October 2005 - Contents The 100 Best Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches 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 8th October, 10.30 - 11.30 am at Fisher Close Shell Group (age 7+) Card and Coffee Day, Thursday 20th October at 2A The Pastures Christmas Mini-Market, Saturday 12th November at Fisher Close Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals and Burial of Ashes Baptisms Benjamin William and Luke Daniel Turnbull Maximilian Anthony Wildgoose Funerals and Burial of Ashes Veronica Palmer Rita Woodman St Wystan's News The Repton Spoon Recycling Metal for St Wystan's Development Fund One World Week St Saviour's News Foremark Church Gift Day St Mary's News End of British Summertime Saints Alive in Newton Solney - for everyone! Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal Sing Schubert's Mass in Eb, Saturday 1st October Rainbows Autumn Fayre, Thursday 6th October Skampa String Quartet, Tuesday 11th October Card and Coffee Day, Thursday 20th October Big Band Spectacular, Saturday 22nd October ARRC Coffee Morning, Saturday 29th October Conservatives Halloween Party, Saturday 29th October St Wystan's Bring and Share, Sunday 30th October The Bite-Size Opera Group, Friday 4th November Repton Sale of Work and Fun Day, Saturday 5th November Table-Top Sale, Saturday 19th November Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccinations Zak's Hospital Fund Repton Village and History Sale of Work and Fun Day, Saturday 5th November Repton Show Prizewinners 2005 Repton Village History Group Repton W.I. Repton Village Society Hanging Baskets Newton Solney Village Matters Newton Solney Post Office & General Store Gardening Notes

The 100 Best

Do you watch those '100 Best' programmes that Channel Five uses to fill the weekend schedules? I have watched only one, the '100 Best Musicals'. It wasn't specified whether viewers were selecting from stage or screen musicals, but as a fully paid-up member of the Stage Musicals Appreciation Society I felt obliged to watch that one. Early on in the five-hour stint I realised that stage musicals lost out to films – there are clips easily available – and I wondered just how many viewers really thought that 'The Rocky Horror Show' outshone all the competition. Presumably the real musical lovers were too busy putting on productions of 'Carousel', 'My Fair Lady' or 'Guys and Dolls' to have time to vote. A few weeks ago, BBC Radio 2 ran a 'Top Ten Musicals' poll with slightly more credible results; 'Les Misérables' and 'The Phantom of the Opera' were the winners. I have also seen a list of the most popular music requested at funerals by the mourners who provide their favourites on CD, and while Robbie Williams' 'Angel' is a clear winner, 'Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again' from 'Phantom of the Opera', and 'Bring Him Home' from 'Les Misérables' run him close.

Musicals offer an experience with the kind of atmosphere that people used to find in churches: the hushed air of expectation as the orchestra strikes up; the audience looking for an experience that will lift them out of the daily round, the common task, to share those tingle moments when they are moved to tears by the spectacle, the soaring music, the uplifting lyrics – as when Grizabella ascends to the cats' heaven, when the Superstar theme crashes out after Pilate's outburst to his prisoner, Jesus, or when Billy Bigelow tells Julie how he loved her in 'Carousel'. It's no accident that new churches are frequently designed as theatres – there's a fine example in Tamworth – with raked seating, lighting rigs, and a raised stage area, bringing the theatre to their congregations as medieval churches did. Redundant Broadway theatres have been taken over by churches, with little adaptation. Tex Sample, in his book 'The Spectacle of Worship in a Wired World' offers a recipe for churches to capitalise on the experience of stage musicals: multi-media presentation, singing, dancing, movement, huge screens, through-played music, state of the art lighting design, songs from musicals to sing, a dramatic Eucharist ending with a black-out, then a pin-spot focused above the Cross and a lone soprano singing 'Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord' from 'Godspell'.

There's a lot to be learned from musicals!

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 8th October, 10.30 -11.30 am at Fisher Close

After our very successful Coffee Morning last month at the Community Centre, Fisher Close, we return there this month for another opportunity to have coffee and biscuits with friends, to buy Webb Ivory cards, and to stock up with home-made marmalade and cakes.

Shell Group (age 7+)

... meets on Mondays 3rd, 10th and 17th October from 6.30 pm. New members are always welcome.

