DATES FOR YOUR DIARY MAY THE WATERSHED MAGAZINE Thursday 1 10.30am Frampton Mansell Coffee Morning Thursday 1 7.30pm Coates Gardening Club Wednesday 7 7.30pm BEAT meeting in St Peter’s Hall, Thursday 8 10am Time Out Bible Discussion Saturday 10 10am - 4pm Garage sale at Southfield House, Coates Tuesday 13 11.55am Mobile library visiting Coates Thursday 15 2.30pm Good Companions Saturday 17 10am Coates Gardening Club Plant Sale Saturday 17 1pm Cotswold Highland Games & Dog Show Tuesday 13 11.55am Mobile library visiting Coates Thursday 22 am Time Out Bible Discussion Thursday 22 Mobile police station vising our villages Thursday 29 2.30pm Kemble & District RBL Women’s Section meeting JUNE Wednesday 4 6.30pm Let’s Talk Discussion Group Saturday 7 2pm Kemble Playgroup Summer Party Saturday 7 7.30pm Bingo Night at Sapperton Village Hall Saturday 7 7.30pm Rotary Club Charity Concert in Saturday 7 5 - 9pm Rodmarton & Tarlton Fiesta Sunday 8 2 - 6pm Open Gardens in Ashley and Culkerton Tuesday 10 11.55am Mobile library visiting Coates Thursday 12 7.30pm Fashion show in Meysey Hampton village hall in aid of BEAT Thursday 19 Good Companions Coach Outing

St Osmund’s, Tarlton May 2014

28 1 RECTOR USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS Rev Trevor Kemp 770550 Watershed Editor Bob Merrill 771496 Coates Rectory, Coates GL7 6NR Watershed Treasurer Janet Loines 770140 Watershed Intercession Group Anne Chilton 770726 Email [email protected] Coates Parish Council Bob Allen 771229 LOCAL ORDAINED MINISTER (Non-stipendiary) Coates Parish Council clerk Annie Rogers The Rev Pepita Walker 760211 Coates PCC Treasurer Janet Trinder 770525 Coates Gardening Club Margaret Reynolds 771354 CURATE (Non-stipendiary) Coates Social Club secretary Annabelle Crapper 770266 Rev David Austin 860692 Coates Tree Warden Geoffrey Moore 770869 READER Coates Village Hall Susan PJ 770596 Richard Marlowe 770401 Coates Neighbourhood Watch Roger Clarke 07774 642016 Frampton Mansell Village Hall Bookings 760102/760300 Barrie Cran 770809 Rodmarton & Tarlton PC C/man Paul Drake 770267 STRATEGIC YOUTH MINISTER Rodmarton & Tarlton PC clerk Susan Hare Odele Harding 07747 611690 Rodmarton PCC Treasurer Simon Biddulph 841462 COATES Rodmarton School Colin Jones 841284 Rodmarton Village Hall Norman Hopkins 07514 485555 Church Wardens: Dickie Randall 771300 Rodmarton Cricket Club Nick Clarke 841421 Tony Berry 770220 Sapperton with FM PC C/man Sarah Osborn-Smith 760874 Flower Team Leader Heather Wheatley 770829 Sapperton with FM council clerk Michelle Hugh 760153 SAPPERTON WITH FRAMPTON MANSELL Sapperton/FM PCC Treasurer Peter Mammatt 760852 Sapperton/FM Snow Warden Mark Franklin 760226 Church Warden: Jeremy Hoskins 760227 Sapperton Tree Warden Paul Dingley 760788 Dorothy Mammatt 760852 Sapperton Village Hall Annette Bullock 760468 Deputy warden St Kenelm’s Mark Hamer 760715 Sapperton School Dawn Thomas 760325 Rotas Kate Gordon-Lennox 760651 Royal British Legion John Chilton 770726 Good Companions Betty Mixture 770569 Secretary PCC Natalie Hunt 760421 Watershed RDA Bob Merrill 771496 RODMARTON AND TARLTON (Chapel of Ease) Watershed Farm Club Liz Collins Church Wardens District Councillors Rodmarton Mary FitzGerald 238607 Thames Head Ward John Birch 770360 Avening Ward Jim Parsons 01453 836596 Sophia Kinmont 841222 County Councillor S D E Parsons 821451 Tarlton Jasper Biddulph 770230 Member of Parliament Geoffrey Clifton-Brown 01452 371630 Flower Team Leader Sarah Pope 841253 Cirencester Hospital 655711 Secretary PCC Jane Marlowe 770401 Police non emergency (24hrs) 101 Lynn Saunders - Village Agent 07776 245 754

