November 2005 - Contents One Year On Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches Remembrance Day Services 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 Christmas Mini-Market, Saturday 12th November at Fisher Close Advent Service, Sunday 27th November at 6.00 pm Shell Children's Nativity Services, Sunday 11th December at 11 am and 6.30 pm Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals and Burial of Ashes Baptisms Archie James Dasgupta Funerals and Burial of Ashes Martin Ewart Sagar Margery (Molly) Fletcher St Wystan's News Bishop Alastair to visit St Wystan's New Pattern of Services at St Wystan's St Wystan's Parochial Church Council Church Music? Hymn Books Sale of Work - Cake Stall Mothers' Union Turkey - Classical and Christian Sponsored Bike & Hike Hospitality at Christmas St Saviour's News Foremark Gift Day St Mary's News Bernard Collier: a Memorial Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal Newton Solney Harvest Lunch Brain-Teaser Quiz The Bite-Size Opera Group, Friday 4th November Repton Sale of Work and Fun Day, Saturday 5th November Repton School Concerts: Murray McLachlan, Tuesday 8th November Newton Solney CE VA School Open Morning Thursday 10th November Christmas Mini-Market, Saturday 12th November Table-Top Sale, Saturday 19th November Repton Quiz Night, Saturday 19th November Repton School Symphony and String Orchestras, Friday 25 November Ashby Guild of Artists, Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th November Burton Floral Art Society, Friday 2nd December Repton Village Society Coffee Morning, Saturday 3rd December Newton Solney CE VA School Christmas Fair, Saturday 3rd December Flower Demonstration, Wednesday 7th December Choros Amici Christmas Concert, Saturday 17th December Thankyou MacMillan Coffee Morning Valerie and Michael Sarson £125,000 needed to secure Willington for Wildlife! St Giles Hospice: Light up a Life Repton Village and History Repton Parish Council Surgery School Vouchers Repton Council Jottings Bins Repton Village Society Repton Village History Group Repton W.I. Repton Bridge Club A Wartime Evacuee Returns Milton & Foremark Village Matters Milton W.I. Gardening Notes

One Year On

This is the anniversary of my licensing to the benefice of Repton with Foremark and Newton Solney. As someone said after the morning service today: 'It's been a long year; and that's a compliment!'

There have been surprises during the year, mainly pleasant. One surprise was the invitation to be an Area Vicar within our new Mission and Ministry Area. This may mean that not just I, but our parishes too, could play a leading role in the life of this group of South Derbyshire parishes, a group that comprises most of the Deanery. We are just at the beginning of this venture.

Last month, at an 'Away Day' for the Parochial Church Council, we discussed the great diversity of St Wystan's congregation. In this respect we are not very different from many other village churches that draw their congregations geographically rather than on the basis of theology or churchmanship, but it has strong implications for our pattern of worship.

Worship is central to the life of the church. It expresses our relationship with God, a relationship that is held deep within the human psyche. A parish church should try to respond to a wide variety of needs. The services we offer must strike a balance between those of the regular membership, who may require 'solid food', and those of casual visitors who may prefer 'the milk of the gospel'.

Our current pattern of services does not help a newcomer to get used to our worship. Therefore, after consideration by the Worship Committee and Parochial Church Council, we have agreed a new pattern, which we hope will stimulate and challenge, meeting the needs of visitors and regulars alike.

From the first Sunday in Advent, 27th November, the pattern of services will be:

1st Sunday	8 am	Holy Communion	9.45 am	Morning Worship	11.15 am	Sung Matins	6.30 pm	Taizé Worship
2nd Sunday	8 am	Holy Communion	9.45 am	Parish Communion			6.30 pm	Evensong
3rd Sunday	8 am	Holy Communion	9.45 am	Family Communion			6.30 pm	Choral Evensong
4th Sunday	8 am	Holy Communion	9.45 am	Parish Communion			6.30 pm	Evensong

Morning Worship and Parish Communion will remain unchanged. Family Communion will be more flexible, while maintaining the basic shape of a Communion service; we will use it for teaching purposes, to explain different parts of the service, and give different emphases at various times and seasons.

