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Benefice community newsletter for Rockhampton, Cromhall, Falfield, Tortworth and Tytherington

Volume 13 Issue 2 February 2016

Do I need to understand?

“..ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you..” (Matthew 7,7 & Luke 11,9)

I love to sing but I can’t read music, opera moves me but when it’s sung in Italian or German I don’t even know what they are saying and I can ‘feel’ a picture even if I don’t know it’s name or what the artist thought it was about.

I know that sometimes I am very ignorant – despite a fairly wide and sometimes expensive edu-cation. Yet, as above, sometimes I simply know about something without truly understanding it. So, when I sing anything I am doing it from memory – I have to learn the way the notes vary be-cause I can’t read them, but music has always had this strange ability to move me - especially Church music, and I cherish it as part of my life.

So I can know what I like, and I can take part in something and yet I don’t under-stand it. Does that mean I shouldn’t be doing it, or that I don’t know what I am do-ing? It might well do, but equally is it something deeper than that?

As I write this, we are just coming through the season of Christmas. The time of year when we say a baby, not conceived in a way any of us would understand biologically, came into the world in a cow shed and went onto die on a cross as Jesus Christ. When you write it down as bluntly as this, and add in that the baby was the Son of God, you can’t help but question why this is one of the foundations of belief of the Christian Church world-wide. In marketing terms, the proposition doesn’t work – it’s too incomprehensible to be believed, too easy to disprove and requires you to suspend your disbelief too far.

Many of you will recall that about 20 years ago, in the run-up to Christmas, the somewhat eccentric Bishop of Durham (Dr David Jenkins) publicly denied the truth of the Virgin Birth. I think he had some clever theological argument as to why that didn’t matter to us as Christians, but I now cannot recall the thread of his point - most likely because I didn’t understand it. And yet I believe in the Virgin Birth - as completely and fully as if it was a fact in law. Why I believe that, I don’t even understand.

I don’t think it matters though – for me it’s a simple act of faith. I don’t understand it, and all of my logical being tells me it cannot be true, and yet in spite of that I still believe. For me that is the whole basis of our faith – we can believe in miracles, because to God everything and anything is possible. Plus it is not given to us to be able to understand – our journey of faith is one of constant discovery.

As someone who has to be completely logical, objective and have certainty in my professional life, that is no easy thing – and yet I still recall the words of the Bishop at my own confirmation just over 23 years ago, who said that the day we stop questioning our faith is the day we have stopped developing as Christians.

That has to be right I think, because as the words (quoted above) in the Gospels of both Matthew and Luke tell us, it is alright to be asking, to be exploring and so not fully to understand; and it’s really alright because it doesn’t matter to God as long as we have the veritable mustard seed of faith to begin with, from which everything else will come to us and at the end of it all I firmly believe the door will indeed be opened to each and every one of us.

So let us all take comfort, and have courage, in our faith to go where we don’t fully understand and see where that takes us. It is God’s plan, rather than ours, after all?

Paul Rumley, a simple Christian

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Thurs 18th

12.15pm Lent Lunch at Oakhall Farm, Falfield. Please ring 01454 260385 by 10am if you are coming

Friday 19th

7.00pm Compline at St Andrew’s, Cromhall

SUNDAY 21ST

LENT 2 9.30am Cromhall Morning Prayer Rockhampton No Service 11.00am Falfield Morning Prayer 11.15am Tortworth Eucharist 11.00am Tytherington Eucharist

& Baptism

Thurs 25th

12.15pm Lent Lunch at Rockhampton Village Hall Please ring 01454 417685 by 10am if you are coming

Friday 26th

7.00pm Compline at St Oswald’s Rockhampton

SUNDAY 28TH

LENT 3

10.00AM UNITED BENEFICE EUCHARIST

AT TYTHERINGTON WITH

REVD. DAVID RUSSELL, AREA DEAN

SUNDAY 6TH

MARCH LENT 4 Mothering Sunday

9.30am Cromhall Morning Prayer 9.30am Rockhampton Morning Prayer 9.30am Falfield Eucharist 11.15am Tortworth Eucharist 11.00am Tytherington Joint service at St James’ with Baptists

When there is no service in your parish church,

please join with one of the other churches.

Tues 2nd

Mid-week Service 11.00am Tortworth Said Eucharist

Thurs 4th

Mid-week service 9.30am Tytherington Said Eucharist

SUNDAY 7TH

FEB NEXT BEFORE LENT 9.30am Cromhall Morning Prayer 9.30am Rockhampton Eucharist 9.30am Falfield Eucharist

11.15am Tortworth Morning Prayer with Trevor Grant from The Leprosy Mission 11.00am Tytherington Joint service with Baptists at Chapel

WEDS 10th

ASH WEDNESDAY 7.30pm Eucharist at St George’s, Falfield

NB NO FOOD FOR THOUGHT DURING LENT BUT LENT LUNCHES BEGIN NEXT THURSDAY

SUNDAY 14TH

LENT 1 St Valentine’s Day

Come and celebrate your marriage with us.

9.30am Cromhall Eucharist & Baptism 9.30am Rockhampton Morning Prayer 9.30am Falfield Morning Prayer 11.15am Tortworth Eucharist 6.00pm Tytherington Evening Prayer

Monthly Midweek Eucharists at Tortworth & Tytherington

During the vacancy, there will normally be a said Eucharist on the first Tuesday of the month at 11.00am at St Leonard’s and on the first Thursday at 9.30am at St James’.

