STOCKBRIDGE LONGSTOCK & LECKFORD - December 2020 and January 2021 - Stockbridge Parish Council
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
The Parish Magazine for STOCKBRIDGE LONGSTOCK & LECKFORD December 2020 and January 2021
The Parishes of Stockbridge, Longstock and Leckford
in the Mid-Test Benefice
Rector: The Rev’d Philip Bowden
Phone no. 01264 810810
rector@midtest.org.uk
Website: http://www.2day.ws/stockbridge
All Enquiries, including enquiries about Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals:
Please contact our Rector, see details above
This Magazine: 11 issues a year: (£8 if paid in advance, £1 per copy)
Editors: Frances Candler 811776, Jennifer Kidd 811179
Distribution: Sylvia Shepard 810603 ; Advertisements: advertstockmag@gmail.com
February copy deadline: 15 January 2021 email: editorsstockmag@gmail.com
St Peter’s Stockbridge St Mary’s Longstock St Nicholas’ Leckford
Churchwarden Churchwarden Churchwarden
Vacant Madeleine Hedley 810284 Dawn Williams 810724
Hon Secretary Hon Secretary Hon Secretary
Rev’d Philip Bowden 810810 Richard Robinson 810388 Micki Nadal 810567
Hon Treasurer Hon Treasurer Hon Treasurer
Barbara North 810732 Madeleine Hedley 810284 David Barnes 810516
Beavers Organist and Choir Mistress Stockbridge Parish Council
Frances Waghorn 01962 776048 Dawn Williams 810724 Alex Lawrence (Chair)07789 433133
Bell ringers (Longstock) Pastoral Visitors Clerk: Belinda Baker 07770 406607
Chris Reynell 810569 Vacancy stockbridgeparishcouncil@gmail.com
Bell ringers (Stockbridge) RBL (Houghton branch) www.stockbridgeparishcouncil.org.uk
Micki Nadal 810567 David Williams (Chair) 811072 Stockbridge Pharmacy 810624
Brownies (meet in Chilbolton) Iain Bell (Sec) 811636 Stockbridge Police Station
Julie Shone 01962 761269 Angela McMeekin:Poppies 810236 (Non emergencies) 101
Church Mouse Books Scouts Stockbridge Primary School
Briar Philips 810838 Mark Lovell 07786 435847 (incorporating Stockbridge Pre-School)
Cub Scouts Scout Group Explorers Emma Jefferies (Head) 810550
Mo Collins 01256 895534 Andrea Zanchi 07747 720735 Stockbridge Rec Ground
HCC County Councillor Louise Henderson 07436 899054 Greg Willcox (Chair) 07768 266288
Cllr Andrew Gibson 861087 Paul Barker(Sec) 01794 389131
St Thomas More Church
Kent Hill Scout Hall Father Mark Hogan 01962 852804 Stockbridge Surgery 810524
Leigh Dance 811074 Out of hours urgent treatment or advice
Stockbridge Church Flowers Sec
Leckford Parish Council Hants Doctors On Call freephone 111
Angela McMeekin 810236
Dawn Williams 810724 Stockbridge Town Hall
Stockbridge Community Cinema
Longstock Garden Club Paul Kidd 811179 Kim Candler (Chair) 811776
Clare Bramley 810432 Stockbridge Community Market On-line bookings
Longstock Mayflies Carol Preston 07925 287870 www.stockbridgetownhall.co.uk
Liz Howard 07870 612127 Stockbridge Court Leet or phone 01264 513299
Longstock Parish Council Guy Boney (Lord of the Manor) Test Valley School
Chair: Sophie Walters 07740 443460 810614 Mrs T Wilden (Head) 810555
Clerk: Mark Flewitt 810752 Diana Tym (Bailiff) 810363 Trout ’n About
Longstock Village Hall Stockbridge Dramatic Society Anne Stables 07734 715081
Selina Musters 810459 Mark Frank 810562 TVBC Councillor
Longstock & Leckford WI Stockbridge Football Club Cllr Tony Ward 01794 389649
Sue Hill 811779 Glenn Curtis (Chair) 07585 112523 Unity Transport
Neighbour Care 0845 0943713 Greg Willcox(Hon Sec) 07768 266288 (Joyrides Shopping Bus)
Calls cost 7p/min + network charge. Email: stockbridgefc@hotmail.com 01264 356808
New JAM Stockbridge Music
Lyn Woods 350846 Tim Lowden 810601
or Pauline Webster 810827
2
From the Rector
Waiting, Hope, Joy
For the Church, December means Advent, a time of waiting and preparation. Waiting is something that we are
all now very familiar with. Waiting to be able to see the ones we love; waiting for restrictions on our lives to be
lifted; waiting for a miracle (or at least a vaccine); waiting for everything to get back to ‘normal’.
Back in the spring life seemed to have been put on pause, and although we all recognised the cost, there was
perhaps a sense of the world taking the opportunity to pause for a moment, and maybe that was not such a bad
thing. However now we are no longer willing or able to accept that our lives will be paused for ever. Yet we
are still waiting. It has worn a bit thin now.
Yet each year the church goes through this period of waiting and expectation. We all know where it will lead –
the eventual celebration of the birth of Christ, the mystery of God in our midst – Emmanuel, and yet we go
through the spiritual exercise of waiting in anticipation because it helps us to reflect on the state of our lives,
and our need for God in the form of the infant Messiah.
So, this December, not only is the four week period of waiting a helpful time of spiritual growth, it is also an
opportunity for us to reflect on the good that this enforced wait can have on our lives, if we are willing to
engage with it and commit some time to self-examination.
At the time of writing we are still in a national lockdown, and it is unclear if that will be lifted on 2nd December
as promised. We are however planning a full programme of church services throughout December assuming
that we are permitted to worship in church. If we are not, there will continue to be services online instead.
The services on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve will probably require booking because of the limited
numbers that we can safely welcome in the churches – please contact your local churchwardens for more
information, and accept my deep felt apologies if you are not able to attend church as you had hoped. You are,
of course, welcome all year round.
Christmas is a time when our patient waiting reaches its conclusion, and is rewarded with hope and joy.
However, as we all know, that hope and joy is born into a situation of uncertain vulnerability, of marginalised
forgottenness, and isolated rejection. This year we are all travelling a weary, lonely journey towards Bethlehem.
It is a time to reflect on the situation into which God chose to reach out to us and share with us, living amongst
the challenges of our lives, so that we might have the hope and joy of sharing with Him the glory of heaven.
