On Advertising
Traditions are very important at this Christmas season, and among my favourite of the modern Christmas traditions is that of the seasonal advert. This tradition is improved by the fact that one no longer needs to watch television to see advertising – twitter, you tube, facebook and even old fashioned printed newspapers will run articles on the competition for the best Christmas advert each year.
My favourite as I write this is the John Lewis advert – I sniggered gleefully, although perhaps not for the reasons the advertisers intended. I have also enjoyed the parodies with Hilary Clinton as the disappointed little girl and president elect Trump as Buster the Boxer; as well as the one which reverses the action sequence, reflecting a slightly more cynical response to the bouncing wildlife on the trampoline.
It’s a valuable tradition for churches: suddenly this is one of those moments when I no longer need to think carefully about whether mentioning an event in church is too churchy or Christian for Village communities that are increasingly diverse – carol services are advertised in jingles, supermarket music mixes and the school email. I can advertise Jesus at this season, at least in the traditional packing of dark stable, endless livestock and blonde angels, to my heart’s desire. All the major shops are doing the same.
Consuming and shopping in response is bound to give us that beautiful seasonal delight – just as the John Lewis advert foretells – both child and pet contented with one present – a couple where assembling a present on Christmas Eve in the snow leads only to a cuddle on the sofa and not to a serious argument about time management. For we can surely buy contentment if we look beyond the gloss to the real value we are being sold –in the frenzy of marketing ‘peace on earth’ we need not consider the real cost of providing peace for a child in Mosul.
If we just take a moment to ‘like’ an advert, or justly find its parody cleverer; we need not be caught up wondering about whether the consequence of our choices is setting justice aside.
It seems that all Jesus and I want for Christmas is a trampoline.
Traditions old and modern are only of use if they help us recall and live by the values of the message that tradition imparts. What are the values that you want advertised this Christmas? What do you really want to be consumed by at any cost? Who can you set aside to make sure you get your bounce on the trampoline?
The Reverend Rachma Abbott Priest in Charge, Woodhill Benefice.
The Vicarage Clyffe Pypard, SWINDON SN4 7PY. 01793 731134
CHURCH ROOF PROJECT
We are delighted to report we have received a grant of £3,000 from the Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust towards the cost of our roof repairs. It is also pleasing to report we have so far this year raised £5,005 for the roof fund through donations, church fundraising events, donations from the Community Coffee mornings and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this in any way. We now await the result of our grant application to Community First and if approved, we should then be able to start the repairs to the roof.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
2nd Dec Clyffe Pypard Christmas Fair
3rd Dec Christmas Coffee Morning
12th Dec School Christmas Fayre
12th Dec Deadline for New Volunteers for Speed Watch
13th Dec BT CLPG Meeting
13th Dec Last Post for Scout Post
14th Dec WI
15th Dec Village Carol Service
16th Dec School Carol Service and End of Term
3rd Jan 2017 Back to School
14th Jan Hilmarton Moviola
18th Jan WI
20th Jan Big Gig AGM
CHURCHYARD MAINTENANCE
We would like to thank all the volunteers who have helped to tidy the churchyard throughout the year. We will start again in the Spring, so look out for the dates if you would like to help.
COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNING
Thank you to everyone who contributed in any way to the Macmillan Coffee Morning. We were able to send a cheque for £200.
There will be one Coffee Morning in December - Christmas Coffee Morning on Wednesday 14th December, 10-12am.
We will be open as usual in January 2017 and look forward to seeing you all in the New Year. Wednesday 13th January and Wednesday 27th January
If anyone has difficulty getting up to The Village Hall, do contact us for a lift at a time to suit you Carolyn 852754; Margaret 731564
CHRISTMAS COFFEE MORNING
On the 3rd December the café doors will again be open. We have the usual refreshments and sales along with Cards and the Tinsel Tombola. Philip Male will have his beautiful photographs and he says that he has some new lines. There will also be the draw for the Christmas Raffle.
SWINDON & DISTRICT SCOUT CHRISTMAS POST 2016
This facility, which by law, is only for the delivery of Christmas Cards, is again being provided this year as in previous years. The cost of the special stamp is still 30p (now self-adhesive). They can be purchased in Royal Wootton Bassett from Bevirs, Solicitors, High Street; Haines & Smith, Opticians, High Street; News Plus, Gainsborough Avenue; Radway’s the Cobblers, The Arcade, High Street & Rootz, Hairdressers, Woodshaw. The last date for posting mail into the Scout Post is TUESDAY 13th DEC at 4:00pm and all items must be posted in the special green post boxes which can be found at Sainsbury’s, Borough Fields, Haines & Smith, Radway’s, News Plus & Rootz. Please DO NOT USE Scout Post stamps on cards posted through Royal Mail post boxes. They are not valid and the receiver will have to pay a surcharge.
