whittington organisations parish services ...whittington c of e primary school headteacher: mr sean...

WOMENS INSTITUTE:

Second Thursday in the month in the Community Centre.

Secretary: Mrs Joyce Howard Tel:656389

WHITTINGTON CASTLE PRESERVATION TRUST:

Joint - Chairman: Paul Jones Tel:679542

Andy Cawthray Tel:657178

Castle Manager: Ms Sue Ellis Tel:662500

BELL RINGING:

Details from Brian Rothera Tel:657778 BROWNIES, GUIDES:

6pm- 7.15pm Thursday except in school holidays in the Community Centre.

Brown Owl: Mrs D. Gough, 2 Newnes Barns, Ellesmere Tel:624390

BEAVER, CUBS & SCOUT INFORMATION:

Information from: Brenda Cassidy – Group Scout Leader (Gobowen)

The Manse, St Martins Road, Gobowen Tel:658016

e.mail: [email protected]

WHITTINGTON UNDER FIVES GROUP:

Sessional and extended hours Carer and Toddler Sessions

Leaders: Dawn and Mandy Tel:670127

Meet in the Community Centre 9am – 3pm

SENIOR CITIZENS:

Monday Whist Drive, Thursday Coffee Morning

All meetings in the Senior Citizens Hall

Secretary: Mrs Gillian Roberts, 28 Boot Street, Whittington Tel:662236

MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICE:

The Mobile Library will stop in the cul-de-sac by the Three Trees/White

Lion on alternate Tuesdays between 2:55pm – 3:55pm. This will now be the

only stop in the village.

CHURCH WEB-SITE ADDRESS: www.churches.lichfield.anglican.org/oswestry/whittington

40

TIMES OF SERVICES 8.00am Holy Communion

SUNDAY: 10.30am Parish Communion

(All Age Eucharist as announced)

6.30pm Evensong (3rd

Sunday of each month)

First Sunday in the Month

6.30pm Holy Communion

According to the Book of Common Prayer

WEEKDAYS: Holy Communion- Thursday 9:30am

Choir Practice - Friday 5:30pm

RECTOR: Reverend Sarah Burton Tel:238658

CHURCHWARDENS: Mr I Mellor, 10 Boot Street, Whittington Tel:681036


Mrs G Roberts, 28 Boot Street, Whittington Tel:662236


VERGER: Mr D. Howard, 16 Yew Tree Avenue, Whittington Tel:656389

Deputy: Mr P. Morris, 1 Rosehill Avenue, Whittington Tel:659562

ORGANIST: Mr K. Griffiths, 12 Park Crescent, Park Hall Tel:662116

SUNDAY SCHOOL:Mrs Ann Hughes,„Silverdale‟New Marton,Tel:690513

MAGAZINE:

Editor: Miss A Ward, 4 Rosehill Avenue, Whittington Tel:672838

[email protected]

Distribution: Mr & Mrs J Carroll, Rhoswen, Station Road Tel:659385

WHITTINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Headteacher: Mr Sean Sibley Tel:662269


PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL:

Secretary: Vacancy

1

PARISH SERVICES WHITTINGTON ORGANISATIONS

Tel:679542

Tel:656389

May 2013

THE LAST POST

My brother-in-law celebrated his Golden Wedding at the Easter weekend,

gathering his clan in a hotel in Leicestershire. For my wife and me

Leicestershire was, till that weekend, pretty much a sealed book.

The celebration hotel was in Market Bosworth; the hotel where my wife and

I stayed was a mile or two away in the even smaller village of Sutton

Cheney. Between Sutton Cheney and Market Bosworth is the area where the

Battle of Bosworth was fought. The battle has gained in topicality from

excavations in a car park in Leicester which produced “beyond reasonable

doubt” the remains of King Richard III, who died at the Battle of Bosworth

aged only thirty one and was the last reigning English monarch to die in

battle; he was defeated by the Lancastrian Henry Tudor, who became Henry

VII. Bosworth Field was the last major battle of the Wars of the Roses.

Richard had not long been king; he gained the throne in 1483, amid dirty

deeds after the death of Edward IV and the removal of young Edward V.

Less than two years later he and his troops lined up at Bosworth Field and

were soundly beaten. Thereafter Henry went to another village just down the

road from the battlefield, to Stoke Golding, now advertised as the birthplace

of the Tudor dynasty. It was there, on Crown Hill, that Henry was declared

King of England.

On 31st March, Easter Day, my wife and I were hoping to find a church open,

aware that in many rural spots these days services are infrequent. Near our

hotel we found St James‟s, Sutton Cheney. A light burning inside signified

that a service was about to be held. It was a simple affair, but appropriate to

the day. We had been lucky to find the church open; the churchwarden told

us that the vicar looked after no fewer than thirteen churches, and that only

because it was Easter Sunday was St James‟s active.

2

CRICKET CLUB SECRETARY:

Mr Mike Brunt, Greystone, Daisy Lane, Whittington SY11 4EA

e.mail: [email protected] Tel:661874

CRICKET SECRETARY:

Mr Neil Dermody, 34 Hill Crest, Swan Hill, Ellesmere SY12 0LJ

e.mail: [email protected] Tel:623951 THE BOWLING SECRETARY:

Mrs Jacqui Whitley


COMMUNITY CENTRE BOOKING SECRETARY:

Mrs Linda Davies, 2 Rose Cottages, Donnett Corner, Whittington

Tel:662339 SHROPSHIRE COUNCILLOR FOR WHITTINGTON AND WEST FELTON

Mr Stephen Charmley, 3 Glebe Meadows, Whittington SY11 4AG


www.stevecharmley.co.uk WHITTINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Mrs A. S. Cowley, “Pear Tree” Cottage, Treflach Oswestry

(Clerk to the Council) – Held the first Tuesday in the month Tel:659496 SHROPSHIRE YOUTH SERVICE

Rural Mobile visits the village on Tuesday 6-15pm – 8pm.

Bus parks opposite the “Premier” Shop, Whittington.

Open to the young people between the ages of 13 – 20 yrs.

Contact: Wendy Stockton, Shropshire Council Youth Worker. Tel:654175 BAPTISM SECRETARY

Mrs Margery Mellor, 10 Boot Street, Whittington Tel:681036

e.mail: [email protected] WEDDING SECRETARY

Mrs Ann Jones, Springfield, Station Road, Oswestry Tel:662356

39

“THE RIPPLE” (Whittington Parish Church Magazine)

Vol 26 No 1

WHITTINGTON ORGANISATIONS

Tel:681036

Tel:662256

As a monument to Christian glory, Seville's cathedral has few equals, in fact

there are those who are undecided whether it is the largest church in the

world when measured against St Peter's in Rome and St Paul's in London.

