JUNE 2015

the stjames-hamptonhill.org.ukspire FREE please take a copy

Well Dressing A centuries-old tradition AROUND THE SPIRE P4  RECIPE FOR LIFE P6  WHAT’S ON P7 Our Church From the Editor... Registered Charity No 1129286 In this month’s edition we are highlighting a truly Clergy English tradition which Susan Horner describes in the centre pages. Vicar Few people, it seems, know about ‘well dressing’. It The Revd Peter Vannozzi (pictured, right) involves the whole village in its preparation and is Peter was born in Hanwell in 1962, but owes followed by a blessing when it is put in place in front of his surname to his Italian great-grandfather. the village well. I watched one of the designs being put He was ordained in 1987. Peter is a Governor of Hampton Hill Junior School and together in the village of Eyam several years a Trustee of the Hampton and Hampton Hill ago. It was fascinating to see the amount of work Voluntary Care Group. involved and watch people of all ages taking part. Telephone: 020 8979 2069 We are also featuring another Derbyshire tradition — the Bakewell Pudding (not the tart Email: [email protected] that we know) and there is a famous Bakewell Pudding Shop in Bakewell! This month we shall be saying goodbye to our , David, as he moves to pastures Curate new and the next stage of his journey. We send our best wishes to David, and his wife The Revd David Bell Janet, who has compiled this month’s My Favourite... We shall miss both of them. David was born in Skipton in Thank you to everyone who has so generously supported this year’s Spire Appeal. We 1952. He is a self-supporting have already received well over £1,000 and all your contributions are gratefully received. minister, ordained in June 2012, and working during the Best wishes week in events sponsorship management. Bell Ringing Susan Horner 020 8979 9380

Telephone: 077 1057 2498 Brownies and Guides Janet Email: [email protected] Girlguiding.org.uk or 0800 1 69 59 01 Janet Nunn Charities and Links Committee Parish Office Ann Peterken 020 8891 5862 thespire is published nine times a year for the Parochial Church Council of St James.

Administrator Children’s Champion We make no charge for this magazine, but we hope that you will contribute towards the production Jane Gibson Stuart Richardson 020 8890 4854 costs to enable us to expand our important outreach across the parish. For all general enquiries and hall bookings. The office is Church Cleaning Debbie Nunn 020 8979 3078 If you are a regular reader please consider making an annual donation. Cheques should be made open Monday, Wednesday payable to The PCC of St James and sent to Spire Appeal c/o the Parish Office. Church Flowers Coryn Robinson 020 8979 6786 and Friday mornings. Telephone: 020 8941 6003 Churches Together Around Hampton STORIES, FEATURES NEXT ISSUE / COPY DEADLINE Email: [email protected] Ann Peterken 020 8891 5862 If you have any ideas, or would like to write for the The July issue is published on Fri 26 June. All copy Address: St James’s Church, 46 St James’s magazine, please contact the Editor, Janet Nunn. must be with us by Tue 2 June. Deanery Synod Ann Peterken 020 8891 5862 Telephone: 020 8979 6325 Road, Hampton Hill TW12 1DQ Email: [email protected] Credits Electoral Roll Jane Gibson 020 8941 6003 Officials AROUND THE SPIRE PRODUCTION Eco-Group Catherine Gash 020 8783 0563 Design Nick Bagge If you have any news, please contact Susan Horner: Churchwarden Proofreaders Susan Horner and Dick Wilde Hall Bookings Email: [email protected] Nick Bagge Jane Gibson 020 8941 6003 WHAT’S ON PUBLISHING Nick is a former television Nick Bagge is listings editor. If you have an event to Printer Justin Hollingsworth 020 8686 4481 journalist, now working at a Hall Tea / Coffee Rotas Clare Ryan 079 6413 1135 be considered for inclusion, contact him. local theatre. thespire magazine is printed on Mission Partner Link Liz Wilmot 020 8977 9434 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 8783 0871 paper that is sourced from well-managed Email: [email protected] Mozambique/Angola Link WEBSITE / SPIRE BY EMAIL / YOUNG SPIRE forests, as laid down by the Forest Gwynneth Lloyd 020 8943 0709 Prill Hinckley is webmaster. If you would like to Stewardship Council.

receive the magazine by email, please contact her. Music and Worship Committee © St James’s Church 2015. Unauthorised Churchwarden Prill also compiles the Young Spire page. Peter Vannozzi 020 8979 2069 reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without Penny Sewell Email: [email protected] written permission from the editor.

