December 2003 - Contents The Season of the Child Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches St. Wystan's Gift Service, Sunday 14th December Services at St. Wystan's, Repton Services at St Saviour's, Foremark Services at St Mary's, Newton Solney Readers and Intercessors at St. Wystan's Altar Flowers at St. Wystan's Brasses at St. Wystan's United Reformed Church Services at the United Reformed Church Nativity Services: Sunday 14th December (1.00 pm and 6.30 pm) Christingle Service, Sunday 21st December. 11 am Candlelight Carols: Sunday 21st December, 6.30pm Christmas Morning Family Service, 10.30 am New Year Sunday, January 4th, 2004 Thanks (Christmas Mini-Market) Funerals and Burial of Ashes Brian Dennison Evelyn May Silcox Robert Leslie Eaton William George Collett St Wystan's News Thanks for that luncheon party (Christopher Barker) Repton Neighbourhood Help: The Luncheon Club Repton Neighbourhood Help: Drop-In Centre Repton Neighbourhood Help: Transport Scheme Mothers' Union St Mary's News Preparing for Christmas Newton Solney School Carol Service, Friday 19th December Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal Thanks (Newton Solney Church Concert) Musical Events Repton School Music Society, Messiah, 17th December Willington Music School Concert of Christmas Music, 14th December Schools St Wystan's School Repton Primary School Christmas Fayre, 5th December Repton Village and History Repton Council Jottings Rainbows & Guides Fayre, 4th December Repton WI Repton RBL Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Show Extend! (Movement to music for people aged 60 or over. All welcome!) Repton Casuals Football Club Broadband: we have it! Conservatives Sausage, mash & bingo, 11th December Gardening Notes Sam Beeton: Letter from Madagascar

The Season of the Child

Christmas is a time for children - and how busy our children are in the village! At the time of writing the Primary School children are in rehearsals for an epic school play; the children at the United Reformed Church are rehearsing 'Whoops-a-Daisy Angel', about an angel who always makes mistakes but gets her big job at the time of the birth of Jesus, and some of the Primary School children are preparing an Advent window for display in the High Street, showing the Wise Men on their way to find Jesus, crossing the desert on a starry night, following one star brighter than all the others. Children at other schools and churches, here and across the world, are busy rehearsing too.

The world of King Herod, like our world, was particularly violent. Herod thought nothing of slaughtering babies to ensure his throne was safe, nor of wiping out the family of his wife, Mariamne, because he thought they would want to reclaim the power he had taken from them.

Eventually he had his wife killed too. And though he built the Temple in Jerusalem as a sign of his respect for God, he also built temples to pagan idols to keep his people appeased. Years of suspicion and fear had eaten away at Herod's soul: he lived in deep darkness.

Yet into this dark, violent world came the travellers who sought a child born in the light of a special star. They brought costly gifts of gold, the most precious metal in the world, of frankincense, which was burnt in temples to produce a fragrant white smoke, as an offering to God - and it also had medicinal uses; and of myrrh, the resin of a tree that could flavour wine, be used as a perfume, a medicine and, in Egypt, for embalming the dead. The three Wise Men made a significant journey, a journey that Herod could never take, putting aside whatever power and authority they had and worshipping a weak and humanly insignificant child.

This Christmas we can make a significant journey too - alongside the children perhaps - following a star and seeking the significance of the child that its light shone upon... and pray for all the Herods in our world, who use only violent and indiscriminate means to hold on to power, that they too may understand that peace, love and gentleness can heal a broken world.

Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

St. Wystan's, Repton

Gift Service, Sunday 14th December

Gifts of toys, food and money will again be received for the Swadlincote & District Branch of 'Home-Start' at the 10 am Parish Communion Service at St Wystan's on 14th December. It is hoped that adults as well as children will take part. If toys are wrapped it helps the distributors to have a label attached indicating the sex and age of child for whom it would be suitable. After the gifts have been placed under the Christmas tree Mrs Jane Sullivan and Miss Gloria Isham will speak briefly about the work undertaken by 'Home-Start'. Trained 'Home-Start' volunteers offer support, friendship and practical help to parents of young children in stress-related situations.

