BRID HE G T E The Parish Magazine for Droxford, Exton, Meonstoke & Corhampton The Bridge ~ August and September 2016 List of Advertisers ACCOMMODATION & EVENTS Wallops Wood Cottages 28: Hill Place Events 35 BRI CCOUNTANTS & TAX ADVISERS RG Walker 26: Nicholas Ridge 37 D A HE GE ANTIQUES Droxford Antiques 31 T Contents ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES Engineering Architecture Ltd 33 Parish Lists . 2 BUILDERS & BUILDING MATERIALS R & G Gamblin 27: Steven Hurdle 30 Rector’s Newsletter . 3 Peter Garber 38: Steve Such (Property Maintenance) 26 Charles Hutchinson . 3 JT Carpentry & Building 29: KJN Home Improvements 30 Droxford Christmas Market . 4 Hillman Bldg. Services 35: Frontwood Ltd 37: E J Goodall (Thatcher ) 40 Move with Peppa . 4 CARPENTERS & WOOD PRODUCTS Paul Flint & Co 27 Droxford drop-in . 4 Meonstoke Toddler Group . 4 CATERING Clementine Catering 36 Look-in & Book-out . 4 CHILDCARE GROUPS Jo Jingles 26 Latest Bridge copy date . 4 Meonstoke & Exton Church Fête . 5 COMPUTERS & INTERNET Punchedcard Ltd 29: Andy Harris 40 Sketches, Songs & Stuff . .5 Chris Guenier (inside back cover) A History of Houses in Meonstoke . 5 DECORATORS, PAINTERS, & TILERS Top Marks 39: M & J Mason 30 MVArchaeology & Heritage Group . 6 Oliver’s Painting & Decorating 32: Droxford Interiors & Tiling 38 MV Active Retirement Association . 6 David P Churcher 34: Ray Gent 37 West Meon Music Festival . 7 DOMESTIC APPLIANCES, HEATING, & PLUMBING Mark Oliver 29: EAS 28 In the garden . 8 Alan Shawyer (inside back cover): Adept Plumbing Services 40 MV Garden Club . 8 G Rixon Ltd (back cover): R A Redman 30: D & S Oil Tanks 33 The Meon Hall . 9 Hampshire Cooker Conversions 33: Harpers of South Boarhunt 36 Plant & Cake Sale result . 9 Play-reading group . 9 DOMESTIC SERVICES Curtains by Mary 33: Grange Upholstery 37 Droxford Church Project update . 10 PestOFF Pest Control 26: Cynthia Tester Curtains & Blinds 36 U3A . 10 Chimney Sweep Christian Oliver 34: Barn Store for Storage 39 FOMS Family Barn Dance . 11 Advanced Clean (Carpet & Upholstery) 39 St Andrew’s Churchyard Clear up . 11 FODS: Race Night . 11 ELECTRICIANS & ELECTRICAL SERVICES Derek Pilcher 30 Ray Burbidge 37 Droxford churchyard: mowers wanted . 11 Assure Electrical Ltd (inside back cover): G Rixon Ltd (back cover) Droxford Country Fair report . 12 Citizens Advice Winchester . 12 ESTATE AGENTS The Country House Company 35 The Royal British Legion . 13 FUNERAL DIRECTORS & MEMORIALS Nigel Chamberlain (inside front cover) Soirées on the Bridge . 13 South Downs Funeral Services 36 Harvest Festival Service, Droxford . 13 GARAGES & CARS Taylors Garage 25: Andrews Autosource 27 Meon Valley Lions Club . 14 Droxford Junior School . 15 GARDENS & GARDEN MACHINERY Judit Appel Plantswoman & Gardener 33 Meon Valley Carers group . 16 Anita Foy Garden Design 39 Longstock Park Water Gardens . 16 GLASS & GLAZING Fareham Glass 34: Leydene Glass & Glazing 39 Droxford Village Hall news . 17 Forthcoming events Droxford Village Hall . 17 HAIRDRESSERS Gaudion’s Hairdressing 32 District councillor’s column . 18 HEALTH , WELL-BEING, & OPTICIANS Saxby’s Eyecare 28 Meon Valley Community Bus timetable . 19 Foot Care (Ann-Marie Elliott) 25: Foot Health Practitioner (Karen Jordan) 30 Singing for Fun . 19 Chiropodist (Graham Howes) 38 Sing & Tonic . 19 Pilates with Aplomb 34: Damson Hill Pilates (inside back cover) Local Services Information . 20 HOME IMPROVEMENTS Southwick Garden Offices 27: KJN 30 William Collins Charity . 20 Droxford & District Comm. Care Group . 21 JEWELLERS Simon Lawson 37 Minor Injuries Unit, Petersfield Hospital . 21 LETTINGS & LAND MANAGEMENT Pimp My Paddock (back cover) BW Deanery Christian Aid Walk . 21 PIANO TUNING David Mathews Piano Tuner/Technician 35 The Valley Preschool . 22 PRINTING & STATIONERY Meon Valley Printers (DEK) 29 From the registers . 22 Studio 6 (inside front cover) District Diary . 23 Winchester City Councillors . 24 PUBS White Horse 26: The Shoe Inn 40 RIDING & EQUESTRIAN Merrie Stud Riding School 25 We Welcome . 24 Friends of Droxford Church . 24 SCHOOLS; EDUCATION & LEARNING Valley Pre-school 25 Church Services Chart . 24 Sustainability Centre 25 SHOPS & STORES Droxford PO & Stores 26: Meonstoke PO & Stores 28 Swanmore Butchers 33: Christina’s Shop in the Square 32 SOLICITORS Biscoes 35: Chamberlains 36: Blake Morgan (back cover) SPORT Hazelholt Floodlit Indoor Tennis Court 31 TAXIS Gamblin Cars 38: Hambledon Cars (inside front cover) VETS & PETS The Village Cattery 29: Shield Veterinary Centre 40 The Dog Room (inside front cover) Would you like to put a trade advertisement in The Bridge ? See page 38 for contact details. 