October 2006 - Contents St Wystan's under Attack? Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches End of British Summertime 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 14th October at 10.30 am Card and Coffee Day, Thursday 19th October at 2A The Pastures Shell (for children aged 7+) Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals and Burial of Ashes Baptisms Georgina May Slater-Ferguson Alexander Thomas Walsh Charlotte Rose Reynoldson Marriages Nathan Anderson-Dixon and Charlotte Allford David Charles Banks and Emma Hughes Stephen Giles Outhwaite and Joanne Grace Powell Alexander John Walton and Kirsty Jane Pipes Michael Holmes and Rachael Ann-Marie Poxon Funerals and Burial of Ashes Peter Gower Tregelles St Wystan's News Bishop David's farewell visit to Repton Joanna Ingram Autumn Course on Prayer Repton M.U. Parish Walk St Saviour's News Foremark Gift Day St Mary's News Newton Solney Harvest Festival St Mary's Service of Commemoration Mozart 250th Anniversary Concert, Tuesday 3rd October The Pacifica String Quartet, Tuesday 31st October Grand Table-Top Sale, Saturday 11th November An evening with Alison MacKenzie, Saturday 2nd December Thankyou Lilian Ash & Pauline Kingman Wendy and Stephen Longden South Derbyshire Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccinations 'One World' Week News from the Arboretum Repton Village and History Guy Fawkes Fireworks, Saturday 4th November Scouts Barn Dance, Saturday 18th November Sale of Work & Fun Day, Saturday 4th November Repton Village Show Repton Village History Group Repton Village Society Repton W.I. Repton Parish Council Jottings Repton Village Hall Gardening Notes Clare’s Impossible Dilemma

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St Wystan's under Attack?

In a recent article in the Church Times, a former resident of Repton attacked our plans for developing St Wystan's Church, alleging that 'the church where I was brought up ... (is) under attack.' It is claimed that to install lavatories together with a kitchen, meeting room and circulating area - all of which were identified by the Parish Focus five years ago as urgently needed - is somehow to attack the church.

We are all ambivalent about change, and inevitably there are those who wish to keep the church as it was when they were young, preserving it in an Edwardian or Victorian past, which, however, fails to speak to the majority today. The church has always changed and adapted to new cultural surroundings; otherwise we would still be worshipping in Greek or old Syriac and it would be 'women and children to the walls' - there were no seats in medieval churches. Over the centuries, St Wystan's has undergone numerous changes, and few of us now would prefer to worship in that damp, dark, cold church built by King Wiglaf.

It is claimed that social relevance destroys transcendence, but this need not be the case. This church will always speak of tradition and will continue to embrace those who enter it with the warmth of Christian worship and prayer of more than 1200 years. Nothing planned for St Wystan's Church could possibly change that. What is at issue is whether the church building can also be a place of modern vision.

Any development in a medieval building should of course be sympathetic to its design, but ancient cathedrals up and down the land have kitchens and toilets, quiet rooms and bookshops, rooms for counselling and rooms for meetings. Why not parish churches also?

The Church Times article was rebutted by the Vicar of Fakenham in Norfolk, whose market town church is able to welcome many groups during the week, precisely because it has modern facilities. The primary purpose of worship in the church building has been preserved and even improved. But worship is not the only purpose of a church building. The church today is rediscovering a social responsibility which is as certainly an imperative of the gospel of the Kingdom of God as worship. To be a place of welcome to the needy is surely an admirable endeavour during the week when the building is not being required for worship.

I hope very much that when our new development is completed, our former resident and critic will come back and join with us in worship. I am confident that all who approach it with an open mind will be won over. With prayers and good wishes,

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Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

End of British Summertime

British Summertime ends on 29th October, the Sunday when at 9.45 am the congregations of St Mary, St Saviour and St Wystan come together for a joint Benefice Service at Repton.

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St Wystan's, Repton

St Saviour's, Foremark

St Mary's, Newton Solney

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Readers and Intercessors at St Wystan's

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Altar Flowers

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Brasses

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Altar Flowers and Cleaning Rota at St Saviour's

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The United Reformed Church

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Coffee Morning, Saturday 14th October at 10.30 am

Last month's Coffee Morning was a record-breaker, raising over £110, and £58 from the lunches. No lunches this month, but lots of home-made cakes, jam, and marmalade, the Webb Ivory stall and the children's game. Don't miss it!

