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Florrie's Coffee Morning 2011
Florrie would like to thank everyone who attended "Florrie's Coffee Morning" in August 2011, and say a huge thank you to Beryl and her helpers who made it all happen. This is an annual event in our village and is much enjoyed by all who attend. What could be more English than tea and coffee served in the pleasant surroundings of a Buckinghamshire orchard? The varied and interesting mix of stalls were a delight to visit and bargains were had by all.
Christmas Cards: AVAILABLE NOW
Whaddon Christmas cards are still available to order from the PCC.
The cards are A6 sized or 105x148 mm, with the message "Christmas Greetings" on the inside.
All profits from the sale of this card go to Church funds. Cards are priced to be very competitive at only £4.00 for a pack of ten or £2.50 for a pack of five, so you can support your local church AND get a good deal too!
Stocks are limited, so if you wish to order please e-mail Nikki - PCC Secretary stating your full name, delivery address and the number of packs you would like to reserve.
Induction of new Rector: 29th March
Revd William Pearson-Gee has been appointed to be the new "Rector of Buckingham (Team Rector designate)". Will is currently the curate at St. Andrew's in Oxford, and his Induction is on Monday 29th March 2010 at 7.30pm, St Peter and St Paul in Buckingham. Everyone is welcome to attend.
90th Birthday Celebrations for Florrie
Mrs. Florrie Parrott would like to thank all the friends and family who made her 90th Birthday so special.
A celebratory afternoon tea was held in Florrie's honour on 17th April 2010 in Whaddon's Jubilee Hall. Many friends from St.Mary's, the Chapel, Whaddon village and Nash were waiting to greet Florrie as she arrived, and relatives had travelled over 70 miles to join the celebration.
The hall was resplendent with bunting and balloons, and a lavish spread was provided. Volunteers prepared the hall, supplied the food, and served refreshments in honour of one of our most popular and well-loved residents.
Particular thanks go to Mrs. Hazel Dudley who co-ordinated the whole event, and to Alan and Joan who supplied the beautiful cake.
Induction of new Rector: 29th March
Revd William Pearson-Gee has been appointed to be the new "Rector of Buckingham (Team Rector designate)". Will is currently the curate at St. Andrew's in Oxford, and his Induction is on Monday 29th March 2010 at 7.30pm, St Peter and St Paul in Buckingham. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Of Coffee, Cakes and Secret Tunnels...
It was at one of the monthly Saturday coffee mornings that the subject of Secret Tunnels arose. I was sitting enjoying a cup of tea and a nice piece of home made cake and reminiscing with Evelyn Jaworska about our earlier years in Whaddon when we started discussing the tunnels. It was suggested that something was produced for the web-site – so here it is...
Evelyn and I can both recall the stories of the ancient tunnels that were supposed to exist. The tunnels are alleged to have run from Whaddon Hall to Snelshall Priory and also from the Priory to Tattenhoe church, vague memories also of one from Whaddon church to the Hall. There was a story that in the early 1900’s someone, returning home from an evening in the pub had discovered the entry to one of the tunnels in the woods around Whaddon Hall, although when he had recovered from his hangover he was unable to remember where it was – isn’t it always like that?
Snelshall Priory is thought to have been established around the middle of the 12th century, based upon evidence from the “Cartulary of Snelshall Priory” which is held in the British Museum (see below for further details*). The Priory was used by Benedictine monks, although there are views that it was originally provided for Premonstratensian canons. The Priory lasted until its dissolution in 1535 following from Henry V111 asserting control over the English Church in 1534. The old stories also allege that, before dissolution, the monks hid the religious and other artefacts of the priory in the tunnels. What truth there is in the stories we can only but surmise – perhaps we should ask Tony Robinson and the Time Team to investigate? We could then move on to discuss the roman villa- but that’s for another coffee morning!
Speaking of coffee mornings, these monthly events are an excellent chance to meet fellow villagers(and ex-villagers)and enjoy some excellent home made cakes – so why not come along? The only difficulty is choosing which of the delicious cakes to try...
By Alan Justice – a son of Whaddon
(or should that be an Old Whaddonian?)
*“The Cartulary of Snelshall Priory” – this is made up of two parts, hand written on vellum and bound in skin and was thought to be written in the 13th/14th Century. It records the many rights, charters and bequests made to the Priory. Although there was knowledge of its existence, the Cartulary was “re-discovered in 1886 by Lord Cottesloe, along with a mass of other documents, on the floor of the loft over the stables of Whaddon Hall. They then seem to have been ignored until found again in 1905 by Rev J Harvey Bloom, “under tons of straw” in the same stables, who arranged for the cartulary and other deeds and documents to be purchased by the British Museum. Source –“the Cartulary of Snelshall Priory” – edited by J G Jenkins and printed by the Buckinghamshire Record Society.
Winter Weather - can we help?
This winter has given us the most snow and ice seen for a few decades - so much for global warming! Unfortunately we have had to cancel various activities and services due to the freezing temperatures and current poor heating situation in our church building - however, we hope to rectify this soon!
If you are housebound or elderly and are running low on food or heating supplies, please e-mail Nikki or telephone her on 01908 501731. We can't promise miracles, but St. Mary's PCC members will do their best to arrange some help...
Coffee Shop News
The Christmas Coffee Shop on 5th December 2009 hosted by the Angel Jill and Mrs Nikki Claus was wonderful, with a steady stream of customers (we lost count after 40 - something to do with that second glass of mulled wine...). The tree sparkled, the carols played, the candles flickered, and the tableful of mince pies, chocolate logs, Christmas Cake, holly-iced fairy cakes and muffins was soon reduced to crumbs as friends laughed and joked and got into the festive spirit (or should that be spirits?)
