When Sc”out”ing became Sc”in”ing Mirfield Parish News July/August 2020

Vicar The Revd Hugh Baker The Vicarage, 3 Vicarage Meadow Mirfield WF14 9JL Tel: 01924 505790 [email protected]

Team Parish Revd Helen Butler Assistant Priest [email protected]

Curate Rev Cindy Sheard [email protected] Tel: 07741407385

Barry Hambling 01924 493884 Kath Crossley 01924 515496 Val Walker 01924 493174

WF14 9HX phone: 01924 490167 email:[email protected]

In the first instance please contact Lauren, the Team Parish Administrator [email protected] who will then arrange to meet with you to book all the details of your wedding. For flowers at St Mary’s contact Ruth Edwards 07840 395096 [email protected] For flowers at St John’s contact Linda Hutchinson 01924496588

please fill in the on-line booking form at: www.mirfieldteamparish.org.uk/baptisms If you need help please phone Kath on 01924 515496. She will be happy to help you and answer your questions.

2 Church Wardens From St Paul’s Tim Grace 07775 672662 [email protected] From St Mary’s Helen Walker [email protected] 07985 627812 Stephen Butler [email protected] From St John’s Chris Breare and Karen Battey are standing in as Acting Wardens at St John’s for the time being.

PCC Secretary Susan Smith Data Champion Revd Helen Butler Lay Chair PCC Chris Breare Electoral Roll Officer Michael Hampshire MTP Publicity Officer Layla Ellis [email protected] Health & Safety Janette Farrar [email protected] Safeguarding Karen Batty 07709 231251 & Disability Officer Financial Administrator David Brooke, 2 York Grove, Mirfield 01924 497923 [email protected]

Parochial Church Councillors Lauren Montgomery-Bell, Susan Smith, Jane Jaggar Philip Tolson, Ruth Edwards, Anne Heeley.

Deanery Synod Representatives Barry Hambling, Ruth King

Music Organist Scott Senogles BMus (Hons) MA [email protected] 07900 996854

Flowers At St Mary’s Ruth Edwards [email protected] 07840 395096 01924 492129 At St John’s Linda Hutchinson: 01924 496588

3 St Mary’s, Mirfield, WF14 9HX St John’s, Upper Hopton, WF14 8EL St Paul’s, Eastthorpe, WF14 8DD

St Mary’s 08:30 Said Communion & Address 09:30 Sung Eucharist St John’s 11:15 Sung Eucharist

St Mary’s 10:00 Said Communion

St Paul’s 10:00 Said Communion

Joint Team Parish Service at St Paul's

Monthly Service (Last Sunday of each month alternating between St John's & St Mary's)

All services are cancelled at this unprecedented difficult time.

4 Our recently Departed

Leonard Cass Quincy Keith France Margaret Alice Place (88) Joan Elsie Moorhouse (87) Brenda Bleazard (85) Doreen Brennan (91) Dulcie Tolson

St Mary’s and St John’s are now open for Private Prayer in line with Government guidelines. • Social distancing of 2 metres at all times except within household groups and bubbles. • Access to the church will be limited to no more than 10 at St. Mary’s and 4 at St. John’s at any one time. • Access will be limited to only certain clearly marked areas of the church and for private prayer only. • If numbers of people wanting access is large, then time limits may be put in place. • We shall need visitors to leave contact details to help with track and trace We are now open on Sundays between 2 pm and 4 pm and Wednesdays between 10 am and 12 noon. We shall proceed with caution and review this regularly. All of this is of course very strange but if you feel that you would benefit from visiting St. Mary’s or St. John’s we would be delighted to see you and there will be two welcomers on duty to guide you and help make your visit as spiritually uplifting as possible.

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A world of experts that clamour to speak, qualified by Facebook or PHDs, 'UNPRECEDENTED' now the word of the hour as rocks are hurled at those in power.

We clap for carers whilst calling for blood, Make contact at last with our neighbourhood where the broken and empty, the great and the good - were locked down, got masked up, purchased all that they could.

Equalised by flesh on a now mortal frame, Zoom fatigue just a symbol that life's not the same - as we draw in our children, now pawns in the game of the battle for 'right' and the fingers that blame.

Silent skies crown a planet that is breathing at last, and the voices - once silenced - speak gold from the past, and our furrowed deep brows seek to master the task, while Whitehall holds vigil to the questions we ask.

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Thumbs up for the time in our family dimension, thumbs down for disease, distanced standing and tension - with our minds and our bodies seeking love and connection.

