NETHERAVON, HAXTON & FITTLETON NEWSLETTER December 2020/ January 2021 Issue no. 429

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COPY DEADLINE for February issue is Thursday 21 January at 5pm Take advantage of technology with our email: [email protected] or hard copy to Maggie Butler at 11 Mill Road, , SP4 9QB. Phone 01980 670122 The Butlers still print, collate and distribute your newsletters, compile all commercial advertisements and maintain the accounts.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

December 2020

19th 6:30pm Christmas Readings and Music Netheravon Church

January 2021

14th 7:00pm Enford Garden Club AGM & Social Enford Village Hall

MINI DIRECTORY (01980 unless otherwise stated)

Phoenix Hall Bookings (Michala) 670646 Day Centre (Christine Covil) 670774 Rev. Gale Hunt, Avon River Team 670326 Rev. Barry Davis, Amesbury Baptist Centre 622355 Christ the King, Catholic Church, Amesbury 622177 Methodist Church Amesbury 676766 SSAFA Forces Help 632567 Plainwatch 674700 Durrington & District Link Scheme 594857 AWS JOBS, Pre-Schools, Creches 673379 Scout Group for Boys & Girls 07768 579314 Enford Football Club, Children’s Coaching Club 670634

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December Church Services for Avon River Team – Happy Christmas! Parish \ Date 6 December 13 December 20 December Friday 25 27 December December Bulford 11.00 HC 16.00 Christmas 11.00 HC readings and music Durrington 9.30 Family 9.30 HC 8.00 HC BCP 9.30 HC Service 6.30 pm Christmas readings and music Enford 9.30 HC 6.00 9.30 Christmas 9.30 HC Evensong readings and music 11.00 15.00 Christmas 11.00 HC Morning readings and music Worship Fittleton cum 9.30 Family 6.00 Christmas 9.30 HC Haxton Service readings and music Milston 18.00 Team 9.30 HC BCP 9.30 HC Advent Carol Service Netheravon 11.00 Morning 11.00 Family HC 10.30 HC Worship Wednesday 9th at 10.00 HC at Bulford Every Thursday at 10.30 HC at Durrington

Sat 19th Dec 6.30 pm Christmas readings and music at Netheravon Thur 24th Dec 11.30 pm Midnight HC at Durrington “ Midnight HC at Netheravon

January Church Services for Avon River Team – Happy New Year!

Parish \ Date 3 January 10 January 17 January 24 January 31 January Bulford 11.00 HC 11.00 Family 11.00 Morning Service Worship Durrington 9.30 HC 9.30 Informal Communion Enford 9.30 HC 6.00 Evensong Figheldean 11.00 11.00 HC CW Morning Worship Fittleton cum 9.30 Family 6.00 Evensong 9.30 HC BCP Haxton Service Milston 9.30 HC BCP 9.30 HC BCP Netheravon 11.00 Morning 11.00 Family HC 11.00 Family HC Worship Wednesday 13th at 10.00 HC at Bulford Every Thursday at 10.30 HC at Durrington HC=Holy Communion, BCP=Book of Common Prayer, CW=Common Worship

*** For details of online services check the Avon River Team website ***

Follow the newsletter on Facebook. Newsletter, Fittleton, Haxton & Netheravon.

