DATES FOR YOUR DIARY FEBRUARY Wednesday 4 7.30pm BEAT meeting THE WATERSHED MAGAZINE Thursday 5 7.30pm Coates Gardening Club Saturday 7 7.30pm Quiz Night Rodmarton Village Hall Thursday 12 10am Time Out Bible Discussion Group Monday 16 Mobile police station visiting our villages Tuesday 17 11.55am Mobile library visiting Coates Tuesday 17 7.30pm Frampton Mansell Rural Cinema Thursday 19 2.30pm Good Companions’ meeting Wednesday 25 10.30am Coffee Morning in aid of BEAT at Kemble House, Kemble. MARCH Thursday 5 7.30pm Coates Gardening Club Saturday 7 7pm Cirencester Male Voice Choir and Caldicot Male Voice Choir concert Tuesday 17 11.55am Mobile library visiting Coates Wednesday 18 Mobile police station visiting our villages Thursday 19 2.30pm Good Companions’ meeting
St Matthew’s, Coates
February 2015
24 1 RECTOR USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS Rev Trevor Kemp 770550 Watershed Editor Bob Merrill 771496 Coates Rectory, Coates GL7 6NR [email protected] Watershed Treasurer Janet Loines 841578 CURATE (Non-stipendiary) Watershed Intercession Group Anne Chilton 770726 Coates Parish Council Bob Allen 771229 Rev David Austin 860692 Coates Parish Council clerk Libby Harrison 07791 943822 [email protected] Coates Gardening Club Margaret Reynolds 771354 READERS Coates Social Club secretary Annabelle Crapper 770266 Richard Marlowe 770401 Coates Tree Warden Geoffrey Moore 770869 [email protected] Coates Village Hall Susan PJ 770596 Barrie Cran 770809 Coates Neighbourhood Watch Liz Allen 07771 553061/771229 Frampton Mansell Village Hall Bookings 760102 or 760300 STRATEGIC YOUTH MINISTER Rodmarton & Tarlton PC C/man Paul Drake 770267 Anton Wynn 07816 315423 Rodmarton & Tarlton PC clerk Susan Hare [email protected] Rodmarton School 841284 COATES Rodmarton Village Hall Norman Hopkins 07514485555 Church Wardens: Dickie Randall 771300 841287 Jasper Biddulph 770230 Tony Berry 770220 Rodmarton Cricket Club Nick Clarke 841421 Flower Team Leader Heather Wheatley 770829 Sapperton with FM PC Chair Sarah Osborn-Smith 760874 Treasurer PCC Janet Trinder 770525 Sapperton/FM council clerk Ruth Pittaway 644201 Sapperton/FM Snow Warden Mark Franklin 760226 SAPPERTON WITH FRAMPTON MANSELL Sapperton Tree Warden Paul Dingley 760788 Sapperton Village Hall Annette Bullock 760468 Church Warden: Jeremy Hoskins 760227 Sapperton School Dawn Thomas 760325 Elizabeth Pick 01453 884791 Royal British Legion John Chilton 770726 Deputy warden St Kenelm’s Mark Hamer 760715 Good Companions Betty Mixture 770569 Rotas Kate Gordon-Lennox 760651 Watershed RDA Bob Merrill 771496 Secretary PCC Natalie Hunt 760421 Watershed Farm Club Liz Collins 770621 Treasurer PCC Peter Mammatt 760852 District Councillors Thames Head Ward John Birch 770360 Avening Ward Jim Parsons 01453 836596 RODMARTON AND TARLTON (Chapel of Ease) County Councillor S D E Parsons 821451 Church Wardens Member of Parliament Geoffrey Clifton-Brown 01452 371630 Rodmarton Mary FitzGerald 238607 Cirencester Hospital 655711 Sophia Kinmont 841222 Police non emergency (24hrs) 101 Tarlton Jasper Biddulph 770230 Lynn Saunders - Village Agent 07776 245 754 Coates Resilience plan agents John Birch 770360/07989946224 Flower Team Leader Sarah Pope 841253 David Lattimore771006/07836511011 Secretary PCC Jane Marlowe 770401 Treasurer PCC Simon Biddulph 841462
