1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

Ashton-under-Hill
The
Parish
Magazine
January 2015
Beckford
Overbury
Alstone &
Teddington
50p
“Every man should be born again on the first day of January.
Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if
necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances;
but on the first day of January let every man gird himself once
more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the
things that were and are past."
- Henry Ward Beecher
Schedule of Services for The Parish of Overbury with Teddington, Alstone and
Little Washbourne, with Beckford and Ashton under Hill
JANUARY
Ashton
Beckford
Overbury
Alstone
4th January
Epiphany
11.00 am
New Year
Songs of
Praise
J Dodge &
Lay Team
8.00 am
BCP HC
S Renshaw
11.00 am
Family
Service
C Parr
9.30 am
CW HC
C Parr
11th January
1st Sunday
of Epiphany
9.30 am
CW HC
M Baynes
6.00 pm
Evening
Worship
R Palmer
11.00 am
CW HC
M Baynes
18th January
2nd Sunday
of Epiphany
11.00 am
Village
Worship for
All Ages
R Worsley
9.30 am
Morning
Prayer
R Palmer
8.00 am
BCP HC
S Renshaw
Teddington
9.30 am
Morning
Prayer
R Palmer
6.00 pm
Evening
Prayer
M Baynes
10.00 am
United CW
HC
S Renshaw
25th January
3rd Sunday
of Epiphany
FEBRUARY
1st February
Candlemas
9.30 am
Morning
Prayer
J Dodge
8.00 am
BCP HC
S Renshaw
11.00 am
Family
Service
S Renshaw
9.30 am
CW HC
S Renshaw
BCP Book of Common Prayer
CW Book of Common Worship
HC Holy Communion
MP Morning Prayer
EP Evening Prayer
Morning Prayers will be said at 8.30am on Fridays at Ashton.
Holy Communion is celebrated at 10.00am on Wednesdays in St Faith’s Church, Overbury.
Clergy
Revd Canon Matthew Baynes
Revd Canon Chris Worsley
Revd Susan Renshaw
Revd Clive Parr
Revd Richard Worsley
Readers
Captain Dennis Oxley, Church Army,
John Dodge
Page 2
Roger Palmer
From the Vicarage……..
It always seems odd to be writing a
letter wishing you all a Happy New
Year when you will probably be
reading this before Christmas! So if
you are reading this before
25th December, may I wish you a
happy Christmas; and if you are
reading it after, I hope you had a fabulous one!
I do hope that 2014 was a good year for you but I know that for some of you, there will
have been personal disappointments, break-down of marriage, loss of job,
bereavement and it will be a year you will be glad to see the back of. This time of year
is a time for reflection of the past year but also a time of looking forward to all that this
next year has to offer. There will be a General Election, so we could have a change of
government and my particular plea would be for the next government to leave
education alone for a while!
For each one of us, a new year provides the opportunity to start afresh, to make those
resolutions and keep them. Each year we make our resolutions with every good
intention but somehow, as the weeks and months go by, they fade into the recesses
of our minds. Most of us fail year after year. I can’t even remember whether or not I
made any last year!
The good news about God is that he doesn’t mind if we fail. He helps us to pick
ourselves up, dust ourselves off…and start all over again, as the song says. Each day
we are given a new opportunity to do better than the day before, to be better people
and to help to build a better world. Most of us don’t have a very wide sphere of
influence but if we all try to make our corner of the world a better place, eventually all
the corners will join up to form a big circle! If only we could get that message out right
across the nations, what a wonderful world this would be. (I seem to be speaking in
song lyrics this month!)
Whatever your resolutions and plans are, I pray that God be with you all at the
beginning of this New Year and that you will know his blessing, his peace and his love
in your hearts and homes throughout the coming year.
May God bless you all.
Susan
Susan is Vicar of Eckington, with Defford cum Besford, and Overbury and a member of the
Bredon Hill Group Clergy Team.
The Pilgrim Course will resume on January 15th at
7.30 pm at Stonecroft, Church Street, Bredon.
During this group of sessions we will be looking at
the Creed; that is what we believe as Christians. The
course is open to anybody who wishes to go deeper
into their Christian faith, and could also be
appropriate for any adults who are considering
confirmation. For more information contact Matthew
at the Rectory or email: [email protected].
You will be very welcome!
Page 3
Lent 2015
What, Lent already, we only just had Christmas ! With Easter
relatively early, Lent begins on the 18th February. This year we
shall be looking at ‘Poetry and Kingdom Values,’ and the
evenings around the Hill will be led by members of the clergy
team. Dates and venues will be on the website, in the February
magazine and in the Pew Notes.
PREPAID FUNERAL PLANS - WARNING!
In the current financial climate Prepaid Funeral Plans can
make good economic sense, as it can safeguard against some
of the rising funeral expenses for the future. It can also give
the client peace of mind that their wishes are recorded and will
be carried out, thus saving relatives the anxiety and expense at
an emotional time. Often Plans are sold to the client who
believes ALL future costs are guaranteed – in the small print
they are invariably not!