Old skills from the shelf opened up, dusted down, home learning directed by no cap or gown as each city, each hamlet, each nation, each tower - stands both fearfully apart yet pulls boldly together.

No great noble brain in position of repute can fully summise how this time will be viewed. For this history is us, them, we, me, I and you - and the message we take is the one we will choose.

We are shaped by the ones taking first fragile steps, at a time when the thousands release final breaths. Am I cold, dark and heartless to cherish this time? Can a world draped in chaos be so different to mine?

What sense can I find through the fog of it all - when divided we stand but together we fall, in this upside down piece of deep thought addled prose, we are left with that over used phrase -

heaven knows. Thank you, Sam.

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Hugh writes

I look forward to seeing at least some or you fairly soon. At the moment we are restricted to opening the churches for private prayer and that is what we are doing on Sunday afternoons between 2 pm and 4 pm and Wednesday mornings between 10 am and 12 noon. However, as from 4th July we shall be able to open our churches for some form of worship. As I write this we are still looking at what form that worship will take and just how and when we shall be opening. As those of you who have taken advantage of the private prayer will know, we have had to put restrictions and procedures in place for that to happen safely. The same will have to be done before we can start any form of worship. We shall probably not be able to take the full number of people we had before even if we follow the 1 metre plus ruling, (and if we did that we would have to make everyone wear face coverings). Much as we would love to open the doors and hold large gatherings again opinion is very much divided over the wisdom of the speed with which things are opening. The medical advice is still to move with caution especially with those who fall into the vulnerable categories. So, even though we can legally open on July 4th my judgement, and that of others I speak to, would be to bide a while longer. Perhaps by the beginning of August a clearer path will emerge. In the meantime, shall continue to send out the online services, which I hope you are finding of some use. There are also some good ideas being developed to help us work with our schools and there has been a request that we do something live on Facebook so watch this space. Coming out of lockdown will be a lot harder than going in and even if there is not a second wave of the virus life will continue to be strange in many ways for some time to come. The work of the church whether we are using the buildings or not is to pray and help those in need. This we can continue to do and I am sure that given the effects of the lock down and other massive social issues such as the Black Lives Matter campaign and Brexit both our prayers and our actions will be much needed. God is with us in all of this, his guidance and support is there for the asking and one of the ways in which that support is most effective is through his body here on earth, the church. Continue to pray, continue to help those you know are in need, and if you are in difficulty yourself then please let me or someone in

8 the church know and that support and love can be directed your way as you are in need. So, as I said, I hope to see at least some of you fairly soon in one way or another as lockdown is eased, and it will be interesting to see what changes we shall need to put in place for God’s mission to continue through us in the coming months, what new things we shall have to do, what familiar things we may have to say farewell to if only for a time. May God Bless you and keep you, may he make his face to shine upon you and keep you safe. Hugh. Open church - Private prayer

On Sunday June 21st our two churches, St Mary’s and St John’s, opened from 2pm to 4pm for the first time for private prayer. I expected that at 2pm there would be a socially distanced queue at St John’s of those who were eager to re-establish some normality by being able to pray in church. I decided to wait a little later and I was surprised to find that I was the first person to arrive and was warmly welcomed by two well organised volunteers who clearly guided me through the simple but stringent guidelines designed to keep everyone safe. It was, as I had expected, just like coming home. I felt so privileged and grateful to have the peace and quiet of this beautiful church to myself and relief that it was the first step back to normality as well as being spiritually uplifting. I along with many others have enjoyed the weekly virtual services each Sunday led by Hugh, Helen and Cindy along with several members of the congregation, Sunday school and young people who have been able to engage with these services through readings and prayers, as well as the virtual choir and music from Scott. These will continue for a while yet of course and I thank Hugh for his excellent IT skills each week, however I know we are all waiting for when we can go back to normal services and to be able to meet again in person. In the meantime private prayer in our churches is a huge welcome step forward and one many, myself included, have been waiting for. Gill Hawksworth