The Rev’d Philip Bowden
Contents
A Glipse from a Greener Future 18-19 Poppy Appeal 2020 13
British Legion Fund Raising 13 Poppy Pebbles 13
Bus Services 7 Potting Shed Cuttings - December and January 11
Christmas Quiz - Books 20 Prayer for December 35
Church News 33-35 Recipe: Sweet Potato, Courgette & Tomato Soup 15
Comfort and Joy - the Area Dean 15 Stockbridge Christmas 6
Copper Mine 32 Stockbridge Music 21
Editorial 4 Stockbridge Parish Council 29
French Leave - Locked down in France 31 Stockbridge Practice 9
From St Nicholas to Santa Claus 12 Stockbridge Primary and Pre-School 23
From The Rector 3 Stock-U Puzzle 7
Good News from Stockbridge Down 25 Test Valley School 21
Joyrides 7 Test Valley Time Capsule 27
Liz Pakenham 32 The Column 35
My 45 Year Journey, by Lynne Inglis 24-25 Thought for the Month 17
Nancy Savage 32 Which Boat Are You In? 6
Notes from a Bookseller 17 WRVS Grants 17
Poem: BC-AD 19
Cover Photo: Paul Kidd
Footers: Hoping for a good laugh at Christmas? We hope that some of our footer cracker jokes will make you chuckle.
3
From the Editorial Team Stockbridge
Community
We are approaching the end of a year like no other Cinema
- challenging us in so many ways. In March the
team put together a special edition of the
magazine, which went to all local households, MILITARY WIVES (12A)
focusing on the support being offered locally to Wednesday 9 December
those affected by Coronavirus restrictions. 4.30pm and 7.30pm (1hr 52min)
Volunteers in all three parishes stepped forward, Comedy / Drama
shopping was collected, meals were provided, and Following a group of women in England whose
buddy groups set up. Our community really partners are away serving in Afghanistan. Faced
pulled together, and we can’t thank enough those with the men's absences, they form a choir and
who took a lead back in February. quickly find themselves at the centre of a media
sensation and global movement.
The magazine team was a bit anxious. All events
and activities were cancelled and with them went CINEMA PARADISO (15)
much of the regular content of the magazine! In Friday 15 January
our editorial that month we turned to our readers 4.30pm and 7.30pm (2hrs 4min)
and asked for help. We asked for photos, stories, (In Italian with English subtitles)
anecdotes and letters, especially anything Salvatore, a successful film director, returns home
entertaining or different. And how brilliantly for the funeral of Alfredo, his old friend who was
you have responded! We have a wealth of talent the projectionist at the local cinema throughout
in our midst and our magazines have been packed his childhood. Soon memories of Salvatore’s first
with amusing and unexpected articles on a whole love affair with the beautiful Elena and all the highs
range of topics, and amazing photos, many of and lows that shaped his life come flooding back,
which have chronicled this unexpected and as he reconnects with the community he left 30
years earlier.
difficult year.
So this year our thanks go particularly to those A PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID
readers who have become our contributors. Please COPPERFIELD (PG)
keep those articles and photos coming! And we
Wednesday 20 January
are equally grateful to our loyal regular
4.30pm and 7.30pm (1hr 59min)
columnists, to those who deliver the magazine,
Based on Charles Dickens' novel, the film follows
and to the many businesses who have continued the life of David Copperfield from childhood to
to advertise and support the magazine despite all maturity, with his own adventures and the web of
the challenges this year has brought them. friends and enemies he meets in Victorian England.
Though this might not be quite the Christmas Tickets £7.00 (£6.25 + £0.75 booking fee)
experience we would have chosen, we hope it is a only available online via our website
happy one, and that the New Year will bring us stockbridgecinema.org.uk or via the
hope and the promise of better things to come. Ticketsource telephone booking service
0333 666 3366 (additional £1.75 fee per booking)
Stay healthy, everyone! Please note there is reduced hall capacity with a socially
distanced seating allocation system in use.
Frances Candler and Jennifer Kidd, Face coverings must be worn at all times.
Editors Full refund given if it is necessary to cancel any film
01264 811776 and
01264 811179 Copy for Magazine
Copy date for the February Magazine:
15 January 2021
Please send emails to:
editorsstockmag@gmail.com
or phone Frances Candler on 01264 811776
or Jennifer Kidd on 01264 811179
Why is it getting harder to buy Advent calendars? . . .
4
Stockbridge Town Hall
Events
Weekly
Mon am Pilates with Paula Subscriptions
Mon am Pilates Unlimited
If you have enjoyed reading this magazine and
Tues am Michelle Art Class
Thurs am Iyengar Yoga with Melissa
would like to receive it regularly
Thurs am Su Joy Art Class for only £8 you can receive all next
Thurs am Stockbridge Community Market (Dec) year’s copies delivered to your door!
Thurs pm Joga If you already receive copies regularly, there is
Fri am Moo Music
no need to do anything, your deliverer will
December collect your subscription as usual.
Dec 4 Newman's Decorative Living
Dec 4-5 Heathercroft Meadow New Subscribers
Dec 5-6 Antique Fair Please phone David Barnes on 810516, or
Dec 7-9 Capital Cashmere email David on barnsiesdandj@yahoo.co.uk
Dec 9 Stockbridge Community Cinema
for details of how to make payment.
Dec 10-11 Claudia Bradby Ltd
Dec 12 Project Workshops Alternatively drop an envelope through the
Dec 12 Antiques and Curios door at Touchwood, High Street,
Dec 12-13 Hawkmoor Books Stockbridge, making sure to include your
Dec 13 Antiques and Curios name and address, plus a cheque for £8 made
Dec 14 Cocoon payable to the Benefice Printing Account.
Dec 16 South Central Makers
Dec 18-19 Heathercroft Meadow Volunteer Deliverers Needed
Dec 19 South Central Makers for about one hour a month - a perfect use of
Dec 19 Jessica Carter - sale of paintings/prints that hour of exercise we are all encouraged
Dec 20 Blackiston Chalk to take! We have a loyal band of deliverers
Dec 21 Cocoon
to whom we are very grateful, but holidays
Dec 23 CopperStuff
Dec 24 Blackiston Chalk occur and people get older, so we would
Dec 28-30 Capital Cashmere really appreciate a couple of volunteers who
January could take on a small round regularly or help
Jan 2 Antique Fair out on an ad hoc basis. If you can help or
Jan 6 Landscape Painters want to find out more about what is involved,
Jan 8 Claudia Bradby Ltd please contact Sylvia Shepard on
Jan 11-13 Wild Bazaar 01264 810603
Jan 15 Stockbridge Community Cinema
Jan 20 Stockbridge Community Cinema
Jan 21 Stockbridge Parish Council Stockbridge Community Market
Jan 30-31 Antiques and Curios
Jan 30-31 Hawkmoor Books Thursday mornings
9.30 - 11.45am
in Stockbridge Town Hall
Planning to reopen in December!
