Dear Parishioners,

How have you found the gradual easing of restrictions? On 17th May we were officially allowed to hug close friends and family, and groups of up to six, or two families were able to meet indoors. Many people appreciate things getting back more towards normal. We’re also learning to bear with people who are more cautious or more carefree in their approach. It has been great to see people returning to church again as this has become a safer activity. A verse from the Psalms springs to mind; “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’”

We are excited too that more midweek church groups are planning to meet in person once again in the summer months. We are also looking forward to a holiday club for older primary school children on 26th and 27th July. We are planning to hold a parish BBQ in the Chelwood Gate Church garden on Friday 16 July at 6pm. There will be a hog roast (veggie option available) and the chance to ‘show a talent’ if desired! Details to follow.

We continue to pray that variants will vanish and that summer will be sizzling and splendid! As things can change quickly these days, please keep an eye on our website and our weekly church news sheet for the latest updates. If you would like to receive our weekly church newsletter (either by email or hard copy), please ring 01825 790 269 or email me at [email protected]

With warm greetings

,A Prayer For India I will say of the Lord, ‘You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’. God of power and might we lift our brothers and sisters in India to you. We pray for your protection, We pray for your provision, We pray for the nations of earth to have compassion. When people are in need, you are our refuge. When people are fearful, you are our refuge. When people are mourning, you are our refuge. Compassionate God, draw close to those who seek your refuge today. Amen. All Saints Church, Danehill with Chelwood Gate June 2021 Services will be held in both churches duringJune with mainservices at Danehill online asw ell at www.allsaintsdanehill.org.uk, thes treamed recordings being availableo n the website for several days afterwards. Please note that careful social distancing will con�nuet o be maintained at all �mes un�l diocesan and na�onal guidelinesa llow relaxa�ons. Details on the website or from the Vicar, the Revd. Paddy MacBain(790269). Sunday 6th June 8am Tradi�onal Holy Communion (Chelwood Gate) 930am Tradi�onal MorningPrayer (Danehill) 11am All AgeService (Danehill) Special collec�ons for ChildAid Sunday1 3th June 9.30am Holy Communion (Danehill) 11am Informal Service (Danehill) 4pm Worship@4 (Danehill) Sunday2 0th June 8am Tradi�onal Holy Communion (Chelwood Gate) 9.30am Modern Morning Prayer (Danehill) 11am Informal Service (Danehill) 4pm Informal Prayer Service (online) Sunday2 7th June 9.30am Holy Communion (Danehill) 11am Informal Communion( Danehill) 4pm Worship@4 (Danehill) Sunday 4th July 8am Tradi�onal Holy Communion (Chelwood Gate) 930am Tradi�onal MorningPrayer (Danehill) 11am All AgeService (Danehill) Worship@4 has a relaxed ‘festival feel’ withs ongs/multimedia from the latest Christian artists. The talkis engaging, built around God’sword and all that it means for us today. InJuneWorship@4ison 13 & 27 June 4pmat All Saints, Danehill.

Curiousastowhat it is all about? Whyn otc hecko utp revious W@4 at Home which are still available on the websiteh ere:

www.allsaintsdanehill.org.uk/update-online-services/worship4-at-home

Any questions do get in contact with Steve & Meg on 0781 5511142.

The youth work has restarted with a bang this term, as the restrictions on youth groups have thankfully been relaxing at an amazing rate! TNT and ICE have been meeting for the 'Summer Specials', which have been held at different locations across Danehill, Chelwood Gate and Horsted Keynes. We've had some great nights like the treasure hunt and 'Fun- Field Hot Dogs', and have even more to come including a waterslide, a pool party and Zorb Football! (if you've never played Zorb Football, look it up, it's incredible!) We meet on Thursdays from 6.30-7.45, but keep an eye on the church website as the location varies from week to week.

H-Kafe in Horsted Keynes has also restarted, offering a space for young people to relax for an hour after school on Tuesdays at the Martindale Centre.

