June / July 2021 - Donation
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June / July 2021
Bi-monthly
magazine
Donation
Ashwellthorpe David Turner 01508 489458
Forncett Margaret Webster 01953 788114
St Edmunds
Forncett Graham Prior graham_prior@yahoo.co.uk
St Mary
Forncett Alexandra Barnes 01508 530209
St Peter
Gillian Barnes 01508 813055
gilly.barnes@hotmail.com
Fundenhall Dianne Burridge 07774 016379
Carol Eastwood 01508 488381
carol@eastwoodfamily.com
Hapton Anthony Bate
miche@hapton.net
Michelle Martin
Tacolneston John Hooper 01508 489050
Beverley Spratt 01508 489746
Wreningham Christine Bilham 01508 489626
bilham8@aol.com
Christine Minns 01508 488123
c.j.minns@btinternet.com
2
June / July 2021
Revd Lydia Avery, Priest-in-Charge
The Rectory,
16 The Fields,
Tacolneston NR16 1DG
Tel: 01953 788227
Email: vicar.utvb@gmail.com
Administrator Christine Minns 01508 488123
& Treasurer High Gables, Church Road, Wreningham
NR16 1BH c.j.minns@btinternet.com
Reader & John Hooper 01508 489050
Safeguarding johncampbellhooper66@gmail.com
Reader & Margaret Styles 01508 489112
Pastoral Care
Co-ordinator
Cover photo: Quinton Spratt Celebrating his time as churchwarden
3
June is usually a month of hope and expectation, but this one is even more so. Quite a few of us are champing at the bit, eager to celebrate our freedom! However, I’m writing this in May and yesterday the Prime Minister told us that the new ‘variant of concern’ may affect the timing of the release from Covid restrictions due on the 21st. As I write, I’m still hoping that the unlocking will happen, joyfully and on time. And, because there are so many planned events in this magazine, I know that other contributors share this hope. We will all need to dig deeper this month if our plans need to be on hold for a little longer – to resist despair but to hold on to hope. Whatever happens, good things are only a short time ahead. If, as you read, the 21st June release date is going ahead – some will be excited, others may feel hesitant and a bit fearful of being in crowded places, or undecided about whether to step out into the world or to stay out of circulation a little longer to see what happens. Whatever you are feeling – it’s perfectly OK to take your time, to listen to your inner voice and go with it. It may be that you don’t feel much like celebrating – that you want to formally mark what has happened in 2020-21 before going forward. If this is you, there’s a special Service at St Peter’s, Forncett St Peter, in which we’ll be ‘real’ in acknowledging what has happened, the losses we’ve faced and the thanks we want to say to those who helped us get through it all. There are plenty of open-air events in June and July if you’d prefer to be outside with others rather than indoors – including the Benefice’s first 4
Forest Church in which up to thirty people will be able to take part in a
national survey to count plant species in a churchyard – this will happen at
St Peter’s on 5th June (see elsewhere). There are also enjoyable afternoon
teas and coffee mornings, a market and car-boot Bric-a-Brac sale to enable
our reunions to happen. If you’d prefer to be quiet, there are an increasing
number of open churches for this, too.
Whatever the next two months bring, I hope and pray that they will be
good for you, your family, your friends, and our community.
With every blessing
Lydia
Whilst at the time of writing, things are not yet ‘normal’ , we’re still
here to listen and to help if we can. Whether it be end of life support,
a Home Communion, booking a Christening, Wedding, or Marriage
blessing, or discussing what you need to do to arrange a
Funeral or Memorial Service, in the Upper Tas Valley Benefice please
contact:
Revd Lydia Avery: 01953 788227
or via email: vicar.utvb@gmail.com
Calling all Knitters!
A group of knitters in Forncett is running out of wool.
They knit items for charity.
If you have any wool left over from knitting projects it
would be gratefully received.
Please ring Margaret 01953 788114
5
Sylvia Lawn whose funeral was held at All Saints, Wreningham on the
20th April
You may have heard recently on the Media that there have been some
changes to the way weddings happen in Church. From the beginning of
May, mothers as well as fathers are now recorded on the Marriage
certificate, and the certificate will no longer be issued on the day of the
wedding. Another change is that churches will no longer hold Marriage
Registers or Marriage Certificates. This means that anyone wanting to see
local registers, as part of family research, will now need to go to the County
Archive in Norwich.
Friday 4th June 1.45pm Bunwell Church
All are welcome
6
God is listening. He hears our prayers and answers them in his own
time and way.
