Clergy letter
God shapes and enlivens the world around us
On Easter Monday, I travelled up to Durham for a baptism, and on the journey North I found myself paying attention to the changing landscape. Spring had just begun to make its presence known in London, but as the journey progressed the countryside gave way from green to winter brown and grey, and the waterlogged areas of the fields grew in number and extent. By the time I arrived in Durham, less than three hours after leaving Kings Cross, spring was a distant memory: the air was bitingly cold, and the sleet and snow came down all day.
It is hard to believe, then, that less than three weeks later I am writing this outside, in the late evening, after several days of summer-like warmth and sunshine. The plants in the garden have leapt into new growth and the bees have emerged from hibernation. It is only a short time, but the world has been renewed – and I feel better for it. Like many of us, my surroundings affect me profoundly: the environment in which we live shapes the way we see the world, and our surroundings affect – for good, or for ill – our physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Our inner life connects with the world outside.
God shapes and enlivens the world around us; we see this, clearly, each spring-time. But God stands ready to shape us, too, if we will let him – to fill us with the new life of the risen Christ and to renew the parched, desert places within us. God does this in our common life together, through the Eucharist, and through prayer. Although prayer (which is simply spending time, intentionally, in God’s presence) might at first glance look more like a time of stillness than transformation, it is the arena in which God works, quietly and beyond the range of our vision, within the human heart.
Recognising that prayer should be central to each Christian’s spirituality, we are investigating the viability of a week of accompanied prayer – also known as a Retreat during Daily Life – during Lent 2019. There are more details on page 18 of this edition of Parish Link, but if you think you might be interested in taking part, please do speak to one of the clergy.
With best wishes for Eastertide.
Alex Barrow
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Contents of Interest
Clergy Letter 1
God shapes and enlivens the world
Christian Aid –Week 5
Could you volunteer? Great Mortlake Bake Off 6 - 7 Could you hold one or attend one? Barnes Green Centre 2 nd Mortlake Scout Group 8 Church Road Can you help? Barnes SW13 9HE
Holiday at Home 9 st Volunteer helpers & Guests needed 1 May: Christopher Bambery Mortlake Brewery 10 - 11 Art and the Creation of Have your say by 13th May! Britain
24 hour Defibrillator 11 th Installed at Waitrose main entrance 8 May: Thomson House Celebrating 475 years – St Mary’s 15 School Choir
Events in June 15th May: Juliet Ames-Lewis Mortlake Weekend 16 - 17 23rd and 24th June Richmond Almshouses
Retreat in Daily Life 18 22nd May: Peter Cowell Lent 2019 A little Elementary PCC & Deanery Synod members 19 Genetics: How inbred are we all 2018 - 2019
Mothers’ Union Lady Day Service 20 th 29 May: Ludmila Stane New members enrolled The Velebrad Centre Barnes Hospital update 21 Money is promised …………………………………………
Vineyard Community Centre 23 th 5 June: Emma Townsend Serving the community Kew in summer - the
Temperate House reopens! What’s on …. th FiSH talks 2 12 June: Isobel Williams
Ascension Day at Christ Church 3 The unveiling of Antartica
FiSH Open 3 19th June: Jane Short All Saints Concert Series – 19 May 4
MAY & JUNE CALENDAR 12 - 13 ‘Pop goes the Weasel’
Summer Celebration Concert 14 Story of London’s City Road
th An evening with Dame Mary Peters 17 26 June: Kings College School
Coffee from 10.30am and2 finally… Songs & Stories 22 Talks begin at 11.00am Registers 24 and last approximately 40 mins
All Welcome 2
THURSDAY, 10th May, 2018
ASCENSION DAY Christ Church
Patronal Festival
Parish Festival Eucharist 8.00pm at Christ Church
with combined choirs and
followed by refreshments
Preacher: Revd Jay Colwill Canon Missioner, Diocese of Southwark
Includes launch of Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative
FiSH Open Gardens th Sunday, 17 June
This year our popular Open Gardens event returns to Barnes. As always there will be a variety of wonderful gardens to delight and inspire, delicious teas and also a Pimms tent!
