ll layit on the anvil; andwhen I nod my head,you hit it with thishammer.”The apprentice did just as he wastold. Now he’s the villageblacksmith.

37


38


St James the Least of All

The Rev Dr Gary Bowness continues his tongue-in-cheek letters from ‘UncleEustace’…

On the nonsense of having a lavatory at churchThe Rectory

St James the Least of AllMy dear Nephew Darren

This year, the rigours of Lent have taken second place to a far more pressingmatter: the installation of a lavatory at St James the Least of All.

Personally, I entirely disapprove of this additional sign of decadence in ourmoral fibre; we have survived perfectly happily for the last 800 yearswithout one, so why is there such an urgent need now? And being surroundedby acres of fields, there seems to be a completely acceptable alternative.

It also spoils the pleasure I used to take, informing ushers at weddings,having liberally refreshed themselves at our local pub before the Service, thatwe have no facilities and that they would just have to wait. Their look ofpained resignation, developing to clear signs of repentance as the Serviceprogressed, was most cheering. It also meant that wedding parties did notlinger after the Service but disappeared with commendable speed to safehavens.

I anticipate that now we have the thing, a sub-committee will form to devise acommissioning Service for the person who will be in charge of itsmaintenance. I can already foresee Lady Bartlett proposing an appropriateset of robes for the office holder – although it will need some tact to selectsuitable insignia on the sleeves.

In fact, the project has not been entirely successful; we still need to have alock fitted and so at present, occupants have been advised to sing hymnsloudly. A hymn book has been installed as an aide memoire.

The greater difficulty arises from our antiquated plumbing system. Amember of the congregation can leave a Service perfectly discreetly; they canenter the lavatory unseen by anyone, but on flushing, water is drawn throughpipes running the length of the inside of the building with a thunderous roar.

I am sure that in your worship centre you will have lavish cloakroomsfurnished with colour co-ordinated walls and towels, baby-changing facilitiesand video monitors relaying everything going on in the service. But we aremade of sterner stuff, and I maintain that our congregation should begrateful that they own a lavatory at all. And to think that someone suggestedit should even have heating!

Your loving uncle,Eustace

39

Bishop's Hull Parish Magazine Edition 34/10 March 2020SERVICES AT ST PETER & ST PAUL FOR MARCH 2020

Sunday1 March1st of Lent

Holy CommunionFamily Service

8.00 a.m.10.00 a.m.

Genesis 2.15-17;3.1-7Matthew 4.1-11

Wednesday4 March Holy Communion 10.00 a.m.

Luke 11.29-32Galatian 4.21-5.1

Sunday8 March2nd of Lent

Holy CommunionHoly Communion

ABLAZE8.00 a.m.10.00 a.m.

Genesis 12.1-4aRomans 4.1-5,13-17John 3.1-17

Terry CurnowJo George


Matthew 20.17-28Hebrews 2.10-end

Sunday15 March3rd of Lent


ABLAZE8.00 a.m.10.00 a.m.

Exodus 17.1-7John 4.5-42

Will OsmondRosemary Lockley


Matthew 5.17-19Hebrews 6.13-end

Sunday22 MarchMothering Sunday


ABLAZE

8.00 a.m.10.00 a.m 1 Samuel 16.1-13John 9

Shirley StapletonGerald Lush

Wednesday25 March Holy Communion 10.00 a.m

Luke 1.26-381 Samuel 2.1-10

Sunday29 March5th of Lent


ABLAZE8.00 a.m.

10.00 a.m.Ezekiel 37.1-14John 11.1-45

Bob CoombsChris George

GRASS CUTTING

Geoff Bowyer

Eating Disorders Awareness Week - 2nd – 8th March

A staggering 1.25 million people in the UK are living with an eating disorder.And every one of them is affecting other people by that disorder. In fact, itis reckoned that as many as five million of us in the UK are struggling to helpsomeone whom we care about, who has an eating disorder.

If you know anyone with an eating disorder, or if you have an eating disorder,there is a website may help. Please go to:https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/edaw

40

Bishop's Hull Parish Magazine Edition 34/10 March 2020CHURCH DIRECTORY (01823)

Church web site: www.stpeterandstpaul.org.uk

Vicar: Rev. Philip Hughes 336102(Usual day off - Friday)[email protected]

Reader: Gerald Lush 251105

Church Wardens: Mr Will Osmond 461820Mrs Jo George 331432

Treasurer: Kathy Fear 0774 811 8124

Gift Aid Co-ordinator: Pat Barrett 365811

Safeguarding Officer: Tim Sutton 286984

Tower Secretary: Giles Morley 430710

PCC Secretary: Gerald Lush 251105

Parish Administrator/ Jayne White Weekly Notice Sheet [email protected]

Church Flowers: Belinda Luke 289537

CHURCH HALL REPRESENTATIVESBooking Secretary: Belinda Luke 289537

[email protected] Treasurer: Bob Coombs 253697

Covers designed by Bob Coombs.Photos by Bob Winn & Bob Coombs

Magazine printed by Colourtone Print, Carly Press, Unit 7C-7D,Castle Road, Chelston Business Park, Wellington, TA21 9JQ

01823 256535

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