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God with us Christmas 2020 will truly be a Christmas like no other. Hopefully, it will go ahead, despite the best efforts of the virus and hopefully, this year we take an extra moment or two to ponder again its real significance. I wonder, have you felt nearer to God this year, or further away? The Christmas message is a powerful one: that regardless how we feel, God is with us. Children love Christmas. Here are some alternative Christmas Carols overheard by teachers in School: ‘O come, froggy faithful’; ‘On the first day of Christmas my tulip gave to me’; ‘Noel. Noel, Barney's the king of Israel’; ‘Sleep in heavenly peas’; ‘Oh, what fun it is to ride with one horse, soap and hay’; and ‘We three kings of porridge and tar’. The first thing I want to say is this…Christmas isn’t just for children and not even for families. Christmas is for everyone. We all need to know that God is with us. The lonely, the fearful, the bereaved, the lost, the hungry, the sick….. In all circumstances, God is with us, alongside us, in the middle of the mess as well as the guest of honour at the table on Christmas Day. God is with you and in my book, no virus can come close to diminishing this message. What does your heart say when you gaze into the Crib scene? Does your heart identify with a God who meets us where we are, as vulnerable human beings? Does your heart sense the tremendous risk that God took in sending us His only Son? Does your heart see this little boy’s future of thorns and nails? An artist was painting a winter scene. The canvas soon revealed a snow-covered landscape with pine trees and a tiny log cabin in the distance. As the picture was completed, day turned into night, and the artist grew tired. The entire scene was covered with semi-darkness and a grim log cabin was barely visible in the shadows. The artist dipped his brush in the yellow paint of his pallet, and with a few strokes placed, in the cabin window, the warm glow of a lamp. The gold rays of the lamp reflected on the fresh snow and suddenly, the little light changed the entire tone of the picture. Two thousand years ago, on the world's canvas, a tiny baby came to shine a light into a dark world. That light continues to shine across the barren landscape and offers all the hope of eternal warmth and security. Jesus came to bring hope. My daughter told me once that, “Jesus came to save us from the bad stuff”. It’s true. Open your heart to Him and let His light shine into you. He offers love, forgiveness, peace, joy and hope. Emmanuel means in Hebrew, “God with us”, yesterday, today and forever. May our hearts receive a glimpse of eternity this Christmas and into the New Year.

Rev’d Philip Bromiley (Team Rector) JUST SEW 2020 Thanks to all my generous clients/sponsors. This year I donated funds to Enford & Avon Valley Youth Club and Netheravon Wanderers Football Club; I applaud their leaders. In January the next £500 will go to MAF, “flying for life” across Africa and SE Asia. Despite this year’s restrictions my sewing hobby has been in great demand, good exercise for the brain and the hands when rough weather prevents any gardening or cycling. Another bonus is making new friends, even at a “social distance”. I thank you all. Have a Happy Christmas and a better New Year. Blessings Maggie 670122 Ps: M.A.F. UK (Mission Aviation Fellowship) Email: [email protected]:Website: www.maf-uk.org Will give you all the details of their operation.

*** HELP THE PHOENIX HALL - SHOP AT AMAZON SMILE*** Amazon make a donation to NETHERAVON, FITTLETON & HAXTON VILLAGE HALL (PHOENIX HALL) If you shop at AMAZON and register for AMAZON SMILE. Go to:- http://smile.amazon.co.uk/ref=org_em_bf20_css_smi?ref=org_em_ssfl_smi Thank you. Alan Wood, Secretary, Phoenix Hall Management Committee

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PHOENIX HALL – High Street, Netheravon, SP4 9PJ - (Charity No. 1003542) Jointly owned by Netheravon & Fittleton cum Haxton Parish Councils. Managed by the volunteer Phoenix Hall Management Committee for FY 2020/21 :- Charles Coslett (Chairman), David Jaffrey (Vice-Chairman), Michala Mather (Treasurer), Caroline Aubrey-Fletcher, Alan Brown, Sue Greenhow, Nigel Jackaman, Alan Wood (Secretary). PHOENIX HALL 200 CLUB LOTTERY TICKETS FOR THE BIG XMAS DRAW NOW ON SALE - See separate ad or www.phoenixhall.org

To book the Hall: MICHALA MATHER (Treasurer): T: 670646 or Email: [email protected] Availability of the Phoenix Hall can be viewed at www.phoenixhall.org The Management Committee has taken all necessary Covid-19 safety precautions, with free sanitisers and wipes available to hirers. Advice on your Risk Assessment available from Charles Coslett or Alan Wood. Provisional Bookings being taken now for Xmas and New Year subject to Government Covid-19 regulations after 16 December 2020. Bridge & Whist – every Monday 2-4pm currently suspended due to tier 2 restrictions Gentle Zumba Exercise – 2-3pm Thursdays currently suspended due to tier 2 restrictions.