2 23 MOBILE LIBRARY VISITS FORTHCOMING SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE The mobile library visits Coates every 4 weeks. The visit for the next 1 February Candlemas months will be on Tuesday 17 February and 17 March between 9.30am Kemble Holy Communion 11.55am and 12.55pm outside the village hall. 9.30am Coates Holy Communion 11am Poole Keynes Family Service 11am Somerford Keynes Morning Prayer MOBILE POLICE STATION 11am Rodmarton Holy Communion The mobile police station will be visiting our villages next month at the 11am Sapperton Family Holy Communion following times: 3pm Kemble Messy Church Mon 16 February Wed 18 March 4 February Midweek Wednesday Frampton Mansell 1 - 1.45pm 1 - 1.45pm 10am Kemble Holy Communion Sapperton 2 - 2.45pm 2 - 2.45pm 8 February 4th Sunday before Lent Coates 3 - 3.45pm 3 - 3.45pm 9.30am Kemble Family Service Kemble 4 - 4.45pm 4 - 4.45pm 9.30am Coates Holy Communion Somerford Keynes 5 - 5.45pm 5 - 5.45pm 9.30am Poole Keynes Holy Communion 11am Tarlton Holy Communion 11am Somerford Keynes Holy Communion 11am Rodmarton Matins ADVERTISING IN THE WATERSHED 11am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion If you wish to advertise in our parish magazine please contact Bob 11 February Midweek Wednesday Merrill at Glebe House, Coates, GL7 6NU. Tel 771496, Mobile 07866 10am Kemble Holy Communion 972389 or by e-mail to the Watershed magazine at 15 February 3rd Sunday before Lent [email protected]. 9.30am Kemble Holy Communion Adverts at a third of a page cost £15 for a single issue or £60 for 5 9.30am Coates Family Service issues. Adverts at half a page cost £23 for a single issue or £90 for 5 9.30am Frampton Mansell Family Service issues. The magazine is published 10 times every year; July/August 11am Poole Keynes Morning Prayer and December/January are joint editions. Cheques should be made 11am Somerford Keynes Family Service payable to Watershed magazine. 11am Rodmarton Holy Communion (BCP) 18 February Ash Wednesday 10am Kemble Holy Communion 22 February 2nd Sunday before Lent CLOSING DATE FOR THE MARCH MAGAZINE - 12 February 8am Tarlton Holy Communion (BCP) Contributions should be sent to Bob Merrill at Glebe House, Coates, 9.30am Kemble Morning Prayer (BCP) GL7 6NU. Tel 771496, mobile 07866 972389 or by e-mail to the 9.30am Coates Holy Communion Watershed magazine at [email protected]. Articles should 9.30am Poole Keynes Holy Communion 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 Rodmarton Family Service should be submitted by 12 February at the latest for inclusion in 11am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion the next issue. 6pm Kemble The Source
22 3 REFLECTIONS FROM THE RECTORY I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed the New Year celebrations as well. I don’t know about you but I always struggle to get excited about New Year celebrations probably because my focus and energy is as you would expect on Christmas and the beginning of the story of incarnation. Incarnation is of course about a new hope, a new way of living and about the opportunity for all of us to have a new start in our relationship with God. Whilst that opportunity might be free for any of us it is not necessarily without cost and may for any of us be very costly. Any brief glance at the stories in the bible will reveal for you that being close to God may make you quite unpopular in the world so a choice to follow God is a very meaningful and powerful one. It is remarkable that this faith not only took hold and flourished but has changed the world in which we live and continues to challenge and change the lives of billions of people in our world. With that thought in mind it is interesting that the first saint celebrated after Christmas is St Stephen. A saint is really anyone who trusts in Jesus alive today or not for the faith of the church of course is in a God who being outside of time calls us through the resurrection of Jesus into an eternal story and relationship with him. Most of you will know that Stephen is remembered on 26 December, the day after we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Stephen’s story is in the book of Acts Do you have a mole or rabbit problem? where despite the threats of the Jewish religious leaders he continues With over 30 years experience in traditional mole control I can