We had a great time, but don't take our word for it - we put paper and pens on tables for feedback and I'm happy to report it was very positive:
- "The coffee morning is an excellent idea, a very friendly atmosphere and relaxing"
- "I think it is a fab idea, it is lovely it is in the church. brings people into the church who maybe would not come. A great get-together for all to meet"
- "Excellent event for people to meet up in the village - really good cakes on offer"
- "WHADDON ROCKS!!! We love the cake shop!!! Very delicious cakes!!!"
- "The Coffee Shop is an excellent idea and the ladies work extremely hard - excellent way to bring in people in the village"
- "We come from Newton Longville and really enjoy the coffee morning and the choice of cakes is wonderful"
- "Really enjoy it! Fantastic cakes each time. Lovely to see friends and fellow villagers. The children really look forward to coming too - the pictures for them to colour is a great idea (means I can chat more!)"
- "The friendliest, cheapest coffee shop ever. Never know who you will talk to - and a great way of making new friends"
The Christmas Coffee Shop made a record £95.00 for St. Mary's Church, bringing our total so far to over £800 in a year (and at 50p per coffee and 50p for a slice of cake that takes some doing...) but more importantly we all had a jolly good time. Merry Christmas everyone!
Christmas Fayre on 28th November 2009
The 2009 Christmas Fayre was opened by the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt. Hon. John Bercow MP, who made a special journey over to Whaddon to give us his support. The Fayre included the Sweet Stall, Tombola, Raffle, Gifts, Fairtrade goods, Avon, Home-made Cakes, and an assortment of fun games and competitions. The Fayre made over £800 for St. Mary's Church! We would like to thank John Bercow for opening the Fayre for us. The PCC would like to thank all the helpers who set up, tidied away, manned the stalls on the day, and donated items, and say a big thank you to you all for your warm-hearted and generous support - we couldn't do it without you!
The beautiful Quilt for Fred Green – “Thank You for the Music” - was won by Peggy Fuller from Grendon Underwood. The quilt raffle has raised an extra £305 - a magnificent result so a HUGE thank you to all who bought a ticket but especially to Beryl for making it.
Confirmation at Buckingham - 15th November
Rev. Philip Derbyshire was joined by the Bishop Emeritus Of St. Helena the Right Revd. James Johnson at Buckingham on 15th November 2009 for the confirmation of 16 candidates. 4 people were also baptised, 2 admitted to receive communion and 13 were re-admitted.
The lovely service was packed with people and St. Mary's Church was well represented. Congratulations to Callum (who was baptised and admitted to Communion), and to Hayley and Bethany who were confirmed. Hayley, Callum and Bethany would like to thank the many friends and family members who travelled to Buckingham to support them.
NEWSFLASH - new Rector appointed!
From Revd. Philip Derbyshire: "After much thought and prayerful consideration we are pleased to announce that the Revd William Pearson-Gee has been appointed to be the new Rector of Buckingham (Team Rector designate). Will is currently a minister at St. Andrew's in Oxford and was the unanimous choice of the interview panel, and patrons, on Monday 2nd November 2009. He expects to take up the post by Easter."
Moon with a View
This photograph of the Moon was taken near Whaddon Church on 28th October 2009.
Open Day & Harvest 10th/11th/12th October
Our Church Open Day (traditionally known as Gift Day) was on 10th October 2009. Church registers dating back to the 1500s were on display, and refreshments were available all day. Local musicians performed, and bell ringers were available to (literally) "show people the ropes!" as well as the bell displays. Candles were lit in the Lady Chapel, and the WI put on a fantastic display too. Unfortunately, for most of the day there were rarely 10 people in church apart from helpers, which was very disappointing for those of us who had practically moved our beds into church in order to set everything up over the previous 2 days. However, the last hour or so had quite a few people turn up - mostly younger families, so a big "Thank you!" to those of you who did come to support your local church! £912.80 was raised towards replacing the church heating (only half of the amount raised last year...).
On Sunday 11th we had our Village Worship Harvest Festival service (it was lovely to see the church so packed, and a good time was had by all) and a Harvest Evensong.
On Monday 12th we had the Harvest Supper and auction of produce in the Jubilee Hall. Thank you to the stalwart few who organised this very enjoyable evening- it was a wonderful event and raised a record £480 for Medecins Sans Frontiers!
In loving memory of Bill Phillips
The family of the late Bill Philips would like to thank people who made donations in Bill's memory:
"We received donations of approximately £400 in Dad's memory and this amount was made up to £1,000 by his children. We then gave cheques for £500 to both Willen Hospice and the RSPB. Dad's headstone has now been fixed in place in Whaddon churchyard. We are very grateful to everyone in the village who made Dad's time in Whaddon very happy, and who gave him and us a lot of help and support at the end of his life. We also acknowledge all the friendship and support he had with many people in the neighbouring villages. With very best wishes, Sharon."
The PCC would also like to thank Bill's family for generous donations made to both the church heating fund and Toddler Church in Bill's memory. Bill was a much-liked member of this community and will be remembered fondly by all who knew him.
Florrie's Coffee Morning 2009
In spite of very doubtful English "Summer" weather, Florrie's Coffee Morning on 1st August was mostly dry with a light drizzle only falling towards the end of the event (answered prayers!).
The Coffee Morning made a wonderful five hundred pounds for church funds - many thanks to Florrie and to all the people who worked so hard to make the morning such a success.