Penny is a retired hotel PCC Secretary Clare Ryan 079 6413 1135 CIRCULATION industry training officer; now Manuscripts, photographs and artwork are accepted Planned Giving Committee thespire is available free from church and other a school reading volunteer. on the basis that thespire does not accept liability Gwynneth Lloyd 020 8943 0709 outlets. It is also delivered across the parish and Telephone: 020 8977 2844 for loss or damage to them. We cannot print anything posted further afield. Contact Susan Horner: Email: [email protected] Properties Committee subject to copyright. Views expressed in thespire Telephone: 020 8979 9380 are not necessarily those of the PCC of St James. Bryan Basdell 020 8979 2040 Email: [email protected]

Treasurer Safeguarding Officer Write to: 5 St James’s Avenue, Hampton Hill, Please recycle this Don Barrett Jane Newman 020 8979 6154 Middlesex TW12 1HH magazine after use Before retiring, Don worked at Scout Group Paul Fitchett 020 8941 7186 the Church Commissioners for England, who manage the Servers Lesley Mortimer 020 8941 2345 Come and worship with us! ’s assets. Telephone: 020 8979 3331 Sidespersons Janet Taylor 020 8979 0046 Sunday 28 June Sundays Email: [email protected] 4th Sunday of Trinity St James’s Ark Debbie Nunn 020 8979 3078 8am Holy Communion Wisdom of Solomon 1.13-15; 2.23,24; St James’s Hospitality / Parish Breakfast 9.30am Parish Communion 2 Corinthians 8.7-15; Clare Ryan and Kirstie Craig 079 6413 1135 Organist / Choirmaster Sunday 7 June Mark 5.21-43 Mark Blackwell St James’s Players Martin Hinckley 020 8979 0528 Corpus Christi

Mark is an accomplished Genesis 14.18-20; parish organist with 40 The Shell Seekers (Sunday School) (not Tues) years of experience. Term-time in the hall from 9.25am 1 Corinthians 11.23-26; Mondays-Fridays Telephone: 077 6814 6879 (except when there is an all-age service.) John 6.51-58 9.15am Morning Prayer Email: [email protected] Stuart Richardson 020 8890 4854

Tools with a Mission Janet Nunn 020 8979 6325 Sunday 14 June Tuesdays 2nd Sunday of Trinity SUPPORT US! 9.30am Holy Communion Theatre Club Peter Hale 020 979 9287 Ezekiel 17.22-24;  The more volunteers, the more we can do Visitors’ Group Liz Wilmot 020 8977 9434 2 Corinthians 5.6-17;  Support us by regular giving, it’s easy to do COMING SOON Mark 4.26-34  Leave a gift in your will, a lasting legacy Weekly Pew Sheet Jane Gibson 020 8941 6003 Sunday 5 July

Jacky Cammidge’s first eucharist as curate Sunday 21 June All-Age Service

3rd Sunday of Trinity Finding us Sunday 12 July 8am and 11am: Job 38.1-11; St James’s Church is on the St James’s Day 2 Corinthians 6.1-13; corner of St James’s Road Lunch in the Vicarage garden. Mark 4.35-41; and Park Road. There is Climb the spire, ring the bells ample parking in the road. 9.30am: Matthew 16.13-20 2 I thespire FOR DETAILS OF WHAT’S ON LOCALLY GO TO PAGE SEVEN Leader Column with David Bell The journey continues

Thought & Prayer Taking time to talk to God Vocation and Devotion

God our Father, who has taught us that there are a variety of gifts, but the same spirit, send your Spirit now to renew the vision of your people, that as we give thanks for all that has been, so may we look forward to the time when we, in all our diversity, may truly become people of God. Amen.