This massive Gothic edifice took more than a century to build, after a group

of religious fanatics decided in 1401 to build a church so wonderful that

'those who come after us will take us for madmen'. The cathedral was built

on the site of the Almohad mosque, which was demolished to make way for

it, leaving no more than the minaret, built in 1198, known as La Giralda,

which is today open to tourists to climb. The interior of the cathedral

contains forty-four chapels; mahogany choir stalls made from recycled

Austrian railway sleepers; and it is claimed that Christopher Columbus'

remains are here in a tomb dedicated to him, but there is some controversy

over this. Artworks to be seen include gilded panels, glittering icons, and

intricately carved altarpieces.

The Torre del Oro or 'tower of gold', overlooking

the Guadalquivir River, was part of the original

Moorish city fortification, built in the thirteenth

century, and is believed to have been covered with

gold tiles imported from the Americas. The tower

has been restored and now houses a maritime

museum, which contains drawings and engravings

depicting Seville in its heyday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

38

The thread running through this narrative is Richard himself, for shortly

before he engaged in battle at Bosworth Field he celebrated his final mass in

that same church in Sutton Cheney. It was quite affecting to imagine that

where we now sat Richard had contemplated his future; where we said the

words of the Book of Common Prayer Richard‟s voice too had been heard.

The Richard III Society holds a commemorative service here each year on

the Sunday closest to the anniversary of the battle. Many of the needlepoint

kneelers in the church are the work of members of the Richard III Society, in

England and abroad.

I doubt very much whether the organist and the preacher were the same, but

it was just another, if minor reason, to remember Easter Sunday.

Ian Mellor

Richard III - The Last Plantagenet King

3

DIARY

1 7:30pm Concert 1 of the Whittington International Music

Festival in church

7:30pm Whist Drive in the Senior Citizens Hall with light

refreshments.

2 9:30am Holy Communion

7:30pm Concert 2 of the Whittington International Music

Festival in church


Festival in the Peter Humphreys Centre, Oswestry –

Sold Out

4 8:00am The May Prayer Breakfast to support Ben Mayho,

the Schools Christian Project Worker; further details

elsewhere in this edition of “The Ripple”


Festival in St Chad‟s church, Shrewsbury

5 SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

8:00am Holy Communion

10:30am Festival Praise – a special service lasting 45 minutes

for people of all ages with some of the Leondari

Ensemble musicians attending and a celebration of

baptism; refreshments will be served afterwards

NO Evening Service at Whittington Parish Church


Festival in church

4

SEVILLE

Spain's great southern city of Seville has a romantic past and a rich Moorish

heritage. The city is the regional capital of Andalucia, which contains the

densely populated beach resorts of the Costa del Sol along its southern

reaches, and the mountain villages of the Sierra Nevada range further inland,

about 25 miles from the coast.

The site of Seville's Moorish Alcazar, a palace-fortress structure that is

regarded as one of the finest existing examples of Moorish architecture and

is the perfect setting for high culture and romantic operas such as Carmen,

Don Juan and Figaro, has been occupied by the city's rulers since Roman

times, and has been a favoured residence of Spanish kings since the Middle

Ages. The palace was built by the Moors in the seventh century, and

occupied by them for five hundred years. It has been added to and altered by

successive occupants ever since. First to enlarge the building was the

infamous al-Mu'tadid of the Abbadids, who reputedly kept a harem of eight-

hundred women and decorated the terraces with flowers planted in the skulls

of his decapitated enemies. Of the early Christian additions most notable is

the colonnaded quadrangle of the Patio of the Maids. The golden-domed

Salon de los Embajadores was a wing built by Fernando and Isabel, and was

where the royal pair welcomed Columbus back after his discovery of

America.

37

TRAVELLER’S TALES

Lighting Maintenance Contract: The North West Power lighting

maintenance contract is almost expired, Councillors are still considering

various options including a company called V&W Electrics to secure the

best long term deal for the Parish.

Other Lighting Issues: The Council have no plans at this time to replace the

street light in Cambrian Avenue.

Play Area at Fitzgwarine: The equipment in the play area is working fine

but it was noted that there is a fault with the gate as it is not springing itself

closed.

Whittington Youth Group: The Council were aware that the Youth Group

activities were starting again but they did not have any details at that time

regarding the dates and times of the meetings.

2013/2014 Donations made by the Council to local Groups and

Organisations:

£100.00 each to Hope House Hospice; Marie Curie Cancer Care; Shropshire

Helping Hand Association; Severn Hospice; Whittington Cricket Club;

Whittington Community Centre; Oswestry Rugby Club and Whittington

Under Fives

£50.00 Whittington Music Festival

£50.00 Oswestry Citizen's Advice Bureau (Out of Admin Fund)

Date and Time of the Next Parish Council Meeting: This will be held on

Tuesday the 7th of May at 7:30pm

The Annual Parish Meeting: This is an open meeting and will be held in

the Senior Citizen‟s Hall on Tuesday the 21st of May at 7:00pm.

Paul Thompson-Lawrence

(This article is a brief outline of the main discussion points for the WPC

meeting and does not represent a formal record. For an official copy of the

minutes please contact the Parish Clerk or look on the Parish Website

www.shrop.net/WhitPC)

36

7 12:15pm Senior Citizens Roast Lunch in the Senior Citizens

Hall; further details elsewhere in this edition of

“The Ripple”

2:00-3:00pm Praise and Play, in church

7:00pm Archdeacon‟s Visitation for the Ellesmere and

Oswestry Deaneries at Ellesmere Parish Church,

when the Churchwardens will be sworn in for the

next twelve months


Festival in church


Festival in church


Festival in church

9 ASCENSION DAY


7:00pm Whittington Women‟s Institute meets in the

Community Centre; Speaker: Janet Boult, Topic:

Holiday Travels in India


Festival in church

12 SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

THE BEGINNING OF CHRISTIAN AID WEEK


10:30am Parish Communion

4:00pm „Spring Time‟ Messy Church for Families; further

details elsewhere in this edition of “The Ripple”

5

13 LAST DAY for magazine material for the June edition of the

“Ripple” all material to Anne Ward, 4 Rosehill

Avenue, Whittington – [email protected]

9:30-11:30am “BOB” the free Stay and Play Playbus for pre- school

children will be in the Lay-by at Babbinswood;

further details elsewhere in this edition of “The

Ripple”

14 Senior Citizens lunch at The Greyhound, St Martins;

further details elsewhere in this edition of “The

Ripple”

2:00-3:00pm Praise and Play, in church


18 Christian Aid Week ends

7:00pm Bottle and Chocolate Bingo Evening in Whittington

Community Centre and in aid of the Centre; further


19 PENTECOST – WHIT SUNDAY


10:30am Parish Communion

6:30pm Evensong

2:30-5:00pm Open Garden with Cream Tea and Children‟s Trail

at Maes Termyn, the home of Annabelle Simpson;

an opportunity to visit this private garden never

opened to the public before; further details elsewhere

in this edition of “The Ripple”

20 3:15 – 4:00pm Sticky Fingers meets in Whittington School; further


21 2:00-3:00pm Praise and Play, in church

6

There were seven Parish Councillors, the Clerk, two members of the public

and Mr A Jones from Chartlands Developments Ltd, Shrewsbury at the

meeting.