1 The Bridge ~ August and September 2016 The Magazine for the Meon Bridge Benefice of Droxford, Exton, Meonstoke & Corhampton (& Preshaw) THE BRIDGE CHURCHES WEBSITE is at: www.bridgechurches.org.uk RECTOR Reverend Tony Forrest E-mail: [email protected] The Rectory, Rectory Lane Tel: 877422 Meonstoke, SO32 3NF For information about baptisms & Note: The Rector’s day off is usually Monday funerals, please contact the rector LICENSED LAY MINISTERS For information about weddings, Reader emeritus Pauline Quarendon 877392 please contact the weddings Reader Cathy Mathews 877804 administrator: Sue Wells: Tel. 01329 834130 CHURCH SUPPLIES Anne Wilkinson 877488 DROXFORD MEONSTOKE WITH CORHAMPTON Churchwardens: Ann Symes 877643 Churchwarden Za Rowe 877732 Sheila Matthissen 877867 Secretary: Sarah Page 02392 257723 Secretary: – Treasurer Elizabeth Ridge 899102 Treasurer & Gift Gift Aid secretary Iain Gammell 878162 Aid secretary: Christine Rogers – Organists: Organist: John Martin 877385 (Meonstoke) Dr Alan Hibbert OBE 878564 Sacristan: Laura Jerosch 01329 231956 (Corhampton) John Martin (am) 877385 Verger: Norman Bell 877230 Sacristan & 3rd Sunday Services: Ros Collins 877782 Verger Joanna Buchanan 877737 EXTON Churchwardens: Hugh Parry 878860 Richard Pepys 878035 PRESHAW Secretary – – Coordinator Position vacant – Treasurer & Gift Aid secretary: David Frere-Cook 877838 THE BRIDGE MAGAZINE Organists: Editor: Norman Bell, Briar Cottage, (Morning) Sarah Page 02392 257723 South Hill, Droxford, SO32 3PB (Evening) Dr Alan Hibbert OBE 878564 Tel: 877230 Sacristan: Jill Cassels 877469 Verger: Bob Miles – E-mail: [email protected] Advertising manager: David Neale Tel: 878541 E-mail: [email protected] OTHER DENOMINATIONS Roman Catholic Church (Bishop’s Waltham) Treasurer: Alison Stott Tel: 877293 Canon Alan Griffiths 07760 220346 METHODIST & UNITED FREE CHURCH Printed by: DEK Graphics & Print Ltd, (Bishop’s Waltham) Ketts House, Chandler’s Ford, The Reverend David Moss MA 01329 833518 Hants., SO53 2FZ THE BRIDGE is delivered at the start of the months of Cover picture February, April, June, August, October, and December. View from the Bridge! Ideally, copy should be sent by e-mail to The Bridge editor at the address shown above, preferably attached by Mike Hutchinson as an MS Word document. The page set-up (with 10 or 10.5 pt font size) should be defined as an A4 page – The photograph was taken on the bridge of with 1.5 cm left and right margins. Typed or HMS Ocean in December 2015, somewhere handwritten hardcopy is also acceptable. If you are in the Bay of Biscay. responsible for village activities, diaries, and (Like me, you might well wonder how Mike came to schedules, please note that material received late (after be there to take this picture! Ed.) the copy date – see page 4) may not be included. 2 The Bridge ~ August and September 2016 From the Rector Church news The 3rd September marks the first anniversary of the The consequences of the referendum are still start of our ministry here in the Meon Bridge Benefice. reverberating in the capital cities of the UK, in the A great deal seems to have happened during the year countryside, in NATO and for EU nationals working and yet the essential character of village life goes on. here and ‘Brits’ working in Europe. Whatever, our There have been some very memorable events in views on ‘in’ or ‘out’, the increase in ‘hate-crime’ is an each village and some very special services in each ugly manifestation of the dark side of national identity. of our four wonderful churches. There have been In times like this, Christians have the duty to be moments of great joy during weddings and baptisms agents of peace. There are good and sensible and moments of great sadness at the time of passing people on both sides. We may not agree with others, of some much-loved residents of the villages. Out of but we’re called not to judge people for their views, all these events, from our work with our excellent rather to seek the common good. schools, from our plans for the buildings and for new Some may be content about the future, but for others activities arises great hope for the places in, but there is a deep sense of loss and fear. We should not above all for the people of our benefice. dismiss their fears as ridiculous. Whether we are At the time of writing, the extensive repairs to St Mary feeling content or in grief, Christians have to and All Saints, Droxford, are well underway and in remember that God is in control. Although that does October we look forward to seeing as many people as not mean that bad things will not happen, Christians possible at a meeting to hear what has happened so are called to trust in God and to seek the pathway for far and what is planned next. In short, the work to good. Fear of a difficult and challenging path is not a repair the church structurally, funded by the Heritage sign of a weakness but of awareness; even Jesus Lottery, is approaching completion and other was deeply troubled in Gethsemane. However, like significant repairs have been completed too. The Jesus, we must not allow ourselves to be paralysed, next phase is to make parts of the church even more as individuals or as a community, by fear – prayer available and attractive to the congregation, and action are still needed.