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The Parish Magazine Repton, Foremark, Milton, Ingleby, Newton Solney
December 2015

November 2015 Smelly Shepherds Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches Services at St Wystan's, Repton Services at St Saviour's, Foremark Services at St Mary's, Newton Solney Readers and Intercessors at St Wystan's Altar Flowers at St Wystan's Brasses at St Wystan's Altar Flowers at St Saviour's United Reformed Church Services at the United Reformed Church Saturday 5th December: SHELL and Junior Church Christmas Party Sunday 13th December: 'The Old Russian Shoemaker' Sunday 20th December: Christingle and Carols by Candlelight Christmas morning: Short family service Roman Catholic Churches Christmas Mass Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals and Burial of Ashes Baptisms Henry Stephen Ward Madeleine Elizabeth Jones Obituaries Peter Collins In Memory of Lawrence James Archer The Memorial Book Repton Benefice Christmas Services In December we are also hosting Groups We will remember them! Many thanks - Rev'd Stanley Morris Local Diary Event Details Sunday Club for 4 - 11 year olds Soup, Cheese and Chat! Wednesday 2nd December Santa & his Sleigh Land in Repton, Friday 4th December Repton Ghost Walks, Friday 4th December Milton Christmas Party, Saturday 5th December Repton Christmas Tree Festival, Friday 4th - Sunday 6th December Repton School Carol Service, Sunday 6th December Repton School Christmas Bands Concert, Wednesday 9th December Repton URC Christmas Nativity Services, Sunday 13th December Christingle @ Messy Church, St Wystan's Church, Sunday 13th December Books, Browse and Coffee, Wednesday 16th December Milton Lunch Club, Thursday 17th December Repton Activity Day, Sunday 3rd January The Great War Commemorated 100 years ago, the Vicar confessed . . . Repton Neighbourhood Development Plan Repton Village and History Repton Rags Repton Casuals Fixtures at Broomhills Lane Christmas Singalong, Wednesday 23rd December Christmas-flavoured treats at The Red Lion, Friday 18th & Sunday 20th December Repton Activity Day, Sunday 3rd January Repton Scouts learn Circus Skills Spark 6: Repton School Annual Affordable Art Exhibition Mobile Library Repton W.I. Repton Village Society Repton Village History Group Thank you - Bottles and Jars Stocking Fillers Christmas (Ho Ho) Hashes Repton & District RBL Poppy Appeal Repton Parish Council Milton & Foremark Village Matters Milton W.I. Milton Village Hall, 'Stones in His Pockets' Live and Local with Blair Dunlop Newton Solney Village Matters Percy William Ratcliff Cottages Trust Newton Solney C of E Infant School Newton Solney Tuesday Club Newton Solney W.I. Newton Solney Parish Council News South Derbyshire Stamp & Deliver ~ Derby & District Scouts deliver your Christmas mail What's On in South Derbyshire and The National Forest @SDDC Get Active in the Forest Environment Matters Leave only pawprints! Just £3 could save a life Avoid Food Waste You and your Pet Beware the Christmas tree! Neighbourhood Watch Keep Safe this Christmas Gardening Notes Gifts for Gardeners

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November 2015

November 5th, Sharm el-Sheikh : 12th, Beirut : 13th, Paris : 20th, Mali

When something horrific happens, our first reaction tends to be shock or disbelief, and then anger and a desire for revenge. But we need to move on from that too.

There are so many things to say that it is difficult to know what to put in or to leave out. But the first is to say that this is still God's world. He is the creator of our universe and we are ultimately accountable to him for the use we make of the gifts he has given us. One of those gifts is free will. With it we can choose to hate, to murder, to commit atrocities. But without free will we could not choose to love. One of the most moving things in the story [of 9/11] is the number of people who were able to make final phone calls from hijacked planes or from the inferno itself. Overwhelmingly what they said, faced by imminent death, was "I love you".

The next thing to say is that death is not the end. In a materialist culture it is easy to forget that. We tend to think that death is the very worst thing. But if death is the gateway to a life of such brilliance that by comparison this world is grey and shadowy, then there are many things worse than death. One of them is a life so consumed by hatred and anger that all some people want to do is to destroy.

A third thing is that God not only remains present and in charge, but that he is not detached from our pain and suffering and grief. In Jesus, and above all on the cross, he has shared in every extremity of human life and pain; there is nothing that we go through which God himself does not understand through experience.

Next I want to say something which many people find much more difficult to hear. We all have a shared responsibility for the nature of the world in which we live. Our natural reaction to anything which goes wrong, whether it is vast or petty, is to want to blame someone else. Of course other people are responsible. They are to blame. But we all bear a tiny share of the responsibility for creating a world so full of inequality and injustice that a few people become so overwhelmed by anger and hatred that all they can think of is to destroy and cause the maximum pain to those they hold responsible. Part of the answer to terrorism is to try to undermine that anger by creating a fairer and more equitable world. Nursing and fuelling our anger, so that the only reaction to destruction is yet more destruction, is disastrous.

The next time, after the first news, that I said the Lord's Prayer, I was caught by the words: 'Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.' None of us is innocent. If we believe that God should forgive us, then, hard as it may be, we have to be willing in turn to forgive. Forgiveness does not remove the need for justice, and it is only there for people who are prepared to acknowledge that they need it.

Lastly, when disaster strikes, people do often wonder how they can bring at least some small good out of what has happened. It may sometimes be hard to see how that can happen, but I have one suggestion. If your first feeling is that getting on with the trivia of ordinary life seems almost wrong, you would be in good company.

A catastrophe on such a scale helps remind us that much of what we are about is fairly insignificant. Certainly it makes us see that the little irritants of life are merely petty. The little things that so irritate are not of ultimate importance unless you let them become so. Love matters much more.

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Smelly Shepherds

In March 2015 I arrived here to take up pastoral responsibilities for Holy Rosary Parish in Burton and Saints Peter and Paul in Swadlincote, coming from the Diocese of Middlesbrough via the English College in Rome.