Coates Resilience plan agents Tony Berry 770220/07980336303 John Birch 770360/07989946224 David Lattimore771006/07836511011

2 27 MOBILE LIBRARY VISITS FORTHCOMING SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE rd The mobile library visits Coates every 4 weeks. The visit for the next 4 May 3 Sunday of Easter months will be on Tuesday 13 May and 10 June between 11.55am and 9.30am Kemble Holy Communion 12.55pm outside the village hall. 9.30am Coates Holy Communion 11am Poole Keynes Family Service 11am Somerford Keynes Morning Prayer 11am Sapperton Family Holy Communion 11am Rodmarton Holy Communion MOBILE POLICE STATION 7 April Midweek Wednesday The mobile police station will be visiting our villages this month on 10am Kemble Holy Communion Thursday 22 May staffed by PCSO King and will call at the following th times. 11 April 4 Sunday of Easter 9.30am Kemble Family Service Frampton Mansell 1pm - 2pm 9.30am Coates Holy Communion Sapperton 2.10pm - 3.10pm 9.30am Poole Keynes Holy Communion Coates 3.20pm - 4.20pm 11am Somerford Keynes Holy Communion 11am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion 11am Rodmarton Matins 14 May Midweek Wednesday 10am Kemble Holy Communion th ADVERTISING IN THE WATERSHED 18 May 5 Sunday of Easter 9.30am Kemble Holy Communion If you wish to advertise in our parish magazine please contact Bob 9.30am Coates Family Service Merrill at Glebe House, Coates, GL7 6NU. Tel 771496, Mobile 07866 11am Poole Keynes Morning Prayer 972389 or by e-mail to the Watershed magazine at 11am Somerford Keynes Family Service [email protected]. Adverts at a third of a page cost £15 for a single issue or £60 for 5 issues. Adverts at half a page cost £23 for a 11am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion single issue or £90 for 5 issues. The magazine is published 10 times 11am Rodmarton Family Service every year; July/August and December/January are joint editions. 21 May Midweek Wednesday Cheques should be made payable to Watershed magazine. 10am Kemble Holy Communion 25 May 6th Sunday of Easter 8am Tarlton Holy Communion (BCP) 9.30am Coates Holy Communion CLOSING DATE FOR NEXT MONTH - 12 MAY 9.30am Poole Keynes Holy Communion Contributions should be sent to Bob Merrill at Glebe House, Coates, GL7 6NU. Tel 771496, mobile 07866 972389 or by e-mail to the 11am Kemble Holy Communion with Watershed magazine at [email protected]. Articles should Confirmation be in Arial font at 11 point with formatting kept as simple as 11am Somerford Keynes Holy Communion possible. The editor reserves the right to edit any articles. All articles 11am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion should be submitted by 12 May at the latest for inclusion in next 11am Rodmarton Family Service month’s issue. 6pm Kemble The Source

26 3 FORTHCOMING SERVICES (cont) 28 May Midweek Wednesday 10am Kemble Holy Communion 29 May Ascension Day 7.30pm Coates Holy Communion