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Card and Coffee Day, Thursday 19th October at 2A The Pastures
10.30 to 12 noon, 2.30 to 4 pm, and 7.30 to 8.30 pm

A chance to buy the new Webb Ivory Christmas cards, wrapping paper and gifts from the catalogue, and to do it all in the comfort of Mrs. Atkin's home, while drinking tea or coffee and eating biscuits in the morning, and cream scones in the afternoon and evening! Take the stress out of Christmas shopping, and benefit the URC at the same time. Everyone is welcome.

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Shell Group (for children aged 7+)

Meetings on Mondays from 6.30 to 7.30 pm. New members are welcome.

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Baptisms

Georgina May Slater-Ferguson, daughter of Timothy and Wendy, of 88 Mill Hill Lane, Burton upon Trent, was baptised at St Mary's Church, Newton Solney, on Sunday 3rd September.

Alexander Thomas Walsh, son of Andrew and Sacha, of 7 Main Street, Newton Solney was baptised at St Mary's Church, Newton Solney, on Sunday 10th September.

Charlotte Rose, the daughter of Natalie Reynoldson and Peter Betts of the High Street, Repton, was baptised at the United Reformed Church on Sunday 10th September.

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Marriages

Nathan Anderson-Dixon and Charlotte Allford were married at St Wystan's Church, Repton, on Saturday 26th August.

David Charles Banks and Emma Hughes were married at St Wystan's Church, Repton, on Saturday 26th August.

Stephen Giles Outhwaite and Joanne Grace Powell were married at St Wystan's Church, Repton, on Saturday 16th September.

Alexander John Walton and Kirsty Jane Pipes were married at St Wystan's Church, Repton, on Saturday 16th September.

Michael Holmes and Rachael Ann-Marie Poxon were married at St Wystan's Church, Repton, on Saturday 23rd September.

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Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Peter Gower Tregelles of 72a Pastures Hill, Littleover, died on 19th August aged 84. A service was held at St Mary's Church, Newton Solney, on 25th August, followed by burial in the churchyard.

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St Wystan's News

Bishop David's farewell visit to Repton

On Sunday 15th October, we will welcome Bishop David for his final visit as Bishop of Repton. He has been a good friend to Repton over the years, helping us during the interregnum, and playing a leading role this year in our 1350th anniversary celebrations. Bishop David will preach and jointly preside at the 9.45 am Family Communion, when we plan to make a presentation to him, and there will be an opportunity to say your own farewells afterwards over tea and coffee. He retires officially on 4th November after a farewell service at the cathedral.

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Joanna Ingram

... will be working alongside the vicar over the next few weeks. As a final year student training for ordination, she has chosen a placement working with someone who is exercising the type of ministry which in future she hopes to exercise herself.

Joanna is 56 and married to David, a retired Merchant Navy Officer. Her home parish is Melbourne, and some of you may have met her either through Mothers' Union or bell-ringing. She is very much looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible during her stay.

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Autumn Course on Prayer

Session 3: Monday 9th October, 7.30 pm. Tuesday 10th, 2 pm.

Session 4: Monday 30th October, 7.30 pm. Tuesday 31st, 2 pm.

Session 3, led by Stephen Longden, will explore using the imagination with Scripture (Ignatian Prayer), and in session 4, led by June Scott, we will explore the use of the emotions and creation in prayer (Franciscan and 'Celtic' prayer). The evening session will be held in the church but the afternoon session will be in the vicarage. We hope to invite Martin Cavender back towards the end of November, possibly on Saturday 25th, for a further session.

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Repton M.U.

September for the M.U. has been a month for study and service. Members enjoyed a quiet, reflective evening at Hartshorne Church with hymns, readings from the psalms and pauses for thought. Then they signed in and provided drinks for the cyclists taking part in the Historic Churches Sponsored Ride.

Next Meeting: Wednesday 18th October at 2 pm in the Fisher Close Room: Mrs. Glenda Brewin on her visit to Sunny Siberia. Anyone who missed Glenda's talk and slides earlier in the year would be very welcome.