As we think about this edition of the magazine, we hear of more
people having had a second vaccine, feeling confident to visit shops,
able to join friends for coffee or an outdoor meal, seeing family for
the first time for months or even more than a year, planning a holiday
and so much more that we have all missed.
Let us give thanks to God for bringing us through this awful pandemic.
Thank him that we live in a rural area and are able to enjoy fresh air
and the garden even during the worst of the lockdown. We thank him
for the NHS – for the dedication of the doctors, nurses their support
staff and volunteers who have worked so hard to provide comfort
and care. We thank him for the scientists who have been successful in
finding a vaccine so quickly, and all those who have helped to roll it
out as such speed. We ask that God will encourage people to
continue to be vigilant as we gain more freedom to mix and take up a
more normal life, that the virus can be contained and not be spread
again by people’s carelessness.
We pray for all those countries in the world who do not have the
medication, facilities, equipment and vaccine which they need to fight
this virus, as we see the suffering of the peoples. We pray that
through the sharing of resources, countries who have resources will
be able to help those in greatest need.
Lord, show us what you would have us do to help where help is
needed to make your world a better place for all.
Amen
7
Over the past 15 months so much has happened to us all!
To date 3.3 million people have died, including some of our
cherished family and community members;
The way we live our lives has been severely curtailed;
We haven’t been able to hug a loved or crying one;
Masks and hand sanitiser have become second-nature.
The way we are family members and friends as well as the way we
work have changed;
Many of the good things that made our lives enjoyable were put on hold;
On June 21st, if the Road Map is still on track, things will change and much
of normality will return.
BUT, before we celebrate …
many of us want and need to recognise what has happened to us all;
to have a chance to grieve and lament if we want; and then to give
thanks for all the people who got us through it.
On Sunday 25th July at 6.30pm
St Peter’s Church, Forncett St Peter,
a special service in which we will be ‘real’
about the last 15 months - and then move into
the future.
Please keep an eye on church noticeboards, facebook.com/utvb and
achurchnearyou.com in case there is still a need to book.
8
Plant Sale - a miracle in the rain?
Friday 7th May found
Simon Allen, Quinton
Spratt & myself
hanging onto a
marquee as the wind
blew it over. After
dragging it into a
more sheltered space
and turning it upright
again, we were able to
get it up and stable. We certainly appreciated it the next day.
By 9.30am on the 8th there was our team of helpers all complete with
waterproofs and far more plants than normal. Would anybody turn out in
this weather to buy them? Should we have postponed? Is there room in
my yard to store the unsold?
I was having none of it - although I did not expect to sell quite so much.
The customers came! And they came! And they purchased! By 11.15 the
plant selection was getting very low.
Our grateful thanks to all who supplied plants and all who helped and all
who came to buy plants. Prior to the event I had sold £105 worth at my
gate. On the day we took £697, which is far the most of any year to date.
I will continue to sell at the gate during the summer, so drop off any spares
and call to see what is on sale at High Gables, Church Road, Wreningham.
Christine Minns (Benefice Administrator)
9
Quinton Spratt retires as Churchwarden
- a big thank you from Hapton
Quinton has done an amazing job serving as
churchwarden at Hapton for over 15 years, and has
also been on the PCC for over 35 years (having
been asked by Horace Thorndyke to take up a
place ‘just for a year’).
Always so ably supported by his wife, Angela, he
has quietly ensured that the church is always ready
Photo: John Webster
for every service. There is always a warm
welcome, all runs smoothly, and then tea, coffee and of course biscuits
afterwards. He made sure that the bell was always rung well ahead of the
service; much appreciated by those of us in the village who might not
always be quite ready!
Taking over as churchwarden from Jim England, Quinton has supported (he
remembers), at least 7 vicars. When he was a boy, there was a vicar for
every church in the benefice and he remembers the Harvest Festival service
at Tacolneston being so full that two services had to be held, on Friday and
Sunday.
Quinton remembers many special services at Hapton Church. One that
particularly stands out is one very cold Easter Sunday. Heavy snow had
fallen - ‘fit to blind’, yet Hapton Church was packed for the Easter service
with over 60 in the congregation and
everyone happily trudged out into the
snow afterwards.
He also particularly remembers with
fondness the Easter pilgrims arriving
each year at the church on the
Wednesday of Holy Week en route to
10Walsingham and providing the hungry walkers from the Oxford and Essex
Legs of Student Cross with food and drink, to help them on the next stage of
their journey.
Quinton feels one of the very special privileges of being a churchwarden is
to be there on funeral days to help ease a very difficult, sad day for families.
He remembers avoiding one near disaster when he spotted just ahead of
the funeral that the earmarked grave had fallen in, and he had to get hold of
emergency grave diggers at very short notice.