Card and Coffee Day, Thursday 20th October at 2A The Pastures

Once again Mr. and Mrs. C. Atkin invite you to choose your Christmas cards, wrapping paper and gifts from the Webb Ivory range in the comfort of their home. Coffee and biscuits will be served from 10.30 to 11.30 am, and cream scones from 2.00 to 4.00 pm, and from 7.30 to 8.30 pm. Everyone is welcome - bring your friends!

Christmas Mini-Market, Saturday 12th November at Fisher Close

The Christmas Mini-Market will be held at the Community Centre, Fisher Close, on Saturday, 12th November, from 10.30 to noon. Book the date now!

Baptisms

Benjamin William and Luke Daniel Turnbull of Corn Cottage, Seven Spouts Farm, Ingleby Lane, Ticknall, were baptised at St Wystan's Church on Sunday 4th September.

Maximilian Anthony Wildgoose of 6 Falaise Way, Hilton, was baptised at St Wystan's Church on Sunday 4th September.

Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Funerals Veronica Palmer died in Australia on Wednesday 20th July, aged 60. Born and raised in Repton, she was the daughter of Len and the late Rona Palmer.

Rita Woodman of 62 Askew Grove, Repton, died at the Old Lodge Nursing Home, Etwall, on Thursday 18th August aged 80. Her funeral mass was held on 5th September at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Mickleover, followed by cremation at Markeaton Crematorium.

St Wystan's News

The Repton Spoon

To mark (a little late) the 1350th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in Repton in 653 AD, a specially designed spoon is being commissioned for St Wystan's Church. The design is inspired by the distinctive 'barley twist' pillars of the Saxon Crypt, believed to be copies of those in St Peter's, Rome. The spoon is 3¾" (9½ cm) long. Two versions will be available. The first, in silver-plated pewter, will sell at approximately £20. A solid hallmarked silver version will be available to order at a price in the region of £95 to £100. All the profits from the sale of the spoons will go towards the upkeep of St Wystan's Church.

The spoon will appeal to anyone who has connections with Repton – as a wedding, Christening or anniversary present, or simply as a personal possession to treasure.

Since the spoon is a special commission for St Wystan's, it would be helpful if anyone interested would contact us, so that we can gauge how many to order initially. To see pictures of the spoon, click here. To express interest or to see a sample, please contact Frances Wimbush on 01283 703180 or fjwim@tiscali.co.uk. At this stage this is merely an expression of interest; there is no obligation.

Recycling Metal for St Wystan's Development Fund

Many thanks to all who contribute cans and foil. The total raised this year amounted to £232.55, while the overall total for the 3 years we have been collecting is £773.15.

Special thanks go to Repton School who help us as part of their Community Service, the Royal British Legion, and Christians in Sport, who saved all their cans for us during their week in the village. Apart from cans and foil, we've received things such as aluminium car wheels, copper piping and saucepans. It all helps! Cans and foil can be left in the sacks in the church porch.

One World Week

This year's Fair will be held at Sharpe's Pottery Museum, Swadlincote, on Saturday 22nd October from 9.30 am - 1.30 pm. It will be opened by Mark Todd MP. Eleven charities will have goods on sale, including Traidcraft, Cafod and Aid to Russia & the Republics. At 11 am, pupils from William Allitt School will give a performance of African Dance. An exhibition will be mounted at Swadlincote Library throughout the week.

St Saviour's News

Foremark Church Gift Day

To maintain regular services at Foremark church we need your help.

If St Saviour's is to continue as a place where baptisms, weddings and funerals can take place, we are asking that the wider community shoulders some of the financial burden. The regular worshipping congregation is very small. Alone they can not meet the parish share and maintain the fabric of the church. In round figures, receipts for 2004 were £2,700, payments £4,400. Clearly this is a most unhealthy situation. Over the summer we have had very welcome assistance with the maintenance of the organ, which is now functioning with all its stops, but more help is needed.

In order to address the situation, and after discussion at the PCC, I offered to hold a Gift Day on Saturday 8th October. I will be in St Saviour's church from 10.00 am to 12 noon to receive your gifts. If you are a tax payer, please could you sign a form allowing us to collect from the Inland Revenue the tax you have already paid. That increases the value of your giving by 28% at no cost to you, and indeed, if you pay higher rate tax, you will benefit too. Cheques may be made payable to Foremark PCC. I will be very pleased to see you on 8th October at Foremark church.

