Rivenhall & Silver End Parish Magazine

40p 1 April 2013 Our Services this Month

7th April 2013 2nd Sunday of Easter 9.30 am St. Francis Holy Communion Rev. Paul Watkin 11.00 am St. Mary’s All Age Family Service Rev. Paul Watkin 14th April 2013 3rd Sunday of Easter 9.30 am St Francis Morning Prayer Rev. Paul Watkin 11.00 am St Mary’s HC With Sunday School Rev. Paul Watkin 21st April 2013 4th Sunday of Easter 9.30 am St. Francis Holy Communion Rev. Paul Watkin 11.00 am St. Mary’s Matins Rev. Paul Watkin

28th April 2013 5th Sunday of Easter 9.30 am St. Francis Morning Prayer Rev. Paul Watkin 11.00 am St. Mary’s Holy Communion Rev. Paul Watkin

Church Contacts Priest-in-Charge Rev. Paul Watkin 01376 583930 [email protected] Churchwarden Oliver Clarke 01376 514825 Churchwarden Peter Hope 01376 502605 Rivenhall Contact Carole McCarthy 01376 512781 Silver End Contact Ruth Aitken 01376 583846 Please hand articles for the magazine to Peter Hope or email to team.riv- [email protected] by 18th of the month. Rivenhall Website www,stmarysrivenhall.co.uk St Francis Silver End Website www.st-francis.org.uk/ Rivenhall School www.rivenhallprimary.co.uk/

Coming Events: 26th April 2013 Quiz Evening Quiz Evening Friday 26 April Henry Dixon Hall

5th of May 2013 Rogation Sunday Lillians Farm CM8 3PH 11.00 a.m. Rogation Sunday will be a Joint Service with The parish of Tiptree and Little Braxted

We (The editorial team) reserve the right to edit (i.e. cut, précis, alter, correct grammar or spelling) any item published and our decision is final 2 Monthly musings from your parish priest. I'm going to begin this month by saying another heartfelt Thank You. My wife and I have again been overwhelmed by the love and kindness of the people of the parish, shown by lovely baptism gifts for our daughter Tallulah. In addition, everyone who was at the service on the 3rd of last month helped to make it a lovely and memorable occa- sion; the memory of which we'll both treasure for years to come. But what can we say about April this year? Well, Easter Sunday found itself just falling in March on the 31st of last month, and Ascension and Pentecost aren't celebrated until May. But April also holds some special days in store for us too. We begin this month by continuing to celebrate the joy of Easter, providing us with the wonderful reminder of the new life which each of us is invited to enjoy through our rela- tionship with God in the risen Jesus. It also gives us an excuse to con- tinue to enjoy time off from the Lenten disciplines which we may have given ourselves. So if you received an Easter egg more than you ex- pected, you needn't feel too guilty about it; for the next week or so at least! The 23rd of April, is a great day to celebrate all things English, being the feast day of St George. Most people will probably think of the styl- ised imagery of George slaying the dragon, but how often do we think of who the real St George may have been? Although precise information is scarce, George is thought to have been born to Greek Christian parents in the late 3rd century, with his father being an officer in the Roman army. George then went on to become a Roman officer himself, following the death of his parents, to which he was welcomed due to his late father's position. But then during Diocletian's later per- secution of Christians, George had the courage to stand up for his faith. It would seem that not wanting to loose one of his most highly thought of officers, Diocletian tried his best to convert George to the worship of then Roman gods. But George resisted, and following some great ordeals was martyred for his faith on the 23rd April in the year 303. The imagery of George slaying the dragon is much later, and is often thought to be based on the idea of him standing against the then anti-Christian Roman empire; represented by the dragon. So as the patron saint of England, George could be seen as a good example of standing up for your faith, and what you really believe in, even against the greatest of adversity. Just a couple of days later on the 25th of the month, we then celebrate the life of one of the four gospel writers, or evangelists; that of St Mark