Quinton has a very artistic side to him as those who have attended Hapton
Church harvest festivals will know: the harvest decorations of the porch and
inside the church are always breath-taking, and must take many hours to
prepare.
Some of you will have spotted that there is
a special cross in Hapton Church made by
Quinton from peacock feathers. This is a
reflection of a very special business that
Quinton built up on the farm - in its heyday,
breeding up to 3,500 peafowl per year.
His flocks of peafowl have sold as far away
as Malaysia, Kuwait and Pakistan, and he
may even have been responsible for
helping save the endangered green
peafowl through his breeding initiatives.
Quinton will be a very hard act to follow by new churchwardens Tony Bate
and Michelle Martin. We thank him enormously for his many years of
service to the Hapton and Benefice community, and are grateful that he has
agreed to continue to serve the Benefice on the PCC, and remains a key
member of the Benefice Choir.
Michelle and Tony - Churchwardens
11Notes from a new churchwarden:
1. A great joy to be back in the church for services with a small choir
able to sing. Hopefully, soon, we will all be able to sing.
2. Apart from some minor tweaks, the mini-kitchen and toilet are
available for use. We look forward to being able to give you tea and
coffee and maybe even a biscuit! O for one of Elinor’s Welsh cakes!
3. We are grateful to the Parish Council which has renewed the grass
cutting contract including the churchyard.
4. Thinking things environmental, the churchyard, pond and verge
provide an excellent opportunity to create a conservation area.
Seeking advice including from Norfolk Wildlife Trust which promotes
what they call road-side nature reserves. This could be a fantastic
opportunity for a community led scheme.
As we look to opening up even more as further easing of restrictions takes
place, we give thanks to God for sustaining us through these dark times and
for the new visions and opportunities that lie before us.
John Hooper – Churchwarden.
ORGAN RECITAL - Provisional
Friday 23rd July, 7.00pm
Organist: Oliver Waterer - Organist and Master of the Choir of
St David’s Cathedral
£8 - to include glass of wine
In aid of All Saints, Tacolneston fabric fund
Further details in due course
Dependent on Covid and other restrictions
12Forncett St Mary’s Church
Services are now at St Mary’s on the 2nd Sunday of every month.
Many of you will remember Bev Poole when she was Churchwarden at St
Peter’s, and she is now helping me as assistant churchwarden at St Mary’s.
The graveyard is being cut regularly every two weeks by TOPS Garden
Services and is looking very tidy. There are still lots of walkers/ramblers who
sit and enjoy the view over the Tas Valley while eating their picnic.
Unfortunately the Playgroup were not able to use the church when the
village hall was being used as a polling station – too logistically complicated
with COVID restrictions!
Graham Prior - Churchwarden
BENEFICE GARDEN PARTY
Saturday 31st July
at
42 Norwich Road, Tacolneston NR16 1BY
12.00 – 17.00
£10
Lunch and Drinks included in price of ticket
Tickets and further information contact:
John Hooper on 07563 387281
or johncampbellhooper66@gmail.com
13We have been very pleased to receive useful contributions to pass on to the knitters. These will ensure the clicking of needles continues in our locality for a good while yet. If there are still forlorn balls or even skeins of wool lurking in dark recesses, pass them on to Margaret (01953 788114), who will ensure they will form part of a worthwhile widespread creative process. Despite languishing for months on end and awaiting like Sleeping Beauty a time of rebirth our Little Church in the Meadow has continued to serve the community in quiet and positive ways. The wildflower spread is passing through its phases: a sprinkling of primroses and cowslips followed by a veritable carpet of buttercups interspersed with sizeable molehills. And the new trees (yew, hornbeam) are thriving despite the earlier drought conditions. Apart from the beauty of nature we have had to attend to maintenance. A leaking gutter has been attended to and some important re-pointing in the internal gable end. The former problem has resulted in serious flaking of plaster, which needs attention. That, plus a cracked water-butt, are a drain on funds, which have diminished markedly since services and functions ceased last year. Nevertheless the church has been serving as a delivery point for the local food bank (Trussell Trust) during the COVID epidemic. We continue to look forward to better times and a routine that enables us to raise essential funds again, although of course contributions are always most welcome. Margaret and John Webster If you are unwell or unable to come to church but would like to receive a phone call, or if COVID restrictions allow, a visit from one of the Benefice Pastoral Care Team, please contact Margaret Styles, Pastoral Care Co-ordinator, on 01508 489112 and she will be very happy to arrange this for you. 14
Since the last edition of the magazine, work on the church was once more
stopped for yet another structural engineers inspection, more scaffolding
arriving and further work agreed on!