St Mary's News

End of British Summertime

British Summer Time ends on 30th October, the Sunday when the congregations of St Mary, St Saviour and St Wystan meet for a joint benefice service at Repton.

Members of Newton Solney congregation are reminded that the evening service in St Mary's is brought forward for the winter months to the earlier time of 4.00 pm. This year the first such service will be the annual Service of Commemoration, at which we remember those family members and friends who have recently died. If you would like to light a candle in memory of a loved one, come along and share in this simple service.

Saints Alive in Newton Solney – for everyone!

The traditional church may be in decline but there is new life coming all over the place, very often in traditional churches. We are praying that it will happen here – praying particularly that those whom God calls to this course will respond to his call. Are you being called? Please pray about this. Please ask God whether he wants you to be part of the new life that is coming to the church in our land.

This course is about basics. It looks at the very basis of our Christian faith: God the Father who loves us and forgives us; God the Son who revealed the Father's love, who died and rose for us that he might be with us for ever; and God the Holy Spirit who gives us strength and light for our daily lives. If you missed this course in Lent please consider coming now. Whether you are an 'old timer' or wish to explore the Christian faith for the first time, this course could be for you. To find out the course dates and times, please ring Peter at the Vicarage, 703317, or Jennifer Haynes, 703827.

Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal

The last fund-raising event for 2005 is a Big Band Spectacular to be held in Pears School, Repton, on Saturday 22nd October. Join us then for a super evening.

You can order Christmas cards of Church Lane in the snow at 50p each from Jennifer Haynes, by telephone (703827) or via the list in the south aisle of St Mary's Church, where you can also see a sample card.

Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccinations

At Willington Surgery, vaccinations are now available against influenza and pneumonia. To book an appointment please call in to the surgery or telephone 01283 703318. Clinics are on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30 to 5.30 pm. Dates are as follows: 12th and 19th October, 2nd, 9th, 16th and 30th November.

Vaccination is recommended for patients over 65 and those who suffer from diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, and heart or kidney disease.

Zak's Hospital Fund

On Friday 20th August we were at last able to hand over the monies raised for Zak's hospital fund, a total of £6,571.55. We cannot say enough to thank everyone who helped us to achieve this fantastic amount.

The Neonatal Unit staff at Birmingham Women's Hospital requested:

• A 'flow driver', a piece of equipment which allows an airflow into the lungs of premature babies. It eases breathing and helps to prevent 'sticky lung'. This cost £6,000.
• Seven CD players for some of the baby units, which cost £349.93.

The remainder, £221.62, was donated to the Neonatal Units Fund.

Thanks go to all who helped us collect this amount, which helped us feel as though we could say a real thank you to the hospital staff for all the care and attention that they give to some very poorly babies. The care Zak received has enabled him to start Repton Primary School at the correct age. Thank you all.

Repton Village & History

Sale of Work and Fun Day, Saturday 5th November

The Sale of Work and Fun Day is a joint effort by members of Repton Village and Repton School and takes place annually in the School's grounds and halls. The first Sale of Work was held in 1877 and raised a total of £23 12s 8d. In the early days it was mainly about selling produce and home-made goods, but nowadays there are lots of fun items, and some years ago the name was changed to reflect this. Until 20 years ago almost all the money raised was collected on the day, but more recently the boarding houses have put on events like cabarets, dinners and auctions in the preceding and following weeks. More than half the money raised now comes from these occasions, and there has been a dramatic increase in funds raised. Last year saw a record £32,200 distributed to local, national and international charities.

How money is distributed

Stall holders and boarding house representatives, who have helped to raise the money, meet after the event to decide who should benefit. We are always keen to support worthy local causes. Last year the Village Hall refurbishment fund, the JOGS hut, Repton Neighbourhood Help Scheme, Repton Casuals, the Brownies, Bladon House School, the United Reformed Church and the Padley Centre all benefited. Many of the larger medical charities are also beneficiaries, but on the whole we target help at organisations that have connections to members of the village or school, and where a sum from us would make a significant difference to them or would fund a definite project. Suggestions or requests for donations should be made to stall holders or boarding house representatives.

How you can help

To raise such large sums of money requires a lot of hard work, and help in making items like cakes or craft work would be very much appreciated, as would the donation of quality saleable items. The following stalls rely on your support, and the stallholders would very much welcome gifts direct to them in Repton or to Pears School on the day.