FITTLETON cum HAXTON PARISH COUNCIL

Regrettably, our new clerk resigned because of health problems. Alan Wood is dealing with outstanding work on a temporary basis until a new clerk is engaged. Because of Local Government law this has to be unpaid work.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

SSE will connect our catenary to their pole on 2 December and councillors will belay the string of lights on the tree on 6 December. We will switch on the tree lights in Fittleton on 11 December 2020 at 6.30pm. Due to the fact that we are in Tier 2, the usual carols are cancelled but the lights will be on over Christmas and New Year

It is hoped to put a few lights on the young tree at The Pound after 11 December which will be lit at night.

Alan Wood – Chairman, Fittleton cum Haxton Parish Council. T: 01980 671265

BOOKS My grateful thanks to the person who placed Tim Winton’s “Cloudstreet” in the phone box “library”. If anyone has other Tim Winton books, please lend them to me – I’m completely hooked! Thanks. Maggie 670122

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Emma Boyle Body Shop at Home Consultant Please message me for a catalogue, latest offers & deals or more info on joining the Tribe. 07706 329 914 [email protected]

NETHERAVON PARISH COUNCIL Coronavirus Help If anyone resident in Fittleton, Haxton or Netheravon needs help with shopping, collecting prescriptions or anything else – including a chat on the phone, please contact: [email protected] Tel: 07438 933652 Or contact Mary Towle at [email protected], Tel: 01980 670748 or 07864 186271 KEEP WELL AND SAFE

CHRISTMAS GIFT A share in the racehorse FITTLETON FERRY This beautiful 2yo filly has been sent to Brian Meehan at Manton Estate, near Marlborough, for training in 2021. At present she is resting. Her low handicap of 51 gives her a big advantage to start off next year in handicap races. She showed great promise as a 6-furlong runner when racing against one of Brian Meehan’s quality runners at Lingfield Park, being beaten by less than 4 lengths after being cannoned into at the start and losing many lengths.

Shares (0.625%) are £200 plus £25pcm for all fees until 30 June 2021when you may leave the syndicate with your share of prize money and your share of the value of the horse. Half-shares are available. More than one share or half-share may be purchased.

Email Alan Wood - [email protected] for a full prospectus including photographs.

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CARE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY IN FITTLETON cum HAXTON PARISH Public Rights of Way are the legal responsibility of Council. Public rights of way are public highways that are legally protected in the same way as roads. Each council has a specific duty to assert, protect and keep open any public right of way and to make and preserve maps and other records of the rights of way in its area. They are a permanent legal entity and remains in existence unless and until the path is extinguished or diverted by due legal process. In Fittleton cum Haxton parish they are open to walkers as footpaths. Some years ago, Fittleton Parish Council, as it was then, decided to cut our Rights of Way footpaths to stop them from being extinguished as had stopped cutting them in a round of austerity cuts. INVITATION TO CARRY OUT WORK FOR FITTLETON PARISH COUNCIL FITTLETON cum HAXTON Parish Council are now inviting quotations for the cutting of parish footpaths in 2021. Applicants will need to have their own equipment. Email [email protected] or write to Alan Wood at Orchard House, Fittleton, , Wilts SP4 9QA by 31 December 2020 for details of the scope of the work and a map of the footpaths, which are in and around the villages of Fittleton and Haxton.

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The Church Ladies are back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for the church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced at church services:  Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.  Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled Proceeds will be used to cripple children.  The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water. The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'  Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.  Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.  Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.  For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.  Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.  Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.  A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.  At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.  Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.  Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.  The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.  Pot-luck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.  The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.  This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.  The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.  Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.  The Year sevens will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.  Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance. And this one just about sums them all up ......  The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.'