On the night Pope Francis was elected Pope, I was lucky enough to be in St Peter's Square, and I also attended his first Chrism Mass, where he encouraged pastors to be like shepherds who have the 'smell of the sheep', due to their close care of their flock.

After a few months driving around my extensive new parish boundaries I noticed a difference between the hills of North Yorkshire and the ever diminishing farmland of my new home. "Where are the sheep?" I asked my congregation one homily. I might have added: "Where are the shepherds?"

We Catholics, but I think all Christians, have been challenged by diminishing congregations and pastors, and we are ready to follow the request of Pope Francis to go back to the edges of life, to the peripheries, to those who have left our parishes, and plead with them to start again. But this time the dynamics have changed. We are not seeking them out in order to change them, but rather we now see we need them – to help us to change. We see the need to be gathered together so that we all may learn from each other.

It was God who taught us the need to seek out Shepherds and sheep on the first night of his Son's life on Earth. He sent angels to the outsiders. What a strange smell of sheep and Shepherds in the stable. What a surprising set of guests to form that first congregation.

Let us see how unusual the attendance at our services can be this Christmas as we start again at the beginning, but hopefully with more humility and the desire to gather together all who seek the love of God made man.

Emmanuel and smelly Shepherd, always seeking more sheep!

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Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

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
Frances Wimbush, 703180

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Brasses
Sue Parker, 702550

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Altar Flowers & Cleaning at St Saviour's
Ann Redfern, 01332 862350

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The United Reformed Church

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Saturday 5th December

Members of SHELL and Junior Church will join together in the afternoon for their Christmas Party.

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Sunday 13th December

At both services the children and young people will present their Nativity Play, 'The Old Russian Shoemaker', a delightful Christmas story which everyone will enjoy! And coffee and mince pies will be served after the evening service!

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Sunday 20th December

At the morning service everyone will make their own Christingle to take home. The evening service will be the ever-popular Carols by Candlelight; sing all your favourites in the glow of the candles. Again followed by coffee and mince pies!

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Christmas morning

There will be a short family service; remember to bring a present to show to the congregation!

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Roman Catholic Churches

Christmas Mass

St Peter & St Paul, 70 Newhall Road, Swadlincote, DE11 0BD
Christmas Eve	5.00 pm	First Mass of Christmas
Christmas Day	12.00 am	Midnight Mass
St Joseph's, Mount Street, Winshill, DE15 0JA
Christmas Eve	7.00 pm	First Mass of Christmas
Christmas Day	10.00 am	Christmas Day Mass

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Baptisms

Henry Stephen Ward, son of Martin Ward and Fleur Clark of 2 Cherry Tree Close, Hilton, was baptised on Sunday 25th October at St Wystan's Church, Repton.

Madeleine Elizabeth Jones, daughter of Christopher Jones and Zoe Dormer of 26 Springfield Road, Repton, was baptised on Sunday 1st November at St Wystan's Church.

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Obituaries

Peter Collins
1941 - 24th October 2015

Peter Collins, generally regarded as one of the finest pipe organ builders in this country, designed and built St Wystan's new organ in 1998.

Having trained in London and Austria, Peter set up his own workshop in Hertfordshire in 1964, subsequently moving in 1989 to Melton Mowbray, where his team of craftsmen had the capacity to manufacture practically every part of an organ and produced fine instruments found in churches and concert halls around the world. His most important instruments include those in St David's Hall, Cardiff, and at St Peter Mancroft in Norwich.

Peter was very 'hands on', and is remembered in Repton for working through the night on the tuning of our new organ in time for the opening recital. We extend our sympathy to his family who are carrying on the business.

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In Memory of Lawrence James Archer

Mavis and family would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended Lawrence's funeral at Foremarke. Thank you also for the numerous cards and messages of sympathy received. The love and kindness of everyone has been very comforting to us all. We would also like to thank everyone for the very generous donations given in memory of Lawrence for St Saviour's Church.

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The Memorial Book

Repton has a fine memorial book permanently on display in St Catherine's Chapel in the north aisle of St Wystan's Church. It was donated in memory of Henry Chilton as a place to commemorate former residents of Repton.   All are eligible and welcome, as well as 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.   All we need is the full name and the dates of birth and death.

Please contact us.

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Repton Benefice

Christmas Services

Christingle Service at St Mary's: Sunday 29th November at 10 am

This will form part of the Family Service. Everyone will be most welcome to join in a Celebration of the Light of Christ.

St Wystan's: Advent Candlelight Service: Sunday 29th November, 6 pm

This service of candlelight and soft illuminations is a lovely way to celebrate the start of the Advent season. It includes well-known Advent carols and hymns sung by the congregation, together with motets and anthems sung by the Wystan Singers. Readings for Advent anticipate the coming of Christ and the Christmas story. Note the early start, allowing you afterwards to get to the MusSoc concert in Pears School.

Christmas Carols by Candlelight: Sundays 6th and 20th December

The churches will be candlelit for these popular services.

6th: St Saviour's at 6.30 pm

For this service of traditional readings and well known carols we are joined by the boarders from Foremarke School, and the chamber choir will sing anthems. Afterwards, by the kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Merriman, there will be coffee and mince pies in the assembly hall.

20th: St Mary's at 4 pm

The warm, cosy atmosphere of St Mary's lends itself to a candlelit service. With traditional readings and well known carols this service will warm the hearts of everyone.

20th: St Wystan's at 6.30 pm

We celebrate the traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols, similar to that broadcast from King's College Chapel on Christmas Eve. Hearing the Christmas story as well as listening to and joining in some wonderful carols will remind our hearts and minds of what Christmas really means. Lessons will once again be read by members of local organisations, businesses and charities.

Parish Communion and Gift Service at St Wystan's, Sunday 13th December at 9.45 am

As in previous years, our gifts will go to support the valuable and much needed work of Home-Start in South Derbyshire. These are challenging times for all organisations that rely on charitable giving, and Home-Start is enormously grateful for our help. If you would like to contribute, please bring cash or a cheque payable to 'Home-Start South Derbyshire'. Your gifts will be received during the service as usual, and a representative will join us at the service to tell us more about their work.