This was to be the last meeting for the term of the present Parish Council.

The next Parish Council meeting will be held with a Parish Council elected

for a new term of office from the 3rd of May 2013.

Community Policeman: It was not possible for a police officer to attend

and no report on criminal activities was received; however it was known that

during March there had been two house burglaries in the Babbinswood area.

The issue of parking at The Venue at Park Hall was raised. Photographs

were produced showing that supporters attending the match with Carmarthen

had parked all along Burma Road and on both sides in some places,

restricting access. The matter would be brought to the attention of Shropshire

Council.

Planning Schemes Within The Parish:- Mr Andrew Jones from Chartlands

Development Ltd Shrewsbury, presented details for two possible

development schemes within the parish. The proposals were discussed and

the council offered some changes and ideas for Mr Jones to consider.

Provision of a Footpath on Boot Street :- The work on the footpath is

continuing and should be completed soon.

The Five Perry Parishes Local Joint Committee: This was covered in last

months‟ report advising that money was available for organisations to write

and request funding a for a need particular to their area. Come to the Annual

Parish Meeting on Tuesday the 21st of May at 7:00pm to find out how to

apply for available funding.

Development at Park Hall: There was no feedback as the second working

group meeting will take place on the 7th of May, before the next Parish

Council meeting.

35

Whittington Parish Council News,

Meeting held on 2nd

April 2013

The Bowling League matches began on the 5th April in very cold and wet

conditions and only the D team managed a 5-5 draw. Here‟s hoping for better

weather when spring eventually comes.

On Sunday 5th.

May there will be an open bowls and cricket meeting at

1:00pm for anyone interested in partaking in either sport followed by the

Highfield Cup for bowling members who were not winners in last year

competitions starting at 2:00pm.

The A and B teams will be bowling on alternative Tuesday‟s at 7:00pm at

home in the Oswestry league. Wednesday see the C and E teams playing

home matches on alternative weeks, whilst the D team play at home on

Thursday 9th, 23

rd and 30

th May.

The veterans A and B teams have alternative games on Friday afternoons

and the Wem teams meet on Monday evenings. Supporters are always

welcome at these matches.

The cricket season started on Saturday 20th April and Junior coaching sessions

started on Wednesday 10th April with 12 weeks coaching with Rod Jones

(Level 2 Coach) costing £25 or £3 per session. Anyone interested in attending

should contact Mike Brunt (661874). Car boot Sales will be held on Monday 6

thMay at 9:00am; and Friday 17

th and

23rd

at 1:00pm.

Please visit our website for further information on events:

www.freewebs.com/whittingtoncricketandbowlsclub

Nora Brunt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Look at it this way

Every evening I turn my troubles over to God.

Why not? He‟s going to be up all night anyway.

34

22 2:30pm The Study Group meets in the Lady Chapel to look

at the prophet Micah; all are welcome


26 TRINITY SUNDAY


10;30am Parish Communion

8:45 for 9:00am Annual Parish Walk departs from the Castle; further


27 Parish Holiday to Somerset departs

28 12:00noon Senior Citizens Monthly Lunch at the White Lion

29 2:30pm The Study Group meets in the Lady Chapel to

continue the study of the prophet Micah


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JUNE ADVANCE NOTICE

8 2:00pm Bridge Drive in the Senior Citizens Hall in aid of

church funds £10 per pair; further details elsewhere

in this edition of “The Ripple”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Extracts from the Parish Registers

for the month of March 2013

HOLY BAPTISM

“We welcome you into the Lord‟s Family”

3rd

March 2013 Megan Eirwen Evans and

Phoebe Hannah Evans

of Meadow Drive, Gobowen

7

10th March 2013 Harrison James Thomas

of Queen Elizabeth Drive, Oswestry

17th March 2013 Maisie Maria Elizabeth Davies (and her parents)

Brendon John Davies and Denise Kirsty Hignett

of College Road, Oswestry

24th March 2013 Oscar David Jones

of Almond Avenue, Gobowen

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

“May the Souls of the Faithful Departed Rest in Peace”

13th March 2013 Margaret Avril Rose Goode

Aged 79 of Yew Tree Avenue

Communicants for the month .............302

Attendance for the month ...................453

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EASTER FLOWERS

Many thanks to everyone who gave so generously

towards flowers to decorate our church for Easter.

As usual the ladies worked very hard and provided a

beautiful display to set off the Easter Experience

displays. The total donations amounted to £179, a

wonderful amount. Thank you all so much.

Barbara Phipps

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

100 Club Draw

The 100 Club Draw will be going ahead this

year. There will be nine draws in total, the

first being at the end of April and the last in

December. The prize money will be 1st £20,

2nd

£10, 3rd

£5, 4th £5. Keep a watch in future

editions of the magazine to see if you have been lucky!

The Churchwardens

8

Answers to last month‟s Crossword

ACROSS: 1, Womb. 3, Agnostic. 9, Long ago. 10, Fleet. 11, Horeb.

12, Yellow. 14, Deceitfulness. 17, Banish. 19, Towel. 22, Boils. 23, Inferno.

24, Eternity. 25, Defy.

DOWN: 1, Will hide. 2, Minor. 4, Glory of Christ. 5, Offal. 6, The Robe.

7, City. 8, Zabbai. 13, Psalmody. 15, Chalice. 16, Let off. 18, If son.

20, Worse. 21, Able.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some „wisdom‟ from popular culture

“I‟d rather be simple and have me pleasures than know everything and be

miserable.” -Minnie Caldwell, Coronation Street.

Nobody takes me to the cleaners and to bed in the same day. - Alexis Colby,

Dynasty.