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Notes for the Netheravon/Haxton/Fittleton Newsletter written on 24th November 2020

For those of you who missed my last entry in the newsletter, my name is Peter Kosminsky and I live in the High Street in Netheravon. I have recently been elected as a governor of the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, representing the Kennet area. As information is released by the Trust, I’m trying to pass it on to keep everyone up to date – bear in mind I'm not a medical expert! You can get in touch with me via [email protected] PANDEMIC NEWS FROM THE HOSPITAL Salisbury District Hospital, like most in the country, has seen a steady increase in the number of inpatients testing positive for COVID-19. The hospital has kept its state of preparedness high in order to manage this expected surge in COVID-19 positive patients. In addition, the hospital is undertaking building work to improve how it safely manages minor injuries in A&E and has a new modular building planned to increase outpatient capacity. This new building is expected to be completed in the new year. The hospital wants to reassure its patients that the priority is always patient safety and they have put a number of measures in place to maintain a safe environment for patients and staff. Throughout the initial phase of the pandemic, the hospital has continued to provide urgent and emergency care and continued to deliver babies every day. These services are operating 24 hrs a day 7 days a week alongside the response to the pandemic. However, like hospitals across the country, a large number of planned procedures have had to be cancelled and delayed. Right now, services are running at a new level which recognises the restrictions imposed by social distancing and additional cleaning requirements that are there to protect patients and staff. All planned routine procedures and GP referrals have been individually clinically assessed and prioritised according to need. This does mean that some procedures and appointments have been delayed and people are experiencing increased waiting times. It is hoped that people will understand that the hospital must see those most in need first and will bear with them as they work through the waiting lists as quickly as possible. OTHER MEDICAL NEWS RELEVANT TO COVID

ATTEND ANYWHERE is designed for the situation where your GP does think a referral to a hospital specialist is necessary. It allows us, the patients, to speak to that hospital doctor from our own homes, either by telephone or even via our own computers, where we can see the consultant as well as hear her/him. Obviously, this won’t always be appropriate. But there will be many cases where you can save yourselves a trip to the hospital, and sometimes a long wait in the waiting room, by talking to the consultant from your home. PHARMASELF24 is a 24-hour medication collection point at the Avon Valley Practice surgery in Durrington. Patients are now able to collect medication 24 hours a day, 365 days a year without queuing! You can use a debit or credit card to pay for medication or follow the instructions on the Pharmaself24 screen to record exemption from charges. When medication is ready for collection, patients receive a text message with a one-time only 6-digit pin number.

You can find this newsletter and previous issues on the local parish council websites: https:/www.netheravonparishcouncil.co.uk https:/www.fittletoncumhaxton.co.uk

Thank you to all the Newsletter team for their continuing support. Thank you also to Fittleton cum Haxton and Netheravon Parish Councils for their annual grants to funds. We’re happy to be supplying you all with local information. We will be back again in February 2021. We’re still in need of a deliverer for The Stables, Netheravon. Only 9 copies and only 10 times a year. Contact Maggie 01980 670122

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ENFORD GARDENING CLUB There will be no meeting in December. The next planned meeting will be Thursday 14th January 2021 - AGM & Social. Entrance is free and there will be Wine and Canapés. Please come and join us. All are very welcome. We hope you will come and give us your thoughts and ideas for the future – hopefully not affected by COVID-19. We realise that we cannot be sure as to whether we will be allowed to meet in January 2021, but please put the date in your diary anyway. Gardening Club meetings will be back! Please keep an eye out for future updates. As always, meetings are at Enford Village Hall, SN9 6DD Lifts can be arranged, please ask. Starting time 7.15 pm. Doors open 7.00 pm Further details from Fanny Middleton 01980 671645 email: [email protected] In the meantime we will continue to send out our monthly newsletter for which we welcome your contributions. If you would like to join the list, please let me know.

www.netheravonspast.co.uk If you haven't already visited this new and wonderful site and you are interested in local history please enter the address above in your search bar. It will take you to this work in progress, with new items added every month. Listen to the recordings, which were done in the early 80s, of some of the elderly residents of the three villages. Listen to their stories and find out what the villages were like before and after the two world wars. So much more to come. We are working on this wonderful record of the village history for you all to enjoy. If you have any history of Netheravon, Fittleton and Haxton that you would like to add to the website, please use the contact details on the website and someone will be in touch. We hope you enjoy this as much as we have enjoyed building it. Maureen, Richie, Corrine and Marion