St Saviour's, Foremark

St Mary's, Newton Solney

Readers and Intercessors at St. Wystan's

7th December	1st lesson:			Audrey Morris
		2nd lesson: Luke 3, 1-6:		Carol Bradley
14th December	Epistle: Philippians 4, 4-7: 	Morag Hill
		Offertory: 			Ian & Bridget Young			
24th December 	Epistle: 				Jan Roberts								
28th December 	Epistle: Colossians 3, 12-17:	David Guest
		Offertory: 			John & Evelyn Cawdron
31st December	Reading:				Richard Finch

Altar Flowers

25th December		Joan Plant & Evelyn Cawdron

Brasses

7th December		Noreen Driver
14th & 21st December	Mrs P Brightwell
28th December		Evelyn Cawdron

The United Reformed Church

Christmas Services

Nativity Services: Sunday 14th December (1.00 pm and 6.30 pm)

This year all our Junior Church members will present a new Nativity Musical by Niki Davies, 'Whoops-a-Disy Angel' - full of music, comedy and dance. A delightfully reminder of what Christmas is all about: don't miss it! Mince pies and coffee served after the evening service

Christingle Service, Sunday 21st December. 11 am

Your chance to make your own Christingle table decoration, and to help the children make theirs - always lots of fun.

Candlelight Carols: Sunday 21st December, 6.30pm

Candles flicker, carols are sung, traditional readings tell the Christmas story once again. Mince pies and coffee after the service.

Christmas Morning Family Service, 10.30 am

Bring a present to show to the congregation, sing the Christmas carols and thank God for the birth of Jesus - all in half an hour - and start Christmas Day the traditional way.

New Year Sunday, January 4th, 2004

A New Year family service at 11 am. No evening service.

Thanks

Thanks to everyone who supported the Christmas Mini-Market: we raised over £250!

Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Brian Dennison of 14 Cricket Close, Newton Solney, died on Thursday 23rd October at the age of 67. His funeral was held at Bretby Crematorium of Thursday 13th November.

Evelyn May Silcox of 28 Askew Grove, Repton, died exactly a month after her husband, John, on Friday 24th October in the Queen's Hospital, Burton-on-Trent. She was aged 81. Her funeral was held at Bretby Crematorium on Friday 7th November

Robert Leslie Eaton of 30 Blacksmith's Lane, Newton Solney, died on 29th October at the age of 80. His funeral was held at Bretby Crematorium on Thursday 13th November.

William George Collett of 12 Main Street, Newton Solney, died on Thursday 13th November at the age of 50. His funeral was held at St Mary's on Monday 24th November and was followed by burial in the churchyard.

St Wystan's News

Thanks for that luncheon party

On behalf of Julian's family I feel I must write to thank the Churchwardens and everyone else concerned for so kindly including a large number of us in the wonderful farewell lunch you held for him on 19th October. We were greatly moved by your many tributes to his ministry in your parishes over the last 21 years, and your gift to him was indeed generous. So it was a privilege for us to be present on an occasion we shall long remember.

We were so glad also to attend his final Parish Communion beforehand, which was likewise memorable. One thought kept coming to me during his sermon: namely that the full value of someone's teaching may only be fully apparent a generation or so later, following seeds sown much earlier. In a group of parishes near here in Essex they had an exceptional priest for 18 or 19 years; and now some ten years after his departure we have constant reminders of all that he achieved.

Having visited Repton often while Julian has been there, I shall hope to come back to you again from time to time.

With best wishes and renewed gratitude from us all,
Yours sincerely,

Repton Neighbourhood Help Scheme

The Luncheon Club

The Club made its own farewell to Julian, when he joined us for lunch on 3rd October. He was presented with wine and wine accessories, and a card signed by all the members; it was a very happy occasion.