3 Most contemporary scholars will agree that Mark's (or John-Mark to give him his full name) gospel was the first to be written, circa 55- 70AD. Interestingly, there is little in Mark which doesn't appear in either Matthew or Luke, although sometimes with some variances. But no- tably Mark is the only one of the three synoptic gospels which contains the account of the young man running away in fear in the Gar- den of Gethsemane following Jesus' arrest, leaving his clothing behind him in 14:51-52. As such, it has often been wondered if this young man is in fact the gospel writer himself. There is so much one could write about Mark's gospel, that I couldn't possibly fit in here. But I will also draw attention to one other insight at this time. Mark's gospel contains a real sense of urgency within it, and as we read through the text, we frequently find the word 'immediately' used to this effect. Indeed, it could be said that if we only had Mark's gospel alone, that we might suppose Jesus' ministry took place over just a few weeks or months. For it is from John's gospel that we find the evidence of it in fact lasting at least three years. Now most of us will be familiar with the expression of 'not putting off till tomorrow what you can do today', or at least a variation of it. And though allowing appropriate time for fun and renewal, this might be seen as good practical advice to follow, especially if we work in today's busy world. But sometimes our faith can simply 'be there' in the background of our lives; always there but only simmer- ing away. St Mark's writing style, reminds us that our faith is some- thing we should all see as pressing and important in our lives, and will just perhaps, if we re-read his gospel from start to finish spur us on just a little further in our spiritual lives. So this month I leave you with a challenge, should you choose to accept it! Re-read St Mark's gospel from start to finish in one sit- ting; if you're a fast reader, then this may only take you around an hour. Perhaps do so more than once, and even using more than one version (or translation) of the Bible. Then see how it makes you feel. How might God be speaking to you anew through the text? If you'd like to then discuss anything you've read please do come and talk to me, or if we have enough interest, perhaps we could work through Mark's gospel as our next course of study. May I wish you all a blessed and lovely month of April over the days ahead.

Paul Watkin.

4 From the Registers Funerals: Rosina Florence Wells

Interment of Ashes: 4th February Jan & Fred Maye

Baptisms: Tallulah Elise Watkin Fleur Brody Rogers.

Weddings: 16th March 2013 Peter Michael Johnstone and Tarnya Nicole Dearing

Readings & Collects April

7th April 2013 2nd Sunday of Easter Acts 5:27-32 Revelations 1:4-8 John 20.1-18

Collect Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred: open the doors of our hearts, that we may seek the good of others and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace, to the praise of God the Father.

14th April 2013 3rd Sunday of Easter Acts 9:1-6 Revelations 5:11-end John 21:1-19

Collect Risen Christ, you filled your disciples with boldness and fresh hope: strengthen us to proclaim your risen life and fill us with your peace, to the glory of God the Father

5 21st April 2013 4th Sunday of Easter Acts 9:36-end Revelations 7:9-end John 10:22-30 Collect Risen Christ, faithful shepherd of your Father's sheep: teach us to hear your voice and to follow your command, that all your people may be gathered into one flock, to the glory of God the Father

28th April 2013 5th Sunday of Easter Acts 11:1-18 Revelations 21:1-6 John 13:31-35 Collect

Risen Christ, your wounds declare your love for the world and the wonder of your risen life: give us compassion and courage to risk ourselves for those we serve, to the glory of God the Father.

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6 Charity Golf Day With the kind permission of Simon Brice, we are hoping to run another Charity Golf Day at the Rivenhall Oaks Golf Centre later in the summer. Before we can put this in to fruition though, we need to know that there are enough people interested in playing, particularly those who are not members of the Golf Club. Please would you be so kind as to let me know either by phone (515437) or email [email protected] if you would like to field a team, or just come along as a single player – we can arrange teams. With many thanks, Ann

A NIGHT AT THE RACES - REVISED DATE

The date for the April Race Night has changed. It is now to be held on Saturday 13th April in Rivenhall Village Hall (apologies from the Rivenhall Millennium Committee). Tickets are £8.00 each and will be available from Bob Turner, Lilian Pearce and Jack Prime. The price includes a fish & chip supper. Bring your own drinks and glasses. A free supper is included and there will be a raffle. Doors open at 7:30 pm and the races start at 8:00 pm prompt. Please also note that this year’s Millennium Committee “Famous Riven- hall Races” will take place in the Village Hall on Saturday 26th Octo- ber).

An invitation on a pilgrimage..... During the weekend of the 19th to 20th of October along with the Priest- in-charge of the parish of St Andrew's church, Romford I will be co- leading a group of people on a pilgrimage to 'The Shrine of Our Lady' in Walsingham. This weekend provides the opportunity to spend some time with God at this historical place which has attracted countless thousands of visitors over the centuries, as a centre of pilgrimage and prayer. Those attending, may attend as many or as few of the activities in the program as they wish; which will include:

Stations of the Cross, Prayer and Devotions, Solemn High Eucharist, Candlelit Evening Procession, Healing and Anointing Service, the oppor-

7 tunity to talk to a priest for spiritual direction or confession, as well as time to socialise with other pilgrims. In addition, there is a shrine shop where you can purchase devotional aids, books, and other items. This weekend can provide time alone with God walking the beautiful shine grounds, and real spiritual refreshment. The style of worship and devotions are from the Anglo-catholic tradition within the Church of England, and I will happily provide further details to anyone who would like them. The total cost for the weekend is £80, and is full-board including the price of accommodation, all meals, and activities. Please talk to me regarding transport which will be arranged appropriate to the total number of people who come along. A deposit of £40 is require per- person to book your place by the end of April – although places are limited, and early booking is advised. If you are interested do come and talk to me, or give a me a call on my usual number: 01376 583930, and I'd be pleased to tell you more. Paul Watkin