Please double check weekly pewsheet or ring Hilary

Legg 01454 413234 or Val Johnson 01454 417445

BENEFICE PHONE: 01454 260096 E-MAIL ADDRESS: office@croftt.org.uk or email Jan Leach on jan.leach4@btinternet.com Churchwardens:

Cromhall: Ann Greenhalgh 01454 294200 Rockhampton: Beth England 01454 260882 or Margaret Oliver 01454 417685 Falfield: Headley Pain 01454 269017 Tortworth: Hilary Legg 01454 413234 or Peter Reeve 01454 260549 Tytherington: John Williams 01454 412515 or Phil Coward 01454 281444

‘SPARKLERS’ FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH AT

ST GEORGE’S CHURCH, FALFIELD

FRIDAY 5TH

FEBRUARY 10.30AM

An opportunity for toddlers and pre-schoolers to play, sing and informally hear stories about Je-sus with their parents, grandparents or carers. (Cost £1 to cover refreshments)

LENT IN THE BENEFICE

Our Lent lunches on Thursdays will follow a course exploring migration and the global move-ment of people. This looks at economic migration, refugees and the displacement of communities due to cli-mate change, as well as human trafficking. Details on page 17.

There will also be a service of Compline on Fri-days at churches around the benefice.

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Visiting Visiting is part of the Church’s Minis-try. If you would like a visit from someone from the church, please call the Benefice Office and we will do our best to arrange it.

If you are going into or in hospital… You can help to make sure that the church team can respond as you would like us to when you are ill. It’s important that if you are admitted to hospital, you do three things:-

1. Make sure someone tells one of the minis-try team that you are going into hospital – ask them to pass on the message as ap-propriate.

2. Make it plain to the hospital staff whether (or not!) you would like a visit. This means that when someone rings up, they won’t have to spend time saying ‘hang on, ‘I’ll just ask him/her…’

3. Make it plain what sort of visit you would like: would you prefer a friend from the church or one of the visiting team or would you particularly like a clergy visit? If you want to be certain of a private, one to one chat, don’t be afraid to ask the hospital staff if they will allow your minister to come outside normal visiting hours, so that they don’t take up precious time and space from your family.

During the vacancy, please contact the Churchwardens (details on page 2) for mat-

ters concerning funerals and email the Bene-fice Office for enquiries about weddings and

baptisms.

For all Benefice Business Please ring 01454 260096

and leave a message

or email office@croftt.org.uk

The office will usually be open from 10.00am until 1:00pm on Fridays when messages and emails will be dealt with.

If you would like someone to bring Holy Communion to your home please ring 01454 260096 and leave a mes-sage. We are more than happy to do

this.

• During the vacancy there will normally

be a midweek Eucharist at Tortworth at 11.00am on the first Tuesday of the month but please check the pewsheet.

• Tytherington are holding Eucharist on

the first Thursday of the month at 9.30am but please check the pewsheet.

Visit the benefice website at www.croftt.org.uk to see the pewsheet or make a prayer request.

Please let the Churchwardens know if you wish us to keep someone in our prayers.

Thank you for donations from Cromhall Horticultural Society, Margaret Hancock of Tortworth Plants and Mr & Mrs A Godsell

This publication is dependent on donations and advertising to keep going.

One of the ways of making regular donations is by standing order. If you would like to make a payment using this method please contact our Treasurer, Mr Geoff Crosthwaite

• by telephone on 01454 294140

• by email at: geoffrey.crosthwaite@tesco.net

• or write to him at The Barn, Townwell, Cromhall, Wotton-Under-Edge, GL12 8AQ.

Cheques, payable to Benefice Newsletter, may also be sent to our treasurer, Geoff Crosthwaite, The Barn, Townwell, Cromhall, W-U-E, GL12 8AQ or the editor.

Please remember to make cheques out to ‘Benefice Newsletter’.

Vacancy update - the advertisement which appeared in the Church Times in January sought to appoint a ‘House for Duty Incumbent to lead, encourage and inspire the people of this hospitable

and well-functioning benefice. In particular we seek a priest who is:

• Collaborative and committed to shared ministry, and who will value and further develop the lay minis-

try that is already widely exercised.

• Prayerful and spiritual, who will encourage faith and discipleship and help the church in this area to

grow.

• Energised by rural ministry, with a heart for pastoral evangelism.’

Short-listing will take place on 8th February with interviews on 29th February. Please pray that the process is successful in finding a suitable applicant.

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“Oh I didn't like the blighter. He was unkind to me. My sister used to cry her eyes out over me 'cos he was always caning us.”

On the Tytherington Roots website you can read the edited highlights of Alsey 'Dossie' Curtis’s memories of Mr George Manuell the head teacher at Tythering-ton School from 1896-1911.

Alsey was born in 1897 and a pupil at the school when Mr Manuell was

head teacher. The interview was undertaken in 1989 by Roger Howell.

As well as the interview, extracts from the village school log books can also be found on

www.tytheringtonroots.co.uk

Cromhall & Falfield Mothers’ Union

2pm, Mon Feb 15th At the home of Leslie in Rockhampton

Visitors and new members always welcome

Contact Ann on 01454 294200

for more information

TYTHERINGTON VILLAGE CALENDAR

Have you got your Tytherington Village Calendar? Copies are on sale at a reduced price in the Village

Shop, or from Val Johnson (01454 417445, valj475@gmail.com)

All the pictures have been taken in the village and plenty of space for all those important notes!

Money raised from sales is all spent in the village. Please support us.

Rockhampton Village Hall and Rural Arts touring S.Glos

present “LADY NADE” in concert

Saturday 27th. February @ 7.30pm. Doors and bar open 7pm

Her music is modern folk soul with elements of pop blues and jazz, LADY Nade Bristol based singer songwriter writes and performs her own material accompanied by Bath based guitarist Seb Gitiez, Bristol based Mike Cooper drums and Dan Everett Double Bass.

Lady Nade’s voice has been described by press as a voice that speaks of long-lost jazz clubs and her sound as vintage, acoustic, soul and folk, her songs sketching moments of emotional transfor-mation , love and loss, delivered with a powerful authority and passion that belies her 25 years.

Womad Radio described her as the next Lianne La Havis, a great folk and soul singer. Her influ-ences include Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading, and Amy Winehouse.

