WINTHORPE VILLAGE, FOCAL POINT Issue No. 350
January - 2010
Ed’s Comments,
As we start a new year I would like to take this opportunity once again to thank, on your behalf, all of those kind folk who post this newsletter through your doors during 2009. I am pleased to say that they are the same people who have been doing it since I became editor.
The last few weeks have been very busy for many of us and as one would expect especially so for David Milner our Rector. When he wasn’t getting married and hosting receptions he was leading his social evening in the Community Centre which once again was a very enjoyable evening, enlivened by Malcolm Smith playing his melodeon, Sylvia Lloyd on the piano and a great quiz that David kindly made multiple choice, which enabled one or two of us to guess!
David was then to be found at the luncheon club’s Christmas lunch, looking rather ‘fetching’ in his red apron! ‘waiting on’.
What a great lunch it was too and what a super job Peter Foden and his A, B and C teams did last year. They have now been joined by team D from the Woodlands. Isn’t this what village life is all about? Wonderful!
Well done to all of those concerned.
Unfortunately there was a rather disturbing moment at the end of the lunch when John Craven fell on leaving the Centre. Good news that he is now back home and doing well, but the concern was not only over John but over how long the Ambulance took to arrive – some 45minutes! - Having to come from Nottingham City because the Newark fleet were already out.
I understand that Maureen Dobson and Steve Jackson brought this point up at the recent NHS public meeting. Let’s hope things change because this was not an isolated occasion.
Cliff Newbold
Closing date for the February issue is the 22nd of January.
COMMUNITY CENTRE
LUNCH CLUB
As usual there will be no lunch in January. The next lunch will be on Monday, 1st. February. The increasing number of people regularly attending the Lunches means that a limit of 60 has had to be introduced in fairness to the helpers and to ensure that the standard can be maintained. Places will be available on a first come first served basis and, although the limit is unlikely to be hit very often, prompt booking is advised.
ANNUAL QUIZ
The Quiz will take place at the Community Centre at 7.00pm for 7.30pm on Saturday, 7th February. The tickets will be £7.50 for the Quiz and refreshments. Full details will be given in the next Focal Point but please keep the date free in your new diaries.
BOUNDARY CLOSURE
As in previous years, the site boundary of the Community Centre will be closed for 24 hours so that a legal prescriptive right of access is not established. To cause the minimum disruption the site will be closed from 4pm on Sunday 3rd January to 4pm Monday, 4th January, 2010. The main gate will be locked and tape barriers will be placed across all other openings onto the site including the stream bridge.
During the closure only Trustees of the Community Centre and those employed by them will be allowed access to carry out essential work.
We hope that everyone will respect this closure.
HIRE CHARGES
The Trustees reviewed the Centre hire charges at their last meeting. Having held the charges unchanged for two years it is now necessary to make a small increase to keep up with costs. The rates, available from the Booking Secretary on 01636 688016, are still very competitive, particularly for the residents of Winthorpe, Langford and Holme.
Finally, on behalf of the Trustees I would like to wish everybody
“A Happy New Year.”
Frances Kelly, Chairman
WI. REPORT DECEMBER
“Christmas Fun” it said in our programmes and what a wonderful night we had for our Christmas party. This was a night to let our hair down and have a jolly good time, and this we did, I think everyone will agree.
Mrs Pat Nelson welcomed everyone to the Hall and then the party began. People had brought savoury food for a finger buffet and the table was groaning with the varied selection. The second course was a selection of cream cakes courtesy of Lauren’s Patisseries’.
Committee members had been busy during the afternoon setting the tables with greenery and candles. Also a table had been prepared for receiving the gifts which were to be exchanged. There was a box for donations, which will be given to the Newark Hospital, for the Breast Scanner that they are hoping to buy. I’m sure members will be delighted to know that due to their generosity we raised £140. A wonderful result.
It had been announced at the previous meeting that entertainment would be provided by the committee, however there were one or two members enlisted to help. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was the title, but this bore no resemblance to the official version. Mrs Rose Dickinson was the star of the show, with her “bra that was made for three.” We all know that Rose is a great needlewoman, but she excelled herself with this great creation. This was followed by hot water bottles, chamber pots, wellington boots, saucepan lids, woolly bats, wooden spoons, kitchen brushes, pairs of tights, pairs of knickers, smelly socks and finally rubber gloves. The room was in uproar, everyone joining in and enjoying a great laugh. It is many years since we last performed this number and it went down just as well this time.
The evening finished with the exchange of gifts. - Truly a Merry night.