MESSY Christingle at St Wystan's: Sunday 13th December at 4 pm

Make your own Christingle, share in a short service and stay for tea. A collection will be taken for the work of The Children's Society; if you would like a collecting flame to fill and bring on the day, please pick one up from church. Children at Repton Primary School will be able to take one from school.

Crib Service at St Wystan's: Christmas Eve, 4 pm

Everyone is welcome to this popular service where children sing Christmas songs and use figures from the crib scene to build up the Christmas tableau as the Christmas story is told. The Church Army introduced this way of preparing for Christmas, so we make a retiring collection for their work in disadvantaged urban communities in our country.

Midnight Communion at St Wystan's: Christmas Eve, 11.30 pm

This is the first Communion of Christmas, and at this hour during the night when Christ was born a very special service indeed. Sing popular carols and share Christmas together on this most blessed of nights.

Christmas Day Services

Repton at 8 am, Foremark at 9.15 am and Newton Solney at 10 am

Christmas Communion.

St Wystan's, Family Carol Service at 10.30 am

The Family Carol Service with its focus on children and traditional carols is always one of the most popular Christmas services. Come along to share the true spirit of Christmas.

Carols and Communion at St Wystan's, Sunday 27th December at 9.45 am

One special service for the whole Benefice – a 'Chance to Pause in God's Presence' in the midst of this period between Christmas and the New Year. Take a break from the sales and come to worship!

New Year's Eve Watch-night Service: St Wystan's at 11.30 pm

The Watch-night Service welcomes in the New Year and is followed by bell-ringing, bring and share refreshments and fireworks.

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In December we are also hosting

9th	Repton Primary School Carol Service at St Wystan's
10th	The W.I. Mercia Group Carol Service at St Mary's at 7 pm
11th	Rainbows Hospice Concert at St Wystan's at 7 pm
16th	St Wystan's School Carol Service at St Wystan's
17th	Newton Solney Infant School Carol Service at St Mary's

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Groups

There is no service of Prayer for Christian Healing in December.   Intercessory Prayer for Healing meets at 3 Richmond Court at 7.30 pm on Monday 7th December.   The Bible Study Group studying the Acts of the Apostles will meet on Thursday 3rd December at 7.30 pm at 28 The Pastures. Please see Stephen Longden if you are interested in joining.

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We will remember them!

Repton

On an overcast but warm day, the local scout and guide movements turned out in force to support the Royal British Legion Club as they paraded to St Wystan's, which once again was comfortably full.

The young standard bearers were splendid. The winner of their competition was Louis Osborne of the Scouts, but Max Kitchener (Beavers), Maisie Gamble (Brownies), Beth Wyatt (Cubs), and Matthew Elliott for the Repton British Legion all did great credit to their organisations.

George Elliott, Chairman of the Repton Branch read the Roll of Honour, as well as the familiar words of Laurence Binyon and the Kohima Epitaph. In the address we were reminded that the vast majority of countries are in a state of conflict or support conflict; of the 193 countries in the world, twenty are at war; only eleven can be considered to be at peace. The children were asked to create a poppy, a Cross or a heart from brightly coloured pipe cleaners; these are now in the church porch to remind visitors of our love for one another, God's love of us, and what so many have given and continue to give to preserve our peace.

During the service, a Repton Primary School choir sang 'Peace, Perfect Peace', and Pat Court read 'In Flanders Fields', a moving poem by John McCrae who died in1918 while commanding a Canadian Hospital at Boulogne.

After the service the congregation gathered around the War Memorial. Wreaths were laid by Brigadier Edward Wilkinson, Deputy Lieutenant of Derbyshire, on behalf of the Queen, by Tom Hyde, President of the Repton Branch of the Royal British Legion, Barbara McArdle on behalf of Repton Parish Council, and Peter Smith for SDDC. Jade Pettitt and Alice Steer, and Abigail Soutar laid wreaths on behalf of Repton Primary and St Wystan's Schools respectively. Then, with the Deputy Lieutenant taking the salute at The Cross, the parade processed back to the Legion where refreshment was to hand. Foremark

The service at Foremark was enhanced by Foremarke Hall musicians, including the Chamber Choir and an assortment of brass players who had earlier in the day taken part at the Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum. The Headmaster, Richard Merriman, led the Act of Remembrance, with the names of those who had lost their lives including one ex-pupil. A trumpeter from the school, Roscoe Cooksey, played The Last Post and Reveille.

Newton Solney

At the Service of Remembrance at St Mary's, members of all the armed forces who have given their lives in conflicts over the past century were remembered. Fred Hill, the Chairman of the Parish Council, laid a wreath of poppies at the War Memorial in church.

Remembrance Day

In a short Act of Witness at Repton War Memorial, attended by some 20 villagers and members of the British Legion, the vicar offered prayers before the two minutes' silence at 11 am. It is good to see more and more people gather with each passing year.

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Many thanks

. . . to everyone who made my 80th birthday such a memorable occasion with a wonderful lunch, cards and flowers. Originally I had chosen this day to announce my retirement (again!) but a series of mini strokes in September brought it forward. Audrey and I are very grateful to everyone who has offered lifts and helped with shopping while I am not allowed to drive.

Sunday Club for 4 - 11 year olds 9.45 am at St Wystan's Church - EVERY Sunday EXCEPT the 1st Sunday of the month when we all 'Worship Together' Join us for Bible stories, craft & games. All are most welcome! Ring Jane Griffiths for more details: 01283 559390

Soup, Cheese and Chat! Wednesday 2nd December from 12.30 to 1.30 pm in St Wystan's Church £4.   Homemade soup, bread and cheese followed by coffee.   And a chat! Everyone welcome. Do come!