Selling the very best local and home-made produce
Pies, cakes, breads, soups, eggs and vegetables,
handmade crafts, toys, books, plants,
& bric-a-brac.
Please come along and browse
Free drop-in IT Help Desk and
Wi-Fi access
. . . Because their days are numbered!
5
Which Boat Are Stockbridge Christmas
You In?
This picture was on Facebook a
couple of weeks ago and it got me
thinking about what type of boat I
am in throughout this awful
Coronavirus pandemic.
I concluded that I was blessed to be
in a boat that was seaworthy, that could weather the
storm for a long time and that would keep me and my
little family safe, dry and secure during these uncertain
times in the rough sea.
However, what would it be like for me and mine if we As I write we are still unsure what will be permitted
were in a different boat? A boat that was in poor when the current lockdown is lifted, so we have had
condition, that needed repair, that was taking on to plan for a quiet season, without a formal switching
board water and could sink at any time and there was on ceremony. Most of the street lights are already
nothing I could do to prevent this happening? My fitted. This was made possible by the generosity of:
reaction would be to shout over to the other boats ▪ St Peter’s Church
and ask for some help to see me through this storm - ▪ Stockbridge Business Association
would they hear me, would they want to help, would ▪ Stockbridge Community Cinema
they think it was my fault for being in a rubbish boat? ▪ Stockbridge Parish Council
What Coronavirus has taught me is the real joy of ▪ Stockbridge Town Hall
family time and how lucky I am to be able to continue ▪ The Co-operative Group via
to thrive during this uncertain and unsettling time. Neighbourly Ltd
Also, what can I do to help those who might need an ▪ The Hub
extra bit of support as we move into the most
without whose donations we would have been unable
expensive time of the year? The recent free school
to proceed.
meals debacle had us all talking about food poverty
and how in the 21st century we can allow our children Richard Foord and Derek Smith will start putting up
to go hungry during school holidays and other times the trees and their lights any day now; if you are not
during the year. at home when your tree arrives and need help to
plug it in then just call Richard on 07719 596646 and
The Stockbridge Families Christmas Food appeal is an
he’ll arrange to come back to help you. Once your
attempt to prevent our neighbouring families (with
tree is up and plugged in it is up to you when you
children) from going hungry this Christmas. Those
switch it on. We are again indebted to Richard and
who are in the seaworthy boats are being asked to
Derek for all the time they spend helping residents,
donate in three ways:
untangling lights, putting trees up, taking them down
1. Make up a Christmas hamper of goodies and some and storing them for another year. They are
essentials (in date, non-perishables please) and drop unfailingly generous with their time no matter the
off at 2 Test View, Old London Road by 18 December. weather or the demands of Richard’s day job.
2. Give £25 to buy a meat box to go with the hamper. Stockbridge Primary School will have its annual
Christmas tree sale fundraiser on 5th December, but
3. Give £10 to buy a fruit and veg box to go with the to avoid people mixing it will be organised a little
meat box and hamper. DO A HAT TRICK - All three differently this year. The school is putting out a call
Due to the kind generosity of the locals in this area we for pre-orders and pre-
are well on the way to reaching the target of helping payment of trees to
to feed up to 25 families this Christmas. Thank you, parents and residents
your support is needed and appreciated. across the village. They
are working with Beccy
Donations can be transferred on line to: the greengrocer as a
Michele Ward 'pick up point' primarily
Starling Bank for pre-ordered trees.
Sort code: 608371 Happy Christmas! People will be given a
Acct Number: 56398327 Michele Ward
Why has Santa been banned from sooty chimneys? . . .
6
time slot to come and collect their tree in a Covid safe more detail on these at www.bustimes.org. Once in
way. the Home screen, select Southwest, then Hampshire,
then Test Valley. From the list of places in Test Valley
Parents will pick up their pre-orders from the school
choose Stockbridge. This will provide both service 15
car park on the morning of the 5th, and the remaining
timetables in the same user-friendly table format.
trees will be moved to Beccy's in the afternoon and
any community pre-orders can be collected from there. Advice and help to access on-line services are usually
Residents who wish to order and pay for a tree should available from the Stockbridge Community Market IT
telephone Lucy Foord on 07305 752165. Helpdesk on a Thursday morning. While we are living
with Covid restrictions please email
We regret that this year there will be no carols or thales958@outlook.com to arrange a telephone chat.
entertainment due to Covid restrictions. Tony Hales
The Stockbridge Christmas working group wish you a
merry Christmas, whether it is face to face with friends
and family or by crashing the internet with zoom calls Joyrides
it will be different and memorable, and we wish you a Stockbridge, Longstock & Leckford
very happy and social 2021.
Alyson Lownie If you would like to use the local Joyrides scheme, you
first need to register with Unity’s Call and Go
service, which covers the local Joyrides buses. Phone
Bus Service 01264 356808 or 0330 4004116 and they will be
Stockbridge to Andover able to help you with information on times, fares, the
registration form HCC(003) and current rules
The November 2020 update for the Stagecoach regarding COVID-19 protection.
service 15 between Andover and Stockbridge shows
these times: Our local Joyrides service operates on Wednesday
mornings when the service runs through Longstock,
Monday to Saturday: and Thursday mornings when the service runs through
Stockbridge and Leckford.
Leave Andover Bus Station 09:15 12:15
Arr Stockbridge Town Hall 09:50 12:50 As the travel cost is subsidised by our local councils,
Leave Stockbridge Woodfire 09:55 12:55 the price is £3 return.
arrive Andover Bus Station 10:30 13:30 You can get further details from John Musters,
810459, but before travelling you must register with
Saturday only:
Unity on 01264 356808.
Leave Andover Bus Station 15:15
Arr Stockbridge Town Hall 15:50
Leave Stockbridge Woodfire 15:55 Stock-U
arrive Andover Bus Station 16:30 Every row, column and square must contain the
numbers 1-9 once only. Solution on page 29
This timetable does more for Andover residents
visiting Stockbridge but does give us a window for a
quick shop in Andover between 10:30 and 12:15 on
weekdays. However, there is a Service 15 Taxishare
service operated by Hampshire Community
Transport on Mondays to Fridays for which
passengers need to register and then book by 4 pm
the day before travelling:
Leave Andover Bus station 14:10
Arr Stockbridge Town Hall 14:44
To register for this service telephone Hampshire
County Council on 01962 846785. Registration gets
you a ‘membership pack with the booking number to
ring when you wish to travel’. This service is free to
Bus Pass holders.