RIVENHALL PARISH COUNCIL NOTES OF MEETING HELD 5TH MARCH 2013 Present: Cllrs. Bills (Chairing the meeting as Vice-Chairman), Wright, Prime, Brailey, Turner and Clark. Also present:: Parish Clerk and 6 members of the public. The Chairman welcomed Mr. Cooper from the Highways Agency. Apologies for absence An apology was received from Cllr. Abbott who was at BDC Planning Committee. Matters for Discussion A12/Oak Road junction

Mr. Cooper indicated that the Highways Agency (HA) had commis- sioned Atkins to undertake a study of the A12/Oak Road junction to be completed before 31st March 2013. Any identified proposals will be subject to the availability of funding and set against other needs on the trunk road system. Mr. Cooper reported that a site meeting had been held on 4th March 2013 between ECC Highways, Highways Agency, Essex Police and Atkins and a slightly revised plan had been produced showing a traf-

8 fic island at the junction with some additional signage with an estimated costing of £80k. Members of the public and Councillors asked various questions relating to this issue, including: Why not introduce a weight re- striction in Oak Road and ban HGVs from using this road by di- recting them via other A12 junctions; recent gas leaks along Oak Road and cracks appearing in people’s houses; vibrations along the existing slip and the lack of crash barriers along the cycle track/footway; the lack of a junction number on the A12; the 90 degree turn off the A12 onto Oak Road and why wasn’t a repre- sentative from the Parish Council invited to attend the site meeting. Mr. Cooper agreed to look further into these questions and report back via email. Mr. Cooper was also asked if the Parish Council could hold a key to the pump room under the A12 on Henry Dixon Road to save the cost of HA staff having to travel out to simply reset the pump whenever the road floods. He agreed to liaise further with ECC regarding remedial action along Henry Dixon Road so that the filter in the pump does not become blocked with silt. BDC’s future plans for Parish financing It was agreed that the council accept the BDC proposals for their future Localism Fund Grant Funding as per their letter of 4th Feb- ruary. RCCE Best Kept Village Competition 2013 Cllr. Bills agreed to compile the entry for Rivenhall and Cllr. Clark to compile the entry for Rivenhall End; Cllr. Clark will forward a copy of the entry form for the Rivenhall Churchyard to the Churchwardens. Highways Maintenance Overhanging trees in Henry Dixon Road - the Clerk will contact ECC Highways. The Church Road parking revisions are to be considered by the North Essex Parking Partnership at their next meeting. The demolished bollard at the junction of Henry Dixon and Oak Roads will be reported to ECC Highways.

Maintenance Repair/repaint posts on the Village Green;

9 Identify on a village map the location of flower bulbs. Planning Appeal: 12/00611/FUL – Change of use of existing vehicle parking to parking associated with Bartrums Road Services Ltd, Appleford Farm, Braxted Road. Members were satisfied that all previous representations have been forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate and will be taken into account by the Inspector. Local Development Framework The latest information from BDC regarding the proposed development off Forest Road/Rectory Lane is that the dates of 2021-2026 given in the Core Strategy are for completions, so the site could start as early as 2019. Further clarification of this is to be obtained from BDC. ECC Minerals Local Plan The Council’s response was sent to ECC and its receipt has been ac- knowledged. Braintree District Local Highways Panel The Chairman has requested the latest information from ECC regarding the projects relating to Rivenhall in advance of the Panel meeting on 14th March 2013. Tarecroft Wood Members were in receipt of the ECC Community Asset Transfer Docu- ment. It was agreed to defer this matter to the next meeting on 2nd April. Correspondence E-mail from Witham Town Council re an application for an 84 acre solar farm at Little Braxted Hall (Maldon DC area) with the proposed route for construction traffic via Braxted Road. Further information is to be sought before the end of the consultation. Information exchange and items for the next agenda The regular failure of Bus Service 132 Witham/Braintree - for the next meeting; Identification of diseased trees - for the next agenda/Annual Parish Assembly. Dates of future meetings Tuesdays 2nd April and 7th May in Rivenhall Village Hall, both starting

10 at 8pm. The APA will precede the May meeting, starting at 7pm.

End to End Nature Care.

As I write it is snowing outside, but Nature Care is now looking forward to the spring having had its last winter evening meeting. Sarah White has a wide variety of part-time jobs in the nature and conservation sector, combining them into the equivalent of a full-time (or sometimes even more) occupation. She spoke to the group about two sites where she frequently works: Daw’s Hall nature reserve on the Stour near Lamarsh and Hainault Forest, straddling the border of Essex and Greater London.

