March 2007 - Contents The Core of our Faith Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches British Summertime Mothering Sunday, 18th March Holy Week, 1st - 8th April 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 URC 170th Anniversary Weekend, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th March Friday 2nd March: Women's World Day of Prayer Service at 7.15 pm Lent Course at the URC Shell (for children aged 7+) Funerals and Burial of Ashes Funerals and Burial of Ashes Phyllis Maude Bond Patricia Wilmot Arnold Frederick Read Obituaries Patricia Wilmot Repton Benefice Lent Course Your Parish Magazine Parish Directory Support the Padley Centre 'set all free', Walk with the Archbishops St Wystan's News St Wystan's Church Development The Memorial Book Easter Lilies at St Wystan's Repton M.U. St Saviour's News Foremark Church Annual Church Meeting St Mary's News Newton Solney Annual Church Meeting The Musicke Companye, Tuesday 6th March Lent Charity Cabaret, 15th - 17th March Jumble Sale, Saturday 17th March Table Top Sale, Saturday 24th March Valentine's Ball, Saturday 24th March Coffee Morning, Tuesday 27th March Thankyou Kay Dooley South Derbyshire Willington Bowls Club from South Derbyshire Heritage News Repton Village and History Lent Lunches Repton Village Party, Bank Holiday Monday, 7th May Malvern Show Trip, Saturday 12th May Open Garden, Sundays 22nd April and 10th June Repton Open Gardens, 23rd - 24th June Petition Downing Street Repton Village History Group Heritage Map Parish Council Elections - Key Dates Civic Amenity Waste Vehicle Repton W.I. Repton Village Society Repton Enabling Fund AGM The Boot Inn Newton Solney Village Matters Newton Solney W.I. Further Afield Friends of the Arboretum Gardening Notes

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The Core of our Faith

There is a wide choice of topics for an editorial: the debate over homosexuality, single-sex parents and adoption, the media and the monastic lifestyle are all interesting subjects - some of them 'safer' than others. But I am more concerned about a matter behind these attention-grabbing issues, and that is the question of authority within the Anglican communion.

What is it to be a Christian, and in particular, what is it to be an Anglican Christian? Anglicans have no central authority. Some would say that scripture is our authority, but there are many matters upon which scripture is silent. Even more importantly, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would continue to teach his disciples after he himself was raised. The Holy Spirit was not just active in the apostolic era, but has been present and active ever since, leading the Church into new truth about things the apostles had never heard of. For Anglicans, there are three sources of truth: scripture is the most important, then tradition - the collective experience of the Church - and finally, reason, a God-given faculty we can use for discernment.

This matter of authority is at the very heart of much current debate. Anglican authority is dispersed. Each province of the Anglican communion is a source of authority for the expression of the faith within its own culture and context. Because there is such cultural diversity in the world, there are bound to be clashes over what different provinces consider to be the truth.

Sometimes a group may claim to have demonstrated absolute truth on the basis of its own evangelistic success. The fallacy of this argument can easily be seen by considering the African and American Episcopal Churches; both in their own contexts are successful, yet both believe very different things about the issues mentioned above.

Rather than try to resolve all issues on a global basis, we should focus our attention on those core beliefs we hold in common. Jesus Christ is the foundation and cornerstone of the Church. Jesus' message of the Father's love and the offer of forgiveness is the core tradition that we are here to pass on. Everything else is secondary. It is in Jesus that all Christians find our identity.

Lent is a good time to refocus on Jesus, the core of our faith. As we draw closer to him through prayer, fasting, charitable giving, study of his word and prayer, let us pray also for the grace to draw closer to one another in love. With prayers and best wishes,

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Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

British Summertime

. . . begins on Sunday 25th March, when the clocks go forward one hour. Evening services at Foremark and Newton Solney then revert to the later time of 6.30 pm.

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Mothering Sunday, 18th March

In a tradition that has lasted well over 400 years, we celebrate the middle Sunday of Lent as Mothering Sunday. It is a day to give thanks for all that our mothers do for us, and families are especially welcome in church.

No one is certain how the idea of Mothering Sunday began, but we do know that in the sixteenth century, people who lived in the smaller villages made a point of going, not to their local church, but to the nearest big church, the 'mother church'. And some would go to the nearest city to worship in the cathedral. People who visited their mother church would say they had gone 'a mothering'.

Distribution of posies

Mothering Sunday was often the one day each year when girls and boys in service were allowed to visit their family. Sometimes the housekeeper would allow the maids to bake a cake to take home as a gift, but flowers were more usual, as they could be picked on the way home through the meadows. Today we maintain that tradition in church, and posies are distributed during the morning service for the congregation to take home to mother.

The churches have special family services (St Wystan's at 9.45 am, St Mary's at 10 am, the URC at 11 am), so join us and keep up that tradition of giving thanks for all that your mother does for you.

Help needed at St Mary's

Posies for distribution at St Mary's will be prepared in church the previous morning, Saturday 17th March, at 10.30 am; help would be appreciated.