Thou shalt not tell porkies about thy neighbour...or pinch stuff off him,

including the bloke‟s wife. - Garry Hobbs, East Enders

33

BRIDGE DRIVE

Saturday 8th

June

in the

Senior Citizens Hall, Whittington

2:00pm

£10:00 per couple

(Refreshments included)

In Aid of Church Funds

May Events at Whittington Castle

4th

/5th

/6th

May - 10:00am-4:00pm Each Day

3 Day large Re-enactment Event

with Historia Normannis. Over 100

Re-enactors. Craft and Refreshment

Stalls and Re-enactment Market.

Prepare for the Norman Invasion!! £2 Entrance Fee

Battles and storming of the Castle as well as Living History.

Extra parking available at the school.

12th

May - 9:00am-1:00pm Car Boot Sale - £5 per car

19th

May The House of the Black Star - Medieval Re-enactment,

stalls and Living History

26th

May Living History Camp with 1265 Re-enactment Group and

Whittington Medieval Guild

27th

May - Whittington Green Fair. Stalls, refreshments, canoeing on

moat - ideal family event. Free entrance just £1 to park.

From 4th–6

th May Whittington Castle will host its largest event for the year -

the annual Norman invasion!! This is a major fundraiser for the Castle and

this year promises to be larger and better than ever. Whittington School

have kindly consented to allow us to use their car park and field as overflow

which will help. If anyone can spare a few hours we need extra volunteers

for this weekend please contact Sue.

The Castle has also launched a new membership scheme. Anybody can join

on payment of a small annual subscription, and in return you‟ll get a

member‟s free parking pass and special rates for plays and concerts, as well

as being able to get involved in the running of the Trust - forms available

from our website or pop in to find out more.

Still some stall space available for the Green Fair contact organisers Jill and

Andy Cawthray to book on 01691 657178 or e-mail:

[email protected]

Sue Ellis, Castle Manager

Telephone 01691 662500

E-Mail [email protected]

Website www.whittingtoncastle.co.uk

32

A short report on Gift Aid

Many thanks to all who Gift Aid their donations to the church. In 2012 this

brought in the wonderful sum of £15500 in donations which then returned an

extra £3900 in Gift Aid collected from Her Majesty‟s Customs and Revenue.

This is a very welcome additional income and thanks to the work in

recording it by Sue Dyke which is a big job, the effort for everyone else is

minimal.

There have been some changes from the 6th April 2013 to the scheme all of

which benefit the Church. Let me emphasise that for the congregation

nothing has changed, if you give by standing order, weekly envelopes or

the „pew‟ envelopes then please continue to do this. The changes affect the

money counters, Sue‟s recording and the eventual tax claim.

The change is that we can now claim Gift Aid on cash (not cheques) put as

loose collection on the plate, for the church, at any service up to a total of

£5000 per annum, collection allowing us to gain another £1250 in Gift Aid.

This does not include your envelope donations.

Please, if you pay tax, gift aid all donations to the church; we do not need

any details of your income, expenses or total tax paid, and it can be for just a

single donation or regular giving. Also it can be claimed if you buy

something and donate it to the church if we have the receipt. Just complete

the simple form that you can get from Sue Dyke or ask for one from anyone

at church. Only two people know what you give; they hold the details of the

forms and the final tax claim and so any „anonymous‟ donations will be

known only to them. Also please ask for annual totals if you need them for

tax returns. Thank you all again for your generosity, we cannot survive as a

church without it.

Marion Lycett - tax form filler in!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Save the Children – 6th

& 7th

April

We had arranged to open the garden at Alder Lea in early April this year,

expecting that people would enjoy visiting a Spring garden with the daffs in

full bloom and the trees in bud. Instead the garden was languishing in mid

February, and most gardens this year are between four and six weeks

behind. The last of the snow on the drive melted in the hot sunshine on the

9

Saturday, though Sunday was more like early March, with a bitingly cold

wind. But still people came, and bought lots of plants, and seemed to enjoy

their visit.

We are very grateful to the many people who brought and tidied and labelled

plants, and to Maxwell for supervising the parking on Saturday. And a very

big thank you to Kath and Libby who looked after the raffle on both days;

and to Phyllis and her helpers who provided the teas. Thanks to them, and to

the people who came or sent donations, we made £783 for Save the

Children.

Barbara Molesworth and Philip Crowe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THANK YOU

Many thanks must go to all those who kindly opened their homes and offered

splendidly delicious home-made soup lunches during Lent; Barbara

Molesworth, Phyllis Hurst, Ian and Margery Mellor, Ann

Hughes and Brenda Davies, Rachel Wigley and Julie

Drowley. Each lunch received high praise from all those

attending and were most enjoyable social occasions for

everyone. The prizes in the rolling raffle were won

as follows: chocolate cake Eleanor Jones; Easter egg Gill

Barrow; plant Marion Davidson; wine Eileen Griffiths and Comic Relief

mug and oven gloves Anne Ward. The splendid total of £467 was raised for

church funds. Thank you to all.

The Churchwardens

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear All

Many thanks for the incredible support that the

people of Whittington have given to our London

Marathon fundraising appeal for the Bone Cancer

Centre at the Orthopaedic Hospital. Mum, Rita

Moir has been our unofficial fundraising manager

this year. A Whist Drive held at the Senior Citizens

Hall raised almost £200; and a coffee morning at the hall on March 8th

raised, with donations more than £600.

Villagers have also sponsored us and bought Christmas cards and notelets

featuring Whittington Castle - some of which are still available from Mum.

10

Red = Stop in Jerusalem

Amber = Wait for the Holy Spirit

Green = Go into the world to share the

love and forgiveness of God through Jesus

So I suppose we could also call this

TRAFFIC LIGHT DAY!

Which-ever name you want to use

SAMTSIRHC DAY

CHRISTMAS BACKWARDS DAY

TRAFFIC LIGHT DAY

or even ASCENSION DAY

You should try and remember that

Jesus went back into Heaven but

did not leave us alone, the Holy

Spirit came to help us and Jesus

gave us all a job to do – to tell the

world about God and Jesus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever wondered....

~ Why is it called lipstick if you can still move your lips?

~ Why is it that night falls, but day breaks?

~ Why is it that no word in the English language rhymes with month, orange,

silver, or purple?

~ Why is it that when you transport something by car, it‟s called a shipment,

but when you transport something by ship, it‟s a cargo?

31

For the Young at heart (of all ages)

This month Christians will be celebrating SAMTSIRHC DAY.

I bet you didn’t know that. In fact I bet you have never

heard of SAMTSIRHC DAY. Now what could it mean?

S= Saint A= Andrew’s M= Mother’s T= Tiny S= Sister’s

I= inspection of R= Right H = handed C= children……. Well

perhaps not!

So what does it mean? Are you any good at those puzzles

they have on the TV programme called Countdown? Can you

rearrange the letters in SAMTSIRHC to make a word?