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6.14

May the Lord bless our ears, that we may hear his word. May the Lord bless our eyes, that we may see his light. May the Lord bless our lips, that we may respond to his love. May the Lord bless our hearts, that he may dwell there forever. hy do things have to change? Can’t we just At our very first visit to this church, Janet and I felt that it was May the Lord bless our shoulders, that we may carry his be the same? I mean...it’s so good, isn’t it? the right place for us. Since then we have worshipped at the cross and live always by his saving power. Can’t we just stay as we are? There is Lord’s table, shared our stories and enjoyed the Sunday services Amen something in all of us that wants to keep in the Fitz Wygram Hall for a few months. All of it is recorded things just as they are, yet we only grow with panache in the excellent Spire magazine, which the by changing and adapting to new acknowledged as among the best. You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are developmentsW in our lives. I give thanks for having such a sagacious trainer as Peter, who fellow citizens with saints and also members of the However, as Christians, we face the unpredictable with a vital made us both welcome from the first and has listened to my household of God. and unchanging connection between Jesus Christ and thoughts and been there to show me how and why (sometimes Ephesians 2.19 ourselves. ‘I am the vine,’ he says, ‘and you are the branches’ in over and over again!) with such patience. John’s gospel Chapter 15. The allegory of the vine brings before Just as the sun rises on a new day, you will have a new us the importance of fruitfulness in our Christian lives and the curate, Jacky Cammidge, with new skills and talents that will Lord your spirit sends apostles to all points of the truth is that, in the face of a changing world, this fruitfulness is enrich your spiritual lives, as she develops and grows. This compass, the result, not of human achievement, but of abiding in Christ. nurturing characteristic of our community is something to be and you draw people of all races and nations into one St Paul described believers as being ‘in’ Christ. celebrated and acknowledged. family in your church. After six years of ‘abiding’ with you all at St James’s, change is In my venturing out from St James’s, another part of the wider Broaden our horizons to learn from one another, in the wind for Janet and me and it is time for us to put on our body of the church will benefit from the way I have been shaped, expand our generosity to support one another, walking boots and head out on another path. We move with a as a , by your attentiveness and fellowship. increase our vision to pray for one another, feeling of loss, naturally, after sharing such a happy time with The purpose of the vine is to bear fruit and, in Jesus, we have that united, as joint heirs of your grace, you and enjoying your companionship in the love of Jesus. a strong and healthy vine on which to depend. the whole earth may resound with your praise and glory, From my early sermons, when I tried to work out how the through Jesus Christ, who is our true peace. teachings from scripture can enable us to be closer to God, to o I give thanks to God as I set out for new possibilities, Amen my first Eucharist as a priest, you have watched, listened and like many other pilgrims who walk in faith and travel with encouraged me in my vocation. S their Lord. But before we do we have to thank all of you We are a Eucharistic community here at St James’s, in that we for your love and being so supportive....and I’ll miss the cake! Jesus says that he came to call not the righteous, give thanks to God at nearly all of our worship by celebrating but sinners to be his followers. Holy Communion. It is a pattern that comes from Jesus who David’s final Sunday with us is 7 June. It will be followed by Matthew 9.13 constantly gave thanks to his Father and it is another constant in a celebration toast and food in the Fitz Wygram Hall. times of change. Do help to make this a suitably warm St James’s send-off Prepare me, O Lord for the place you have set for me. Charity Box Cara — Making life better HIV positive and need a little extra help. Use me as you will, for in your desire is my hope for people with HIV It recognises the importance of providing a holistic and in your purpose is my true goal. The word Cara is derived from the Gaelic word for service catering to mind, body and soul. Give me patience when your pace seems too slow to me. friend. Cara Trust was founded by the Revd David The range of services include social, spiritual and Strengthen and sustain me when I fear that I may Randall in 1988 as a community of friendship emotional support, advice and advocacy, collapse under pressure. for people living with HIV, a focus that financial support applications, complemen- In all things, keep me hopeful and keep me thankful, for continues to make it unique as an HIV tary therapies, retreats and social activities, your love has held me to this point and I know it will charity. counselling, home and hospital visiting, and never let me go. St James’s is a faithful supporter of the very helpful peer support groups. Forgive me when I forget your eternity; Cara Trust, whose annual income is about Volunteers play a valuable role in all that Through Jesus Christ who is our companion and £250,000. From its base in Notting Hill, the Cara Trust delivers. Service users enjoy salvation. charity’s main aim is to support and improve meeting people from all walks of life. Amen the lives of people across London who are www.caralife.com A prayer for vocation