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Holy Week

Holy Week is a very special time when we focus on the core of the Christian story and re-immerse ourselves in the wonders and mysteries of our faith. This year it falls in the first week in April, so a word now might be timely.

Palm Sunday, 1st April

In place of the Family Service at St Wystan's, the Palm Sunday service at 9.45 am will consist of a palm procession, joyful music, the dramatised reading of the Passion and Holy Communion. Matins will be moved to the Second Sunday of Easter, 15th April.

Monday 2nd April: 'Saints at Prayer'

The final session of the Lent Course, 'Saints at Prayer', will be at 7.30 pm in St Wystan's Church.

Tuesday 3rd April: Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross devotion will be held in St Wystan's at 7.30 pm.

Wednesday 4th April: Passover Meal

A Passover meal will be held in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm. Last year we held this in the Vicarage but were unable to accommodate all who wanted to come. This year we hope that you will all join with us to re-enact this moving celebration of the Passover meal, which celebrates the Jews' escape from Egypt and is the root of our Christian Eucharist.

Maundy Thursday: Last Supper

The Eucharist of the Last Supper, washing the disciples' feet, procession to the Gethsemane garden and silent watch will take place at St Wystan's at 8 pm.

Good Friday Devotion

The Three Hours Devotion, led by Rev'd Michael Mitton, Derby Diocese Mission and Development Advisor, will be held at St Wystan's from 12 noon to 3 pm.

There will be a short Good Friday Devotion at St Mary's at 7 pm.

Easter Day, 8th April

At St Wystan's the day starts before dawn with the Service of Light at 5.30 am. Holy Communion follows at 8 am, and the Easter Family Communion with candles and renewal of baptismal promises at 9.45 am.

Holy Communion at St Mary's is at 8 am, and by extension at St Saviour's at 9.15 am.

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St Wystan's, Repton

St Saviour's, Foremark

St Mary's, Newton Solney

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Readers, Intercessors and Offertory at St Wystan's

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Altar Flowers

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Brasses

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The United Reformed Church

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URC 170th Anniversary Weekend, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th March

In March, the United Reformed Church celebrates 170 years of witness by the free church in Repton! The Congregational Church in Repton first met in a house on the High Street in 1780. At that time, Independents, or Dissenters as they were known in English law, were not allowed to build their own places of worship, to attend universities, nor to take up any of the professions unless they swore an oath of allegiance to the Church of England. These Test and Corporation Acts were not repealed until 1828, but after that date the congregationalists in Repton could begin to raise funds for their own building. It took eight years to raise the £400 needed. The present church opened in 1837, and in 1845 added the schoolroom, which provided education for the children of the village at a cost to their parents of a penny a week.

Saturday: Gift Day and Coffee Morning

The church will be open for a Gift Day between 10.30 am and 2.30 pm, when you can donate gifts to help the work of the church. The usual monthly coffee morning from 10.30 till 11.30 am will be followed by jacket potato lunches served from 12 till 1 pm.

Sunday: Anniversary Services and Tea

Both Anniversary Services will be led by Rev'd Graham Maskery, whom many will remember as a lay preacher in the district, and later as Minister at Ashbourne Road, Chaddesden and Alvaston and then the Central URC in Derby. Graham is currently the Minister of the United Reformed Church in York.

There will be a tea in the schoolroom at 5 pm, to which everyone is welcome. Come and join in our celebrations!

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Friday 2nd March: Women's World Day of Prayer Service at 7.15 pm

This year's service has been prepared by the Christian women of Paraguay. Landlocked between Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia, Paraguay is a country where 10% of the population have 66% of the wealth, and 25% do not have enough to eat, and have no running water or electricity. The poorer women earn some income from making spider-web lace, and many raise families single-handed. The church is involved in helping to provide education, health care, social centres and children's work. Everyone is welcome to worship with Christian women across the world, and to learn more about the church in Paraguay. The theme of this year's service is 'United under God's Tent'.

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Lent Course at the URC

This year, our minister, Rev'd Brian Norris, will lead a Lent course on Thursday evenings, 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th March from 8 to 9 pm. Everyone is welcome to join the group.

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Shell (aged 7+)

The Shell group meets on Mondays from 6.30 - 7.30 pm. New members are always welcome.

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Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Phyllis Maude Bond of Prestatyn died on Wednesday 17th January at the Queen's Hospital, Burton upon Trent, aged 98. A service of cremation was held on 26th January at Bretby Crematorium.

Patricia Wilmot, recently of the Almshouses, Etwall, and formerly of The Hall, Repton School, died peacefully on Saturday 27th January, just before her 80th birthday. Her funeral mass was held on 7th February at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Mickleover, followed by cremation at Markeaton Crematorium.

Arnold Frederick Read of 1 Cricket Close, Newton Solney died on Sunday 4th February aged 86. A funeral service at Bretby Crematorium on 19th February was followed by the committal.