• Cake Stall: Karen Perks, 16 Main Street
• Toy Stall: Helen Earwicker, 38 Tanners Lane
• Gift and Craft Stall: Margaret Bromage, c/o The Hall
• Bottles, Jars and Pots (sweet, savoury, decorative or scented): Rosie Carpenter, 702370, Francis Wimbush, 703180, Angela Mayger,702660
• White Elephants: Maggie Mylward, 34 The Pastures
• Book Stall: Tim Scott, to The Tithe Barn on the day

Do come along this year. Bring your friends and family. Youngsters will be well catered for, and you might be surprised at the bargains on offer or the Christmas presents that you can purchase.

Repton Show Prizewinners 2005

September saw another successful Repton Show. The number of entries was slightly higher than last year, and it was particularly good to see more children making things, including some excellent butterfly cakes. Without the vegetables, flowers, fruit, jams, pickles and baking, there would be no show, so many thanks to everyone who participated. The standards were high and special congratulations must go to the section prize winners.

• Zak's Cup (most points in children's section): Luke Taylor
• Boot trophy (best vegetable exhibit): A Peach
• John Crockett Trophy (most points in vegetable section): Mr Massey
• Marjorie Boddice Trophy (best flower arrangement): Karen Perks
• McLean Cup (best rose exhibit): Ron Pugh
• Silver Tray (best produce exhibit): K M Groom
• Photographic Shield: Andy Stirling
• Cup (best flower exhibit): A Peach
• Handicraft Plate: Margaret Rainey
• Unwins Voucher (best fruit exhibit): Margaret Rainey
• Unwins Voucher (any other vegetable): Banbury Morgan

It was very pleasing that so many people came to look round the show and took part in the auction, ably run by Adrian Argyle. We look forward to next year and to even more entries, and would encourage everyone to join in and have fun.

Repton Village History Group

Our next meetings are:

Tuesday 18th October: Another of our popular Display Evenings. The theme will be 'The Village School' with old photos of pupils as well as school log books covering many years. Please bring along any photos or documents about the school, or just bring your memories and talk about old times with other people in an informal atmosphere.

Tuesday 15th November: David Guest will be showing Victorian Magic Lantern slides. These will be from around the world as well as Repton. Many will be around 100 years old.

Programme for 2006

The programme for next year has now been published. Dates are included in the 'Local Events' section on page 27. Every one is welcome at our meetings at 7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall. A small admission fee is charged.

Repton W.I.

After listening to the speaker from Pickford's House Museum, members were very glad that they did not have to do their washing on the banks of Repton Brook. Elizabeth Spencer gave a very informative talk on washdays in the 18th and 19th centuries, illustrated with slides of cartoons and paintings. The harvest produce and book stalls did a brisk trade and everyone enjoyed having the President back in our midst.

Next Meeting: Tuesday, 11th October at 7.15 pm in the Village Hall. AGM followed by members' accounts of their courses at Denman, the W.I. College.

Repton Village Society

At our September meeting, a full house eagerly anticipated another evening of wine tasting with Keith Grainger. At 7.30 pm our speaker (and the wine) had not arrived! At 8 pm, after frantic phone calls, we learnt that he was safe and well but in Sheffield (having picked up the wrong file)! As most people could stay, the meeting decided to wait for him, so we had an early coffee, and a good chat. After his frantic drive south he entered the hall, very apologetic, to a round of applause, and the wine tasting started at 9 pm. We had a late night having enjoyed the evening, learning some history and geography, as well as sampling a wide range of Chilean and Argentinean wines. Thursday 6th October: 'Derwent Valley World Heritage Site.'

Mary Smedley runs the Visitor Centre at Belper and has been one of our guides on trips to Belper. She will be telling us all about the Derwent World Heritage Site that runs from Belper down to Derby. She has a wealth of knowledge of the area and her talk (7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall) promises to be both interesting and amusing. Saturday 3rd December: Coffee Morning, Hobbies and Craft Displays.

We had a very successful Crafts and Hobbies section at our meeting last December and would like to continue with the event this December. So if you have a hobby or craft you want to display, please ring Alan Webster, 701838, to arrange your table space (no charge). Further details of the morning in next month's magazine.