Santa & his Sleigh Land in Repton Friday 4th December, starting at about 6.30 pm from Main Street, sleighing into High Street, Askew Grove, Springfield Road, Longlands, Meadow Close, Hill View, Pinfold Close, Pinfold Lane. Please allow time for Santa to arrive in your area All proceeds go to charity. Swadlincote Round Table

Repton Village Hall Appeal Repton Ghost Walks Friday 4th December at 7.15 pm A light hearted introduction to Sad, Bad and Good Ghosts of Repton and surrounding area, with mince pies and warming refreshments Please call ahead on 01283 703828 (9am - 5pm) to book your tickets Adults £20 (not suitable for children)

Milton Village Hall, Saturday 5th December at 7 pm Milton Christmas Party Children are invited to bring a favourite bauble for the Christmas tree Entertainment by Jim Widdop – guitarist & singer Bring your own tipple. Tickets £10, children free, from Sue, 701978, or Polly, 703436

Friday 4th - Sunday 6th December Repton Christmas Tree Festival "Carols and Christmas Songs" in St Wystan's Church Friday and Saturday, 11 am - 6 pm; Sunday, 1 - 6 pm   Saturday at 2.45 pm Novice Musicians perform   Saturday at 4 pm A Christmas Story   Sunday at 3.15 pm Christmas Music with the Derventio Quartet   Sunday at 4.30 pm A Christmas Story Entry £2 (children free) Refreshments and Craft stall In aid of St Wystan's Church & Repton Village Hall Appeal

Repton School Carol Service followed by a reception in the 400 Hall for parents, staff and parish Sunday 6th December at 6.30 pm in Repton School Chapel Free.    No ticket required

Repton School Christmas Bands Concert Repton School Concert and Jazz Bands and Foremarke Hall Wind Band Wednesday 9th December at 7.30 pm Pears School, Repton School FREE tickets are available from The Lodge (just inside the Arch)

Repton United Reformed Church Christmas Nativity Services The children and young people present The Old Russian Shoemaker Sunday 13th December, 11 am and 6.30 pm

Christingle @ Messy Church Come and make your own Christingle, share in a short service and stay for tea For children and adults, anyone, any age St Wystan's Church, Sunday 13th December, 4 to 5.30 pm A collection will be taken for the work of The Children's Society. If you would like a collecting flame to fill and bring on the day, please pick one up from church. Children at Repton Primary School will be able to take one from school. To find out more, contact Ruth Attwood on 702804 or . Everyone is welcome!

Books, Browse and Coffee Wednesday 16th December, 11 am in St Wystan's Church and every 3rd Wednesday in the month Also at the first Wednesday 'Soup, Cheese and Chat' Join us for coffee, a chat, and a chance to swap or buy books Coffee and biscuits £1.50 with free refills Books: swaps and loans free, otherwise 50p

Milton Lunch Club Thursday 17th December, 12.30 pm in Milton Village Hall.   £5. Contact Lynn, 704540, Sue, 701978, or Polly, 703436 Everyone welcome wherever you live! If you need transport, let us know

Sunday 3rd January, Repton Village Hall Repton Activity Day Start the New Year as you mean to go on! Activities suitable for all ability levels. Each session £5; choose as many as you like. Healthy Snacks available and an opportunity to have a Body MOT as well   9.30 Zumba 10.30 XPress 10.30 Nordic Walking 11.00 Pilates   12.00 Tai Chi 2.00 Yoga 3.15 Line Dancing     Tickets from Mulberry Beauty Salon, Repton Post Office and Redshaws Butchers, or , 01283 704810.

The Great War Commemorated

100 years ago, the Vicar confessed . . .

Dear Friends

I have just been looking through the back pages of our Magazine since the war broke out, and one thing was very noticeable, that in nearly every case all my remarks as to the future course of the war were altogether wrong. The only two exceptions were - first in anticipating the complete supremacy of our Navy; secondly, and for this at the time I was very heavily condemned as unpatriotic, in suggesting the prolonged and most dangerous resistance on land of the enemy.

Now we see quite clearly that in this last I was right - the past six months have seen the Russians thrown back, ourselves and the French held up in the west, and our little Ally in Serbia almost overwhelmed, and last, but certainly not least, an intense drain upon our financial resources. . . .    We shall not win the war . . . unless every man, woman, and child saves and saves and saves to help the government in its great task.

Our Christmas this year will have over it an even heavier cloud than last year. The Angels' song is deadened by the roar of the guns, yet we Christians know that in Bethlehem of old Hope and Love were born, and that they can never die.

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Neighbourhood Development Plan for the Parish of Repton

Thank you to everyone who took the time and trouble to fill in our questionnaire. Your opinions will make a difference.

Even though the local posting boxes have now been removed, you can still fill in a paper questionnaire and post it in the reply-paid envelope. Alternatively, look for the on line version at reptonvillage.org.uk. and the P.O. Box will be checked regularly over the next few weeks.

To date we have had 640 responses, which represents a fantastic return rate of almost 35% of the adult population of the Parish of Repton – even seasoned pollsters are impressed! Over the next few weeks we will be consulting with local businesses so that their comments can also feed into the process. Responses to the questionnaire will now be collated with a view to developing draft policies for presentation and consultation during March at further drop in sessions in both Repton and Milton.

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Repton Village & History

Repton Rags

We have been lucky enough to secure a booking for the Apex climbing wall at Greenbank Leisure Centre for our Christmas outing on the 18th December. We will start at 6.30 pm, so please arrive at 6.15. As usual it is up to parents to organise transport to get there. This is a brand new event at Greenbank with 16 walls to climb, and should be very exciting. The staff need a rough idea of numbers, so please let me know by email or text before 1st December if you would like to come.

On 4th December we will be at the Den, with Dave coming along with his super survival and wildlife tips.

At the end of this year RAGS will stop running on Friday nights. However, we really don't want to see it stop completely, so we are thinking of offering some sessions during the school holidays, possibly even during the day for a few hours. If you have any comments or suggestions as to what would be helpful during the holidays, or what would work better, please get in touch and let me know your ideas.

I could now go on to write a huge list of 'thank you's' to all the people who have been involved and helped out over the years, but there are lots of you, and so many people have helped in different ways. Thank you to you all. Hopefully we will be able to continue in some form.