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Obituaries

Patricia Wilmot

For 17 years Patricia was housekeeper of The Hall boys' house at Repton School. When she came in 1970, her referee from a previous school said: "In her first term here she organised the boys, in the second she organised my family, in the third she organised the school." With her energy, self-confidence and enthusiasm, it was a reference she justified in full. Besides her job, she worked tirelessly backstage for Repton School drama and sang regularly in MusSoc. She was a devout Catholic, and in retirement in Etwall she committed herself to the life of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Mickleover. A splendid woman.

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Repton Benefice

Lent Course

We are planning to hold our Lent course, 'Saints at Prayer', in house groups this year. It is a six-week course, which will start in the week beginning Sunday 26th February and conclude on the Monday of Holy Week, 2nd April, with a plenary session in church. This is a much acclaimed course, based on the Lord's Prayer, and originally written by our own Mission and Ministry Development Adviser, Michael Mitton. The six sessions are: The Father in Heaven; The Kingdom Perspective; Presenting our Needs; Repentance and Forgiveness; Temptation and Battle; Taking Prayer out. Each consists of teaching, group discussion, learning and prayer.

Some will remember that last summer we identified 'listening to God' as our weakest link. I hope this course will really help us all to listen to God, which is essential if we are collectively to know how He wants us to take His Church forward.

Please sign up in the church or contact George Johnson, 703079, if you would like to join the course. Days and times of venues are posted in church.

p.s. Michael Mitton is our visiting preacher for Good Friday this year. I'm sure he'll be pleased to know that you have all followed his course!

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Your Parish Magazine

Thank you to everybody who contributed so generously to the cost of the Parish Magazine. This year you gave a record £3,415.16, up by more than £550 on last year. This pays for the cost of paper, ink and the running costs of the printer, and for printing the Parish Directory. Any money left is put towards the cost of a new machine. Our present printer is now very old and on borrowed time; we will have to buy a new one in the near future.

Every month the editor puts the magazine together from articles you send him from all over the benefice. We are enormously indebted to our regular contributors, but anybody can submit articles for publication and the editor always welcomes new material. (Please make sure you give your name and contact details, even if you don't want them to appear in print.) The magazine is printed by a stalwart team of two volunteers; if there are no hiccups, it takes about three and a half hours. Two or three days later on a Thursday morning, another band of volunteers meets in the vestry at St Wystan's to collate and fold the magazine, a big job occupying a team of up to ten people who start at half past eight and finish three or four hours later. Then three more volunteers bundle up the magazine into parcels and distribute them round the villages to the 54 distributors who actually bring them to your door, delivering to every house in the benefice.

We are very lucky that so many people are prepared to give up time to help produce our magazine, so a big thank you to them. Anyone who would like to come and join us would be very welcome, just give me a ring.

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Parish Directory

With this copy of the Parish Magazine you should receive a new edition of the Parish Directory, last published 2½ years ago. Particular thanks are due to Dr. Tom Hyde, who did all the legwork, and to Mrs. Morag Hill for her splendid cover picture. We hope you will find the directory a useful source of reference, and perhaps be encouraged to join and support some of the organisations shown there. We all enjoy the benefits of a thriving village community, but that depends on people who get out and do things, and will only continue if we support them.

Inevitably, in compiling the directory we shall have made mistakes and perhaps overlooked some clubs and organisations. We will be glad to publish corrections and additions in the Parish Magazine; please send any information to Chris Lloyd, e: cjhl@btinternet.com, t: 702410.

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Support the Padley Centre

The Padley Centre is a day centre in Derby whose work with some of the most socially excluded, the homeless, the mentally ill, people with learning disabilities, is so important. Padley has three main areas of operation: Padley Homeless Project is open every day of the year. Situated in the centre of Derby, it includes a 10 bedded emergency hostel and a day centre. Its aim is to help people rebuild their self-esteem and confidence, so they feel more able to re-enter the community. Together the hostel and day centre have over 40,000 visits a year. Padley Development Centre is a fully accredited training centre, training people with learning disabilities, mental health problems and the long-term unemployed. It works with around 250 people each year.

Padley's Trading Project consists of a charity shop and a recycling warehouse. It raises funds for the charity and provides training to people who find it difficult to enter the job market. The warehouse collects donations of clothes, bedding, bric-a-brac and sorts them. Some items are given to the homeless, saleable items are sold in the charity shop and non-saleable clothing and bedding is sold as rags, so nothing goes to waste. Between them, the warehouse and shop recycle around 6000 garments each week.

How you can help

As a small charity, they depend heavily on local support for all their work, and during Lent we shall again be running a collection to support them. They particularly request items that provide nourishing meals, such as packets of pasta, tins of corned beef and packeted or tinned soup. Also, good quality clothes for young adults, shampoo, towels and the like. (They cannot use items that are out of date.) If you would like to help, please leave things in church at St Wystan's or St Mary's.

In addition, Padley is always looking for volunteers. Telephone 01332 384867 to speak to one of the staff.

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'set all free', Walk with the Archbishops

2007 sees the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, passed by the British Parliament on 25th March 1807. To mark the event, on Saturday 24th March, you are invited to join the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in a 'Walk of Witness' through London, culminating in a large-scale act of worship.