The 9.45 am service will be followed each Sunday by an opportunity to share fellowship over refreshments. One advantage of the slightly earlier start is that I will be able to take a late morning service elsewhere in the benefice.

Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

Remembrance Sunday, 13th November

Arrangements at Repton
The Remembrance Day Service, which is jointly arranged by the Royal British Legion, the United Reformed Church and St Wystan's, starts outside the lych-gate at 10.50 am. The Act of Remembrance will take place at 11 am at the War Memorial. We then go into church for the rest of the service. If it is raining, people who do not want to wait outside can go straight in.

The Royal British Legion Parade, including the Scout and Guide movements in Repton, will form up outside the Royal British Legion Club at 10.30 am and process to church at 10.40 am.

... at Newton Solney
There will be a short service of Remembrance at St Mary's Church at 10.45 am. On that day there will also be the usual Communion service at 8.00 am but no Evensong.

... at Foremark there will be a said Remembrance Day service at 4 pm, at which the Roll of Honour will be read.

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

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

The Christmas Mini-Market will be at the Community Centre, Fisher Close, from 10.30 to noon. Lots of Christmas bargains, home-made cakes and marmalade, the Christmas Stall, Webb Ivory Christmas cards and stationery, the Christmas Raffle, Christmas games for the children, Tombola, Shell mincemeat, coffee and mincepies. Who can resist such a treat? Everyone is welcome to join us.

Advent Service, Sunday 27th November at 6.00 pm

This year our Advent Service is at Mackworth United Reformed Church. There will be no evening service at Repton URC.

Shell Group (age 7+)

... meets on Mondays from 6.30 pm. New members are always welcome.

Children's Nativity Services, Sunday 11th December at 11 am and 6.30 pm

Make sure the date is in your diary!

Baptisms

Archie James Dasgupta, son of Greg and Claire of St Hugh's School, Carswell Manor, Faringdon, Oxon, was baptised at St Mary the Virgin, Newton Solney on Sunday 16th October.

Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Martin Ewart Sagar, formerly of 23 Main Street, Newton Solney died on Thursday 15th September aged 49. A service was held at Bretby crematorium on 28th September, and his ashes were later scattered over his favourite fishing waters.

Margery (Molly) Fletcher, formerly of 24 Milton Road, Repton, died on Wednesday 21st September aged 78. A service was held at Bretby crematorium on 30th September.

St Wystan's News

Bishop Alastair to visit St Wystan's

Bishop Alastair, the new Bishop of Derby will celebrate Eucharist with us at St Wystan's on Sunday 6th November, the Sunday before his enthronement, staying for coffee afterwards. We are delighted that the Bishop is able to visit us so soon and hope that you will come to worship with us and to meet him.

Bishop Alastair - or more formally, the Rt Rev'd Dr Alastair Redfern - is 56, a widower with two children. As the Suffragan Bishop at Lincoln, he already has eight years' experience, and he is particularly knowledgeable in the areas of theology, church history, social justice, training clergy and developing the spiritual life and faith of lay Christians. He is a lecturer, teacher, speaker and author of books and papers on a variety of Christian themes. In wider community circles he has worked in night shelters for the homeless, worked with Oxfam and Christian Aid, been a member of a steering group for regeneration in Lincolnshire communities, and contributed to local radio.

Bishop Alastair will be enthroned at Derby on 12th November.

New Pattern of Services at St Wystan's

Please note the new pattern of morning services.

• The 10 am service will move slightly earlier to start at 9.45 am.
• Morning Worship will be on the first Sunday of the month, followed by Matins at 11.15 am.
• Parish Communion on the 2nd and 4th Sundays will remain unchanged, but on the third Sunday, Family Communion service will be more informal and slightly shorter.
• The services at 8 am and 6.30 pm will not be affected.