Repton Rags Boys & girls aged 7 to 14 Friday 4th December 6.30 - 8 pm at the Den: Survival & Wildlife Friday 18th December Greenbank Leisure Centre More info from Julie Groom, 0797 4998852, or . Come along and have fun!

Repton Casuals Fixtures at Broomhills Lane
		Team	Opponents
13th	10.30 am	Repton Casuals Youth	Stretton Eagles

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Christmas Singalong with the Children's Christmas Orchestra
6 pm, Wednesday 23rd December

The Children's Christmas Orchestra will once again assemble on 'The Green' at The Crescent - off Askew Grove - to perform a range of carols for you to sing along to. Come warmly dressed, with a powerful torch, and join in the fun. We will warm up with mince pies and mulled wine in the village hall afterwards. Advanced musicians are welcome to turn up on the night, but some of us will rehearse a few times first!

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Christmas-flavoured treats at The Red Lion

On Friday 18th December at 9 pm, singer Alex White and Friends will be performing her repertoire of well-known and much loved songs. Beatle tribute band Boss&Son will be playing on Sunday 20th December at 4 pm.

Both bands will encourage audience participation as they herald the festive season with some of your favourite Christmas songs.

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Repton Activity Day
Sunday 3rd January, Repton Village Hall

Here is an opportunity for you, your partner or a friend to start the New Year as you mean to go on, and to support the Village Hall Appeal at the same time.

A programme of activities, suitable for all levels of ability, runs throughout the day. Each session costs £5, and you can choose as many as you like. There will be Healthy Snacks available and an opportunity to have a Body MOT as well.

9.30	Zumba	10.30	XPress	10.30	Nordic Walking	11.00	Pilates
12.00	Tai Chi	2.00	Yoga	3.15	Line Dancing

Tickets make a lovely Christmas present! Buy yours before they all go from Mulberry Beauty Salon, Repton Post Office and Redshaws Butchers, or contact Lynne Skeith on 01283 704810, .

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Repton Scouts learn Circus Skills

Well done to all the Scouts who turned out for Remembrance Sunday Parade. The following Sunday, Scouts were hiking around the Calke Estate in Ticknall. This is part of their preparation for a District hike next year, visiting every Scout Group in South Derbyshire over one weekend. If that were not enough, Scouts have been polishing up on their juggling, riding unicycles and monkey bikes, spinning plates and making the diablo look easy! Four sessions of circus skills finish with a performance for parents in December.

If you would like more information about Scouts, please contact , 07989 990119.

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Spark 6: Repton School Annual Affordable Art Exhibition
From Tuesday 1st December, 7 pm, at New Court Gallery, Burton Road

This year's Spark 6 exhibition features affordable works of art including painting, pottery, jewellery, sculpture, hand-made fashion accessories, prints and soft furnishings. Vet James Greenwood, celebrated potter from BBC's 'The Great Pottery Throw Down' will also be exhibiting his work.

This is an opportunity to buy unique and affordable Christmas present art.

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Mobile Library

Tuesday 8th December: Repton village hall, 10.15-11.30 : The Square, 11.35-1

The library has a four-weekly timetable, but after Christmas its next visits will be a week later, on 12th January, 9th February and 8th March. To contact the base at Long Eaton, call 01629 531398; for the van, 0780 904 4405.

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Repton W.I.

We were delighted to welcome five visitors to our November meeting, when Pearl Mulholland and her helper Linda showed us how to make bracelets from buttons and beads. Much fun was had.

We were reminded of the Branston Golf Club Dinner on 26th November and the Mulberry Christmas lunch on 9th December. Derbyshire Federation of WIs is organising a collection of new or unused women's or girls' 'sensible' pants to send to impoverished countries in Africa; donations were invited.

Jan Roberts and Andy Austen will formally present the Village Hall Appeal Fund committee with a cheque for £848 raised jointly by the W.I. and Repton History Group for the History Walks.

Lynda E is busy making the decorations for the W.I. Christmas tree for the Festival in St Wystan's Church. Linda H is setting up a more formally planned walking group with more local walks, all with the obligatory coffee stop and lots of chat.

We now have in place a 'buddy' system to look after visitors and new members to make them feel welcome. It is very gratifying to see new faces at our meetings and we do our best to encourage them to join the W.I. with all its benefits.

At the December meeting in Repton village hall on Tuesday 8th December we will be entertaining ourselves with a variety of activities as well as Christmas food and a Secret Santa; bring a wrapped gift up to the value of £3 and get a surprise gift back!

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Repton Village Society

Pat Court and Stanley Morris opened their talk on 'Some Weddings we have Known' by highlighting the differences between civil and religious weddings, before going on to describe some of the more unusual and humorous ceremonies they had conducted, whilst stressing that all weddings are very special, particularly to the bride and groom. Their presentation included a selection of the music requested, some traditional and some not.

Afterwards, the 28 entries in the photographic competition were judged by the members present. First prize went to Sandra Raby, second to Eileen Saunders (who also won the Highly Commended category), whilst Jeanette Griffiths won third prize.

There is no meeting in December. The next is on Thursday 7th January.

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Repton Village History Group

In October, Arnold Burston told us about the Mosley family and Rolleston Hall, which they bought it from the Rolleston family in the 1600s. Eventually it was more than the family could cope with, so the contents and many of the fixtures were sold in 1923. They couldn't sell the house so parts of it were converted into flats and much was demolished. Almost all the males were named Oswald, the most infamous being Sir Oswald Moseley born in 1896. In the Great War he fought on the front line and transferred to the embryonic RAF, but was invalided into a desk job. Elected an MP, he became disillusioned, and founded the British Union of Fascists.

On a stormy night in November, Richard Stone talked about Folktales and Festivities. In his wide-ranging talk, he described a large range of festivals and folk stories, recognising that Christianity absorbed many of them into its calendar, and pointing out that most of us unwittingly continue some of the practices today. Richard's sangfroid was severely tested when a large part of the village hall roof was blown off and clattered into the car park, fortunately without collateral damage.

Our summer walks and talks, in conjunction with the W.I. and St Wystan's Church, raised a total of £850 for the village hall appeal. The cheque has just been handed over; it should help a bit with re-roofing!

