NEWS  

ATLAS

Action Team Linking Awareness Support

Mission Sunday

A total of £518 was collected on October 5th, with approximately   another £140 to be added as Gift Aid.  Thank you to all who          contributed.  The Parish is not far off its 10% freewill giving for this year.

FLADBURY PANTO UPDATE

Well, what a wonderful turnout for the auditions! We have filled all the parts and frankly could have filled them twice over.  Consolations to all of those who we were unable to accommodate but there will always be more players than there are parts to play.  It's a sort of unwritten rule of pantos and     amateur dramatics.
However we are on our way and our production should now go
ahead as planned.

We still need all the help we can get for all the backstage bits and pieces. There will be plenty of work to do painting and setting up scenery and on the day working backstage on the many tasks that need to be done to get a    project like this to run smoothly.

Get in touch if you want to help.  It shouldn't be too onerous, and is usually great fun with a party afterwards, when we are all on a high following the matinee on the final day!
Andy Parsloe.

OBERAMMERGAU2010

The Parish Office has received a brochure from Inter-Church Travel which offers the opportunity to book a holiday including a ticket to the famous Passion Play.  As you know, this event is only held once every ten years, so if you don't want to miss this special portrayal of the last week in the life of Christ, then please call in or ring the Office (861203) to arrange to see/borrow the brochure. 

SHEPPEY INDOOR BOWLS CLUB

It is with regret that, after over 20 years in existence, the Sheppey Indoor Bowls Club has been wound-up, due to lack of support.

SPORTS COACHING

Wychavon District Council have two full time coaches and a few part time coaches available to use in the community.

We are looking for these coaches to branch out into the Wychavon youth clubs and uniformed groups to promote sport and a healthier lifestyle.

Subject to coach availability we are offering youth clubs and uniformed groups two FREE taster sessions to start with and sessions after that at a cost.

We are also keen to find out about any local events that we could possibly support, these could range from a fete, exhibition, shows etc…    

Please forward details to Tim Brown if you are interested or have any events coming up in the next year or so.

 Email tim.brown@wychavon.gov.uk or call 01386 565578.

Or contact  Mark Williams       Sports Development Office

                    01386 565229                          07778464622

Cropthorne & Charlton Village Hall

Old Play Equipment:  you many well have noticed by now that the monkey bars and slide on the Sheppey are no longer there.  These have been removed with the children’s safety in mind, as they contravene current legislation on play equipment.  The old swings will be staying and refurbished with a safety surface and new seats.

Hedge from hall entrance down towards Charlton:  we are planning to remove this hedgerow and replace it with a simple post and rail fence. A new mixed hedge will be planted on the hall side to provide a habitat for wild life.

This will enable the pavement to be restored to its full width and improve visibility when driving out of the hall car park.

Jacqui King

C&C VH Management Committee

Sponsored Cycle Ride

Thank you to all  those who took part and the sponsors who supported them, £200 was raised.  Thanks also to the Stewards in the churches who helped to make this a very successful day.

Emma Hildesley

Hilary Hall

THANK YOU

The Gisbourne family would like to thank everyone for their help and       support at this difficult time after the fire at their home.

Douglas, Mary and Samantha

SILVER FOIL & USED STAMPSCOLLECTIONS

Many thanks to everyone who collects foil and stamps for me.

The foil goes to the Vale Wildlife Rescue and the stamps to Marie Curie

Cancer Care.

With Christmas fast approaching, please make sure no stamps are discarded. I just ask that you take the time to trim off the surrounding envelope.

All contributions can be left in Cropthorne Church porch.

Marie Curie nurses provide end of life care to enable anyone with a terminal illness (not just cancer) to stay in their own homes and to be able to die with dignity with their loved ones around them.

Maggie Mumford

HELP NEEDED CHARLTON CHURCH       

Please is there anyone in or around Charlton who is willing to give 1½ hours of their time, once every eight weeks, to keep our lovely Church clean? 

Phone Denise on 861898 for more information.

Found

A set of keys has been found in Ryden Lane.  They have a distinctive Key Fob.