Equally happy was the summer outing to take tea at Kedleston Hall at the beginning of August, which helped to break up the summer recess. We are grateful to all who helped on that day. We are also grateful to pianists, George Leydon and Elizabeth Hills, who entertain us from time to time.

A Food and Hygiene 'up-date' morning was organised for 14th October, through the local Environmental Health Department; about a dozen helpers attended. We were very relieved to know that we were still on the right side of the law! This was followed by our half-yearly committee meeting in the afternoon.

When you read this, we will be planning the Christmas lunch for 5th December, which Gwen Fearn has again kindly offered to prepare, and the Christmas tea party for all our volunteers on 12th December. We will be closing over Christmas and New Year, on 19th and 26th December and 2nd January. Several members have been ill recently; we send them our best wishes and our hope to see them again soon.

If you would like to help us in any way, do telephone Melanie Bordoli on 212652, or Angela Mayger on 702660.

Drop-In Centre

A reminder that this is a relaxed afternoon in the Community Room at Fisher Close which follows on from the luncheon each Friday. We socialise, exercise, sing and play, and take tea together, but none of it at the same time or too vigorously! We extend a warm welcome to all older people from 1.45 pm to about 4.00 pm.

Transport Scheme

If you are new to the village, the above scheme is a voluntary transport service for things such as doctors' and dentists' appointments, visits to the bank, or essential shopping etc. To access this service, telephone Jim and Joy Ault on 704760 and they will endeavour to help.

We are very grateful to all who undertake this work. Volunteer drivers are always needed for this and for the Friday luncheon club to cover holidays and other eventualities. If you are willing to help please telephone Jim and Joy, Melanie Bordoli [212652] or Angela Mayger [702660]

Mothers' Union

It was a great pleasure to welcome an old friend, Mrs Frances Prockter, to speak at the meeting on 19th November. Her talk, accompanied by many beautiful slides, was entitled 'MU Down Under'. Having travelled almost around the world in 45 days, she told us specifically of the contacts which she made with MU branches in New Zealand and Australia.

Pictures of churches in New Zealand emphasised much of the Maori influence in both the architecture and stained glass windows. Frances was asked to speak at one of the churches at Avonside.

The first MU branch in New Zealand was founded in 1886 - just ten years after its inception in this country. In Australia she discovered that an uncle of Mary Sumner had associations with a church there. On her return journey she stopped at Bangkok and we saw slides of the two extremes in that society - poverty and plenty.

Tribute money for 2004 was collected and members sang 'Happy Birthday' to Mrs Edna Hill whose 95th birthday was imminent. Many thanks for the delicious cake! It was a great joy to have a past member, Mrs Daphne Prockter, with us.

The Christmas meeting, with a Christmas raffle, is on Wednesday 17th December, when Revd Stanley Morris will officiate. Tea Hostesses: the committee. Will committee members please remember to bring six mince pies each.

St Mary's News

Preparing for Christmas

In anticipation of the various special services during Advent help is requested with decorating the church on the mornings of Friday 12th and / or Saturday 13th December from 9.30 am. Any contribution of evergreens would also be most welcome.

Christingle oranges will be prepared on the same Saturday morning (11.00 - 12.30), ready for the Family Service of Christingle at 10 am on Sunday 14th December, and for these too help would be much appreciated.

Carol Services

Newton Solney School will be holding a Carol Service in church at 2.30pm on the afternoon of Friday 19th December, when parishioners will be welcome. The congregational Carol Service will be held after Christmas, at 4pm on Sunday 4th January. Please do join us.

Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal

The 'Launch' of the Church Roof Appeal on 11th November was a happy and relaxed occasion and the Appeal Committee would like to thank all who helped to make it so - those who helped with the preparations, those who came along as visitors and those who simply sent donations. Over £2000 was received at the Launch and the total sum donated is to be shown on the 'thermometer' at the end of Church Lane as the weeks go by. We have already notched up 10% of the target figure, with more promised. All donations, large or small, will be welcomed and receipted, and this has been an encouraging start.