As well as this, we are also excited about the return of May Camp, a weekend for young people to have fun and create memories as well as exploring some of life's big questions. Due to COVID restrictions, it will be looking slightly different this year, but we're going to have a great weekend anyway!

If you have any questions, or know anyone that might want to get involved, feel free to contact me at [email protected]

Josh Children’s & Families Work Update—June 2021 Noah’s Ark:N ow with the changes to restrictions on numbers there is no need to book to come to Noah’s Ark, just come along and joinus. Thanks to Jennie Marten,our crafts have included‘ birdso fparadise’, ‘making tracks’ (painting using toycars!) and glittery clowns. It has been great to see the children growing in confidence and enjoying each other’s company—very true for us adults too!. Sunday Club: The 11am service has a thriving Sunday Club & crèche. In addition the All Age Service on the 1st ofeach month has beenv ery much enjoyed by everyone, with children havingthe opportunity to be involved throughout, someof themclearly loveamicrophone!

Holiday Club: See belowf or all the newly announced details. Contact me with any queries. Meg Coppin Children’s(& Families) Worker 0781 5511142 [email protected]

LockdownPursuits Needle Fel�ng – Modelling withwool

The history of fel�ng is thousands of years old. One of the oldest known textiles, felt is created by ma�ing natural fibres (such as wool) together, using water and compression; the result being an incredibly versa�le fabric that is fire-retardant, sound absorbing, andwater resistant.

Though wet cra�ed felt has a variety of uses, from clothing to musical instruments, dry fel�ng with a needle is usually employed for arts and cra�s. A more recent inven�on,t he needle fel�ng Technique, was discovered by David & Eleanor Stanwood in the 1980s. They took single barbed fel�ng needles from the large plates used in industrial fel�ng, and used them to mould shapes from wool by hand. Today, needle fel�ng iscon�nuing to grow in popularity. Needle Felted Bear

For a beginner felter, the required materials are simple and can be purchased online, either individually or as one of the vast selec�on of starter kits available through sites like Hobbycra�, Etsy, and Amazon. A starter kit will usually include fel�ng needles, a sponge or cushion to felt on, wool, and some�mes finger gloves for protec�on – the needles are quite sharp! Many people like to use a kit with instructionstocreate a specificmodel for their firstfe lt, but there is nothing stopping you from inven�ng your own sculpture, even when just star�ng out. As fort he process, needlef el�ng begins by rolling a small amount of wool into a �ght bundle. Holding this bundle carefully on a fel�ng cushion, then eedle is stabbed in and out of the wool un�l its �ny barbs cause the fibres to firm up together. Ensure that the needle is pulled out at the same angle it was stabbed in, as twis�ng and pulling the woolc an cause a Wool & Fel�ng Needles needle tobreak. Fel�ng should always be done on a fel�ng cushion to protect the surface underneath, and you do not need to stab into the wool very far, just enough for the barbs to grip. Adding more wool as you felt will allow you to create a simple shape. Felted shapes can then be a�ached together using the same process ofstabbing thewoolinand out un�l thew oolgrips together.

Once hooked,y ou may wantto expandy our fel�ng kit. Fel�ng needles come in a variety of sizes and shapes, with smaller barbs used for finer fel�ng and detail work, and large barbs used for faster fel�ng at the start of a project. Size is marked by a gauge number; the larger the number, the finertheneedle.

Wool can be purchased inm any colours, though for the main body of a sculpture it is common to use cheaper Robin with clay beak & wire legs wool(re ferredtoas ‘core wool’).