The previous week we held our Carols and Readings evening in the Village Church. Members and husbands attended and also a few people from the village. The Vicar welcomed everyone to the evening and Mr. Stone played the organ. Afterwards there were mince pies and wine. The collection was for the Church and it has been suggested that this may go towards buying a table for the Communion bread and wine. Once again due to the generosity of the members.
Our next meeting will be on January 14th at 7-30 p.m. when our speaker is Mr. Steve Lord, who will be speaking of a Visit to India.
Hostesses are Mesdames M.Stewart, E.Pacey, E.Moran and B.Moran.
(Subscriptions are due this month.)
Happy New Year.
Daphne.
Winthorpe Whist Drive
November
We had 8 people at this month’s whist drive which was won by Norma Breed as 1st lady, 1st gent was Joan Frew, second Lady was me and second gent Dee Nicholl, who lives in Farndon. The much coveted booby prizes were awarded to Stella Hopewell and Des Aldridge.
Our numbers are steadily depleting and it would be a shame for this monthly event to fold. I am appealing to all of you to consider joining us; it really is good fun and an easy game to learn.
December
We only had 8 members at the Christmas whist drive, which was disappointing, but nevertheless we have decided unanimously, for the time being, to continue holding them monthly, as everyone enjoys themselves. We all shared a delicious buffet with wine and the highest score on this occasion was myself, probably due to too much wine, closely followed by Joan Frew (who again played as a man), with Jim Taylor and Pat Underwood in second place and June Taylor and Stella Hopewell (man), winning the much coveted booby prizes.
The January Whist Drive will be held on Thursday, 28th at 7.00 p.m. The cost is £2.50 which includes raffle and refreshments and we have very good prizes. It would be really lovely to see some new faces.
A Happy New Year to you all.
Fiona Wright
TUESDAY CLUB
Our two meetings in January are in the Village Hall as usual.
Tuesday, 12th January. Morning coffee, 10.30am.
Tuesday, 26th January. 2.30pm. A.G.M.
Any ideas for outings will be welcome!
A very happy and healthy New Year to all Focal Point readers.
Jean Foden.
YOUR COLLINGHAM MEDICAL CENTRE IS EXPANDING
Medicine and healthcare services continue to expand alongside the needs of the community for both preventative and acute healthcare.
We are responding to this challenge and are expanding the premises and the team yet again.
Work has commenced to build additional space so that we can accommodate an additional GP consulting room for a GP Registrar. The extension works will also enable the dispensary in the Pharmacy to expand to cope with increased prescriptions activity. Part of the Pharmacy extension will include additional first floor space to support the training facilities utilised by the Collingham Healthcare Education Centre.
The construction works are scheduled to be complete in March 2010.
In addition to the build and extensions, we increasingly have problems in our front and side car park with the drainage and ‘soak-aways’. We have undergone survey work with the drainage on our part of the car park to find that substantial repairs are required. It is our hope that we are able to do these in early 2010.
This will mean increased pressure on the car parking facilities within the Collingham Village Centre. We hope you will bear with us as we know that the long term gain for better drainage in the car park and extended services to the healthcare is worth the inconvenience this will inevitably cause over the next few months.
Thank you very much for your patience and in hope of your continued support.
Julie Reid, Practice Manager
CHURCH NOTICES
　We apologise for an error in our report of the Remembrance Day Service in the December Focal Point. The wreath was placed at the memorial by Mr Greg. Marks. We have had a letter of thanks from the secretary of the Newark Patriotic Fund for our donation.
The W.I. Carol Service was very enjoyable and the church was beautifully decorated with candles and the drinks & mince pies which concluded the evening made it a very sociable occasion. They very kindly donated the collection to the church which was sufficient to purchase a new refreshment table for the church. Many thanks WI. it is much appreciated and it will be frequently used. We are very grateful to Mrs Margaret Thornhill for allowing us the loan of one her tables for the last four years.
On Tuesday 1st December a group of us entertained some of the Residents from the village Care Home in the Village Hall for tea & Sylvia Lloyd played the piano and we all joined in singing carols. Barbara & David Woodcock had kindly decorated the Village Hall for this event making it very festive.
We are extremely grateful to Mr Gerry Platts for repairing the Processional Cross and re-positioning it within the chancel.
To retain a lively church within our village we would not be able to function without the help of various groups of people - church cleaners, brass cleaners, flower arrangers, readers at the services, sides-persons, Christmas card deliverers and bell ringers. Hopefully we are all good neighbours and many offer lifts to others who have no transport.
We are also grateful for the support of the PCC and of course David our Priest who will now need all our help & support especially now that he has the responsibility of Clifton, Thorney & Harby churches making eleven churches and fourteen parishes.
A United Holy Communion Service is to be held at 7.30pm on January 6th at Clifton Church and it is hoped that many people from the other churches in the group will be there. We thank you all.
