May 2005 - Contents Pope John Paul II Vote Wisely Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches V-E Day Parade and Thanksgiving Service, Sunday 8th May at 3 pm 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 Altar Flowers at St Saviour's United Reformed Church Services at the United Reformed Church Coffee Morning, Saturday l4th May 10.30 to 11.30 am Shell Group (age 7+) Summer Barbecue, Saturday 16th July Family Church Picnic: Sunday 28th August Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals and Burial of Ashes Baptisms Thomas Robert Owen Hannah Mary LeTissier Austin Lewis Payne Marriages Andrew Stuart Peers and Jennifer Margaret Hadwen Funerals and Burial of Ashes Geoffrey Widdowson Lewen Le Fanu St Wystan's News St Wystan's Development Repton Neighbourhood Help Parish Walk in the Peak District, Saturday 14th May Building a Scarecrow - Hints and Tips Repton Primary School Jumble Sale, Saturday 30th April Repton School Concerts Society, The London Concertante, Tuesday 3rd May Repton School Concerts Society AGM, Tuesday 10th May VE Day - 60 Years On, Saturday 14th May All Gardens Great and Small, Wednesday 18th May Dorcas Group Coffee Morning and Plant Sale, Saturday 21st May Burton Floral Art Society Afternoon Tea, Saturday 21st May Ashby Guild of Artists Autistic Annual Garage Sale, 18th June Christian Aid Week, 15 - 21 May Repton Village and History Repton Council Jottings Repton Primary PTA Spring Bedding Plant Sale, Saturday 21st May Repton Evergreens Repton W.I. Repton Village History Group Repton Village Society Missing Magazines: an update Milton & Foremark Village Matters Milton W.I. Gardening Notes

Pope John Paul II

These words of appreciation are from Brother Roger of the Taizé Community, who knew Pope John Paul II personally.

It was in 1962, at the Vatican Council, that I met the man who was to become Pope John Paul II. The Pope received me in private audience each year, and there were times when my thoughts went out to the trials in his life: in his childhood, he had lost his mother, and in his youth his father and his only brother. And I said to myself: try to find a word to gladden and even console his heart, by speaking of the hope that we were discovering among many young people, and by assuring him of the trust our community bore towards him. Consumed by the fire of the love of the Church and the human family, John Paul II did everything possible to communicate this flame. He breathed life into the universality of the Church, among others things by going to most of the countries of the world to meet human beings, sometimes to challenge them, and often to express God's compassion. The journeys he made, over one hundred, remain a clear expression of a soul so attentive to preparing a future of peace.

Vote Wisely

Today, the election campaign has turned towards that subject which we are told determines elections - the economy; more of that in a moment. But why write about the election? Will doing so lose me friends? Surely politics and religion don't mix?

Why? Negatively, because if it is not appropriate now it never will be; positively, as Christians we are called to love our neighbour, and to do so we need to be engaged with our community and civic life. And I hope I will not lose friends, because I will not be suggesting how to vote. Certainly religion and politics are not the same. Religion is about absolute values and politics about the art of the possible, but there is wide overlap.

A most useful book for understanding the top eight issues that concern the British public, which also gives a Christian critique on these issues, is Votewise by Nick Spencer (SPCK, ISBN 028 105 6838). He sets out the Christian belief that right relationships are at the heart of politics. "Love is the object of life, the goal of creation and the foundation of the moral order. Human beings are here to 'love the Lord ... with all your heart ... soul ... mind and ... strength (and) love your neighbour as yourself.' The incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus reveal and restore the created order of love, 'making all things new.'"

Each chapter sets out the areas of discussion on each issue and comments from a Biblical perspective. Let us take the economy as an example. The present government's record of economic growth and stability is acknowledged. "Unemployment fell to 4.8% in 2004. Inflation has remained below 1.5% for over two years and has been among the lowest in the EU since 2000." But "economic growth is no longer delivering what it always declared it would: happiness. ... Mounting evidence shows that above a certain level, income and happiness are decoupled." While "Britons today live in a material paradise unimaginable in 1945 ... levels of clinical depression, suicide, alcohol addiction and crime have risen considerably."