Tickets cost £10 and are available from the FiSH office – 8876 3336 or on line from: Fishopengardend2018.eventbrite.co.uk
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Christian Aid Week Sunday 13 May –
Saturday 19 May
Christian Aid is an organisation that provides practical assistance to tackle poverty and works in partnership with others at national and local level throughout the world.
Christian Aid responds to emergencies and also funds long-term development activity, for example training nurses to deal with childhood malaria, and undertakes advocacy to address root causes of poverty. Christian Aid supports people of all faiths and none.
Last year Christian Aid Week raised over £11m, more than half of this from house to house collections. Christian Aid does not use paid collectors and over 85% of what Christian Aid raises goes to direct charitable expenditure. It makes a big difference when a collector can be recognised as a neighbour. Our parish raised over £13,500 last year, but this required almost 100 volunteers, please help if you possibly can.
There are two main ways to become involved.
Door-to-door collections. These raise most of the money. You will be given a named street, and a helpful leaflet with tips about collecting. Envelopes need to be delivered early in the week and collected before its end.
Hold a tin for an hour, in pairs, either at Mortlake Station early on the morning of Friday, 18 May, or outside Waitrose and Tesco on Saturday, 19 May. Bright red tabards will ensure that people know what you are collecting for.
Our parish is divided into sectors for each church, each with coordinators. The contact details for your church coordinators are published in your pew sheets, or I can put you in touch. Please do volunteer if you possibly can. Thank you. Christian Aid makes a difference. Peter Halford [email protected] – 07770 586 595
Christian Aid believes in life before death
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‘The Great Mortlake Bake Off’ returns to St Mary the Virgin on Saturday 12th May 2018, 1-5pm – Zac Goldsmith, MP to congratulate winners
Last year’s hugely successful ‘Great Mortlake Bake Off’ is back this Spring by popular demand Locals will enjoy another opportunity to showcase their impressive talent at the event from 1pm-5pm, Saturday 12th May at St Mary the Virgin Church, Mortlake, SW14 8JA. Amateur bakers of all ages are encouraged to buy Eventbrite competition tickets in advance (tickets also available on the door), complete the entry form and bring their bake entries on the day at the venue from 10am until entry deadline 1pm. Those who prefer simply to enjoy the atmosphere and admire the imaginative creations are welcome to purchase a Spectator ticket. For locals who love to bake this is a chance to shine – put the date in your diaries and get practising!! A Spectator or Competition Entry ticket is a reasonable £3.50 per person and this includes a cup of tea/coffee and a piece of cake (£12 family ticket of 4 people) and there are categories for children and adults alike. Any profits will be donated to locally based charities Missing Persons and Mortlake Community Association and there will be a sale of donated cakes after the event. Local schoolchildren are being encouraged to participate and local businesses are demonstrating their community spirit by supporting this event with prizes.
The judging team has been increased to ten for the event owing to last year’s success. The Judges are outstanding in their respective fields and long-standing contributors to the community. Each category will be overseen by two judges; these include a winner from 2017, food technology educators from local Secondary Schools (Richmond Park Academy and Christ’s), bespoke independent local caterers, an established food critic (Guardian, Times, Good Food Guide etc) and an MBE - to name just a few.
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Inspiring demonstrations will take place from 1.30pm from local experts such as Jackson Fiorini, owner and executive chef of much loved Mortlake restaurant, The Tapestry. Judging will take place between 2-3pm and Zac Goldsmith MP will congratulate the winners at 3.30pm after which donated competition bakes will be sold
The 5 Baking Categories
Competitors drop off their entries at the Church from 10am-1pm, 12th May Categories 1 & 2: Primary and Secondary School age bakers: biscuits, cupcakes or traybakes.
1) 4 - 11 years category: whatever they love to bake. Judges will be looking for great baking, creativity and beautiful presentation.