The scale of the transatlantic slave trade is difficult to measure but it is estimated that 24 million Africans were captured and enslaved. Many did not survive transportation, and many more died of brutal treatment on the plantations.

The 1807 Act did not mark the end of slavery, which was not finally abolished in the Americas until 1888, but it was a significant step. Abolition was resisted by those who gained from the trade, many of whom were also in positions of power.

Outrageously, slavery continues today, with millions of men, women and children sold into bonded or forced labour, subjected to human trafficking and working in the sex industry.

Racist ideology, the belief that African people were less human than Europeans, enabled slavery to flourish. Modern slavery is also shaped by racist and discriminatory attitudes, and by patterns of poverty and exploitation which have developed over the centuries.

Pro-slavery groups, including Christians, used scripture to justify the practice. Yet, the creation story asserts that human beings are made in the image of God, and Jesus' teaching speaks of love, justice and peace, and against oppression and domination.

The campaign, 'set all free', has been set up by Churches Together in England to tackle the legacy of transatlantic slavery, and also its modern equivalent. To find out more, visit www.setallfree.net, or www.antislavery.org/2007, and learn how you could be involved.

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St Wystan's News

St Wystan's Church Development

We are now making significant progress with our development of the West End. Last month the Annual Parochial Church Meeting heard that the Diocesan Advisory Committee, the church planning authority, has now given authority for the architects to make detailed drawings to submit to builders, so that we can start the process of applying for a faculty. For this we will need three tenders. Part of the process is to publish notices announcing our intentions to the public and inviting comment. Do take the opportunity to look at the latest design for the tower screen, which has had exceptionally favourable comments from the Diocesan Advisory Committee. Drawings are on display in the church.

We now have all the interested national bodies on board. There are three reasons for this: we are only asking for what we badly need, toilets, a kitchen, and a meeting room with storage facilities; the architects have produced what is generally acclaimed as an excellent design, which will enhance the church for future generations; what we are planning will not only meet our needs as a 21st century church but also, which is most important, it will enhance the church as a place of worship, now as ever its primary function. We shall achieve this by moving the font out of the tower to a central place at the back of the nave, its traditional position, and removing a few pews to give us flexibility in worship. In addition we are providing disabled access in the porch and a place for wheelchairs in the main body of the church.

When we have a tender figure to work on, we will be able to launch an appeal to fund the work. We do hope and pray that parishioners will want to be associated with the historic work that we are undertaking.

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The Memorial Book

Last summer we introduced a Memorial Book, where the names of those who have lived in the village can be recorded in the church. You can make entries on behalf of former Repton residents, and also those buried or interred in St Wystan's churchyard or Monsom Lane cemetery. There is no charge but a donation towards church funds is greatly appreciated. Those who died on or after the 1st January 2000 are eligible. All we need is the full name and the dates of birth and death. Please contact Rev'd Peter Paine, 703317.

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Easter Lilies at St Wystan's

At Easter, St Wystan's Church, which for the previous week - Holy Week - has been stripped of all decoration, will be filled with flowers to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his promise of everlasting life. And the traditional flower, with its delicacy of form and its snow-white colour, is the Easter Lily.

We invite you to join in and make a donation towards the Easter lilies, whether in memory of a loved one or to give thanks to God for special times over the past twelve months. And then, as a sponsor we hope that you will be able to join us at our Easter services.

For more details, please contact Frances Wimbush, 703180.

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Repton M.U.

On Wednesday 21st March (2.30 pm in the Fisher Close Room), Colin Kitching will be taking us back to the years when Professor Martin Biddle's excavations were uncovering the secrets of Repton's Viking past. Non-members who would like to know more about the 'dig' and the skeletons in the Vicarage garden would be very welcome. Just come along.

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St Saviour's News

Foremark Church Annual Church Meeting

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting of St Saviour's Church, Foremark, is to be held at Hall Cottage, Foremarke Hall, by kind invitation of the Headmaster, on Wednesday 25th April at 3 pm. The meeting will take place in the new extension on the right of Hall Cottage, which is at the end of the cul-de-sac approached turning immediately left by the main classroom block (The Tom Davies Building, formally known as New Block).

Anyone who comes to Foremark Church or lives in Foremark, Milton or Ingleby is welcome to join us. A meeting of the Foremark PCC will take place immediately following the AGM.

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St Mary's News

Newton Solney Annual Church Meeting

The Annual Meeting will be held in St Mary's Church on Monday 23rd April at 7.30 pm. Church officers will report on the past year, and elections will be held for churchwardens and the Parochial Church Council. Light refreshments will follow the meeting. Parishioners are warmly invited to attend. You can find nomination slips for candidates for the elections at the back of the church during the weeks before the meeting. Please return them to the Secretary by Sunday 15th April. Anyone resident in the parish has the right to elect the churchwardens, but only those whose names are on the electoral roll are eligible to nominate a candidate, to stand for election or to vote.

