The Abingtons and Hildersham News www.theabingtons.org.uk October 2018 Photo by David Milns Superb sunshine, good cooks and a happy throng for the AALGA BBQ on Sunday 2 September 2018 Letter from the Editor As the cover photo shows, the warm, sunny weather continued into September and the annual AALGA barbecue was a great success, as was the Messy Church held in Abington Woods (see pages 4, 16). Congratulations to the authors who received awards on 15 September for books of significant local interest (page 6). It was good to see that Audrey Bugg’s record of 60 years attendance at Great Abington church was marked with cake and a toast and that the church received an ‘Engage Award’ for the increased community activities made possible by the new facilities (page 5). The accompanying flyer points to a concert in the church on 3 November as the next major community event. There is another of the popular King’s Taverners concerts in Hildersham too (page 9). A joyful Harvest Festival service was held at the United Reformed Church (page 4) with the food donations going to the Food Bank. On 14 October the URC will share a joint Communion service at Great Abington Church. The next Messy Church on 28 October will concentrate on the annual ‘operation Christmas child’ which aims to fill shoeboxes with Christmas gifts to be distributed to needy children (page 6). The new Abington Social Cycling Group was sufficiently encouraged by the inaugural ride to plan a second outing on 11 October (page 12). For those still more energetic there is the annual 10k and 2k Fun Run on 7 October (page 13). The Table Tennis group has now got two match fixtures, which are listed on page 12 along with the weekly practice sessions. Thanks to the organiser, Raj, this is proving to be a very successful initiative. The second Repair Café will be at the institute on 27 October so look out your precious objects that need some TLC from experts (page 13). There will be a Flower Workshop on 11 October and the Gardening Club has a meeting early in the month. A list of all the topics for meetings of the Gardening Club throughout the 2018/19 season is on page 16. The Forget-Me-Not Club has interesting speakers and also offers a Fish & Chip lunch, and a Jacket Potato lunch preceded by a special session of flu injections. Definitely not to be missed! (page 15). If it is time to consider booking flu injections (page 18) it must be time to think about ordering more oil. Rod Willcox would like your orders by 4 October for delivery the next week (see page 13). It is also time for the annual Poppy Appeal (page 4). Please give generously. Don’t forget that British Summer Time ends on Sunday 28 October when the clocks go BACK one hour. Valerie Silvey Contents United Reformed Church, Mossy 4 Film Night, Social Cycling, Flower 12 church, Poppy Appeal Workshop, French & Italian classes, News from the Pews 5 Mobile Library Repair Café, 10k & Fun Run, Oil order 13 Messy Church and Christmas 6 Abington Lunch, WI, Scrabble, 14 shoeboxes, Awards to authors FGMN Club, Reading Group, Abington 15 Great Abington Parish Council, 7 Gardening Club Little Abington Parish Council 8 Gardening Club programme, AALGA 16 Hildersham Focus & Parish 9 BBQ, Abington Walking Group Council Linton Village College, Sawston VC 17 Diary Dates, Café and Wheelie 10 Adult Flu Clinics, Parish Nurse event, 18 bins, Contacts for classes 11 PPF in October `` Articles for the November 2018 edition of The Abingtons and Hildersham News should be sent to the Editor by Monday 15 October 2018 at [email protected]. Photos welcome. 3 Little Abington United Reformed Church Photo by Emma Jones We held our Harvest Festival on 16 September led by Bruce Waldron in our beautifully decorated church. Thank you all who helped to make it look so beautiful. Our gifts are on their way to the Food Bank. At that service we met our new student minister, Jacob, and his wife Esther, and will be looking forward to him taking a service later this year. Services in October 7 October 10.15am Mrs Maureen Kendall 14 October 10.45am United Communion Service at Great Abington Church 21 October 2.30pm Revd Bruce Waldron 28 October 1015am Revd Elizabeth Caswell For more information please contact Lynne on 893 295. MOSSY CHURCH A huge thank you to everyone who supported Mossy Church in the summer holidays when, among many activities, we had the opportunity for a scavenger hunt in Abington Woods and look for the lost sheep. Our grateful thanks to Deborah and Chris James for their hospitality. POPPY APPEAL 2018 The appeal starts on Saturday 28 October and runs until Remembrance Day on Sunday 11 November. I urge you please to give generously when a collector calls at your house and support this very worthwhile cause especially in this the centenary year. I urgently need some new collectors