Colours or so�er wool can later be felted onto this base. Roving wool is commonly used in Materials for NeedleFel�ng: needlef el�ng. Thisw ool has been carded (brushed to detangle, clean and intermix fibres) � Fel�ngNeedles and pulled into a long strip. Carded wool will Fel�ng Cushion / Sponge felt faster as the fibres have already begun to Pad mix. � Roving wool � Fingergloves Needle fel�ng is a forgiving art, and though � Op�onal extras: Plas�c there is much more to the cra� thanIcan fit in eyes, polymerclay (for this article, it doesn’t takem uch to create beaks / hornse tc.), wire, something to be proud of.O nce the basic hot glue gun. techniques are learnt, the real key is prac�ce, pa�ence, and imagina�on. ByEmma Mar�n,Co- Editor Adonis Blue by Michael Blencowe of theSussex Wildlife Trust

On Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve, just fi�een minutes’ walk from the centre of , something is s�rring. Something rather beau�ful. Something rather… blue.

The Adonis Blue must be in with a good chance of being crownedo ur most beau�ful butterfly. The male’s dazzling, electric blue wings are an insult to all other bu�erfly species whocons ider themselves blue. Believe me-you haven’t experienced blue un�l you’ve watched a male Adonis Blue fly past. And, likem any other famous Lewes residents, our Adonis Blues also have a Adonis Blue by Nigel Symington colourful and somewhat odd life history. SussexWildlife Trust During the larval stage of its life cycle, the Adonis Blue caterpillar exudes a sugary sweet secre�on and, amazingly, sings an en�cing siren’s song. This drives local ants intoa frenzy and they fall under its spell. With its sugar-drunk, loved- up ant admirers in tow, the caterpillar cruises the with the ants protec�ng it against parasites and predators. Each evening, when the caterpillar retreats to the soil, the ants bury it – effec�vely tucking it in for the night. It’s amazing what devo�on you can get around these parts in return foradrink and a song. When it’s �me for the caterpillar to pupate, the ants stand guard over the chrysalis too in an underground chamber, and when the adult bu�erfly emergesthey escort it to the surface. Without so much as a thank you for their loyalty,t he bu�erfly unfurls its wings and deserts them for the skies above – no doubt leaving the ants wondering how they’re going to explain themselves to the queen when they get home. Adonis Blue by Alan Price, Gatehouse Studio Sussex Wildlife Trust The existence of this wonderful bu�erfly is only made possible due to the Sussex Wildlife Trust’s careful management of Malling Down. The Trust’s rare breed sheep, which you can see from Lewes High Street, graze the reserve to ensure the correcth abitat is maintained for this rare species. An important factor in the Adonis Blue’s life cycle is heat, and if the grass here getst ootall thet emperature at ground level drops. Without the grazing management, the fantas�c downland habitat would disappear,along with all theamazing species that depend on it.

SussexW ildlife Trust is an independent charity caringf orw ildlifea nd habitats throughout Sussex. Founded in 1961, we have worked with local people for over half a century to make Sussexr icheri nwildlife.

WELCOME BACK!

Chailey Repair Cafe is delighted to announce that we will be reopening at our new base in St Peter’s Church, Chailey, on the A275 at Chailey Green, on Saturday 12th June between 1000-1300hrs.

This first face-to-face Repair Café of 2021 will be for “drop off” repairs only. You’ll be able to talk through the problem with one of the team and if we think we can fix it, we’ll take the repair away and let you know when it’s ready for collec�on from the volunteer’s home.

Please note that we won’t be doing repairs while you wait on this occasion, and regre�ully there will be no café facility due to ongoing restric�ons. We hope to be announcing that we’ll be reopeningfully in July – watch this space!

Although we will no longer be taking any repair requests on-line, we want to thank the nearly 400 people who have entrusted their repairs to us over the past year. Your incredible generosity has enabled us to fund equipment for our new base at St Peter’s. Seeyou there!! Contact us at [email protected] Bryan McAlley and theC hailey Repair Caféteam Proposed Housing Development at East Chiltington

I recently joined the ac�on group ‘Don’t Urbanise the Downs,’ which has been set up to oppose a proposed 3 000-house, new town development on 500 acres of unspoilt countryside at East Chil�ngton, adjacent to the Na�onal Park (SDNP).