However, the way that some of these Funeral Plans are being sold is something to be
cautious about. Because of their popularity, funeral plans are big business and it seems
everyone wants a share, using all sorts of methods to get a sale. It’s not just an
advertisement in your local newspaper or glossy magazine anymore, you can be
approached in all sorts of ways: leaflet drops, making a will with your local solicitor or
taking out insurance, but I think the most disrespectful way is the COLD CALL. Since a
large number of clients often think about such a plan following the death of a loved one
this can and does catch out the most vulnerable.
What I really want to bring to your attention is that those companies that use these
methods are not funeral directors. They are businesses out to gain revenue by acting
as middle men, taking your money and limited instructions and securing these
instructions with an allied funeral director – often that funeral director may not be your
preferred choice. In some cases the client is allowed to nominate a funeral director of
their choosing, but the fee offered to this funeral director is usually at a much reduced
rate than what you as the client will have paid for the plan. This makes it difficult for the
nominated firm to accept the instructions without creating a financial loss. It is not
uncommon for a client to pay one of these firms £3600 and for the funeral director to be
offered £2400. This is fact and has actually happened to us.
The truth is, if you are considering taking out a funeral prepayment plan, then do it with
the funeral director you want to carry out your funeral! Otherwise you might pay more
than you need to, may not have the funeral you wanted and may not be able to use the
trusted and respected funeral director that has been a part of the community and
served your family for generations. As professionally qualified Funeral Directors we can
approach ANY plan provider not just one! It’s simple – we choose the best one for you
and control the costs too. So, if you’d like some advice, without obligation, regarding
Funeral Prepayment Plans then do give me a call on 01386 552141. Why pay more
than you need to for the services of someone you don’t know!
Richard Hill Dip FD, E Hill & Son Funeral Directors, Pershore, Worcs. WR10 1HZ.
"Richard Hill makes some very good points. In the interests of fairness I should point out
that all the Funeral Directors who advertise in our magazine do offer funeral plans and are
very happy to have a conversation. So it is wise if you have a particular Director in mind
and also want a plan do get in touch with them first. There is, as Richard Hill says, no
sense in paying a ‘middle man’ who takes your money and offers very little in return."
Matthew Baynes
Page 4
“100 not-out” Mrs Joan Bright (nee Warrilow)
In January 1915 my grandmother Agnes Warrilow moved back to
Graham House, Ashton-under-Hill from Hereford to be cared for by her
parents, James and Eliza Taylor, for the birth of her first child. Joan
Doreen Taylor Warrilow duly arrived on Sunday 17th January and
indeed, in a short time from now she looks forward to celebrating her
100th birthday. There are many stories and photographs marking out
the century and even longer.
Up until her marriage in 1913 Agnes was organist at St Barbara’s
Church and had played the organ in Tewkesbury Abbey. Her husband (Algernon) worked at
Beckford and then became chauffeur to Colonel and Mrs A Foster of Brockhampton Court near
Hereford. Sadly Algernon died on board a hospital ship in 1918 (there is a commemorative
brass to him inside St Barbara’s Church) and this meant that the Warrilow family moved to
Evesham.
1935 saw Joan as Carnival Queen along side Charles Mason as Carnival King visiting many
places in the area for charity including Dumbleton Hall, where thirty years earlier her mother, as
a young lady (along with her two sisters Mabel - Bun and Florence - Flo), had been to many
dances. Being the twenty fifth anniversary of King George V, she recalls that the carnival
costumes were all red white and blue in celebration.
Joan married Samuel Bright (Hampton, Evesham) in 1938 and moved to the Wirral where she
still lives. Her enthusiasm for sport and dancing continued well into later life and whilst
physically a little frail now is still a force to be reckoned with during a game of cards!
She would like to be remembered to the people of the Parish who might recall past times and
who might even possibly be a little older than her!
Alan Bright, son
Leave a light on and keep
your home safe and secure
Lighten up!
secure
Most house break-ins are opportunistic.
Don’t give thieves a chance!
House burglaries remain relatively low in West Mercia - less than 1% of homes
are burgled each year. However, when it is dark outside, unlit houses can be a
target for thieves. You can significantly reduce the chance of your home being
burgled by taking a few simple precautions:





A well-lit home gives the impression that someone is in
Use timer switches to turn lights on while you are out
Save energy and money with low-energy or dusk to dawn sensor light bulbs. A
low-energy bulb costs less than 5p per week to run (if left on for six hours each
day)
Lock windows and doors and keep gates well secured
Invest in external lighting
For more practical home security tips, visit: www.westmercia.police.uk
For More Information please contact Pershore Rural Safer Neighbourhood Team:
PC Sean Woods & PCSO’s Julie Pardoe and Steve Tinkler on 101 or via email
[email protected]
Page 5
2015 Advertisement Pages
Do have a look at the 2015 ad pages at the back of your magazine. We have
quite a few new ads this year as well as revised information for some of our
existing ads.
Many thanks to all our advertisers who provide a valuable source of income
for the magazine and help us to maintain our low price,
Editor
Bredon Hill - Alive with the Sound of Song.