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Parish Walk

In mid-August, seven hardy souls, expertly led once again by Roger Juneau, met in the pub car park in Mappleton, north of Ashbourne. The weather forecast had not been good but we were prepared for the worst. However, as the morning continued the weather improved, the sun shone, and the views were spectacular. As we approached Dovedale, the men among us decided to climb Thorpe Pastures (higher than and overlooking Thorpe Cloud) even though the red flags indicated that the local gun club was out practising. We had been advised that if we kept below the ridge we would be safe, but it was still unnerving to hear bullets whizzing through the air, fortunately on target. We met up again at the Stepping Stones and continued back to Mappleton, where we were joined by seven more for a pub lunch. It had begun to rain so, after donning waterproofs, we set off on the supposedly less arduous afternoon walk. Arriving eventually back at the cars, a weary group agreed it had been most enjoyable. Many thanks to Roger for all his hard work in organising such a successful day.

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St Saviour's News

Foremark Gift Day

With your generous response last year, Foremark P.C.C. managed to break even - just! However there is work that we need to do to maintain the church building, and which we could not contemplate without your support. Work on the top of the tower could cost around £13,000, and we have put in an application to the Headley Trust, although a favourable reply is by no means certain. There are also smaller works such as the vestry roof which require much less money, but these too need your support.

In addition, our costs are rising for heating and insurance, with which we are all familiar, and also for the Parish Share, as the cost of clergy pensions rises inexorably. This means that keeping a church like Foremark open and used will always require contributions from all parishioners, and not just from those who regularly use the building.

Members of the P.C.C. have been doing their bit over the summer by baking cakes for Stephen and Wendy Longden's Open Gardens and selling them for the church funds. We are grateful to Stephen and Wendy for their generosity, and to those who cooked and made tea on those occasions.

It is against this background that I make this present appeal to your generosity. I have agreed to be in the church on Saturday 7th October from 10 am to noon. Gifts received then will be offered in thanksgiving at the Harvest Festival the following day at the 6.30 pm service. 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 will increase the value of your gift by 28p in every pound at no cost to you. Please make cheques payable to Foremark P.C.C. Thank you.

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St Mary's News

Newton Solney Harvest Festival

At St Mary's we will celebrate the Harvest Festival at the 10 am All-age Service on Sunday 1st October. Contributions of produce, flowers and foliage will be welcome on the mornings of Friday and Saturday 29th and 30th September, as will help with decorating the Church. Gifts of produce, dry goods and toiletries will be delivered during the following week to the Padley Centre and the Derby City Mission. The cash collection from Morning Worship will go to support the Bishop's Harvest Appeal for health care in rural Cambodia.

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St Mary's Service of Commemoration

Members of St Mary's congregation are reminded that, during the winter months, the evening service at Newton Solney is brought forward to the earlier time of 4 pm. This year the first such service, on the 29th October, will be our annual Service of Commemoration, when we remember those family members and friends who have recently died. Anyone who wishes to light a memorial candle for a loved one is invited to come and share in this simple service.

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Repton School Concerts Society Mozart 250th Anniversary Concert Tuesday 3rd October at 7.45 pm in the Robert Beldam Hall An evening celebrating the genius of Mozart headed by The Navarra String Quartet with members of Repton School Music Staff and the Repton Chamber Choir. Tickets for this concert of instrumental and vocal works cost £5.

Repton School Concerts Society The Pacifica String Quartet Tuesday 31st October at 7.45 pm in the Robert Beldam Hall This prize-winning quartet will be playing works by Mozart and Janacek, and will be joined by Graham Oppenheimer (viola) in a performance of the Debussy String Quintet. Tickets for this concert are £12 and £9 (concessions) Season tickets for the whole series of concerts are still available at £50 for 10 concerts. For further information or tickets contact: The Secretary (Sue Parker), 01283 702550, or Repton Music School, 01283 559319

St Mary's Church, Newton Solney Grand Table-Top Sale Newton Solney Village Hall Saturday 11th November, 10 am - 12 noon Refreshments Available 30p entrance fee (Stall Holders from 9 am, £6 per table) To book a table contact Linda Williams, 01283 701366

Repton Care Group An evening with Alison MacKenzie ITV Regional Journalist of the Year 2006 Saturday December 2nd at 7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall Alison is an accomplished public speaker and will talk after some seasonal musical entertainment by the Wystan Singers and a buffet supper. Tickets £7 from Mrs. J. Best, 701845, or Willington Surgery, 703318 This event launches our effort to build funds for physical therapy and rehabilitation equipment to be used locally. Please come and support us.

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Thankyou

Lilian Ash

I would like to thank relatives, friends and neighbours for their lovely cards, flowers and thoughts during and following my stay in hospital during the summer. Knowing that so many people enquired was very much appreciated and valued.