This is a summary of the information available on the
Andover - Stockbridge bus services. There is a lot
. . . To reduce his carbon footprint.
7
Why does Donald Trump have his Christmas dinner on a plastic plate? . . . 8
contacting the surgery at peak times unless absolutely
necessary.
PRACTICE
All mornings, but particularly Monday mornings, are
As we go to press, GP Practices are beginning to plan always extremely busy with calls from patients who
their COVID-19 vaccination programmes for the have managed illness or symptoms over the weekend,
coming months. Results from Pfizer’s vaccine trials or overnight, rather than using the Out of Hours
appear to be positive and promising and we have just service or following Out of Hours consultations.
received very encouraging news from the Astra
Zeneca/Oxford vaccine trials. We will be working If your call is not urgent, please wait until after
with local practices to manage centralised vaccination 2.00pm to telephone the practice. If you are not
centres with sufficient space for large numbers to answered in a timely way, it is because staff are
distance. Current vaccination priorities will be helping patients on other lines so please hang up and
patients and staff in Care Homes and those try again half an hour later.
housebound, followed by patients aged 80 and over. Do use eConsult via the Home page on the Practice
We will keep our patients updated as plans become website for non-urgent advice on medical conditions.
clearer and once there is more Whilst the form can feel quite lengthy, it is designed
certainty regarding a vaccine. to help doctors to pick up symptoms which require
Will, Andrew, Karen and Monica an urgent response.
have been busily working to Rather than phoning the practice regarding your
update and modernise the prescriptions, you can sign up for online access by
practice website to make it easier filling out a form via the practice website, or, you can
to navigate and find information, guidance and still drop your paper repeat slips or a note with your
essential forms. We are hoping to be ready for a details into the letterbox at the surgery. Please order
launch before the Christmas break. your medicines at least one week prior to running out
2020 has been a challenging year for everyone. In to give sufficient time for items to be ordered,
March practices were instructed to manage patients received and dispensed and at least 2 weeks before
via telephone and video as far as possible so as to our Christmas closure.
limit the spread of the virus. This has been an Please allow 30 days for completion of insurance
enormous change to the way that both patients and report forms and other documents including firearms
clinicians are used to communicating and providing licences. This is non-NHS work and will be fitted into
and receiving healthcare. We are grateful to our non-clinical time after referrals, results and clinical
patients and staff who adapted so quickly to this new correspondence have been managed.
– hopefully temporary – world. We also had an
unprecedented response to our annual flu vaccination Thank you for your support in helping us all to
campaign, which is still running. We are very grateful respond safely to the ever changing circumstances we
to all our Village Hall Committees who enabled us to find ourselves in and to keep our patients safe.
use their premises to vaccinate large numbers of And finally our planned Christmas closures, which are
patients safely. subject to COVID-19 developments and the
Increased use of our telephone vaccination programme, are from:
lines has meant that it is taking ● 6.30pm Thursday 24 December until 8.15
longer for patients’ calls to be am on Tuesday 29 December, and
answered. In order to improve
this, the practice purchased ● 6.30pm on Thursday 31 December until
additional outgoing lines for the 8.15am on Monday 4 January 2021.
use of the Duty Team so freeing
Practice Staff will always treat our patients and
up more lines for incoming calls.
colleagues with kindness, patience and respect.
We are also training more admin staff to handle
Please treat our staff in the same way.
incoming calls at peak times in addition to their
regular work which includes, for example, managing
All Surgery staff would like to
referrals, incoming hospital correspondence and
take this opportunity to wish
results. Like all other workplaces we are also having
everyone a very peaceful
to manage safe distancing for staff; staff
Christmas and a
shielding/isolating and working from home where
happy and healthy 2021
possible. Patients can still help enormously by avoiding
. . . He doesn't get on with China.
9
●Haberdashery
●Workshops
Bobbin Sewing School
The Stables, The Vine, High Street
Stockbridge SO20 6HF
E:hello@bobbinsewingschool.com
www.bobbinsewingschool.co.uk
Good Lady Cleaner
I will clean your home
from top to bottom.
I clean offices too.
Very good references
25 years’ experience.
Trustworthy and reliable
and I cover all villages.
Used to all pets.
Phone Lynn 01264 366037
or Mobile 07843 112269
Which Christmas carol is about an animal with three legs? . . .
10Potting Shed Cuttings for December and January
Plants to look out for in December and January - Mahonia, Heathers, Snowdrops,
Winter Pansies, Winter Honeysuckle, Clematis cirrhosa, Camellia sasanqua,
Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ and Sarcococca
One positive aspect of this unimaginable year has been If it’s personalised I definitely don’t need it. I still
the dramatic increase in new gardeners who have know my own name and don’t need to be reminded
learned that growing things helps your well-being; of it when I’m ‘rootling’ through an overgrown flower
indoor or outdoor, gardening has become a vital part border thank you very much. We gardeners tend to
of life for both the young and the old. adapt and alter old and outgrown things in a slightly
Garden centres and seed producers have seen huge Heath Robinson way and get much
increases in sales as have hits on the RHS website, pleasure in doing so.
whilst viewing figures for Gardener’s World increased
For the male gardener, experience
by over 37%. So, as we approach Christmas and we
shows that you should never buy
shop online for presents I thought I would provide
them a new gardening hat and
some advice, tongue held firmly in cheek, on what to
throw away their old one. They
give the keen gardener this year.
have been training their gardening
As someone who has enjoyed hat for many years to achieve a
gardening for many years, I’d level of perfection in how it looks
prefer practical stuff every and how it fits and will be appalled
time. Forget the beautifully at having to wear in a new one.*
decorated tin of twine, with its
ornate label telling me what’s
in it and just buy me a good
Wellies with flowers, insects or
quality ball of garden twine. Or several balls perhaps.
dogs on, or in rainbow colours,
I can find my own tin if necessary. Which in reality it
are all well and good – but buy
isn’t, when a jacket pocket is so handy.
me some plain green ones which
And I really don’t need a sign telling are as comfortable and easy to
me it’s my vegetable plot – I know slip on as a pair of slippers and I’ll
that already – rather give me a love you for life.
voucher for seeds so I can buy
more vegetable varieties – a girl can
never have enough new veggie Ornate and complicated garden planners with room
types to try out! alongside for ‘notes’ may have their place in this
world – but it’s not on a wet and windy vegetable
A really, really good quality border
plot where notes are scribbled on the back of a
or digging fork, something I might
piece of waste paper, scrunched up in a waterproof
drool over in a garden centre
jacket pocket and referred to every half hour or so
would always be
does the trick every time. Did I really mean to plant
acceptable – look at
8 rows of carrots or is that a 3?