FREE TO FAIL? A friend recently sent me an email, encouraging me after a family service I had taken in one of our local churches. I responded to this by saying I felt safe there and that enabled me to be who I am. This is true for all of us of course. In a climate of acceptance and welcome, all of us are free to be who we are and to aspire be our best. In the same service a little 7 year old boldly came to the front and read the lesson clearly, confidently and audibly! Clearly she had received a lot of affirmation and encouragement in her life's journey to enable her to take that step. Not all of us can say the same and many still bear the scars usually emotional ones that restrict us in venturing out and taking risks which all of us have to do in order to grow. Freedom to fail is crucial for without it none of us would ever venture upon this road. We are in the season of Pentectost when we celebrate God's gift to us of His Holy Spirit being poured out upon the church. What has the foregoing got to do with that? Well the bible says that 'Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!' Freedom to fail without condemnation, freedom to succeed without pride (in the wrong sense of the word), freedom to take risks. All of us are creative for we are made in the image of God who created all things. To be creative you have to take risks, and that runs the risk of criticism. When we expose our creativity it can so easily be a target for others to shoot at. Out there in 'the world' we are all too familiar with that scenario. In the church it ought to be different. Where the Spirit is welcome, we find it so. In the book of Ephesians Chapter 4 verses 30-31 it says 'And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness'. One of the images for the Holy Spirit is that of a dove, one of the most sensitive birds whom it is easy to frighten away. One of the ways we do that so easily is to become bitter instead of resolving differences as and when they occur, preferably before the sun goes down, ie daily. The tragedy is that all too often, instead of running the risk of confronting someone

4 25 Firefly Fabrication who had hurt us, we harbour grudges which turn into bitterness with the resultant grieving of God's Holy Spirit. Alongside this we can Manufacturing easily deny our own sense of bitterness and go around making Gates Wine Racks everyone else's life a misery instead of admitting to the diagnosis and asking for God's help to heal us which He will by the help of His Holy Railings Candelabra Spirit. Rose Arches Signs & Frames May God's Spirit lead us all into His perfect freedom. Phil Robbins David Austin 07973 819347 THE BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER, THE RIGHT REVD MI- CHAEL PERHAM, LOOKS FORWARD TO HIS FINAL PIL- GRIMAGE On Pentecost Sunday (8 June), I begin my final pilgrimage as Bishop of Gloucester. My first such walk was in 2008, when I set off with ten fellow pilgrims from Tewkesbury and walked over the next seven days on a route that took us to 34 churches across 101 miles. In 2011, following a number of pilgrimages in the diocese, we formed a group with an ambition to ensure that, by the end of 2014, I would have walked through every parish on the boundary of the diocese. This June, I will walk the final stretch, a mere 89 miles, setting off from Whelford, near Fairford, on Pentecost Sunday and arriving at the Cathedral on the Eve of Trinity Sunday, taking in 26 churches on the way. During my time as Bishop of Gloucester, I will have spent 35 days walking across 438 miles, visiting 173 churches. There isn’t time and space here to explore all the reasons for going on pilgrimage, though it is an important spiritual theme. But I invite you to look in your diary and, if you are fit and well enough, to see whether you could join me

CALL THE MAN WHO CAN PLUMBING and my fellow pilgrims for a day or even half a day of the June pilgrim- age between 8 June and 14 June. You would be very welcome in- NO JOB TOO SMALL KITCHENS deed. PAINTING R.O.W. BERRY Come and be a pilgrim. HOUSE, PROPERTY &

BATHROOMS GARDEN MAINTENANCE TIME OUT BIBLE DISCUSSION TEL (01285) 658398 TILES The Time Out Bible discussion group for mothers of school age MOBILE 07971 548962 children in the benefice will meet this month at 10am on Thursday 8 &

22 May. For more details and venue, please contact Julie on 770123 LEAKS PATIOS FENCING or email [email protected] or [email protected]. DECKING GUTTERING

24 5 CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2014 War tears lives apart — love can help piece them back together. For a growing number of people across the world, the horror of war is a part of daily life. Right now, fuelled by the devastating violence in both Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the numbers of people driven from their homes by war is on the rise. It stands at 42 million people – an appalling statistic and a stain on the conscience of humanity. We can’t turn our backs. We must act now. The good news is that your church can make a real difference. Last year, a magnificent 20,000 churches across the country helped raise over £12million for Christian Aid Week. This Christian Aid Week (11 to 17 May), we want to go even further. We want every church in Britain and Ireland to get involved – whether by giving, acting or praying. Together we can send people living in fear this message: you are not alone. We’re with you, helping you to re- build your lives, and working for peace. Demonstrate God’s love for those living in poverty and show how much good the church is doing in the world this Christian Aid Week. Together we can reach the 42 million people caught up in conflict and help them live a life free from fear. Be an instrument of God’s peace. Give, act and pray this Christian Aid Week. To find out more about the work of Christian Aid and to download re- sources, visit www.caweek.org.