Please ring Heslop 01386 860 752 for information

        FLADBURY & MOOR        

October’s speaker was George Hook whose subject  was pearl working,   specifically with mother-of-pearl and other shells.  We learned the history of the trade, from the late 1700’s, the heyday of the mid 1800s’, to the decline in the early 1900’s when plastics were introduced.  Most mother-of-pearl      buttons are now made in China and India, where both material and labour are cheaper.  Britain’s remaining two pearl workers (George in Birmingham, and another in Sheffield) are now specialising in jewellery, spoons, handles, and bespoke work for fashion designers.  Sadly it looks likely that the UK trade will die out when these two retire.  George has a second career as a speaker. He  kept us entertained with his spontaneous wit and humour whilst we were educated about the various shells used in the trade.  Many samples of oyster, sea snail, abalone, trochas and paui shells  were passed round as George    explained how they were ground and cut.  We learned that both mother-of pearl, which is the shell lining from the large Australian Oyster and bead pearls are formed as the oyster secretes saliva to protect itself from irritation.  So remember ladies, next time you wear pearls or mother-of-pearl, you are actually wearing solidified oyster dribble!

After a refreshing tea break, we discussed arrangements for our December meeting, and signed up for our Christmas meal at Holland House - hard to choose a Christmas menu when it's not even Samhain! What with the raffle, competition, and pooling of the items being collected for the Shoe Box Appeal, the evening just flew past.

Next meeting  Monday 10th November, 7.30pm,Fladbury Village Hall is our AGM, guests are welcome but warned they are likely to end up on the

Committee!

Jacky Easter

GROUP MEETING

This meeting was held at Cropthorne and Charlton Village Hall on

September23rd. After the business and a talk from Ann Meredith a WI      adviser, over fifty members from our various institutes listened to an         informative and amusing talk by gardening expert and broadcaster Reg Moule.

An excellent light supper was provided by the host institute.

WYRE PIDDLE

We held our AGM  this month and were very pleased to welcome Anne Smith as our W.I.Advisor.

Apologies were received from Betty Smith and Betty Foster.

Sylvia Fletcher dealt with the normal business, then Anne took over for the voting on the appointment of officers for the coming year.

Sylvia agreed to stand as President again , Betty Smith secretary, Shelagh Leaper treasurer and Nancy Murray Peters committee secretary.

Refreshments were served by Christine Riley and Pauline Monks.

After Anne had spoken to us and taken her leave, we spent the rest of the evening making up our Christmas boxes.

Our next meeting is on the 12^th of November when Vivienne Ford will be

demonstrating Christmas Flower Arrangements.

Betty Smith

CROPTHORNE AND CHARLTON

Our speaker for October was Steve Perera whose subject was Financial    Planning.  He is one of the few Chartered Financial Planners in the County and is the son of one of our members. He is an old boy of King’s School then attended Swansea University. He gained considerable experience in the       profession, both administrative and technical, working in an international firm of accountants followed by a time in a local legal practice.  On the closure of their Financial Planning department he became an independent practitioner.
He gave us a clear and comprehensive account of the present system,

explaining what to expect from a financial adviser. He was able to answer
questions from the audience to everyone's satisfaction. We all wished
that we were in a position to need financial advice just now!!
 Our Annual Meeting is on November 11th when members will be asked to consider serving on the committee. We will also need a new President to      replace Mandy Lockett who will be a difficult act to follow, but surely some one will be brave enough!

Diana Boardman

Christmas at Maggs

Are you free on Christmas day to lend a hand?

Maggs Day Centre in Worcester are looking for volunteers to help out at their day centre on Christmas Day.  

The centre will be open from 7.30am-2pm and Maggs are looking for        volunteers to work either 7.30-11 or 11-2.30pm.Volunteers duties would   include helping with the Christmas breakfast and Christmas Dinner, sitting talking and listening to clients, playing pool, cards etc. We are also hoping to open the Night Assessment Centre (NAC) from 5pm to allow rough sleepers to come into the centre with the specific aim of playing games and relaxing in a fun and supportive environment. Volunteers for this session need to be  enthusiastic and want to play games and help keep clients entertained. Maggs will also need volunteers to help with the preparation of a small buffet meal in the early evening.

The times for volunteering here are 5-7pm and 7-9pm.

If anyone is interested then please can they contact

 Mel Kirk, our Volunteer Coordinator, on 01905 25027.

Spaces fill up quickly so if anyone is interested then please contact Maggs ASAP.