The enormous scale of this proposed town on land owned by Eton College would see the �ny hamlet grow by 1200%. Its near neighbours, the villages of Plumpton Green and Chailey, would become suburbs of one huge urban sprawl. Concre�ng over the green fields of East Chil�ngton would scar the downland landscape forever and destroy the habitat and eco systems we should be protec�ng for future genera�ons to enjoy - including its ancient woodlands and hedgerows, a rare chalk stream and a host of endangered animal and plant species. Views from the South Downs Way would be blighted and the Dark Skies status of the SDNP threatened by street ligh�ng where none has been before.

Although East Chil�ngton isn’t right on our doorstep, should the development get the go-ahead, it will set a disastrous precedent for rural areas like ours. We could well be facing the same fate ourselves, just a few years down the line.

This in itself is reason enough to join the group and lend our support. But the scale of house-building in Sussex is now at a cri�cal level in my opinion. Certainly people need homes, but local housing targets are already being met, our popula�on is in decline and brownfield sites and urban areas are under- exploited.

I am disappointed with planning governance every �me I drive on the by-pass as the farmland is being bull-dozed, or witness the ongoing developments on the edge of Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Horsham and beyond. It seems to increase year on year and I am concerned with the relaxa�on of planning laws.

But unlike them, East Chil�ngton isn’t next to a town. It doesn’t have any infrastructure – not even mains sewerage or gas. Its ‘roads’ are mostly single track. So, consider the impact on our roads during the years it would take to build a new town from scratch. And then once the houses are filled, the traffic chaos an addi�onal 3.5m car journeys a year its 6,000-plus residents will bring, as they drive to shop, to work or to walk the dog in the dwindling areas of countryside remaining beyond the new town they now live in. Like me, thousands of local people enjoy the fresh air, peace and lovely views as we walk, cycle and run on the narrow lanes, footpaths and bridleways that have for centuries criss-crossed the parish of East Chil�ngton. This last year has demonstrated how important rural space is for the well-being of urban dwellers. We need to leave places like this as they are, as a precious legacy for future genera�ons.

If you feel like I do, then please sign up atwww.donturbanisethedowns.com . Almost 1,500 people have already joined and I would urge others to join too so that we can stop this scheme in its tracks.

Andrew Cook, Allins Farm, Danehill (Project Manager-Lost Woods Of Low & Downs-Woodland Trust)

Editor’s note: This ar�cle follows on from last month’s announcement of this development. We should be interested in publishing other views.

Recording Danehill Parish Burial Ground

Through the Parish Council, Danehill Parish Historical Society has become involved in recording the headstones in the burial ground that are situated through the Lych gate on the opposite side of the lane from the church itself.

Some earlier headstones are missing. Burials before 1835, when the Holy Trinity Chapel was built on the site of the present war memorial, would have taken place either in Fletching or Horsted Keynes, but headstones from the chapel have been relocated to the current burial ground. Understanding the burial ground history can become rather involved, but this is our chance to clarify the situa�on, making the informa�on accessible to those with a keen interest in their family history and leaving a reliable record for the future.

We hope to include as many of you as possible in this project so look out for future dates when we will be mee�ng up at the church. Even if you are only able to come and help once it would be lovely to see you. You may be inspired to come and help on subsequent occasions which would be great.

Sue Ray, Danehill Parish Historical Society, [email protected] ROUND AND ABOUT IN THE PARISH…. The Covid-19 pandemic has put a stop to a lot of ac�vi�es, one casualty being the Ashdown Weekend. This originally started as the Ashdown Fair in 1973. It was the idea of Elsie Bates who wrote to the Parish Council asking why couldn’t they run something which would be enjoyable for all the parish. Rebeka Hardy, who was Chair of the Parish Council, together with other Councillors, liked the idea and they decided to have something which would be fun and unite the parish of Danehill, Chelwood Gatea ndFurners Green.