No? Well I’ll tell you SAMTSIRHC is Christmas spelt

backwards. So what are we celebrating this

month….Christmas backwards of course? What happened at

Christmas? God sent Jesus to earth as a baby for us. Now

on this ‘Christmas backwards’ day, God takes Jesus back to

heaven from earth as a resurrected man. Because we often

think of heaven as ‘up there’ and earth as ‘down here’,

Christmas is seen as a descent or going down, whereas

‘Christmas backwards’ day is a going up or an ascent. Its

proper name is Ascension Day. You can read about this in

Acts Chapter 1: verses 6-11

Jesus had 3 very important things to say before He went

into Heaven and to help us remember these we can think of

them like a set of traffic lights.

30

At the moment our fundraising stands at £1,600 with money still coming in

and fingers crossed we hope to reach £2,000.

Thank you again for your wonderful support, we hope to have done you

proud on April 21st.

Melvyn and Sue Austin (nee Moir)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Sparkling Evening of Music and Song

A marvellously entertaining evening was enjoyed by a packed-house at the

Cricket Club on the 6th April when Derek Harrison and

Russ Latham played and sang to an enthusiastic crowd.

The programme stretched from jazz to comic relief to light

musical theatre; all delivered with style and „pzazz‟.

During the interval everyone enjoyed hot pork baps with

stuffing, apple-sauce (and crackle for those with good teeth!); followed by a

wide variety of splendid home-made puddings. Indeed many a sweet tooth

enjoyed „seconds‟.

Our sincere thanks go to Derek and Russ for entertaining us so royally; to

Dave for running the bar; to all those who made the puddings; to those who

donated raffle prizes; and to everyone who came and those who made

generous donations, being unable to attend. In total over £600 was raised for

church funds.

The Churchwardens

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To reply to a nasty remark with another nasty remark is like trying to remove

dirt with mud. Anon

Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of pleasures; costs nothing

and conveys much. Erastus Wiman

It has taken three generations to go from farm to garden to tin opener.

A recession is a period when people do without the things their parents never

had.

11

Stewardship Update

We have had a very positive response to the

stewardship campaign that was launched in

January this year; many thanks to everyone

who took time to think and pray about this and

make a response.

42 people completed pledge cards.

17 new people committed to become

regular givers through either standing order or planned giving

envelopes.

There has been a commitment of £4697 new income through direct

giving.

33 of the people who responded have now signed Gift Aid forms and

it is estimated that this will result in additional Gift Aid income of

approximately £1400.

People have also responded generously with offers for fundraising and for

giving of time and prayer. One outcome has been the formation of a group of

people to help with cleaning on an occasional basis. If you would like to help

with this, please contact Mike Phipps (01691 670940).We are still looking at

ways of making the best use of some of the other offers of help.

In future editions of the magazine we will give regular updates of income

through direct giving and fundraising and the progress we are making

towards meeting our 2013 budget commitments.'

Sarah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dictionary of Project Terms - Are you working on any project this Spring?

Here are some phrases that may come in handy!

~ Project slightly behind original schedule due to unforeseen difficulties

-- We got so sick of working on this that we decided to do something else.

~ Developed after years of intensive research -- It was discovered by

accident.

~ Customer satisfaction is believed assured -- We are so far behind

schedule that the customer will be happy to get anything at all from us.

12

RHUBARB AND GINGER SYLLABUB

Yorkshire is famous for parkin and puddings, but above all else, it‟s

celebrated for its rhubarb. The famous „rhubarb triangle‟ is an area of land

between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford. This is where most of Britiain‟s

rhubarb comes from.

For 4: 2 sticks of rhubarb (about 250g or 9 oz)

preferably forced variety cut into 1cm or ½ in cubes

2.5cm or 1 inch piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped

4 tbsp caster sugar

50ml or 2fl oz white wine

75g or 3oz mascarpone

250ml or 9fl oz double cream

2-4 tbsp icing sugar

1 piece of crystallised ginger, finely chopped

Place the rhubarb, root ginger and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan and add

the white wine.

Set over a low-medium heat and bring to a simmer, not allowing it to boil.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the rhubarb is softened, then remove from the

heat and set aside.

When the mixture has cooled, remove 2 tablespoons to a separate bowl and

mash with a fork.

In another bowl, whip the mascarpone and cream together with the icing

sugar and when the mixture forms soft peaks, fold in the mashed rhubarb and

ginger mixture.

Spoon the rest of the poached rhubarb into bowls or glasses, then spoon over

the cream and mascarpone mixture and sprinkle the crystallised ginger over

the top.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What God is like ? –

A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls,

what do we know about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!"

said the little boy. "Really? How do you know?" the teacher asked. "You

know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "

29

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Beating the Bounds

Beating the Bounds is traditionally a day of fasting and preparation to

celebrate Jesus‟ Ascension and falls this year on 9th May. The custom has its

roots in medieval times, when parishes reaffirmed their boundaries by

circling them in procession, pausing to beat each boundary mark with willow

rods and to pray for the crops. It‟s a tradition which continues in many parts

of Britain.

Each year on Ascension Day, All Hallows by the Tower, the oldest church in

the City of London, follows this tradition and prayers are said for the parish,

its business community and the City. The south boundary of the parish is in

the middle of the Thames, so the beating party boards a boat to mark that

boundary mark. Local students from St Dunstan's College are involved and

the ceremony is followed by evensong in the presence of the Lord Mayor.

In Oxford, members of St Michael at the North Gate Church have been

beating the special boundary stones for more than 600 years. Today as they

beat the bounds they pray for local shopkeepers, motorists, librarians and

many others as they walk around their parish boundaries. You can watch

them on YouTube at http://bit.ly/Vk9DIq

28

I hope you all survived the heavy snow we experienced the weekend before

Easter, which seemed to last forever. I apologise for the necessity of

cancelling the line-dancing class on 28th March; the path had been cleared

but overnight snow slipped from the hall roof onto the ramp and froze.

The Easter tea was attended by twenty two people and the Soup Lunch on 9th

April was enjoyed by the same number. Many thanks to the team of

committee members who have kept these events going; at times they were

very thin on the ground. A great deal of time and effort goes into presenting

these events, and often an hour after to clear-up; sometimes we forget they

are all volunteers.

The roast lunches seem to be a successful event. Mr Sibley and Mr Walken

deliver the piping hot meal to the hall and the food is then served by the

committee. The next one will be on the 7th May, please submit your name as

soon as possible as numbers have to be booked in advance.

The Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday 23rd

April, details next

month.