9 St Mary’s doors opened last Sunday afternoon to a highly sophisticated one-way system where safety for all concerned was paramount. Firstly, sanitisers and then a signing-in sheet in case track and trace were needed at a later stage. A fool proof route of arrows at two metre spacing for social distancing guidance together with directional and instructional signs, left no- one in doubt. Pews were either taped off or open for individuals or small family bubbles and no-entry signs ensured one-way movement. Welcomers were well briefed by Helen Walker and Hugh was there to survey the operation of his masterplan. At 14:00 the first visitor, looking slightly bewildered and perplexed, stepped through the open doors, well sanitised, following the arrows, her face changing from uncertainty and perhaps a certain amount of trepidation to happiness at being back again after lockdown, being back to peace, quiet and contentment. Back to prayer, meditation, reflection, stillness, whatever. A quiet moment in the coolness of the nave. Back at the door visitors were welcomes, fed into the system; there were no queues or timed ‘one in one out’. There were familiar faces, although three quarters of the visitors were new to St Mary’s and we hope they will return in more relaxed times. Helen was alert to rap the knuckles of the welcomers with her two metre rule whenever they forgot their social distancing. As visitors left, the area was discreetly sanitised. Open Church was back in business without incident. It was good to be open once more. Chris Barker

The Coronavirus, Church & You Survey

The Covid-19 pandemic has obviously had a profound effect on churches. The lockdown has severely restricted ministry in areas such as pastoral care, fellowship groups, and serving the community. On the other hand, for those with online access, worship has taken on new and creative forms over the last few weeks. Many clergy and ministry teams have risen to the challenge of operating in the virtual environment. As we pass the most severe period of lockdown, it seems a good time to assess how churchgoers have responded to the experience, and what they think the future might hold. • How well have people coped with the pandemic? • Has it strengthened or weakened their faith?

10 • How has it been for clergy and ministry teams trying to work in this new environment? • How have those receiving ministry found this novel experience? • Will virtual ministry become part of the post-pandemic landscape, and will this be a good move for your church?

A survey has been developed over the last few weeks in discussion with bishops, clergy and lay people it is hoped will enable you to record your experience of the pandemic, the ministry you have given or received, and what you think will happen to churches in a post-pandemic world. In an article to launch the survey in the Church Times, the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, wrote: “This survey is an attempt to go beyond anecdote… It will capture evidence of both excitement and fears for the future, of where stress levels have changed, and whether personal faith has weakened or grown.” This is an online survey, which we estimate it will take you about 20-30 minutes to complete. Most of the questions simply require you to tick boxes, though there are options to specify your particular circumstances, and an opportunity at the end for you to tell us your views in your own words. Alongside questions about the pandemic and ministry there are sections which ask about you: these are important because they will allow us to see how the lockdown is affecting different sorts of people in different contexts. The survey can be completed on mobile phones, though it is more quickly completed on devices with larger screens such as tablets or computers. You can access using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/ycsq9fy2 Please forward this link to any churches or churchgoers you feel might want to take part in the survey and support this research. We should have some initial results within a few weeks and will make these available as widely as we can.

The Revd Professor Andrew Village, York St John University [email protected]

The Revd Canon Professor Leslie J. Francis, Visiting Professor York St John University

11 Joan Oxley

From Rita Pollard

Joan and I knew each other all of our lives. She was my sister Doris’s eldest daughter, we had lots of happy times together. I married David and Joan married Tony and although friends tend to drift when they marry, we stayed close. Joan used to call at our house most Thursdays for coffee on her way to work at Jordan’s Solicitors and so a lovely friendship continued. Joan was always happy and jolly and if I was ‘down’ or anyone else for that matter she would say ‘think happy’ (one of her favourite sayings) and it usually worked. David my husband would give her a peck on the cheek and Joan would go into a fit of giggles, he always got the same reaction. I personally have a lot to thank both Joan and Tony for, chauffeuring me to my many hospital visits when David hasn’t been able to, even though Joan had lots of health issues herself. We would have little ‘girly’ talks over coffee (sorry Tony and David not for your ears) …Oh No! As the girls came along my Jane and Joan’s Judith and Victoria; the friendship carried on, Jane married Andy and had Christian and Judith married Paul and had Lauren and Evie-Mae, Victoria went to live and work in the USA. Joan was Janes Godmother and took the role very seriously always remembering Christmas Rita & Joan on holiday and Birthdays and attending anything that involved her if at all possible. The young ones now have girl and boyfriends and so it goes on.

12 Joan will be sincerely missed by everyone who knew her, especially Tony and his girls, Paul and their girls also Rob and Sam, they were all very very close and she loved them all to bits. David and I will also miss her cheery visits, she was such a lovely, happy person and I hope by the time this is printed we can all look back and think how very lucky we all are to have known her. Joan your light will shine in everyone’s hearts forever. Rita

A recent photograph of Joan and Tony

Thanks, Rita. Thanks also to Joan’s daughter, Judith, who emailed Rita’s memories to me and supplied the photographs.

