LETTER FROM THE EDITORS So we have a bumper edition for you this month. We trust you have sobered up enough from our Christmas Celebration (see p8) and other Yuletide indulgences to enjoy enjoy it! And good news for those who have completed a dry January - the Pop Up Pub returns on 23rd February - see p12. As you will see from the picture, the churchyard at St James, Great Saling, has been changed by the coppicing of 16 Irish Yews. It is al- ways sad to see trees cut back, but the PCC has been advised that this was the best course of action. We will see if, like those by the church gate, they regenerate. Christmas is a time for giving, and the magazine records your generosity as a community to a number of causes, including the Poppy Appeal, the Food Bank, and Farleigh Hospice (p10, 26). There are various opportunities highlighted in the magazine to improve our communities - Charmaine Beckett would like your help to save our wildlife (p11), there is our annual litter pick (p7), and an appeal for councillors for ‘The Salings Parish Council’ (p6). And last but not least may we wish all our readers, contributors and advertisers a happy and prosperous New Year! Please email contributions to the March edition by the 15th of February to: [email protected] 2 EVENTS IN & AROUND THE SALINGS: • Feb 9th Healing Prayer with Lin Button @ St John’s, Colchester. https://www.stjohnscolchester.org.uk cont: Kate Green 01376 551331 • Feb 9th ABBA tribute @ Swan, Gt Easton • Feb 16th 9am Deanery walk from Stebbing Church • Feb 17th Snowdrop Sunday @ Gardens of Easton Lodge • Feb 21st – 23rd Greville Theatre Company performing @ Barn Thea- tre Lt Easton. Information & tickets (from 1st Feb) 07702 721293 • Feb 24th Snowdrop Sunday @ Gardens of Easton Lodge Selected EVENTS - SALINGS MILLENNIUM HALL: • Football: 10. Feb. 10.15-14.15 • Pilates: Mondays 11.15-12.00 • Art Group: Tuesdays 10.15-15.15 • Felsted Art Group: Wednesdays 13.30-16.30 • Great Saling Parish Council Meeting: 13. Feb. 20.00- 22.00 • Village coffee morning: 14. Feb. 10.00-12.00 There are many other private events taking place in the Hall! CHURCH SERVICES in the Salings: Sunday 3. Feb. 11.00 Holy Communion Great Saling Suday 10. Feb. 11.00 Morning Prayer Little Saling Sunday 17.Feb. 11.00 Family Service Great Saling Sunday 24. Feb. 9.30 Holy Communion Little Saling Sunday 3. March 11.00 Holy Communion Great Saling Ash Wednesd. 6. March 19.30 Holy Communion Little Saling Sunday 10. March 11.00 Morning Prayer Little Saling Sunday 17. March 11.00 Family Service Great Saling Sunday 24. March 9.30 Holy Communion Little Saling EMERGENCY: Please always dial 999 in an emergency. To report a non-emergency crime you can: Use our do it online service. Call our non-emergency number 101 or alternatively 01245 491491. Go to a police station. Deaf/hard-of-hearing - NGT TextRelay 18001 101 3 Dear Friends, I saw an article online today about some archaeologists who found a flint arrowhead embedded in a mammoth bone, thus proving early humans hunted the animals. Those hunters cer- tainly left their mark on history! Our politicians are doing the same thing – as I write this letter (a day late) the House of Commons is debating a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister following the heavy defeat for the Brexit deal yesterday. Who knows where we’ll be by the time you read this, but some politicians will have cemented their place in history by then. And how will you leave your mark? This year the Church of England is undertaking one of our regular electoral roll ‘resets’. We review the roll annually, but every 6 years it is wiped clean and everyone has to reapply. This gives us the opportunity to reflect upon what it means to be a Christian, to be a church member, in our villages today. Some of that is to do with how we worship together on Sundays, and some of it is to do with our private devotions and spiritual life, but a major part of it is to do with how we bring God’s love to those in need (and those in plenty). I often take time to read the epitaphs of our forebears on the memorials in our churches, as they often speak of the Christian love and character of the person commemorated, be- cause of the impact they had on their community. I do not necessarily think we should all aspire to be memorial- ised like that, but it would be good to look back in 25 years and remember a kindness or a campaign, or a special gift that someone did for us and for our community. When we remem- ber these, we are also therefore remembering God’s love, for in such small