It appears that work is now progressing smoothly but it will be well into July
before the job is finished, the scaffolding removed and we can think about
re-opening the church. In the meantime, the “foodbank” collection point
continues to be in my porch: High Gables, Church Road, Wreningham.
I would like to welcome Christine Bilham as a newly appointed
churchwarden to work alongside me.
Christine Minns - Churchwarden
What is Forest Church?
It’s fun! It’s about caring for the environment! It’s for everyone*!
It’s outside no matter what the weather*! It has a welcome for
YOU! It’s in St Peter’s Churchyard, Forncett St Peter, 11am on
Saturday 5th June!
*Pandemic restrictions mean that numbers have to be limited so you
need to book 01953 788227 or vicar.utvb@gmail.com – children need to
bring an adult. *Come dressed for the weather of the day.
15Fundenhall St Nicholas On May 7th our Quinquennial inspection was completed and we are pleased to report that the Architect confirmed that we only have a few new, minor items to address. We still need to get the bells installed and in the long term maintain the rare Rood Loft, but these are major projects and right now the focus is opening up again. The Yew tree at the south of the churchyard is “regenerating with new growth”, after the major pruning that was needed to remove all the dead wood. The Architect was pleased that we chose to prune the tree and to give it another chance. This shows how resilient these trees are and explains why many remain in old churchyards today . St Nicholas reopened its doors after the last major renovation on May 16th 2016 and this was celebrated at the monthly Benefice church service on May 23rd. This marks Pentecost, which is 50 days after Easter and is traditionally know as Whit Sunday. I remember as a child this was a moment of celebrating, with Maypoles and communities coming together. Let’s hope as lockdown eases, and as we can start to meet again, that this will be the turning point we’ve all been waiting for. We can now start to serve refreshments indoors and we are all looking forward to resuming the Community Breakfast again in June. The first breakfast will be on June 13th at 9.30pm and each second Sunday of the month. Look out for the Banner as a reminder. Obviously we need to make a few changes to make this safe for everyone, but serving good food and providing an indoor space to catch up with friends and neighbours will continue. Hope to see you soon. The full programme of church services is on the notice board, with St Nicholas hosting the Benefice service on the third Sunday of every month. We will also continue to open St Nicholas for quiet prayer on Sundays when there isn’t a church service planned. 16
Walking groups are also starting to make bookings again and if anyone is
interested in joining in any of the planned walks let us know and we can put
you in contact with the various organisers.
St Nicholas PCC
Maybe it’s because……….
If any of you have seen my ‘Underground Map’ face mask, you’ll not
be surprised that, as usual, there is a ‘tubey’ question, so let’s get that
one out of the way first! Good luck with the others.
1. If the Central was worth 1, Circle 2, District 3, Bakerloo 4,
Piccadilly 5, what might they be?
2. What is the origin of the ‘Elephant and Castle’?
3. At the Trafalgar Square end of The Mall (by Admiralty Arch)
there is a large, concrete, windowless building. What is it?
4. There’s a statue on the corner of Westminster Bridge and The
Victoria Embankment, of whom?
5. What ‘modern’ day monument marks the spot of Tyburn, or
Tyburn Tree, the site of public executions from 1196 to 1783.
Chris Avery - answers on page 30
COFFEE MORNING
Saturday 17th July - 10.30 to 12 noon
All Saints, Tacolneston
Bring & Buy Stall (no bric-a-brac) - Raffle
Organised by the Upper Tas Valley Benefice
in aid of Norfolk Churches Trust
17Churches Count on Nature
In this issue, you will find an advert for Forest Church – and you may be
wondering what happens at this kind of church …… read on.
Forest Church is a very different kind of all-weather open-air service, like no
other – yes it has a Bible reading and a prayer but it also has an
environmental theme and is very active!
Saturday 5th June is our first foray into Forest Church in the Benefice and
coincides with World Environment Day which takes place the following day.
This time it’s in St Peter’s Churchyard but it will take place in different
places and at different times in the future dependent on the focus of Forest
Church at any particular time. Activities planned this time, include:
taking part in ‘Churches Count on Nature’ which is a nation-wide survey
of churchyard plant species run by Caring for God’s Acre and the Church
of England in partnership with the Christian environmental charity A
Rocha UK;
identifying potential wildlife habitats;
and beginning to identify trees for a future churchyard walk.
It’s something for everyone including the whole family (children will also
need an adult with them) but we’re limited to 30 people so you’ll need to
book in advance. If you’re coming, please dress for the weather and bring
along a drink – being an eco-warrior can be thirsty work!