Could I also thank everybody for their kind words and support. So many people went out of their way to ask how mum was and to pass on good wishes. I was aware of a very strong sense of community in Repton.

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Thank you

... to everyone who in August supported our final National Garden Scheme Open Day at Woodend Cottage, 134 Main Street. Again with lots of support, we raised £214 for NGS charities, and a further £109 via teas and cakes provided by friends from St Saviour's for their Church. In all, this year's Open Days raised £894 for NGS charities and £441.66 for Foremark Church.

Finally, we would like to say a special 'thank you' to all our neighbours at Woodend for your tolerance of all the extra traffic; it is much appreciated.

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South Derbyshire

Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccinations

At Willington Surgery, vaccinations are again available against influenza and pneumonia. Clinics start on Saturday 7th October. To book an appointment please call in to the surgery or telephone 01283 703318. Vaccination is recommended for patients over 65 and those who suffer from diabetes, asthma or bronchitis, or heart or kidney disease.

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'One World' Week

Sharpe's Pottery Museum is the venue for this year's fair, which will be held on Saturday 14th October from 10 am - 1 pm. The event will be opened by our local MP, Mark Todd, and charity stalls will include African Leprosy Aid, Amnesty International, ChildAid to Russia & the Republics, Christian Aid, Christians Aware, Friends of the Earth, Send a Cow, Tearcraft, Traidcraft and Unicef. Local school pupils will perform African Dance, and refreshments will be available at Sharpe's Cafe. So come along and start your Christmas shopping to help the less fortunate.

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News from the Arboretum

On Wednesday 18th October (7 pm in the Dove Room at Burton Town Hall), there will be an illustrated talk on the National Memorial Arboretum and the Friends of the NMA. Entrance is free. The National Memorial Arboretum is a living tribute to all who served this country in the past century, and you are invited to the talk, and then later to the Arboretum, to learn how our freedom was won and how it is maintained.

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Repton Village & History

Guy Fawkes Fireworks

Repton Guides, Scouts and Pre-school are holding a Fireworks celebration on the Mitre Field on Saturday 4th November, partly just for fun, but mostly to raise money to buy new tables for The Den. Tickets at £2.50 will be available from Katie Robb, 01283 702539, Andy Austen, 01283 702448, and local shops. Under 5s free. On the gate, entry will be £3. The event starts at 6 pm with quiet and pretty fireworks, and will climax at 7 pm with the normal whizzes and bangs. There will be hot and cold food and drinks available.

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A good old knees-up!

The Scouts of South Derbyshire are holding a barn dance at Repton Village Hall on Saturday 18th November from 7.30 pm. Tickets at £5, and including a Bangers & Mash supper, are available from Andy Austen, 01283 702448, and local shops. The aim is to raise money to send 6 youngsters and one leader to the World Jamboree next year. Please come and support us in an evening of fun and entertainment.

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Sale of Work & Fun Day, Saturday 4th November

The Sale of Work and Fun Day is a joint effort by members of Repton Village and Repton School and takes place annually, during the afternoon, in the School's grounds and halls. There is always a wide variety of stalls, where quality items, particularly hand-made ones, as well as bargains, are available. There will also be numerous fun items catering for all age groups, run by the pupils, and a variety of refreshments including teas and pancakes. Last year more than £27,000 pounds was raised as result of the main event on the day as well as the additional cabarets, dinners and auctions run by the boarding houses. This is a far cry from the £23 12s 8d raised at the first Sale of Work in 1877.

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 and last year the following Repton organisations benefited to the tune of more than £2,500: the Village Hall refurbishment fund, Repton Pre-School, the United Reformed Church, St. Wystan's Church maintenance, Repton Neighbourhood Help Scheme, The Dales and Repton Casuals. A further £5,000 went to other local organisations. 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. A copy to me at the school would be appreciated.

How you can help?

To raise such large sums of money requires a lot of hard work. Gifts and help in making items like cakes or craft work would be very much appreciated. Please note that there will not be a White Elephant stall this year. 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. Extra help is always useful, so anyone who is willing to be involved on the day should contact any stall holder or Mrs Penny Holroyd at The Hall.