2) 12 - 18 years category: delicious bakes. Judges are looking for outstanding baking skills and stunning presentation. Categories 3, 4 & 5:
3) Chocolate: a traybake, sponge, cookies, cupcakes – whatever it is, make it chocolatey
4) Sponge: cakes, traybakes or cupcakes - bring complete cakes or 12 cupcakes
5) Showstopper: cakes, cupcakes – aim to wow the judges Advance tickets can be bought at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk or on the door.
Further information is on Mortlakebakeoff.co.uk
Participants can contact the organiser with any questions at email: [email protected]
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2nd Mortlake Scout Group Founded June 1919 Charity No: 1021519 The Gym, Alder Road, London SW14 8ER
Could you reduce our waiting list?
We at 2nd Mortlake Scout Group now have 20 young 6 and 7 year olds waiting to access all the fun and adventure Scouting has to offer through Beavers.
We would be delighted to open a second Colony in the Group but need an enthusiastic Beaver Leader to make it happen. Could you be the person or do you know someone who can help- please contact Keith Wincott at [email protected] or on 07931 902 010.
Are you interested in history and research?
We at 2nd Mortlake Scout Group would welcome your help in researching our 100 years history
We are a local Scout Group approaching our 100th birthday on 11th June, 2019. We have lots of historical records with plenty of photos and our Headquarters is registered as a building of townscape merit due to its local interest and age.
We are looking to complete a history ahead of the anniversary next year and are looking for an enthusiastic person who enjoys history and writing.
If you would like to find out more please contact Keith Wincott, Group Scout Leader either via email [email protected] or on – 07931 902 010.
Keith Wincott
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Holiday at Home – 2018 Volunteer helpers needed
Would you like to help at Holiday at Home for a few hours during the week – 30th July – 3rd August?
A week of varied activities at All Saints Church for people unable to get away on holiday.
If you are interested, please contact:
Nicola Mitchell: tel : 8876 2784 or email: [email protected] .'
‘Holiday at Home’ 2018
Would you like to be a guest?
Holiday at Home will take place again from 30th July – 3rd August All Saints Church, East Sheen Avenue.
Providing a week of activities for residents of Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheen who are unable to get away for a holiday, it is an opportunity to enjoy the company of others and join in a varied programme of events for the entire week, or for just a few days: art, craft, poetry, flower arranging, daily quiz, singing, gentle exercises and massage, board games, story telling and musical entertainment.
Cost £10 per day with coffee, delicious lunch, tea and transport included.
If you would like a booking form please contact:
Nicola Mitchell on 07842 141565 or email: [email protected] .'
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Mortlake Brewery - have your say by 13th May!
The developers have submitted their plans for the development of the Mortlake Brewery site to the Council. You can see a model of the development and the plans in the Sheen Lane Library.
There are three applications: one for the whole site with details for some of the residential blocks, one for the secondary school and one for the changes at Chertsey Court and Chalker’s Corner. They are also on the Richmond Planning Department’s website under ‘major developments’ richmond.gov.uk/PlanData2/Planning_MajorDevelopments.aspx. There is certainly a major number of documents, hundreds of them, but they are clearly set out and you can pick out those of interest to you.
The Mortlake Brewery Community Group is following the progress of the development. The Group is lucky to have several local experts examining the plans as professionals and residents, an ideal combination. The MBCG is in favour of the development as it will bring new life to Mortlake, but has reservations about the
density of the accommodation size of the proposed secondary school necessity for the major changes at Chalker’s Corner increase in traffic coupled with inadequate public transport loss of green space.
We are all invited to submit our views to the Planning Department by Sunday 13 May. It is vitally important that YOU do this. You may like some aspects, but have worries about others – let the planners know what you think. Every submission is read and contributes towards the decision taken by the Planning Committee. All developments of this size are also automatically considered by the Mayor. If you miss the deadline please write anyway, your view will still count. The MBCG at - lovemortlake.org.uk - sets out:
a summary of the plans and their impact its concerns how to respond.