On Saturday 11th Oct 2014 the residents of Overbury & surrounding villages were
instructed in an afternoon of singing by Russell Painter, Professional Tenor
(http://www.russellpainter.co.uk/). Special thanks must go to David & Bridget
Worley who organised a fantastic afternoon for so many local people. Russell led
us in some warm up exercises, and then split us into our vocal groups. Our warm
up song was ‘Viva La Musica’ Spanish for ‘Live the Music’ which we sang as a
medley of parts. We then moved on to the song ‘I Can See Clearly Now The Rain
Has Gone’, by Jimmy Cliff. Russell patiently went through each section with each
group until we were confident enough to be put together. Next was ‘Hallelujah’ by
Leonard Cohen and the sound of the group singing together was phenomenal. We
had a short break, a much needed cup of tea and slice of cake, and moved onto
‘This Thing Called Love’ by Queen. Finally we tackled the ‘Rhythm of Life’ from the
musical Sweet Charity. We were very fortunate at the end to
experience the full potential of the acoustics at the village hall
when Russell sung the beautiful piece ‘Nessum Dorma’ from
Puccini’s opera Turandot. There was a wonderful turn out on the
day but I know I speak for us all there when I say we would love
some more people to come and join our friendly group. Russell
has kindly offered to coach the group once a month so Bridget &
David have arranged another afternoon of singing on Saturday
17th January 2015. (See below for details) Why not pop along for one session, just
to see what you think. Everyone is really friendly and welcoming.
Rosy Arch
Singing Workshop, Saturday 17th January, 2 - 5pm, Overbury Village Hall
Russell Painter is an experienced singing teacher who will lead
us through a selection of wonderful show songs. No experience is
needed; you just need to enjoy singing. Last time we learnt
Halleluiah from Shrek and Rhythm of Life from the
musical Sweet Chariot; it was huge fun. If you have ideas for
what we should sing let us know!
Everyone is welcome. The cost is £10 with reductions for
families and children.
Contact Bridget Worley 725518
[email protected] to book your places
Page 6
CATCH REPORT
On July 1st 2014 CATCH Projects launched a much needed Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP). The Department of Social Development
in South Africa awarded the funds to start the project but these were not
delivered until late September! Despite that and various other difficulties,
the programme has been running very successfully for 6 months, with a
fully staffed office here at CATCH and a manned out-building dedicated
to VEP clients at the police station itself.
At CATCH we often hear horror stories of crimes (often violent) going unreported within the
community of Mzamomhle. After some digging we discovered that the current systems for
reporting crimes and the following investigations had been letting the victims down. This lack of
justice encouraged silence from others, so crimes were not being reported. As a result victims
were often attacked again.
I want to tell you what it was like previously to report a crime and what it is like now
thanks to the VEP centre. Although it's not a comfortable topic of conversation I am going to
use a rape as my example because this is the most common crime reported to us here (on
average 2 a week, the majority involving children under the age of 12).
Before VEP, a rape victim (woman, man or child) would have to queue in the police station's
charges office in Gonubie. This is a bustling place full of police on tea breaks and admin staff
chatting. One counter runs along the length of the room like a bar with no option of a private
area to talk about sensitive issues. Most of the station staff are men. Once the victim has
announced, with the entire room listening that they want to report a rape, they are moved to
another room to make a statement - the same cold and daunting room that a suspected
perpetrator would be questioned in.
The police then take the victim to a specialist rape centre at the hospital for a full medical check
and collection of evidence. This is correct procedure but the police transport the victims in the
back of a police van, making them look more like a criminal than a victim. They are dropped at
the front door of the hospital and left. When it comes to getting back, they have to wait (often
for hours) for the police to collect them. Once back home it is extremely unusual for the police
to do any follow up calls and usually it seems to the victim that nothing is being done in
response to the report. Three months later they are contacted and told that the case is now
closed with no arrests having been made.
The CATCH VEP centre offers a far less traumatic way of reporting crimes. A victim can now
report a rape at the CATCH office or to a separate VEP office at the police station - both of
which are safe, private, warm and comfortable spaces. Both of our VEP offices have qualified
social workers and counsellors on call who will counsel the victim before they accompany them
to the police to make a statement. The same social worker will support and assist the victim
through every stage of the process. The victim and their VEP social worker are now taken to
the hospital in a taxi, arranged by CATCH. The VEP staff will follow up with the police and keep
the victim informed. If a case goes to court then our VEP staff can often go without the victim
having to make an appearance. If they are required to attend court they do not go alone.
Our aim is to raise enough money to buy a car specifically for this VEP work so that we can
offer our own transport to the victims that need it. Although we can currently cover the taxi fees
to and from the hospital we don’t have a budget for court visits. Often the victims here can’t
afford to get to court as the cost of a taxi to court is half a day’s wages.
We’re hoping that these differences between how victims were treated and how they are now
will make a huge difference to the outcome of these attacks, and begin to change the culture
within the township, by showing the perpetrators that they will be prosecuted.
If you would like to help us make a difference, please keep CATCH in the forefront of your
minds. We need your prayers and we need your funds!
A Very Happy New Year - from all of us at CATCH.
Caroline Jay
Page 7
From Pastures new but still in GL20
In Memory of Mrs Maureen Themis
A Service to celebrate the life of Maureen Themis took place at Holy
Trinity Church, Tewkesbury on Friday 12th December, 2014 at 1.30pm.