4th July Coffee Shop 2009
The Coffee Morning on 4th July was a great success. Nikki and Jill served Blueberry Muffins, Cranberry & Cinnamon Muffins, Chocolate Muffins, Brownies, three types of Cookies, Banana Cream Pie, two varieties of Flapjack, Marshmallow Cupcakes and Mississippi Mud Pie to an appreciative clientele. Displays included baseball bat, catchers mitt and cap from the home of the Cleveland Indians (Ohio) and books, Stetson and USA number-plate courtesy of our Parish Clerk. The music playlist included such obvious hits as "Surfin' USA", "Englishman in New York" and "Kids in America" - well, who could resist on 4th July? For more photographs, please see the photo gallery.
RLS Prize-Giving Evening 2009
Prize-Giving at the Royal Latin Grammar School on 25th June was a real family affair this year, with no fewer than six of our Village Worship young people being presented with awards and prizes by Sir Bruce Liddington. Congratulations to George, Anna, Bethany, Gus, Amy and Callum!
Willen Tea @ 3! - a great result
The Tea @ 3 raised an amazing £558 on the day (with the League of Friends raising a further £97 which they pay independently into the Hospice). In addition, Akeley Wood Senior School have raised a whopping £425 with a non-uniform day. As you know, our aim was to raise £1000 over a period of time. The above add up to £983. We are also delighted to tell you that an anonymous donor has agreed to make up the £17 shortfall and so our target has now been met and we can't quite believe it! Thanks to everyone for supporting us in so many different ways. Best wishes from Jill and Nikki.
Campanology at the Coffee Shop 2009
The June Coffee Shop gave everyone a chance to ring the bells of St. Marys - many thanks to Hugh Butler and his team of bell ringers for giving their time and talent to make this possible. The campanologists report that they might be getting a few new recruits at their bell ringing practice nights on Tuesdays at 7.30 p.m.! The coffee shop made £64 for church funds this month - thanks to all who support this regular social event
Summer Fete 6th June 2009 - news
Our Summer fete made an amazing £1500 - thank you to everybody that helped to make this possible.
Whaddon School Summer News 2009
Whaddon CE First School news is reported in the Whaddon Quarterly magazine. Our Summer news report includes the May Fayre (a big thanks to all who helped make it so successful), hatching chicks, OFSTED, and the Kew Gardens Great Plant Hunt. You can read all about these and other wonderful things happening in school by downloading a pdf copy of the latest Quarterly report here
Whaddon School gets great Report!
OFSTED Inspectors visited our village school in March 2009and were pleased to report that it is a good school with many outstanding aspects. Over the past three years, since the previous inspection, we have made enormous changes in the school including the development of an exciting topic based curriculum, the outdoor activity area for the Foundation Stage, refurbishment of the school hall and much more. We were delighted that OFSTED recognised the progress we have made. We have also developed a very strong and dedicated staff team who are justifiably proud of our school. So it was especially pleasing that OFSTED judged so many aspects to be outstanding. Congratulations and thanks to all those involved. You can download a pdf copy of the OFSTED report here
Rector Kevin Ashby leaving - say goodbye on 15th March
THE RECTOR'S LAST SUNDAY will be on 15th March 2009. On that day there will be a 10.00 am Benefice Family Communion at Buckingham, followed by a "bun fight"! You are also invited to his licensing at Melton Mowbray on 29th April 7.30 p.m.
February is snow Joke - have an ice day!
The first week of February 2009 has seen the most snow that Whaddon has seen for about 18 years - today (Thursday 5th) gave us a full 6 inches (that's 14-15 cm). If you are housebound or elderly and are running low on food or heating supplies, please e-mail Nikki . We can't promise miracles, but St. Mary's PCC members will do their best to arrange some help.
Congratulations Jessica!
The PCC of St. Mary's Church would like to congratulate Jessica Haig, M.Mus, on her Masters Degree - a fantastic achievement. We are very proud of her. Pat tells us that the ceremony on Monday 19th January was lovely, and that the family are delighted that all of Jessica's hard work has been so well rewarded. Alex Aitken will be off to University from August. We would like to thank Alex for all the work he has done and continues to do on our behalf, and are very fortunate that Jessica will be stepping into his shoes as Music Director of St. Mary's.
Christmas Wreaths - 6th December 2008
Pauline Winward of PA designs held a "Make Your Own Wreath" workshop in the Jubilee Hall, Whaddon on 6th December from 1.30 - 3.30 p.m. We enjoyed an afternoon of great company, mulled wine and mince pies - and proudly took home our very own Christmas wreaths! The workshop was well attended and everyone had a wonderful time. Pauline expertly demonstrated her skills and we attempted to emulate her. With Pauline's guidance and support we were able to produce some very pleasing results in an array of styles and a variety of co-ordinated colours. All proceeds of the afternoon went to St. Mary's Church, and Whaddon had the best-dressed doors in the county throughout the festive season - thank you, Pauline!
Church Roof Protection 2008 onwards
The PCC has taken steps to protect the roof. We have taken advantage of a new crime prevention initiative that permanently identifies property without being visible to the naked eye. SmartWater is a forensic fluid containing millions of microscopic particles that make up an individual property identification code, giving it a unique and permanent DNA! This means it is now very easy for police to identify stolen property as well as providing a deterrent to theft. This makes our roof worthless to criminals - who would be stupid enough to buy stolen lead off them if it is easily linked directly to the crime? Smart Water cannot be erased or washed away and it lasts for up to 120 years.
Gift Day Update 2008
Our Open Day was very enjoyable and it was nice to see visitors both from the village and the surrounding area present. Several first-time visitors commented particularly on the friendly welcome that they received. I would like to say a big thank you to all the people who supported Gift Day, whether you came along on the day or helped us do all the hard work behind the scenes. Our Treasurer has confirmed that we raised £1530 - well done.