Newton Solney Church Concert

Grateful thanks to Londa Williams and Kay Stanley for promoting and producing such a successful concert of music and poetry, to all the participants for their varied contributions to the entertainment, to those who provided the refreshments, and to the audience for their appreciative response. £215 was raised that evening for Church funds.

Schools

St Wystan's School

St Wystan's School is a familiar building on the High Street in Repton. But how many of you know its history and what goes on behind the newly restored railings?

The school was founded in 1926 by Rosamund Fisher, wife of Geoffrey Fisher, the Headmaster of Repton School. Geoffrey Fisher later became the Archbishop of Canterbury and officiated at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11. It began as "The Kindy" teaching the six Fisher sons and other Staff children. Lessons were originally in the Court House and lunch in "The Boot". The School moved to its present site, originally Latham Boarding House, in 1937.

The links with Repton School are now purely historic but St Wystan's maintains the family tradition established by Mrs. Fisher over 75 years ago. It is a small independent day school teaching 123, boys and girls from 2 to 11 with class sizes limited to 20. We provide before school and after school care along with a number of extra-curricular activities.

We are a feeder school for all the local State and Independent schools with a number of our children achieving scholarships. Over the past 12 months we have also had children compete in swimming and athletics at a national level.

Our Christingle Service is a longstanding tradition and one, which many old pupils remember. The children stand around the church holding their lighted Christingle and sing the School Hymn. It's guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye. This year's service is on Friday 12th December at 2.15 pm in St Wystan's Church. We also have a Carol Concert in church on Tuesday 9th December at 6 pm.

Please come along and join us, everyone is welcome.

And from the Staff and children of St Wystan's School, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Repton Village & History

Repton Council Jottings

Some topics discussed by Repton Parish Council on 10 November 2003. Please remember these notes are unofficial; the formal Parish Council Minutes can be examined in the Post Office.

~ First the good news: at long last Derbyshire County Council has drawn up a range of physical traffic calming measures for Repton. These are designed to increase pedestrian safety around the Cross, slow the traffic on High Street, and control the headlong rush along Main Street. All the village entrances are to receive attention as well. Consultation is now underway to determine the most suitable options that can be afforded and details of the preferred scheme will be announced before work is put in hand.

~ A little more good news: the parish precept will remain unchanged next year at £12,000. This represents £12.42 on the Council Tax for a Band D property.

~ The Police tell us our village is very fortunate in having crime levels that are low in comparison with other places in the county. The situation is deteriorating however, as evidenced by a recent armed robbery at Cross Stores plus a resurgence of criminal damage and an attempted theft at The Den. In the past month there have also been other break-ins, damage and theft involving parked cars, and an assault. Many residents would welcome more visible policing, but with bigger problems elsewhere it's unrealistic to expect it. The availability of grants towards the cost of enhanced security for vulnerable areas is under examination, and the Crime Prevention Officer is being approached. Meanwhile you can play your part by reporting anything untoward that you see, on 01283 550101 or 01332 290100. In a genuine emergency always call 999.

~ Churchgoers are encountering problems parking in the vicinity of St Wystan's on weekdays, owing to vehicles being left there all day. This is a difficult one as the area in front of the church forms part of the public highway, but it may be possible to reserve space for people attending funerals and other services. Separately the County Council is being asked to raise the height of the kerb by the War Memorial to stop cars parking on the pavement.

~ The only planning application to which an objection has had to be lodged this month is one made by Repton Tandoori. It seeks the removal of restrictions on preparing food for consumption off the premises, and on frying food in the evening. These limitations were applied by the District Council when the premises first opened as a Mediterranean restaurant, because it lacks a car park and to prevent neighbours suffering the constant nuisance of food smells. In the absence of any change in the circumstances which gave rise to these constraints, your Parish Council believes the status quo should be maintained.

The next Parish Council meeting will take place on 8 December at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall.