These arrangements will come into effect on Sunday 27th November, the beginning of Advent.

St Wystan's Parochial Church Council

At a busy meeting in October, the PCC dealt with a great deal of business (some of it reported in more detail elsewhere) and:

• Agreed to instruct our architects to produce detailed drawings for the alterations at the west end of the church, prior to applying for a faculty (ecclesiastical planning permission). Revised drawings are now on display in church.
• Received an update on other building matters, including repairs to the crypt stairs, alterations to the vestry, and a new controller for the heating system; the latter will hopefully have been installed by the time you read this, and will solve the longstanding problems with the boiler!
• Agreed arrangements for future events, including a visit by the new Bishop of Derby on 6th November and a quiz night on the 19th.
• Received an update from the Vicar on the Mercia Celebration in 2006, notably arrangements for a service on 18th February.
• Agreed that extra helpers are needed if the Sunday Club is to continue. (If you can help, please contact Jane Griffiths, 559390)
• Accepted a proposal that, from the beginning of November, collections will no longer normally be made during the course Sunday services.
• Unanimously agreed changes to the pattern of Sunday morning services. These arrangements will come into effect on Sunday 27th November, the beginning of Advent.

Minutes of PCC meetings are available at the back of the church. If you want to know more, do ask a PCC member (again there is a list on the board at the back of the church).

Church Music?

Carol and Keith Bradley moved recently to live in Reffanes in Poitou-Charentes. The following paragraph from a recent letter caught my eye.

A few weeks ago, Carol went to Mass at a local village where they were celebrating the opening of the hunting season. The local huntsmen (and one woman) wearing traditional hunting costume marched up to the altar in the church with their horns (similar to French horns) and proceeded to play some 4 or 5 hunt choruses at various intervals during the Mass. If you weren't deaf on entering the church you certainly were afterwards!

Carol and Keith are intending to start their B&B in the spring. Details to follow. Meanwhile you can contact them at keithandcarol@wanadoo.fr

Hymn Books

St Wystan's has now gone over to using 'Common Praise', the latest Hymn Book in the 'Ancient and Modern' mould. In keeping with that tradition, it contains many new 'classics', as well as the old favourites. Although 200 copies have been bought, the P.C.C. would like the church to have another 50, enough for the big occasions.

Would you like to buy a copy (or more) - perhaps in memory of a loved one, with an individual dedication inside? The cost is £6.75. If you would, please give all the details (and a cheque made payable to Repton P.C.C.) to Jan Roberts, P.C.C. Treasurer, 37 High Street Repton.

Sale of Work - Cake Stall

If you are willing to bake for the cake stall for the Sale of Work on 5th November, Karen Perks would be delighted to hear from you. It doesn't matter what you make as long as it's home produced! Please ring 702392 if you can help. We will again be selling our Christmas Puddings in three sizes, 3 lb, 2 lb and 1 lb. If you would like to pre-order one, please ring Karen as above.

Mothers' Union

Jennifer Haynes spoke at our meeting on 21st September, telling us of her work as a churchwarden at Newton Solney, work that is both most interesting and varied. However, she did draw the line at climbing up to inspect the church roof. Afterwards, Audrey Morris brought us up-to-date on our link branch in Australia.

One of our own members, Angela Mayger, spoke at the meeting on 19th November, giving a most interesting account of a visit to her daughter in Zambia. She described the brilliant colours of the flowers and sunsets, the hosts of animals, and above all, the kindness of the African people.