ways it spreads throughout the world. With best wishes Tim 4 DEANERY WALKS 2019 The programme for the 2019 walks is currently being finalised and the full fixture list will be issued shortly. The first walk of the 2019 season will be on Saturday 16th February in the Stebbing/Lindsell/Salings benefice, starting at 9am at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Watch House Road, Stebbing, CM6 3SW G/R 664 240. Queries to Clare Kanharn at [email protected] As always, after the walk light re- freshments will be available followed by a short service when thanks will be given to the host church. Suitable footwear should be worn as the walks do go across fields and open countryside. Dogs on leads are very welcome. Angela Harbottle - [email protected] 2019 Women’s World Day of Prayer We are going to try a WDP on the Friday and the Sunday: Friday 1st March 2pm at Parkes, Great Saling, CM7 5DS Led by The Rev’d Helen Pelly. ALL WELCOME Sunday 3rd March St James Church, Great Saling, 11am Led by The Rev’d Cilla Hawkes. ALL WELCOME Please come along to either or both! 5 6 7 To everyone who attended the Salings Christmas Celebration organised by Great Saling Action Group. A REALLY BIG THANK YOU for helping to make the evening such a success! It was great to see so many happy faces in what has been a mixed year We would like also to show our appreciation to Hogshead for supply- ing the musical entertainment. Yet again they helped make the even- ing ROCK! Thanks go to The Kitchen Staff, Greg for the Hog Roast, and Barrie behind the Bar. To Maya and Amanda for helping the children on the craft table. Also Kathy, who did a sterling job selling raffle tickets (thank you to those who donated such lovely prizes). Not forgetting the girls on the wreath table bending willow wands into rings. It was entertainment in itself to watch. A special mention for Anne Aggis who's festive table decorations etc helped transform the village hall into a 'Winter Wonderland'. Any profits will go towards local community projects. A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! 8 RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE IN LITLE BARDFIELD We have a one bedroom terraced Almshouse house available for a resident of the surrounding area of Little Bardfield. The current weekly payment is £98 which includes heating and sewerage charges. If you are a single person or married couple, and find yourself unable to rent in the private sector and are in unfortunate cir- cumstances and suffering hardship. Then please contact the Clerk to the Trustees, Mary Gardiner either by telephone on 01371 810116 or by email at [email protected] who will be assist with any questions you may have and how to apply. 9 Original watercolour painting for sale I have been asked to offer for sale a painting from the home of our old friend the late Daphne Smith. It is an original watercolour by John Ridgewell of Bardfield Saling church. The painting has a reserve of £50. To view please call me on 01371 810369. Rev. Helen Pelly. For those of you who contributed to the Christmas Food Bank Appeal I can confirm that the Braintree food bank have acknowledged with thanks the receipt of 121.71 kg of donations from the services in Great Saling on 2nd December and in Little Saling on the 9th Decem- ber. My thanks for all who contributed. Rev.Helen Pelly. The 2018 POPPY APPEAL raised £134.55 from the Salings. The total for our whole district was £5146.83. A warm Thank You to all who donated! The Royal British Legion provides life- long support for the Armed Forces community - serving men and women, veterans, and their families: https:// www.britishlegion.org.uk/ 10 Great Saling Parish Council Clerk to the Council: Mrs Cathryn Carlisle Herkstead Green Bungalow Cornish Hall End Braintree CM7 4HH Tele 01440731964 www.essexinfo.net/greatsalingpc E:[email protected] Planning Applications 18/02236/FUL & 18/02237/LBC Replacement of wooden farm gate and wooden panel fencing with painted wrought iron gates and estate railing. - Saling Hall, The Street, Great Saling 18/00346/TPO Notice of intent to carry out works to tree protected by Tree Preservation Order 8/08 - Reduce Sycamore tree back down to previous pruning points, dead wood and crown clean - Willow House, The Street, Great Saling Litter Pick The annual Litter pick will take place on 24th March at 10 am Salings Wildlife Group Dear All, The latest State of Nature report which is an analysis of how nature is faring in the UK reported that the UK is among the most depleted countries in the world.