PRAYERS IN THE BENEFICE  Mondays at Coates at 9am  Tuesdays at Frampton Mansell at noon (Holy Communion on the first Tuesday in the month; on other Tuesdays there will be devotions)  Wednesdays at Kemble at 10am (Holy Communion) Tuesdays at Kemble at 8.30am  Fridays at Rodmarton at 9.15am  Saturdays at Somerford Keynes (first Saturday in the month only)

6 23 NEWS FROM COATES Out of this world Decorating services COATES GARDENING CLUB On Thursday 1 May at 7.30pm in Coates village hall we will welcome Established 1999 Brian Bailey of Radio to tell us about life on the Free estimates beautiful Isles of Scilly; not to be missed. Then on Saturday 17 May Reliable friendly professional service we will hold our annual plant sale at Coates village hall from 10am to References available on request noon. There will be a cake stall and coffee and cake will be served throughout the morning. This is an opportunity to bring surplus plants Interior and exterior for sale and to buy new plants from the selection available. This is Email [email protected] always a friendly and sociable event – do look in! Telephone Mike Sawyer in Coates on 01285 771467 The proceeds from the morning will help the Gardening Club with the costs of speakers and outings – the first of which will be a visit on the evening of Thursday June to the wonderful gardens of Cerney House. HFL Property Services All are welcome to come along, meeting outside the village hall at 6.30pm and sharing cars for the short journey to North Cerney. Entry Garden Maintenance to the gardens is £5 per head. Landscaping – turfing, terraces, fencing Margaret Reynolds Painting & Decorating – interior and exterior Handyman Service (1/2 day minimum) Tree Surgery CHRISTIAN AID WEEK MAY Carpentry – kitchen fitting, wardrobes Once again thanks to our dedicated collectors, we will be delivering Contact: 07887 591971/01285 850672 and collecting Christian Aid envelopes to every house in the village during Christian Aid Week from 11th to 17th May. This year’s www.hasslefreeliving.com Christian Aid Week theme is Peace and Reconciliation. In some of the toughest places in the world, Christian Aid is helping Specialist in airport transfers and people caught up in conflict to get the basics – medical care, water, long distance journeys. food and shelter, and to provide the support needed to deal with their traumatic experiences. When the fighting stops, Christian Aid is there Friendly, flexible and reliable licensed service available to help families rebuild their lives. day or night for pre booked journeys. All UK and European destinations. Coates has been very generous for over twenty years and I hope our village will again donate generously in supporting Christian Aid. Central a speciality. The family service on Sunday 18 May will be taken by the Rev Credit card facilities available Michael Paget-Wilkes, and will include a DVD on Christian Aid work in Phil Bradley, Cornerstones, Stroud Road, Bisley South Sudan which Michael has visited regularly. Tel: 01452 770337 Mobile: 07082 154968 With thanks [email protected] Janice Hitchcock www.cornerstoneschauffeurservice.co.uk Proud to have served the Cotswolds for more than a decade.