Three members attended the Diocesan Conference at the Winding Wheel, Chesterfield, on 18th October. Each deanery had to provide a display to reflect one aspect of the Mothers' Union; for the Repton deanery, Audrey Morris produced an excellent exhibition of 'Children in Church'. We thank and congratulate her for her marvellous effort. The main speaker at the conference was Vicky Paul, the Action and Outreach Rep at Mary Sumner House. Taking as her subject 'Marketing the Mothers' Union', she expounded some of the ways in which we can sell ourselves, likening the Mothers' Union to a house, built brick by brick, yet all cemented together. She explained that our overseas projects are in dire need of support. Finally, members of the Duffield Branch performed a couple of short sketches to promote 'Open the Book'.

On 11th October, four members attended the 'Quiet Evening' at Newhall.

We were pleased to hear that Frances is back home at last, and we send best wishes for her continued recovery. Subscriptions (£9.50) are due at the November meeting, when Audrey Morris will speak on 'The Work of the Family Court'. Please remember too the Christmas presents for Foston prison. Tea hostesses: Kay Dent and Pam Clifford.

Sponsored Bike & Hike

On the wettest Saturday since Derbyshire began to participate in this September event, intrepid walkers and cyclists set out to visit churches in the area. Between them they netted an impressive £349.71 for the Derbyshire Churches and Chapels Preservation Trust. Arriving home soaking wet, they could be rightly satisfied with their achievements. Warmest thanks to them all, as also to their sponsors and to those who acted as stewards, offering our hospitality to all the travellers who called at our four churches that day.

Hospitality at Christmas

Are you sociable? Have you a spare room in your house this Christmas? A Chinese, Indian or other foreign student, staying in your home for a couple of days, finding out what the British Christmas is all about, will bring added interest to your festivities. And you will make a huge difference to a young person far from home who might otherwise spend Christmas alone on a deserted university campus. For more information see www.hostuk.org, or call me on 01335 330555. I am the local organiser for this voluntary scheme, have hosted students at Christmas on a number of occasions, and have arranged many memorable visits to hosts in this area.

St Saviour's News

Foremark Gift Day

Thank you to all who contributed so generously to the Gift Day at Foremark church on 8th October. The amount received in cash and cheques was £622.10. A further amount will be added when application is make to the Inland Revenue for those gifts that were Gifted Aided. Well done!

St Mary's News

Bernard Collier: a Memorial

When Bernard died suddenly in May, it was felt that the best immediate memorial would be to try to maintain St Mary's churchyard in the good order in which he left it. Several willing volunteers came forward, and throughout this summer Bernard's own high standards have been upheld, for which many warm thanks to everyone concerned.

Meanwhile the Church Council has been considering a more tangible memorial to Bernard. The most popular suggestion has been another seat in the churchyard; the two currently in situ are much used and there is room for a third. Anyone who would like to be associated with this memorial is invited to give a contribution to Hazel Ward (21 Blacksmith's Lane) or Jennifer Haynes (6 Newton Close).

Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal

In November just two years ago, we launched St Mary's Roof Appeal, with the hope that the target of £145,000 might be reached by the end of 2005. Although we are not yet quite there, the target is now within sight, and the Committee is hopeful that appeals to Charitable Trusts might help us on the final stretch. Meanwhile collection boxes for small change are still available (so far these have brought in over £700!), while requests for Christmas cards are also boosting funds. If you have still to buy your cards this year, these - with a snowclad view of St Mary's Church from Church Lane - may be ordered via a list in the south aisle at the church, or directly from Jennifer Haynes, 703827.

Newton Solney Harvest Lunch

Sincere thanks to all who helped, donated and supported the lunch in October. All your efforts raised the magnificent sum of £417 for Church funds, and gave us all the opportunity to meet together in sociable fellowship.

Brain-Teaser Quiz

Congratulations to Mrs K. Wass of Newton Solney, who won the £20 prize, and thanks to all who entered the competition, raising £148 for Church funds. Well done to the 46 entrants who managed to get all the right answers!

Thankyou

MacMillan Coffee Morning

A very big thank you to all who helped to make my coffee morning in September a great success. It raised £900 for MacMillan Cancer Relief. A special thank you to Lesley, Chris, Gwen, Jan, Mary, Wendy and Di.