LADIES- Give us your Old Tights please!
524,000 women die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth each year and 99% of these happen in impoverished, developing countries. For every woman who dies, another 40 or 50 suffer severe injuries and complications. The Ethiopia Tights Appeal (see website www.tightsplease.com ) is collecting used (and washed) tights to send to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia. It can be very hard to hold dressings in place when women have these complications from childbirth, and your old tights just happen to be the perfect solution! You can send any type of tights as long as they are washed and do not have ladders towards the top/waist of the leg. Please give your old tights to Judy Silberrad at church.
Whaddon Christmas Cards available now
Superb value Charity Christmas cards are now available. The fronts of the cards show this traditional English winter scene from your own village. Inside there is the simple message "Christmas Greetings". The cards measure approx. 148 x 210 mm - that is 5.8 x 8.3 inches for those who prefer to work in 'old money'!!! This means they can still be posted at the standard First Class price. Unlike the charity cards sold in many shops (which typically give 1% to 10% of the price per card to charity), these impressive high-quality A5 size cards will give a whopping 100% of the price you pay to St. Mary's Church! The cards are sold in packs of 5 cards for just £2 or a great value pack of 10 cards for £3.75. If you wish to order some packs, send an e-mail to Nikki stating your name, address, and the number of packs (5 or 10 cards) you wish to purchase.
Whaddon School News September 2008
We are delighted to report that 10 children will be joining the Reception Class in September . This is the highest number for several years. Our new children joined us for introductory visits on the afternoons of 24th June, 1st July and 8th July, and were also invited to join us for the fun at Sports Afternoon. There will be an Open Morning on 16th October for anyone interested in sending their child to Whaddon School in the future. Look out for details soon or contact the school on 01908 501719.
Summer 2008 Report by Churchwarden Hazel Hedges (01908 501729)
Our Annual Fete at Whaddon House was very well supported as usual. Despite grey skies in the morning and a slight shower at lunch time, the weather stayed fine and we even had some sunshine later on. We were entertained by Woburn Sands Band and everyone enjoyed the various games and stalls on offer. A big thank you to all the helpers and to those of you who attended, enabling the princely sum of £1828 to be raised for church funds. Florrie's coffee morning was also a great success. Nearly £490 was raised despite the almost continuous rain thanks to all those stalwarts who attended. Despite the weather a good time was had by all. To all the organisers and helpers a big thank you, but an especially big thank you to Florrie.
Starting in September the church will be open on the 1st Saturday of every month between 10.00am and 12.00 noon. We will be running a coffee shop and cake stall, so do come and join us for a coffee (or tea) and a chat. Christmas and occasion cards will also be on sale and all proceeds will go to church funds.
September 8th is the day of our annual Harvest Supper and Auction of produce. Graham Stuart has kindly agreed to be our auctioneer again, ably supported by Barry Dudley. Tickets from Hazel Dudley 505727 or Sally Green 526033. The PCC is extremely fortunate that Barry Dudley has agreed to be our new Treasurer in addition to all his other activities in the village. The handover has now been completed, and thanks go to David Spencer for his long service and to Barry for taking on the commitment. Everyone is welcome at all of our services and social occasions, when you will be assured of a warm welcome. We look forward to seeing you.
Degree Congratulations!
Congratulations to Judy Silberrad on the wonderful news that she has passed her degree - a 2:1 with honours! This is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Well done Judy! We send Judy our best wishes for her Graduate Teacher Programme placement, starting September 2008.
Whaddon School: Leavers Assembly - Report by Rev. Philip Derbyshire
A very entertaining and moving assembly saying goodbye to Year 3, was held at 2pm on 22nd July 2008. We were given a display of leavers' talents and hobbies and they led the assembled parents and governors in singing some of their favourite songs. Lots of prizes and certificates were distributed to the pupils and the Fred Green Citizenship Award was instituted. This will be an annual event and this year's recipient was John Jenkins for his kind and considerate attitude towards his fellow pupils and his skills in negotiating and leadership. We wish all leavers well in their new schools and extend a warm welcome to next Septembers new pupils.
Whaddon May Fayre 2008
The 2008 May Fayre started with the traditional costumed parade led by the May King and May Queen, who were driven through Whaddon in a very smart convertible. This year the theme of Circus meant that participants following the beautifully dressed Year Three pupils included clowns, acrobats, dancers, trapeze artists, lion tamers, strong men, and even a bearded lady! Floats were impressive and imaginative - thank you to all who took part or made costumes and props. The stalls included home-made cakes, raffles, plants, white elephant, many games and competitions, and the ever-popular drinks and refreshments. It was lovely to see so many friends from the village and our local community supporting our school.I would also like to thank the Whaddon Tops for performing this year. The Whaddon Tops entertained the crowds on a sunny and sizzling 5th May with a fabulous mix of old and new music, including tunes from musicals and films. The musicians, from Whaddon and Nash, are all members and friends of St. Marys Church. The Maypole dancing performed so beautifully by schoolchildren was viewed by a large and enthusiastically appreciative audience, who enjoyed the continuation of this centuries-old tradition. Many of the audience remembered taking part themselves! Last, but definitely not least, I would also like to say a huge thank you to all the parents, friends, governors and staff of Whaddon School who worked so hard to make the Fayre such a success. Early reports indicated that about £2500 was raised.