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 15th December, when Bob Neill will bring his box of old gadgets and provide a gentle competition to be enjoyed with some seasonal food and drink. All are welcome to our meetings which start at 7.30 in Repton village hall - members £2, visitors £3. For further information contact Andy Austen on 01283 702448 or .

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Thank you

. . . to all who generously donated items for the Bottles and Jars stall at the Sale of Work. Many of the offerings appeared anonymously so I didn't have the opportunity to thank you personally. Everything was much appreciated and the stall made a record sum this year. Thank you! We wouldn't be able to run the stall without your support.

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Stocking Fillers

'A Stroll through Repton of Yesteryear', a new publication from Repton Village History Group, is available from the Post Office or Jenny Sayers on 701521, and will appeal to all Repton residents. The Group's stock of previous publications is now very low or extinct, but you can still buy copies of 'Notices and Jottings from St Wystan's Parish Magazine from 1889 to 1937' and 'Repton - Historic Capital of Mercia' as above.

The Repton Spoon is particularly attractive for anyone with Repton connections. In silver-plated pewter it costs £35. Contact on 703180. There are pictures at reptonchurch.uk.

Greetings cards, a guide to St Wystan's Church by Dr. Harold Taylor, and the 'Repton Trail' are all available from St Wystan's Church. The latter is a very useful guide for visitors and newcomers. For St Wystan's Church mugs, £7.50, and tea towels, £5, contact Karen Perks on 702392, or Frances Wimbush as above.

Finally, among the many guides to Calke, Colin Kitching's edition of the diaries of Sir George Crewe, 'Squire of Calke Abbey', gives a fascinating picture of Calke in the early years of the 19th century. You can find it at Calke or on the internet.

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Christmas (Ho Ho) Hashes ~ Repton Hash House Harriers

Welcome in the festive season with some fun in the snow! Get dressed up in your best Chrimbo outfits and come a-hashing! It's is a great way to enjoy running. Similar to a paper chase, two 'hares' with five minutes' start lay a flour trail that the pack has to chase. Using dead ends and multiple paths, the hares are able to keep one step ahead, and the faster runners are kept from leaving the slower ones behind; the pack hasn't managed to catch both hares yet!

It's free to join; if you're interested, just come along! This is as much a social as a running group; mostly we set off at midday from The Bulls Head and go back there afterwards for a well deserved drink.

Two Christmas Hashes are planned for the weekends either side of Christmas but the dates are still to be decided. So find us on Facebook or contact David on 07891 391351 for more details. On On!

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Repton & District RBL Poppy Appeal

We have now had the final figures for the 2014 / 2015 Poppy Appeal, which has set yet another record, a total of £12,114.90, almost £2,000 more than last year. This was a truly magnificent achievement. We are all volunteers, so no expenses are incurred locally; every penny collected is forwarded to the National Appeal Fund.

Sincere thanks to all who helped with the door to door collections, and to the schools and businesses who kindly displayed our collection boxes for the poppy fortnight in 2014. A big thankyou also to Legion members and supporters who gave up their time to make up, deliver and collect the boxes and collection containers and assisted in the count.

The 2015 / 2016 campaign has got off to a fantastic start with the total already approaching £10,000. Thanks again to those who assisted in any way. Unfortunately, we were unable to cover all the streets in Repton with house to house collections; if you feel you could help with the collection next year, please contact me on 01283 702540.

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Repton Parish Council

Repton Neighbourhood Development Plan: During October about 130 people attended the three drop-in sessions in Milton and Repton, and there has also been a very good response to the questionnaire with well over 600 replies received. These will now be reviewed and fed into the draft plan which is being produced over the next two to three months.

Digital Derbyshire: Many parts of Repton can now order fibre-optic broadband via an internet service provider of their choice, courtesy of the Digital Derbyshire Project spearheaded by Derbyshire County Council. There will be an article on this next month.

Claim to add a Footpath between Tanners Lane and Footpath number 33: The Parish Council has lodged a claim to reinstate a public footpath along the line of the route to Willington ferry that was used before Willington Bridge and the causeway. This would avoid the narrow footpath along the causeway and create another circular village walk. We have now been advised that DCC has rejected this claim. However, the Parish Council is to question the decision, believing that insufficient regard has been given to the existence of a road from Tanners Lane to the ferry before 1839.

Next meeting: Monday 14th December in The Community Room, Fisher Close, Repton at 7.30 pm. All are welcome.

Parish Council Office, 40 High Street, t: 01283 701309,

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Milton & Foremark Village Matters

Milton W.I.

At our November meeting, Rod Pearson told us about the Port Sunlight factory and the purpose built village for the workers, providing a high standard of housing, amenities and leisure facilities. Sue White gave the vote of thanks, and delicious refreshments were provided by Kay Dolman and Rosemary Mumford.

Next meeting: Our Christmas meeting is to be held at The Swan Inn on Wednesday 16th December at 7 pm; note the slightly earlier start. A Christmas meal will be served and bran tub gifts exchanged.

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Milton Village Hall

It has been a long time since Milton village hall hosted live theatre, but the production of 'Stones in His Pockets' in October was well worth the wait. Splendidly acted by Ian Currie and Mat Shepherd, the play was sometimes thought-provoking and poignant, often witty and humorous, but always compelling. The portrayal of the 15 different characters by only two actors, who switched roles so quickly using only gestures or accents, was quite amazing. The different characters evolved as the story developed, each believable and each totally individual. Subtle sound and lighting effects by Dan Clarkson complimented a first class professional performance, rewarded by resounding and fully justified applause.

The village hall was full to capacity. Many thanks to the Derbyshire Shakespeare Theatre Company for an exceptional evening.

Live and Local with Blair Dunlop

Many thanks to everyone who supported this brilliant performance by Blair Dunlop, a most talented songwriter, guitarist and singer. The village hall was once again packed with a very appreciative audience, and the organisers were rewarded with comments afterwards such as: "There's nothing better than live music in a small venue. It has an intimacy and a sense of immersion that you can never get in bigger venues."