It was fascinating to hear the history of the sites. For example, at Daw’s Hall an island (Pitmire Island) was created when a river mean- der was bypassed, the canal section being controlled by locks and a lock-keeper’s house built on the island. Nowadays there is no sign of the house on Pitmire and very little of the locks, the whole set-up having been made redundant as use of the river for commercial transport was superseded by the railway (ironically the railway line passes closely adjacent to Pitmire). In the case of Hainault, Sarah demon- strated how much bigger the forest was before large scale uprooting by the industrious Victorians, as coal replaced the requirement for the firewood and charcoal previously provided by the pollarded woodland. Sarah went on to explain how the sites were purchased by conserva- tionists and subsequently preserved and developed into the havens for nature that they represent today. In the case of Hainault, being so close to very urban areas, she described the balance that has to be struck between conserving nature and facilitating its enjoyment by the public.

Returning to the bad weather, it again accounted for the most recently planned outdoor astronomy evening, with almost complete cloud cover on the chosen evening. Hopefully the chance to view comet Panstarrs has not been lost completely.

11 Excuse me a wry smile, but the ‘summer’ activities begin soon, with the cowslip count near Tarecroft Wood on Wednesday 17th April followed by birdwatching at Coleman’s reservoir on the 24th and then at Abberton reservoir on 1st May (with John Thorogood of Colchester Natural History Society).

Full details of these and all the group’s activities are available on our website at www.e2e.silverend.org or by contacting Simon on 01621 810141 or 07947 388180. Sky Notes April 2013 In astronomical terms, Spring advances rapidly during April, but so far in 2013 meteorological Spring has been struggling to make any ground against a prolonged winter chill. By the end of April daylight hours are essentially those of summer - with full daylight plus twilight lasting from 5am to 9pm BST. The Sun is still far enough below the Northern horizon during the night for there to be some hours of darkness to view the stars.

Those hours of darkness may yet be an opportunity to see the North- ern Lights from Essex. So far this solar cycle, the Sun has been rela- tively quiet, despite being near the maximum of its 11 year cycle. However, the time around the Spring Equinox is well known for pro- ducing active auroral displays. Moonlight is a major obstacle to seeing the aurora and so the best window of opportunity will be the first half of the month as the Moon is Full on the 25th.

That Moon will interfere with observations of the Lyrid meteors which peak on the 22nd but a few may still be seen in the late evening ema- nating from near the bright star Vega in the East.

Jupiter finally starts to slip away into the evening twilight as April pro- gresses, but before it is lost behind the Sun's glare there is a fine con- junction on the evening of April 14th with the young crescent Moon passing just 2 degrees below the planet. The only other major planet readily observable is Saturn which by late April is about 20 degrees up in the South East in the late evening. The Full Moon passes 4 degrees - about 8 Moon widths - below Saturn on the evening of the 25th.

12 Despite the worst efforts of the weather, Comet PanSTARRS was seen from Rivenhall on the evenings of March 12th and 13th low in the Western twilight. In binoculars it showed a bright head and a slightly curving tail. The comet is now fading as it moves away from both the Sun and the Earth. Later this year Comet ISON could be very bright and easily visible without optical aid- if it survives a close encounter with the Sun in late November. Recipe for April—Ann Clarke My parents both worked at Quaker Oats in Southall and as small children my sister and I would be volunteered to taste any new recipes. Porridge in many odd flavours, but these biscuits were our favourite. Melting Moments 8 oz. margarine 6 oz. Castor sugar 10 oz. SR Flour 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla essence Small quantity of oats Cream fat and sugar and beat in egg. Work in flour and van ess. Roll into walnut sized balls and roll in the oats to cover the biscuit. Place on a greased tray and press flat gently. If liked, put half a glace cherry on each one. Bake gas 4 - 180C 20 mins or until golden. Then hide the biscuits – they will disap- pear fast!

Would you like to learn Popular Sequence Dancing? Ballroom and Latin?

If there's enough interest we'll be holding the classes on a Wednesday evening in Rivenhall Village Hall To register your interest and for more information

13 Rivenhall Playing Fields Association Riventots "Play & Stay" Parent and Toddler Group Rivenhall Village Hall Every Wednesday 9.45am - 11.30am £2 for first child £1 for extra tots Call Ruth on 078 111 04813 or email [email protected] The Ark It's Open House at Rivenhall Village Hall Saturdays 2pm - 4pm Come along with friends for Tea, Coffee & Cake Have fun with Arts, Crafts & Puzzles all ages welcome Tel: 07538 599584 or email [email protected] Bingo! Saturdays 7.30pm - 9.30pm Rivenhall Village Hall, Entry 50p Bring a friend for an evening of fun! Everyone Welcome Call Jack on 01376 514255 Scottish Country Dancing Rivenhall Village Hall 2nd & 4th Monday of the month 7.30 -10pm Great for fitness and a good laugh too! Call Sue on 01206 303338 Rivenhall Carpet Bowls Rivenhall Village Hall Every Thursday - 7.30pm – 10pm Come along for an evening of fun with this friendly club. Coffee Morning Rivenhall Village Hall Every Friday 9am – 12 noon Tea, Coffee, Cake and a chat with friends

14 GLEN’S

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16 DO YOU USE YOUR CHIMNEY ?