to testify to the truth of Jesus. A young zealot Pharisee by the name of Saul (later to be St Paul) incites his martyrdom and encourages those effectively, discreetly and humanely remove the culprit(s)! who stone Stephen to death for proclaiming Jesus. There is a double No gas, chemicals or poisons used and completely safe to contrast here in that we go from celebrating the great family story and children and pets. all that comes with the nativity to a man willing to die for the truth of Jesus and his promise. We also have this link to the story of Saul, the NO MOLE - NO FEE great persecutor of the first Christians who becomes of course one of Fully insured and references available its greatest exponents and missionaries. He has to live with the Telephone: 07766 132934 (Days) 01285 770968 (Evenings) knowledge of his previous sins and goes on to be martyred himself in Rome after laying the foundation for the mission of the church to Member of the British Traditional Molecatchers Register expand beyond its Jewish roots to bring the hope and promise of God Member of the Guild of British Molecatchers to all the world. BPCA/RSPH Level 2 Certificate in pest control Faith can and should be life changing, unlike most New Year Call now for a free, no obligation site survey and quote Resolutions it should last a lifetime. www.gbestateservices.com With love and prayers Trevor Kemp
4 21 Firefly Fabrication PRAYERS IN THE BENEFICE Wednesdays at Kemble at 10am (Holy Communion) Manufacturing Tuesdays at Kemble at 8.30am Fridays at Rodmarton at 9.15am Gates Wine Racks Saturdays at Somerford Keynes (first Saturday in the month only)
Railings Candelabra TIME OUT BIBLE DISCUSSION Rose Arches Signs & Frames The Time Out Bible discussion group for mothers of school age children in the benefice will meet on Thursday 12 and 26 February at Phil Robbins 10am. For more details and venue, please contact Julie on 770123 or 07973 819347 email [email protected] or [email protected].
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20 5 NEWS FROM COATES COATES GARDENING CLUB Our programme for 2015 will begin on Thursday 5 February at 7.30pm in Coates village hall with a talk by landscape architect Martin Portus on John Jefferies and Son and the history of the Royal Nurseries in Cirencester, where Martin began his career. Many have memories of this prestigious business. There will be a raffle and refreshments to follow the talk. Then on Thursday 5 March, Priscilla Burris will present a picture of what life would have been like at Chedworth Roman villa and of its importance in the locality. There are more meetings and outings planned throughout the year and visitors are always welcome at a charge of £2.50 per evening. The annual subscription of £7 is even better value. Do consider joining the club and enjoying many interesting and sociable occasions. Margaret Reynolds
COATES VILLAGE LOTTERY The eighth draw of the Coates village hall lottery year was held at 7.30pm on 5 December at the Old School as there was no family day at the social club. There were 56 participants. Prizes were awarded as follows: First Prize: £50 to No 19 Paul Sanders Second Prize: £30 to No 47 Christine Beard Third Prize: £20 to No 45 Philip Yates The ninth draw of the Coates village hall lottery year was held at 7.30pm on 2 January at the Old School as again there was no family day at the social club. There were 56 participants. Prizes were awarded as follows: First Prize: £50 to No 11 Janet Trinder Second Prize: £30 to No 46 Rosemary Minshull Third Prize: £20 to No 92 Jane Burr We are now entering the last quarter of the current lottery. New contributors to the lottery are welcome at any time, and can pay for any number of months at £4 per month. Forms are available from Diana Crane, Betty Mixture, Roy Pond, Ron Smith or Michael Vaughan.