As the Electoral Roll is being completely renewed this year, it is important that you complete an application form. The forms are available in church and should be returned to the Electoral Roll Officer, Graham Plowman (1 Mill Close, Newton Solney) by the end of March.

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Repton School Concerts Society The Musicke Companye Tuesday 6th March at 7.45 pm in the Robert Beldam Hall This unique ensemble specialises in the rich and varied repertoire of 17th and 18th Century Europe. The concert is entitled 'Fairest Isle' and will be a beautiful and compelling programme of English music that includes the great Henry Purcell and his compatriots. The ensemble is made up of a soprano, a counter-tenor, a baroque cellist and a harpsichordist. Tickets for this concert are available at £12 and £9 (concessions). For further information or tickets contact: The Secretary (Sue Parker), 01283 702550 or Repton Music School, 01283 559319

Repton School Lent Charity Cabaret A sparkling and stylish evening of comedy, dance, drama and music. 15th - 17th March at 7.30 pm in the 400 Hall Thursday 15th & Friday 16th March Reserved Table Seat with Waiter Service: £10 (Concs. £8) Unreserved Gallery Seat: £5 (No concessions) Saturday, 17th March: Gala Performance (Black Tie optional) Reserved Table Seat with Waiter Service: £15 (Concs. £12) Unreserved Gallery Seat: £7.50 (No concessions) For more information or to reserve seats phone 01283 559343 or email theatres@repton.org.uk

Newton Solney Women's Institute Jumble Sale Newton Solney Village Hall, Saturday 17th March at 2 pm Admission 30p, children free

Table Top Sale Repton Village Hall. Saturday 24th March, 10 am - 12 noon Entrance 50p with raffle ticket Coffee and Bacon Butties available Come and enjoy a browse and a chance to buy a bargain

Repton Pre-school Annual Valentine's Ball Saturday 24th March at The Newton Park Hotel Tickets £25 each, all profits to Repton Pre-School. Wine may be pre-ordered at competitive prices. Meat or vegetarian dinner available. Live music. Auction and raffle - great prizes. Black Tie. Please join us for a great night out! Contact Cheryl Smith on 01283 704709

Mr. & Mrs. Alan Atkin are holding a Coffee Morning in aid of Newton Solney Christmas Tree Festival 2 St Mary's Close, Tuesday 27th March, 10 am - 12 noon Bring & Buy Stall                  Raffle £1 Everyone welcome

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Thankyou

. . . to the residents of 'old' Askew Grove and The Crescent for your generous contributions totalling £30 to Kidney Research U.K.

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South Derbyshire

Willington Bowls Club Repton Road, Willington (opposite the Surgery) The 2007 season starts Saturday 31st March. New members welcome - novice or league bowlers. Come along and have a go; all ages from 10 upwards. For further information contact the secretary, 01283 701948.

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from South Derbyshire Heritage News

This is a fascinating and liberally illustrated source of local history that you can read through South Derbyshire website at www.south-derbys.gov.uk/LeisureCulture. Alternatively, contact philip.heath@south-derbys.gov.uk to receive it by email.

Anchor Church at Foremark

. . . gets its name from the word 'anchorite' (hermit), and was possibly once occupied in the Anglo Saxon period by St Hardulph, patron saint of the church at Breedon on the Hill. Perhaps a thousand years later, the caves were turned into a picturesque retreat or summer house by the Burdetts of Foremark. Door and window frames were inserted, and a lime mortar floor; there was even a fireplace with a chimney. A print published in 1765 shows the site complete with a party of visitors. A man plays the flute to a small audience, while two others carry a picnic hamper. Dogs play on the grass, men fish, and women are attentive to their children. Boats ply the river while local village folk make hay in the meadows opposite. Sadly, it is a different scene today. All the joinery has gone and much of the floor has eroded away. Nevertheless, this historic site remains atmospheric and is a Grade II listed building.

'Put-up' or 'Shut-up'

At the General Quarter Sessions in Derby in January 1790, an order was passed requiring all parishes in the county to provide a place of temporary confinement. This resulted in the quirky, historic buildings, known as lock-ups or roundhouses, at Smisby (built 1790) and Ticknall (built 1809).

Roundhouses were not merely 'shut-ups' for the temporary confinement of criminals; they also acted as 'put-ups' for the use of vagrants and paupers, whether arriving back in their own parishes to claim parish relief, or passing through. They are generally cheerless, windowless places, but the Ticknall roundhouse, built in 1809, at least has the comfort of a fireplace.

John Farey, in his 'Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire' (1811-1817) notes that the purpose-built roundhouses were of a distinct character:

"Many villages in Derbyshire have their small local Prison, ... built of brick or stone, in a circular or square form, and arched and topped conically ... with the same materials, in a very durable and secure manner."

Farey hints that the reason for the shape of the buildings was to make them secure, allowing spire-like roofs of solid masonry without timber, so minimising maintenance and preventing criminals from breaking out through the roof. Perhaps the unusual form also helped to make the buildings obvious to the vagrants that were meant to use them. Similar roundhouses can be seen at Breedon on the Hill, Packington and Worthington in Leicestershire.