If anyone has any helpful suggestions of how we could encourage some younger people to join us, do please let us know.
Date for your diary - SATURDAY 25th SEPTEMBER 2010 concert to be given in church by the Mansfield & District Male Voice Choir. This has now been booked and the proceeds will be divided between the church and the Air Ambulance. We do hope that we may have a full church.
We send our best wishes to those who are ill or are in hospital at this time, especially to Mr John Craven & Mr Goodall. We wish them a speedy recovery and better health in the future.
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL AND YOUR FAMILIES.
Church Bells
They will ring for practices on Thursday evenings from 7.00pm - 9.0pm and possibly for the following:
Sunday January 10th 10.15am Holy Communion
Sunday January 17th 10.15am Family Service
From the Registers
Holy Baptism - We welcomed Stanley James Chapman on 13th Dec.2009
Interment of ashes - Horace Edward Chamberlain 8th Dec.2009
Brass Cleaning - Mrs Burton, Mrs Bark
Alan & Ann Stone
Up-To-date notices of our church services and those of the other church services in the Benefice are displayed outside the church.
Thank you...
I would like to thank everyone concerned for their support when John fell poorly at the Christmas luncheon. I am pleased to say that he is now out of hospital and is doing well.
I appreciated all of your offers of lifts and your kindness.
Sincerely,
Audrey Craven
Rector
Happy New Year!
Whatever else the New Year may bring, we will all be able to draw a line under Christmas Crackers, Christmas Turkey and Christmas Pudding, but should we?
Christmas at its best should embody all that is best about community, society and human relationships. For all of us the Christmas season will have brought a mix of good and bad memories. Doubtless heightened by the intensity the nativity season provides. We live in an age when we are almost driven to look forward, to forget the past always looking to a new and better day, month, year and indeed world.
The truth is much more diverse and interesting. Living in the past, being in denial about the world around us is as bad as it was for Dickens fictional character Mrs. Haversham, the jilted bride in the story ‘Great Expectations’.
As we settle into 2010 I think we should all enter a way of living where we live, work and grow with great expectations. We will of course be disappointed some of the time, but by daring to think creatively in the expectation that new and different things will happen our horizons and our opportunities will be increased.
It is too easy, whatever our age, to so limit our expectations that we withdraw into a small enclosed world where there is little light and less hope.
The Christian story is about releasing our potential and having a go – daring to have great expectations – in the knowledge that the picture we have in mind with regard to our world and life will never match the reality, embarking on the journey is all.
What challenge can you set yourself, what new interest might you take up? Is there someone your haven’t been in touch with for a while and would really like to know how they are getting on - I dare you pick up the phone and make the call, too young? too shy? too old? The quality of our lives is, to a large extent, dictated, by the quality of our friendships. Cars, holidays, and houses although important are not, or at least in my opinion, should not be as enriching as the quality of our friendships.
The gift of friendship is beyond price. May 2010 be the year of friendship. Now there’s an expectation and one that will need a lot of work!!
In Christian Love,
David
SERVICES IN JANUARY
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Sunday 3rd Christmas 2
9am Holy Communion, Holme.
NO SERVICE IN WINTHORPE.
Wednesday 6th Feast of the Epiphany
7.30pm United Holy Communion at St George, Clifton.
Sunday 10th Epiphany 1
10.15am Holy Communion, Winthorpe.
Sunday 17th Epiphany 2
10.15am Family Service, Winthorpe.
5pm Holy Communion, Langford.
Thursday 21st
10am Holy Communion, Said Service (BCP) Winthorpe
Sunday 24th Epiphany 3
8am Holy Communion, Winthorpe.
5pm Evensong, Holme.
Sunday 31st Epiphany 4
6.15pmEast Trent Evensong, South Scarle.
ALL ARE WELCOME
CHURCH CLEANING VOLUNTEERS
January 22nd - Mrs Finn, Mrs Nelson
JANUARY CALENDAR
Monday 4th Silver Bin
Thursday 7th Library Van
Monday 11th Green Bin
Tuesday 12th Tuesday Club Coffee Morn 10.30am - V.H.
Thursday 14th WI meeting, 7.30pm - Village Hall.
Monday 18th Silver Bin
Wednesday 20th Garden Club 7.30pm – Community Centre.
Thursday 21st Library Van
Monday 25th Green Bin
Tuesday 26th Tuesday Club AGM 2.30pm - Village Hall.
Thursday 28th Whist Drive 7pm - Village Hall.
FEBRUARY
Monday 1st Lunch Club 12.30pm – Community Centre.
Saturday 7th Village Quiz, 7pm – Community Centre
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