22 7 THE GOOD COMPANIONS Summer party and sponsored obstacle course The Good Companions (our own over 55s club) wil meet in Coates village hall on Thursday 15 May at 2.30pm. Our speaker will be Major Jean Parker who will talk of her varied work with the Salvation Army. Our summer outing on Thursday 19 June is almost fully booked. The coach will leave Coates village hall at 11.30am taking us to Blooms garden centre (near Cheltenham Racecourse) for lunch and then on to Toddington station where we will board the steam train for a journey of 1 hour 20 minutes, then back to Toddington refreshments before On Saturday 7 June 2014 at 2pm (whatever the weather) coming home on the coach arriving at approximately 5.15pm. with refreshments Betty Mixture At Kemble Primary School All children, whatever their age, are welcome to take part in completing the COATES VILLAGE LOTTERY obstacle course and, if they like, they can come The last draw of the lottery year took place on 4th April 2014. Prizes were awarded as follows: dressed as their favourite story or nursery rhyme character. Special prize £100 to No 21 Mrs Philippa Moore Prize for the best dressed! First Prize: £50 to No 27 Mr George Rowles All welcome, the more the merrier! Second Prize: £30 to No 5 Dr Janet Loines If you would like a sponsorship form for your child please email us Third Prize: £20 to No 7 Mr Bob Crawford at [email protected] In the last year £1300 has been given in prizes and £1304 has been spent on the village hall. A £1000 contribution was made to the cost of repainting the main hall and the remainder was spent on chairs for the Club/meeting room, a curtain pole and garden supplies. We are very grateful to all our contributors for their generosity, especially those whose number is yet to come up! We are currently distributing leaflets Do you have a mole problem? for next year's lottery in the village - please respond; the hall is for us With over 30 years experience in traditional mole control I can all and much remains to be done to keep it in good order and improve effectively, discreetly and humanely remove the culprit(s)! the facilities. No gas, chemicals or poisons used and completely safe to Diana Crane children and pets. NO MOLE - NO FEE NGS GARDENS OPEN IN ASHLEY AND CULKERTON Fully insured and references available Telephone: 07766 132934 (Days) 01285 770968 (Evenings) A very pleasant afternoon can be spent visiting a variety of village gardens on Sunday 8 June from 2 to 6pm. Five gardens will be open Member of the British Traditional Molecatchers Register in Ashley, and two in Culkerton. Teas will be served in a marquee at Member of the Guild of British Molecatchers Ashley Manor, also stalls selling plants, cakes and produce. Ample BPCA/RSPH Level 2 Certificate in pest control parking will be available at Ashley Manor and The Ox Barn in Call now for a free, no obligation site survey and quote Culkerton. All the open gardens are within easy walking distance of www.gbestateservices.com parking. Proceeds will also go to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

8 21 NEWS FROM SAPPERTON AND FRAMPTON MANSELL

TALKING TO MYSELF AGAIN. * Garage Sale * I love this time of year. Go for a walk and there are signs of new life everywhere. Bluebells are coming out, there are banks of primroses, Due to house move violets peeping from under hedges. Cowslips, wood anemones, Come along and grab yourself a bargain! mouse eared chickweed, yellow archangel, dog mercury and many more. I often wonder who gave them their names and why. And that is Saturday 10th May only wild flowers. There are the animals as well. Driving in Cirencester 10am – 4pm the other day I was negotiating the roundabout by the hospital. There Southfield House, Coates were many rabbits munching away on it and one little one being chased by a very large one. What an amazing world we live in. God’s creation. If you read the account in Genesis, after each days’ work - “God saw that it was good”. I think we would all agree with that. God created the wonderful and fascinating world we live in. Try reading Matthew’s Gospel – the Laundrycare last nine verses of Chapter 6. In God’s eyes we are all special. Let us Your local company give thanks and rejoice.  Ironing Service CHARITY CONCERT The Rotary Club of the South Cotswolds is presenting a concert by  Laundry Service the highly acclaimed local amateur choral group the Stuart Singers on  FREE Local Collection & Delivery Saturday 7 June in St Mary’s church, Tetbury at 7.30pm. The choir is based in Minchinhampton and in the last 21 years has  Non-Smoking Environment raised over £200k for charity either through their own concerts in Cirencester (01285) 654076 Minchinhampton twice a year or through giving concerts such as that promoted by South Cotswolds Rotary Club. The programme will contain music ranging from a medley from Jesus Christ Superstar and Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel to more traditional choral pieces such as Londonderry Air and Zadok the Priest. The event will raise funds for the purchase of a mobile hoist for the local charity Allsorts which provides support for families with disabled children. The charity is not state funded and is run by a management committee and dedicated volunteers, providing activities and clubs for disabled children giving the families much needed some respite. The mobile hoist will enable the more severely disabled children to join others on trips out. Tickets will be available by contacting Rotarian John on 07784 485 735 or any member of the club.