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On the 1st of March at St Mary’s Church Rivenhall was held a concert to celebrate St David’s day. Our Choir Master for 50 years Keith Coleman had suggested last year that as we have a Scottish celebration (Burn’s Night) we should even things up by having a Welsh evening (although we couldn’t serve any welsh wine!!). On the basis of We had been expecting an audience of about 50 people based on our advance ticket sales but in the end it was nearer 100 with over 140 people in the Church the atmosphere was amazing even for a cold evening. The evening comprised an eclectic mix of music and Poetry performed by the Braintree Male Voice Choir (BMVC) who in the first half performed well known welsh Hymns and anthems including “Morté Christie” & “Cwm Rhondda”. Bryon Coomer treated us to Welsh poetry (Dylan Thomas's Under Milk wood) in a Welsh accent with a hint of Yorkshire. Peter Hope entertained us with some folk songs on the theme of Bird Songs. These were advertised as the “Welsh Nightingale” and the “Welsh Cuckoo”!! During the interval Welsh cheeses and new world wine were served and there was a very friendly atmosphere. In Part 2 the BMVC raised the tempo with renditions of some of Tom Jones greatest hits these were “Not Unusual” songs. Ian Whiteside produced a wonderfully soulful sound with his medley of welsh tunes played on the Saxophone including “David of the White Rock” and “Llanfair”. John Owen recited a very amusing Poem with rugby reference’s. He was roundly booed when mentioning Wales beating England so he changed the reference to Scotland. Bryon followed this with some amusing Welsh tales in the style of Max Boyce The Rivenhall Church Choir led by Keith Coleman rounded off the evening with “All through the Night” and “We’ll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside” followed by the Welsh national anthem “Land of our Fathers” this became a rousing and emotional rendition with the BMVC and the Audience joining in. We certainly raised the roof with that one!!

The Officers and Parishioners of St Mary’s Church would like to thank all of those who gave of their time and energies to make this evening such a resounding success. Particularly the Braintree Male Voice Choir and Keith Coleman

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21 BRAINTREE DISTRICT VOLUNTARY SUPPORT AGENCY

Braintree District Voluntary Support Agency Limited (BDVSA) gives advice on governance and fundraising opportunities to all voluntary groups and charities within the Braintree District. It also runs the Health Walks in the area and has a Volunteer Centre where volun- teers and volunteering opportunities can be matched. More information about BDVSA is available on the website at www.bdvsa.org.uk

The Board of Directors of BDVSA are currently looking for new members to increase their diversity and to replace retiring Board members.

The Board of Directors is responsible for the effective governance of BDVSA. They give their time voluntarily and meet six to eight times a year during the day. As an active member of the Board you could make a difference to the voluntary sector in the Braintree District.

If you are a member of one of our stakeholder groups and would like to represent them, or if you would like to be an independent member, and you live within the Braintree District, then BDVSA would like to hear from you. You can request an application form from the BDVSA office and on receipt of a completed application form an interview can be arranged. Please look at the website for our address or telephone 01376 550507.

Comedy Corner Old!! 1. If walking is good for your health, the postman would be immortal 2. A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water, and is fat. 3. A rabbit runs and hops and only lives 15 years 4. A tortoise doesn’t run and does nuffink yet it lives for up to 450 years Now that I am older here’s what I have discovered:- 1. I started out with nothing and I still have most of it. 2. My wild oats have turned into prunes and all-bran 3. I finally got my head together and my body is falling apart 4. The only time the world beats a path to your door is when you are in the bathroom