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SEASON’S GREETINGS

Christmas 2020 Tony and Sue Mills I’m sorry I am unable to send local wish our friends, family and all cards this year, so I’m wishing all my villagers a very Happy Christmas friends in Netheravon, Haxton and and a much brighter New Year. Fittleton and surrounding villages a Let us all hope and pray for Happy Christmas and hopefully a better times ahead. brighter New Year. Best wishes, Anne Arnott. Warmest Greetings Once again, I send my love and best wishes for Christmas and the New

The councillors of Year to all my friends in Fittleton cum Haxton Parish Council the villages. would like to wish all the residents of Brenda Skinner

the parish a Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year. It has been a terrible year for people in CHEERFUL CUPPA UK. The death toll is the equivalent of Sarah and Mary would like to wish everyone a more than 600 Grenfell Fire disasters, very Happy Christmas

with many losing their loved ones or and here’s hoping that things will be

their jobs, even their homes. Losing different in the New Year We will be re-opening small businesses that have been built up Cheerful Cuppa over years must be heart-breaking for the owners. Take care. Be Covid safe. As soon as we possibly can

NETHERAVON PARISH COUNCIL The Chairman and Councillors would like to wish everyone in Netheravon Parish A Very Happy Christmas They hope that everyone will be able to see friends and relations We must all look forward to having a really good 2021

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Netheravon, Haxton & Netheravon Working Fittleton Advent Windows Mens Club It is a great shame that we all can't take Advent Window Locations advantage of our new wood-burner in the Club. 1 Brushh Coffee Shop, 1 Kings Hill Recently it has been a great asset. 2 1 Court Farm Close But, a bag of crisps and a pickled egg doesn't count as a substantial meal!! 3 Drive House, High Street We all have to stay safe. 4 1 Queensway I did feel disappointed that we were in Tier 2, but 5 The Post House, High Street safety is paramount. 6 341 Haxton, Nutkin Cottage I was looking forward to our re-opening, as 7 41 Choulston Close probably a lot of you were. 8 Mollie Lodge, A345 From Chairman, Committee, Staff and all our 9 1 Horseshoe Villas, High Street volunteers: 10 4 Downs View Close We wish you all a Merry Christmas 11 3 Court Farm Close and a safe New Year. 12 638 Pigott Close 13 49 Choulston Close PS: All our 100th Year celebrations will hopefully 14 109 High Street happen in the coming New Year. 15 Kent Cottages (Next to Shop) Gary Davis 16 5 Chestnut Rise, Haxton 17 The Brook, Haxton 18 1 The Old Orchard, High Street 19 639 Pigott Close 20 2 Queensway 21 27 Vicarage Gardens 22 635 Pigott Close 23 1 Kennel Row 24 3 Walnut Close

A prize will be awarded for best window by Netheravon Parish Council Thank you to Graeme Rasdell Lawes for organising this great event

SPTA NEWS For Training Area News, giving times of live firing, current and upcoming exercises, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-newsletter

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Village Service of Christmas Readings and

Despite the challenges of Covid-19 restrictions, a Village Service of Christmas Readings and Music will be held in Netheravon church on Saturday 19 December, commencing at 6.30 pm. Although we will not be able to sing carols, come and enjoy traditional readings and Christmas music by candle light, mince pies will be served as you depart. Don’t allow the current circumstances to spoil your enjoyment of this traditional start to the Christmas week!

If you would like to attend please contact Coral Thomas on either 01980 670044 or [email protected] so that socially-distanced seating can be arranged.

Please bring a face covering with you.

Your local Wiltshire Councillor and cabinet member, Ian Blair-Pilling wishes you all the season’s greetings. Stay safe and let’s look after each other in these trying times. Phone: 07518 942216

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