Dates for your Diary:

Wednesday 1st May 7:30pm Monthly Whist with light refreshments

Tuesday 7th 12:15pm Roast Lunch

Tuesday 14th Lunch at the Greyhound, St Martins; please

contact Val Hayward 01691-662434 for details

Monday 27th Parish Holiday to Somerset

Tuesday 28th 12:00 Monthly Lunch at the White Lion; please

contact Barbara Thompson 01691-662295 for

details

Weekly:

Monday 2:00pm Whist session-open to all

Tuesday 10:15-11:15am Exercise class with Linda

Thursday 10:30am Coffee Morning

1:30-3:15pm Line Dancing

Gill Roberts – 01691-662236

13

WHITTINGTON SENIOR CITIZENS

Over 50‟s Club – Recycled Teenagers

CHURCHES TOGETHER OSWESTRY AND DISTRICT

The May Prayer Breakfast

to support Ben Mayho

The Schools Christian Project Worker

will be held on

Saturday 4th

May

8.00am

At Carreg Llwydd Church Evangelical Church

Laburnum Drive, Oswestry

If you wish to attend please telephone

Lynn Carroll - 659385

by Wednesday 1st May

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many friends who have sent

me cards, flowers, fruit, chocolates and wine, together with the phone-calls

enquiring about my bout of pneumonia over Easter; also for remembering

me in your prayers and the offers of help etc.

I am feeling a great deal better (as I write this message it is mid-April). I am

still feeling slightly weak, but I am sure once the sun decides to shine, I shall

feel ever better.

Once again I have been overwhelmed with the concern people have shown.

Gill Roberts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHITTINGTON COMMUNITY CENTRE

Bottle & Chocolate Bingo Evening

Saturday May 18th

7:00pm

Cake, tea and coffee available

All welcome

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You know you've probably had too much coffee when . . .

* Instant coffee takes too long.

* You chew on other people's fingernails.

* You answer the door, before people knock.

* You sleep with your eyes open.

* You help your dog chase its tail.

* You have a picture of your coffee mug, on your coffee mug.

14

THROUGH THE POCKET BOOK

Entries in my „Pocket Book‟ diaries remind me that through the years there

have been many occasions on which small groups of folk have met to study,

talk, drink tea and generally enjoy each other. Yet, however attractively they

have been presented, some folk have never gone to such a meeting,

somehow feeling that they weren‟t their „scene‟. Of course, the time or the

day may have been wrong or something may have cropped up at the last

moment. Even so, I guess there has been a reluctance as well - a feeling of

well, all sorts of feelings in fact, which, in the end, meant that they didn‟t go!

Obviously, I wouldn‟t be writing about group meetings like this unless I felt

there was some real value in them - life‟s too short to waste time isn‟t it?

Trying to persuade people is like the old problem of commending a nice

smelling flower - you can talk about the lovely scent until you are blue in the

face, until the other person smells the flower for themselves, then it‟s

different! It‟s a bit like this with groups and they always have the potential of

producing something unexpected - you know they are never designed to

show folk up etc, but you can never be sure on the other hand that they‟ll be

„ordinary‟. Let me give an example that comes to mind.

It was in Taunton and a very ordinary group of church folk meeting. I forget

what our subject was, but we fell to talking about drugs and drug taking.

Rather hopelessly I asked, „Do any of us have any experience of drugs?‟ To

everyone‟s amazement, a little voice popped up - it came from a very little

and very pious lady - “Yes, I do!” You could have knocked us down with a

feather as she told us about it. She was in London at the time and feeling a

bit blue she went into the local chemist and asked the pharmacist whether he

had something that would cheer her up. Wrongly, I‟m afraid, he handed her a

purple heart over the counter and off she went. Well, it worked and she felt

so much better that, believe it or not she went back the next day and asked

for another! This time I think he refused her.

However, we all learnt quite a bit that evening and it came from a totally

unexpected quarter. House or study groups are a bunch of friends with a

common faith and they can be a lot of fun - come and try one sometime!

Anno Domini

27

ZUMBA FITNESS CLASS IN WHITTINGTON

Led by experienced dance tutor and licensed Zumba instructor Julie Thomas

Community Centre, Station Road, Whittington

Monday 7 – 8 pm (term time only) £4

Suitable for all ages and fitness levels. – everyone welcome

Low impact, easy to follow Latin inspired dance fitness.

More information contact Julie on 07944 402474 or e mail

[email protected]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STUDY GROUP TOPIC

In those far-off days when I wrote the annual Remembrance Service for my

school I rarely omitted the wonderful line about turning swords into

ploughshares. And as a result I came into contact with my friend Micah, one

of the twelve Minor Prophets (Number 6, to be exact). When you go back

and read Micah, you see a good deal of material which has universal appeal,

and that is MY reason for starting the Study Groups with him, on May 22nd

in the Lady Chapel, at 2:30pm. I don‟t think politicians and spin doctors

would have enjoyed having Micah around, and he was dealing, some 2700

years ago, with many of the issues that bedevil society in 2013. All are

invited, and I hope all will stay on the course for the rest of what is on offer.

Ian Mellor

26

15

OPEN GARDEN WITH

CREAM TEA AND

CHILDREN’S TRAIL ON

SUNDAY 19th MAY AT

MAES TERMYN, WELSH FRANKTON

BRING & BUY PLANTS RAFFLE

ADULTS £5 CHILDREN £1

IN AID OF CHURCH FUNDS

President Ann Jones welcomed seventeen members to the meeting.

It was reported that twenty members had made a total of eighty two entries

in our Annual Spring Show in March, a very response. Congratulations were

extended to Barbara Molesworth on the success of the Open Day she and

Philip Crowe had organised in Aid of Save the Children, and to the students

of the Derwen College taking part in the Annual Sponsored Walk, which had

been reduced in length due to the adverse weather conditions. Nevertheless

£12,000 had been raised for the college by the 200 participants.

The speaker for Aprils‟ meeting was Mr Phil Revill who gave a talk on The

More Children of Corvedale. Phil started his career has a teacher, left and

went on to be a journalist for The Guardian, Independent, The Times and

also the Education Charity. He has written a book detailing the story of the

Corvedale children.

The story starts in Shipton Church, Corvedale where the More children were

all baptized. Richard More and his siblings became the centre of a mystery in

the early 17th century when genealogists began to wonder why their father,

Samuel More, would send his young family away to the New World on such

a dangerous and arduous journey aboard the Mayflower in the charge of

others. He paid £50 per child to secure them a place on the Mayflower; this

would equate to about £5,000 today. Their mother Katherine fought in the

courts to try and get her children back sadly to no avail.