Programme for 2006

The programme for 2006 has now been published with meetings every month except August. Dates are included in the 'Local Events' section on page 27. Visitors are always welcome to our meetings. (Visitors £3, members £2; the David Wilkinson Memorial Lecture on 19th January is free, but with a retiring collection for charity.) If you would like to join the Village Society, please contact Alan Webster, 701838, or David Guest, 703650.

Hanging Baskets

Many of you, like us, will have enjoyed attractive floral displays in villages and towns both local and further afield. We, along with others throughout the village, encouraged by the Village Society Floral Competition, have tried to do our bit to make the village more attractive to locals and visitors by putting hanging baskets outside our house. One Saturday morning we found one of the baskets missing and the bracket damaged beyond repair. This is not the first time this has happened and we are not the only ones to be affected by this mindless vandalism. Sadly, on this occasion we know that it was a group of local lads unable to hold their drink. It is very discouraging to our efforts to make Repton a pleasanter place to live.

Repton is a lively village with lots happening and a strong sense of community, a good place to live. Let us all use what influence we can to keep it that way.

Newton Solney Village Matters

Newton Solney Post Office & General Store

… will be closed from 28th September for refurbishment. In the interim, Post Office facilities are available at High Street, Repton, or Bearwood Hill Road, Winshill.

On 7th November, the store will reopen under new management as Newton Solney Delicatessen and Post Office, offering locally sourced speciality foods and bespoke Wedding and Celebration Cakes. The full range of Post Office services will be retained.

The new management, Suzanne Royston-Webb and Fiona Smith, would like to apologise sincerely for the inconvenience and look forward to welcoming you to the new store.

Gardening Notes

October used to be the month of mellow fruitfulness, but we don't know what to expect nowadays. We can hope for warm, sunny days but must prepare for frost and autumn gales. Complete the protection of tender plants, and make sure that any containers which could be damaged by frost are put safely away. Dahlias should be cut down when they have been blackened by frost, and the tubers stored in a frost-free place. They keep better if covered with sand or composted bark. In the midlands, cannas are usually grown in pots and should already be under cover.

There is still time to take cuttings of tender perennials, although they may need some bottom heat now; pelargoniums, argyranthemums, fuchsias, penstemons, diascia, coleus and verbena are all suitable. Hardwood cuttings can also be taken from deciduous shrubs, currants and gooseberries when the leaves have fallen.

October is a good time to move badly placed shrubs or young trees, fruit bushes or perennials, though grey-leaved plants and evergreens may be best left till spring. When planting new shrubs or trees, water both the plant and the planting hole thoroughly an hour before planting. Bare-root trees or shrubs should be soaked in a bucket first. When you order new deciduous trees, consider bare-root trees grown in open conditions rather than container-grown specimens, whose roots will be more constricted and give less hold in the face of gales.

Summer flowering heathers will need a trim to keep them in good shape. Do not cut into the old wood. This goes for lavenders too. Cut out old fruited blackberry canes and tie in the new ones. Put grease bands on fruit trees.

Plant hardy spring bedding plants such as polyanthus, forget-me-nots, wallflowers and winter pansies, and plant up window boxes and patio pots for winter and spring display.

With a spring-tine rake, rake out dead grass from the lawn and, if the soil is compacted producing moss, aerate the lawn with a hollow-tine aerator or fork, brushing sharp sand into the holes. Early October is not too late to resow bare patches, but protect the seed from birds.

Thin out underwater pond weed and remove old water-lily leaves. Otherwise they will rot, producing toxic gases which will accumulate if the pond freezes.

Plant autumn onion sets and garlic cloves. The latter should be planted 'point up' and three inches deep. They will be ready for harvest next summer. Plant spring cabbage out if not already done. Sow winter lettuce under glass, and protect late summer lettuce with fleece.

Clear away the remains of summer crops. Compost them if they are disease-free. Make a start on winter digging the vegetable plot, though there is no hurry for this on light soils. Keep collecting autumn leaves, and prevent them accumulating in the border where they make a good home for slugs. Oak and beech leaves make the best leaf mould, particularly when collected in plastic sacks and left for a year or two.

To increase cardoons, globe artichokes and ornamental thistles, collect the seed heads and dry them indoors until early spring. Then sit the head in a shallow dish with half an inch of water. After a few weeks, seedlings will appear which can be potted up and transplanted when large enough.