thespire I 3 Well dressing: a

Local and National stories Every year, between May and September, Carole hands over keys to Penny AFTER FIVE YEARS as a villages across the churchwarden, Carole dress Greville-Giddings, pictured right, has stood down. wells to give thanks At the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), for their clean water Peter, our vicar, paid tribute to her immense supply. Dating from contribution and presented the Plague in 1348, her with a bouquet. Stepping into her shoes when a third of the is Penny Sewell, whose husband Laurence is a population died, member of the Parochial Church Council (PCC). elaborate pictures Penny will serve alongside are created using Nick Bagge, who was re-elected for a fifth year. The PCC has two new members. Linda Webb, who helps run our Sunday School, the Shell flower petals Seekers, returns to the PCC after a two-year break. Joining her is Emma Disher from The Ark group. The PCC hope to fill two further places soon. pressed into clay. Church growth a key challenge Susan Horner looks THE PCC HAS been asked to come up with a strategy to increase the congregation and attract more families. It follows the PCC’s Away-day in at how the local January at which the former , the Rt Revd Paul custom first began. Williams led discussions on how other churches had achieved growth. Peter told the APCM that a working party had been set up to explore all the options. He emphasised that the desire to grow did not mean that ell dressing has been a custom in existing members weren’t valued, but the number of parishioners would many villages in Derbyshire and decline year-on-year unless action was taken. Staffordshire for many hundreds of Meanwhile, treasurer Don Barrett reported that the church had a surplus years. It is a thanksgiving for the gift at the end of the year, due to the legacy from the Revd Betty Stewart. of water and in its present form is Some had been invested to produce an income. The church had also thought to have started in the village made donations of £5,000 each to the hospital in Milo and to St Richard’s Wof Tissington, just after the Black Death of 1348-9. Church, Hanworth. The rest would be invested in the short term while the Although the population nearby was ravaged, in PCC decided how best to use it. Tissington all escaped, and the immunity was thought to Annual spending included £118,000 to replace the heating system. be due to the purity of the water supply. It became the However, if the legacy and heating costs were taken out of the accounts, custom to decorate the wells in thanksgiving. It is also the church recorded a small loss for the year. recorded that during a severe and prolonged drought in Help sought for care charity 1615, when many cattle perished and crops failed, the A NEW LOCAL CHARITY, Embracing Age, has five wells of Tissington flowed freely and surrounding been established by Tina English, pictured, a villages were grateful for this unending supply of water. trained nurse who has worked for Age Concern and Age UK. Research shows that older people Pictures often tell Biblical stories in care homes are twice as likely to feel lonely as In earlier times, the wells would be simply decorated those living in the community. with a few flowers and leaves. However, since Victorian While other local charities offer valuable times, the well dressing takes the form of a picture, often befriending services to older people in the from the Bible. The cover photograph shows a well in community, Embracing Age aims to support Tissington in 2007, with Joseph explaining Pharaoh’s those in care homes by offering friendship and one-to-one activities, such dream. The side panels celebrated the end of slavery. as using technology to stay in touch with family and friends, reading to someone with a visual impairment or simply chatting. The faith-inspired charity is currently seeking volunteers. Anyone interested should visit embracingage.org.uk or call 020 3778 0035.

Jacky’s service AFTER THREE YEARS of intensive training, Jacky Cammidge will be ordained in St Paul’s Cathedral on Saturday 4 July at 3pm. Please come and support her. We will welcome Jacky as curate the next day at our 9.30am Parish Communion and afterwards in the hall. Jacky will now be able to lead services, funerals and baptisms. In a year’s time she will be ordained priest, enabling her to conduct Holy Communion.  Jacky has bought Hillpark Nursery School, which operates from our church hall, from current owner Sarah Merry. Jacky will continue to run a nursery school at The Greenwood Centre. 4 I thespire centuries-old art

worked on concurrently by the petallers. The process involves the whole community, with all age-groups contributing to the final display. The task of creating the finished picture takes about a week and it is then erected by the well. There is usually a procession to each well, where it is blessed by the local vicar. The A clutch of clergy grandchildren! pictures last about a week, depending on weather conditions, and the frames are then dismantled, cleaned and stored until the following year. Where there is more than one well in a village, one is often decorated by children. The photo, left, shows a well in Eyam in 2014, celebrating 100 years of the Brownies.

When the Plague came to Eyam The village of Eyam is also famous because of its reaction to the Plague. In 1665, some tailor’s materials were delivered from London, where the Plague was raging, to a house in Eyam. The man who opened the SINCE THE previous issue of The Spire, both our outgoing and incoming package became ill soon afterwards and died, this have become grandparents, and our former vicar, Brian Leathard, death being quickly followed by the deaths of other has a second granddaughter. members of the household. On 21 March, a daughter, Millie Isabella, was born to David and Janet The infection spread rapidly through the village and Bell’s daughter Catherine and her partner Kristian in Brighouse, Yorkshire. The wooden frames for the picture are soaked in the death toll in October was the same as that for the at the vicarage at Chelsea was particularly special this year as water in a river or pond for a week before work starts. whole of the previous year. Peter and Anusha Hesketh’s second daughter Anya Isabella, a sister to A thick layer of clay, sometimes mixed with salt, is Under the leadership of the rector, instead of fleeing Leila, was born on Holy Saturday. Brian’s father Ray had just arrived from then trowelled into the frame. This must not be too the village, the residents agreed to three drastic Berwick-on-Tweed and Ramani’s mother, Thilaka, from Sri Lanka, so four wet, as it will not accept the design, or too dry, when measures to control the spread of infection. generations were together to celebrate Easter. The family is pictured top left. Firstly, they agreed to quarantine themselves Abigail, eldest daughter of Jacky and Alan Cammidge, married Jacobus so that the disease did not spread to the surrounding Zietsman at St. James’s last May, and their first child, a son, unnamed at the area. Food was left by the then owner of Chatsworth time of going to press, was born on 4 May. Proud grandfather Alan is and by people from neighbouring villages at three pictured top right with his grandson. dropping zones near the village boundary. We send our congratulations and best wishes to all these families.