Theft From Church Roof, February 2008
I am saddened to report that on Saturday 23rd February several strips of lead were stolen from the roof of St. Mary's by what I am choosing to refer to as "despicable rouges" since my other word choices were unprintable on a church website... It seems that a car was driven onto the field and a ladder used to gain access to the church roof. The theft was discovered early on Sunday morning and Barry Dudley kindly put tarpaulins in place to protect the church ceilings while police and insurance officials were informed. I would like to thank Barry for his prompt response which prevented further damage. The police are investigating the theft.
“Fred’s Songs of Praise”, Saturday 5th January
Fred left us with a long list of his favourite hymns and choruses … far too many for his funeral!! So here is an opportunity to join us in singing some of his favourites. Hope to see you there. Sally, Matt and Annabel.
Christmas Fayre 2007 - UPDATE
I would like to say a huge thank you to all the people who helped at the Christmas Fayre - those who did all the setting up, those who donated prizes and goods or baked cakes and sweets, those who ran the stalls and served all the refreshments, and those who helped clear everything away. You all worked really hard to make our Fayre a success and I am very thankful for all your help and support. Our Treasurer tells me that the Fayre made over £700 - well done, all of you!
News for Junior Church Members - track Santa!
For more than 50 years, the North American Air Defence Command, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa. The tradition began after a shop's advert for children to call Santa on a special "hotline" was printed with a wrong telephone number. Instead of Santa, the calls went to the CONAD operations "hotline." The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, received the first "Santa" call on Christmas Eve 1955. Realizing what had happened, Colonel Shoup had his staff check radar data to see if there was any indication of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Indeed there were signs of Santa and children who called were given an update on Santa's position. The tradition has carried on ever since, and new technology has improved the tracking facility. Media from all over the world now call NORAD on Christmas Eve for updates on Santa's location. Last year their Website was visited by millions of people who wanted to know Santa's whereabouts - this year, the information on the website is provided in six languages! The NORAD radar system watches for signs of Santa lifting off from the North Pole, and then satellites in geo-synchronous orbit use infra-red sensors to detect the infra-red heat signature from Rudolph's nose. High-tech high-speed digital cameras (SantaCam) then record Santa and his reindeers as they make their way past well-known landmarks, and occasionally CF-18 and F-16 jet fighter pilots are called on to confirm the identity of Christmas Eve's most famous Unidentified Flying Object! If you want to track Santa on Christmas Eve, then get permission from parents and go to www.noradsanta.org in early December to see if you need to do any downloads to get your computer ready for the big night. If you are coming to St. Mary's Midnight Mass (which is of course at 10 p.m. - there's no understanding adults!) you will be back home in time to check Santa's progress over the English Channel before dashing off to bed...
Operation Christmas Child - Samaritans Purse 2007 (Shoe Box Appeal) - UPDATE
I am pleased to confirm that 26 shoeboxes from St. Mary's joined 12 from Whaddon School , 13 from East Claydon School and 10 from Whaddon Playgroup making a grand total of 61 boxes for delivery to the Samaritan's Purse Distribution Warehouse on 14th November. Your generosity will make a real difference to the children in Ukraine who receive these gifts - a big thank you from Nikki, Maureen and Sally.
Gift Day 2007 - UPDATE
Our Gift Day back in October raised an amazing £2189 (including £425 in Gift Aid) - thank you all for supporting our Gift Day so generously. A big thank you also to those who did refreshments and cream teas, played the organ, rang the bells, displayed models, made and sold produce, sang, ran the quiz, laid out and collected in parish records, and cleaned it all up afterwards - we couldn't have done it without you! In the words of our Treasurer, David Spencer: "Gift day is important to us at St. Mary's Church; it is the only occasion each year when we try to raise funds for the upkeep of our church. All those of you who are house owners will be aware of increasing costs of maintenance and a 12th Century Church is no different except that costs for each item are more extreme! So on behalf of the PCC of St. Mary's Church, a very sincere thank you."
Praise In The Playground/Family Picnic - August 2007 (Report by Frederick Hayward)
The day dawned and it was dull at first, with a poor weather forecast, but I went out to the Praise In The Playground at Whaddon First School - a lovely gathering of people in nice surroundings. The weather stayed fine and warm, and the chairs were out ready to sit on. There were some heavy clouds around but thank the Lord they kept going away. Lots of lovely hymns were sung, music being kindly supplied by Alex Aitken, Jan Smith and Alistair Haig. Prayers were said by Claire Wood and Sally Green. Afterwards it was time to clear and tidy away the chairs, etc. into the school building. The picnic was due to start at 12.45 and the weather was still fine, praise the Lord, so I came home to get my food and drink together. I even decided to wear my shorts! I ventured forth to the school field, with chair in one hand and refreshments in the other. I decided to sit with Kieren and we had a good chat about a lot of things, plus I met for the first time Hayley and Paul from Stock Lane and their children. Gatherings like this are wonderful at bringing together people! After finishing my drinks and food, Hazel Dudley spoke about getting together two teams to play rounders. There were lots of youngsters about so I decided to join in. Also about were other games to play - very kind of people to loan these for this lovely Sunday afternoon. Hazel got together a team and Alex formed a team too. I played for Hazel's team. There were 2 matches. Alex's team won by a nice margin both times. I was impressed by Heather Bloomer who got 2 rounders - I could not get one! There was a minor accident in which Anna King was struck in the mouth by a ball - the brave girl carried on playing regardless. In one match Bethany Bloomer ran out 2 people in one go - one of them was me! Well after that someone suggested the girls play the boys - it could be my chance to be on the winning side, I reckoned! Well the girls held a huddle together. They had a plan, I thought, a cunning plan. It was a close match. Once again I was backstop. Trouble was, the ball beat me at times and it went in the hedge! The girls beat the boys 6 and a half to 6! At the end of the picnic all I can say is a big thank you to all who attended. It was a wonderful Sunday - Praise in the Playground and the picnic, two wonderful events bringing people together in a happy, friendly manner, and the weather was sunny and fine too. Thank the Lord! Report by Frederick Hayward
Florrie's Coffee morning 2007
Florrie's Coffee Morning was a lovely event, well supported by the village. The weather stayed dry and sunny, and a good time was had by all. Thank you, Florrie!