this year so I appeal to anyone wishing to volunteer for a couple of hours to contact me. Kay Harman, tel: 891 730, email: [email protected] Poppy Appeal Organiser, Babraham, Hildersham and Abingtons 4 News from the Pews Following a communion service in Great Abington Church on Sunday 5 August a small celebration was held to commemorate 60 years (exactly) since Audrey Bugg first came to a service in this church. Since this time Audrey has worked tirelessly supporting the church in so many different ways and indeed is still a member of the PCC where her knowledge of ‘church life’ is phenomenal. We are indebted to her and offer our love and sincere thanks. The Bishop of Huntingdon along with his wife Jean visited Great Abington Church on Saturday 8 September to present a cheque for £103 for the Engage Award 2018. This was awarded on the C of E’s report on the rural church “Released for Mission” which stated, “When toilets and a kitchen are in a church the building is used much more frequently”. This is especially true at St Mary’s Great Abington where the PCC has witnessed significant growth in activities in the church and churchyard following the creation of these splendid facilities. Sunday 30 September – Harvest Festival – 10.45am at Gt. Abington Church. Monday 1 October – Gt. Abington Primary School Celebrate Harvest Festival 2pm in the above-named church Wednesday 3 October – Space to Be – At Rosemary’s house 7.30pm (891 718) Sunday 7 October – United Communion Service in Balsham 10.45am Sunday 14 October – United Communion Service with URC at 10.45am, Gt. Abington Church Sunday 28 October – Messy Church – The Village Institute – The theme will be “Christmas Shoebox Party”. The children will help to pack shoeboxes with presents and essentials for needy children. There will also be various creative activities and lots of fun (see page 6). Everyone Welcome. Tickets are now available for ‘An Evening to Celebrate the Hundredth Anniversary of the ending of the Great War 1914 – 1918’ with Cambridge Chord Company on 3 November (see flyer). Tickets available from Tony, Mary, Marilyn, Anne (contact details on back page) and the Village Post Office. Charity for October – UNICEF – UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S EMERGENCY FUND – UNICEF claims to be the leading charity for children, making a difference to children all over the world. It provides 80% of the world’s life-saving food and ensures more of the world’s children are vaccinated, educated and protected. David Beckham is its leading ambassador. There are charity boxes in both churches – Thank you Anne Hall 5 MESSY CHURCH SHOEBOX PARTY, 3.30pm SUNDAY 28 OCTOBER We are having a special Messy Church this month during which we will be filling shoeboxes with essential items and gifts for needy children of all ages around the world, so that they can experience the joy of receiving a present at Christmas. These boxes go to all children regardless of their religion. This venture has been running successfully in schools and churches for the last 25 years. Do come along and join in the fun. There will be the opportunity to make some personal gifts and cards to go in the boxes, and maybe the chance to learn how to knit. The boxes will contain small toys, educational supplies, hygiene items, gloves, hats, scarves and jewellery which we are beginning to collect. You may like to bring an item of your own and a photograph to put in your box. NO used/damaged clothing, liquids or lotions, knives, military figures, medicines, chocolate, food, fragile items, political, religious or racial material, wordy books. Boxes need to be labelled with "BOY" or "GIRL" with the choice of three age groups which are 2-4 years, 5-9 years, or 10-14 years. It costs £5 to cover collection, handling and transportation costs so any donations are gratefully received. We will be supplying the shoeboxes. There will be additional activities during the afternoon which will conclude with a delicious tea at 4.30pm. For further details, please ring Rosemary on 891 718 or see the website www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/operation-christmas-child . Book awards for Abington authors The Cambridgeshire Association for Local History presented two book awards to Abington authors on Saturday 15 September. The awards were presented in Cambridge by Mike Petty, the president. Abington History Group: Great and Little Abington, 1900 to 1930, A Time of Change Authors: Barry Brooks, Tricia Cullimore, Jennifer Hirsh, Derek Turnidge. (Also Richard Wells and David Milns, not present) Sally Simmons (right), with Ros Horton: 111 Places in Cambridge You Shouldn’t Miss 6 Great Abington Parish Council An Active Council Linton Road Development Work on the Linton Road site is under way and scheduled to be completed in late 2019.