When they had gone, the Eyam villagers collected the food and left money in holes drilled in stones, to Singers needed for big event which they added vinegar to disinfect the money. THE LOCAL Voices for Hospices Choir Secondly, they buried the dead in their own gardens has been invited to be part of the and fields, instead of the churchyard, so that the Festival of Rugby, a series of events that it will be unable to hold the petals. The design, which infected corpses could be buried as quickly as will support the Rugby World Cup in has been drawn out on paper, is placed over the clay possible and nobody outside the family was involved. September and October. and pricked through with a needle or compass point. Finally, they closed the church and worshipped in Membership of the choir is open to all, The outline is then marked out with . Mosses the open air, so that they could keep at a greater and they are looking for singers to join them at a special day of events at and lichens, grass and leaves are used to start to distance and minimise the risk of passing the infection Kempton Park Racecourse on 27 September, one of the highlights of which build up the picture and flower petals are added last to each other. will be a massed Come and Sing performance of The Armed Man, Even so, accompanied by a professional orchestra. This event will raise funds for over the next local hospices including the Princess Alice Hospice and Shooting Star 14 months the Chase, which has hospices in Hampton and Guildford. For more information Plague go to vfhchoir.com. claimed 260 Christian Aid A toast to Pat lives out of a population of about 800, including the rector’s wife.

There are plaques today outside many of all. Berries, corn and cones may also be used, but of the houses all materials must be natural. The frames are often recording the made up of several parts to enable them to be deaths of up to 9 members of the household in this short time. The result of the self-imposed quarantine of the people of Eyam was that the Plague remained THANK YOU to all the Christian Aid CONGRATULATIONS to Pat contained in the village and nobody in the surrounding Week volunteer collectors who Young, who celebrated her 90th area was infected. pounded the streets around the birthday with her family on 22 April. parish delivering the red envelopes Pat has been a member of our Planning your visit and returning to gather them in. congregation for 60 years, helping to It is certainly worth a visit to the wells at Eyam, Co-ordinators Linda Webb, left, run a keep-fit class until she was 80, Foolow, Tissington, Hartington, or many other and Liz Wilmot, centre, are pictured and also active in the Mothers’ towns if you are in the area. Well dressing happens with Jean Jennings, one of the door- Union and flower arranging, which throughout the summer. to-door collectors. she only gave up last year. The A list of dates can be found on the internet at We’ll announce the total amount celebrations included drinks and welldressing.com collected in our next issue. birthday cake after church. thespire I 5 Young Spire with Prill Hinckley RECIPE for LIFE with Griselda Barrett World unites to Bakewell Pudding save the planet

akewell pudding comes from Ingredients Bakewell in the Peak District Makes one pudding in Derbyshire. The pudding 500g puff pastry, shop bought is fine B should not be confused with 3 tbs raspberry jam Bakewell Tart. It is only a very distant, 150g butter far-removed cousin from the glacé 150g caster sugar cherry-topped tart championed by Mr 3 medium eggs plus 1 yolk, beaten Kipling. The pudding is made with puff 150g ground almonts pastry, whereas the tart uses shortcrust zest of a 1 lemon pastry. 1 tsp almond extract Its origins are not entirely clear. The generally accepted story is that it was orld Environment Day (WED) In Ethiopia, rural farmers are increasingly originally made by accident at a local began in 1972 and is celebrated vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns inn around 1860. Mrs Graves, the every year on 5 June. It has brought on by the effects of climate change. Since landlady of the White Horse Inn (now become one of the most the 1960s, average annual temperatures in called Rutland Arms Hotel), instructed important ways that the United her cook to bake a strawberry tart for WNations encourages worldwide awareness of the some guests, but instead of stirring the environment. The aim is for everyone to take egg mixture into the pastry, cook positive action to protect nature and the planet accidentally spread it on top of the jam Method Earth. WED is a day for people from all walks of instead. life to come together to ensure a cleaner, greener 1) Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F The surprisingly delicious result was or Gas 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly and brighter outlook for themselves and future declared a triumph, and Bakewell generations. Taking floured board to ¼ inch / 5mm thick. resident Mrs Wilson, the entrepreneurial 2) Grease and then line an 8 inch/20 cm Ethiopia is considered one of Africa’s poorest water wife of a tallow chandler, obtained the nations. In 2000 it recorded some of the highest home deep tart tin with the pastry. Prick the recipe and began selling the puddings base all over with a fork. Chill in the poverty rates in the world, with 56 per cent of the from her cottage. population living below the poverty line. As part of Ethiopia have increased by 1.3°C. Weather fridge for 20 minutes. Unfortunately, like many legendary 3) Line the tart case with baking / its poverty-reduction strategy, Ethiopia began patterns are becoming increasingly hard to stories, it doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. predict, with shortened seasons, dramatic shifts greaseproof paper and fill with baking The White Horse Inn was demolished in beans. Cook for 15 minutes or until the between wet and dry conditions and more about 1804 and recipes for the pudding frequent storms and other extreme weather pastry is a pale golden colour. Remove appeared in a book in 1845. the baking beans, cook for a further 5 events, such as flooding and droughts. As What we do know for sure is that the temperatures continue to rise due to climate minutes. official recipe has never been released, 4) Spread the raspberry jam onto the Returning change, these problems are all likely to increase. and the town still remains jealously from work base of the pastry case, leave to one protective of it. side. in the Consume with care Bakewell Pudding is probably more of fields The WED theme this year is Seven Billion 5) Cream the butter and sugar together a dessert than a treat in the afternoon until pale in colour with an electric Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care. with a cup of tea, though, like the recipe introducing modern agricultural methods in 2005, Evidence is building that people are consuming whisk. Beat the egg yolk into the beaten itself, opinion is divided. eggs and slowly add to the creamed as well as increasing new export schemes to help far more natural resources than the planet can economic growth. Despite very good progress sustainably provide. Many of the Earth’s butter and sugar a little at a time. Gently fold in the ground almonds, lemon zest made in reducing poverty, a number of challenges ecosystems are nearing critical tipping-points of means that some 37 million Ethiopians remain depletion or irreversible change. By 2050, if and almond extract. either poor or vulnerable to falling into poverty. consumption remains the same, we would need 6) Pour the mixture into the pastry case. three planets to sustain our ways of living. Level the surface, ensuring the whole Millions don’t get enough to eat case is filled. Bake for 30 minutes.