About twenty years ago, she and her husband Ken moved to Linden Lea,
one of the larger houses in Walnut Bank Drive, Teddington, where they
had more garden than many of the nearby residents. They moved from Beaconsfield
where Maureen had a spiritual home at the Baptist Church and where she was an active
member. Ken, whose formative years were spent in Cyprus, was brought up as a Greek
orthodox Christian by parents who had strong family convictions, coupled with a strong
sense of responsibility towards the whole community in Cyprus. When they moved to
Teddington, Maureen found a spiritual home, friendship and service for others at Holy
Trinity, Tewkesbury, whilst Ken discovered the awe of God’s presence which he
enjoyed in the worship at Tewkesbury Abbey through the magnificence of music and
awe inspiring acts of worship, silence and beauty. They were both concerned for the
people with whom they had contact in many different ways.
They had a special affinity with our last resident Vicar, the Rev. Ivan Butcher who, when
he worked as a Customs and Excise Officer, was an agnostic. His wife Mary was a
believer and she wanted their very young boys to be baptised. When they approached
the Vicar, he insisted on preparation classes for the parents and Godparents before
agreeing to baptise their young children. This led to Ivan becoming a Christian, being
called to forsake his well paid job and to be accepted for Ordination, training, a curacy
and his being chosen by the leading laity of Beckford Group. He was the sort of Pastor
who would have pleased Maureen. So the Themises became supporters of their local
church. But Maureen and Ivan had something else in common. They both had cancer
and they both had times of intense pain. They both had spouses to support them. Mary
was a nurse and was the main-stay of the care that enabled Ivan to stay at home.
Maureen was a home-maker, practical and house proud. She was also artistic and
hospitable to anybody who called to the house. Ken was a successful and
compassionate business man. He was able to raise tens of thousands of pounds for
charities. He once said to me “I don’t like going out for meals. Maureen is such a good
cook, I always get a better meal at home then I get at an hotel! However, when Maureen
was at home, unable to do anything, Ken did all he could to keep everything to the high
standard of his beloved in their beautiful home.
Maureen and Ivan were both determined to do what they could while they could and not
let cancer be the excuse for not doing things. The Vicar of Holy Trinity led a very
inspiring Service on the 12th December and had a good knowledge of Maureen over the
years and had ministered to her at the Sue Ryder Home at Leckhampton where
Maureen died. Her body was laid to rest in Teddington Churchyard and refreshments
were generously offered in the Beckford Inn.
As I listened and as I looked around as I met people afterwards, I thought of all the
many different memories I had of Maureen and Ken. The four Ms that met at Mavis
Bell’s and at Maureen’s, “Simply Soup” at Beckford, the Women’s Institute, flower
arranging, Kemerton connections, my being with Ken when the cell group of hospitality
at Holy Trinity met for food-fellowship, prayer and planning for the Sunday afternoon
services at Holy Trinity for the elderly etc. I think that one of the ladies who greatly
impressed me by the spiritual depth of her testimony that day was the same lady that
spoke of Maureen at the service. Like her and me, many people thank God for our every
remembrance of Maureen. We rejoice with her in the sure and certain knowledge that
she is for ever with the Lord in whom she trusted and who sustained her through every
trial and we pray for Ken, whose love for her was so wonderful that his grief is the
greatest at this time. Of course God is with him but remember Jesus wept. His grief at
the death of Lazarus was real. The grief of his passion was real and we have to share
his grief but we go through that darkness to share in His Risen Victory.
Page 8
He walks with us in grief. The light of Christ may seem very small but, at the end of the
tunnel, there is a great blaze of light. It is unlikely that we shall be a blaze of light to Ken
at this time but by our prayers and sensitive acts of goodness, we may be small lights in
the valley of sorrow. If we pray, God can allow us to do the right thing at the right time.
God does that with me from time to time and this is wonderful. Maureen had a vital faith
in God and a sensitive and humble love for everybody and she was not critical of anybody. What a wonderful person God made Maureen to be!
Dennis Oxley, December 2014
News From Teddington and Alstone
We do hope all our readers had a good Christmas and wish you all a Very Happy
New Year.
Services in Teddington and Alstone for January
January 4th: Holy Communion, Alstone, 9.30am with Clive
January 11th: Morning Prayer, Teddington, 9.30am with Roger
January 18th: Evening Prayer, Alstone, 6pm with Matthew
CANCELLATION of the BURNS NIGHT SUPPER
“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft a-gley.”
The Burns Night Supper planned for January 24th in Teddington Village Hall has
unfortunately had to be cancelled though we hope to arrange another event in the spring
or early summer and will keep you posted with the details.
Teddington Quiz Night
Another evening of fun and alcohol-fuelled laughter was to be heard at the annual Quiz
Night. Despite being short on numbers due to sickness, we raised £310 for charity.
This year the money is going to a Tewkesbury based small charity
called “Mindsong”.
It is a charity that works with people with dementia in Gloucestershire.
It delivers music therapy courses to groups of people with moderate to
severe dementia in care homes and day centres. Music therapy is the
use of sounds and music within an evolving relationship between client
and therapist to develop physical, mental, social, emotional and
spiritual well being.
As usual the success of the event has only been possible because of
people’s generosity on the night. We are very grateful,
Anne & Phil Clark
TEDDINGTON VILLAGE HALL
Senior’s Drop-In Club
Friday, 9th January, 2.30 – 4.30 p.m.
Entrance fee £2.50, includes
a cup of tea/ coffee & cake
We look forward to seeing you !