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This development will affect us all, wherever we live in the parish Hav4e your say by 13th May!
The Maltings:
Would you like to see inside the Maltings? The developers are organising a visit on Sunday, 24 June, at 11.30am. It is for a limited number of people, so please get in touch – [email protected] if you are interested.
Kate Woodhouse
24 hour Defibrillator
Recently, a public access defibrillator has been installed in a yellow box to the right of the main entrance to Waitrose. This is the only one in Sheen which is available 24 hours a day for public use. Please be aware that it is there. The cabinet is unlocked and the machine easy
to use.
The defibrillator has been supplied by the Mortlake with East Sheen
Society.
CPR training sessions, based on the British Heart Foundation system, have been run and more are planned. If you would like to sign up for an hour of free CPR training, please contact - [email protected]
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May Calendar
Wednesday 2nd 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints 10.30am Alexander House Service 8.00pm Pilgrim Course at 17 Sheen Gate Gardens Thursday 3rd 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church Friday 4th 2.00pm Mothers’ Union talk by Revd David Guest Saturday 5th 12.30pm Parish Circle Dancing at St Mary’s
Sunday 6th 6th Sunday of Easter
Monday 7th 9.30am NO Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s Wednesday 9th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints Thursday 10th ASCENSION DAY 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church 6.30pm Contemplative Prayer Group meet at All Saints 8.00pm Parish Festival Eucharist at Christ Church Friday 11th 11.00am Sheen Lane Day Centre Service Saturday 12th 1.00-5.00pm Great Mortlake Bake Off at St Mary’s
Sunday 13th 7th Sunday of Easter Christian Aid Week begins
Monday 14th 9.30pm Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s Wednesday 16th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints 8.00pm Pilgrim Course at 170 Sheen Lane Thursday 17th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church Friday 18th 3.00pm NO Active Retired tea this month Saturday 19th 7.30pm All Saints Concert Series – Claire Hammond, Piano - at All Saints
Sunday 20th Pentecost
Monday 21st 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s 8.00pm St Mary’s Consultative meet at St Mary’s Wednesday 23rd 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints 10.30am Oxford House Service 6.30pm Almshouses Trustees meet at 206 Upper Richmond Road West 8.00pm Pilgrim Course at 170 Sheen Lane Thursday 24th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
Sunday 27th Trinity Sunday
Monday 28th 9.30am NO Tiddlywinks (Half Term) Tuesday 29th 8.00pm PCC meeting at All Saints Hall WednesdaySometimes 30th 10.00am it feels NO asSongs if and you Stories are at All using Saints (Half Term) Thursday 31st someone 10.00am NO else’s Songs & Storieslegs at. Christ Church (Half Term)
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June Calendar
Saturday 2nd 12.30pm Parish Circle Dancing at St Mary’s
Sunday 3rd 1st Sunday after Trinity
Monday 4th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s Wednesday 6th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints 10.30am Alexander House Service Thursday 7th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church 6.30pm Contemplative Prayer Group meet at All Saints Friday 8th 11.00am Sheen Lane Day Centre Service 2.00pm Mothers’ Union Quiet Day at St Mary’s
Sunday 10th 2nd Sunday after Trinity
Monday 11th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s Wednesday 13th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints Thursday 14th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church Friday 15th 3.00pm Active Retired meeting at All Saints
th rd Sunday 17 3 Sunday after Trinity FiSH Open Gardens in Barnes
Monday 18th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary’s Wednesday 20th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints 10.30am Oxford House Service Thursday 21st 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church
Mortlake Weekend Saturday 23rd 11.00am Mortlake Fair at Brewery Playing Fields 3.00pm Talk - Mortlake Parish Church - 475 years of History, by Helen Deaton at St Mary’s
Sunday 24th 4th Sunday after Trinity 3.00pm Mortlake Churchyard Garden Party at St Mary’s
Monday 25th 9.30am Tiddlywinks at St Mary Wednesday 27th 10.00am Songs and Stories at All Saints Thursday 28th 10.00am Songs and Stories at Christ Church Saturday 30th 7.30pm Summer Celebration Concert at All Saints
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This year, St Mary’s is celebrating 475 years on its current site. As many of you know, the original church, dating back to much earlier times, was on the riverside. However, Henry VIII had other uses for that land and so St Mary’s was rebuilt on the present site in 1543, one of the first churches to be built after the Church of England split from Rome. Over the years the church building has been re-modelled on a number of occasions and of the church built in Tudor times, only the tower now remains.