Three out of every four Ethiopians work in agriculture, mainly farming and livestock Everyone production. Despite this, more than 31 million helps to do people don’t eat enough nutritious food. Frequent the washing drought, a lack of training and equipment for

farmers, and poor access to markets make it Photos: difficult for many of them to earn a living. Dan Smith

Our Sunday School, The Shell Seekers, meets in the hall from 9.25am during school terms, except for one Sunday in most months when there is an all-age service in church. We welcome Next Issue: new members. Come along for a trial visit and see just how much fun it can be. Celebration Cake 6 I thespire What’s On with Nick Bagge

NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- Faith at Work Teddington Choral Society Saturdays from 6 June, 9.15-10.15am, St James’s Church Saturday 27 June, 7.30pm Waldegrave School, Main Hall, The Summer programme of discussions about Fifth Cross Road, Twickenham TW2 5LH how our faith impacts on our working lives opens An evening of jazz-inspired choral music, including George Opinion with Alan Cammidge and Faith in Changing Roles. Shearing’s Songs and Sonnets from Shakespeare; John The rest of the programme is: 11 July, Lou Rutter’s Birthday Madrigals and Bob Chicott’s A Little Jazz with Canon Julian Reindorp Coaker, Faith and Taxation, postponed from Mass. Tickets £14 on door (£12 concessions). March; and 25 July, Lesley Mortimer, NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- WHO CARES? Faith on the Campus. Twickenham Choral Society NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- I am always amazed that in all the talk about immigration Saturday 4 July, 7.30pm, All Saints Kingston Parish Church, no-one seems to question that we have a right to drain Traidcraft Stall Market Place, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1JP some of the best doctors and nurses from the developing Sunday 7 June, 10.30-11.30am, St James’s Church Handel’s Israel in Egypt with Brandenburg Baroque Sinfonia world to work in our NHS. Then, when we are old, we once There will also be a stall on Sun 5 July (in hall) and in church and soloists Mary Bevan, Roderick Morris and Nathan Vale. NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- more drain the developing world of their carers for our on Sat 11 July (10am-3pm) and Sun 12 July (12.30-3pm). NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- needs, and we pay them the minimum wage or less for their Car-free Sunday work. Next time you have a chance to talk to a carer, ask Hampton Hill’s Future Sunday 5 July, St James’s Church them about their pay and conditions. Monday 8 June, 6.30pm, Hampton Hill Playhouse, We encourage worshippers, wherever possible, to leave the 90 High Street, Hampton Hill TW12 1NZ car at home and think about the environment. Richmond council’s Village Plan for Hampton Hill will shape the NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- THE POOR AND RICH area. It will cover a range of improvements – for example the TW12 Jazz Festival In the same fortnight we learnt that a record 1.1 million look and character of buildings, the use of green space and Friday 17-Sunday 19 July, various locations people are now using food banks, a 19% increase on the traffic issues. This informal gathering is is co•hosted by the Now in its third year – and with even more events over an last year, and up from 41,000 in 2009-10. Experts warned Hampton Hill Association and the Hampton Hill Traders’ entire weekend in South West London. For details of the that these figures are the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of food poverty Association, who will be joined by the council’s Community musicians and to book go to tw12jazzfestival.co.uk in the UK, while doctors said that the inability of families to Links Officers. As the venue is limited in size please RSVP to NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- buy enough food had become a public health issue. [email protected] or register at Hampton Hill Library. St James’s Day Service and Open Day Meanwhile, Britain’s billionaires have seen their net worth NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- Sunday 12 July, 11am, St James’s Church more than double since the recession: the richest 1,000 Twickenham Choral Society Our annual service and open day will families now control £547bn (up from £258bn in 2009). Saturday 13 June, 10.30am-5pm, St