Page 9
ASHTON UNDER HILL W.I. - December Report
Our meeting this month was a festive supper held at The Star
Inn. Thirty-six members attended and Marjy first presented the
business, which included reminders for future WFWI events in
2015. In April we shall have to reserve tickets quickly for a
special meeting in Worcester where the guest speaker will be
Michael Portillo – a really special centenary event not to be
missed! The Worcestershire Denman weekend will be 7th- 9th
August – another exciting programme has been arranged.
Once again Ashton WI has been invited to arrange the flowers for Worcester
Cathedral on 8th May, thanks to Doreen Parsons winning the flower arrangement at
the Malvern Annual Meeting. This is a great honour and Marjy requested more
helpers for that day to assist Doreen.
The Coventry Three Cathedrals tour in November had been a great success and a
detailed report by Andrea Garland is now in the “Events and Outings Book”. A
theatre trip to the Everyman has been arranged by Andrea to see Agatha Christie`s
play, “And Then There Were None”. This was confirmed for Thursday,
29th January.
Final arrangements were made for a special lunch at Hillers on 4th December,
where members were taking our special member Margaret Whatcott, and transport
arrangements for the Vale Group carol service, to be held at Pebworth church.
Marjy then made the announcement that Ashton had won the Vale Group skittles
tournament and Maggie, our skittles leader, proudly accepted the trophy to much
applause.
We then enjoyed a most delicious and well presented supper. Everyone agreed the
food was excellent and the serving waitresses most helpful and charming.
Our entertainment for the evening was a well known figure in Ashton who has
attended several of our meetings in the past – Mr. David Ward.
He had brought along several musical instruments, including the
ukulele, guitar and `auto-harp`, and sang a variety of well-known
songs and verses – including some, which we were able to contribute
to with much laughter. David and his wife are involved in their
charity work with the Samaritans and will be donating his expenses
towards this worthwhile cause.
Maggie Dunsby gave David a warm vote of thanks, and also to the
chef and staff at the Star Inn.
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 6th where Mark Heesom will be
talking about his work as a First Responder.
Visitors are always welcome.
JEN CREESE
STAMPS FOR MERCY SHIPS
Please remember to save all your used stamps for THE
MERCY SHIP charity. There is a box in each church
so do put your used Christmas stamps and any others
you have and help support this excellent charity.
Page 10
News from Ashton under Hill
St Barbara’s Support for Charities in 2014
Thanks to the generosity of all those who supported our fundraising efforts in 2014 a
total of over £2,300, including Gift Aid, was raised by St Barbara’s Church for eight
different good causes. These include the CATCH Project in South Africa, Caring
Hands in the Vale in Evesham, the Worcester and Dudley Historic Churches Trust,
Concern Worldwide, and bucket collections for two appeals from the Disasters
Emergency Committee for Gaza refugees and the Ebola crisis. £563 of the total was
raised in December, with £160 going to the Children’s Society from our Christingle
service and the collection of £403 at the Ashton Celebration of Christmas for the charity
CLIC Sargent, which supports children with cancer and their families.
Ashton Christmas Fair Result
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who contributed in
any way to the Christmas Fair held at The Old Farmhouse in Ashton
on 22nd November last year. The final total raised was just over
£1,800. The proceeds were shared between St Barbara’s Church and
St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester. In addition to £345 raised from the
sale of St Richard’s Christmas cards, calendars, etc., the donation to
St Richard’s was doubled by generous supporters of the Hospice via
the Big Give Donation Scheme. Some of the donations to the church and the hospice
also qualified for Gift Aided tax refund, which increased the funds further.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY & A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!
With your continued support we hope to continue this outreach in 2015
New Year Songs of Praise
You will be most welcome to join in a Songs of Praise for New
Year and Epiphany on Sunday 4th January at 11.00 am at
St Barbara’s Church with hymns and readings for the season,
followed by refreshments. We will be
celebrating the coming of the Magi to the stable
at Bethlehem. We would like to hear your choice of hymns, carols
and readings, so please contact Alex (881487).
The Cavendish Family and their Houses 1550-1900
Kemerton Lectures: 15th January – 26th March 2015 (10 sessions)
Thursdays, 7.30 – 9.30 pm, Victoria Hall, Kemerton
Dr Gillian White, art historian and former Collections
Manager at NT Hardwick Hall, will share with us her
knowledge and enthusiasm!
Fee: £50 per term. Visitors welcome (£5 per lecture)
Further details from Sue Bennett, 01386 725 245
Page 11
Day 15 John O’Groats to Land’s End : Now to get home
On the way down to the ‘real’ Land’s End some 300 yards away from the photo booth I
was waylaid by a fit looking (no not in that way) man who asked me about my journey.
Being polite/nosey I asked him what he was doing down here ‘oh I’m doing a 44 mile
endurance run along the coast tomorrow for charity’...Flip, now that IS going some.
I wanted to have a beer at Land’s End to complement my beer at John O’Groats but the
bar was not open so I popped into the snack area and asked what time
the bar opened. ‘Not for a while but I’ll check’ replied the assistant.
When he returned he said ‘If you pop round now they’ll open up for you’.