6 19 THE GOOD COMPANIONS Out of this world Our next meeting will be on Thursday 19 February in Coates village Decorating services hall at 2.30pm. We will have a quiz followed by a beetle drive. Established 1999 Our meetings are held monthly in Coates village hall at 2.30pm and include a raffle and tea with biscuits. New members are always Free estimates welcome, we are an over 55s club with an annual subscription of £4. Reliable friendly professional service Betty Mixture References available on request Interior and exterior ART IN COATES Art History classes at Coates village hall started again on Wednesday Email [email protected] 7 January at 10.15am with the last in the series on American Art, led Telephone Mike Sawyer in Coates on 07516 641657 by Dr Alice Prado de Carvalho. The next course started the following week on Thursday 15 January. Laura Mellor is giving a six week course entitled "Artisan to Artist: Devotional Art of the 13th and 14th HFL Property Services Centuries". We have reverted to our regular pattern of classes on a Thursday, from 10am to 12 noon with a refreshment break midway. Garden Maintenance All are welcome; the cost is £10 per session, paid on the day. For Landscaping – turfing, terraces, fencing further information please contact Diana Crane on 01285 770976. Painting & Decorating – interior and exterior Handyman Service (1/2 day minimum) Tree Surgery Carpentry – kitchen fitting, wardrobes
Contact: 07887 591971/01285 850672 www.hasslefreeliving.com
Specialist in airport transfers and COME AND JOIN US! long distance journeys. Friendly, flexible and reliable licensed service available At Kemble Primary School on Monday - Friday day or night for pre booked journeys. 8.45am – 12.45pm All UK and European destinations. (with an option to collect at 11.45am) Central London a speciality. Credit card facilities available Now also open Wednesday and Thursday Phil Bradley, Cornerstones, Stroud Road, Bisley afternoons from 12.45pm – 2.45pm Tel: 01452 770337 Mobile: 07082 154968 [email protected] Open to all children aged 2 – 4 www.cornerstoneschauffeurservice.co.uk www.kembleplaygroup.co.uk [email protected] Proud to have served the Cotswolds for more than a decade.
18 7 NEWS FROM SAPPERTON AND KEMBLE AND DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION FRAMPTON MANSELL WOMEN’S SECTION It is with great sadness that we lost another of our valued members recently. Peggy Tibbles of Coates aged 85 years. Both Peggy and PAWS FOR THOUGHT her husband Charlie were both very keen gardeners and in years Once there was a time when our house was a silent place even when gone by enjoyed growing and selling for various organizations. Peggy we were both there working. Now that silence is broken by heavy will always be remembered for her infectious chuckle and her kitchen breathing, the swish of a tail or even the extraordinary dreaming duties at meetings making endless cups of tea! Her family was sounds of pheasant chasing. In return for two meals a day and a daily supported by many friends/members from the branch at the funeral. walk the reward is friendship, the warmth of a furry body pressed up The next meeting of the branch will be in Kemble village hall on so closely that nothing can come between us. Thursday 26 February at 2.30pm. The speaker has yet to confirm that In human friendships we often upset and offend and wonder what we he can get cover at the time of writing but hopefully it will be Chris have done wrong, but this relationship is one of constant affection and Evans from the Butterfly Garden project at Dundry Nurseries. He is a love; unwavering and boundless. If I have been out all day leaving remarkable man encouraging those less fortunate to lead fulfilling him alone I don't walk into a hostile atmosphere or have to appease lives. This is an open meeting and visitors are very welcome. him, although a treat is always welcome; on the contrary I am greeted Pat Ayres Hon Sec and Standard Bearer. with a generous welcome, joyful wags and the gifts of a favourite teddy or failing that the nearest shoe or slipper. In the evenings I am required to play games of throw the teddy as the POPPY APPEAL 2014 catcher chases through the kitchen into the hall, pushing the rugs into concertina trip hazards. Science tells us that he is not smiling but he The local poppy Appeal collections arranged last November by certainly appears to be grinning from ear to floppy ear as he tears Kemble & District Branch, Royal British Legion, raised a total of around having a mad half hour. Not a day goes by when I do not give £6,143.42, slightly up on 2013. Of this, collections in Coates brought in thanks for the companionship of a dog. £1,137.73. Our thanks to collectors Shelagh Harrison, Sue Russell, Rosemary Minshell, John Dobson and Anne and John Chilton and for the generosity of the donors. CHRISTMAS CAROLS Many thanks to those who joined us at the Crown, Frampton Mansell to sing carols, drink mulled wine, munch mince pies and enjoy each other’s company. We collected just over £50 for the Save the Children MATHS COACHING TO GCSE Fund. Our thanks to Simon and Gemma. Does your teenager need a little extra help with Our thanks also to the 'hardy folk' who organised, sang, collected in Maths? Sapperton. Just over £102 was collected to be shared between the Would it help if they could understand some topics Save the Children Fund and the Church. I am sure they would like to better? thank their refreshment providers. Very many thanks to all who Do you feel they could speed up with a bit more practice? contributed. Wouldn’t it be good for them to feel confident about Maths, not just FRAMPTON MANSELL WEBSITE for exams but for life? This is a reminder about the website which you might like to access. If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes”, then call Visit https://sites.google.com/site/framptonmansell/home Rosemary Bailey on 01285 770278 to find out how I can help. for more details. Afternoon and evening sessions available.