Our recently Departed

Leonard Cass Quincey Keith France Margaret Alice Place Joan Elsie Moorhouse Brenda Bleazard Doreen Brennan Dulcie Tolson

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There can be nobody that hasn’t been impacted by recent global events and the reach of Covid-19 in all walks of life. Scouting has been no different, and since mid March, all face to face scouting activities have been suspended by HQ, but that absolutely hasn’t stopped us at 8th Mirfield (although it has lead to a little head scratching and inventiveness). When the suspension was first announced by HQ, I wasn’t really sure what we would do, but as I knew I was in the same boat as many others, I decided to use technology to keep in touch. We started off with a series of challenges and “spot quizzes” whereby a simple task (whether it was a quiz question, sudoku, colour in challenge or build a lego structure taller than 1m etc.) was sent to the group at random times. The first Cub to send me a photo of the answer with them wearing their necker on the photo got the points for their team (or “Six” as we call it in cubs). That gave me a little thinking time to come up with a programme for the coming weeks that could be done by the Cubs, while requiring minimal parental input (as parents too were having to cope with all the things that lockdown was causing and adding intensive cub demands was potentially a straw that could break a donkey’s back!). The first actual pack night involved necker knots - every cub has a necker, so each leader recorded a video of them tying their favourite knot in their necker so Cubs could watch a familiar face and learn the knot if they wanted to. I won’t list everything we have done, but we have gone on to paper plane building and flying, camp bread making (after hunting down wild garlic), juggling, garden bird spotting, VE Day quiz and UK tree identification to name but a few of our activities.

14 One thing that did cause some fun was the “necker flip challenge”. Can you put your necker on the floor (with a knot tied in the ends) and then flick it into the air with your foot and catch it over your head? Turns out a surprising number of both cubs and leaders can and the looks of joy on the faces when the video captured them was priceless.

During April, The Scout Association ran their “walk to the moon” challenge and many of us used our 1 exercise opportunity per day to get outside and clock up some miles so we could register them on the official website. We helped the Scout Association not only get to the moon, but also back again, all the while raising funds. Into May, West Scouts should have been heading to Harrogate for “the Big Camp” which sadly had to be cancelled. Well, the Harrogate part did anyhow. With a bit of planning, WY Scouts came up with a full programme for a weekend of camping and activities which could be logged and uploaded to the website in order to qualify for the badge. Tents sprung up in gardens along with lounge dens where gardens didn’t permit the space and many of us dusted off the sleeping bags and got stuck into the fun.

15 During lockdown I also set cubs off learning “new skills” or taking up hobbies and I have seen some excellent examples of new musical talents, tended gardens, bug hotels (and hedgehog houses) that have all come as a result of this. Hopefully the “Hope help” challenge I set has also had good uptake, although I have received less evidence of this! Most recently, the weekend of 20th June was the celebration of “The Great Get Together” in memory of our former District President, Jo Cox. In past years we have taken part in lots of activities for the “get togethers”, but this year it could only be done remotely, but why would that stop us? The preceding Thursday we ran a live baking session using video software and though I couldn’t smell what was being baked, I could certainly see the buns, the cakes and the flapjack that was being created in readiness for sharing with friends, family and neighbours (you might even have received some? In which case I hope it tasted as good as it looked?) There are very good reasons for why scouting has had to adapt, and certainly we are not through this yet (as I write I still have no idea when we might restart face to face scouting) but that mustn’t mean we have to just sit around waiting. Over the past 3 months we have had anywhere between 10 and 30 of our Cubs getting involved in the activities we have been

16 running, and though that means we have got some not necessarily telling me they have been accessing scouting, I also know that there are some who are trying the activities and simply not keeping our group informed (bumping into Cubs as I have been out and about round Mirfield has confirmed this) so hopefully we have been able to provide the opportunity to those who want it. It remains to be seen when we can come back and also what impact this will have on numbers, but I am hopeful that when

we return, blinking in the sunshine, the faces will still be the ones that I last saw eating a bag of chips in Lower Hopton after our hike in the woods on our last normal night. And we can then look at how we get back to “normal” Scouting as soon as possible. I have heard on the grapevine (from a few Cubs) that this MUST involve cooking and camping as this is what they have missed most - I guess had better get some sleep now, just in case!!