Special treatment? Cornish hospitality? Who knows, anyway 5 minutes
later I was in the bar perusing the ales. ‘What local beers do you have,
anything unusual?’ I asked. He bent down and then sprang back up with
a Ginger Tosser in hand. Then he delivered his well-rehearsed spiel,
word perfect. How do I know? Well, the beer’s description was written
on the label and he had clearly memorised it. He even poured the beer
properly; here was a man destined for great things. I paid, thanked him and walked out
to take in the view again, this was best enjoyed outside.
The only metaphorical cloud on my otherwise clear mental horizon was now...would I get
my trusty steed onto a train? I’d had major problems a few weeks before when a
jobsworth on a London to Birmingham HST refused to take my bike, however, I hoped
the Cornish sang-froid would see me OK. So with a last look over my shoulder at Land’s
End I was off retracing my steps (well tyre tracks) back to Penzance. I had a strong
headwind all the way back to Penzance, however on a pragmatic note I reflected that
one person’s headwind is another’s tail wind.
At Penzance I rushed into the quite posh ticket office. I had two people waiting ahead of
me and each of the two ticket counters were occupied. Hmmm, I could tell from the
expression on the two folk next in the queue that the ones at the ticket counters had
been there a while… One, a male had some issues over custody of his children and
when he could see them not coinciding with National Rail’s timetable. At the other
counter two young females were complaining to the clerk about the price of the tickets
he was offering them ‘we could drive there and back for half the price’ one said. The
Cornish clerk unbelievably resisted the temptation to say ‘well why not walk there and
save even more.’
The guy ahead of me was a natural chatterer, some people simply have to talk, it’s a
compulsion and this guy had it bad. Within 3 minutes we all knew: where he was born,
where he had lived during his life, where his sister lived, why he liked Brighton, why he
left London, what he missed about London, where he wanted to go on the train, why the
‘hunter-gatherer diet’ (which he said was eating only one meal a day) is so good for you,
and then just as I thought ‘what a pain in the saddle this bloke is’, he said to me ‘anyway
you look like you are in a hurry so please go in front of me. I’m really just looking for
things to keep myself busy as I don’t want to go home as my partner died recently and I
don’t want to be alone there’. I thanked him and said I was sorry for his loss and
I internally gave myself a really good kicking for my too
quick off the mark willingness to judge people!
My turn at the counter...’hi I’d like to get to Cheltenham
today with my bicycle, on any train please, BIG PLEASE’
(accentuated my West Country burr, flashed smile, tilted
head, slight puppy dog expression). Clerk in a pirate accent
said: ‘Well me boy, let’s see watts wee got. Arr, well best if
I sells e a ticket to Ply-muff and you trys yer luck from
there.’ So £9.70 later I was waiting on platform 3 for the
12.54 trying to make my big bike and bulging
panniers look really small.
Page 12
The TWO carriage train pulled in and looking straight ahead, so as to not make eye
contact with any official, I pushed my bike on and sat down. Fortunately there were no
other bikes getting on. The train pulled out. I was on my way home and a great weight
began to lift because even if I couldn’t get my bike on a train from Ply-muff, I could hire an
estate car on a one way trip to Gloucester which I couldn’t do from Penzance.
At Truro a rookie cyclist tried to get on but was making really heavy weather of it, asking
the platform attendant for help and all sorts of questions about bikes on trains. I got up and
helped her on with her bike saying under my breath ‘just get your bike on that’s the only
rule. They don’t like bikes so they don’t charge for them, that way they don’t have to take
your bike if they don’t want to, so best not to make a fuss.’ She looked at me as if I was
mad, granted she’s not alone there. I sat back down, the TWO carriage train was now
packed and a hen party had just started on the wine!
At the Plymouth ticket office I used the same patter and bought a ticket with the warning
that they could not guarantee there would definitely be a space for my bike but she hoped
there would be and wished me luck….
Next month – the concluding episode!
Kieran Whelan
Beckford Community Village Hall Ltd
The committee met for the usual monthly meeting on November 24th. The decision on
changes to CCTV at the Hall, mentioned last month, was postponed while some further
options are considered. It was noted that the car park would have to be closed for a
short while when the new disabled parking bays were marked out. The Parish Council
is currently seeking planning permission for the sand and grit container which it has
been agreed should be placed in the hall car park.
We welcomed the donation of £200 from the Beckford Open
Village fund, which will be used for the provision of cycle racks
and the purchase of new water jugs.
A meeting has been arranged in January with Community First,
as a 'health check visit'. This will be a 2 hour meeting with
appropriate members of the hall management committee, covering energy efficiency,
income generation, the condition of the building and investment needs, funding
opportunities and bid issues, governing documents and anything else the management
committee wished to raise. Community First is a government-funded programme which
'helps communities come together to identify their strengths and local priorities in order
to plan for their future'. We have been members since 2013 and find their newsletters
helpful; the short meeting with them will hopefully produce some useful ideas about
the future of the hall.
As the 4th Monday in December falls only just before Christmas, the next meeting will
not be until Monday January 26th 2015.
Graham Galer, Secretary BCVH Ltd
Page 13
BECKFORD W.I.