Caroline Edelin has put together an exhibition of the history of the church and this is now on display at St Mary’s. The Mortlake Pottery is also on show. Helen Deaton from the Mortlake and Barnes History Society will give a talk on the history of the church at 3pm on 23rd June and the book ‘Going to the Parish’, written by Leslie Freeman and first published 25 years ago, will be re-issued in an updated edition, including a new chapter written by Terry Roberts.
Our main celebrations will happen in June. Bishop Christopher will preside and preach at our Sunday morning service on 3rd June. Canon Alvyn Pettersen (from our patron Worcester Cathedral) will preach on 24th June and our Churchyard Garden Party that afternoon will also be a birthday party for the church.
Do join us as we celebrate.
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Mortlake Weekend
23rd & 24th June
Celebrating 475 years of St Mary’s A fascinating exhibition of the history of St Mary’s will be in the church all weekend and a new, updated edition of Going to the Parish will be for sale. Not to be missed!
Saturday 23rd June
12noon – 4.00pm Mortlake Fair – Brewery Playing Field
Last year was billed as the last on the Playing Field – but the Summer Fair organised by St Mary Magdalen School is back!
St Mary’s will be there with Going to the Parish and Mortlake mugs. The Mortlake Community Association will be selling flowers and produce from the Mortlake Community Garden, and the MCA Singing Group will be performing. A fun afternoon with music, games, entertainment and food.
3.00pm Mortlake Parish Church - 475 years of History.
An illustrated talk by Helen Deaton at St Mary’s. Helen will show the development of the building of St Mary's as well as exploring the significant role the parish church played in the lives of those who have lived in Mortlake over the centuries.
Sunday 24 June
11.30am Visit to the Maltings
A once-only opportunity to visit the Maltings before work starts on the Mortlake Brewery development. You will need to book in advance for this - see page 11.
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3 – 5.00pm: Mortlake Churchyard Garden Party
An enjoyable and relaxing afternoon in the sunshine. Tea and delicious homemade cakes. Live music and activities for children. Trips to the top of the Tower. All welcome
A path through St Mary Magdalen’s School will link up with the other historic churchyard of Mortlake at St Mary Magdalen’s with the restored extraordinary tomb of Sir Richard Burton, the Victorian explorer.
An evening with Dame Mary Peters
Introduced by Vassos Alexander
Tuesday, 3rd July, at 8.00pm
at OSO, 49 Station Road, SW13 OLF
Tickets £10 - available from the OSO Box Office, or online from osoarts.org.uk
All proceeds to FiSH Neighbourhood Care.
For more details ring FiSH on 8876 3335
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Retreat in Daily Life
Have you wondered what it would be like to go away on retreat, but are a little uncertain about booking one? Would you like to be able to go on retreat, but can’t take time off work or perhaps there’s someone you care for? Would you like to explore praying differently, or welcome speaking to someone trustworthy about you and God?
There are lots of reasons to make a retreat, and lots of reasons why it’s sometimes difficult to arrange one. But there may be a solution… We are looking at arranging a Retreat in Daily Life over a week during Lent 2019; yes, it may sound like a long way off, but arranging for a team of trained prayer guides to visit the parish, and the various practicalities takes planning so we’re starting early!