Andrew’s Church, this year be a double celebration as it London now has 80 billionaires, more than any other city Maple Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 4AL will include several members of the in the world. The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the An open workshop on Handel’s Israel in Egypt, led by congregation being confirmed by our average family is as well off as in 2008.The richest sports Laurence Cummings, Musical Director of the London Handel preacher, the Rt Revd Stephen Platten, star is Lewis Hamilton, worth £88m, and the Queen has for Festival. Tea and informal concert at 4pm. Rector of St Michael's, Cornhill, and an the first time dropped out of the richest 300. NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- honorary Assistant Bishop to the The Barnes Choir Diocese of London. RISE IN VOLUNTEERING Saturday 20 June, 7.30pm, All Saints Church, East Sheen Prior to taking up the post in July Avenue, London SW14 8AX last year, Michael was for 11 years. Born The number of volunteers involved in church community A concert including Vierne’s Messe Solennelle, Duruflé’s in London, he worked for Shell before ordination. As usual, projects has risen nearly 60% in four years. The National Requiem and Fauré’s Motets. Telephone 020 8876 4825. following the service, lunch will be served in the hall and can Church and Social Action Survey shows that 1.4 million NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- be taken into the vicarage garden. volunteers shared in UK church-based projects in the past Concordia Voices The church will re-open from 1pm-3pm, giving parishioners year, involving 114.8 million hours. Sunday 21 June, St Mary with St Alban Church, Teddington and visitors the chance to climb the tower and ring the bells. The top five activities were food distribution, parent and Tickets £12 (concessions £10) on door or £10 (£8) in advance NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- toddler groups, school assembles or RE work, festivals or from members, or by emailing [email protected] Prudential Ride London fun days and children’s clubs. Many churches now provide NEW--–————--——————————————————————–———————————–——- Saturday and Sunday 1-2 August marriage courses as well as youth work. In the past four Hampton Hill Summer Fair Over 95,000 cyclists will be participating in five separate years, church involvement in food distribution had risen Saturday 27 June, 12.30-7pm, all along High Street events on traffic-free roads in London and Surrey over the from 8% to 80%. It must be summer! The local traders help us celebrate what is weekend. After passing through Richmond Park, the Prudential

good about the local community. The fun includes a treasure Ride London-Surrey Classic route continues through the heart CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION hunt, tug of war, storytelling, music workshops, face painting, of Kingston upon Thames and through Bushy Park to Hampton Cardinal Vincent Nicholls, Roman Catholic Archbishop of craft and food markets, a dog show, pony rides and children’s Court and into Surrey. Many local roads will be closed and Westminster, has asked whether Christians fleeing in large rides. For full information go to Lovehamptonhill.com expect some congestion. We’ll have more in our next issue. numbers from the Middle East, the cradle of our faith, will ever return? Registers for March and April Vicar’s View A recent report for the United Nations suggested that

Christians are targeted in 151 of the UN member states. MARCH APRIL Pope Francis paid tribute to persecuted Christians, whom Baptisms Baptisms he called ‘the martyrs of our time’. 8 Heidi Joan Mackenzie 12 Stanley Harrison Fox, Hodgson, Teddington Hampton

PASSION PLAY CROWDS 22Alice Mary Healing, 26 Ronnie Patrick Darbon, Teddington Hampton The organisers of the Richmond Passion Play, performed in the town’s streets on Good Friday expected some 500 Wedding Weddings people to turn up. In fact, over 2,000 did. 27Gregory Wilfred Woodland 7 Robert James Kennard and and Lisa Jane Kingston, Lindsay Kay Clifford, Walton on Thames Twickenham RELIGION IN THE UK 18 Andrew Nigel Hyde and The UK is among the least religious countries in the world. Funerals In a global ranking of 65 countries, the UK came sixth from 3 Brian Edward Deal, 74, Anna Elizabeth Clark, last with 30% calling themselves religious. Globally two- Hampton Hill Maid’s Moreton