Studies in human happiness suggest, "Satisfaction with life is fostered by good, close relationships, social participation, a sense of self-esteem, control over one's life, a sense of meaning and purpose, serious religious commitment, physical comfort and material wealth. Our obsessive pursuit of the last of these ... in recent decades has secured the penultimate good but weakened all the rest. When money becomes the measure of all things, those things which cannot be priced aren't valued."

A Biblical perspective affirms the goodness of creation. The writer of Ecclesiastes says: "When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift from God." The Christian vision puts it in a wider context. In every service of Holy Communion, we say of the bread and wine: "All things come from you, and of your own do we give you", repeating King David's words in 1 Chronicles 29. Jesus acknowledges the dangers of wealth, not because it is evil, but because he recognizes that "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Paul's much quoted saying about the love of money being the root of all evil is not about wealth as such but its dangers. Finally, wealth brings responsibility and should be an instrument to build up relationships.

In the third section of the chapter, Spencer asks the awkward question: "If the vision that has inspired governments for decades, of societies becoming more contented as they become wealthier, is dissolving before our eyes, what do we have to replace it with?" He suggests that "a Christian perspective that views wealth creation as a tool of society's relational health is likely to be at odds with current political orthodoxies." He offers various "lines of engagement" such as "tighter regulation of the UK's enormous debt culture", or "entrenching sustainable development principles and practices with government, private and public sectors at all levels", or "addressing the UK's culture of long working hours", with the result that people spend less time at home, and finally, "strengthening non-monetary relationships" (such as protecting and fostering family life) as "the most powerful way of subverting the principles of a society that has forgotten what economic growth is for."

Having such a vision at the heart of the Christian faith does not tell us how to vote. However, it may help us to assess our priorities and appraise the party manifestos. The fact that we live in a democracy means that we bear responsibility for the decisions that our leaders make in our name. We therefore owe it to God, our neighbours and ourselves to vote wisely.

With prayers and best wishes,

Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

St. Wystan's, Repton

St Saviour's, Foremark

St Mary's, Newton Solney

Readers and Intercessors at St. Wystan's

Altar Flowers

Brasses

Altar Flowers and Cleaning Rota at St Saviour's

The United Reformed Church

Coffee Morning, Saturday l4th May 10.30 to 11.30 am

A chance to play the children's game - always a winner! Stock up with home-made cakes and marmalade, and see the latest Webb Ivory cards and stationery.

Shell Group (age 7+)

... meets on the 9th, 16th and 23rd May. New members are always welcome.

Summer Barbecue, Saturday 16th July

The annual fun and feasting is on the calendar - make sure the date is in your diary!

Family Church Picnic: Sunday 28th August

Baptisms

Thomas Robert Owen of Foremarke Hall, Milton, was baptised on 20th March at St. Saviour's Church, Foremark.

Hannah Mary LeTissier, the daughter of Sharon and Tony LeTissier of Selly Oak, Birmingham, was baptised at the United Reformed Church on Sunday 10th April.

Austin Lewis Payne of 29 Pinfold Lane, Repton, was baptised on 10th April at St. Wystan's Church, Repton.

Marriages

Andrew Stuart Peers and Jennifer Margaret Hadwen were married at St Wystan's Church, Repton, on Saturday 2nd April.

Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Geoffrey Widdowson, known to all as Geoff, of Well Lane, Repton, died on 22nd March, aged 78. His funeral was held at Bretby Crematorium on Thursday 31st March.

Lewen Le Fanu

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Lewen Le Fanu on 6th April at the age of 98. Lewen was Sales Director at Inde Coope in Burton and lived in Repton with his wife Margery, who died last August, at Newton House, Burton Road, for over 50 years. Both Lewen and Margery had a great affection for the church and the village, and played an active role in village life. Lewen was a keen gardener, always to be seen exhibiting some of his products at the annual horticultural show (which used to be held in Repton School fives courts on the Burton Road). He was an active supporter of the British Heart Foundation. He also delivered this magazine for over 20 years.

St Wystan's News

St Wystan's Development

A reminder that there will be a public meeting to discuss the PCC's proposals, with the architect present, in St Wystan's Church on 3rd May at 7.30 pm. The plans are now on view in church, together with an outline explanation. The principal changes are also described on the church website at www.reptonchurch.org.uk.