To book, please ring 01953 788227 or email vicar.utvb@gmail.com
Hope to see you there!
Lydia
18June and July Services
Every Thursday
9.30am Holy Communion – All Saints Church, Ashwellthorpe
Saturday 5th June
11am Forest Church (all weather service) – St Peter’s Churchyard
Forncett St Peter
Sunday 6th June (World Environment Day)
10.30am Holy Communion – All Saints Church, Tacolneston
Sunday 13th June
10.30am Morning Worship – St Mary’s Church, Forncett St Mary
Sunday 20th June
10.30am Morning Worship on Zoom (819-938-4719)
4.30pm Midsummer Communion Service in the meadow (if dry)
- St Edmund’s, Forncett End
Sunday 27th June
10.30am Holy Communion – St Nicholas, Fundenhall
Sunday 4th July
10.30am Holy Communion - All Saints Church, Tacolneston
Sunday 11th July
10.30am Morning Worship - St Mary’s Church, Forncett St Mary
Sunday 18th July
10.30am Holy Communion - St Peter’s Church, Forcett St Peter (NB
this is a changed location to the one previously announced)
Sunday 25th July
10.30am Morning Worship - St Nicholas, Fundenhall
Mondays to Wednesdays
9.30am Morning Prayer - Zoom (819-938-4719)
19Sustaining God’s Creation East of England Cathedrals to host online Sustainable Living conference, 12th June 2021 As the UK government commits to radical new targets for cutting carbon emissions and prepares to host the UN Climate Change Conference in November, five cathedrals in the east of England are preparing for their own online Sustainable Living conference, on Saturday 12th June. The cathedrals’ conference is the first event in a new initiative: Sustaining God’s Creation. Starting with a focus on food and farming, it will look at these key aspects of life in East Anglia in the light of the Christian faith and the role that both individuals and the church can play in living more sustainably. Opening the conference will be the Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, who has recently been appointed to lead the Church of England’s 20
Environment Programme. The speakers include Dr Hilary Marlow, affiliated
Lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge,
Revd Professor Simon Oliver, Van Mildert Professor in the University of
Durham, Revd Professor Mike Rayner of the University of Oxford who is
Chair of Sustain, and Jake Fiennes, Director of Conservation at the Holkham
Estate in Norfolk.
Bishop Graham said:
“I am delighted to be able to contribute to the network of Eastern
Cathedrals’ Sustainable Living conference. Learning how to live
gently on this single island planet home isn’t an option for the
mission of the Church but an imperative for our life together. I hope
that the conference helps us all to take the necessary steps to
protect our planet, especially its poorest people, from the effects of
climate change and biodiversity loss.”
The programme has been put together by a steering group from the
Eastern Cathedrals - Chelmsford, Ely, Norwich, Peterborough and St
Edmundsbury. Information and resources emerging from the conference
will remain online afterwards as a reference point for environmental
groups, churches and cathedrals, and for future development.
The Sustainable Living Conference will take place via
Zoom on Saturday 12th June, from 10.00am until
12.30pm. Attendance is free of charge and
registration in advance is essential. Full details and
registration links are available on the Sustainable
Living Conference website here:
www.sustaininggodscreation.org/events/sustainable-living
21It was so wonderful to welcome all the children back to school on the 8th
March. All of the classes have been so busy with everyone enjoying their
learning back in the classroom.
Our youngest children in Ruby Class are excitedly awaiting their caterpillars
to become butterflies as part of their science work. The Diamond Class
children have been incredibly busy planting lots of vegetables and flowers in
our new garden area as part of their science work. Sapphire Class have had
their Roman day with a virtual museum visit via Zoom for their history
enrichment. Finally, our oldest children in Emerald Class have had a lesson
from the Houses of Parliament via Zoom as part of their citizenship work.
This is only a tiny part of all the other fantastic learning that is going on.
One of our Year 5 children has written this account of how he feels:
“Coming back to school has been wonderful! Being in a real
classroom rather than a virtual one allows me to see my friends and
teachers in person. We sanitise or wash our hands often, which
means we can play different games without passing on the virus. As I
am in Key Stage 2, I can’t be in Key Stage 1’s bubble. This means I
can’t get to know the new children in reception, which is a little
disappointing, but I know it is all about keeping everyone safe. I am
looking forward to the time when I can see all the children in Key
Stage 1 again and hope that in the near future the pandemic will be
over.”
Judith Jones
Hearing Aid Van
The mobile clinics are currently on an appointments basis only.
The exact address for each mobile clinic will be provided at the
time of making the appointment. Tel: 01603 404440
Location & day info at: www.norfolkdeaf.org.uk
22From the Rectory Kitchen
Cauliflower Steaks for 2
- Actually, this works equally well with a Romanesco Broccoli.