thirds of people consider themselves religious, and those 5 William John Finnemore, Funerals under 34 tend to be more religious than other age groups. 91, Hampton Hill 2 Walter Sigismund Blaschke, 90, Hampton 16 Florence Edith Benham, 21 Jean Edith Coats, 84, MORE WOMEN 89, Hampton Hill Hampton After , as , we now have as and Rachel Treweek as 25 Elizabeth Anne Davies, 28 Ricky Smith, 32, Changing the name from St Mark’s Church resulted in a — all of them have clergy husbands. 73, Hampton Hill Richmond big increase in the number of men attending services thespire I 7 My favourite...Theatre shows Janet Bell Where every night is a first night performance

here is something very exciting GUYS AND DOLLS BOEING BOEING about sitting in a theatre 3 National Theatre 8 Comedy Theatre, London auditorium waiting for a live production to start. Film is fixed in time, but theatre responds to the audience and Teach performance is a unique experience. David and I love theatre and try to go whenever the opportunity arises. Narrowing Sit down you’re rocking the boat! From Later, the playwright it down to 10 favourite productions has been curtain up, we were off on a toe-tapping, went into a darker period almost impossible, but has reminded us of finger-clicking ride of pure entertainment. in his writing and his Farce has to be fast and furious to work and some memorable experiences. Imelda Staunton acted as though she was plays became less this was spot on. The opening and shutting So, in no particular, order... six feet tall, when she is really quite petite. comfortable — which doors, the air stewardesses, the arrivals and But it was Clive Row who stopped the show was unfortunate as we departures all CORAM BOY for a standing ovation after singing Sit Down had taken friends to the like clockwork 1 National Theatre You’re Rocking the Boat. Making up the duo theatre and told them until it starts to An epic production, of top names in Richard Eyre’s classy how funny it would be! unravel and

based on the book The production was Henry Goodman. STONES IN HIS POCKETS the laughter Coram Boy, with a 6 Tricycle Theatre, London keeps coming. large cast, orchestra The actors were And with Mark and chorus. We didn’t masters of making us Rylance and Roger Allam, there was never know the story of the set aside the logical going to be a bumpy landing. hospital for orphans in and believe that two WAR HORSE Bloomsbury and Sir people can become National Theatre Henry Coram but found the production at the 9 so many different Olivier Theatre one of the most moving we characters. have experienced. In this comedy- If ever music enhanced an experience it drama, two actors was here with Coram’s contemporary play 14 characters Handel conducting a quartet as the AMY’S VIEW without the aid of soundtrack to superb effect. If the gentleman National Theatre 4 props or costumes. Each character is who sat next to me is reading this – Such a good story and so topical at the time defined by voice and body posture. The apologies and thank you for your concern as of the early 80s recession, when invest- ability to tap into our imagination was a I sobbed at the end of the first half. ments were collapsing and the ground credit to the versatile actors and the writing. Suffering and the human condition were shifting underneath people’s feet. Moving played out in front of us by the display of a from security and success to insecurity, boy’s

affection

for a

horse

that

went to

war and

became a hero. We knew the horses were

MIDDLEMARCH puppets, but they became magically alive

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE 7 Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond thanks to the talented puppeteers.

DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME Such a good story, sorry, 2 THE PITMAN PAINTERS National Theatre stories (this was a trilogy), Judi Dench’s character spoke for many. We National Theatre The programme and a master class in 10 will never forget the skill of Judi and for this condensing a book. A Samantha Bond, who while relaxing on a engrossing play tome that is measured by sofa (in the centre of the vast National gives you the its weight, rather than Theatre on the South Bank) had a softly hint that this number of pages. Slightly spoken heart-to-heart chat clearly audible account of a boy disturbing that Dorothea right across the auditorium and leaving the with autism is was entranced by a audience spellbound. actually about clergyman who was such a

the reaction of twerp, but we won’t dwell

the people he on that! The direction in

encounters in life: parents, healthcare each production shone out. I bought the script of this play afterwards, as professionals and other folk. The staging We moved from scene to scene with the it was packed with great lines. cleverly provides an insight into what it is like minimum of fuss. We were right there in the This was the to be affected and how coping mechanisms drawing room with the sun bursting through, definitive ‘follow- are employed by one so young. or in the middle of the night in a scullery. your-heart’ play,

THE NORMAN CONQUESTS with so much to

Globe Theatre, London offer about the 5 The pinnacle of Alan Ayckbourn’s comic creation and

writing in our opinion, as we sat and laughed appreciation of

at ourselves bring parodied on stage. We art... as well as

knew it was pulling us apart and showing the systematic

how silly humans are, but we didn’t care and destruction of an

told others to go and see it. industry. 8 I thespire