Cake Stall: Karen Perks, 16 Main Street

Toy Stall: Shelagh Setterington, The Hermitage, 4 High Street

Gift and Crafts: Margaret Bromage, 2 Wystan Court

Bottles, Jars and Pots: Francis Wimbush, 703180

Book Stall: School House, to the Tithe Barn on the day

Do come along this year and help raise a significant sum for charity whilst purchasing worthwhile items and having lots of fun. p.s. Bottles, Jars & Pots

This stall was again very successful last year but relies wholly on your support. We would therefore be very grateful for donations of any item in a bottle, pot or jar: savoury, sweet, scented or decorative.

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Repton Village Show

Despite poor weather, this year's show was the best ever, with more exhibitors and exhibits than ever before. Congratulations to all the individual exhibitors for the high standard of entries. The children's section was particularly well supported with some very creative items. Winners of the special prizes and cups:

Boot Trophy - best vegetable exhibit:    M. Price

John Crockett Trophy - most points in vegetable section:    A. Peach

Voucher - best fruit exhibit:    J. Jones

Marjorie Boddice Trophy - best flower arrangement:    F. Wimbush

McLean Cup - best rose exhibit:    R. Pugh

Silver Trophy - best produce exhibit:    L. Warren

Photographic Shield:    L. Warren

Cup - best flower exhibit:    A. Peach

Handicraft Plate:    A. Yates

Voucher - selection of herbs:    Z. Taylor-Smith

Voucher - winner of any other vegetable:    A. Stirling

Zak's Cup - most points in the children's section:    S. Ryalls & G. Baker

Thank you to all who came to see the exhibits and who took part in the auction afterwards, with special thanks once again to our auctioneer, Adrian Argyle.

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Repton Village History Group

The August meeting was one of our popular local visits, this time to Repton School Chapel. We are grateful to the Head Master, and also to Paul Stevens who gave us an excellent guided tour, pointing out the history of the building and the stories behind the various stained glass windows and plaques. His research and knowledge made for a most interesting evening. The members of our party were very impressed with the peaceful interior of the chapel, and the care it receives.

On Tuesday 17th October (7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall), Richard Farman will talk on 'The Origins of the Picture Postcard'. Richard is an expert in postal history and will be displaying many examples from his large collection of greeting cards, including examples in embroidered silk. This promises to be another interesting evening.

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Repton Village Society

At our last meeting, Brian Key from Heanor gave us a fascinating history of the Butterley Engineering Company from its origins in the 1700's, soon after the Cromford Canal was built, through to today. The company was not just a steel producer but, as a leader in the industrial revolution, it provided a total community for its workers. It bought the local farms and estates to ensure its coal and limestone supplies, and relied on the canal system for its trade. Its most famous landmarks are the steelwork of St Pancras Station, and more recently the Canal Barge Lift at Falkirk. The major factors in the decline of the company were the nationalisation of its coal mines and the growth of cheap imports from India and China.

'The Gas Man Came to Call', Thursday 5th October

This talk by Dr. Anderson (7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall) looks at the history of anaesthetics from opium to computer technology. Dr Anderson used to work at the Queen's Hospital in Burton and may know some of the audience, even if they were not in a state to recognise him!

'The View from the Loo', Thursday 2nd November

Nick Noyes will regale us with travel tales with a difference from all over the world. (7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall)

Coach Trip to London, Sunday 5th November

We have the chance to see the Adelphi development, built by Robert Adams of Kedleston Hall fame, by the Strand and opening onto the Thames, complete with underground vaults. The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) took possession of part of the building in 1774 and is still there. Our coach departs from Repton Cross at 8 am, and leaves London for the return journey at 5 pm. The tour of the RSA (optional and free) takes about an hour, so leaves plenty of time to visit other landmarks or shops in London. Tickets are £12.50 each from Alan Webster, 701838, and David Guest, 703650.

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Repton W.I.

The September meeting began with a silent tribute to Betty Kitching who was a member of Repton W.I. for many years. President Jill Cownie welcomed visitors, and tickets were distributed for the Autumn Council on 3rd October, when the main speaker will be Kate Adie. Speaker Richard Papworth began his talk on his career as a Prison Officer by asking how many of those present had been to prison. Several hands were raised but this said more about the varied lives of the W.I. than their criminal careers. Two visited as J.P.s, one worked for the Prison Education Service and several had enjoyed lunch at Sudbury Open Prison.

Next Meeting: Tuesday 10th October at 7.15 pm in the Village Hall: A.G.M. followed by extra special refreshments.