Tickets available £8 For further information tel. Roger Watkins

01454 260530

Village Information Sheets and the Vacancy

With this month’s copy of 5 Alive every household should receive a copy of a village information sheet, which is provided to all pa-rishioners by the CRoFTT benefice group of 5 parishes, irrespective of their religious affilia-tions. Everyone who lives in a parish auto-matically has a right to the ministrations of the parish clergy, whether that is for baptisms, marriages and burials or just someone to talk to.

Your parish church is open for use during daylight hours and we hope you will make use of it. Although the benefice has no incumbent at present, the ministry team is active and services continue to take place every week in our churches, led by a variety of clergy and laity. The Area Dean has overall responsibil-ity until a new priest-in-charge is appointed.

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Keep up to date with details of all benefice services and events by visiting the benefice website at www.croftt.org.uk

THORNBURY LIBRARY

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/sgloslibraries

LIBRARY OPENING, SERVICE INFORMATION OR CONTACT DETAILS SEE OUR WEBSITE

www.southglos.gov.uk/libraries

5 Alive online For those wishing to access 5 Alive online from a smart phone or tablet the QR code is now available and will give access to the Falfield website.

Alveston Gardens Association

7.30pm Jubilee Hall, Alveston All visitors welcome (£3)

Monday 1st February Out & About with AGA in 2015

Dr. George Hargreaves

Monday 7th March

“Plants for the Flower Arranger” Don Everett

Full programme on www.alveston.org

Rogue Traders and Licensing Contact Details

If you think you have been the victim of a scam or rogue trader, please contact Trading Standards Citizens Advice Consumer Service: Mon to Fri 9.00 – 17.00 Ring 03454 04 05 06

St Andrew’s 100 Club Christmas Draw

The lucky winner of St Andrew’s 100 Club Christmas Draw is Mr John Pick who won £50!

Very many congratulations to Mr Pick and thanks to everyone who has purchased a number for the 100 Club. There are still a few numbers left for the coming year and the next draw will be at the end of February in the village shop. Numbers cost £10 and may be purchased from Mandy Bird 01454 294186

Christmas Wreaths and Churchyard Flowers

A reminder that Christmas wreaths (and poppy wreaths at Remembrance-tide) are the only artifi-cial flowers allowed in churchyards, and a request that they be removed by Candlemas, February 2

nd,

(the end of Christmas) please.

Should you be unable to remove your wreath by then, the Wardens and those who look after our churchyards will gladly do it on your behalf.

Annual Get-together

Sat Feb 20th 7.30pm

Cromhall Village Hall

A hot supper followed by news of the work of CLinC.

Tickets £10 - Raffle - Bring a bottle

Thornbury Citizens Advice Bureau

Contact Details: The Old Police Station, 35 High Street, Thornbury, BS35 2AR

Telephone Advice Service: 03444 111 444 Mon to Fri 10.00 - 14.00

Drop In and Appointments: Tue & Thurs 10.00 – 13.00

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Celebrate your marriage on St Valentine’s Day

Sunday 14th February

Join us at one of the Benefice services

bring your wedding album and share your memories

Cromhall 9.30am Eucharist Rockhampton 9.30am Morning Prayer Falfield 11.00am Morning Prayer Tortworth 11.15am Eucharist Tytherington 6.00pm Evening Prayer

Celebrating St Valentine’s Day

The Benefice churches of Cromhall, Rock-hampton, Falfield, Tortworth and Tytherington are inviting couples to celebrate St Valentine’s Day with them at one of their services.

A member of the Benefice Ministry Team said, ‘It seems appropriate that when we have so many couples marrying in our churches that we should invite them to come back and cele-brate this special day with us.

‘We hope that any couple who would like to join us comes along and perhaps brings their photo album so that we can share their memo-ries, regardless of where their marriage took place.’

For further details contact:

Cromhall: Ann Greenhalgh 01454 294200; Rockhampton: Margaret Oliver 01454 417685; Falfield: Headley Pain 01454 269017; Tortworth: Hilary Legg 01454 413234; Tytherington: Val Johnson 01454 417445 or the Benefice Office on

BENEFICE PHONE: 01454 260096 E-MAIL ADDRESS: office@croftt.org.uk or email Jan Leach on jan.leach4@btinternet.com

FALFIELD WEATHER RECORDS

FOR DECEMBER

2015 2014 2013

Min temp oC 3.1 -5.2 -3.2

Max temp oC 15.0 14.4 13.8

Rainfall (mm) 120.1 43.2 123.8

Rain Days in month* No data 20 23

Air frosts 0 10 7

The number of rain days are based on a minimum rainfall of 0.3 mm a day

Lat: 52.3.15 N

Long: 2.46.19 W

The above information recorded is taken from a basic weather station and from time to time some data can be corrupted leading to some inaccurate infor-mation displayed. Where possi-ble this has been corrected but from time to time some minor inaccuracies may occur. Monthly records from 2012 can also be found on the Falfield Village web site.

If you want to see a more de-tailed and accurate record of local weather then take a look at either of the following web sites: www.alvestonweather.co.uk www.thornburyweather.co.uk

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We are a family run business dedicated to providing the perfect environment for your cats to stay.

Set in a quiet, secluded countryside residence, this newly-built cattery has been con-structed to the highest standards and is fully licensed by South Gloucestershire Council.

For all enquires please contact Nicola on 07799805996

ASHWORTHY CATTERY

ASHWORTHY FARM, TYTHERINGTON,

NR WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE, GLOS GL12 8QD

LOW COST COMPUTER SCHEME

Are you aged 65+, registered disabled, on a low income or an unpaid carer?

South Gloucestershire Council have teamed up with an IT provider to offer a range of low cost, pro-fessionally refurbished starter computers at special discounted prices to eligible residents and regis-tered UK charities. Prices start at £90 including Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010 plus a 12 month return to base warranty. To find out of you are eligible and for more details visit www.southglos.gov.uk/goonline or enquire in per-son at Thornbury Library.

Jazz with Jessica and the Park Row Five

Saturday 27th February 2016 Armstrong Hall

Tickets: £12 on sale at Thornbury Town Hall or by phone on 412272.