We certainly hope that through the sponsorship of Live and Local we can continue to provide the community with such events in the future. Although the final figure is not yet known, the village hall also made a modest profit for the continued upkeep of the hall. Thank you again for your support.

To hire Milton village hall, contact Polly Faulkner through the website or on 703436.

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Newton Solney Village Matters

Percy William Ratcliff Cottages Trust

The trustees of the cottages known as Sunnyside, Newton Solney, have a vacancy. Residents are required to contribute a weekly sum of £22. If you wish to apply for this accommodation, you should request an application form from the Clerk of the Trustees on 01283 701147 by the closing date, Friday 18th December 2015.

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Newton Solney C of E Infant School

Community Collective Worship for parents, carers and local residents is held on the first Thursday of the month at 9.15 am. Do join us in the school hall on 3rd December. Further dates for your diary are 7th January and 4th February.

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Newton Solney Tuesday Club

Tuesday 1st December, 2.30 pm in Newton Solney village hall

Following the business meeting, Joan Buchanan will demonstrate how to make a Christmas table decoration; afterwards members will be able to create their own. Please remember to bring along a selection of foliage such as holly, ivy, conifer and hebe, as well as berries or small flowers, and secateurs or scissors. Oasis dishes, oasis and candles will be provided, unless you prefer to use your own.

Tuesday 15th December, 12.30 for 1 pm

Christmas Lunch will again be held at the Newton Park Hotel.

For any further information about Newton Solney Tuesday Club, or to join in any of our trips and visits, please contact our Secretary, Jane on 01283 564520.

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Newton Solney W.I.

The November meeting was our AGM, and the committee report detailed the functions held, outings made and those events within the community to which we had given support. Secretary Diane Tidy reported on a very successful centenary year with a healthy membership list and continued support for Newton Solney community and organisations, including donations to both the village hall and parish council projects. The existing committee was retained for the forthcoming year, and Vanessa Archer continues as President.

Milly d'Angibau gave a short talk about Pilates, explaining the basis of the exercise and benefits to be achieved. The evening was rounded off with a fish and chip supper.

Our Christmas meeting on Tuesday 8th December at 7.30 pm in the village hall features the pantomime 'A Christmas Carol' with a bring and share supper and a Secret Santa present exchange. Sue Hyde and Pat Masson will be refreshment hostesses and Carolyn Steele will provide Christmas flowers.

On Thursday 10th December at 7 pm, Newton Solney is hosting the W.I. Mercia Group Carol Service at St Mary's, with mince pies and mulled wine to follow. All are very welcome.

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Newton Solney Parish Council News

Bonfire Night: Thanks to Jeremy Winter and his team for organising the fireworks, bonfire and sausages. Thanks also to Roger Kerry for the excellent mulled wine. A fantastic crowd on the night resulted in £884.72 being raised. The Parish Council will use some of the money to purchase a much needed new notice-board for the village.

Planning applications received this month can be seen on the Parish Council website.

Become a Green Dog Walker! South Derbyshire District Council is asking dog-walking villagers to sign their 'Green Dog Walker' pledge to clean up after their dog, and to encourage others to do the same. For more information see below.

Next Meeting: Friday 11th December at 7.30 pm in the village hall. All are welcome.

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South Derbyshire

Stamp & Deliver Derby & District Scouts deliver your Christmas mail

Stamp & Deliver is run entirely by volunteers, and last year handled over a quarter of a million cards. All profits go to local Scout and Guide Groups and local charities; last year £6,000 was given to the Oesophageal Patients Association and Derbyshire Blood Bikes. This year's chosen charities are Skcin and The Colin Bloomfield Melanoma Appeal. Together they are working to make Derbyshire and East Staffordshire the 'Sun Safe Capital' of the UK, aiming to reach hundreds of children and parents and educate them about sun safety and skin awareness and, most importantly, to save lives.

During the early years Scouts made deliveries during the week. Nowadays deliveries take place at weekends, when those under 16 can be supervised by an adult.

Stamps cost 25p each. By law, we can only deliver greetings cards - definitely no cash enclosures. For details of the delivery area, look out for the leaflet through your letter box, but in general it includes all of Derby, its suburbs and surroundings extending to Breaston in the east, Belper to the north, Hatton and Hilton to the west, and Ticknall and Melbourne to the south. Lists of the delivery areas are on each of the post boxes. Please don't include cards for other areas; they can't be delivered. For further information, see stampanddeliver.com or call 07930 760 655 between 2nd and 16th December.

The first collection will be on Tuesday 1st December, and the final collection at 2 pm on Wednesday 16th December, when all sales points will be closed. Cards will be delivered by Christmas Eve. Please remember to use the postcode.

You can buy stamps and post cards in the distinctive yellow posting boxes at:

Repton	Mulberry Beauty Salon; Redshaws Family Butchers; Royal British Legion; Samaras; Spar Stores.
Milton	the Swan Inn.
Newton Solney	the Brickmakers Arms; Jim and Jean Ward, 11 Blacksmith's Lane.

We are indebted to them all for the time and effort they willingly give each year.

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What's On in South Derbyshire and The National Forest

The late autumn / winter edition of 'What's On', containing hundreds of events locally, many at very low cost or even free, is now available on the SDDC website - search for 'What's On in South Derbyshire' - or from Swadlincote Tourist Information Centre at Sharpe's Pottery.

On its Twitter account (@SDDC) and Facebook pages, SDDC has also introduced the hashtag #SDwhatson. It hopes thereby to create an instantly accessible and searchable directory of information available at the click of a mouse.

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Get Active in the Forest ~ Rosliston Forestry Centre

Family Santa Fun Run, Saturday 5th December, 10.45 am

Unleash your Christmas spirit and complete our festive route. Collect your Santa suit from 10 am, then run, jog or walk the 2 mile route around the centre. To reserve your suit, you must book online at santa-fun-run-2016.eventbrite.com. The cost of £5 per adult + booking fee includes the Santa Suit; £1 + booking fee per child includes Reindeer Antlers. Car parking charges do apply. For more information, contact the Sport and Health Team on 01283 595873.