old episodes of
Gardener’s World to Gardening is cyclical and we gardeners are forever
get an idea of what the professionals use. looking forward to improve what we grow and how
Presenters Adam Frost and Monty Don we grow it, to make our environment more beautiful
both use a long-handled planting trowel and encourage beneficial wildlife in our surroundings.
which I frankly covet in a way others
might long for an expensive handbag or Any gardening gift is, of course, well-received and
item of new technology. enjoyed, so let’s be thankful for our family and
friends’ generosity to us and look forward to a better
If something can be described as ‘sweet’
year next year and let the healing properties of
or ‘twee’ or ‘unique’, a keen gardener
growing things do its work. Happy Christmas to you
probably won’t want it. Let practicality
all.
be ever your guiding light – no dear little
garden statues or ornaments please – a Micki Nadal
voucher for a delivery of well-rotted manure over the
winter would be much more acceptable. * (In my experience this also applies to fishing hats)
. . . Little Wonkey.
11From St Nicholas to Santa Claus
St Nicholas of Myra, also known as two glasses of the liquid formed during the year
Nicholas of Bari, was an early around the saint’s bones. A father of the Dominican
Christian bishop of Greek descent Community pours the manna into large containers of
from the maritime city of Myra in blessed water, making enough liquid to distribute to
Asia Minor. He is also known as pilgrims. The diluted manna is sold in small clear
Nicholas the Wonderworker bottles, it is pale yellow and actually looks quite
because of the many miracles viscous. The manna is also sold in freshly baked scones.
attributed to him. He is the patron We visited the Basilica two years ago and the vault was
saint of Russia and of sailors, packed with Russian pilgrims carrying lighted candles
merchants, children, repentant and worshiping their patron saint. The pilgrims were
thieves and many others. He is well purchasing little bottles of manna and eating scones.
known for his habit of secret gift The Bari Basilica loaned some of Nicholas’ ribs to
giving which gave rise to the Russia in May 2017. The ribs were taken to Moscow
traditional model of Santa Claus. and then to St Petersburg. More than a million people
lined up in Moscow for a momentary glimpse of the
All the accounts about St Nicholas were written gilded ark holding the ribs. Throughout the centuries
centuries after his death and often contain seemingly St Nicholas has continued to be venerated by
exaggerated claims. He was born in the Greek seaport Catholics and the Orthodox Church.
of Patara, Lycia in Asia Minor to wealthy Christian
parents. In his youth he made a pilgrimage to Egypt St Nicholas’ feast day, 6th
and the Holy Land. On his return, Nicholas was December, is still
ordained as a priest by his uncle who was the Bishop celebrated in Europe as
of Myra. When Nicholas’ parents died he gave all of the main day for gift giving.
his inheritance to support the needy, the sick and In the Netherlands, St
suffering. He was appointed Bishop of Myra when his Nicholas is celebrated on
uncle died and became known for his generosity, his the evening of 5th
love of children and his concern for sailors. Nicholas December, by sharing
was said to have been imprisoned and tortured during sweets, small gifts and
Emperor Diocletian’s Great Persecution but was riddles. Dutch children
released by Emperor Constantine the Great. Other leave carrots and hay in
stories tell of Nicholas saving his people from famine and their shoes for the saint’s
carrying out many kind and generous deeds in secret. horse hoping that St
Nicholas will exchange
Nicholas died in 343 AD
them for small gifts. The Dutch took their custom of St
in Myra and was buried
Nicholas giving presents to children to the New World
in his church. Within a
in the 1700s and the giving day was moved to coincide
century of his death he
with the Christmas holiday. St Nicholas, a kind and
was celebrated as a saint.
charitable bishop, has become the Santa Claus that we
Soon after his death a
know today. Over time his red cloak has changed into
liquid, called manna or
a red suit and his horse into flying reindeer.
myrrh, formed in his
grave. It was thought that Santa now comes
the clear, watery liquid from the north
sweated from his bones with gifts piled
and had healing powers. This has encouraged a devout into his sleigh and
following of Nicholas. In the spring of 1087, Italian he visits children
sailors from Bari in Apulia, Italy seized most of the across the world
saint’s remains from his tomb in Myra and transported on Christmas Eve.
them to Bari, where they are in a tomb in the crypt of Although we do
the Basilica di San Nicola which was built over his not see him at his
tomb. The remains arrived on 9th May 1087. work on
Christmas Eve we all recognise his image. St Nicholas
After the relics were brought to Bari they continued became Santa Claus, both models of generosity and
to produce the liquid manna. On the evening of 9th giving happiness to others, especially children.
May each year, a flask of manna is collected from the
sarcophagus. The Archbishop of Bari extracts one or Happy Christmas to everyone. Jill Goodwin
What falls at the North Pole but never gets hurt? . . .
12Poppy Appeal 2020 Fund Raising for the British Legion
A very big thank you to everyone who helped with, or How to make £44 into a £640 donation to
donated so generously to, this year’s Poppy Appeal. It the Royal British Legion
has certainly been different to any other year.
1. Find an old treasurer bank account with a bit of
Originally, we had many restrictions due to the money in. Stockbridge Youth Club was wound up a
pandemic, no house to house collections, none of our few years ago and a few bob was left over in the bank
usual street collections and reduced business account ie. £44
collections as well. Then, we were pleased to have a
2. Spend the money on poppy flower fabric and tell
poppy table on the Church lawn. However, we were
everyone that you are going to sell 100 masks at £10
overtaken by
each for the 2020 Poppy Appeal.
two weekends
of dreadful 3. Rope in your lovely neighbours and friends who
weather and have some idea of how to use a sewing machine.
then the 4. Approach the lovely Aly Warner to guide the
lockdown. Iain sewing bees in her wonderful Bobbin Sewing School
and Ghislaine in Vine Yard, Stockbridge.
Bell came to
5. Spend a few hours with the lively sewing bees on a
our rescue
Saturday afternoon making up the masks
and offered
the space at 6. Plaster them all over social media to drum up
the front of Providence Court and we had three good interest
days there, before we were locked down. We thank 7. Recruit a few friends and neighbours to buy/sell the
them so much and also the very understanding masks
residents of Providence Court, whose lives were
rather interrupted. However, it all proved to be very 8. Donate the money to our amazing Royal British
worthwhile and the result was £3,483. Legion and tell everyone they were invaluable in
raising £640 for the service people past and present.