Preheat your oven to 200c. Now slice a large Cauli or
Romanesco in half, vertically, then slice again so you have 2
steaks about an inch thick. Rinse them under running water and
set aside on a towel, or absorbent paper to dry a bit. Put the odd
bits that are left in a box in the fridge for a curry or stir-fry.
Now mix together 4 tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of
lemon juice a crushed garlic clove (or two), sea salt and black
pepper.
Place the slices on a baking tray lined with greaseproof and
liberally brush them with the (well mixed) dressing, and dust with
smoked paprika. Place into the hot oven for 5 or so minutes.
Once they have started to cook remove them from the oven,
turn them over and, again, liberally coat with the dressing and
again dust with smoked paprika. Now return them to the oven to
cook for about 20 minutes.
Given that they will come out of the oven quite wonderfully
flavoured by the garlic and paprika, new potatoes and peas
make a nice balancing accompaniment.
It has been said that the devil has some of the best tunes, well
maybe vegetarians have some of the best flavours; I still like my
‘meat treats’, though!
Chris Avery
The submissions deadline for next Magazine
(August - September 2021) is Monday 19th July
23St Peter’s Church, Forncett
We recently received the National Lottery Heritage
Fund’s response to our ‘Expression of Interest’, the
pre-application stage of a Lottery bid to repair the
fabric of St Peters and also install a kitchen, toilet, café
area and a car park for the disabled. Although we
were unsuccessful as such a large and costly project
was considered too ambitious in the current post-Covid financial climate, the
good news is that we were encouraged to focus first on the extensive repairs
needed to remove the church from Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk’
Register, with an accompanying programme of heritage- related activities to
attract a wider range of people. We feel optimistic that this approach will be
successful as the Lottery is committed to saving heritage buildings at risk.
Fund raising for new facilities will follow once the church is no longer on the
HAR Register.
The other good
news is that the area
of fallen plaster has
been made safe and
St Peter’s will
re-open once Covid
restrictions end,
hopefully, at the end
of June.
Scaffolding in St Peter's marks the start of detailed
plasterwork investigations. Photo: Ally Rae
Investigative surveys have begun; the wall paintings conservator has found
no evidence of wall painting, and ecologists have been surveying the
church’s bat population.
24Ruth Blackman, Project Architect, and
Andrea Kirkham, Wall Paintings
Conservator, discuss plaster fragments.
Photo: Ally Rae
Recent F of St P’s Saturday Market
Photo: G O Shea
We look forward to resuming much-needed
fund-raising events again in June. The
popular ‘first Saturday’ markets will
continue, and our first post-lockdown large
event is the postponed bric-à-brac car boot
sale on 19th June from 10am to 1pm on
Jubilee Green (behind Forncett Village Hall)
We do hope you will support us, either by
donating bric-à-brac, cakes or plants, renting
a space or coming along to pick up a bargain.
Any enquiries to either of us, and we look
forward to seeing you there!
Gillian Barnes and Sandy Barnes, Churchwardens
LET US CELEBRATE….
Subject to restrictions being lifted sufficiently on 21st June
– we plan to have a get together on
Saturday 26th June from 3 - 4.30pm
Tea & Cake plus plenty of chatting!!!
All Saints, Tacolneston
Free to all (donations invited)
Cake stall and raffle - We look forward to seeing you all
25Environmental 3 - EARTH HOUR Who was aware of earth hour on Saturday 27th March? I confess that I was not but I am grateful to the Waitrose free magazine for its article drawing it to my attention. From London’s Houses of Parliament to Egypt’s pyramids and Rio’s Christ the Redeemer lights were turned off to mark Earth Hour signalling solidarity in the fight against climate change. The event also aimed to kick-start collective action via a new app, allowing us to first measure, then reduce, our own carbon footprint. Echoing the point I have tried to make in my various articles, Tanya Steele, CEO at the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) which coordinates Earth Hour, said “The impact of individual actions might seem small but collectively they can make a huge difference.” Mention of the Waitrose magazine brings to mind the subject of what we eat and the impact that this has on our carbon footprint and worldwide poverty and hunger. I started picking up the magazine for its excellent recipes to extend my cooking repertoire. Amongst the recipes I have “mastered” are some very good non-meat dishes or dishes where you can use much smaller portions of meat and fish. With my farm background I don’t think I could ever become a vegetarian and I don’t think there is a Scriptural imperative for being so, but I do believe there is a worldwide need to rebalance our choices between plant based diets, meat and fish in a way that is economically sustainable. Another important area for action is our voices, whether literally, or by translation into letters, emails, comments on Facebook and other social media to call for change. Just a few years ago, a ban on plastic straws would have been unthinkable. But thanks to people using their voices to speak up for nature and call for change, industries have adapted and some large companies have stopped using them altogether. 26
Tanya Steele again: “if we all act now by 2030, nature could be recovering
all around us, bringing with it green jobs, cleaner air and a healthier future
for the next generation, as well as immense enjoyment and fulfilment.”