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Repton Parish Council Jottings

Council minutes and details of planning applications can be viewed on the website, which also gives access to parish, district and county council services.

A short selection of items discussed at the September 2006 meeting of Repton Parish Council.

• As previously reported, a draft proposal has recently been published concerning the possible mining of aggregates on the water meadows between Repton and Willington. There are a number of major concerns about the plans, not the least of which are pollution in the form of noise, dust and dirt, the visual impact of the workings, the close proximity to both villages, and the long-term future use of the land when extraction is completed. After careful reconsideration it has been decided to consult with Willington Parish Council before making official comments on the proposals.
• There are also grounds for concern about the possibility that a waste handling plant may be built on the outskirts of Willington on the former power station site. If rubbish from Swadlincote is to be dealt with there, all the loaded refuse lorries will undoubtedly travel through Repton. Also there is the question of emissions if an incineration plant is eventually built on the site.
• The parish council precept for the coming year is to be set at £12,900, an increase of 7.5%. Inflation has taken its toll over the 5 years that have passed since the last increase; also, provision must be made for a council election in 2007.
• Having secured approval for 11 new houses on land adjoining the Cinder Track, the developer is now appealing an earlier refusal of permission for 13 houses on the site. The original objections are being restated, and inadequate parking provision is one of the main issues.
• 12 planning applications have been considered since the last council meeting, including the conversion of 3 Main Street, currently Forge Ahead Hairdressers, into a private house. The only application to attract any formal comment was the erection of a stock shelter / hay store off Main Street, Milton, where re-siting elsewhere on the plot was thought appropriate.
• More trees are to be planted around the village: 20 Field Maples are planned for Broomhills Playing Field and other potential sites are under consideration.

The next meeting of Repton Parish Council will be held on Monday 9th October at 7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall.

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Repton Village Hall

You can see from the 'Local Events' page at the back of the Parish Magazine how important the hall is in the life of the village. And its use extends well beyond the meetings advertised there. It is a home for societies and socials, dancing and games, the Baby & Toddler Club and the Parish Council. Bookings are robust. The hall has a premises license under the 2003 Licensing Act; it is used regularly on every weekday and extensively at weekends. If you would like to hire it for a private event, contact Pat Court on 702599.

At the Village Hall agm in June, Peter Court, Chairman of the Management Committee paid thanks to all who contribute to its smooth running or help to maintain it. Apart from the committee, Pat Court, Linda Oakhill, David Guest, Brian Hazelwood and Alan Webster all deserve particular mention.

However, despite constant attention and maintenance, and perhaps contrary to appearances, the fabric of the building is giving increasing grounds for concern. The hall was opened on 24th January 1970, using a timber frame construction with a design life of 25 years. It has been developed over the years in a piecemeal way - particularly true of the electrical circuits and heating, but the construction of the stage in the early 1970s also introduced a long-term structural weakness.

Now there are increasingly important issues over disability access and toilets, emergency exits, and heating and insulating efficiency, together with the need for a new or upgraded kitchen and small meeting room. All these would require considerable investment, and as John Shortt has reported in previous issues, the Parish Council has funded structural surveys to determine how far the hall can be altered or extended.

The picture is mixed. Apart from problems mentioned above, the most important problems to emerge are rotting window frames, some rot in frame timbers, and possible problems with the concrete base. In addition, the arrangement of the structural timber frames would make significant extension or alteration of the body of the hall difficult or impossible. On the other hand, proper remedial work can extend the life of the current hall by perhaps ten or more years; but how much would it be sensible to invest in the present building? In the longer run, we have to consider what we want for a replacement - and how we can fund it.

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Gardening Notes

Autumn colours depend on a number of factors, the most important being sun and rain. In a hot, dry spell, the leaves often fall before the colour has developed, and in a wet season there is insufficient sun for the sugars in the leaves to build up and help produce the colour. We have had both excessive heat in July and wet in August, so we shall see which wins. Certainly the apples are much more coloured that often.

The other unusual feature has been the dearth of insects recently. In spite of the large numbers of queen wasps in the spring, there are very few about; car windscreens have been unusually clear and the plums are untouched. Move all tender plants into a frost-free place for the winter, or protect them outside. Penstemons are borderline hardy, and it is probably wise to take cuttings now. If you leave them outside, do not cut them back till next spring, as the top growth will protect the young shoots now appearing. Remove dead leaves from cannas, and store them in loose soil or sand (or in their pots), and keep them just moist in a frost-free place.