17 Congratulations! July & August Birthdays Dorothy Proverbs 1st July Jean Webster 15th July Mary Davison 26th July Jed Haigh (6) 10th August Catherine Dearden 20th August Katie Graham (90) 31st August

Anniversaries Rita and David Pollard 22nd August Helen & Stephen Butler 22nd August Congratulations to you all!

On your special day may God bless you with precious gifts that money couldn’t buy. The gift of love The gift of friendship The gift of family The gift of happiness

Thanks

I would like to say thank you very much to all the friends who sent cards or best wishes or flowers for our 60th wedding anniversary. We had a more muted celebration than originally planned, but most enjoyable.

Barbara Harrison

18 By Frances Stott. Family History Research by Deb Walker

Chadwick Lane, Chadwick Lane Fold and Chadwick Hall Gardens were named after Chadwick Hall which was built in 1589 and was the property of the Kayes of Denby Grange Hall. In the early 19th century it was owned by Samuel Walker of Littlemoor House and divided into two dwellings. By the late 1960s it lay in ruins and was subsequently demolished, the street names serving as a reminder to what once stood here. Boathouse Lane and the nearby Boathouse, take their names from being on the site of the old ferry across the River Calder. There were at least two ferries in Mirfield, another one being situated at near to where the Ha-penny Bridge stands today. Boathouse is mentioned in the Parish Registers as early as December 1595 when the Hepworth family lived there.

19 Co-operative Street. There is still a strong reminder of the Co-operative movement here in Lower Hopton, other than the street name. Mirfield Industrial Co-operative Society Limited had its headquarters at the bottom of Knowl Road. Founded in 1871, it opened its No 1 Branch in Lower Hopton in 1877. It also built houses here. The Co-op premises, complete with carved name plaque, can be found at the corner of Hirst Street and have now been converted into flats.

20

“Life on a Stage”

‘All the World’s a stage’ Jacques speaks this famous phrase in Act II Sc. VII of the play, “As you like it”. He says, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women are merely players.” Mother Goose 2004

The meaning of this phrase is that this world is like a stage show and all human beings are merely actors. And we see this, don’t we, in our daily lives, living out our lives from morn till night, week to week, month to month and year to year, trying to take on things that occur – good, bad or indifferent. *Keith puts on a wig and sings a few bars of ‘Nothing like a dame’ (South Pacific). I started my “stage life” as it were as a boy when I would read scripture passages in front of the Methodist congregation in Savile Town. Hesitant at first and then growing in confidence as the scripture passage proceeded. My next “stage life” came about as I entered the legal profession at the Corporation Town Clerk’s Department in Dewsbury Town Hall. This was the legal department of the Corporation and was split up between Conveyancing – granting Council mortgages and buying up what were termed as ‘slum clearances ‘ properties in the Borough. The second string to the bow was prosecuting for the Borough Police in the local magistrates court and thence to Assizes and West Riding Quarter Sessions. There, under the guidance of the Borough’s Assistant Solicitor and CID, I learnt about how the courts work in dispensing justice. At that time ‘offences’ in Dewsbury were essentially made up of: a. ‘glassings’ in the local ‘pubs’ in the town b. and unlawful sexual intercourse!

21 I remember at Leeds Assize on one occasion seeing a young lady giving evidence before a judge, jury, lawyers and members of the public in a totally distraught manner. She was advised by the Judge to speak up and direct her statements to the Jury but she was so shy that she mumbled her words. The Barrister and the Judge seized upon this but instead of being kind they shouted at her. I then entered the legal profession with solicitors mainly dealing with Conveyancing, Probate, Will Making and estate work with a few ventures into the local county courts in Dewsbury and . During my time in the legal profession I became a member of the local Lions Club in Dewsbury and Mirfield eventually attaining the Presidency of that Club. The work of the Lions was charity and one of its events was an Annual Concert in Dewsbury Town Hall for upwards of 600 folk. I had to give the introduction to the concert and its acts. Councillor Marjorie Fisher was the Chair of Dewsbury’s Welfare Services Committee and she always gave a word of thanks at the end. So you would think that ‘a good time was had by all’. Not so and the politics reared its ugly head in the shape of telephone calls from two members of the Club, with political leanings, stating that it was disgraceful to let Mrs Fisher (a Labour stalwart) have the audacity to make a political speech! So what about this real stage life? That commenced some 20 odd years ago when I was 50 at which time I did some new, and you ,may think strange, things. • Gave blood for the first time • Went on the stage in South Pacific (which is where the Dame song comes from) with Players. They gave me a singing part as a Seabee and a few lines to say and I was ‘hooked’. That year I performed in several shows with different companies and was advised to consider auditioning for Coronation Street and Emmerdale. I was ready. My wife Susan, however, said that it was alright for me to ‘have a go’ but had I thought about my proper work life? I hadn’t, of course, and apart from looking Dame Thyme into these ‘Soaps’ I gave it a miss, reluctantly. ‘Sleeping Beauty’ 2012