Wedding Belles - 2nd June 2007
Allyson and Stephen Thomas would like to thank their friends at Whaddon for their cards and their prayers and good wishes. Allyson and Steve, who attend services here at St. Mary's Church whenever they are visiting Allyson's sister Nikki, were married at the Church Of The Holy Trinity, Llandrindod Wells (in Powys, Wales) at 2 p.m. on Saturday 2nd June 2007. Nikki and her daughters Heather and Bethany were bridesmaids.
The Metropole Hotel hosted the Afternoon Reception, followed by the Evening Reception which included a DJ and the popular local band "Slightly Dirty". The bride's father, Ron Boswell, joked in his speech that "After finding out how much it cost to give away my eldest daughter, I had intended to raffle the other one off!" However, that particular raffle was prevented by Allyson marrying Steve, so the Bride's Father had purchased a ticket for each of the guests for the St. Mary's Summer Fayre Grand Prize Draw instead!
Church Wardens Report - March 2007
This is being typed as snow is falling heavily outside when only last week we were basking in a few days of beautiful sunshine and thinking that Spring was just around the corner. Hopefully when this article is being read Spring will be well and truly here. First a big thank you to all who contributed to the raising of over £700 at the Christmas Fayre held in November and for over £260 collected for Helen House Hospice from the Carol Singing around the village. All of the Christmas services were very well attended and the newly re-ordered area at the back of the church was put through its first real test on Christmas morning when we had over 90 people attend Jesus' birthday party. The first three months of the year always seem to be quieter but this year we have been busily preparing for the Wycliffe students who will be coming to the benefice, as part of their training towards ordination, between the 17th and 25th March. They are hoping to be involved with all aspects of village life and we are sure you will give them a very warm welcome. There are already a number of events scheduled throughout the year: Summer Fete on 9th June; Florrie's Coffee Morning on 4th August; Harvest Festival on 9th September; Harvest Supper on 10th September; Gift Day on 13th October. We look forward to seeing you at one if not all of these gatherings. Finally, the Annual Church Meeting will be held on 25th April in the Chapel Schoolroom. Having served the three years promised as church wardens we will be standing down at this meeting. We would be appreciative of your prayers as the PCC and members of the Electoral Roll seek guidance as to who will be called to take on this role. Thank you for all the help and support given to us during our time as church wardens. Sally Green and Maureen
It All Went Off With a BARK!!! By Jack Silberrand
Last Sunday on the 10th of September 2007 was the annual pets service at St.Mary’s church in Whaddon. If you were feeling ‘ruff’ as you went in you didn’t feel the same coming out that’s for sure! There were supposed to be at least 10 cats and mice but curiously none came! The “tankfuls” of fish also failed to deliver. Still, 18 dogs, 4 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs and plenty of teddy bears showed up. Afterwards everyone enjoyed tea and biscuits-including the dogs who had a whole pot of biccies graciously donated by Suzanne of www.pressies4dogs.co.uk , a member of the congregation. It was a purrrfect service!
News from an Evacuee: By Joan Otley.
I was an evacuee in your village from 2nd September 1939 to September 1941 when the only six of us who were left in the village (from 50) were transferred to Winslow. I sang in the Church Choir during my time in Whaddon, the then Vicar was the Rev. Selby Lowndes a relation of the Squire, Colonel Selby Lowndes. We held our choir practices on a Thursday evening and watched Coventry burn from the vantage point of the Church, although we didn't know until later.Tom Gascoigne was our Choir Master and super organist. Whaddon Hall was commandered by the RAF (I believe) and the Village Hall housed a number of soldiers. I remember a time when tanks thundered through the village on manoeuvres and I took a short cut behind the public house from Stock Lane to the High Street to get out of their way. We used, firstly to have our schooling in the village school, then in the village hall and, when the army took it over, in the Chapel Hall. We joined everything, Chapel Band of Hope, Christian Endeavour, the Library in the School, had first aid lessons, donned our gas masks in a gas impregnated tent. collected waste paper and dug for victory. I was first billetted with Mr. Tesch, the Estate Manager for Whaddon Hall, then at Home Farm, the Peverells and finally with Mrs. Lizzie Young in Stock Lane. We helped at a fete held at Mrs. Beauchamp de Chair's home. I remember with fond thoughts my time in Whaddon, many years later I drove there with my parents and visited Mrs. Campbell, my former Teacher, still at Taylor's Farm near the Church. I first encountered the Women's Institute at Whaddon - we were allowed to join at the age of 14 - later, much later, I was elected County Chairman of the Bedfordshire Federation of Women's Institutes and served on the National Federation's Public Affairs Committee. I have given talks on my experiences as an Evacuee and, next month will do so, again, at the Combined ProBus Club to which my husband and I attend in the beautiful riverside town of Laurieton in NSW Australia, to which we emigrated four years ago to be with our daughter who married an Australian. We don't regret moving there - it is a little bit of Paradise. I have become involved in the social life of the community, becoming President of the Camden Haven Community College and last month elected as the President of the Camden Haven Garden Club. Life is certainly not dull. Sincerely, Joan A. Otley - ex. Pupil of the Paddington Central School for Girls London, evacuated to Whaddon in Buckinghamshire.