8 17 NOTES FROM CULKERTON (cont) FRAMPTON MANSELL
A PAEAN FOR FEBRUARY (con’t) RURAL CINEMA February brings the first endings of the year, for the aconites, TUESDAY 17 FEBRUARY at 7.30pm crocuses and snowdrops finish. With their passing, winter starts to end. February also brings a great many firsts of the year – celandine, Come to a heart-warming comedy to lighten the wild primrose, etc. There is, though, a titanic push-and-pull February gloom! relationship between winter and spring: one day it is winter and the world is quiet, the next it is spring and the birds sing – only for winter WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY (12A) to return with vengeance, and so on. Eventually spring wins through, (Starring David Tennant, Rosamund Pike and Billy and buries winter. Good! Connolly) Incredibly, many of us who suffer from hay fever tend to develop the Doug (David Tennant) and Abi (Rosamund Pike) and their three condition during February, from alder and hazel catkins, and other children travel to the Scottish Highlands for Doug's father Gordie's tree pollens. One of the worst hay fever days I ever experienced, in (Billy Connolly) birthday party. It's soon clear that when it comes to 55 years of trial and tribulation, was Friday February 13th 1998. keeping a secret under wraps from the rest of the family, their children Then, spring burst through spectacularly, bumble bees and butterflies are their biggest liability... took to the air, and the temperature reached a record 20ºC next door in Herefordshire. February air is full of things, once the rooks kick off From the creators of the hit BBC comedy series Outnumbered - What mid-month and announce that a new year is truly born. Bring it on, it we did on our holiday is a heart-warming, uplifting comedy for all the leads to mad March hares. family. Matthew Oates Adults : £3.50, under 16: £2.50.
CIRENCESTER EATING DISORDER SUPPORT GROUP The local team will be on hand for the monthly meeting to be held on Wednesday 4 February which takes place in St Peter’s Lounge, St Peter’s Court, St Peter’s Road, Cirencester from 7.30 - 9pm. Before that Corinium Radio has asked to come along and make a recording of the work that the group does and have some first- hand interviews. During the BEAT Eating Disorder awareness week please drop in 10.30am to 12noon on Wednesday 25 February for coffee at Kemble House by kind permission of Jill Kingston. Browse and buy from accessory stalls/cake stall. Penny Junor, the patron of the group, will give a short talk on writing about the royals and her latest book on Prince Harry. Further details about the group in confidence can be obtained from Pat 01285 770385.