22 Keith dressed for the parts of Gauleiter in ‘The Sound of Music’ Mother Goose 2002 2004

The shows continued with: Oklahoma – Sheriff My Fair Lady – Colonel Pickering Hello Dollie – A.N. OTHER Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – killed off quite smartly but taking a part of a demented father to Dr Jekyll! Pirates of Penzance – Simon Anything Goes – main part as an older man falling in love with an older woman The King and I – Captain The Sound of Music – Nazi West Side Story – Doc Sweet Charity Now I should say at this stage that my wife Susan was a keen supporter of my stage work. She preferred to work at ‘front of house’ instead of the stage but always accompanied me when I went to pre-audition pieces for shows.

23 I would say to her, ‘What do you think of me doing this?’ Often head shaking took place and then she’d say, ‘I love you dearly, Keith, and you can sing all the songs I know, but you have to be credible to your audience and so I realised that my parts were far older men as I could not get the blond to sit on my knee. Along came ‘Sweet Charity’ and the essentials for this part were: • Someone between 55 – 75 • Prepared to learn a lot of lines and deliver in an Italian accent • Sing romantic songs (never quite mastered gazing into a lady’s eyes)

Q, Trinity & Spotlite @ Parish Church Various - Crumpington as Trumpington with a little beetle called ‘Bertie going up dresses. Fantastic part with young ladies Many plaudits Romeo and Juliet (Narration)

2005 – I upset Heckmondwike Players by auditioning for ‘Mother Goose’ with Trinity Players in Mirfield as Dame. This is the archetypal ‘dames’ pantomime and as ‘Dame’ I sat on the local Methodist Minister’s knee (which he didn’t like) Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk to name but a few, always as a Dame.

Roberttown Players Came along after Q Trinity closed down due to renovations at Trinity Methodist Church and I was then approached to play M Banks in ‘Mary Poppins’. Pantos followed and a Musical Show in which I was able to sing and dance. Widow Twankey in February 2020

Life continues and I was recently Master of Ceremonies at a show at Mirfield Parish Church with the Hammonds Band. I continue to read Intercessions at church. Thanks, Keith.

24 Our Gardens In Lockdown and at other times The kiss of the sun for pardon The song of the birds for mirth One is happier in God’s garden Than anywhere else on earth. Sent in by Ray Marshall

‘Spending time in your garden will do your wellbeing as much good as if you were living in a wealthy neighbourhood.’ So says a recent study by the University of Exeter and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It has found that 71 per cent of people who used their garden went on to report good general health, as compared to 61 per cent who did not use their outdoor space. A similar difference in wellbeing was seen between the highest and lowest income groups. The study also found that those of us who love our gardens are far more likely to have greater levels of physical activity and much higher psychological wellbeing. The Conservation Foundation has relaunched ‘Gardening Against the Odds’ as a virtual network and is getting some excellent interest. As a result, it may be making a radio series soon, featuring some of the projects it has discovered over the years which show how people combat ‘odds’ – mental, physical and environmental – by gardening, even when they have no garden. These people plant seeds which they watch grow, eventually producing growth leading to flowers and fruit. Sometimes they work alone, sometimes there is an opportunity to share, producing a sense of community. All this is nothing new, but many people are discovering the benefits of gardening as a result of lockdown – discovering how gardening can help combat loneliness and depression with a sense of caring and wellbeing sometimes with life changing results. This is a very topical issue and so if you have discovered the benefits of gardening recently – or know someone who has – the Conservation Foundation would love to hear from you as soon as possible. Please contact : [email protected]. Website https://conservationfoundation.co.uk/projects/gardening-against-the-odds/