Tickets, if purchased in advance, were half price at 10p for pedestrians and 50p for a car,whi ch wouldco ver all theoccupants. Major Michael Brady, who was on the commi�ee, had been in the Queen’s Regiment and he arranged for the Band and Corps of Drums of the 3rd Ba�alion to start thea �ernoon off at2pm,andto provide music throughout theevent, concluding the a�ernoon’s entertainment at5 -15pm with Beating the Retreat. The Band cost £69 (in today’s terms £840). Rebeka arranged the main a�rac�on, the Red Devils, from the Parachute Regiment, who jumped from a small plane. Gazing up into the sky on the ho�est day for two years as temperatures soared into the 80’s, the crowd saw three jumps. Lack of wind meant that one skydiver missed the target and landed behind trees and had a half-mile walk once he landed. Suspended beneath their red and white canopies the skydivers landed on the X marking in the middle of the area to the cheers and applause of the capacity crowd, which numbered as many as 8,000. Landing exactly on target was Corporal Jackie Smithwhowasanewmember of the team,and the only woman. Perhaps most people came to seetheRedDevils whose cost in 1973 was £165 (in today’s terms £2,000) and theywerenot disappointed. Speciala �rac�ons included a tug-of-war won by aSheffield Park team,w ho beat Danehill Football Clubinthefinal. To add diversity there was a dancing display, a judo demonstra�on, a children’s fancy dress parade, and a dog show. Inside the marquee (which cost £546 and in today’s terms,£ 6,600) the art exhibi�on and other ac�vi�es took place, as well as the evening’s dance. Fi�y two organisa�ons within the villages were represented. To name just a few: the Historical Society provided a display and also ran a quiz, the W.I. provided a stand called Portabello and the Bri�sh Legion had a ‘Good as New’ stall plus two other stands. There were many other stands, toonumerous to men�on here.

For the evening dance, The Dark Blues were booked by Jenny Virtue. The group was well known as they had played for Prince Charles’ 21st birthday celebra�ons and The Queen’sS ilver Wedding Celebra�ons. Abar was provided by Mr and Mrs Gambrell of the Stone Quarry. The Dark Blues cost £179 (today’s cost would be £840). Tickets for the dance were limited and cost £2.50, including Supper,and over 200 �ckets were sold.This photo is of The Dark Blues from 1973. The group was founded in Oxford (hence the name) in 1962 and they were an amateur group as they all had dayjobs.

A profit of £700 was made (today this would be £8,500) and would be used for the benefit of the Parish, to include a new kitchen and toilets at Danehill Memorial Hall, improvement of car parking at Chelwood Gate Village Hall, anda new games pavilion at DanehillR ecrea�on Ground, accompanied by tree plan�ng. The whole event was an outstanding successa nd the followingy ear the AshdownFair became knownastheAshdownW eekend. My thanks to the Historical Society, Laurence and Rebeka Hardy, Tony Stevens and JennyVirtue. Jill Rolfe 740446 New Chance for Invigoration Now we are at last coming out of lock down I am looking to increase my classes at the village hall. With this in mind I would very much like to start an over 60s age group class. This would be for general heart health and flexibility in older age. I would also be looking to start a kids exercise class and a men only one. Anyone that is interested in any of the above please contact me on: 07771 630000 or email [email protected].

Ali Creelman Personal Trainer, Sports Therapist, Nutrition, Reiki, Healing , Weight Loss

Focus 10k Sunday 4 July

Have fun, keep fit and support Chailey Heritage Foundation! Choose from a 10K, 5K or Children's Mini Mile in the beautiful parkland of the Borde Hill estate, near Haywards Heath. A well-marked cross- country course through park and woodland with a couple of steep hills. Includes chip timing, medals for all finishers and prizes for the winners. A safe and secure COVID compliant event.