Finger food (included in the price of the ticket) served in the interval

Bar available.

Part of the fund raising project in aid of the Arm-strong Hall Redevelopment Project (Phase 1)

‘THANK YOU’ FROM ALVESTON SINGERS

…..to all of you who attended our Christmas concerts and who

were so very generous with your donations - just over £1,917.

The Singers also performed two concerts in June and carol singing in December. The total monies raised over the year amount to £4,220 which will be divided between Stroke Associa-tion and Bristol Teenage Cancer Trust.

It is an amazing sum and a wonderful result for Kate’s final year as our conductor.

ST PETER’S HOSPICE ANNUAL QUIZ

Friday 4th March at the Armstrong Hall

commencing at 7.15pm

Cost: £28.00 per table of four (to include supper)

Raffle For further information and to reserve your ta-ble please telephone Mary on 01454 412567.

Please come along and support St Peter’s, your local Hospice

ST JAMES’ CHURCH, TYTHERINGTON 100+ CLUB

Many thanks to all who have joined our 100+ club for 2015/16. All monies raised go towards keep-ing our church open. It is not too late to join-application forms are available in the box in the church porch.

Christmas Draw Results 1st No 91 D Sansum

2nd No 164 P Blanchard 3rd No 209 B Longworth

Bonus No 66 J Skipp.

Benefice Ramblers

The next ramble will be on

Sat Feb 27th

Contact Eva 299251 or Ann 294200 for

more details

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Hills n Vale Chimney Sweep Service

Power Sweep/Brush & Vacuum

Fully Insured NACS Member Certificate Issued

Tel 07885 837660

kevin@hillsnvalechimney.co.uk

Falfield, Glos

Falfield Village Hall Bookings To book the village hall, please email falfieldvh@gmail.com or visit the Falfield village website www.falfield.org.uk to complete a booking form online.

Alan Pickard (Accountant)

A one to one service for self assessment,

sole traders and limited companies

www.alanpickard.co.uk

01454 412071

Tytherington Village Shop

Date for your Diary

The Annual Meeting will be held on

Tuesday 19th April commencing at

7.30pm in the Village Hall

All members and customers are invited to come along to find out how the shop and post

office are performing and to have their say.

Members will receive formal notification in March

CROMHALL SENIOR CITIZENS

Tat3 Thursday Feb 18th

3pm

in Cromhall Village Hall

for tea and a chat

Ring Eva 299251 or Ann 294200 to be

picked up

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TYTHERINGTON BAPTIST CHURCH

FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF ANY OF OUR SERVICES/ACTIVITIES, PLEASE CONTACT Mr Brian Allen (Pastor)

Contact Number: - 01179 793104 Email:- allenbroncksea@blueyonder.co.uk

SEE ALSO THE CHURCH WEBSITE: www.tytheringtonbaptistchurch.org

7 Joint Service at St Chapel – “SIGNS & SYMBOLS” Brian 14 “TEMPTATION” – Luke 4:1 - 13 (Includes Communion)* Brian 21 “RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH FAITH” – Romans 3:21 - 26* Brian 28 “PEACE THROUGH FAITH” – Romans 5:1 - 5* Brian

* SERVICE WILL INCLUDE SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR OUR YOUNGER PEOPLE N.B. ALL SERVICES COMMENCE AT 11.00AM UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

‘PARENTS & TOTS’

Our ‘PARENTS & TOTS’ group are now meeting on THURSDAYS, FROM 2:15 – 4:0PM

THE FEBRUARY MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY 18TH

Are you a parent/grandparent of a 0 – 3 year old? If so, why not join us in the Schoolroom at the rear of the Chapel for a time of friendship, play & refreshments. If interested please come along or, if you cannot, but

are interested, contact Ren on 01179 793104

Everyone is welcome to join us.

LET’S MAKE THORNBURY MORE DEMENTIA FRIENDLY

ATTEND A FREE DEMENTIA FRIENDS INFORMATION SESSION

Age UK and partners invite you to get involved in mak-ing Thornbury and surround-ing areas more dementia

friendly.

If you’d like to find out more about how you can help others live well with demen-tia, book your free place to attend a De-mentia Friends information session. Book online at: http://bit.ly/1mfyQo5 and search for sessions near postcode BS35 2AA. Al-ternatively, telephone Pauline Sandell at Age UK on 01454 411707. All sessions take place at Thornbury Library and last one hour. There are 5 dates to choose from in February:

• Weds 3 Feb 5pm-6pm

• Thurs 4 Feb 12.30pm-1.30pm

• Weds 10 Feb 5pm-6pm

• Thurs 18 Feb 12.30pm-1.30pm

• Weds 24 Feb 5pm-6pm

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Show Dates 3

rd, 4

th, 5

th March

Evening Performances 7.30pm Saturday Matinee 2.30pm Tytherington Village Hall

Spotlight Publications Written by Joy Davis

The Churpel Society presents The Churpel Society presents The Churpel Society presents The Churpel Society presents

RumpelstiltskinRumpelstiltskinRumpelstiltskinRumpelstiltskin

Tickets on Sale: at Tytherington Village Hall

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.00pm

Adults £7.50 Children £5.50

Swim Teams Needed

The Rotary Club of Thornbury are once

again holding their annual Swimarathon weekend at the Thornbury Leisure Centre on

the evenings of 4th, 5th and 6th March 2016 and are hoping to better the success of previ-ous years.

In order to achieve this we need your help!

Please enter a team!

We will be swimming to the Caribbean sound of the Castle School Steel Band and the vocal support of many excited onlookers! It’s a great atmosphere. You don’t have to be fast, you don’t have to be a great swimmer and you don’t have to swim on your own. In fact, you can have as many as 6 in a team, each taking it in turn to swim lengths. Each session is 55 minutes. Once you’ve finished you’ll receive your personal certificate to prove you did it!