Ordination of John King
We send our best wishes to John King, Pam, George &Anna, after John’s recent ordination to the priesthood. John's first communion service at St. Mary's on 2nd July was well attended with support from family and friends from Nash and Whaddon. Congratulations, John!
Summer 2007 in St. Mary's: Report by Church Wardens
At the Annual Church Meeting held in April we were elected to serve for another year as churchwardens for St. Mary's. We count this as a privilege and pray that with the support of the PCC and the village community we will be able to carry out our duties to the best of our ability. The is not only about services on Sundays, there is much more that happens on a day to day basis, and as in all villages, you are our eyes and ears. for your church in Whaddon. The building may stands on the hill, but the heart of the church is living within the community. There is a lot happening at your church within the next few months, the re-ordering of the back of the church started in May and work to the bells will begin in June, so if all goes according to plan you will be able to see the results of all the hard work in August. The organ has now been repaired. The toddler church continues to be well supported and the young people will be leading our village worship in July. There will be the usual Praise In The Playground in August followed by the Family Picnic, and in September it is hoped to have another Pet Service. We would like to thank all who support St. Mary's in any way and look forward to seeing you at some, if not all, of the events above. Sally and Maureen.
Toddler Church: January 2006
January saw the launch of the Toddler Church services. A totally new venture for all concerned but one which has been warmly received by Mums, Dads, Toddlers, grandparents and helpers too. No one is too old or young to join in the fun! The hour consists of arts &crafts, songs & story time plus, of course, refreshments. We meet at St Mary’s every Thursday from 1.45pm – 2.45pm (not half term week 16th Feb). A warm welcome awaits you so come along and join us all. We look forward to seeing you. Sally Green (01908 526033)
Christmas 2005 at St Mary's: Report by Church Warden Maureen Hobbs
The lead up to Christmas began in earnest when the school came to St. Mary’s for their Christingle service on the 4th December. As usual the church was packed with standing room only for some of those who wanted to be part of the service. Thank you to the children and their teachers for all the hard work & for the songs and nativity story. On Sunday 18th December the candle-lit service of 9 Lessons & Carols was held. As in previous years the readers were drawn from various organisations within the village. This service is always well supported and this year was no exception. Christmas Eve was again a candle-lit service. The bells rang out to call people to church and very soon St. Mary’s was full for this very special service. On Christmas morning the church celebrated with a birthday party for Jesus. This short gathering is always an unknown – all the arrangements had been made, invitations had been sent to every house, the birthday cake made, party bags filled and ‘pass the parcel’ ready to play – but who would come? At ten minutes to ten there were only a few gathered but suddenly families started arriving and by the time the service began at 10.00 a.m. the church was full with over 100 people who had come to join in the Christmas morning celebration! Thank you to those who helped in any way to make Christmas special for all came to worship at St. Mary’s.
Christmas Fayre 2005
Thank you to everyone who supported our Christmas Fayre this afternoon. In spite of the cold weather we still raised a total of £765. The photo-sheet of "Santa's Little Helpers" caused much mirth, with no-one guessing all the beard-hidden faces correctly. (The highest mark went to the wardens, which goes to prove just how well they know the congregation here at Whaddon!). The quiz sheet and photo-sheet answers will be displayed in church. A special thank-you to all who helped or ran stalls on our behalf - we couldn't do it without you.
Gift Day- 15th October 2005: report by Rowland Osterberg
St. Mary's Church's Annual Gift Day was held on Saturday 15th October and this year the event took the form of an Open Day in aid of the "Church Bells Appeal".The structure of Whaddon's church bells (i.e. the ringing gear; wheels, staves, etc.) is in need of substantial repair and refurbishment, work which has to be undertaken within the next 12 months if the danger of the bells falling silent is o be avoided. To this end, we have to raise the sum of £10,000, hence the Gift Day launch of the "Bell Appeal". Happily, October 15th was a day graced by fine, dry weather, especially in the afternoon when the sun broke through, and a steady stream of visitors throughout the day - both from the village and the surrounding area- clearly enjoyed the various events, activities and entertainments arranged for the occasion. These included guided tours of the bell tower; watching our expert team of bell ringers "ring the changes"; tuition for those who wished to try their hand at bell ringing (not as easy as it looks!); brass rubbing (also under instruction); climbing the spiral steps to the top of the tower to admire the wonderful views of the village and the delightful rural panorama of Aylesbury Vale; browsing through the archive of ancient church records (some dating back to the middle of the 16th century). Musical highlights of the day were provided by Fred Green and Alex Aitken on the church organ, Fred responding readily with his usual consummate skill and adaptability to visitors' requests for favourite hymns. In the afternoon, the beautiful soprano voice and winning personality of Whaddon's own eminently talented young songstress, Emily Haig, captivated a wholly attentive and highly appreciative audience with an eclectic recital of songs and arias from musical shows and opera. Thus, St. Mary's Gift Day 2005 proved, in all respects, a thoroughly enjoyable and eminently successful occasion, both socially and financially. Warmest thanks are due to those who helped and supported the event and to all who contributed so generously to the "Bell Appeal". As a result, the princely sum of £3080 (including a potential £580 tax recovery under the Gift Aid scheme) was raised on the day - a highly gratifying outcome and one which, from the outset, carries us well along the way towards our £10,000 target. We are indeed fortunate to live in such a supportive and responsive village.