The mystery was explained many years later by Jasper More, a direct

descendant of Samuel More, who found a document in his attic detailing the

legal dispute between Katherine and Samuel. It is clear that Samuel did not

believe the children were his offspring and so he arranged for them to be

sent to the New World on the Mayflower. The Mayflower finally anchored

in Cape Cod in November 1620, but Richard was the only one of the

children to survive the journey beyond the first winter.

In later years Richard went on to forge a successful career as an Atlantic

ships‟ captain; by his late teens he had worked his way up to become a

Master Mariner and he survived into his late eighties. His grave is the only

16

MUSIC FESTIVAL MONTH!

The first ten days of May see our long-anticipated International Music

Festival setting up base-camp in our parish church. If you have lost the

colour brochure which came with last month‟s „Ripple‟, you can find all

details of the Festival‟s nine concerts in the Post Office (where you can also

buy tickets) or online at www.whittingtonmusicfestival.org.uk .

Hosting seventeen international professional musicians, and having them

play all the chamber music of that great Romantic composer Johannes

Brahms, promises to be a remarkable experience and one that is likely to be

remembered for a long time. The Festival has already featured in Shropshire

Life, Shropshire Magazine and the diocesan Spotlight. Now that it‟s here,

don‟t miss it! Tickets at £10 are for sale at the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The puppies

A client brought a litter of Golden Retriever puppies to the local veterinary

clinic for inoculations and worming. As the look-alike pups tumbled over

and under one another in their box, the experienced vet realized it would be

difficult to tell which had been treated and which hadn't. So the vet turned on

the water tap, wet her fingers and gently moistened each dog's head as she

finished giving it the necessary shots.

After the fourth puppy, the vet noticed her hitherto talkative client had grown

silent and was looking rather reverent. As the animal doctor sprinkled the

last pup's head, the owner leaned forward and whispered, "Thank you so

much. I hadn‟t realised you baptised them, too.”

25

WHITTINGTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

4 p.m. Sunday 12 May, Whittington Church

Spring Time Messy Church for families

We begin with crafts and activities at 4 p.m. At 4.30 p.m. we gather for a short act of worship with songs and a story. We end with sandwiches, cakes and drinks for all to share. Everyone welcome

A circle is just a round straight line with a hole in the middle.

24

one known to exist from any of the Mayflower passengers.

It was a fascinating evening. Phil made the history come alive for us; a vote

of thanks was given by Marion Young.

The competition for a home-made Book Mark was won by Joyce Howard,

second was Julie Sheffield and third Eileen Thacker. Kath Griffiths won the

Raffle.

The next meeting will be held on 9th May 2013 when Janet Boult will tell us

about Holidays Travels in India. A warm welcome is extended to visitors.

Julie Sheffield

17

Monday 20th

May

“Pentecost”

3:15 – 4:15 pm

In Whittington School

Cost is 50p per session to cover refreshments and materials

Contact Natalie Charmley 650488 or Ruth Jones 657547

BOB A PLAYBUS RUN BY

SHROPSHIRE PLAYBUS

ASSOCIATION

NEXT VISITS

BABBINSWOOD

Monday 13th

MAY (Parked in the Bus-stop Lay-by)

Come along and join in the FREE

Stay and Play

9:30 – 11:30am

You will find a Sandpit and Craft

Activities on the Lower Deck, Soft Play Area and much

more upstairs.

All carers and pre-school children welcome

Contact 07763 227482 or “Bob Playbus” on Facebook

or email: [email protected] for more details

ALL ABOUT MAY QUIZ

1. What was first issued in Great Britain on 1st May 1840?

2. Which English Queen was arrested and imprisoned on May 2nd

1536?

3. In which year did Margaret Thatcher first become Prime Minister,

on 3rd

May?

4. Where did the German Army surrender to Montgomery on May 4th

1945?

5. Which French military and political leader died on May 5th 1821?

6. Who on May 6th 1954 was the first man to run a mile in under four

minutes?

7. Which Cunard liner was sunk by a U-Boat on May7th 1915,

contributing to the USA‟s decision to join the First World War?

8. On May 8th

1980 the World Health Organisation announced

officially that which disease had been wiped out?

9. Which English actress/politician was born in Birkenhead on May 9th

1936?

10. Who in 1924 became Director of the FBI and remained so until

1972?

11. Which British Prime Minister was assassinated on 11th May 1812?

12. Which famous comedian and comic actor, born on May 12th 1924,

died aged 44 in 1968?

13. Which French painter, born on May 13th 1882, founded, along with

Picasso, the Art Movement known as Cubism?

14. Who on May 14th 1643 at the age of four became King of France?

15. Which of the Queen‟s grandchildren was born on May 15th 1981?

16. How old was Marie Antoinette in 1779, when she married the future

King Louis of France on 16th May?

17. Which European capital did the Germans invade on May 17th 1940?

18. Which mountain erupted on May 18th 1980 in Washington State,

USA?

19. Which sainted Archbishop of Canterbury, whose name is associated

with the Charity for Blind Ex-Service Personnel, died on May 19th

988?

20. In 325 AD which Council met to discuss, among other things, the

way in which the dates of Easter should be determined (they still

are!)?

18

Whittington Gardens Competition 2013

Spring is now here and it‟s time to think of gardening again after the snow

and frosts. Please look at the schedule opposite and join in by entering any

of the classes if you can. Look forward to your entries! Thank you.

Libby Morris

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whittington Parish Walk 2013

Parish Councillors plan a walk in Whittington parish on SUNDAY 26th

May

and invite members of the parish and families to join them. The walk will

start at the Castle at 9:00am so those wishing to walk with us should gather

at 8:45 am. Those registering for the walk (£3 for adults, £1 for children)

will receive a voucher which can be used for a drink and cake at the finish).

All completers that sign out at the finish will also receive a certificate.

The route will be based on the route walked last year and is a total of

approximately 12 miles. The route will be on tarmac, towpath and footpaths

so comfortable but sturdy footwear should be worn. Clothing should be

appropriate for the weather on the day. At this time of year it could be warm

so sufficient water and sun protection should be carried. Equally walkers

should be prepared for heavy rain. Towards the end of the walk we pass two

pubs where refreshments are available but sufficient water and snacks need

to be carried for the start and majority of the walk.

The Parish Council takes no responsibility for the safety of participants who

do so at their own risk. Under 18‟s are welcome but need to be accompanied

by a responsible adult. Particular care needs to be taken on the sections of

roads where there are no pavements, crossing the busy Queens Head to

Babbinswood road and walking alongside the canal and locks..

Andy Cawthray, a wildlife expert, will point out interesting birds, bugs and

beasties. In the last few years a hobby was spotted which is rare in this part

of the country.