For 2016 we are delighted to be able to support 2 Bristol charities,

Jessie May Children’s Hospice and The National Eye Research Centre as well as local charities and good causes. Over £12,000 was raised in 2015 through the Swi-marathon and this year we’re hoping that even more teams will be tak-ing part in this family event.

If you fancy entering a team and taking the plunge, please do not hesitate to contact Derek Baker by

email: swimarathon@thornburyrotary.org or mo-bile: 07984 949827.

Team entry forms, sponsorship forms and posters

are available at: www.thornburyrotary.org/swimarathon

Tytherington WI

MONDAY 15th February

2pm in the Village Hall

SPEAKER: Jean Cox on

Cake Decorations

COMPETITION: Fancy Cup Cake

New members or visitors always welcome. Just come along and join us.

DIGITAL LIBRARY SERVICES

Find out more about our range of FREE digital library services, available 24/7 including eBooks, eAudio books and eMagazines. Ask at the library and staff will be pleased to help you.

If you would like to bring your device with you we can help to get you started. To find out more information about these free services visit: http://www.southglos.gov.uk/libraries and select “Library e-resources”.

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Knitting for Seafarers

Seafarers often set out on new contracts not know-ing where their ship will end up or travel through, and they may need to stock up on warm clothes to see them through some of the chillier parts of the globe. We are always grateful for gifts of warm knitted items which our chaplains can pass on to seafarers in need.

If you can supply balaclavas, scarves, gloves and hats in any colours, we would love to hear from you. You can have a look at some of our sug-gested knitting patterns at www.missiontoseafarers.org/uploads/pdfs/support-us/Knitting%20Patterns%202014.pdf or you can design your own!

Please send your knitted items to us at: The Mis-sion to Seafarers, FREEPOST KE5265, London, EC4B 4EP

Changing Lives in Chongwe

You are invited to join us for our Annual Get-together on Saturday February 20th,

.7.30 in Cromhall Village Hall. There will be :-

• photos from our September visit

• news of the feeding programme at the

two schools

• news of the sponsored children attend-

ing local government schools

• news of the teachers sponsored to gain

teaching qualifications

• photos of the building of St Mark’s class-

rooms and toilet block

• plans to provide a water supply for

St Anne’s school

January is the beginning of the new school year in Zambia. If you are already sponsoring a child, and are willing to continue doing so this year, please would you let me have the cheque or cash as soon as possible. Thank you to those who have already sent their money. We are sponsoring over 80 pupils this year in government secondary schools, There are still many children looking for sponsorship if anyone would like to support them.

A date for your diary – Sat. May 7th ‘Brass on the Grass’ at Townwell House.

Thank you all for your continued support and we hope to see many of you on Saturday Feb 20th. Ann anngreenh@gmail.com

I would like to thank those who kindly gave donations towards candles, mulled

wine etc for our Christmas services.

Val Johnson

THORNBURY CHORAL SOCIETY WORKSHOP

Thornbury Choral Society's annual choral work-shop will take place on February 20th 2016 in Thornbury Baptist Church from 10.30am, studying Haydn's Creation conducted by Steven Kings with soloists.

There will be a performance of the results of the day's endeavours at 4.00pm. Su Joyce's excellent lunches are available but must be pre-booked. The workshop costs £13.50 (score hire £2) and lunches are £7.50. The price includes coffee, tea, biscuits and cake at tea time.

For further details go to the website www.thornburychoralsociety.org.uk

BOOKSTART BEAR CLUB STORYTIME AND RHYMETIME

FOR PRE-SCHOOLERS AND BABIES

Join us for StoryTime on Mondays 2.15pm - 2.45pm and RhymeTime on Fridays 11 - 11.30am (term-time only). Nappy-changing facility available, breast-feeding welcome

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Thornbury & District Flower Club

Thursday 11th February

Demonstration: When the Bud Bursts Emily Broomhead

Thursday 25th February

AGM & Club Competitions

7.30pm Methodist Church Hall, Thornbury

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity

Saturday 27th February Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel

7.00pm - Arrival 7.30pm - 3 course dinner

Carriages 12.30am

Followed by an evening of entertainment; live music, raffle, silent auction and dancing

Help to raise money for this fantastic charity.

For tickets please contact Steph

Tel 07779970114 Tickets: £50

www.greatwesternairambulancecharity.com

Follow them on facebook & Twitter @GWAAC

Rockhampton Village Hall 100 Club January winners were -

£15 Tom Cullimore £10 Brian House

£5 Ann & Geoff Jones £5 Clare & Mike Templeman

For future events go to rockhamptonvillagehall.com

NATIONAL LIBRARIES DAY SATURDAY 6

TH FEBRUARY

Celebrate National Libraries Day by visiting Thorn-bury Library on Saturday 6

th February, where we

will be holding a day of special events and activi-ties for all to enjoy. Full details will be available in late January from Thornbury Library and online at www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk

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The Thornbury Musical Theatre Group

presents

‘Aladdin’

at the Armstrong Hall, Thornbury

Weds 10th to Sat 13

th February

Performances: 7.30 pm nightly

Matinees at 2.30 pm on Friday 12th

and Saturday13th

Tickets: bookable online at www.tmtg.org.uk.

£12 Adults, (£10 Concessions) Family ticket for 4: £36.

Group discounts of 10% may be arranged via our Box Office for 10+ seats.

For enquiries call Angie at the Box Office on 07516 270140.

Tickets also available at Lisa Costa Residential Sales and Lettings, 53 High Street, Thornbury

For more information about ‘Aladdin’ and our group generally, take a look at www.tmtg.org.uk or contact us by e-mail at membership@tmtg.org.uk. You can also follow us on Facebook.

Try something new in 2016 - Join Brownies

1st Falfield and Stone Brownies meet weekly during school terms and currently has space for new brownies.

Through regular meet-ings, special events, day trips, sleepovers and holidays, Brownies learn new hobbies, explore other cultures and get adventurous outdoors. Girls can also extend their knowledge and abilities by working towards Brownie interest badges covering many different hobbies and activities from Science investigator to Circus skills.