20 9 SCHOOL TIES SAPPERTON SCHOOL CIRENCESTER EATING DISORDER SUPPORT GROUP Schools Out! The Easter Hols are finally The local team will be on hand for the monthly meeting on Wednesday here! And after such a tremendous finish to the 7 May held in St Peters Lounge, St Peters Court, St Peters Road from last term. Not only did the school’s Year 5 & 6 7.30-9pm. football team manage to hold on to the Small Cotswold Carers forum will take place on Tuesday 13 May in School’s Football Shield they won last year but Watermoor parish hall from 12.30 - 2.30pm. To reserve your tickets they were also joined in victory by the Year 3 & 4 please contact me ASAP. team too! Well done to all – those long wet, On Thursday 12 June 7.30pm thanks to the offer of some shops in muddy evenings of practice on the sports field certainly paid off! And Cirencester, a Fashion Show has been arranged to take place in if that wasn’t enough, Sapperton also won the School Swimming Gala Meysey Hampton village hall to raise funds for the group. (Years 5-6) and with some very impressive performances put in by Year 3 and 4s who were added to swell the numbers. All this, and the Further details about the group in confidence from Pat 01285 770385. Year 3 & 4 Tag Rugby competition result yet to come. Phew, just the thought of all this exercise is making me tired. KEMBLE AND DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION But there was no respite off the sports fields or out of the pool either, WOMEN’S SECTION as the Arts too have also been flourishing. The end of term music concert in the village hall had over a quarter of the school Our next branch meeting will be held in Kemble village hall on demonstrating their musical or singing skills to an enraptured Thursday 29 May from 2.30pm. All members and visitors welcome audience while, over in Cirencester, Year 5 and some Year 6’s gave when we shall be having samples of ice cream from Dolcetti with an excellent performance of their Winter Olympic themed dance grateful thanks to Rob Gibson. This will be followed with a game of routine to a packed Bingham Hall in the Cotswold School’s Dance bingo before afternoon tea and business. Festival. “Sapperton were the only troupe who fully understood Pat Ayres Hon Sec and Standard Bearer. choreography” I heard someone in the row behind me say. Praise indeed as the standard of all the performers was very high. It was also nice to see some Old Sappertonians in the Kingshill supporting cast who helped facilitate the event. It just goes to show that there is life after Sapperton and the tradition of involvement lives on! Ah, academics. Well, that wasn’t forgotten with a very useful end of term Maths Workshop at Deer Park School for Year 5 which much entertainment (and learning) was enjoyed by all. Sigh, if only school had been like this in my day; but then we were sent to sea at 12……….. Looking ahead to next term, the key date for your diaries is Saturday 17 May when the 4th, yes the 4th, Cotswold Highland Games will be taking place at Park Corner Farm, Sapperton. As ever, there will be the normal range of fun sporting competitions for all ages, teas, Scottish music and other activities; all welcome. Will you be entering a team this year – possibly your last chance with a non-independent Scotland? Molesworth

10 19 NOTES FROM CULKERTON (cont)

And of course the slugs do well after wet springs too. 2014 could become a serious year for slugs, as a result of the myriad eggs deposited during 2012, the Year of the Slug. Mercifully, for non slug- lovers, the slugs were checked by last summer’s drought, but – and there is always a but - many species of slug take two or more years to develop, which is one reason why we do not need a warm wet spring, and why we need a hot dry(ish) summer. To date, it has been a very early spring – a return to normal modern ways after the atavistic late spring of 2013. The problem here is that an early spring is a high risk strategy: all too often early springs end in tears, the tears of endless summer rain. May 2014 needs to buck that trend, big time. Matthew Oates

18 11 NOTES FROM CULKERTON (cont)