To find out more about Earth Hour and how to get involved visit
wwf.org.uk/earth-hour and download also the WWF My Footprint for free.
We are keen to see our churches engage with and debate these issues and
to share ideas. With this in mind for each issue of the magazine for the next
3 months, I am offering a free bottle of wine to the person I judge emails
me with the best thoughts on the environment and what they are doing to
help, subject to receiving at least 6 responses each month. Think tea bags,
water and voice etc.
John Hooper - May 2021
It’s time to enjoy the world around us!
You’re invited to a
Midsummer Communion Service
St Edmund’s Church Meadow, 4.30pm on Sunday 20th June
Continuing Covid restrictions mean you’ll need to book:
01953 788227 or vicar.utvb@gmail.com
The Service will be postponed if the weather is wet
27It has been amazing to have everyone back in school again and the children have shown so much resilience in their approach to learning; we are all so proud of them. We started back by exploring the Easter story and producing some lovely art work which we have also displayed in the church. The children from Robins have been sharing the story ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and created invites to a tea party and then took their learning outside by learning how to play croquet – this is now a popular game at lunchtime! The older children from Owls have been learning about World War 2 and exploring life as an evacuee through the book ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’. We took part in Red Nose Day activities in our bubbles and the children came to school with crazy hair enabling us to raise £38.67. We are having our PE coaches back on site and the children are enjoying learning new skills with them each day at lunchtime – football remains a popular choice. We are looking forward to our Federation science and Pentecost days where we will be undertaking a range of activities and continuing to achieve together. We have put some information on our website for anyone who is due to start school in September 2021 and at the moment we are unable to offer visits. If you would like more information about our school, please contact Mrs McGarr, on 01508 489395 or by e-mail at office@hapton.norfolk.sch.uk We would love to hear from you! 28
Some of you will have seen the article in the Diocese PCC News, spring
edition about the success of the Upper Tas Valley All Saints Parish in paying
their parish share in 2020.
Thanks go to:
All those people who contribute by a regular monthly standing order. Those
who increased that standing order in 2020 to take into account the lack of
church collections during the year. Those who took out a standing order for
the first time. Those who made regular donations to equate to what they
would normally put into the collection etc. You all contributed to us being
able to pay our dues and for that I thank you.
Over the past year we have learnt a great deal about “Zoom”, and through
this have been able to keep in touch with many of our regular friends. We
see this becoming part of our future with services streamed from churches
to homes. A funeral service or wedding could be shared with people who
are unable to travel long distances to be at the church, etc. There are so
many ways we can make use of this technology but we do need good
equipment available to use in all our churches if we are going to do this
well. We are seeking grants toward this expense but at the same time, we
need to maintain our income as we will have to meet some of the cost –
over and above the paying of our 2021 parish share and other expenses.
If you feel the time is right for you to increase your giving, take out a
monthly standing order, or make a one off contribution then do get in touch
with me to discuss this. (In confidence).
My details as treasurer are in the front of the magazine or you can write to
me at High Gables, Church Road, Wreningham, NR167 1BH
Christine Minns (Administrator/treasurer)
29Maybe it’s because ……. The answers
1. If the colours of each of the underground lines listed were
snooker balls, the numbers are the values of their scores.
2. The name ‘Elephant and Castle’ is thought by many to be a
corruption of Infanta de Castile. The daughter of a Spanish
nobleman etc. She might well have been, but the answer is far
more prosaic. It is the name of an old coaching inn built on the
site of the forge of a blacksmith and cutler, first recorded in
1765. The coat of arms of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers is
an elephant with a castle shaped howdah in its back. Elephant
ivory was used then for handles on cutlery, thankfully, no longer.
3. It is ‘The Admiralty Citadel’ which was the bombproof war-room
built for the Admiralty during WW2. Easily accessible from The
Admiralty, Number 10 etc. It is actually one of a number of
‘citadels’, some connected by tunnels, that exist around the
capital. My dad used to visit some of them in his job. There is
even one, apparently, of fairly recent construction – but I’d have
to kill you if I told you anymore!!!!!