Licensing of Rev. Philip Derbyshire- 11th September 2005
23 of our regular Whaddon congregation members joined people from the rest of the Deanery to witness the licensing of the Rev. Philip Derbyshire at St. Peter & St. Paul's, Buckingham on 11th September 2005. Philip (who now is technically the "Assistant Curate with the title of Associate Priest in the Benefice of Buckingham") and Joy were officially welcomed by the Area Dean, the Lay Chair, the Mayor of Buckingham, and also by Mike Evans on behalf of Whaddon Chapel. Congratulations, Philip - we look forward to seeing you at Whaddon soon!
Summer Fete - 2nd July 2005
The Summer Fete took place on a day that initially promised little in the way of good weather. However, the Sun decided to "shine on the righteous" providing a fantastic afternoon for all concerned. The Woburn Brass Band played a wonderful miscellany of music in front of Mrs. Weatherby's beautiful herbaceous borders; stalls and raffles were dotted around the rolling lawns, and assorted games took place on the tennis courts. Cream-filled sponges and fruit pies were displayed invitingly on crisp white tablecloths, and the tables were full of people enjoying Afternoon Tea. It was a scene that made you proud to be English! Many thanks to all who made this such a good day. Initial forecasts indicate we made over £1800 at the Fete.
Fair Trade - New for 2005!
Fair Trade is now at Whaddon - Traidcraft fights poverty through trade. It's the UK's largest Fair Traid organisation and was established in 1979. Traidcraft plc buys from poor people, guaranteeing them a fair price and helping them build better lives through fair trade. By selling their products and providing support they help craftworkers and farmers across Africa, Asia and Latin America build a better future not only for themselves and their families but their communities as well. From Easter, after each service, there will be a stall at the back of the Church with many Traidcraft products available, e.g. tea, coffee, biscuits, dried fruit, muesli, pasta, sugar, chocolate, cards and much more. There will also be catalogues available for orders . If you would like to volunteer to be on the rota to man (or woman!) the stall, please contact Judy on 01908 522966.
Sad Losses - 2004
Whaddon lost two true friends in December 2004, with the deaths of both Christopher Weatherby and John Cox. . They were much loved and highly respected men who will both be missed. Our thoughts are with both families
Admittance to Communion - November 2004
Ten year old Bethany was admitted to communion at a service at St. Peter & St. Paul's, Buckingham, thus becoming the youngest regular communicant member of St. Mary's church. Her supporters from St. Mary's included her family, both of the wardens, and the organist as well as PCC members!
Christmas 2004
A very big thank you to all who supported the Christmas Fayre back in November. It was good to see so many people in the village hall on that Saturday. The art competition was a great success and both the pictures and the friendship chain were on display during the Christmas festivities. The pictures were on the display boards and the friendship chain stretched from the north porch doorway, across to the vestry doors and then across to the Christmas tree standing tall in the corner of the church. The back of the church looked very welcoming for the birthday party on Christmas morning, which was attended by over 100 people!
Open Gardens - 3rd July 2004
Open Gardens was very successful this year - our thanks to Monica and the people who opened their gardens for us to visit. Thanks also to the stalwart volunteers who ran the Cream Teas and Coffee Bar in the Lady Chapel. So far, Open Gardens has raised the fantastic sum of £371. An added attraction for Open Gardens was an exhibition in the church of the work of the Whaddon Quilters, who are asking people to sponsor a patch in their sampler quilt (central in photo) for a chance to win the quilt. Your last chance to see this quilt and sponsor a patch is Florrie's Coffee Morning on 21st August.
Pet Service 11th July 2004 - Vicar Takes The Biscuit!
On 11th July at 10.30 a.m., St. Mary’s proved that all really are welcome in our church. The first Whaddon Pet Service was attended by almost 20 pets of at least 6 different species accompanied by over 60 humans. Vicar Kevin “I did it before Dibley” Ashby walked up the aisle (which was temporarily without the customary red carpet in case nature called) and welcomed a congregation of guinea pigs, hamster, cat, rabbit, dogs of all shapes, colours and sizes, and even a stick insect. Wardens Sally and Maureen claimed to be slightly disappointed that no tarantulas or snakes had arrived. Owners both young and old were thanked for turning out to support their pets.. Keyboard artiste and organist extraordinaire Fred Green provoked grinning groans and delighted recognition as he played “Never Smile At A Crocodile”, “I Wanna Be Like You” from Jungle Book and the theme to the well loved Vet Series “All Creatures Great And Small” at the start and end of the service. In between, the church rang with over 60 human voices (and a few canine ones) singing hymns such as “All Creatures of our God and King”, “Jesus Is Lord! Creation’s voice proclaims it” and “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”.
The mixed species congregation was entertained with a poem celebrating the fact that all are welcome at church. Young volunteers helped out with illustrations to a thought provoking and fun talk from the vicar who, despite being allergic to animals and dosed up on antihistamines, had bought along his own furry crocodile friend that proved popular with children of all ages! Young William, who was baptized recently, was also welcomed into the church by the vicar and presented with an illustrated book of Bible Stories.
Vicar Kevin led by example and dived into the chocolate biscuits and other refreshments provided at the end of the service, and Brian proved very popular with all the dogs, whose exemplary behaviour throughout the service was duly rewarded by him handing out bone shaped dog biscuits. As a member of the cleaning rota, I am glad to report that there were no puddles in the porch or accidents in the aisle. No-one was chased through the Lady Chapel, and there was no palaver in the pews. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the Pet Service….Oh, and the pets were well behaved too!
f you enjoy something completely different to a standard church service, why not join us on 8th August at 10.30 a.m. for Praise In The Playground at Whaddon First School – a relaxed, informal chance to sing all your favourite hymns and choruses – then bring your own basket of goodies to the Family Picnic and games on the Sports Field.