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Repton Village & History

Lent Lunches

On five Wednesdays during Lent, starting on 28th February, St Wystan's will be holding Lent lunches of soup and cheese in the Community Room at Fisher Close (noon to 2 pm). Everyone is welcome but room is limited, so if you would like to come, could you please sign up on the list in church or ring Karen Perks on 702392. Any offers of help would also be welcome!

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Repton Village Party, Bank Holiday Monday, 7th May

For Bank Holiday Monday afternoon we are planning a special Repton Village Party. It will be fun for the whole village, but will have a focus on families and children. We hope that you will all come along and enjoy yourselves - but more of that later.

The party will be on the Scout Field at the Den, where we will create a village green atmosphere with stalls, displays and demonstrations. There will be traditional games for the children (and adults!), refreshments, and entertainment including maypole dancing. Workshops will be held at the Primary School beforehand to show the children how to dance round the maypole. We hope that every society, club and organisation will be involved and take this opportunity to promote its activities.

The Parish Council is supporting the party with money left over from the Willington Bridge Celebrations in 1998. If you would like to help with the planning or would like more information, please contact: Frances Wimbush, 01283 703180, fjwim@tiscali.co.uk.

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Malvern Show Trip, Saturday 12th May

Repton Village Show Committee is organising an outing to the Malvern Show on Saturday 12th May. The coach will leave Repton at 8 am and the show at approximately 5 pm.

This is one of the first national gardening shows of the season, and is set in a lovely location near the Malvern Hills. The RHS Floral Marquee houses thousands of beautiful flowers and plants with many for sale. The 30 acres includes show gardens, many different trade and craft stands, and lots of food outlets.

The cost of £21 includes entrance to the show. This is a popular trip and early booking is advised. Contact Margaret Rainey on 703748.

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Open Garden, Sundays 22nd April and 10th June

Jan and David Roberts are opening their garden at 37 High Street, Repton once again for the National Gardens Scheme (the Yellow Book). The dates this year are Sunday 22nd April and Sunday 10th June 10th, from 2 to 5.30 pm; please put them in your diary. Admission costs £2 in aid of NGS charities. We will be serving teas in aid of St Wystan's Church, and selling plants. The garden will also be open later in June as part of Repton Open Gardens.

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Repton Open Gardens, 23rd - 24th June

This year, Repton Open Gardens will again be a two-day event on the weekend before Wimbledon. This is always an enjoyable occasion, and gardeners unfailingly comment on the friendliness of the visitors and the pleasure of showing them around. The gardens will include most of those open last year, including three Yellow Book gardens, but we are always looking for new blood. If you would like to open your garden or know someone who might like to be involved, please contact Tom Hyde, 703662, or Jan Roberts, 702159.

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Petition Downing Street

Thanks to road pricing, we are all now aware of on-line petitions as a new way to make our voices heard, and on the Downing Street website you will find a petition encouraging the Government to provide more financial help for repair of listed church buildings.

Churches are a valuable part of our heritage and a major tourist attraction, yet the funding of repairs is left entirely to the parish. It is a great privilege to be the custodians of a wonderful church such as St Wystan's, but that brings with it a considerable burden. Without the great generosity of some parishioners - and particularly we remember the recent legacies from Robert Beldam, Rhoda Hemmings and Mabel Salt - we would struggle to cope. The challenge of funding repairs to church buildings goes much wider than the Church of England alone, and the Church is making the case for all listed places of worship. Please sign up at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Preservation.    Whatever you think of petitions in general, this one must not be allowed to flop.

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Repton Village History Group

In January we had a fascinating talk about the Ticknall pottery industry which flourished from the late 1400's until 1881. Janet Spavold and Sue Brown gave a very detailed account, and brought along many interesting specimens which they had discovered during their research.

'The Swinging Sixties', Tuesday 20th March

'The Swinging Sixties' follows the success of the 1950's evening held last year. Do you remember the 60's: 'Make love not war', 'Give peace a chance', Carnaby Street, Mary Quant, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Kennedy's assassination, the first man on the moon? Come along and hear the music and musicals of the 60's. Watch newsreels of the major events, and discuss some newspaper stories of that time. David and Lilwen Guest will be hosting this evening of reminiscences, assisted by the audience, who are welcome to tell us their own memories and bring along their souvenirs of that era now, 40 years ago. This promises to be a great evening - many memories and lots of audience participation! Everyone is welcome. Entrance, £1.50 for members, £2.50 for visitors. Village Hall, 7.30pm.

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Heritage Map

You may already have seen the heritage map recently installed by the Parish Council near the Arch, and showing landmarks and special buildings in Repton. If not, it is well worth a look. The map was created by a local firm of artists, the illustrations chosen by the Repton Village History Group in conjunction with the Parish Council. The case was chosen by the Parish Council and made by a specialist company. The case also houses a notice board. Conservation area guidelines require the map case to be painted to blend with the stone wall behind, and only allow the notice board to be used for Parish Council notices.