4. The statue is of Queen Boadicea.
5. Going back to an answer in a previous quiz, it is The Marble
Arch. Now here’s one for the History buffs. Tyburn was a village
at the bottom of what is now the Edgware Road. In the 1230’s
Tyburn was held by one Gilbert de Sandford, son of John de
Sandford who was Chamberlain to Queen Eleanor!
Mind the Gap!
Chris Avery
30We are always delighted to receive photographs relating to
church events for inclusion in the benefice magazine. If you
wish to submit a photograph, please try to ensure it is the best
quality your device can provide. Also, most importantly, you
must get permission from anyone who is included in the picture.
Please send any images to Christine Minns at:
c.j.minns@btinternet.com
Should we be unable to print future magazines due to further
lockdowns or restrictions, you can find them by going to the
achurchnearyou.com website and visit the “News and notices”
page for your local church.
The eight churches of the Upper Tas Valley Benefice take the
safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults very seriously. The two PCCs
have both adopted the Norwich Diocese Safeguarding policy and it is
reviewed annually. The Safeguarding Policy can be found displayed in every
church.
Our Benefice Safeguarding Officer is John Hooper and he can be contacted
at johncampbellhooper66@gmail.com or by phone on 01508 489050
Sue Brice, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer can be reached via
http://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/training/safeguarding
Child Line can be contacted on 0800 1111
National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247
3132
33
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BUILDERS S. V. HARVEY & SON LTD, NHBC Registered, (01603) 437766
Mobile 07795 325216 / 07713709729. Builders, Decorators &
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www.svharvey.co.uk. Email info@svharvey.co.uk
CHIROPODIST PAUL HICKEY (01953) 889633. 23 Biggin Hill Way, Carbrooke,
Watton, IP25 6NZ Home visits attended.
COMPUTER PC ASSIST (01508) 471459 Maybank, Greenways Close, Flordon,
REPAIRS Norwich, NR15 1QP. Whether it be home PC repairs, installation
of new computers, upgrades, advice or virus removal, PC ASSIST
offer a quality service at competitive prices.
Call Darren or visit www.pcassistonline.co.uk for more details.
FUNERAL R. B. COPPING FUNERAL SERVICE, (01508) 494434
DIRECTORS 125 The Street, Poringland, NR14 7RP. Independent, Family owned
funeral service. For personal attention with dignity and respect.
HAIRSTYLIST Jess (01508) 489722 to book. 15 years of experience and works at
“Zara White hair and beauty” in Tacolneston every Thursday &
Friday. Instagram page: @jesswestley_hair
LORRY & HOLMES TARPAULINS, (01508) 489204. Horsingford Works,
AGRICULTURAL Forncett St Mary, Norwich, NR16 1JW. Makers and repairers of Lorry
COVERS and Agricultural Covers in P.V.C.
PAINTERS & PETER JONES (01603) 940812, Mobile 07765 497354.
DECORATORS Local Painter and Decorator for Exterior and Interior work.
Also building maintenance. Call now for a free estimate.
PAINTER & DECORATOR, Robert Fetherston, has recently moved
back to the area and is Hethel based. To discuss your requirement
and get a quote call: 07557 655682
34PAINTERS & JUSTIN STANGROOM 07909 338200 - JUST PAINT & DECORATE.
DECORATORS Interior & Exterior Painting & Decorating. For more details:
www.justpaintanddecorate.co.uk Excellent recommendations on
Facebook @justpaintanddec
PIANOS DAVID TURNER “PIANO MAN”, Woodmans Lodge, The Street,
Ashwellthorpe, NR16 1HD. (01508) 489458 or Mob 07919 608873
Piano tuning and servicing. Norfolk and Suffolk.
TRAVEL ALISON ALLAM - PERSONAL TRAVEL COUNSELLOR, TACOLNESTON
AGENT (01508) 448050. Email: alison.allam@travelcounsellors.com.
With over 40 years of experience in the Travel Industry, why not
let me arrange your next dream holiday. I offer a complete range
of travel services and products including: Flights, Hotels, Cruises,
Coach Tours, Tailor Made Holidays and much, much more. Plus
Everything you book through Travel Counsellors is financially
Protected.
Background photo of summer flowers in the online version of the
magazine is courtesy of Ingo Doerrie on Unsplash
35Priest in Charge:
The Reverend Lydia Avery
The Rectory
16 The Fields
Tacolneston
NR16 1DG
01953 788227 - vicar.utvb@gmail.com
Lay Reader & Safeguarding Lay Reader & Pastoral
Officer: Care Co-ordinator:
Mr John Hooper Mrs Margaret Styles
01508 489050 01508 489112You can also read