The current proposals are based on those previously put forward, but there have been significant changes to meet the concerns that have been expressed. The PCC hopes that parishioners will recognise that what we propose is important for the life of St Wystan's church and that it will make the building much more useful for present and future generations. It should be emphasised that none of the ancient fabric will be disturbed. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Repton Neighbourhood Help

At our half-yearly meeting in March, we welcomed Rev'd Peter Paine as our new chairman, and also Mrs. Hazel Cook to the committee. We wish them a happy time with us. We are happy to report an improvement in our finances, which makes our treasurer, John Perks, happy! Thanks to generous donations from the Sale of Work Committee and the County Council, we have been able to purchase a food warmer and plan ahead for an outing in August.

Luncheon Club

By the time that you read this, we will be well into the long summer session, 8th April - 15th July. Over these fifteen weeks we will have the help of 10 drivers, 15 cooks, 9 servers and / or washer-uppers, and 5 committee members who are regular aides. It is amazing when you list all the people who help, isn't it? The drivers turn out each week or as necessary; some cooks do a double stint, some do a whole lunch, some only do first course or puds. The more we have on each list, the more likely it is that each person only has to turn out 3 or 4 times a year, which is why we are always looking for more, especially for more servers and washer-uppers!!

A very big THANK YOU to you all.

Parish Walk in the Peak District

On Saturday 14th May, there will be another figure-of-eight ramble, centring on a pub. The first loop (in the morning) will be about six miles long, and will entail rather more up- and downhill walking than the four-mile second loop in the afternoon. However, plenty of time will be allowed this year for the morning loop, since we are all a little older!

The beer will be more refreshing, the food tastier, if you come on the morning walk, but if you prefer, you are welcome to join us for lunch at the pub, and to walk only the second loop. Both walks provide magnificent panoramas.

If you are interested, please ring me on 702384.

Building a Scarecrow - Hints and Tips

We hope that lots of you will take part in the Scarecrow Competition as part of the Open Gardens Weekend on the 18th - 19th June. Scarecrows are great fun to make, and children particularly enjoy being involved. Last year we had some wonderful scarecrows, including a large crow (a winning entry by Repton Guides) made from black plastic bags, and an amazing green dragon entered by St Wystan's School. We particularly hope that schools and organisations will take part in the competition as it raises awareness of what is going on in Repton.

Your scarecrow can be as simple or as sophisticated as you wish. Traditional scarecrows made from two crossed sticks, dressed in old clothes, with a face made from vegetables, can be very appealing, or you might want to make an insect or an animal. Just to get you started: how about some chicken wire inside a plastic bag for the body, an old football for the head and canes for the arms and legs. With some parcel tape to hold the whole thing together, you will soon have a weatherproof scarecrow, and you can then give it its own individual personality. Once you get started you can let your imagination run riot.

There is no particular theme and amusing captions and artistic licence are positively encouraged. So why not have a go? Competition forms will appear in the June edition of the Parish Magazine and in local shops.

Garage Sale

Our annual Garage Sale in aid of the National Autistic Society will be on 18th June, 10.30 am, at 2 Monsom Lane. We are very happy to receive any household goods etc. to sell. All very welcome. Please call Sue Banks, 701726, or Roz Baker, 702759, to collect.

Christian Aid Week, 15 - 21May 2005

By supporting Christian Aid Week, you are among millions of people who think poverty is a scandal that we do not have to accept. Your actions, commitment and contributions will bring about a better life for people in poor communities all over the world.

Making poverty history: the trade justice campaign

The UK government is committed to making 2005 a year when poverty is on the international agenda. To tackle poverty it must address the injustices in world trade. Christian Aid Week this year asks all of us to call for trade justice.

"There are many women working at the sugar plantation. Before the sugar factory opened, we were very poor... Now things are better, we can all earn money and buy food from the markets." Louisa now works on a sugar plantation in Mozambique, earning enough to feed her family. Her job is one of thousands that have been created since the Mozambique government helped its sugar industry by attracting investment. It sets the price for imported sugar, most of which comes from rich countries where it is subsidised. This set price means that locally produced sugar is able to compete with imports. But Mozambique is an exception. Other poor countries are prevented from helping vulnerable industries and farmers. Rich countries and international institutions that lend money to poor countries force their governments to accept free-trade policies.