A very special thank you to Michele Ward and her
wonderful team of poppy mask makers. They were You were invaluable in raising this money:
able to give £640 to Carole, Jane, Liz, Daphne, Margaretha, Aly, Chris,
the Poppy Appeal. A Shelley, Adelle, Monica and everyone who bought one
fantastic effort. or more.
The Remembrance PS there would have been 100 but I miscalculated the
Services at the War fabric required and got 64 instead.
Memorial on the 8th Michele Ward
and 11th November
were a very moving Editors: You were pretty amazing too, Michele, well done all!
tribute to the
memory of so many
villagers who died for us. Our thanks must go to
Poppy
David Williams, who managed to organise this so well Pebbles
against all the odds and many last minute lockdown
changes. Poppy pebbles
painted by
If anyone found Stockbridge Scouts
they were unable to honour the Commonwealth Airmen and those
to find anywhere named on the War Memorial.
to donate, the
appeal is still They have been
open and I would placed around
be very happy to the stone pots
receive any more outside the main
donations. door of St.
Peter’s and on
Thank you all, the War
Photo Credits: Herry Lawford, Barbara
North and Frances Candler Angela McMeekin Memorial steps.
. . . Snow
13Tel 01264 810139 www.thehubstockbridge.co.uk
Old London Road Stockbridge SO20 6EJ
Chilbolton Chair Company
● Weds-Fri 10-3pm Makers & upholsterers of fine quality furniture
Sat 10am-4pm
▪
● Bespoke hand made furniture
Weds - Fri 10am-3pm ● Complete re-upholstery of all furniture
Sat 10am-4pm ● Supply of a wide range of fabrics
or viewing by appointment ● Curtains, blinds, soft furnishings
● Stock items available for sale
The Vine Yard
High Street Stockbridge SO20 6HF Unit 12B, Stonefield Park, Chilbolton SO20 6BL
Tel: 01264 861117
Tel: 07949 403888 email: info@chilboltonchaircompany.co.uk
www.vinepianos.co.uk Mobile: 07582 850810 or 07961 800601
hello@vinepianos.co.uk www.chilboltonchaircompany.co.uk
●
●
●
●
●
Heathercroft Meadow Flowers
How did the ornament get addicted to Christmas? . . .
14Lindy Lou’s Kitchen seems dry. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface
Recipes & Crafty Corner and knead it for approximately 10 minutes until the
dough is not sticky and quite elastic.
C hristmas seems to have come early, with
thoughts of festive food on everyone’s lips. Not
one to disappoint, I thought I would offer up a hearty
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with
cling film, see Tip 1 below. Leave to prove until
double in size; it should take a couple of hours or so
soup and some very special fresh bread. This will do in a warm place, see Tip 2.
equally well after a lovely long winter walk or as the
opener to a grand Christmas Day feast. If you read When ready pour a little oil in a frying pan and tear
last month’s entry I said that November was soup off pieces of dough shaping them in to patties and fry
month but well, I decided December should be too. for 4 to 5 minutes a side.
Happy Christmas, everyone! Totally delicious warm with the soup or even better
for breakfast with bacon or eggs or both!
Sweet Potato, Courgette and Fresh Tomato
Soup Tip 1. Instead of cling film, use a hotel plastic shower
Makes 6 -8 servings cap to cover the dough, it can be reused and helps
the planet
2 cloves of garlic crushed
Tip 2. If you want to produce the bread fresh at
2 brown cooking onions peeled and chopped
breakfast, make up the day before but leave to prove
500g sweet potato peeled and chopped
in a cool place over night.
500g courgette chopped
1kg fresh tomatoes chopped leaving the skin on Linda Hotchen
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes or a good pinch to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil Comfort and Joy
2 litres chicken or a good vegetable stock
The Church of England's Christmas
Optional for serving:
fresh grated nutmeg, and a swirl of single cream Campaign for 2020
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add the onion, Comfort and Joy holds together the hope that
and cook gently until translucent but not browned. Christmas will bring joy and celebration after a
Add the sweet potato, courgette and garlic and stir, uniquely difficult year with an acknowledgement
continuing to cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, that – for those who have lost loved ones or liveli-
stir and cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes. Sprinkle the hoods, or who are potentially still not able to be
chilli flakes over and pour in the stock. Heat to almost together with loved ones – it may be the Church’s
boiling and then simmer for 30 minutes. role, both nationally and locally, to provide consola-
tion, rather than assume everyone will be ready to
Allow to cool slightly, then place in blender or hand join in jubilation. We also have to anticipate there
blend until smooth. may be further spikes.
Serve with the option of the cream and nutmeg. It’s
This Christmas the Church will need, in the words
not essential but looks great.
of St Paul in Romans 12.15, to ‘Rejoice with those
who rejoice; weep with those who weep’. We will
Fried Bread
aim to celebrate where we can together in one
455g Strong white flour
place – but also embrace a wider community that
455g plain flour
wants to join in the celebration but may not be
2 tablespoons sugar
physically able – or emotionally ready – to do so.
14g dried yeast (not for bread machines)
We hope that the theme of Comfort and Joy will
1 litre warm water
enable us to reconnect with the rich and joyous
1 teaspoon salt
traditions of the past and to offer God’s consoling
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra for frying.
love in the present.
Mix together the yeast and sugar in to the warm How will Christmas be for you?
water and leave to stand for approximately 5 minutes
until the yeast starts to build a little froth.
Mix the flours and salt in a very large mixing bowl and Your Area Dean
make a well in the middle. Whisk the water mixture
and then pour it along with the oil into the centre of
James
the flour. Start to mix the water into the flour with a romseyareadean@gmail.com
wooden spoon adding a little more water if mixture
. . . He was hooked on trees his whole life.
15What would you call an elf who just has won the lottery? . . . 16
Whale from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler,
Notes From introducing the abridged story to the very young.
A Bookseller There are new books galore - gardening books and
Stockbridge High Street may be a very different place biographies, crime and thrillers and love stories,
in the run up to Christmas this year – our fabulous cookery books and current affairs; all the usual
little town always does the Christmas Spirit so well - selection to be expected at this time of year. We
but we are all delighted that we can open our doors would like to remind customers that orders can be
soon for a festive flurry of Christmas shopping. At The placed at The Bookmark via email
Bookmark our array of new titles is looking as rich as (thebookmark.stockbridge@gmail.com) and we will
a Christmas pudding and we really look forward to advise and guide you as best we can. Have a very
sharing our enthusiasm for all the wonderful books Happy Christmas and we look forward to seeing you
with our customers. in the store again soon!