25 From Our Lockdown Gardens

26 Thanks to Barbara Harrison, Catherine Dearden and Ray Marshall

27 A Season Like No Other At St Mary’s ‘God’s Acre

A swift blur of gold, subliminal. Did I imagine it? Where did it go? I began to doubt myself. Then more rapid flight action, before me this time. Landed on bramble flower nectaring was my first Large Skipper of 2020. But this was June 1st, a full 3 weeks before I might rightfully expect to see this butterfly. The extended period of fine weather this spring has seen the early emergence of species across the board. In the case of Large Skipper and many other butterflies their primary dining staple and area of shelter the humble and often reviled bramble has begun to flourish in time for their appearance. A complete biodiversity network, the thickets sustain any number of invertebrates, providing food and safe nesting for birds. Hundreds of bees can be seen enjoying its nectar. As June end approaches some of the skippers’ lustre has begun to fade as scales wear. Their high octane lifestyle and busy nature is at a price. Their marginally smaller and plainer cousins the Small Skipper will soon arrive to provide a fresh golden glow. The Orange Tips of early spring have now gone, last seen in number in mid May. How lucky I was to enjoy their passage through St Mary’s spaces over such an unbroken period during lockdown exercise. Normally restless and hard to approach, many found time to gorge on the extensive patch of Honesty along the bottom wall of the upper graveyard. A crucifer like their favoured larval foodplant Cuckooflower they lost themselves nectaring on the purple flowers. The Orange Tips had a very good year. By my first visit in late March the hibernating butterflies were out in force, Peacocks being the most numerous. Males fending off rivals in daring flighted battles reaching great heights. Now is the time to look for their black larvae on fresh nettle Large Skipper patches.

28 The overwinter hibernators have gone now. The first of their 2020 progeny to appear are the Small Tortoiseshells, their dazzling colour seemingly everywhere at present. Often a pair can be seen in their prenuptial display, male closely behind female, both with wings a flutter. Scents play an important part in butterfly courtship. On my most recent visit I watched a female tortoiseshell fluttering around a fresh nettle, testing its suitability before finally landing at the top. Bending her abdomen around a leaf she laid her batch of eggs. The tiny young larvae will make a web in which to feed before dispersing. The clear blue skies of April and May enhanced the unhindered bird song even more. Blackcap and Chiffchaff announced their arrival in late March. Their fellow African summer migrants the Willow Warblers arriving from further south a couple of weeks later. It was possible to hear all three in chorus alongside the dominant and inventive Blackbird improvisations, each bird with its own nuance. Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush too, with other residents - Robin, Nuthatch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch making regular appearances. Early brooded Dunnock fledglings waited to be fed in the thickets of the adjoining spring field. A pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker investigated the mature trees by the motte. Non stop activity in and among the ever changing floral scene. Dazzling Daffodils in March through to lush Bluebells under the canopy of mature trees close to the church, in April - so early. Now the vegetation is fully mature, Foxgloves raised high in the motte surround, the grasses long in readiness for their occupant Meadow Browns and Ringlets to emerge. The first migrant Red Admirals have arrived from the continent causing a stir as they bolt across the graveyard. There is still a lot to look forward to, thankfully not all our entertainments have been compromised. Nature’s free show is not in lockdown and is available for all who care to take a look and enjoy. Ian Armitage Thanks, Ian

29 Fact v Fiction: “And The People Stayed Home” Viral Poem By Kitty O’Meara (2020), Not Kathleen O’Mara (1869)

“And the people stayed home.” This is the opening line of an untitled poem that’s gone wildly viral. Social media posts shared now 10s of 1,000s of times by people moved by its words note that it’s “a poem written in 1869 by Kathleen O’Mara” that was “reprinted during 1919 Pandemic.” But like so many things that get passed around our digital, warp speed highways, you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Truth is… this is not a case of history repeating itself in the most profound way (some of the language in the poem offers a clue of that improbability). The poem was written last month – in March 2020 – by a woman named Kitty ’ O Meara, a former teacher and chaplain from Wisconsin, in trying to process the worsening news surrounding the catastrophic spread of the coronavirus. Nevertheless, its sentiment and message are just as profound as if it had serendipitously re-emerged from more than a century ago.

30 Something Lovely

And people stayed home and read books and listened and rested and exercised and made art and played and learned new ways of being and were still and listened more deeply Someone meditated Someone prayed Someone danced Someone met their own shadow and people started to think differently…. and people healed… and in the absence of people who lived ignorant ways dangerous, mindless, heartless… The earth began to heal….. and when the danger ended and people found themselves… they grieved for the dead and they made new choices And dreamed of new visions and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully just as they had been healed.