I believe it is still wisest to lift dahlias. They have hollow stems, which can store water and cause tubers to rot. So turn them upside down for a week, and then store them in a frost-free place in trays with a light covering of compost. Keep them dry (although not bone dry), and pot them up in February or March to start them into growth. If you do leave them in the ground over winter, cover them with a thick layer of straw, bracken or bark.

Harvest marrows, squashes and beetroot. Parsnips can be left in the ground unless slugs are too active. Store apples in boxes or trays in a cool frost-free place with good air circulation. Place the apple stalk downwards to put them in the most stable position, preventing them rolling about and bruising other fruit.

October is the best time to plant heathers, and summer-flowering heathers can be trimmed. Plant out spring bedding such as polyanthus, wallflowers, winter-flowering pansies and forget-me-nots during the month, as well as spring-flowering bulbs and lilies, if available. Sweet peas sown now will flower earlier next year. They should be planted in pots in multi-purpose compost, watered and kept at 65 - 70° F until they have three or four leaves, when they can be transferred to a cold frame for the winter. Some hard-coated seeds may need the coat nicking to remove a small piece of the coat opposite the 'eye', or soaking overnight in tepid water, but experts disagree as to how necessary this is.

Sow winter varieties of broad beans outside and protect them from mice. Winter lettuce and early summer cabbage can be sown under glass. Similarly sow early varieties of carrots and peas in old growbags under glass.

Take hardwood cuttings of gooseberries, black, red and white currants. Black-currant cuttings should be 8" - 10" long; insert them with two buds showing above soil level, and they will soon root. Red and white currants should be a little longer; remove all lower buds leaving 4 or 5 at the top, and insert half the length into the soil. Gooseberries are less easy; leave all the buds on a 12" - 14" cutting but remove the lower spines, dip in hormone rooting material and insert up to half the length in the soil; leave for 18 - 20 months.

Protect apples, pears and plums from winter moths, which lay their eggs between November and April. The wingless female emerges from her pupa in the soil and climbs the tree to mate and lay eggs. Sticky paper can be used on smooth-barked, younger trees, but on older trees with fissured bark, where the insects could climb behind a sticky band, it is better to apply grease.

Thin underwater plants in ponds, and remove old lily leaves to minimise the build-up of toxic gasses if the pond freezes. It may also be necessary to cover the pond with a net to keep leaves out.

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An Impossible Dilemma

Clare Paine is spending eight months in rural Uganda teaching Global Politics at the Central Buganda University, a mission university west of Kampala.

As we were settling down to begin dinner, it was pitch dark outside and we had only the torch to see by. Outside, a man was making his way very slowly towards us. His eyes were fixed dreamily and his clothes barely on. Our instant reaction was fear. Grace locked the grated door and shouted at him in Luganda (the local language). He carried on to the door, until he was only a metre away. The darkness, the element of surprise and not knowing what this man wanted all made me stand back in fear. Grace told us that this man wasn't really sick but pretending, so that he could 'get us and destroy everything'. It was clear though, after watching this man at our front door for more than five minutes, that he wasn't capable of a violent attack on anybody.

The most challenging part for me was the realisation that he was harmless, and in real need. However, I felt afraid, thinking that if he knows he can get food here, maybe he will keep on appearing, and to be honest, even though he looked harmless, I didn't want to run the risk if I was alone in the house one evening. So in the end, Grace phoned Jean-Paul who patrols the university grounds at night as security. The next morning the man had appeared again. As soon as I saw him, I went over to the grated door, and as I met his fixed stare I locked it. Locking our door is noisy and dramatic as it's made up of bolts and a big padlock. It was a battle between my heart and mind. It made sense to lock the door in order to remain 'safe', but at the same time my heart ached for this aimless man who walks through life rejected by everyone. As a Christian I asked myself, what would Jesus have done? Wasn't it he who had compassion on the sick and healed them, who reached out to those cast out by society? How was I therefore living my life as a Christian, as someone trying to love as He loves, unconditionally? I didn't have answers to these questions, but in this situation where I couldn't 'do' anything I had to give everything up to God; my feelings of helplessness, what felt like unused compassion, and my aching for this unloved man. This experience has been my hardest to date, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Many people have asked if there is anything they can pray about specifically, and I would ask you to pray that in each circumstance I have the courage to change the things I can, the humility to accept the things I can't change and the wisdom to know the difference.