Valerie and Michael Sarson

I would like to send special thanks to all my family and friends - especially Lilian, Jean, Barbara, Lesley, Suey and Margaret - for their much needed help during and after my recent stay in hospital. The cards and gifts were a wonderful 'pick me up', and I am now on the way to a good recovery. Once again, thank you to you all.

£125,000 needed to secure Willington for Wildlife!

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire and protect a major wetland site for wildlife and people, but it needs your help urgently.

For some years, the Trust has been negotiating to buy Willington Gravel Pits. Suddenly it has been given only weeks to acquire the site and establish it as one of the Trust's largest nature reserves. The price is high: £250,000 for the purchase and initial conservation, but the price of not buying the site is immeasurable - a tragic loss of wildlife in Derbyshire. £125,000 has already been raised. A further £125,000 is urgently needed.

With its lagoons, extensive reed beds and wet grassland, Willington is already a magnet for migratory birds and one of the best sites in the midlands for rarities. It has the potential to attract species such as marsh harrier, bittern, water vole, otter and a variety of butterflies and dragonflies. If Willington can be bought, made secure and yet accessible to the public, it will be the jewel in a series of nature reserves which will transform the Trent Valley.

If you can help in any way, please email enquiries@derbyshirewt.co.uk or phone 01773 881188. And please do it straightaway; revised deadline 18th November.

St Giles Hospice

Light up a Life

Christmas is a time for celebration with family and friends, but for those who have lost someone close it is a time for memories too. This Christmas, St Giles Hospice is offering once again the opportunity to celebrate the life of someone you hold special by taking part in 'Light up a Life'.

A Tree of Light, featuring lights to symbolise those we remember, will be switched on following a short ceremony at Coors Visitor Centre, Burton at 6 pm on Sunday 11th December. (There will be similar ceremonies on various dates in Lichfield, Cannock and Sutton Coldfield.)

A special card of acknowledgement will be sent to all those remembering a loved one, whose names will be recorded in the Book of Memories. This will be on public display at the ceremony, and throughout the year at the Chapel in the St Giles Hospice and on-line at www.stgileshospice.com.

If you would like to remember someone special in this way, you are invited to make a donation to St Giles Hospice. To ensure the names of your loved ones appear in our Book of Memories at the ceremony, please respond by 21st November: St Giles Hospice, Fisherwick Road, Whittington, Lichfield, WS14 9LH, tel. 01543 432 031, email: mail@st-giles-hospice.org.uk

Repton Village & History

Repton Parish Council Surgery

The Parish Council will hold its next councillors' surgery on Wednesday 30th November, from 6.00 pm to 6.30 pm, in the parish office in The Dales, Askew Grove, Repton. This time has been allocated for any parishioner who might want to talk to a councillor individually about any issue.

School Vouchers

At Repton Primary School, we are collecting 'Tesco Sport for Schools and Clubs' vouchers. These are being given out between 12th September and 6th November. If you have any that you could donate, please send them via a pupil, drop them off at school or post them to Repton Primary School, Springfield Road, Repton DE65 6GN. We should be very grateful.