The area covered for delivery of Scout Post is: -
Swindon, Badbury, Bishopstone, Blunsdon, Burderop, Chiseldon, Draycott Foliat, Elcombe, Hannington, Highworth, Hinton Parva, Hodson, Inglesham, Langton Park, Liddington, Overton, Red Barn, South Leaze, South Marston, Stanton Fitzwarren, Stratton St Margaret, Thorney Park, Wanborough, West Leaze, Wichelstowe, Wroughton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Purton, Lydiard Millicent, Greatfield, Greenhill, Hook, Broad Town, Bushton, Clyffe Pypard, Tockenham, Cricklade, Latton, Ashton Keynes, Broad Hinton, Berwick Bassett, Uffcott, Winterbourne Bassett, Winterbourne Monkton, Shrivenham, Watchfield, Bourton, Idstone, Ashbury, Kingston Winslow.
In addition, stamps are available from Clive Green, 5 Eastwood Avenue, Royal Wootton Bassett. Tel No. 01793 854200 cliveggreen@waitrose.com
BIG GIG AGM
How to get involved: attend the AGM 8.30pm Friday 20th January 2017 at BT village hall. Do we want an old-style show back in future years? Who’s gonna judge the funny-shaped parsnip competition? What sort of bands should we book if it stays a gig? Should we just have a bar and a DJ in a field? We don’t have any pre-determined ideas about what could constitute 2017’s event yet: whatever happens is entirely down to YOU, your ideas and your participation. Volunteers needed: 8+ committee, 15+ helpers • Commitment level: very flexible depending on role. Get involved, or go another year without… Contact: Matt on 07704 317311 or email oscar.littlelad@gmail.com ‘Like’ us on facebook.com/TheBroadTownBigGig for the latest info.
BROAD TOWN SCHOOL
The School Christmas Fayre will take place after school on the 12th Dec.
Lots of goodies available.
Don’t forget that School closes on the 16th Dec at 2.00pm after the Carol Service and re-opens on Jan 3rd 2017.
Let’s hope that all the staff have a rest sometime over the holiday.
THE FOUR WAYS COMMUNITY PUB, BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL
EVERY FRIDAY: BAR 8.15pm-late: everyone always welcome • BINGO EVERY SUNDAY – open 7.15pm; eyes down 8pm; last ball 9.45pm
Draught beers, real ales, hot drinks, snacks and sweeties all at sub-Wetherspoons prices! How to get involved: come along to the Village Hall any Friday or Sunday! More volunteers to help always needed! • Commitment level: only 7 evening sessions per year, 3 hours per session. Nationally recognised BIIAB training available to committed bar staff. Contact: Trevor on 01793 731699 or email fourwaysbroadtown@gmail.com • ‘Like’ us on facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown
BROAD TOWN COMMUNITY SPEED WATCH
Despite last month’s newsletter appeal for volunteers, we can only extend our heartfelt thanks to two villagers that have so far offered to participate in a new campaign of roadside sessions in 2017. Total volunteers needed: 6+ • Commitment required: half-day training at Police HQ Devizes, then 2+ non-consecutive hours per month at your convenience. Four more volunteers needed by midday Monday 12th December 2016 or Wiltshire Police will not conduct any more speed-watch activity in the Broad Town area. So whither art thou, thronging parishioners who claimed that speeding was an important issue in Broad Town’s parish plan survey? What about the folks who talk about speeding at the parish council? Show you care: get off your sofa, sign up and stand by the roadside! J Contact: Matt on 07704 317311 or email oscar.littlelad@gmail.com
GENTLEMAN’S BREAKFAST CLUB
There is no meeting in December. The next event will be in the New Year but details of date & speaker are not yet finalised.
Contact David May davemay104@yahoo.co.uk if you would like any further information.
PROSPECT BOXES
A total of £376.50 was collected from Broad Town residents from the half yearly box collection, which has been passed to the Prospect Hospice who have asked for their thanks to be passed to everyone who donated. If you would like a box to put your ‘pennies’ in, please contact Margaret Manley, Tel: 01793 731564
BROAD TOWN WI
Last month our speaker was Siobhan Neill a cognitive therapy counsellor. She showed us breathing techniques to help calm and de-stress us. She also described ways to make ourselves feel more confident by using different postures and mindfulness. In her practice she also uses hypnotherapy to cure phobias but unfortunately she wasn’t able to show us this. It was a very interesting talk and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
Also last month we held a Quiz evening in the Village Hall. It was a challenging quiz brilliantly set by Jeff Hartley. He was ably helped by his wife Beth and son Jonathan. Everyone enjoyed themselves, and the ploughman's supper seemed to go down well. Thanks must go to all WI members who helped set up the Hall and prepare the food. Also a big thank you to the bar staff Trevor, Matt and Brian who helped with the setting up and clearing away too. A profit of £112 was made which will enable us to pay for a couple of speakers next year.