For example, in Ghana, thousands of farmers have been forced to give up farming because they are no longer able to make a living selling their produce. Kofi used to be a tomato farmer. He now works 12 hours a day in a quarry, breaking rocks to make gravel. He struggles to earn enough to feed his family and send his children to school. In exchange for loans, Ghana was forced to open up its markets to international trade and take away the help it gave to farmers such as Kofi. This is the same for other poor countries across the world. As a result, millions of people now face an uncertain future as they lose the means to make a living.

Free trade means that governments may not interfere in the market place, and all traders - from rich and poor countries alike - must face each other in open competition. This gives the poorest no chance. To begin to make a decent living for their families they need help from their government to support their industries - they need trade justice, not free trade. Christian Aid Week Collection

During the first week of May you will receive an envelope issued by Christian Aid. Christian Aid is asking us to do three things:

• Make a donation.
• Sign the Gift Aid Form: Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows Christian Aid to claim back tax. If you are a UK taxpayer, fill in the declaration on the red CAW envelope and your gift is worth 28 per cent more to Christian Aid. If everyone does this it will raise at least an extra £1 million for the world's poorest communities.
• Vote for trade justice by filling out and posting the Action Card that will be delivered with the Christian Aid envelope.

The envelope will be collected during the week commencing 15th May. If for some reason it is not collected, the post office has kindly agreed to have a container where you can leave your envelope.

Christian Aid is sponsored by forty churches in the UK and Ireland. Your continued support is greatly appreciated. If you can help to collect or distribute envelopes please get in touch; we still need collectors for all areas. Even if you can only collect once, we would be grateful if you would contact Jackie Hurrell (co-ordinator), 702089, or Melodie Kettle, 559217. For Newton Solney the contact is Jennifer Haynes, 703827.

Repton Village & History

Repton Council Jottings

A small selection of items discussed by the Parish Council on 11th April 2005:

• A new bench seat has been installed outside St Wystan's church wall, and very fine it looks. Who could imagine that no fewer than 15 organisations would have to be consulted in order for the work to be agreed? During the lengthy approval process, the opportunity was taken also to secure permission for an amenity signpost at the Cross, and a bench opposite the Village Hall in Milton. These items are now on order.



• An approach has been made to the Woodland Trust to see if it would be interested in a partnership to extend Sledge Wood towards the village. If the area involved could include the Osier Beds in Main Street, that part of Repton's history would be secured.



• Just six planning applications this month, only one of which gave rise to an objection: The demolition of 2 pairs of semi-detached houses at 22 - 28 Askew Grove, and their replacement with 6 detached houses. A previous application to demolish 28 Askew Grove (half a semi) and replace it with 2 detached houses was approved by SDDC. A site meeting has been requested to consider the effect the latest proposal would have on the character of the neighbourhood.



• Following a recent retirement, the opportunity has arisen to co-opt another parish councillor. If you are interested in making a contribution to decisions affecting the local community, or initially you just want to find out a little bit more about what's involved, please phone Celia Bunston, Clerk to the Council, on 701309, Monday and Wednesday afternoons, or 01332 865226 at other times. The closing date for applications is 8th May.

The next Parish Council meeting, which will include the AGM, is to be held on Monday 9th May at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall.

Repton Primary PTA Spring Bedding Plant Sale

A sale of garden bedding plants will take place on Saturday 21st May at Repton Primary School, 10.00 - 11.00 am. A wide variety of plants will be available, but supplies will be limited and plants will be sold, first come, first-served. However you can guarantee your order by ordering beforehand. Contact Sarah Baker or Diane Murray. Orders must be received no later than Wednesday 4th May. Please collect plants from the school on 21st May, 10.00 - 11.00 am.

Repton Evergreens

For our next meeting on Thursday 26th May, we will be going to Marsh Farm, Abbots Bromley, for our birthday lunch, to be followed by a coach trip in the area. If you would like to join us, the coach leaves Repton Cross at 11 am. For non-members, the cost (including lunch and the coach fare) is £9. Please ring Colleen (702975) or Reg (701803) to book.