All funds raised will support children and young people with complex neurodisabilities at Chailey Heritage Foundation. For full details and tickets visit www.focus10k.com

Next Magazine

Many thanks to all contributors to this issue. The deadline for the next issue is Friday, 18 June. A mail box is installed on the fence outside Marten Co�age, Coach and Horses Lane, Danehill where copy can be le� at any �me. Electronic copy can be sent to: [email protected] . If the a�achment is in Microso� Word, it is helpful if the format is an A5 page size with 1 cm margins and point size 11.

Emma Mar�n, Chris Drewery 740298

For all queries regarding adver�sements, adver�sing and special run “Flyers”, please email Stefan Mercado: [email protected] Welcoming You Back To Our First Live Concert In 2021! Saturday 12th June. 7.30pm.at St Wilfrid’s Church, Haywards Heath Come and hear the swinging sounds ofThe Dominic Alldis Trio who will improvise on themes from classical music, opera and folk songs in the style of Jacques Loussier (Play Bach), Dave Brubeck and other jazz legends. This popular recital will take place in a covid secure environment. Visit our website at www.haywardsheathmusicsociety.org.uk to book your ticket for £15 via Eventbrite or send a cheque made out to 'Haywards Heath Music Society' to Mrs Christine Colbourne, 12, The Platt, Lindfield, RH16 2SY. Sponsored by MAKING MUSIC. No tickets will be sold at the door For further information, telephone 01444 456227, or visit: www.haywardsheathmusicsociety.org.uk Na�onal Garden Scheme Dee would like to thank all who came to support the opening of Holly House Gardens in May. It was a resounding success and the weather was kind despite earlier dire predictions. As usual the cakes were delicious and it was lovely to see so many old friends drinking tea and eating cake in such beautiful surroundings. Holly House will be open again on Friday 11th June. Holly House Beaconsfield Road Chelwood Gate RH17 7LF (opposite Chelwood Gate Village Hall) Friday 11th June 2021 May 2-5pm. Adults £5, children free.

Wheelchair access, dogs welcome and teas will be served. Ashdown WI

WI will no longer take part in the South of England show but will have a WI Show-within-a Show at the Autumn Show and Game Fair on the 2nd & 3rd October 2021 at Ardingly. To get you thinking here are the classes. Cooking - marmalade, tray bake, savoury scones, chocolate cake. Cra� - Christmas table runner, winter hat, a coin purse, paper gi� box. Flower arrangement in a flower pot, a photograph en�tled The Natural World. It is a good �me to start collec�ng ideas.

I think Covid has helped us to recycle and mend rather than buy new, and has stopped us shopping so much. So perhaps it is a good �me to look at ‘Sustainable(ish) Living Guide’ by Jen Gale. ‘It is everything you need to know to make a small change that makes a big difference’. Jen wrote the book a�er a year of not buying anything new!

Amazingly we haven’t got washed away yet! We are s�ll mee�ng on a Tuesday, outside, between 12:30 - 2:00pm at Chelwood Gate Hall, come along and join us.

Yvonne Smith

Danehill Parish Historical Society Check out the website to find out about the ultimate staycation that ran for many years in Chelwood Gate at the Isle of Thorns. This amazing complex, built in 1928, featured hostel accommodation, play barn, superb swimming pool, sports fields, bowling green, ‘golf’ course and mini zoo. It catered mainly for teenage boys from London’s East End and was well-loved as these first hand accounts reveal. www.danehillhistory.org Danehill Parish Council Mee�ng 21 April , Highlights