22 Trees as Resources.

Mankind has made use of trees for thousands of years. They have been a source of food, fuel, medicine, shelter, furniture, and ships. By trial and error man has discovered the different properties of each tree. Fruit trees were selected for their superior taste, and the Romans learnt the skill of grafting and cross pollination So let us look at some trees and discover how they have been used in the service of mankind. ASH (fraxinus excelsior ) Ash was pollarded on a 10 year rotation to produce long straight poles .Ash combines strength and elasticity and is used for sports goods such as oars, billiard cues and hockey sticks. Ash was used to make tool handles, crab and lobster pots. Ash can be steam bent, and used to make furniture. BEECH (fagus sylvatica ) Beech was often pollarded to produce fire wood, and sent in great quantities to London for (hearths and ovens.) In Roman times it was used as fuel for the glass industry. Beech was also used to make charcoal. Today it is made into fine furniture eg. Ercol. HAWTHORN (cratagus ) Common name is quickthorn, used extensively in the past to constrain livestock as thick thorny hedges. HAZEL(corylus ) Hazel has been used for hundreds of years to make woven panels for the traditional wattle and daub walls for cottages. Regularly coppiced it had many uses such as pegs for thatching, baskets, pea and bean sticks. WILLOW (salix many species ) Osiers are still coppiced for basket and fences. Willow bark was the original source of aspirin. Salix caerulea is the cricket bat willow much grown in Essex and Suffolk. In Sweden willow is grown and coppiced and harvested by machine to be burnt in special boilers to produce electricity to heat and light small towns.

23 LIME (tilia ) Lime has a tight grain and does not splinter easily. It was traditionally used for hop poles and Morrison men's sticks lime wood is pale and cuts very cleanly It is a favourite wood of wood carvers. Grindling Gibbons (1648-1721) was famous for his elaborate carved swags of birds, fruit and flowers. He used lime in his wonderful carvings ELM (ulmus ) Used in buildings and furniture – sadly the timber is now scarce. The gable ends if the houses in Foxmead (1960 ) were faced with waney elm. Elm was a traditional timber for the hubs of wooden wheels, and for coffins. OAK (quecus ruber ) The oak is quintessentially English. It has always been valued for its timber. It was used to build everything from country cottages to grand Tudor mansions. Oak furniture has tasted for hundreds of years and can still be admired today. The bark is still used for tanning leather. In our plastic, chip board, Made in China world do we need trees any- more? I have been polishing my," handmade in Norfolk" furniture for 50 years! It will still look good long after I have fallen off my perch! I will probably be buried in a chipboard coffin with faux brass handles, but I won't know! ( But I might turn over in my grave.) Comic Interlude Tales out of school! It is cold where Eskimos live, that is why they are always raped in blankets. Q. Describe the future of coal. A. Smoke. Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, but he mostly lived at Windsor with his merry wives. Joan of Arc was burnt to a steak. Joan of Arc was Noah's sister. T. You must try harder at maths. You will always need maths when you go to work. P. My dad don't. He works in a bank. From Tree Hugger

24 Janet C Davies Lady Funeral Director Invites you to ‘Light a Candle’ at A Service of Thanksgiving Sunday 12th May 2013 at 3.00pm St Mary’s Church, Bocking The death of someone we love is emotionally devastating. It may be the greatest loss that we will ever have to contend with. Organ- isers of this very special service, Lady Funeral Director Janet Da- vies, and The Very Reverend Philip Need invite families who have lost a loved one recently, or in the distant past to attend this annual Service of Thanksgiving to ‘Light a Candle in Remembrance’. Grieving is a process that can take a long time. A bereaved person needs support from friends, family and the community. Janet hopes that by offering those who have lost a loved one the opportunity to come along to this very special service, will give grieving families the comfort and support that is vital at such a difficult time in their lives. Janet said ‘we understand that some people may be open about their feelings whilst others withdraw. I would like to assure those who wish to attend that we respect that bereavement affects families in many different ways and that each family will have their own methods of handling their loss’. Often the grieving person be- comes socially isolated so we hope that by inviting people to this service will give them the opportunity to meet with others who are in a similar situation which can help break down their feelings of isolation. During the service those attending will be given a candle and will be invited to bring the candle, together with the name(s) of their loved one(s) to the altar for a blessing. This is a wonderful service in which to give thanks for those we love and have lost, everyone is most welcome to come along with family and friends, whether they have experienced a recent bereavement of in the distant past.

For further details please Contact Janet on 01376 339300/573691

25 RIVENHALL GARDENING CLUB For the first time the Club held their Daffodil Show on their Club evening, Tuesday 12th March 2013. There were fewer classes than usual and because of the prolonged very cold weather, fewer daffodils available to show, however, there were a good number of entries over all classes. Malcolm Bradbury was our judge and the awards were pre- sented by our President, Mrs. Joan Cain.