Brownies are girls aged seven to ten who be-come a member of a Six and follow a pro-gramme called the Brownie Adventure.

Brownies opens up a world of exciting chal-lenges and the opportunity to try new things and to make brilliant friends.

If your daughter is interested in joining the unit or would like to be added to our waiting list please register your interest at

www.girlguiding.org.uk/interested

For any other queries please contact Gill Barber - 01454 413759, or email brownowl@1fsb.co.uk

MAY DAY FAIR

The Tytherington May Day Fair will take place on Monday 2nd May 2016, starting at 2pm.

We hope to have the traditional Maypole dancing and if any children would like to participate please contact Debbie Brock for further information (01454 412926).

Also, if you are available to help, or have any ideas for the day, please contact Deb-bie or Val (01454 417445)

M&M Cttee

Cancer Research UK Thornbury and District Cancer Research UK

Committee

QUIZ NIGHT with Fish and Chip supper

Friday 18th

March

at Manorbrook Primary School, Thornbury, commencing 7.30pm sharp

- so please be there at 7.15pm Tickets: £10 each

(includes fish and chip supper) available from Gill Blackborough on 07866

580608 or any Committee Member

Licensed Bar Raffle

CHILDREN’S HALF-TERM FREE DROP-IN ACTIVITY:

IT’S SPRING AGAIN! MONDAY 8th FEBRUARY

11am- MID-DAY

Drop-in for free family fun, aimed at pri-mary-aged children. Enjoy stories, crafts and songs to celebrate that springtime is just around the corner. Adult supervision required, no child under 8 years to be left unattended.

14

LENT IN THE BENEFICE Ash Wednesday 10th February

Imposition of Ashes & Eucharist 7.30pm at Falfield

COMPLINE ON FRIDAYS AT 7.00pm

Friday 19th Feb Cromhall Friday 26th Feb Rockhampton Friday 4th March Tytherington Friday 11th March Falfield Friday 18th March Tortworth

Each service lasts about half an hour

LENT LUNCHES ON THURSDAYS 12.15 - 1.45pm Please ring by 10.00am to let the host know that you are coming.

Thurs 18th

Feb Oakhall Farm, Falfield (01454 260385) Thurs 25

th Feb Rockhampton Village Hall (01454 417685)

Thurs 3rd

Mar Ruth’s Close, West St., Tytherington (01454 412515)

Thurs 10th

Mar Townwell House, Cromhall (01454 294200)

Thurs 17th

Mar 6, Hillcrest, Thornbury (01454 413234)

The course we shall be following looks at economic migration, refugees and the displacement of communities due to climate change, as well as human trafficking.

We do not claim to have the answers, but we hope this course will inspire and challenge us to engage more deeply with the issues and to consider how we might respond.

Falfield Action Group Update

Many thanks to everyone who has contacted us since the flyer in respect of the Policies, Sites and Places Plan (the 5 year plan) and for submitting your views to South Gloucestershire Council.

Next Steps: The Strategic Planning Policy & Specialist Advice Team are currently preparing their proposed submission plan and are due to report to council in March. The Action Group are currently investigating

what data we can gather to support the concerns parishioners have raised in relation to: Transport, Po-tential flooding, Schools, Healthcare, The Park & Share site.

We will be arranging a joint meeting soon to discuss how we can take this forward and request the support of those of you who have volunteered as Helpers. If you would like to be involved and have not already signed up as a Helper, or have sources that can assist us in this activity, please let us know!

Date stamped photographic evidence is a very useful tool to demonstrate issues already encountered in and around the village, so if you witness anything that supports concerns, such as flooding, traffic conges-tion on the A38, please, if you can and it is safe and legal to do so, take photographs and share them with us.

Planning Applications: Did you know you can sign up to receive notifications from SGC giving details of any planning applications that are made in Falfield or any location within the county (as pre-defined by you)? We will shortly be issuing details of how to sign-up for this service.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries and thank you as always for your support.

Sue Hicks, Secretary, Falfield Action Group Email: secretary@falfieldactiongroup.org.uk

15

CROMHALL CHAPEL SERVICES www.cromhallchapel.org www.cromhall.com

Pastor: Rev. Chris. W. Crocker

SUNDAY 10.30am Morning Worship & Children's Sunday Club 6.30pm Evening Worship TUES Cromhall Crafters Evening. Join us on the second Tuesday of each month for an evening of craft making. Bring your own craft or art activity and enjoy tea and conversation.

Next meeting: Tuesday 9th

February at 7pm at Cromhall Chapel. Come and Meet Each Other! WEDS 3

rd Feb at 7.30pm – House group Bible Study and Prayer at various homes in the area.

Please ring 01454 294065 for details.

10th

, 17th

& 24th

Feb at 7.30pm – Bible Study & Prayer in the Chapel Hall

Sunday service speakers during February are :- 7

th (am & pm) Paul Young.

14th (am) Pastor Chris; (pm) Roger Chilvers..

21st (am) Pastor Chris; (pm) Robert Simpkins.

28th (am) Stewart Heap; (pm) Pastor Chris.

Please visit the chapel website www.cromhallchapel.org

There is now a prayer box on the outside wall of the Chapel. If anyone has a concern they would like our small prayer group to pray for, please do drop us a line.

A warm welcome awaits you at all of our meetings

Phoenix Singers Concerts

The ‘Carols by Candlelight’ concert by the Phoenix Singers in St George’s Church on 20th December was a blend of traditional car-ols, modern Christmas songs and poetry.

The group, led by musical director Natalie Pearce, with pianist Jenny Pain, were formed in June 2015 and this was their first perform-ance in church. The audience was most en-thusiastic in applause and demonstrated their own fine singing voices! A donation of £100 has been made to the Church, thanks to the kind generosity of the audience.

This was not the first performance in Falfield by the Phoenix Singers. The Huntsman Inn was the venue for a less formal, but equally fun evening on 17th December. The group was delighted to be joined by members of Fal-field WI for a number of Christmas carols. An enormous thank you to Dan, Jim and staff for their welcome and hospitality.