Public: Josh Watson, the Families and Youth Worker, provided an overview on his ac�vi�es to date and those planned. He answered Councillor’s ques�ons. He was thanked and invited to report back later in the year. Correspondence. Emma Gilliam’s resigna�on was noted. Recrea�on Ground freehold report and expenditure. The Council considered the op�ons for the purchase. A�er some discussion it was agreed by majority vote with one against to proceed with the purchase of the freehold at £40,000 plus legal costs up to £1500. Mul�-track project and expenditure.Postponed due to financial constraints. Installa�on of a further path and other related expenditure on the pavilion. Approved The Council agreed to further es�mates and costs both to finish the project and running costs. Further path works to the side of the tennis court, repairs to the tennis court fence and ligh�ng were deferred to a future mee�ng. Proposal for regular hire of the pavilion. There were a few individuals keen to use the pavilion regularly as well as the current users Lindfield Football Club. The Council considered the ma�ers of use and storage and the implica�on for other possible users. A�er some discussion it was agreed there would not be a restric�on on regular hire albeit this would not be to the detriment of one-off community events (School / Ashdown weekend etc). CCTV policy adopted Re-greening ini�a�ves at the Recrea�on Ground The Council agreed unanimously to allow the climate group volunteers to plant wildflowers as outlined in their proposal, to stop the mowing, to re-wild the bank and to apply for a grant for trees for the lower bank to be planted by volunteers in the autumn. The copper beech tree proposal was deferred as awai�ng costs. Telephone box adop�on and use. Proposal to be costed. Memorial Garden project.Mike Mulford has completed the plan�ng. Cemetery project and consider any expenditure requests. The Council agreed to spend £230 on the Lychgate no�ceboard. Councillor Reports. Reports received on the li�er picking ini�a�ve, Climate Change group and WDALC mee�ng, the issue with the SIDS and the ongoing maintenance and the pavilion project. The Spring Newsle�er was posted with no problems thanks to postmen Addie and Sco�. However, the electronic version was slightly delayed owing technical issues. As part of the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign, there will be a parish li�er-pick on May 29th star�ng from CGVH and Danehill Club at 9.30am. All helpers welcome; contact number 07749 052657. Arrangements for PC mee�ngs un�l September 2021 were considered (virtual or physical).This will be discussed at the next mee�ng on May 5. Items for Repor�ng or Inclusion in Future Agendas. Co-op�on and successional planning. Dog Theft This particularly unpleasant crime has increased by 170% in 2020.The website below has a wealth of ideas on how to keep your doggy companion safe: www.ourwatch.org.uk/protectyourpooch

Bereket,a Christian who fled Eritrea at the age of 14, made a perilous journey across desert and sea. Eritrea has been likened to the North Korea of Africa. Many churches have been closed, and Christians are rounded up and put behind bars indefinitely. To make matters worse for 14-year-old Bereket, he was facing conscription into the army – again, for an indefinite period. That was when he knew he had to leave Eritrea. For the 14 year old, that meant undertaking the hazardous journey through Libya, across the Sahara desert, then crossing the Mediterranean by boat to Italy. Many who have tried to make that trip have died on the way. And Bereket was younger than most. The journey was to take him a year and a half. Bereket made it to Calais and smuggled himself aboard a lorry bound for the UK. Sahara desert He talks about how his faith sustained him in the Sahara desert, where he had to bury himself in the ground to avoid the searing heat of the sun. And how his faith has kept him in the UK, where he hasn’t seen his family for 17 years.! ‘Bereket says God helped him on the way, and his faith is still strong, despite all he’s had to face.’Today Bereket has a new life working in England in cyber security. Inspiration Stories like Bereket’s give us a bigger perspective on what it is like for persecuted Christians around the world who are having to live permanently in lockdown Request from Fletching The clerk, Fletching Parish Council has passed on a request from a Canadian, Alex Morrison Greetings from Canada! I and a colleague wrote the history of the Cape Breton Highlanders a few decades ago and are now in the process of updating. Would there be anyone in the village from the time the CBH were stationed there? Or, might there be stories that have survived?

Alex sent a Canadian newspaper article (next page). We are a little mystified by the reference to the ‘Crown and Cushion’ pub. The nearest Crown and Cushion today is in Surrey! If you have any information please email [email protected] :