Our meeting in December will be a Christmas meal (must be pre booked). In January (18th) we will have graphologist Janet Bultitude talking about the analysis of handwriting. We will also be discussing and voting on the resolutions put forward by the National WI as possible ones for the WI to campaign for or against in 2017.
We are a friendly group and welcome new members. Our meetings are generally held on the third Wednesday of the month in the Village Hall. If you are interested in visiting us please contact Kate on 01793 731536. We are also on the Broad Town Village website and on Facebook.
BROAD TOWN COMMUNITY LED PLANNING (CLP) GROUP
The date for our next meeting is Tuesday 13th December 7.30pm to 9pm at the Village Hall. All residents are invited to join us for seasonal refreshments and interesting discussion about the future of our village.
Deborah Bourne, the Parish Clerk, attended our last meeting. Deborah explained that the results of the recent Parish Council Housing Survey are still being completed and are due to be discussed by parish councillors before the next Parish Council meeting, so that they can then make a decision about the results at the Parish Council meeting itself. Hopefully this will mean that information about the complete results will be available by the time that we meet on the 13th.
The NEW-V Area Steering Group, comprising of Broad Town, Tockenham and Clyffe Pypard parishes, is meeting again on 29th November to continue to work on the draft policies that will be included in the next stage of consultation next year. We are waiting for imminent news that the website being set up by the Area Steering Group is soon to be available. If you are interested in the work of the NEW-V group you can find out more at our meetings or by joining our mailing list.
Thank you for reading the CLPG updates during this year, we’d like to wish all of you a happy Christmas and we will be back with more news in February 2017.
If you would like to find out more please come along to the meeting; contact us if you would like to go on to our mailing list on broadtownclpg@gmail.com ; see our webpage on www.broad-town.co.uk or telephone 01793 731188 if you would like paper copies of information.
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS FAIR BUSHTON AND CLYFFE PYPARD VILLAGE HALL
This convivial event will be taking place on Friday December 2nd from 5pm to 9pm.
Browse the stalls, chat to old and new friends over a glass of mulled wine or mug of hot chocolate whilst eating a mince pie or piece of stollen.
Stalls to include homemade cakes and preserves, handicrafts, gifts, lucky dip, bottle tombola, accessories, plants, bric-a-brac, guess the weight of the cake, almost new books and a raffle with some excellent prizes!
For further information please contact Jane Angus 078030508344 or Barbara Davis 01793 739017
Entrance £3 to include refreshments. Proceeds to St Peter’s Church Clyffe Pypard
HELP!!!!!
Hello! This month I am appealing for help. One of my tasks as Health and Wellbeing Champion is to report anything which is just not working quite right or anything which could be improved within our community. Now, I am not a miracle worker and I am not guaranteeing that I can get things changed, but if I know about problems, I can try. My problem is that I can’t be everywhere - I do so miss visiting the coffee mornings and lunch clubs! What I need is some eyes and ears in your area who can let me know if there are issues and problems which affect you or your friends and families lives. For example, are there enough carers to visit the more remote villages (trick question, I know there aren’t!)? Is the bus service available when you need it? Is there enough going on in your village? Would a new social group make your life better? This is the sort of stuff you will know but may not know where to report it. SO….. Could you be the person to help me? I won’t be looking for you to attend lots of formal meetings, but rather to expand my current network of lovely people who can be my “eyes and ears” out there and contact me with what’s good and what’s not. Give me a call for a chat about it – I promise that you won’t be press ganged into more than you want to do!
Meanwhile, as ever, I am around for general help and support on a wide variety of issues including transport, mobility and safety around the home and reducing the feeling of loneliness. Give me a call on 07557 922020 and leave a message. I will get back to you as soon as possible.
As we fast approach the festive season, I would like to take this chance to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and every good wish for the New Year – 2017 already!
Ellen Blacker - Health & Wellbeing Champion
Malmesbury, Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Community Areas
THE GUILD OF WILTSHIRE ARTISTS
Run workshops at the Village Hall on every first Friday and third Saturday of the month from 10am to 3pm. All are welcome including painters who are beginners. The cost is still £5 per person per session which includes tea/coffee and biscuits but do bring a packed lunch. Help will be given to those who request it.
Contact Jim Dowton 850029 or Roy Davey 731154.
CHILDMINDER REQUIRED IN BROAD TOWN
I live in Broad Town with my husband and children and am trying to find out if there are any childminders in the Village or people that do before/after school childcare? Please contact Louise on 07826 879639 or louloubow@hotmail.co.uk if you are able to help or know someone who can.
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Broad Town Newsletter (BTN) takes all reasonable care to ensure that pages published are accurate. Articles and letters submitted may be the personal opinion of the author and, as such, are not endorsed by BTN. BTN takes no responsibility for the consequences of error or for any loss or damage suffered by users of any of the information published on any of these pages, and such information does not form any basis of a contract with readers or users of it.