The Phoenix Singers meet in St George’s on Thursdays, 7.30 to 9.00pm. We are “a com-munity through our love of singing” and wel-come new members. You don't have to be an experienced singer. Come along, watch and listen before you decide. For more informa-tion call 07837 975341 or e-mail sing@thephoenixsingers.org.uk

BAND CONCERT

WITH THORNBURY TOWN BAND

ST JAMES’ CHURCH,

TYTHERINGTON

SATURDAY 5th MARCH

2016 7.30pm

TICKETS £10 each available

fromTytherington Village

Shop or John Williams

(01454 412515)

16

Northavon Youth Theatre Company

40 Years ~ Where Did They Go?

In 1975, members of Thornbury Arts Festival Committee came up with the novel idea of including a dramatic performance by youngsters as a regular feature of the annual Arts Festival, so the Northavon School of Drama was established and those aged 6 to 16 years were invited to audi-tion to join the School, where they were given guidance and tuition in Dance, Singing and Acting, culminating in a musical production, under the banner of the Northavon Children’s Theatre Com-pany, funded and staged annually at Easter by TAF.

With Jenny Davies as the first Principal of the School, 1976 saw its inaugural production of The Fantastic Mr Fox, bringing author Roald Dahl to Thornbury! But when career promotion for Jenny’s husband and a move to Cornwall intervened, her place was filled by Linda Evans, a local Drama teacher and trained actress. Shows such as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Toad of Toad Hall were very successful, but following the 1982 production of The Wizard of Oz, Linda decided to make the Northavon School of Drama and its productions completely independent of Thornbury Arts Festival, so the community Drama School, one of the very first of its kind in the South-West and even the United Kingdom, began a new chapter, with keen amateur performer and teacher of English & Drama: Lyn Bedford joining Linda as Choreog-rapher and Assistant.

1986 saw another change, with Linda stepping down and Lyn taking on the rôles of Principal and Director, changing the age range to 11 to 18 years and the performance name to the Northavon Youth Theatre Company, offering tuition in all theatrical areas, while endorsing ‘life skills’ such as team building, development of confidence and concentration, plus opportunities to perform in Mu-sicals, Showcases and Concerts in the community. Lyn is proud to offer “Drama Without Dis-crimination” to young people from many different backgrounds and often to those with physical and emotional problems, but all are welcome, with the emphasis on friendship and fun!

40 years, 47 productions, (such as ‘Carousel’, ‘Miss Saigon’, ‘Anything Goes’ & ‘Les Misérables’), and 12 theatrical awards later, from March 23 to 26, Thornbury’s Armstrong Hall will stage NYTC’s 40th Anniversary show, the 1920s riotous romp: Thoroughly Modern Millie, so why not join us in celebrating one of Thornbury’s proudest achievements? More next month! www.nytc.org.uk

17

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18

Adjusting to the culture ….. in Canada October 26th 1964 was an auspicious day in my life. That was when I arrived in Canada, having been hired from what was Westminster bank by a Canadian bank. I very soon discovered that any foreign country one sees as a vacationer is so very different from the country one chooses to live in. There are so many differences from 'home' that take a lot of getting used to. Canada is a big country, huge in fact. Looking at a map doesn't really give a true scale of just how huge. It's only when I came to realise that there are four and a half hours of time difference between British Columbia on the west coast and Newfoundland on the east that it hit home. This of course affects such things as sports broadcasts, a hockey game broadcast in St. Johns, Newfoundland, at 9:30pm would be simultaneously broadcast in Vancouver at 5:00.

Canada is composed of several provinces. While the fed-eral government controlled such activities as tax collecting, armed services, and federal policing (the RCMP that is), the provinces had control over much of what affected day-to-day lives. Such as: health care, education, driving licences and local policing. Whereas I could drive anywhere on my Ontario licence when I transferred to Vancouver I had to turn in my Ontario driving licence and take another written driving test for my British Colombia licence....which I failed the first time.

Having grown up on rugby and track and field the sports meant almost nothing to me, hockey, football (gridiron), hockey, baseball, hockey, basketball and hockey. Hockey, ice hockey, was almost a god, played in every part of Canada. So many youngsters grow up playing, having started as peewees, about age 9 or 10 the vast majority with a vain hope of becoming hockey superstars. I got the impression that children, boys and girls, were born with ice skates on their feet; certainly by age six they were able to fly around the rinks, made me exceedingly envious. Parents would spend thousands of dollars on hockey schools and camps hoping their kids would make it in a big way. Football (soccer) was almost unknown at that time, long before the MLS was developed. The first soccer games were a disaster as the TV stations would stop the games to show advertising as they do in football. Danny Blanchflower had been hired to push the game’s popularity but was soon fired for his habit of severely criticising that process, it completely spoiled the flow of the games as you can imagine.

Pubs were a revelation. Nothing like pubs as we know them; they were more like drinking palaces. Large, open barns with several tables to seat 4. No bar on which to lean and chat with mine host. Also one wasn't allowed to move from table to table with a drink in your hand, but had to call a waiter to deliver it. All they served then was beer, no liquor or wine. There were two entrances; one marked 'Men', the other 'Women and Escorts'. An invisible barrier separated the two halves, and single men were strictly prohibited from crossing to the other side. As were women from joining the men only section. And before getting a drink one had to order food, usually a plate of chips, (crisps) sufficed. I remember going to a downtown hotel bar for a drink and ordering a glass of wine, only to be told 'we don't serve wine here'!

I could have had beer or scotch or gin, but no wine!!!

Buying liquor to take home, in any form, wine, scotch, gin etc. one could only go to a government outlet. There, an application had to be completed and signed, then handed to the cashier, who would have another minion get the desired product from the shelves - made one feel like an irre-sponsible teen, certainly not mature enough to drink responsibly.