The whole cost of the project was met from a generous bequest by Rhoda Hemmings and donations from Toyota, Repton School, East Midlands Airport and South Derbyshire District Council. Our thanks go to them for their generosity; their names have been included on the bottom edge of the map. The Parish Council is very grateful to members of the History Group for their invaluable input.

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Parish Council Elections - Key Dates

Candidates for this year's elections must be over 21, on the Register of Electors, and live within the locality. If you are not yet on the register, you will not be eligible to stand unless the District Council receives your registration form by Friday 9th March. If you are interested in standing, contact the Electoral Registration Officer at SDDC, 595795, for further information.

Nominations close at noon on Wednesday 4th April. Withdrawals close at noon on Wednesday 11th April. The elections take place on Thursday 3rd May

Absent Voting

Anyone on the register can have a postal vote; you don't have to have a reason. You can have it for an indefinite period or just for this election (which is particularly helpful for those on holiday and for students in temporary accommodation). To ask for Absent Voting forms, contact your District Council Election Office, 221000.

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Civic Amenity Waste Vehicle

The Parish Council will again provide an amenity waste vehicle on the Village Hall car park on Saturday 14th April from 7.30 to 11.30 am.

Some items cannot be taken: metal items, builders rubbish, bathroom fixtures, fridges, freezers, cookers, washing machines, dryers, wardrobes, beds, 3 piece suites, car parts, kitchen units (unless dismantled), asbestos, gas heaters and bottles, paint, any inflammable substances, televisions and fluorescent tubes, and any other hazardous waste. All of these can be collected at a cost by the District Council Bulky Service, 595759.

The Parish Council has paid for this service. Please use it. We know that it is becoming increasingly difficult to dispose of waste.

You are also free to use waste vehicles that will park at the Marina car park, Willington, on 16th June, 22nd September, 24th November, and next year on 23rd February.

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Repton W.I.

In February, President Karen Perks welcomed a new member before introducing Gill Weston, who had come to tell us the story of the families who have lived at Melbourne Hall.

As she described their lives and loves, it became clear that, had DNA testing been available earlier, it would have turned gossip into certainty and so affected the pattern of inheritance of the Hall!

Next Meeting: Tuesday 13th March 13th, 7.15 pm in the Village Hall: Rowena Lovett on 'Leek Embroidery'. Visitors are always welcome.

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Repton Village Society

At our last meeting Philip Heath, Heritage Officer at South Derbyshire District Council, took us on an interesting journey through our local countryside. He included a lot of fascinating background and history, often based on his own research, on some of the well known landmarks such as Bretby Hall, as well as on lesser known topics such as the slum clearances in Melbourne.

The talk was followed by a short AGM at which the Chairman reported that the Society had covered a wide range of topics, and seen good turnouts at meetings. He particularly thanked Alan Webster and David Guest for organising the programme. The officers of the society are: Peter Rainey, Chairman; Alan Webster, Vice-Chairman; Hazel Blackhall, Secretary; Martin Wimbush, Treasurer. The committee was re-elected en-bloc. The evening was rounded off with cheese, wine and good conversation.

'The History of Cunard', Thursday 1st March

Eric Flounders, the Public Relations Manager of Cunard, will trace the history of the company, from its beginnings in Canada in 1839 to becoming a world famous name operating some of the best known ships ever built. He will deal with the triumphs and disasters along the way, and the company's move into cruising with a new modern fleet. Hopefully he will have information about its latest liner, the Queen Victoria.

'Blue Tits, Raising a family', Thursday 5th April

David Tideswell will be making a welcome return to the society, this time talking about blue tits. His talk will be illustrated with his usual excellent slides.

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Repton Enabling Fund AGM

The Annual General Meeting of the fund will take place on Wednesday 7th March at 7.30 pm in The Den on Mitre Drive. All village organisations are entitled to a representative on the committee and to attend the AGM. The fund makes interest-free loans to any Repton organisation to help start up new projects and events, including to organisations set up especially to organise an event.

For further information, contact Andy Austen on 702448.

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The Boot Inn

The Boot Inn was recently raided by the police, who believed that illegal activities were being carried out on the premises. We would like to make clear that absolutely nothing was found in the pub, no one was arrested and no drugs were found on the owners, staff, or any of the customers. The police have confirmed that the raid was based solely on an (unfounded) tip-off, and they are obliged to act on all such tip-offs.

We would like to apologise to all who were present and all who were turned away that night for the inconvenience caused. We sincerely hope that these events will not affect your opinions of The Boot Inn or of us as the landlords. The police have confirmed this to me too.

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Newton Solney Village Matters

Newton Solney W.I.

At our February meeting, President Jo Parfitt, was pleased to welcome two new members; then we discussed forthcoming events. Two local theatre outings are planned for May and June, 'Goodnight, Mr. Tom' and 'Showboat', and the Mulberry Rooms are booked for lunch on 28th February; there is a Jumble Sale on 17th March, and a team is entered for the W.I. Quiz at Repton Village Hall on 29th March. In addition, our members are supporting a Coffee Morning in aid of Derby and District Kidney Association on Tuesday 22nd May in the Village Hall.