Our President, Briony Coupe welcomed 23 members and 1 visitor to the meeting on
8th December in the village hall. As we were to be entertained by the Bishop’s Cleeve
Players, the format of the evening was a little different to the usual one. The meeting in
November had been a very active one as everyone enjoyed getting to grips with the
modelling clay. Since then the Christmas Fayre had been a very successful event and
was well supported by members helping with making items for sale on the various stalls,
baking cakes and serving teas at the event itself. The money raised would be used to
pay for visiting speakers and it was decided to make a donation to the fund to support
other W.I. groups in the county who were finding it difficult to keep going. This was in
recognition of the help Beckford W.I. had been given, in the past, when the membership
had dropped to a very low figure and there was a danger that it would have to close
down.
Four members had attended the Group Carol service at Tewkesbury Methodist Church
and it proved a very pleasant start to the Christmas festivities with lovely traditional
carols and an interesting variety of readings.
It was decided to enter two teams in the County Quiz which takes place next year.
Members were reminded to save their stamps from their Christmas post for the
collection for the RNIB.
At this point the Bishop’s Cleeve Players were introduced who were to provide the
entertainment for the evening. This proved to be a series of very varied offerings. There
was a continuity performer who introduced the acts and made us
laugh with his jokes about anything and everything; a banjo
player, who gave an enthusiastic rendition of some Harry
Belafonte songs; a short playlet about a barrister and an accused
man trying to make the best of some very poor evidence followed
by the Queen’s Speech in cockney rhyming slang. Then Yo
stepped up to the piano and accompanied the tenor singing “If I
ruled the world” and “Love is a many splendored thing”.
There followed a short break when the birthday posies were distributed to the members
celebrating their birthdays in December. Briony said how much everyone appreciated
getting a posy on their birthday and now that Margaret Thompson had decided to retire
from making them after many years, she presented Margaret with a card and plant in
recognition and thanks for all the posies she had made over the years. The Ursula
Gowthorpe trophy was presented to Pam Grice for her collage on the theme of
“Poppies”. After the raffle was drawn the business part of the meeting
ended and the entertainment resumed.
The continuity performer showed us some card tricks and entertained us
with some more humorous anecdotes and introduced the banjo player
who sang some songs from Ireland, Australia and England. There
followed two dramatic monologues. Finally, Yo took to the piano again
and accompanied the tenor who sang a couple of sentimental ballads.
This brought the entertainment to a close and Briony thanked the players and invited
them to join the members in a festive meal provided by the members.
The next meeting is on Monday 12th January at 7.30 pm when the topic is “Travel” and
two members will give presentations on their visits, one to New Zealand and the other to
the Galapagos Islands. Visitors are most welcome.
Clare Henderson, Meeting Secretary
Page 14
News From Overbury
OVERBURY AND CONDERTON PARISH COUNCIL
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held at 7pm on Tuesday 6th January in
Overbury Village Hall and all members of the parish are welcome to attend. The primary
business at this meeting will be the budget for next year and the amount of Precept to
be applied for. Please contact Ros by the previous Monday, 30th December, if there are
any items you would like to be added to the agenda for the meeting.
Ros Long/Clerk to the Parish Council
01386 725111 : [email protected]
CHRISTMAS BULB SALE AT OVERBURY
Many thanks to everyone who helped and supported this event on 6 th December, which
made the excellent sum of £925 for the Church fabric fund.
Mrs Dagny Holland-Martin
Overbury School Report
Awards
We are incredibly excited to announce that we have received a Building Design Award
from Wychavon District Council. Our recent extension received the award for
‘Distinction in Community Architecture.’ For further information, please visit the
Overbury Estate website http://www.overburyestate.co.uk/blog/
Christmas Fayre
A huge thank you is given to everyone who supported our School Christmas Fayre. We
raised nearly £900! There were an array of local craft stalls, numerous activities and
games for the children and, of course, no Christmas fayre would be complete without a
visit from Father Christmas.
The Peace Child
Our Christmas play this year was a moving story of two quarrelling tribes finding peace
with one another through the birth of a son. The children performed beautifully,
managing their various roles and learning a variety of songs, one being in African, and
tribal themed class dances. Well done.
School News
Our youngest students, in Reception and Year One,
performed a Nativity at St Faiths Church during the Carol
Service. The whole school is preparing to finish the autumn
term in style with a Christmas Party, a gymnastic display and a community Christmas
Dinner for 124 people! PLEASE NOTE OUR SPACIOUS SCHOOL HALL IS
AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE. PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL OFFICE FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION: [email protected] ; 01386 725235
Forthcoming School Events
Wednesday 14th January: ‘Local Lunch’ – Members of the community are invited to
dine with us at 1pm. Our kitchen will be serving a delicious roast chicken dinner.
Booking is essential; please call the school office for further details and to order your
lunch. (01386 725235)
Week Commencing 18th January: ‘Book Week’ – Please
come and read your favourite book or tell your favourite story to
the children. Contact the school office for further detail.
Monday 2nd February: ‘School Christingle Service’ – 2.15pm. Everyone is welcome.