Repton Council Jottings

• There continues to be a lot of concern about traffic in Repton. Derbyshire County Council's chief highways engineer accepted an invitation to view the situation at first hand, and a meeting took place on a recent weekday between 8 am and 9 am, the time when traffic flow is at its peak. Parking problems outside the Post Office / Cross Stores and at the foot of Milton Road, traffic calming in High Street and Main Street, and the need for resurfacing in the Square and in front of St Wystan's Church were some of the items on the agenda. The outcome is that a consultation paper has been promised before the year-end. If you think you might have heard something similar on a previous occasion you're probably not wrong. We shall see what emerges.
• The 2006 parish precept, which is the portion of council tax levied by the parish council, has been pegged at £12,000 for the fourth year running.
• We are exhorted to do all we can to preserve the local character and distinctiveness of our communities. This principle is at the very heart of Village Design Statements and, to a lesser extent, Parish Plans. Many will remember that the garage business in High Street operated as Goodalls Garage for the majority of its life. To preserve this name, the Parish Council suggested that the new housing development on the site be designated Goodalls Yard (or Court or Close). It is surprising and disappointing to find that the Local Authority has rejected the suggestion in favour of Mercia Court. Nothing very distinctive about that name, for there is a Mercia Close, Court or Drive in almost every Midlands town.
• In the last couple of months, over 20 planning applications were reviewed and just two prompted objections. The erection of a stable off Broomhills Lane was considered likely to increase traffic on this unadopted roadway, and to be too close to dwellings. Plans to build 3 houses at the rear of 46 Mount Pleasant Road and demolish an existing property lacked any proposal for the future of the demolition site.
• On a more positive note, permission has at last been given to prune the yew tree that now all but obliterates the view of the clock on St Wystan's Church tower. Also, approval has been granted for the residential conversion of the corner shop in the Square, on condition that the blue brick pavement outside is preserved.
• Another Council Surgery will be held on Wednesday 30th November, 6 - 6.30 pm in the Parish Office at the Dales, Askew Grove. As before, a couple of parish councillors will be available on a one to one basis to help or advise residents on any local issues.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on 14th November at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall.

Bins

The last brown bin collection this year is 22nd November. From then, the black bin is collected weekly until composting resumes in March.

We are asked to store bins within our own boundaries if at all possible, and to keep the pavements clear of bins and cars. This is particularly important for the visually impaired and for people using prams and wheelchairs.

Repton Village Society

On 21st September, a small party visited the gardens of the Prince of Wales at Highgrove House near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, following a three year wait since Alan Webster had originally applied. The numbers were restricted by security requirements, and everyone needed photographic identification. Quite a few of us have not yet got the new driving licence and had to rely on passports! We stopped in Tetbury for a short break and in order to time our arrival at Highgrove just before 1 pm, as stipulated, for our security check. We found we were the fifth of only nine groups visiting that day.

After a short introduction, we had a guided tour of the gardens for the best part of two hours in warm sunshine with a light breeze. It was the first solo tour for our guide, but she was excellent and managed admirably to convey the history and development of the estate.

The gardens are neither grand nor based on bedding plants but 'green' with many quiet areas. The most formal area is the Thyme Walk that leads from the back of the house through an avenue of Golden Yew, the only remnant of the original garden, to a pond and sculpture. The shrubs are now clipped into eccentric geometric shapes. Around this walk and the main lawn there is a striking yew hedge, whose topiary, designed by Sir Roy Strong, takes about three months to trim! At Highgrove. the Prince is housing a new national collection of hostas, one of his favourite plants. He also houses a national collection of ferns. A lot of the ferns and hostas are in a damp, shady area, laid out with tree stumps obtained after the gales that wrought havoc in the south-east of England in the winter of 1989-90. As you would expect, the gardens are run on organic principles, and the vegetables in the walled garden are a grand advertisement for this way of gardening.

The tour finished with tea and biscuits, Duchy Originals of course, before we were invited to visit the shop. We arrived back in Repton by early evening having had a memorable day out. Thanks, Alan.

On Thursday 6th October Mary Smedley, who runs the Visitor Centre at the Strutt Mill at Belper and has been one of the guides on our trips to Belper, told us all about the Derwent World Heritage Site that runs from the Silk Mill in Derby all the way to Matlock. She related the development of the Silk Mill by a family based in Norwich, the history of the Strutt family in Milford and Belper through to Joseph Arkwright at Cromford. The involvement of the Strutts in Arkwright's plans was unexpected. The meeting closed with tea, coffee and biscuits together with the usual raffle and social interaction.