19

Movie houses (cinemas) were closed on Sundays. In fact Toronto was almost a Quaker town in that any form of entertainment on Sunday seemed to be frowned on. To find any of the more common and/or raucous forms of entertainment on a Sunday one had to go to Montreal, 350 miles away. Fortunately travel was easy, highways were wide open and with relatively little traffic. So much so that when I moved into an apartment with three others we would think nothing of heading to Niagara Falls just 80 miles away mid-week for a snack and a drink.

The weather was not quite what I had expected. We seldom had a 'white Christmas'. It got cold and there was the occasional flurry in November and December, but the real snow tended to ar-rive in Feb and certainly in March when we could be dumped on hugely. But of course it was han-dled; townships would bring out fleets of snow moving equipment and clear it away as soon as possible, followed by the roads being salted. Seeing three huge snow plows (ploughs) in a conga line travelling down the motorways at 50 mph shovelling the snow to the side of the road was al-ways an impressive sight. Airports were very seldom shut down, though I have spent the occa-sional night seated, waiting...waiting. Then the aircraft would have to be de-iced, driven to a huge machine that sprayed some form of glycol over the whole plane.

Crossing to the US, the closest point being Buffalo just 120 miles, was easy, Cana-dians didn't need passports at that time; any good form of identification would suf-fice to let one in, a driver's licence or health card being sufficient. It always seemed to me then that getting back into Canada was less pleasant, from the point of view of the immigration staff; they always gave the impression that they felt we had something we should have declared and they were going to find it. Shopping in the States was and is a popular habit, given the much greater choice and much less expensive products.

But what really shocked me then were the occasional signs on, say, construction sites looking for labour that said 'No Irish or English need apply'. I was twice told to 'go back where you came from' when I refused to cash a check (cheque) for someone who wasn't a customer of the bank. That's all gone now, but has left something of a bitter legacy.

But that was Toronto in the mid sixties. The city has since grown up enormously, and is now a vibrant, thriving metropolis, but for those of us who grew up with it there are memories of a differ-ent city at a different time.

Damon Arber

This year The Leprosy Mission is making World Leprosy Day up until the first anniversary of the earthquake in Nepal, on 25 April, by asking for your help in rebuilding the homes and lives of those who have lost so much.

On 25th April 2015 a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the central region of Nepal, shortly followed by another. It left a trail of death and devastation, killing almost

9,000 people and destroying or damaging more than a million homes.

In its immediate aftermath injured people flocked to The Leprosy Mission’s hospital in Anandaban where your donations provided thousands of people with surgery, emergency food supplies and materials to build temporary shelters. The hospital, the only one for miles around, suffered some struc-tural damage and the homes of dozens of staff were either completely or partially destroyed.

In the villages near Anandaban, there are now piles of rubble where houses once stood. Already the poorest of the poor, many people affected by leprosy have lost their livelihoods and their homes. Tragically some families also lost their loved ones. (See Krishna’s story on page 20)

On Sunday 7th

February we shall welcome Trevor Grant, Regional Manager of The Leprosy Mission England & Wales, to the 11.15am service at St Leonard’s, Tortworth. Please come and join us to find out more about the work of TLM.

20

Your magazine: How to send copy, adverts or gifts for ‘5 Alive’:

NEWS COPY:

Where? News items should be sent to Kay Rea, The Bungalow, Moorslade, Falfield, GL12 8DJ Tel. 01454 260364 Email: kay.rea@btinternet.com NB If you are posting copy, please mark the enve-lope ‘5 Alive’.

When? Copy date is strictly before midnight on the 19th of each month, please, ready for typing on the 20th. The earlier we receive material the better, as it avoids the rush and lessens the risk of error.

In what form? If at all possible, please submit your material by e-mail (attachments should be in Word or Publisher format). There is then no need for re-typing, which not only saves time but also means there is less chance for inaccuracies to creep in. (We do, however, reserve the right of the editor to edit, and you may find that small changes are made for the sake of space etc) If you want to submit an advertising

poster or similar, it helps if it’s in black and white, as it reproduces more clearly. Charities wishing to ad-vertise events should quote their charity number.

ADVERTISING: The deadline for requests and payments for advertising in 5 Alive is the 12th of the month preceding publication.

Enquiries about advertising should be directed to Kay Rea, The Bungalow, Moorslade, Falfield, Nr Wotton-under-Edge, Glos, GL12 8DJ. Tel. 01454 260364 Email: kay.rea@btinternet.com

Charges per issue are as follows:

Business Rates Rates for businesses within the benefice Half page: £28 £18

Quarter page: £18 £15

Eighth of page: £10 £8

There is a 10% discount for advertisers paying for a year’s advertising in advance and 5% for those advertising 6 months in advance

Cheques should be made out to ‘Benefice Newsletter’ and sent to Kay Rea (as above).

Khrishna's story

When the Nepal earthquake struck, Khrishna was standing outside his home. As the ground be-gan to shake, he cried out to his wife, Pushpo, to get out of the house - but it was too late. The building collapsed on top of her and she was killed instantly. Khrishna passed out and when he regained consciousness, he learned that his wife was dead.

Having been diagnosed with leprosy many years ago, long after the disease had caused irreversi-ble disabilities to his hands, Khrishna relied heavily on Pushpo. His life was now in ruins. Even the buffalo the family kept to earn their living had been crushed under the house.

Khrishna told us he even contemplated taking his own life, but his sons - Kamal, 12, and Ashok, 18 - begged him not to, telling him that they did not want to be left alone and needed him to help them rebuild their lives. Kamal in particular has been completely devastated by the death of his mother.

At present they are living in a shack made from tin sheets supplied by The Leprosy Mission as part of its emergency response to the earthquake. Although they have a roof over their heads, the shack will provide little protection from the cold and snow.

Khrishna and many others like him need your help this winter. Nepal may have dropped from the headlines but its people are still in great need. A donation of just £55 could purchase a pallet of bricks that would help get the rebuild of a house started. You can donate online at www.worldleprosysunday.org.uk