Page 15
Advertisement Feature
Page 16
PARISH DIRECTORY
Canon Matthew Baynes
01684 772237
[email protected]
Priest in Charge Beckford Group Parish
Pastoral Area of Responsibility: Beckford, Teddington and Alstone
Rector of Bredon with Bredon’s Norton,
Revd. Susan Renshaw
01386 750203
[email protected]
Associate Priest
Area of Responsibility: Overbury
Vicar of Eckington with Defford and Besford, Rural Dean of Pershore
Revd. Richard Worsley
01386 710394
[email protected]
Associate Priest
Area of Responsibility: Ashton under Hill
Priest in Charge of Elmley Castle with Bricklehampton and The Combertons &
Associate Priest in Overbury with Teddington, Alstone and Little Washbourne
with Beckford and Ashton-under-Hill
Revd. Clive Parr
01386 710700
[email protected]
Associate Priest part-time Non-Stipendiary Minister
Readers
Treasurer
Parish Enquiries
Capt. Dennis Oxley Flat 6, 49, Church St. Tewkesbury,
01684 850791
John Dodge
The Old Farmhouse, Ashton under Hill
01386 881487
Roger Palmer
5, Hill View Cottages, Cheltenham Road 01386 881746
Mike Sanger-Davies
01386 881910
via The Rectory, Bredon
01684 772237
Parish Secretary: Amanda Bath
[email protected]
Tues 9 - 12, The Rectory, Bredon
01684 772237
Fri 9 - 12, Parish Office, Beckford
01386 881349
Transport Co-ordinators
Saint John The Baptist’s Church,
Beckford
Churchwarden
David Carvill
01386 882002
Secretary
Graham Galer
01386 882200
Treasurer
Jane McCauley
01386 882929
Organist
Mike Sanger Davies 01386 881910
Flowers
Doreen Byrd
01386 881360
Bell ringers
Nick Hopkins
01386 881711
Overbury
Teddington
Alstone
Ashton
Beckford
Faith Hallett
Rosie Atkin
Betty Beckman
Ann Carnegie
Roger Palmer
01386 725206
01242 620565
01242 620289
01386 882393
01386 881746
Minibus
Andy Richmond
Andrew Barnett
Saint Faith’s Church, Overbury
Churchwarden
Faith Hallett
01386 725206
Secretary
Christine Clark
01386 725405
Treasurer
Derek Rooney
01386 725585
Organist
Anne Brown
01684 292231
Flowers
Nicky Sentance
01386 725309
Bell ringers
Ros Long
01386 725111
01386 881237
01386 881145
Disability Awareness Representatives
Alex Dodge
Nicky Sentance
01386 881487
01386 725309
Magazine
Editor
Chris Godfrey
01242 620006
Email: [email protected]
Advertising
Shirley Ellis
01386 41400
E-mail: [email protected]
Saint Barbara’s Church,
Ashton-under-Hill
Churchwardens
Alex Dodge
01386 881487
Secretary
Alex Dodge
01386 881487
Treasurer
Robin Welton
01386 881959
Organist
Anthony Greenwood 01386 881278
Flowers
Judith Hunter
01386 882087
Bell ringers
Nick Hopkins
01386 881711
Treasurer
Laurence Alexander
The Old Police Station, Beckford,
Tewkesbury, GL20 7AD
Saint Margaret’s Church, Alstone &
St. Nicholas’ Church, Teddington
Churchwardens
Anne Kyle,
01242 620351
Kieran Whelan
01242 620763
Secretary
Nicholas Bentley 01242 620292
Treasurer
Mike Wignall
01242 620031
Flowers:
Teddington
Caroline Marsh
01242 621139
Alstone
Jane Rogers
01242 620592
Organist
Matthew Birch
01386 881980
News Team
Beckford
Jessie Alexander
Chapelries Bill & Anne Kyle
Overbury
Ros Long
Ashton
Alastair Humphrey
01386 881814
01386
01242
01386
01386
Web Sites
www.bredonhillgroup.org
Page 17
881814
620351
725111
881479
6th
9th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
25th
28th
30th
Overbury & Conderton Parish Council Meeting, Overbury V.H.
7:00pm
Ashton W.I. Talk on being a ’First Responder’, Village Hall
7:30pm
Senior’s Drop In Club, Teddington V.H.
2:30 - 4:30pm
Beckford W.I. ‘Travel’, Beckford V.H.
7:30pm
Simply Soup, Beckford Village Hall
12:30pm
Local Lunch at Overbury School - see page 15
Pilgrim Course - see page 3
Kemerton Lectures begin - see page 11
Deadline for magazine entries for February issue
Singing Workshop - see page 6
Book week at Overbury School - see page 15
United Parish Worship, Overbury
10:00am
Beckford Gardening Club ‘Lost the Plot’ Beckford V.H.
7:30pm
Thank Goodness It’s Friday Coffee Morning, Beckford Church
10:00am
SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2015!!!
Just a reminder that these are now due. Once again we are pleased that they remain at the
remarkably low price of £5 for the year. Your continued support in both purchasing and
contributing to the magazine is much appreciated .
Ashton Lunch Club
Please note that there will be no lunch club in January.
Normal service will resume on February 6th. Many thanks for your
support throughout 2014.
Parish Minibus Shopping Trips in
January
2nd & 16th to Bishops Cleeve
9th & 23rd to Worcester
Picks up from all villages on
request.
Call Andy Richmond on 881237 or
Andrew Barnett on 881145
Thank Goodness It's
Friday! Coffee Morning
Friday 30th January
10am until 11:30am
Beckford Church Chancel
Slice of cake & tea/coffee
For £2
All Welcome - all proceeds to church funds