Thursday 3rd November: 'The Titmice Family'
David Tideswell will be talking to us about the Titmice family of birds (7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall). He is a well-known broadcaster and has a detailed knowledge of his subject. 3rd December: Coffee Morning - Hobbies and Craft Displays

We have already had a good response for the 'Crafts and Hobbies' section for our December meeting but there are still spaces available. So if you have a hobby or craft you want to display, please ring Alan Webster, 701838, to arrange your table space (no charge). We now have an extra attraction with '4 Valuations for £1.00' by Charles Hanson of Floggit and Bargain Hunt fame. Details of other activities for the morning are in the advert above.

Repton Village History Group

Our winter meeting programme got off to an excellent start with Maureen Newton's talk, 'A Backward Glance at Children's Games'. She started on a serious note by reminding us that it was once quite common for children as young as five to be employed in factories or down mines for over twelve hours a day. Their diet would probably only be bread and milk. As things improved and children had more free time, many simple games and hobbies developed. She reminded us of the games we played, the things we used to collect, the comics we read and the rhymes we sang while we played. The audience was able to participate and share their memories, which made a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable evening. Our next meeting (Tuesday 15th November, 7.30 pm in the Village Hall) will be 'Victorian Magic Lantern Slides' shown by David Guest. These come from around the world as well as a few from Repton.

Also on that evening, we will launch the group's latest publication, 'Notices &Jottings'. Produced by kind permission of the Vicar and Parochial Church Council, the book is a collection of extracts taken from St Wystan's Parish Magazines during the period 1889-1937. It runs to 106 pages and gives a fascinating insight into the changing face of the village, with photographs of the vicars during the period as well as a selection of adverts from some of the early issues. The book makes an ideal Christmas present for those interested in Repton and its history.

Repton W.I.

At the Annual Meeting, Jill Cownie was asked to continue as President for another year. Joan Paulson and Jenny Jones rejoined the Committee and Rosie Carpenter was thanked for her year's service as Minutes Secretary.

When the business was over, several members gave accounts of the courses they had attended at Denman, the W.I.'s own college. The courses had varied from singing and French conversation, crafts and photography, to walking and line dancing, and there was a display of work produced on the courses.

Tuesday 8th November: 'Cookery for Christmas', a demonstration by Nancy Hawkesworth; 7.15 pm in the Village Hall.

Repton Bridge Club

The Club runs on Mondays from 2 - 5 pm in the Community Room, Fisher Close, and all bridge players are most welcome to this afternoon of fun. The cost is £1 per time, with a joining fee of £1.

A Wartime Evacuee Returns

During the war my parents lived in a small cottage in Pinfold Lane. My late mother, Maisie Vaughan, told me about two girls who lived with her from 1943 to early 1945. Three weeks ago, Margaret, the elder of the two, and her husband Peter, came to my house for lunch.

Margaret told me how she and her sister, Freda Warren, travelled by train from their home in Fulham, complete with gas mask and overnight bag. On arrival at Repton they were escorted to the village hall, then taken by Miss Mowll to meet my mother. Margaret has many happy memories, particularly of her days at the Primary School, and bragged of having the best handwriting in her family, thanks to the teacher, Miss Hill. She also remembered attending film shows at the Chapel, and giant jars of sweets at Townsend's shop. Margaret, now seventy, lives near Eastbourne and my brother, Ken, and I will remain in close contact with her.

Milton & Foremark Village Matters

Milton W.I.

Melbourne House was the venue for members of Milton WI to meet on a sunny afternoon in August. A walk in the garden was followed by an interesting conducted tour of the House. Then there was time for cream teas and chat. In September Jim Wilder came to our meeting to delight us with slides and talk of wild flowers found on local walks. October is the month of the WI AGM when we meet to appoint the committee and plan future activities. Friday the 14th saw a large group of members, husbands and friends take the Burton Ghost Walk. It was a walk in the dark, full of nostalgia and intrigue for some members! On Friday 4th November, Milton will host the Mercia Group Social Evening in Willington Village Hall. The theme of the evening will be 'A taste of the Asian Continent' with authentic food, fashion and music from Asia.