RODMARTON AND the effects of summer drought. Treat the first signs Box Blight with a copper fungicide spray, and use this several times during the summer months. TARLTON Remove annual wallflowers when they finish flowering and add extra compost to revitalise the soil; these spaces can be filled with summer and autumn annuals. Remove the spent flower heads of spring bulbs, unless you are collecting the seed, some species tulips are easy from F I E S TA seed but you do need to wait a couple of years for any flowers. Weed, water, and feed. Protect young plants from spells of adverse Barbecue and Continental Café weather, with horticultural fleece, or cloches. Sally Oates Music MAY MUSINGS May is the most fickle of months. So often it starts well, or arrives Wine and Real Ale Bars after a promising early spring, only to capitulate terribly, producing spells of precipitous rains that set the summer on a downward spiral, Soft drinks and light refreshments and cause the grass and weeds to grow like mad. Yet, on the rare occasion when it doesn’t succumb it is by far the most beautiful and Pimm’s Tent wonderful month of the year, the most glorious transformation imaginable. Moreover, a good May will set up a great summer. Only Saturday 7 June 2014 rarely does a summer fail after a fine May (eg 1980, when a hot dry May ushered in the wettest of Junes, and a lousy summer). But, by and large, a sunny May is an extremely good sign – and we are due Rodmarton Village Hall one, but then again we usually are. We have had a long run of strong grass growth years, in which the 5.00 pm. to 9.00 p.m. grasses (both wild and domesticated) grew lush and rampant – ask any farmer, any cow, or any lawnmower. The bulk of this growing is done during late April and May. It is not just the taller grasses which * Grand Auction * benefit from wet springs, but vigorous-growing vegetation generally - the weeds, and the brambles. This has meant that the smaller * Attractions for children * summer flowers have had a mean time of it lately – they’ve been out- competed by the grasses and other thuggish vegetation. These dainty flowers – cowslips, harebells, orchids, scabiouses and the like – need * Quad bike and trailer rides * tiny pockets of bare soil in which to grow, but those pockets are cramped out during strong grass growth years. Also, a surprising Entrance and meal tickets available in advance: number of insects, including bees, butterflies and grasshoppers, breed in the warm micro-habitats provided by pockets of bare ground 01285 770401 amongst the grasses – and consequently do poorly during rampant grass growth years. 12 17 NOTES FROM CULKERTON Let’s Talk

GARDENING TIPS FOR MAY Discussion Group ‘I am fonder of my garden for the trouble it gives me’. Reginald Farrer, Let’s Talk is having a holiday in May but will be back on Edwardian plant collector and writer. Wednesday 4 June 2014 at 6.30pm May is a month of two seasons, the first half is in spring and the The Crown, Frampton Mansell second half is in Summer. The full moon is on the 14th, so after this [with our thanks to Simon and Gemma.] date we could be frost free, and then tender vegetables and flowers A time to get together and discuss topics of interest. can be planted out. Gardens become quite gorgeous with Tulips, Irises, Peonies, and Wisteria. Everywhere are the fresh green shades For further information contact Paul or Pepita on 760211 of new leaves. Patient gardeners can grow wisteria from seeds, which form in pale green velvet pods during late summer; when the pods turn grey it is time to pick them. Don’t try to open the pods, instead put these in a paper bag indoors. During the next few months loud bangs will come from the bag as individual pods break open, releasing the flat bean-like seeds. Sow the seeds under glass next spring. Wisterias grow well as standard specimen plants. Time to sow with protection French beans, runner beans, sweet corn, marrows, courgettes, cucumbers, Savoy cabbages; do successive sowings of salad leaves, beetroot, peas and spinach. Plant maincrop potatoes, and later in the month, plant tomatoes in the greenhouse. As soon as earlier sowings of kales, cabbages, purple sprouting broccoli and cauliflowers are about 4” or 10cm tall plant these out. Biennial flowers to sow now in seed trays, and transplant to bloom next year include sweet william, foxglove and wallflowers. Give the same treatment to perennials dephiniums, lupins, primulas, aquilegia; you could be sowing fresh seed from you own plants. There is a quite a good list of annuals that can be sown directly in to the ground, which should be well prepared first, so you have a fine tilth in your seed area. Nasturtiums, cornflowers, poppies, candytuft, linaria, clarkia and nigella can be sown directly. Sunflowers come in many different forms these days, tall, short, single flowered, multi- bloomed, double, golden yellow, red, pale cream, and stripy combinations. The seed heads can be left standing to feed birds. If you garden is prone to drought try Phacelia campanularia, low growing with FRAMPTON MANSELL COFFEE MORNING masses of blue flowers from June to October. Thursday 1 May - 10.30am to 12pm at Woodstock. Please In late May, during dry weather do the first clipping of box, trim twice join us for a coffee and a chinwag! Everyone welcome. during the season, and make the final cut before the end of August. To keep all hedges healthy, they need feeding, and mulching to prevent