Minced Pie & Mulled Wine Walk, Saturday 12th December, 2 pm

Enjoy an hour's bracing walk around the Forestry centre and finish off with a warming drink and mince pie. Meet at 1.45 for a 2 pm start in Rosliston Forestry Centre foyer. The cost of £3.50 includes a mince pie and mulled wine. Car Park charges apply. For more information, call Judi Whileman on 01283 56348.

For guided walks throughout South Derbyshire

. . . pick up an 'Autumn & Winter Walks' leaflet at Swadlincote Tourist Information Centre or Rosliston Forestry Centre, or down-load it from south-derbys.gov.uk.

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Environment Matters

Green Dog Walkers ~ Leave only pawprints!

Dog fouling provokes more correspondence to the Parish Magazine than any other topic, so South Derbyshire's new Green Dog Walkers initiative will be widely welcomed.

After dog muck has lain on the ground for two weeks, worms develop and can cause many diseases including toxacara canis, roundworm, salmonella, and E-coli, resulting in pneumonia, asthma and blindness. Those most at risk are primary school children and footballers.

However, it is safe to clean up on the spot.

The new initiative is described as a 'non-confrontational, friendly way to change attitudes about dog fouling'. All dog owners are invited to sign the Green Dog Walker Pledge, making a commitment:

•	to clean up after their dogs and dispose of the waste in a bin;
•	to carry extra doggy bags to give to others if they need them;
•	to wear the Green Dog Walker logo to encourage others to behave responsibly too.

To find out more, search for 'green dog walker' on SDDC website.

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Just £3 could save a life

Christian Aid is helping to prevent people from dying of malaria. It's a shocking statistic but in Africa, malaria claims the life of one child every minute. The poorest and most isolated communities often don't even know how malaria is caught, so volunteers are trained to pass on life-saving health advice.

Malaria is easily preventable. One of the most effective ways to tackle it is through the use of chemically treated mosquito nets. Each costs just £3. Please see the Christian Aid website, christianaid.org.uk, and give a present that could have more impact than almost any other present you could give. And every £1 you donate to Christian Aid's Christmas Appeal will be matched by the UK Government with another £1 – twice the bang for your buck!

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Avoid Food Waste

We throw away 4.2 million tonnes of food each year. This has a serious impact on the environment but also costs the average family around £60 a month, so before you throw food away, go to sainsburysfoodrescue.co.uk, type in the items you wish to use and Food Rescue will suggest suitable recipes. The website also calculates how much money you will save; you could, of course, donate it to Christian Aid to help save lives!

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You and your Pet

Beware the Christmas tree!

It must be a funny time of year for our pets; suddenly the house is decorated with pretty shiny things, and we put up a tree indoors. Some pets will find these comings and goings quite stressful, others will assume control of ‘their’ new climbing frame with often disastrous consequences. It is surprisingly common for cats to consume tinsel, so beware!

Pets are becoming more and more spoilt with gifts and treats, advent calendars, stockings and, of course, Christmas dinner. Our pets give us so much in company, entertainment and exercise, so why not? My Roxy dog will get her turkey dinner this year and a new toy or two. But please avoid the bones; they can cause serious damage during digestion. What we must also avoid giving them is chocolate or Christmas cake. It is too common for a dog to discover a wrapped box of chocolates that has been left under the tree, or to help itself to cake left on the side. Many of us are aware of the dangers of feeding chocolate to dogs, but raisins and grapes can be equally lethal.

And as the weather gets cooler, please also be vigilant with antifreeze. Our feline friends will readily lick it up off the pavement and even a small drip can be severely toxic.

If your pet has eaten something it shouldn’t, do please phone your vet for advice. It may not be a problem, but many substances safe for humans are not always safe for pets.

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Neighbourhood Watch

Keep Safe this Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, you are doubtless already well into buying presents and stocking up supplies for the festive season. However, this can also be a season of rich pickings for burglars, so:

•	Make sure gifts and valuables are out of view, in the car as well as in the home.
•	Photograph valuable property and log serial numbers. Don't store the information on a laptop, as that might be stolen too; keep it on a memory stick in a safe place.
•	Register your property at immobilise.com which is endorsed by many police forces. Mark expensive items with a UV pen or property marking service. This will make it harder for burglars to sell the items and improve your chances of recovering the items.
•	Keep doors and windows locked from the inside even when you are inside your home. When you go out at night, draw the curtains and leave a light and the radio on.
•	Burglar alarms, security lighting, and timer light switches all act as deterrents.
•	Don't leave ladders out, or other things that burglars could easily use to climb on.
•	Fit strong padlocks to gates, sheds and garages and store your tools inside, but don't keep presents there.

If you go away, cancel your newspaper and milk deliveries. Ask a trusted neighbour to pop in to your home every now and then to turn the lights on and off, draw the curtains, collect the mail and make the house look occupied. And don't use Social Networking sites to tell all the world that you are away from your home!

Remember:

• Secure your door chain.
• Make absolutely sure a caller is genuine before you let him in.
• Staff from utility companies carry an identification card. Always ask to see it. If in any doubt, contact their company for verification.
• Don't give them any personal or bank details.
• If they have a vehicle, take down the registration number, make and model.

Always look out for your elderly and vulnerable neighbours.

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Gifts for Gardeners

Felco secateurs are expensive but first class. They are available in all sorts of sizes and weights to fit your hand.

Large black labels and a silver pen to make really classy plant labels.

Insulated cups for coffee breaks outside.

Plants supports such as obelisks for clematis.

'Showa' gloves. These are simply the best gardening gloves, widely available in garden centres in many colours, but probably the best place to buy warmer winter-weight ones is on the internet.

A gardening notebook. Something quite beautiful is nice but you want it to be used; tear-out pages are useful.

For a vegetable grower, any book by Joy Larkham such as 'Grow your own Vegetables'.

A subscription to a gardening magazine or membership of the RHS (the Royal Horticultural Society).

And if all else fails, gardener's hand cream or a ball of gardening string are always useful!