The concept is simple: there would be an opening meeting on the Sunday to make introductions, then a daily individual meeting with a prayer guide (say, 20-30 minutes) at a time and location to suit you both; a retreatant should look for a 30 minute period during the day to pray (people have used their train journey to pray; their lunch break; early morning before anyone gets up; l ate evening after everyone has gone to bed, and so forth). There would be a closing meeting on the Saturday. Easy!
We have asked the London Centre for Spiritual Direction to arrange for a team of prayer guides to come to the parish; teams are used to working confidentially, and are great encouragers of people in their prayer lives (their motto is, “pray as you can, not as you can’t”). They are also used to working ecumenically, so if other CTiMES churches join us in setting up a retreat, as we hope they might, it would be a good project for us to work on together.
For the moment all we ask is that you add your name to the sheet at church, or mention to a member of clergy if you think you would be interested in taking part – this will help us to get an idea of likely numbers, but will not commit you to anything.
Gareth Davies
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PCC and DEANERY SYNOD MEMBERS 2018 - 2019
Following St Mary’s, Christ Church, and All Saints Congregational Meetings and the Annual Parochial Church Council meeting, on 23rd April, the following people were elected to serve on the PCC and Deanery Synod in 2018 - 2019:
PCC Members:
Parish Wardens:
Geoff Stanton and Mary Abel
St Mary’s: Christ Church:
Perry Kitchen – Churchwarden Lindsay Ancock- Churchwarden Anita Larsen – Churchwarden John Ancock - Churchwarden Jim Boulden Alex Oloya Linda Roberts Paul Russenberger Kate Woodhouse Wendy Moss
All Saints: Ex-officio Members:
Peter Halford - Churchwarden Revd Canon Dr Ann Nickson Fiona Stewart - Churchwarden Revd David Guest Robert Cowham Fr Alex Barrow Adrienne Jack Revd Gareth Davies Judith Mellor Jonathan Blythe – Co-opted – Treasurer Cheri Crump – Co-opted – Secretary
Deanery Synod
St Mary’s Christ Church: All Saints:
David Bradshaw Lindsay Ancock Mary Lynne Jones Janet Dewhurst Robert Davenport Elizabeth Mends Richard Dewhurst Sheila Hamilton Jean Watson
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Mortlake with East Sheen
Members of our Branch joined with the Kingston and Richmond Deanery for our annual Lady Day Service, at Christ Church, on Saturday, 7th April. The service was conducted by Revd David Guest.
During the Service Deirdre Munro and Susie Lansbury were admitted as members of our branch and Penny Bell-Wright received a 30 year certificate. This was followed by lunch in the church hall.
Many thanks to all who helped in any way because with your contribution it made the service and lunch run smoothly.
Our next Meeting is on 4th May at St Mary’s at 2.00 pm when David Guest will give a talk on “All the World’s a Stage” Please do come and join us.
Penny Bell-Wright, Branch Leader
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MONEY IS PROMISED - CHANGE HAS GOVERNMENT GO-AHEAD
A packed house at our March AGM heard good news from David Bradley, CEO of SW London & St Georges Mental Health Trust. He announced that the Trust has been awarded £11.1m by the Department of Health and Social Care to help deliver a new healthcare facility at Barnes Hospital for providing NHS services for generations to come. The rest of the site is still likely to be used for residential housing (which could include supported care housing) and a special needs school. The Trust will apply for outline planning permission for the whole site in the autumn and, once granted, will market the sale for the non-health section. A public procurement process is required for the NHS funded development
Richmond Royal Hospital, which has been used for adult mental health services for several decades, has recently been sold but the Trust will continue to provide current services from that site. In January staff and patients from Richmond Royal will join us at Barnes Hospital during refurbishment.
However a lot of work has to be done on the old Fleming Lodge and an adjacent building to make it usable. As with most older buildings there is asbestos in some places. The safe removal of this material is step number one. We joined staff last week to hear about the process from the Trust Asbestos Advisor who gave us the facts and answered our many questions honestly. The asbestos removal industry is highly regulated and all work undertaken by the licensed contractor will be monitored throughout. We were assured that there will be no danger to anyone using the site, living nearby, or even walking past. The buildings to be treated will be draped in polythene, there will be an airlock and materials removed will go through a de-contamination unit.