16 9 SCHOOL TIES - SAPPERTON CHURCH OF NOTES FROM CULKERTON (cont) ENGLAND SCHOOL NEWS Seed growing composts can be on discounted offers early in the year School’s Out! The long Michaelmas term but make sure the compost you use seems fresh; it should ideally be eventually ended, the Christmas holidays came and stored in a dry place. If you do get a batch of ‘gone off’ smelly compost went and, once again, the children are back for don’t use this for seeds, it can still be used as a soil conditioner in the another term! garden. Firstly, though, some rather sad news to report in that Mrs Kate Early seeds to sow indoors are tomatoes, peppers and annual flowers Somers, the school’s Business Manager, Secretary and Cox’n of all like antirrhinums. Under cover in the greenhouse start making non-teaching activities has moved on to pastures new – well Fairford successional sowings of baby leaf crops. This year I would Primary to be precise. Kate has played an instrumental role in recommend planting broad bean seeds in pots or trays and ensuring the effective delivery of the school programme and has transplanting these next month into the garden. There is a large carried out duties well in excess of her contractual requirements – population of voles and mice currently, which of course is excellent for supervising breakfast and after school clubs for instance and offering owls but not so good for our seeds! first aid assistance when required. We all wish Kate a prosperous Sally Oates future and offer our heartfelt thanks for her huge contribution to the school over the last 11 years. Meanwhile, the final weeks of last term saw Sapperton students out A PAEAN FOR FEBRUARY and around with the juniors visiting the Ashmolean Museum and the You probably cannot remember anything non-personal about the infants visiting the Donkey Nativity Service in Cirencester Parish month just passed. Such is January, eminently forgettable but Church, which the Reverends Andrew Bowden and Gary Grady led. painstakingly slow – except on the rare occasion when it does Also involved were 8 donkeys, 4 sheep, a dog and a chicken. These something spectacular, like snow heavily or throw a tempestuous animal services really do draw the crowds! tantrum. The truth is that these modern mild wet winters have made Elsewhere, Sapperton juniors got through to the semi-final of a flood- January even less endearing than it already was. It sogs and bogs its lit Tag Rugby competition at Deer Park. Years 3 and 4 went to way from Stygian gloom to nemesis. It sinks Lethe-wards, from Day Siccarage Wood nature reserve to meet Ellie Harrison who has One. Hibernation becomes hugely tempting, and seems gloriously become president of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. She was natural: first, we sleep the winter, then we dance the spring. Most of promoting their new campaign ‘My Wild Christmas’ and the children us try to ignore January, and carry on regardless, but maybe we made willow Christmas wreaths and had hot chocolate and should use this Seventh Day Adventist of a month simply to rest? marshmallows. That might well improve health and wellbeing, and save our beleaguered National Health Service its annual crisis. In future, Closer to home, the Christmas craft club proved very popular again perhaps we could use January properly, and slumber? and many children proudly took home some very artistic decorations - angels, 3-D stars, snowmen, doves of peace, printed gift tags and February, though, is generally a great improvement – except in severe many more (Parents please note: attendance at this club spares your winters, when it acts as a second January (imagine Double January, furniture and carpets from glue and glitter! This may be a tradeable no don’t). But February is the first month of spring in this era of early offset against the football and rugby clubs which bring home springs, and almost invariably sees the advent or genesis of spring. It magnificent helpings of playing field mud!) begins with the snowdrops and ends with the blackbirds bursting into choral evensong, and the rookeries in whirling dervish mode. Now And finally, no mention of the final weeks of last term would be that’s not bad. February is in fact a very subtle and much abused complete without mention of Sapperton’s Got Talent!; a wonderful month. Don’t let’s confuse it with January. January is the one we all evening in Coates village hall featuring 15 children’s variety acts loathe. ranging from solo singing and musical instrument performances to
10 15 NOTES FROM CULKERTON SCHOOL TIES - SAPPERTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL NEWS (con’t) GARDENING TIPS FOR FEBRUARY dancing and a poor chap being sawn in half. And then, after the ‘Where would the gardener be if there were no more weeds?’ Chuang artistic part of the evening had concluded, came the parents Tse, ancient Chinese philosopher. pantomime - Snow White and the Seven Sapperton Cyclists. An interesting question and one that could be answered in some very Hmmmmmm, probably not quite how Messers Grimms or Anderson different ways. Perhaps he was concerned about the unemployment of envisaged the plot, but an entertaining tale none the less. But be the skilled land worker, or for those who like to potter about removing warned, dear parents, there is a rumour that the pantomime will the weeds as they appear. If you didn’t spend time removing unwanted become an annual fixture and the talent scouts are out spotting for an seedlings how would you use your extra time? Surely you would not be increased cast already; time to book that winter cruise perhaps? lost for something to do in your garden! Finally, a very Happy New Year to all our readers! The year of the sunflower has arrived; The Ornamental Plants Industry Molesworth has decided that sunflowers should be promoted for growing. They are very happy looking flower and come in a range of delightful colours and pattern. The standing seed heads are very architectural, feeding wild birds during autumn into early winter. They can also be used as cut flowers; two varieties I shall be growing are ‘Jade Green’ and ‘F1 Starburst Lemon Éclair’, both with pale yellow blooms. So far January has started mild, wet, frosty, foggy, sunny and windy. The ground has generally stayed wet, which is ideal for planting perennial plants, shrubs and trees. The vacant space where my Quince tree grew has now been planted with some seedling apple trees, ornamental shrubs and a few more hellebore hybrids. The small apple trees are an experiment, grown from seed collected from a friend’s orchard, full of worthy varieties. The seed parent was ‘Golden Delicious’; so much more delicious picked when ripe from the tree. I have three seedlings which are of completely unknown quality. While the apple and pear fruit trees are dormant prune out dead, in- growing or crossing branches; use a sharp pair of secateurs to give a clean cut. Keep the whole tree the size and shape you desire. Fruit trees that have stones, for example plums, apricots or cherries, should be pruned in the summer. A new plant for my garden this winter is a black raspberry, called ‘Autumn Jewel’. This is a cultivar of the wild American species Rubus occidentalis, and much favoured for delicious fruit which are borne on the previous year’s canes. Old wood should be removed after fruiting, the new canes are a most attractive soft mauve with a silvery white wash, however these are very prickly, and like our blackberries have the ability to sprout roots from growing shoot tips in contact with soil.
14 11 NEWS FROM RODMARTON, TARLTON, FIBRE OPTIC BROADBAND CULKERTON AND HAZLETON Fibre optic broadband has now reached Tarlton and some people have already taken advantage of it. They are paying less and getting a THOUGHT FOR FEBRUARY better service but one needs to register an interest with BT, before signing up for the service. Rodmarton is, we think, due to be surveyed February opens with the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the in March and then hopefully the fibre laid sometime later in the year Temple of Jerusalem, forty days after his birth, known traditionally 2015 - especially if more people register their interest. as Candlemas. It is marked by all holding a lighted candle as the Church celebrates the Light of the world entering his temple, and recalls the words of aged Simeon who, having waited many years RODMARTON CHURCH CHOIR for the coming of the Messiah, takes the infant Jesus in his arms Forthcoming choir services are: and blessing God declares him to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, Sunday 1 February Candlemas and to be the glory of thy people Israel, as contained in the words of the Nunc Dimittis. Here is part of an ancient homily on the feast by a twelfth century abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Igny in RODMARTON PARISH COUNCIL WEB SITE France. http://www.rodmarton-pc.org - information for the villages of Let us please reflect on this beautiful tradition of the Rodmarton, Tarlton, Culkerton, Ashley and Hazleton. Church, on this day of bearing lights, how it re-enacts what WebMaster, Neil Hainsworth [email protected] was once done and signifies what we ought to do now. Whoever today, holding a lighted candle in his hands, does not instantly recall that joyful old man who on this very day received Jesus with outstretched arms, the Word clad in flesh as the candlelight is cupped in wax, pronouncing him Quiz Night to be the Light to lighten the Gentiles? Surely he was himself a burning and a shining light bearing witness of that Light, who for this end came into the temple in the Spirit Saturday, 7 February, 7.30pm prompt with which he was filled, that receiving thy loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple, he proclaimed him to be Rodmarton Village Hall that loving-kindness and the light of your people. In reality, radiant old man, you were carrying the light not only in your £12 entry per person hands but in your perception. So enlightened were you that including 2 course meal afar off you saw with such clarity the coming enlightenment of the nations. ~ Wine Bar ~ Ah, my brothers, behold how the candle burns in the hands All profits are in aid of the churches of of Simeon. Set your candles aflame by partaking of that light, candles decreed by the Lord to blaze in our own St Peter’s and St Osmund’s hands. Come ye to him and be enlightened, not so much to hold lamps as to become lamps yourselves, shining Teams of six inwardly and outwardly, in you and on all around. Guerric of Igny, died 1157 (© original translation) To book please ring 01285 770401
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