Rivenhall Gardening Club Shield &Daffodil Society's Bronze Medal LYNDA HARRIS Daffodil Society's Diploma DOT TAYLOR Miniature Daffodil Cup MANDY HAINES

Alpine Shield PAT CLARK

DOMESTIC CLASS PHOTOGRAPHIC Decorated Fairy Cakes 1 Mandy Haines 1 Pat Clark 2 Karen Hopegood 2 Karen Hopegood 3 Pat Clark 3 Tracy Taylor

After judging the exhibits Mr. Bradbury gave an illustrated talk on daffodils with advice on how to grow and nurture them. Their nearest relative is the snowdrop and there is a staggering number of wild daffodil species and garden hybrids. When purchasing garden daffodils look for the RHS Award of Garden Merit on the label. Bulbs must be very firm and look best planted in drifts or blocks of the same variety. Plant 4"/6" deep in September/October. After they have died back leave the foliage on for six weeks, the next year's bulb forms during this time. Feeding should be with a high potash but low nitrogen feed, tomato feed is suit- able. They should not require lifting for 6/7 years. A question was asked about daffodils that come up `blind'. This is because of overcrowding and they should be lifted and split and replanted although they may take 2yrs to flower again. Mr.Bradbury was thanked for judging our Show and for his interesting talk.

26 CLUB COMPETITION RESULTS Horticultural ( Stem of flowering shrub ) 1 Don Scott 2 Pat Clark 3 Lyn Harris

Domestic ( Cherry and Almond Cake ) 1 Pat Clark ( one entry )

Flower of the Month 1 Pat Clark 2 Don Scott 3 Lyn Harris

The next Club meeting will be on Tuesday 9th April, 7.30pm in Rivenhall village hall. The speaker will be Roger Hance who will talk about Nature Through the Seasons. The competitions will be Horticultural — a vase of 7 mixed variety daffodils. Domestic — 3 lemon curd tarts. Flower of the Month. Entrance is £1 to include refreshments. We welcome new members and the annual subscription is £5. For further details call 01376 512781.

MESSAGE FROM YOUR VILLAGE AGENT

What do Village Agents do? This is often a question I am asked, and to be hon- est it is sometimes difficult to give a precise answer. Basically we provide free, independent and confidential signposting and information to help people live independent lives in their own homes. Everyone has different needs and it often takes a while to understand how we can help. A few headings are printed at the foot of the page ... but you might be surprised to know some of the varied activities I have been involved with – everything from coffee morning to commodes, salsa dancing to smoke alarms. If you are not sure if I can help, why not try me? Lydia Howat Village Agent Call free on: 0800 977 5858, mobile: 07540 720606 Email: [email protected].

HEALTH ... SOCIAL GROUPS ... TRAVEL ... WELFARE BENEFITS ... FREE FIRE SAFETY CHECKS AND PAT TESTING ... BASIC COMPUTER TRAINING ... HEALTH AND FITNESS ... CARER SUPPORT ... VOLUNTEERING ... & MUCH MORE

FREE INDEPENDENT CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE

27 Rivenhall C of E Primary School It is now nine weeks since I took up my first headship at Rivenhall Primary School. Having known Keith Coleman for over twenty-five years and Andrew Jones, his successor, for nearly as long, I felt drawn towards this lovely village school. It is my prayer that God will grant me the vision, courage, strength … and patience I need to lead the school forward following the retirement of Gill Holmes. Children, staff, governors and parents have made me feel welcome, as have members of the wider community and I look forward to building relationships that will impact positively on both the learning of the children and the village itself. I would like to thank Rev. Paul for his welcome and extend my best wishes to his new family. As far as events are concerned it has been a quiet term: the Spring Term traditionally is the one in which the whip can be cracked! However, the oldest children thoroughly enjoyed a dance workshop led by a local dance teacher (whose husband I taught back in the late 1980s!) World Book Day, marked on March 7th, provided the opportunity for our artistic parents to shine! The children were accessorised or dressed up as story book characters from Shrek and looked fabulous! They spent the day considering traditional tales in a variety of creative ways. Our hard working PTA organised a successful Mothers’ Day event on March 8th and there was a sea of red on Red Nose Day! Please pray for our school, the children, their families and all the staff. Education is, once again, in a state of change and uncertainty and we have a vital task: to enable the future generation to become life-long learners. Let us work together as a community to make this happen. May I take this opportunity to extend Easter blessings as we look forward to a renewing of our spirits as the spring arrives … hope springs eternal! Once again, we have a vacancy for a Community Governor. If anyone feels able to serve our church school in this way we would be delighted to hear from them. Cathy Mann

Rogation Sunday May 5th

There will be a Rogation Service at Rivenhall Farm (CM8 3PH) on the hill just past St Mary’s Church Rivenhall.

This will be a joint service with The parish of Tiptree, Gt Braxted and Goldhanger and will commence at 11.00 a.m.

28 Essex County Council is advertising for a School Crossing Patrol person for Silver End Primary School on Western Road

This position was left vacant for over a year from March 2011 and is now being offered again.

Contact Jade Tasker 0844 8006685 option 1 Reference WE-EC 13673 Pay rate is £7.78 per hour Monday to Friday 8.15am - 9am and 2.45pm - 3.30pm Full training with uniform provided The closing date is 11th April 2013

If you have a willingness to help this worthwhile volunteering opportunity could be for you. Drive as much or as little as you like.