The T-shirts this year are a distinctive green colour and can be ordered in

advance but 2-3 weeks should be allowed for printing. They are £7.

Anyone interested in coming please contact Sue Tuerena on 01691 657300

by 1st May so that sufficient maps/route instructions can be provided.

23

Whittington Gardens Competition 2013

In association with Whittington Village Fair

The competition is open to any garden within the Whittington Parish

boundary and prizes will be presented to the winners at the Village Fair on

Saturday 13th July 2013.

Classes and Prizes

Class 1 Best large garden - Dovaston Perpetual Salver

Class 2 Best small garden - Flower Guild Rose Bowl

Class 3 Best senior citizens garden- Castle Cup

Class 4 Best garden feature - Community Centre Cup

Class 5 Best greenhouse contents - Mayor‟s Cup

Class 6 Best hanging basket - Morhys of Rosehill Cup

Special Class Most fragrant rose in all the gardens visited - Pam Kup Cup

NB: To avoid confusion with judging please enter only one garden in

either section 1, 2 or 3. Entrants‟ gardens will be judged end of June/

beginning of July 2013. Entrants will be notified of the exact date in advance.

CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES: SUNDAY 16th

JUNE 2013

The judges‟ decision will be final, but join in the competition and enjoy it!

No entries accepted after the closing date.

For further information please contact the organiser,

Libby Morris on 01691-659566

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry Form for Whittington Gardens Competition 2013

Please complete, detach and return to:-

Libby Morris, 7 Rosehill Close, Whittington. SY11 4DY

Entry Fee: £1 per class Please tick all relevant boxes

1 wish to enter: Class 1 Class 2 Class 3

Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Special

Class

Name: .................................................................... Tel: ...................................

22 Address: ......................................................................................................

21. In which decade was the Manchester Ship Canal opened, on May

21st?

22. In 1960 the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, magnitude 9.5,

struck which South American country on 22nd

May?

23. Which European Federal Republic was proclaimed on May 23rd

1949?

24. Which French international footballer, who played for Leeds United

and Manchester United, was born on 24th May 1966?

25. Another football question: on 25th May 1967 Celtic became the first

British club to win the European Cup – beating which Italian team?

26. What was the number of the Apollo mission which returned to earth

on 26th May 1969, just before the mission which put a man on the

moon?

27. Who was crowned King of England on 27th May 1199?

28. The Volkswagen company was founded on May 28th – of which

year?

29. On May 29th 1942 which song was recorded which became the best-

selling single record of all time?

30. Which former England fast bowler, who added the name Dylan to

his forenames, was born on May 30th 1942?

31. In 1669 Samuel Pepys decided on May 31st to write his final diary

entry. Why did he stop on that date? (He died in 1703)?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 12th

– 18th

MAY 2013

Every year the people of Whittington generously support the door to door

collection made in May on behalf of Christian Aid to help those who have so

much less than we take for granted. Envelopes need to be distributed

throughout the village during the week 5th – 11

th May and then collected

during the week of the 12th – 18

th May.

If you attend Whittington church, then from Sunday 21st April you will find a

list of the streets and you can put your name against the one you are prepared

to deliver and collect. But you do not need to attend the village church or

indeed be a church-goer to help. Simply ring me, Ian Mellor, on 681036 or

email [email protected] and tell me which road you are willing to do

and I will be pleased to add your name to the list; envelopes will be delivered

to you in good time. Information about some of the work Christian Aid is

doing can be found on the following two pages.

19

Bite Back at Hunger

Christian Aid Week 12th

–18th

May 2013

„It‟s very rewarding to know that Christians of different traditions are

working together for one common aim during Christian Aid Week.‟

Christian Aid Week volunteer

Thousands of churches will stand together this Christian Aid Week to speak

out for change. Some 100,000 committed volunteers will go out and put their

faith into action, raising funds to help some of the world‟s poorest and most

vulnerable people. This includes Britain‟s largest house-to-house collection,

an extraordinary act of witness – demonstrating to our communities that we

care about ending poverty and injustice.

There is enough food for everyone in the world, but one in eight people will

go to bed hungry tonight.

In the heart of Kenya, Christian Aid's partner the Christian Community

Services Mount Kenya East (CCSMKE), is working with remote

farming communities who are experiencing increasingly erratic weather

patterns.

Where once seasons were reliable, farmers are no longer able to predict the

best times to plant or harvest. This has led to many failed crops and to many

farmers being left unable to feed or provide for their families. Despite

national weather forecasts, farmers in these remote areas were not provided

with specific forecasts, crucial in a region where it may rain for days in one

area and remain dry in another, only an hour away. As a result, specific

weather forecasts are becoming increasingly important for farmers as the

climate becomes more erratic.

With many families unable to access a television or radio, mobile phone

technology is providing an innovative way of delivering much-needed

information. Over the past year CCSMKE has begun a new project that is

changing the lives of farmers and helping them reap a richer, more valuable

harvest. By sending small-scale farmers scientific weather predictions and

forecasts via text message technology, translated into their local language,

CCSMKE enables them to plant armed with valuable information.

20

Furthermore, farmers are able to respond to the text messages they receive

with follow-up questions or to share crop information that may be valuable

to others beyond their own community. With training provided alongside the

forecasts, farmers have been able to adapt their farming techniques and crop

choices to the changing climate.

They are now able to make informed decisions about what and, importantly,

when to plant, particularly with a variety of local crops available, many of

which are best suited to different lengths of rainy season and other

conditions.

Justin Ireri is one of the farmers who receives the texts. He describes how

„they [CCSMKE] tell you when to start planting and what kind of fertilizer

to use, which is related to the forecast weather.‟ Justin and his wife Truphena

work their land together. Truphena explains that „when there is poor

judgement of the weather and we find ourselves in crisis – the crops have

dried up because the weather was poorly judged or there was no information

– it actually becomes very painful and frustrating for a mother or for a

family, looking at the children looking at you and you‟ve got nothing to offer

to them.‟

Even in rural areas, most families now have access to a cheap and simple

mobile phone; often it is the only means of communication or access to

information. It is particularly essential for Justin, whose son is often ill, so he

can return to care for him. This use of new technology is giving the Ireris

hope for the future „When we see a plan coming into fulfilment, it brings us

joy, we can watch our children grow and also see ourselves go grey – grey is

wise!‟ says Truphena.

£5 could pay for text messages to be sent to 100 farmers in Kenya to provide

them with an update on the local weather forecast. This helps them to

prepare their land, plan their planting and harvesting activities, and produce

healthy crops.

Bite back at hunger and show your support for Christian Aid Week.

21

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