Elaine Spurber
Last Christmas’s run-away success in the bookshops
was the wonderful The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Thought for the month
Horse by Charlie Mackesy. It has continued to be
popular throughout this difficult “I believe in looking reality straight in the eye
year, bringing reassurance and and denying it.”
optimism in its wise words and Garrison Keillor
lovely drawings and should be
just as relevant this Christmas
too. So too will be an equally Grants available from the
beautiful little book illustrated WRVS Benevolent Trust
by the talented Jackie Morris,
with magical words by Robert The Trust offers grants for past or present
MacFarlane:The Lost Spells. A volunteers or staff of Royal Voluntary Service,
great gift for all ages and one to WRVS or WVS to help during a time of urgent
be treasured and shared. need or crisis, when they find themselves in difficult
circumstances which impact badly on their quality
As if to illustrate the topsy-turviness of these times, of life, health or wellbeing. The Trust considers
the 2020 Booker Prize has just been announced with applications for grants to help them through this
bookshops closed and unable to share in the difficult time. The Trust does not provide cash
excitement in the usual way. The winner, Shuggie Bain grants.
by the Scottish/American
writer Douglas Stuart, is bound Past grants have provided:
to be the main focus of the Cookers, Washing machines, Beds, Stairlifts,
fiction sales this season. Gaining Carpets and flooring, Boiler repairs or replacement
deserved attention as the Roof repairs, Spectacles, Lifeline pendant systems
author’s first novel no less, it is and Mobility aids.
a gripping, intense story of How to apply
struggle, compassion and hope. To apply for a grant, you will need to be a past or
Perhaps the same adjectives present volunteer or staff member of Royal
could be used to describe the Voluntary Service, WRVS or WVS with at least one
first volume of Barack Obama’s year’s service, and have a fairly limited income.
presidential memoirs, The Complete an application form (or get someone to
Promised Land. Obama’s do it for you) available from our website
distinctively clear and thoughtfully measured tone is www.wrvsbt.org.uk
apparent here in his prose. This much anticipated
book will be a great read for the long winter months Submit it to the Trust either by email or post (the
and is sure to be top of the non-fiction best-sellers. address is on the form). The Trustees meet three
times a year, but applications are considered in
New publications for children this Christmas include a between meetings so there is no delay in
picture book from Jill Murphy following the life of Mr responding to applicants.
and Mrs Bear and Baby Bear. Just One Of Those Days is
a simple, contemporary story, and one illustrating The Trust is here to help those eligible. Tens of
some of life’s little trials and tribulations to which we thousands of people have volunteered, or worked,
can all relate! And issued now as an interactive push, for WRVS over the years so please help to spread
pull and slide book, is the classic The Snail and The the word about these grants.
. . . Welfy!
17A Glimpse from a Greener Future
This is a short version of an article Richard Gueterbock has Winchester park and ride has had electric and
written for a bio-energy publication, in which he was asked biomethane fuelling points since 2023.
to look at how bio-energy will become part of our lives Local hubs provide ‘last mile’ delivery and zero-carbon
within the next decade. This first part describes what could charging from nearby solar, wind and biogas sites, with
be achieved. on-site battery storage plus hydrogen and biomethane
refuelling.
It is October 2030 and I am sitting in the autumn
sunshine in Winchester - outside a pub waiting to meet All food and drink products are now delivered in non-
a Scottish colleague to discuss how bioenergy has fossil fuel trucks. Ultra-clean freight vehicles include
transformed our daily lives. I ponder the paradigm shift electric autonomous vans. Green hydrogen buses are
since the pandemic wreaked havoc on our lives, just being trialled by Hampshire Council alongside existing
ten short years ago. compressed biomethane (CBM) buses and
autonomous micro-electric taxis.
Looking back to spring 2021, growing concern over
the climate emergency seems a distant memory, as are
the triple scourges of lockdown, rampant public
spending and the impact of Brexit.
A WhatsApp message arrives from my guest - his
e-flight from Scotland to Southampton is delayed
(some things never change). The electric powered
short-haul commuter jet is 30 minutes late.
The transition was undoubtedly helped by the US
presidential election, as more politicians resolved to
Nissan Dynamo taxi
address escalating climate change concerns.
Consumers are seeking fast cuts in carbon emissions
Fossil fuel vehicles are a fading memory (long-banned from agriculture and the removal of fossil fuel from
from urban streets and highly taxed). Buses fuelled by the food supply chain.
biomethane, from local biogas plants, share the streets One event that stimulated change was the delayed
with electric taxis. COP26 Climate Change Conference, in Glasgow in
Winchester is now one of the greenest cities in November 2021. It could have been a political fiasco,
England. Zero-emissions vehicles have contributed to with fierce rivalry between Boris Johnson and Nicola
the popular ‘al fresco’ eating culture. In extended Sturgeon prior to the event, over who would reap the
pedestrian areas, restaurants and bars boast a visible greatest PR benefit.
‘Biogas Mark’ - to show they recycle their organic It was addressed by President Biden, who had
wastes, helping to grow the food they sell. thankfully recommitted the USA to the Paris Accord.
I am outside the Old Vine, over-looking the Cathedral Other speakers challenged businesses to protect
Close. Around me, people are using battery-powered natural resources and use bioenergy, highlighting the
‘micro-mobility’ Personal Transport Devices (PTDs) - need for a green industrial revolution, including
hover boards, unicycles and scooters. decarbonising freight distribution by 2030.
Alongside the PTDs, the soundscape includes the To escape its dirty diesel reputation, the freight sector
gentle buzz of the drones delivering packages to required an immediate replacement fuel. Compressed
businesses - I can’t fathom how they don’t crash into biomethane (CBM), the only viable adoption-ready
each other. alternative to decarbonise the heavy vehicle sector
now fuels HGVs, buses and tractors.
In Winchester, climate-smart regeneration has included
‘passive’, zero-energy buildings, some based on Farmers kept their red diesel subsidy for a few years.
‘BedZED’, the UK’s first zero-energy urban community, Giving up this cherished support was eased by
built in South London in the early 2000s. investment support to enable the farming community
to become energy suppliers.
The nearby M3 motorway is fitted with gantries for
power supply for long distance electric super trucks To a degree, this replicated circumstances of over 100
and buses. The green distribution hub built at the East years ago, when hay was grown for horses to provide
the horsepower for cultivation before the transition
How did Mary and Joseph know Jesus' weight when he was born? . . .