16 13 NEWS FROM RODMARTON, TARLTON, They soon married, and Betty moved to Rodmarton. They had six CULKERTON AND HAZLETON children: Robert, Joyce, Alan, Wendy, Elizabeth and Michael. [Michael sadly passed away at the age of 49, after his fight with cancer.] At the age of 29 Betty was widowed, when Jack was killed while out THOUGHT FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASCENSION ON training with the Territorial Army. Betty struggled to bring up her THURSDAY 29 MAY family, but she never let them forget their manners, and was greatly The modern world notably lacks images of splendour, having helped by family and friends. The children said they always knew what come to settle for merely human priorities. It is now difficult, within mood Mum was in by how thick the porridge was for breakfast. our cultural references, to imagine the intimations of the divine One night, as Norman was coming down from the farm, she asked presence. . . Our daily lives, bereft of religious references of the him to get her some cigarettes, which he did; and when he took them sort which in traditional societies marked the passage of time, are to her, they just clicked. They married in 1961, and spent 55 happy preoccupied with apparent urgencies which, like the thorns in the years as man and wife. Norman and Betty had two more children, Parable of the Sower, exclude authentic spiritual formation. Nicholas and Gloria, making 8 children in total, 18 grandchildren, 31 So let us look again at the fact of the Ascension: Christ in majesty. great grandchildren, and 7 great great grandchildren. The latest, little . . Our love of God, if it is truly in us, really is without limitation or Alfie, was born the same morning his great great granny died. reserve, as is God’s love for us. So greatly did he love the work of Betty had a big input into village life. She cleaned for several families his hands – which he had placed in an environment of such around the village, she was secretary for the WI, chair of the school hazard and potential sorrow, but where we receive a nurturing in governors and of the friends of the school, dinner lady, secretary for eternal citizenship – that he died for our salvation. If we would see the cricket club and did the teas, helped with all things to do with the the power of that love we should behold the Christ of the Church. She and Norman also ran the village shop for several years, Ascension: the final demonstration of the divine truth that until VAT came along: then it became too much, so they decided to goodness overcomes evil, and that the partial values of the world close it. have their perfection in the kingdom that is everlasting. Norman would often come home to find Betty down the garden Edward Norman - Out of the Depths (©) chopping wood for the fire. She had a wicked sense of humour, and a great singing voice which you could hear ringing out above the radio. R.I.P. She also loved ballroom dancing, and she and Norman cut a fine The passing of Betty Hopkins, who died on the 16 March, is a great figure at the village dances. She loved to knit, which was handy with loss not only to Norman and their family, but to Rodmarton as a a large family, and would often do mati nee jackets for the newborns. whole. Betty had been at the centre of village life for so many years, Betty was a great wife, mother, grandmother, great grand-mother, and and St Peter’s church was packed for her funeral led by the Revd great great grandmother. She will be greatly missed. Penny Light on 26 March. Betty’s life has played a large part in the history of our community, and the family’s own apt and moving tribute, TARLTON ROGATION PROCESSION: SUNDAY 11 MAY read out at the funeral, is published here: Tarlton’s Rogation Procession, one of the major services in the village’s calendar, is being held this year on 11 May at 11am, Betty was born in Cirencester. At the age of two, her mother died starting from St Osmund’s chapel, with the annual blessing of the suddenly, so Betty and her sister were adopted. Margaret went to her fields, the livestock and other aspects of village life. grandparents and later emigrated to Canada. Betty was adopted by her aunt and uncle, and she was brought up at the Ewe Pens in Cirencester Park. RODMARTON CHURCH CHOIR Forthcoming choir services over the next months are When she left school, she worked at Woodmans, a lady and gents : outfitters in Dyer Street. Then she met Michael Taylor, known as Jack. Sunday 8 June Whit Sunday

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