Repton W.I.

In April, Repton W.I. held a very successful Antiques Evening. James Lewis and a colleague from Bamfords Auction House valued items from family silver to Dinky toys, wisely kept in their original boxes. Everyone struggled to identify, date and value antiques brought by Mr. Lewis. As he provided the answers, he conducted a Mock Auction. Bids came in quickly in tens, hundreds and thousands of pounds. Some people secured imaginary bargains but the bidder who paid thousands for an Egyptian tomb figure worth £50 was very glad that her cheque book did not have to be produced immediately!

Next Meeting: Tuesday 10th May, 7.15 pm in the Village Hall: Resolutions Supper.

Repton Village History Group

Visitors are very welcome at our meetings, which normally take place at the Village Hall at 7.30 pm on the third Tuesday of the month. The current programme includes:

Tuesday 17th May: A 'display evening' of archives and projects. This will be an opportunity to see more of our photographic and documentary archives, and the results of our current research. It is also an opportunity for people to bring along their personal photos and documents to share with us. These informal evenings are a popular event, where visitors can come along and reminisce about times gone by.

Tuesday 21st June: 'World War Records held at the Magic Attic'. A talk by Keith Foster. The Magic Attic at Swadlincote holds many thousands of records taken from the local press. These tell of the deaths and injuries sustained by local members of the armed forces in both World Wars. Researched by members of 'The Attic', it is a comprehensive record and a most useful tool for local people who are tracing their family history.

More information about the Group and its activities are to be found at www.reptonvillage.org.uk

Repton Village Society

Meetings are at 7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall.

Thursday 12th May: Mike Charlesworth, 'Repton Reminiscences'

The date for this talk has been changed due to the election taking over the hall on the 5th! We look forward to Mike talking about his 64 years in Repton, from schoolboy to Assistant Master, Head of English and finally to Housemaster, before retiring but staying in the village. He has been involved in theatrical productions, both in the village and the local area, and is particularly well known for his Shakespearian productions.

Thursday 2nd June: Diana Perowne, 'The Lunar Society of Birmingham'

Diana Perowne is a Birmingham Blue Badge Guide, so her talk should be very informative. In the 1760s, a group of amateur experimenters (including Whitehurst from Derby, Boulton, Watt, Priestly, Wedgewood and Erasmus Darwin) met and changed the face of England. The Lunar Society was named because they met at each full moon to make the travelling easier! The talk will be followed on Saturday 4th June by a coach trip to Birmingham, conducted by Mrs Perowne, to see Brindley Place, Soho House (Matthew Boulton's house), the Jewellery Quarter and Edgbaston, before finishing at the Bournville Model Village.

Our last meeting (7th April) on the 'Bass Railway Trips' gave a fascinating insight into the life and times of Bass brewery workers in Burton. From the mid-1800s to the start of the First World War, annual excursions to the 'seaside' were organised by the company's Travel Manager. At its peak, the trips involved 17 trains moving over 11,000 Bass workers and relations. In order that people had over twelve hours at the relevant resort, a very early start was required, with the first train often arriving at the resort before the last had left Burton. Rod Pearson kept us involved and interested, with many comments on the social and logistical aspects of the trips.

Missing Magazines: an update

Last month we appealed for old Parish Magazines, bound or unbound, covering the years 1938 - 1952, which are missing from an otherwise complete run from 1889 to date. Mrs Rosalind Hudson has supplied a photocopy of the cover of the July 1940 magazine, and Mrs Gladys Dooley has kindly donated three originals: September 1944, December 1945 and October 1948. So we know that the magazine was published in war-time, albeit in a strict economy version, with just an outer cover, printed on both sides, enclosing a slim 'Home Words' magazine.

We are still looking for rest of the missing magazines, 268 of them covering 15 years, and particularly that bound volume for 1945-52 covering eight of these years. Keep on looking!

Milton & Foremark Village Matters

Milton W.I.