Rainbows & Guides Fayre

First Repton Rainbows and First Repton Guides will be holding a Joint Christmas Fayre on Thursday 4th December at The Den Mitre Drive, from 5.15 pm to 7.00 pm.

There will be a cake stall, crafts, raffle, tombola, Usborne books and games to suit all ages. Entrance is free with a 'door prize' ticket to everyone who comes along to support us. Refreshments will be available. All proceeds to be shared between Rainbow and Guide funds.

Come and join in the fun - hope to see you there.

Repton WI

At the November meeting the new President, Mrs Jill Cownie, welcomed Gary Dundas and his wife who had returned with their celebrated sausages. Mr Dundas talked about the butcher's Christmas trade and gave us some useful hints on ordering, cooking and carving. The usual refreshments were supplemented by a taste of Dundas sausages.

The December meeting will be a DIY session under the guidance of Mrs Mary Smith. We hope to produce personalised greetings cards. Members are asked to bring a small paint brush if they have one, although most of the materials will be provided. This will be the evening when we exchange gifts.

Next meeting: Tuesday, 9th December 9th at 7.15 pm in the Village Hall.

Repton RBL Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Show

The Royal British Legion Show was held on 13th September. The Show Committee would like to thank all entrants, the judges (George Astle and Chris Wild) and the helpers (Gary, Ray, Sam, Gordon, Roy and Maisie).

All moneys from the entry fees, raffle, auction and the 'guess the number of beans' added up to a grand total of £420.60; this sum is to be passed to the Poppy Appeal.

Extend!

Every Tuesday morning 11.00 - 12 noon: Extend classes at Repton Village Hall. Extend is movement to music for people aged 60 or over and for people of any age with a disability. Men and women are welcome - all abilities.

Have fun and get fitter at the same time!

A reader has written to the Magazine:

The Extend classes started on 16th September, so we have had nine lessons and I certainly feel much better. Twenty-five years ago I had very bad arthritis in the right leg which made my leg 2" inches shorter than the right. My leg improved but was painful when I worked in the garden. In April I damaged the hamstring in the right leg; that did not get really better. Now I can pick things up from the floor, sit down to undress and dress, walk upstairs properly and can now mow the lawns and garden without any pain. Do come and join us; we have such fun. In fact it gets quite hilarious at times...

Classes will continue until Tuesday 16th December and then restart on 6th January 2004.

Please contact Maureen Neave on 01283 813842 for further information.

Repton Casuals Football Club

There will be no Ball Skills sessions at Broomhills Lane on Saturdays 20th and 27th December. Sessions will resume in the new year on Saturday 3rd January. Newcomers welcome: from age 5 upwards. For further information contact Bob Errington, tel 701183.

Broadband: we have it!

On Wednesday 29th October Repton telephone exchange was upgraded and enabled for Broadband and a number of local residents are already enjoying its benefits. If you want to use this facility your first step is to choose and enrol with one of the many providers offering the service. The choice is rather overwhelming but a visit to Gavin Murray's recently updated 'Broadband for Repton' web site at www.broadband4repton.org.uk/index.htm would be a good start.

Gardening Notes

My first seed catalogue, like the Christmas gift ones, arrived in July this year but now is the time to open them and decide on your requirements for next year. It is also a good idea to work out a cropping plan for the vegetable plot for next year.

Dig the vegetable areas when possible and incorporate compost or manure to improve the structure of the soil. Add lime to areas where brassicas are to be grown; clubroot is less likely to occur in soil where the pH is 7.5 or more and lime helps in this way by increasing the alkalinity of the soil. Cover any areas where you want to sow early vegetables with polythene to keep the soil warmer. If opaque, this also suppresses the weeds, though most of them will germinate later when the polythene is removed! Covering rhubarb crowns with straw or dry leaves and placing an old dustbin or large pot over them, to keep the light out, will encourage early growth. Alternatively, crowns lifted earlier can be forced under the greenhouse staging.

Plant bare root trees, shrubs, raspberries and currants. Soak the roots first for 24 hours and pot them up temporarily if the soil is unsuitable for planting.