Linda Williams reported on the Mercia Group meeting, and Terry Martin read her humorous poem to be submitted for inclusion in a book of poems as part of a Combined Art contribution to the 90th celebrations of Derbyshire Federation of W.I.s. Hazel Ward reported Newton Solney's forthcoming Christmas Tree Festival, and asked members for support and ideas.

Our speaker was Audrey Hall, on 'Taking Shirley Valentine to Greece', a humorous and interesting account of her efforts to present the play to an English audience - Greeks invited! - on the island of Skiathos. This was a charitable event to raise money for St Giles Hospice. She described the trials of taking all props and fixtures to Skiathos, then finally the successful evening in the perfect location and setting.

The Whist Drive will be on Tuesday 27th February, and our next meeting on 13th March is 'Theatrical Wardrobe' by Jane Bagshaw.

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Further Afield

Friends of the Arboretum

The National Memorial Arboretum is again appealing for volunteers. If you feel that you could empathise with visitors (many of them Service Veterans), help in the shop, would like to be a guide, or would like to help with the plots, you are invited to the AGM on Wednesday 28th March (7 pm in the Conference Room). Alternatively, contact the Membership Secretary, Roger Davies-Lee on 01283 791218, or visit www.friendsofnma.org.uk

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Gardening Notes

We are getting used to abnormal weather, but last July's heat - and a prolonged mild and wet spell, with little frost until late January - may produce unexpected results in the garden.

Complete pruning roses in early March; they were producing soft, young shoots in January, but if these were frosted, there will be more buds to follow. When they have finished flowering, winter-flowering heathers will also need a trim to keep them compact. Prune dogwoods and willows grown for their colourful stems; cut most of the stems back to within two or three buds of the base of the plant. You can still prune gooseberries and red currants; it is said that this reduces the risk of grey mould on the new growth. At the same time, watch out for aphids.

Peach, nectarine and apricot blossom needs protection from frost, and in view of the paucity of insects at this time of year, will probably need hand-pollination. If grown outside, a covering of fleece, kept away from the blossom by canes, should be adequate.

Complete winter digging in the vegetable plot. With clay soils it is best done in the autumn, before it gets too wet, but sandy soils should be left till spring as winter rain may leach out the chemicals. However, there is evidence that digging disrupts the soil organisms and complex processes they bring about. Weeds must be controlled, but once the plot has had an initial deep dig, forking over and mulching may be adequate. For root crops, deeper digging is probably always necessary. Mulching should be done in the spring when the soil has warmed up; mulching on top of frosted soil seals the frost in.

Remove light-excluding covers from rhubarb. Onion sets can be planted at the end of the month, as can early potatoes, though these may need frost protection later. If young, pot-grown strawberries are planted out now, it is best to pick off the flowers in the first season to allow the roots to establish themselves.

Small evergreen grasses can be trimmed in spring, cutting back the brown tips and dead leaves. Larger evergreen grasses need the dead leaves removing together with any remaining flower stalks. Wear gloves when you attack pampas grass as the leaves are sharp-edged; cut it back as far as possible without removing any fresh growth. Most deciduous grasses can be trimmed to the ground before growth starts.

Early March is a good time to divide herbaceous perennials, from delphiniums and Michaelmas daisies to hostas and agapanthus; also to take cuttings from their basal shoots. Young plants, whether bought from the nursery or grown from seed or cuttings, will need hardening off before planting out.

Spring bulbs are often better planted 'in the green', that is after flowering and before the leaves die down. Snowdrops, aconites and some of the miniature narcissi such as the hoop petticoat narcissi, n. bulbocodium, transplant better in the green than from dried bulbs.

To stimulate shoots for cuttings, cover dahlia tubers, stored overwinter, with moist compost, and start them into growth in a warm environment. Resume watering cacti and succulents in the greenhouse, and pot up summer-flowering bulbs and tubers such as begonias and canna.

Summer bedding for borders and containers can be sown. The slow germinaters such as petunia, begonia, lobelia, impatiens and geranium do best at 21°C, and a heated propagator would come in useful. Tomato seed, celery, aubergine and peppers need 15°C.

Sow leeks, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and parsley in a cold frame or greenhouse. Sweet peas can also be sown now in pots in the greenhouse or cold frame. Autumn-sown sweet peas, and leeks sown in the greenhouse in January, should be ready to plant out now. Sow first early peas, broad beans and herbs directly outside or in the greenhouse for planting out early. Flowering annuals can be sown directly outside.

Multi-purpose compost will do for sowing, planting on and final planting out, but there is considerable variation between brands. Peat-free composts are improving, but are more variable because of their differing constituents. John Innes composts are based on loam; no. 1 is for seeds, no. 2 for potting on, and no. 3 is for all containers. Seed compost has the least fertiliser, and no. 3 the most. The latter is quite heavy and tends to set hard, making watering difficult. This can be overcome by adding some multi-purpose compost. John Innes composts are two or three times more expensive than multi-purpose, but they are about to market a peat-free formula.