At the March meeting, Sue Barke, resplendent in her formal 'working uniform' complete with top hat, described her career as a funeral director. Sue is a working wife and mother who has built up a successful business locally. She impressed us with her professional and sensitive approach to helping bereaved families, and her knowledge of the funeral customs of a variety of religions. Members were amused by her humorous anecdotes.

In May there will be a 'Resolutions' meeting followed by the annual fish and chip supper. The competition that night will be 'pudding for one'.

Gardening Notes

The rainfall in this area has been only half or less of the usual winter average, so, unless April makes up for it, we must make sure that seed beds, seedlings, soft fruit and newly planted shrubs, trees and herbaceous perennials are all kept well watered.

It is essential to keep tender bedding and container plants safe from frost, and most are best kept in a cool greenhouse or frame until mid-May at least. In May, there is often a gap in the colour in the border. Late tulips and alliums will help fill this, together with, amongst others, aquilegias, honesty (lunaria), sweet rocket, Solomon's Seal and oriental poppies. Gaps in the border later in the season can be filled with pot-grown perennials such as lilies, but few of us have the room to grow these on separately. There is a huge proliferation in the number and variety of plants now available from garden centres, both for borders and containers, such that it almost inhibits growing them from seed at home. The spring-flowering clematis montana, alpina and macropetala also make a good show in May. Together with the later-flowering c. viticella, they are largely immune to clematis wilt. Tulips can be left in the ground, but if the soil is heavy, they are better lifted and kept in a cool, dry place. Plant summer bulbs, corms and tubers, such as gladioli and dahlias.

Check that supports are in place for the taller perennials. Take cuttings from herbaceous perennials such as delphiniums, aster, phlox and penstemon, using new basal shoots. Trim arabis and aubretia after they have finished flowering. Tidy ivy on walls, and clip it back from windows. Trim box hedges and topiary for neatness. Prune flowering currant and kerria japonica by cutting back a third of the older stems to just above ground level, as well as evergreen berberis if it is too big. Hedges of lonicera nitida and privet may need a trim; chaenomeles, osmanthus and rhododendron can be pruned after flowering, as can spring-flowering ceanothus, which can have most of its flowering shoots removed.

Place clean straw under strawberry plants, to prevent the fruit from touching the ground.

Sow direct outdoors: beetroot, winter cabbages and Brussels sprouts, calabrese, kale, parsnips, turnips, lettuce, Swiss chard and peas, and runner beans after the middle of the month. In the cold greenhouse, sow basil, summer cauliflower, French and runner beans and lettuce. Marrows may need some heat. Plant tomatoes in the greenhouse. They should only need heat at night if it is cold, but they will need shading to prevent scorching from the sun.

Look out for greenfly, blackfly and whitefly, both in the greenhouse and outside. Squash them or spray them with bifenthrin or pyrethrin - the only insecticides now available for gardeners - but do not use these for four days prior to using biological controls. Use sticky yellow traps in the greenhouse. Watch out for sawfly larvae on Solomon's Seal and gooseberries, and squash them before they eat all the leaves. A trail of ants climbing up your plants is often a sign of aphid infestation, for the ants feed on the sticky, sugary residue left by the aphids. Ants also like the sweet coating on cyclamen seeds, thus helping to disperse the seeds without damaging them. Carrot and onion fly can often be troublesome, though sowing carrots and onions side by side seems to help. Sow your carrots in June and harvest before late summer to avoid both the first and second generations of the fly. Erecting a 3-foot high panel of thick, clear plastic close along each side of the row reduces infestation, but handling carrots by the leaves attracts the fly by increasing the scent.

Biological controls are available for many pests, but mostly in the controlled space of the greenhouse. Tiny encarsia wasps are used against whitefly, and there are similar predators against red spider mite, which attacks many plants, especially tomatoes and strawberries, causing the leaves to turn yellow, mealy bugs, which suck juices from the leaves, and sciarids, tiny black flies whose larvae eat the roots of young bedding plants. Aphids can also be controlled with lacewing or ladybird larvae. Vine weevils are mainly active in early spring, and in the autumn, and are best dealt with then. There is also a control for leatherjackets, the larvae of daddy longlegs, which eat grass roots - but it costs nearly £20 to treat 100 square metres.