18to steam power then to diesel. In 2030 biomethane The impact of Covid-19 on economic growth and a
powered tractors are common and red diesel has gone realisation that we needed to treat the planet with
green. greater care, created a determined environmental
One of my clients, Brewdog were in the vanguard of lobby coalition, including groups such as Extinction
this revolution, having achieved their ambitious goal of Rebellion, driving the economic case for change.
decarbonising their main brewery in late 2022 - Recognition in Whitehall that discarding wastes robs
building an on-site biogas plant and switching to CBM the economy of resources was fundamental. Early in
trucks for long-haul distribution. the 2020s imaginative policy (led by my guest)
Many food companies started their conversion to delivered radical change, putting bioenergy at the
carbon neutrality around that time. HGV trucks core of rural policy and public goods legislation, the
powered by biomethane from food processing Clean Air Act and phasing out fossil fuels.
residues fuelled the majority of food transport fleets
by 2024. Waitrose was using compressed biomethane And then I awoke from my day-dream
(CBM) for its distribution fleet before 2020.
Richard Gueterbock
Businesses in
the agri-food
sector Editors:
switched to We thought we would leave Richard’s article on this high
biofuels from note. In our next magazine, in February, we’ll return the
crops and story to the present in Part 2, Back to Reality. Richard
bio-residues, will discuss the actions that need to be taken now to take
to power us to this greener future.
farm tractors
and
distribution
fleets. One of Britain’s leading farming companies,
Beeswax Farms, owned by James Dyson, converted BC-AD
their entire HGV and tractor fleet to gas powered
vehicles by 2024.
This was the moment when Before
This awakening was prompted by events in early 2021
that precipitated key policy initiatives: Turned into After, and the future’s
Uninvented timekeepers presented arms.
▪ A visionary Transport Decarbonisation Plan from
the Department of Transport, including the com- This was the moment when nothing
mercial use of green hydrogen in the 2030s and gas Happened. Only dull peace
and electric delivery vehicles. Sprawled boringly over the earth.
▪ A comprehensive urban transition programme to This was the moment when even energetic
convert public transport to zero fossil fuel technolo- Romans
gies, including investment in widespread community Could find nothing better to do
charging infrastructure.
Than counting heads in remote provinces.
▪ A post-Covid industrial recovery that put the circu- And this was the moment
lar economy and bio-resource efficiency at the heart
When a few farm workers and three
of industrial transition, alongside replacing fossil fuel
use in all industrial haulage. Members of an obscure Persian sect
Profitable, mould-breaking low-carbon businesses such Walked haphazard by starlight straight
as Brewdog and Beeswax Farming set an example, Into the kingdom of heaven.
leading the race to carbon zero and reaping marketing U A Fanthorpe
benefits from doing so.
Another WhatsApp from my guest: he was 5 [U A Fanthorpe’s Christmas Poems and her Selected Poems
minutes away. I started to review what we were are published by Enitharmon Press, www.enitharmon.co.uk]
going to discuss. Great progress has been made
Many thanks to Hugh Saxton, who reminded us of this,
after those grey winter months in 2020. It is painful
which he describes as one of his favourite Christmas
to recall life before our politicians, prompted by
poems.
campaigners and business leaders, saw the light.
. . . They had a weigh in a manger!
19Christmas Quiz - Authors and Book Titles
The initials of 40 authors, and titles of novels they have written, are listed below.
Can you work them all out?
The answers will be published in the February edition of the magazine.
What do you call an old snowman? . . .
20Stockbridge Music
THE GESUALDO SIX
Online Learning Heralds
a New Era for School
Collaboration
Amid all of the gloom of the past six months, green
will perform a socially distanced
shoots are emerging in the opportunities presented
live concert in
by online learning platforms.
St. Peter’s Church, Stockbridge,
As one of Hampshire's highest achieving and most
7.30PM successful schools, The Westgate School is delighted
FRIDAY 29th JANUARY 2021 to be supporting Test Valley School as it embarks
on an exciting new era - and online learning is key
This concert replaces the Harp Recital, originally to this journey.
postponed, but now sadly cancelled due to the
pressure that two lockdowns has wrought on the Where previously school to school support and
lives of the musicians. opportunities for pupil leadership beyond the school
There will be two types of ticket: gates were hampered by logistics, the use of digital
technology is opening doors to facilitate the
£15 to see the live performance in the church professional development of teachers through
£10 / household to have the concert live collaborative working. Test Valley School's new
streamed to your home development plan is driven by the vision that
For those of you who have already bought tickets teachers are learners too, and it is this partnership
for the Harp Recital, these will be transferable (at between professionals that generates the best
the original prices) to the new concert. The outcomes for pupils through curriculum design and
remainder will go on sale as soon as possible. developing strategies for even better teaching and
learning.
Please go to our website for further booking
information, as it becomes available: Partnership is key to a school's success - and the
www.stockbridgemusic.uk Pupil Leadership Team at The Westgate School
plays an active role in shaping the curriculum, raising
Gesualdo Six (www.thegesualdosix.co.uk) are a
awareness and understanding about equalities,
world-famous choral ensemble and we had a
diversity and, the environment as well as
capacity audience for them for their last visit in
contributing to school policies. Collaboration with
2018. The live-streaming will be professionally
pupils from Test Valley School using online
produced using three cameras, and will be well
platforms will provide pupils with rich opportunities
worth watching at home.
to extend their thinking and develop their skills for
This is breaking new ground for Stockbridge Music future employment. We are particularly excited by
as we strive to build up a sustainable programme the opportunity to extend the debating club across
of live concerts for 2021 and to continue bringing both schools - and there is much to debate at the
top class music into your lives. We hope you will moment!
show your support either by coming to the
concert in person or tuning in, as the concert As a small, rural school, Test Valley offers the best
happens, from home. of both worlds: the opportunity to be part of a
nurturing environment where every child is known -
Keep watching for further information in a few to learn in a fantastic, village setting - as well as
weeks’ time. being challenged academically in pursuit of personal
In the meantime, we wish you all good health, excellence.
Tim Lowden Sarah Botwright
Music Director Business Manager
. . . Water
21Oil & LPG Specialist
Dan North Limited can now offer male and female
boiler engineers that are fully trained in Oil, LPG
and Gas. We give you peace of mind that someone
friendly and experienced will be carrying out your
work for you.
We specialise in boiler breakdowns and repairs as
well as installation and servicing.
We can carry out any maintenance of your heating
system with radiator replacements or valve
changes to keep you warm on the cold nights.
We also offer long term contracts for estates and
landlords which take all your worries away i.e.
service reminders and maintenance.
To find out how we can make your life easier
please contact us by:
Phone 07709 430026 or
email dan@dannorth.co.uk
What did the farmer get for Christmas? . . .
22You can also read