BELL TOWER NEWS

Two annual branch events have recently taken place, the first being our    outing to Warwickshire with ringing at six rural towers  —  Alcester (8),            Sherbourne (6), Barford (6), Harbury (8), Wellesbourne (8) and Alveston (6).  We enjoyed good ringing, warm weather and pleasant company.  However lightning does strike twice, (remember Abergavenny last year?) as we were unable to ring at Chadshunt (6), a redundant church, due to a local key holder failing to turn up to open the church and the proverbial mobile phone could not produce a miracle!

Saturday 11th October saw our branch AGM held once again at Fladbury, this attracted some 40 ringers.  Ringing preceeded a short evensong admirably led by Sue Oliver, our curate, we were also pleased to have Sylvia Broadbent   accompany us on the newly restored church organ, which not only sounds magnificent but looks superb, especially with the open stone arches allowing both daylight and sound to circulate into the nave.  An excellent tea was   provided in the church by our local ringers ( a big thank you to Thelma, Pearl, Shirley, Jan, Kevin, Val, Jean, David and Pat for their generous provision of food and help on the day) which was followed by a short but smartly        controlled meeting and more ringing on the bells.  The service collection along with the charges for tea and a small raffle raised £177 for the Belfry Repairs Fund of our Association.

Incidentally the first ever AGM of our branch following its formation was held at Fladbury in 1911.  The next one was held at Fladbury immediately after the bells had been restored in 1991.  John Chapman mentioned at the service on that occasion he was not sure whether to welcome the ringers or not—after all the branch had not visited us for 80 years.  Since then an AGM was held here in 1997 and a summer meeting more recently.

Roger H H

PARCELS FOR SOLDIERS

Thank you to the people of Charlton.  This week 8 parcels have been sent to No. 1 Rifles Forest of Dean Regiment in Afghanistan.

More donations and jiffy bags for posting please.

Claudine Mee
01386 860888

The Pershore RiversideYouth Centre

The Centre in Pershore, is a fantastic resource for the young people living in this area including the villages of this Parish.  Facilities include a TV room, internet café, PS3, Wii, table tennis, and pool tables.  A well equipped    music room, with recording equipment enables the production of CDs and recordings which can be published online.  A variety of activities are        organised, e.g. art and dance programmes, archery, fencing, DJing,         canoeing, fishing, bell boating and visits to places like Alton Towers

The 13yrs+ club meets Tuesdays 6.30-8.30pm; Wednesdays 6.30-9.00pm; and Thursdays 4.00-6.30pm.  The 9 to13 yr Club meets alternate Mondays 6.30-8.00pm

The facilities with a main hall and kitchen, can be hired for functions      outside of Club times.

Contact  Centre Manager Alex Mellor on 01386 554713 or visit our website www.pershoreyouth.org.uk

Pet Service

We gathered at St Michael’s Cropthorne on Saturday 4th October,  St Francis’ Day, for the first Pet Service in the Parish for some years.

It was lovely to have the Church full of people with their animals, which were mostly dogs, but also a pair of beautiful guinea pigs, an enchanting ferret and a friendly piddling ram.  Everyone, including some dogs, joined in the hymns and prayers.  The animals were well blessed for their loyalty, devotion and companionship.  Afterwards we enjoyed refreshments together and everyone behaved well.

For more 'photoes seeGallery

The collection will be shared between The Ark Animal Shelter, The Vale Wildlife Centre Beckford and the Parish.

Should we make this an annual service?

Hilary

            FROM THE REGISTERS

BAPTISM

Toby Vaughan                           Wyre Piddle                              31st August

FUNERALS

Bob Randall                                           Fladbury                                    6th August

Peggy Smith                                          Cropthorne                              8th September

! ! ATTENTION ALL KEYBOARD PLAYERS ! !

All 5 churches across the parish are in need of additional players of the

 ORGAN            PIANO           KEYBOARD

to assist with the music at Sunday Services. You would not be required necessarily on a regular basis, but be available to help with playing from time to time and by arrangement.

IIf you have skills on the Keyboard, the Piano or the Organ and would be prepared to help out, please contact

The Curate, Sue Oliver on 860695

The Parish Warden, Philip Hildesley on 861237

or one of your Church Officials, all of whom will be happy to hear from you!

With grateful thanks

Philip Hildesley