What next? The Trust have promised to engage with the community about their plans for the site and, alongside Richmond Clinical Commissioning Group, the new NHS facility. We’ll keep you informed!
In this 70th anniversary year of the NHS it is good to know that the Government believes there is a future for NHS care at Barnes Hospital.
Kathy Sheldon, Chairman
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For under 5s Songs and Stories
for pre-school children and carers
Wednesday at 10am at All Saints (during term time)
Mondays from 9.30 - 11.00am Thursday at 10am at Christ Church with music and singing 10.40- (during term time)
11.00am please contact: during term time at St Mary’s. Sarah McLaughlin Drop in for pre-school children [email protected] and their carers. (All Saints)
£3 per child – refreshments free. Brenda Morris - 8876 2037 (Christ Church) All welcome
Sheen Lane Centre 6
Wednesdays & Thursdays
10.30am – 12.30pm
Fridays 10.30am – 12.30pm (not first Friday in the month)
Pop in and visit us
All Welcome
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The Vineyard Community Centre exists to serve the local community in Richmond helping those in crisis and giving hope for life.
It is open Monday–Thursday mornings as a drop-in for those in those in crisis, whether by homelessness, addictions or those experiencing mental or social difficulty. It offers food and drink, washing and shaving facilities, complimentary clothes and shoes, sleeping bags, internet access and a free postal address and use of telephone for support purposes. There are about 40 visitors each morning.
There is an afternoon café selling lunches and teas open to all. It was understandably voted one of the top five cafés in Richmond in 2017! The Centre is also an outreach hub for external agencies such as SPEAR, Richmond’s homeless agency, Citizens Advice Richmond, Glass Door and visiting medical and mental health agencies.
The charity shop next door is always busy. As well as supplying the Centre with clothes for people each morning, it is also popular with locally, and thus generates a good contribution to the Centre’s income.
The Centre also supports the Richmond Foodbank on Mondays and Thursdays. All the visitors to the Foodbank are offered refreshments from the café.
Local suppliers donate their surplus food to the Centre so visitors know they can drop-in for whatever is on offer. These donations are often fruit, vegetables and bread, perishables which supplement the stock in the Foodbank.
For the many people who use the Vineyard Community Centre it is a lifeline. Negotiating the rules and regulations of statutory services is not easy, the Centre offers much-needed support, guidance and encouragement.
The atmosphere at the Vineyard is something that cannot be quantified, but it underlies all the work that is done there. The atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming, but with a sense of order and structure. Everyone who drops in is respected and valued, the range of people who enjoy the café is testament to this, no one feels out of place.
Mission, Peace and Justice Committee
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From the Registers
Baptisms:
4th March: Laurence Gibson of Coval Road (Christ Church) Ferdinand Mueller-Helms of Observatory Road Theodore Forbes-Cross of Trehern Road
8th April: Edward Lee of Church Avenue
(All Saints)
Funerals:
19th March: Muriel Ford of Sheen Road 22nd March: Elizabeth Smith of Sutherland Gardens Jean Hockney of Cambridge Park, Twickenham 27th March: Margaret King, c/o Fr Peter King of Leinster Avenue 11th April: Richard Cordell of Palewell Park
Active Retired Cancelled Meeting
Active Retired tea, Friday 18th May - this event has been cancelled as
there will be a Royal Wedding Celebratory tea, organised by FiSH and
Age Concern, on 18th May on Barnes Green.
PARISH LINK
The next edition – covering July and August - will be in
st church - Sunday, 1 July
If you have any items you would like included please
nd send to Anne Reeves by weekend of 22 June
email: [email protected]
or hard copy to the Parish Office
or speak to Kate Woodhouse (St Mary’s), Prudie Mennell (Christ
Church), Kathy Sheldon (All Saints) or a Churchwarden
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