Gardening Notes

Make sure that all preparations for winter have been completed, tender plants protected or moved to a frost-free place, and any susceptible containers brought in too. Check tree ties and stakes, and tie in splayed branches of columnar conifers, particularly if snow is forecast.

Container plants will still need some watering during their stay indoors. Now is a good time to repot any that need it. For the rest, it may be useful to replace the top eight inches or so of soil with fresh compost, including a slow release fertiliser.

Complete the pruning of soft-fruit bushes, and make a start on fruit trees. Once Wisteria is well established, it will need those long shoots, which were reduced to 6" in August, further reduced to two buds. Tall hybrid tea roses are best cut back now to avoid wind damage, but leave the main pruning till later. To reduce the risk of re-infection, collect and bin all rose leaves on and under plants affected by black spot or rust.

Tulips to flower in April and May should be planted 6" deep. (Earlier flowering varieties should have been planted already.) Check pots of bulbs for growing indoors, and move any that show an inch or more of shoot to a cool room or greenhouse. Paper-white narcissi are the exception; they should be brought into a warm room at this stage.

Plants in the greenhouse need less watering now. Try to avoid wetting the leaves, and pick off all dead leaves before grey mould (botrytis) affects them. Potted lilies are best overwintered in an unheated greenhouse, as outside they are prone to rot in the wet.

Take root cuttings of perennials with thick fleshy roots such as Oriental poppies, verbascum, acanthus and eryngiums. Hardwood cuttings can be taken from many trees, climbers and shrubs. Buddleia, dogwood, roses, hypericum, cotoneaster, spiraea, weigelia, philadelphus, willow and jasminum officinale should all strike readily outside if you put cuttings in a v-shaped trench filled with sharp sand, or in pots of free-draining compost in the greenhouse. Cuttings will begin to root in April, but leave them till autumn before transplanting.

Cut back chrysanthemums after flowering. Lift decorative varieties and bring them under cover to produce cuttings in the spring.

Do not divide Japanese anemones after flowering. Wait till they have died down, take 2" root sections, dip them in fungicide powder and lay horizontally in a seed tray half filled with compost. Then put them in a cold frame to produce fresh plants for next year.

Pot on September-sown winter lettuce into individual pots, growbags or - in a cold frame or greenhouse - directly into the soil. Hardy types of broad bean such as 'Aquadulce' or 'the Sutton' can be sown outside, or in pots in a cold frame or greenhouse to plant out in the spring. An early variety of pea can be sown by mid-November in the border of an unheated greenhouse, and should be ready before the space is needed again for tomatoes. Short-rooted carrots can be sown in a heated greenhouse. If you insulate the greenhouse with bubble wrap, most plants will survive without heat, but protected with fleece in a cold spell.

Lift rhubarb crowns for early forcing. Leave them lying outside until late December or January, as exposure to frost promotes rapid growth later. If your soil is at all acid, now is a good time to add lime to areas of the vegetable plot where you intend to grow brassicas.

Provide a regular supply of food and water for birds. I think it has been an average year for breeding, with plenty of young bluetits, some pied wagtails, and on one day we were visited by a family of spotted flycatchers. One problem seems to be that with warmer springs, the supply of food such as caterpillars is peaking earlier, but birds are not breeding earlier and may be missing the peak food supplies for their young.

We have only seen a hedgehog once this summer. Hedgehogs usually have two litters a year, and the second litter often has little time to build up enough body mass to survive the winter, though long, mild autumns give them a better chance to fill up on slugs and worms. If you feed them, cat food is more suitable than bread and milk. They will be hibernating now in piles of dry leaves and twigs, so do take care before you light a bonfire.