Root cuttings can be taken now of many plants with thick, fleshy roots. Oriental poppies, acanthus, dicentra, statice and many others are suitable. It is also possible, by bringing in pots of border perennials to the greenhouse, to have them producing suitable material for cuttings in February and thus giving them a head start.

Check tree stakes and ties to ensure they have not been loosened by the wind. And check grease bands on fruit trees to make sure any debris is not making a bridge for pests to crawl across.

Garden centres are often selling off bulbs cheaply now and late flowering daffodils, tulips, alliums and crown imperials, provided the bulbs are plump and firm, can still be planted successfully.

Check bowls of indoor bulbs and give those placed near a window a quarter turn each day to ensure even growth.

Keep off the lawn when it is frozen or waterlogged. If you have to wheel barrows over it, put boards down first. Remove fine mesh nets from the roof of fruit cages and clean gutters on sheds and greenhouses. Clean up leaves from rose bushes to help prevent black spot and rust spores spilling on the ground and reinfesting next year.

Aim for a minimum temperature of 7C to keep greenhouses free of frost. Remove dead or damaged leaves or flowers and water sparingly, keeping the foliage dry. Treat green or white fly with a pyrethrin spray.

Christmas trees without roots should have about two inches cut off the bottom of the stem and then be put in a bucket of water and wedged with bricks. They will drop fewer leaves.

Continue providing fresh food and water for the birds and keep the bird table clean. Balls of fat particularly attract the insect feeders. They can be made by melting some fat, mixing in some small seed, rolling it into a ball and hardening it off by putting it in a freezer. Countrywide, it has been a bad year for breeding tits but we had plenty earlier in the year. Now they are only just beginning to return to the garden and black birds are more numerous. Some of these will be continental migrants, though it takes cold weather to bring more birds back to the garden. Robins have established their territories and I have heard, but not seen, the first fieldfares.

Sam Beeton: Letter from Madagascar

Further extracts from Revd Sam Beeton's recent report from St Paul's Theological College in Ambatoharanana

Ascension Day marked the 125th anniversary of the college's founding. The carpenter put up signs which were paid for by friends from the UK and painted by Tahgina (a professional metal worker, now in his first year of study here). They look smart and inform visitors about sites of interest around the college.

The son of the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral built the two original buildings in granite so they have weathered the years very well. The church is due for a renovation in the next few months, generously sponsored by the President of Madagascar, Mark Ravalomanana. The other building contains the college library, classrooms and the chapel, the centre of college community life.

The anniversary was celebrated with a concert organised by Flobert, who is one of the students and our resident impresario! He asked me for an Eric Clapton song which we had done in class the other day so I helped him with the pronunciation and typed out the lyrics. People here are less bashful about singing and we heard some very good voices - particularly among the women, whom we don't often hear in chapel.

I was told that the entertainment would include a 'cheval de bois'. I knew that this translates as 'wooden horse' but wasn't quite sure what it would be, until I stepped outside and saw children perched on top of painted horses whizzing around in the evening light - a merry-go-round at two and a half pence a ride. The money is well earned by the stall holders who steer the horses round and round until they glide under their own 'horse power'.

Each year, on Trinity Sunday, our church in Avaratranjoma celebrates its anniversary. This year the service was typically long. It started at 8.30 am and went on until noon. Everybody came in their best clothes and shoes and the floor was polished until it shone. Two people in posh shoes slipped head over heels in front of the altar but the church was so packed that only the front few pews noticed.

However we all noticed when there was a power cut at 11 am because we suddenly couldn't hear the Revd Samitiana. Fortunately, all eventualities had been prepared for and the generator was duly started up. It was a pity that it interfered with the microphones so it sounded as if there was a large wasp in the room. Eventually, Revd Samitiana produced a megaphone and this tided us over until the electricity came back on.

If there's an 'up side' to this story, it is that when individuals can't be heard, choirs and congregational singing are even more appreciated and everyone sang with great gusto.