Kathleen O’Meara 1869 or Kitty O’Meara, 2020

31 Re-seeding of the land at the back of the church hall (now known as St Mary‘s Community Centre) From the March 1995 Parish News

If you have ever played games or tried to picnic on the grass at the back of the hall you will be aware of the uneven surface and the large amount of nettles growing there. Last autumn, Martin Hudson (Landscape Contractors) spent time destroying the nettles in order to make the area safer for young children (and adults) who use this land. David Sowden (Plumber) has generously donated funds to enable Martin to continue the work and purchase grass seed. Another local businessman has also promised cash to fund this work. Martin is giving his time, energy and skill for free and as soon as the weather improves he will re-seed this area. Please, please, please, please, please will all organisation consider this work when planning activities between now and the end of May. Please avoid using this land until the grass has been given the opportunity to establish itself.

Andrea Smith Buttercups! What a delicious name! Rumour has it that, as they were frequently to be found in meadows where cows grazed, they were responsible for butter’s yellow colouring. So the name was an obvious choice. However, since buttercups are poisonous and therefore are avoided as far as possible by our four-footed friends, this is somewhat unlikely. But surely, we all remember having a buttercup held under our chin to see whether the reflection proved that we liked butter! The shiny surface of the

32 petals actually has two real purposes. Firstly, to help attract insects and secondly to act as a kind of mirror to aid the temperature regulation of the plant’s reproductive organs. We are fortunate that buttercups do not suffer from the same unpopularity as other poisonous plants, because if eaten, not only do they taste nasty, but the poison will also cause blisters in the mouth of the consumer. Extensive handling can also damage the skin, but presumably the size of bunch that many of us picked as children did not count as ‘extensive’. Fortunately, Health and Safety experts do not yet seem to have forbidden this source of pleasure for little people. Incidentally, the poison is reduced as the plant dries, and hay that includes buttercups is safe for cows and horses to eat. Buttercups help form the traditional view of the British countryside. Differing varieties range in height from small to quite tall and although at their peak in early summer, the golden blooms can often still be seen in mid- autumn. Jan Struther, who wrote ‘Lord of all hopefulness’ also wrote a children’s hymn entitled‘ Treasure’ It starts: Daisies are our silver, buttercups our gold: This is all the treasure we can have or hold.

Magazines SEPTEMBER 2020 Magazine material is needed no later than Monday 24th August 2020 The magazine will once again be distributed electronically to everyone included in the MTP database.

01924 503530 [email protected] 07548 675719 Janice Barker, 19 Boat House Lane, Mirfield WF14 8HQ

33 Psalm 46 – a psalm of comfort in anxious times

To say that we are living in uncertain times is an understatement! Psalm 46 speaks into our anxiety and fear, just as it did to Israel originally. At this time, we must focus on God, who alone can deliver us in such times.

He is our refuge: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’ (1). In the midst of our difficulties, God promises Himself to be our refuge, strength and help. A ‘refuge’ is a place of trust, where God promises to protect us. When the whole world is turned upside down, we can come to Him without fear.

He is our resource: ‘There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.’ (4,5). Jerusalem was able to withstand enemy attack, because of the water that resourced it. For us, this is a picture of the presence of God’s Spirit, who resources us when we are under pressure. This psalm promises that God’s is with is in all our troubles on a daily basis: ‘The Lord Almighty is with us…’ (7,11).

He is our ruler: ‘He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ (10). When we consider all that God has done in the past, we can see the way in which He has worked among us to provide, protect, and deliver us. We are called to ‘cease fighting’ God and surrender our lives to God. Let’s worship Him, as we let go fear and as we depend on Him in this current time of crisis. ‘A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing’ (Martin Luther).

34 The queue While waiting in a socially distanced queue early one morning for the supermarket to open for us ‘seniors’, I was surprised to see a young man saunter along and try to cut in at the front of the queue. A furious old lady waved her cane at him, and he quickly backed away. A moment later, the young man tried again. He managed to dodge the old lady, but then two old men started shouting at him. Again, the young man backed away. But he wasn’t giving up, and soon the young man approached the queue for the third time. By now, all of us pensioners were ready for him, an angry wall of opposition. The young man stood there for a moment, and then shrugged his shoulders. “If you people won’t let me unlock the door, none of you will ever get in to shop.”

35 St Mary’s Community Centre

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39 Mandy and the Hair@37 team are waiting to welcome clients old and new to indulge in a luxury hair experience “We care for your hair”   Keune styling and finishing products used for professional results  Late Night hair appointment available Tuesday and Thursday  Special discounts for ‘mature’ customers on Tuesday and Thursday  Don’t forget to bring this advert for special discounts!

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40 Haigh’s Farm Shop

Haigh’s Farm is a long standing traditional family run business, based in Mirfield

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