In your own car - Driving one of our Social Car Scheme buses - Minibus Mileage reimbursement payable at Scheme 45p per mile without any tax 12 seater Renault Master liabilities, additional insurance is not minibuses in need of volunteer needed. drivers for day trips, lunch clubs, Pensions and benefits are not social events etc. D1 category affected as reimbursement is on a entitlement is required on your not-for-profit basis and does not driving license and we will provide effect your availability for paid training and vehicle familiarisation. employment. We will organise Enhanced CRB checks which are mandatory.

For an Informal Chat Contact:- Tracey Corcoran on 01376 557896

29 Changes to the local NHS become reality Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (MECCG) goes live on 1 April 2013, when it will become the new leader of the local NHS. Primary Care Trusts (PCT) will remain accountable bodies until 31 March but after this the responsibility for designing and purchasing health and well-being services will reside with MECCG. The CCG is GP-led, which means doctors are at the centre of the organisation that will see clinicians and highly experienced NHS managers working together with a budget of around £390 million to spend on NHS services including, hospital care, mental health services and community services. Speaking about the change, Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, Mid Essex CCG chair, says “This finalises the structural changes brought about by Health and Social Care Act 2012 but it’s about more than legislative changes or the switching from one responsible body to another. This is about people and putting them at the centre of shaping and buying health services that are high quality, affordable and deliver better health outcomes. The CCG has been operating in ‘shadow form’ since April 2012, as PCTs prepared to hand over commissioning responsibility, and has been working at pace to take over the role of designing and buying local health and well-being services. James Roach, Accountable Officer of the CCG says “We can say with some assuredness that patients will notice a difference from the start. Our priorities are already being delivered by enhancing the quality of the services we commission increasing specialist service provision in community settings working with providers to ensure patient receives the highest quality care regardless of location James adds “We have some ambitious plans for 2013/14, which include an integrated approach to the management of musculo-skeletal services across the health economy improved case management and crisis response for frail elderly improving care packages for patients to enable them to be maintained longer in their own home or place of residence increasing opportunities for patients with long term conditions to enable them to self-manage their own condition as well as ensure an added focus on prevention If you would like to get involved in influencing the work of Mid Essex CCG please see our website where you can register as a member, http:// www.midessexccg.nhs.uk/

30 Organisations in Rivenhall Clerk to Parish Council Keith Taylor 516975 Email [email protected] meets every first Tuesday Age Concern (Witham area) Margaret Prime 514255 End to End Nature Care Simon Taylor 01621 810141 Gardening Club Carole McCarthy 512781 Meets on 2nd Tuesday at 7.30pm in Village Hall Carpet Bowls Mick Marshall 512836 Meets every Thursday at 7.30pm in Village Hall Playing Fields Association Stephanie Bills 07594 648117 Facilities Hire of Village Hall Stephanie Bills 07594 648117 Hire of Henry Dixon Hall Dot Taylor 571551 Mobile Library 3rd & 17th April Beech Road 4.10 to 4.30. p.m. Oak Stores is open Mon to Fri 6.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat & 7.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. Sun The proprietors are Sam and Kirsty Norman 618659 It is planned to hasve the Post Office re-opened as soon as possible

Organisations in Silver End Clerk to Parish Council Mrs B. M. Temple 618464 Email [email protected] Bowls Club Roy Howard 583222 Children’s Centre Jane Carey 587960 Neighbourhood Police PC Simon Hull 07974 457258 Congregational Church Sharon Gray 583913 First Responders Mel Gymer 585535 Friendship Club Ruth Aitkin 583846 Silver End Gad Abouts Denise Sullens Smith 583055 Gardening Club Cynthia Wright 583485 Guiding Group Sam Hutchings 07977 418192 Neighbourhood Watch Judy Hill 07896 975839 Scouting Group Denise Sullens Smith 583055 St Mary’s Church (R.C.) Vivian Phillips 583598 Tennis Club Jason Cairns 584581 Workers Educational Assoc. Brian Gillion 583706 Luncheon Club Helen Thomson 583255 Doctors Surgery 583387 Silver End Heritage Society Jackier Nesbitt 585702 Post Office in Co-op - please note that it closes at Lunchtime Library: Tues & Thurs - 2pm to 6pm Saturday 9am to 1pm

31 Quiz Night

Friday 26th April - 7.30 p.m Henry Dixon Hall - Rivenhall End

TICKETS £4.50

Teams of up to 8 players Team Captains to get tickets from:- Ann Riddleston:- Tel 01376 515400

Bring your own nibbles drinks and glasses Book early to avoid disappointment