BROAD TOWN NEWS – JUNE 2023
Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.
COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS ON THE 2ND & 4TH WEDNESDAYS OF THE MONTH
A big thank you to everyone who supported our Coronation Tea Party on May 5th. It was fantastic to see so many people there and also to have so many children busily making gold crowns and bunting! Heartfelt thanks too to everyone who helped in any way, whether it was by decorating the hall and setting up the room beforehand, organising the list of volunteer bakers, buying all the tea and coffee, baking items for the cake table (see photo), selling raffle tickets and providing prizes, or by helping out in the kitchen during the afternoon, and clearing up afterwards - it was all very much appreciated. Cakes were also provided as part of the refreshments after the church service on Sunday May 7th, so again, thank you to the bakers who provided those – we know that they were also very much appreciated by the congregation! The coffee mornings in June will be on Wednesdays 14th and 28th from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Everyone is very welcome so please come along to enjoy a friendly chat, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls! The book swap table is back so please come along to borrow a book and donations of unwanted fiction books would be very welcome! We are also planning a fundraising coffee morning in July so please look out for further details in the next newsletter.
DEFIBRILLATOR
Woud you let your best friend die? Using a Defibrillator is so simple and safe it allows ordinary, untrained people to save lives. Here in Broad Town we have a defibrillator. It is housed in a cabinet outside the village hall. Anyone can use it. Would you like to know how simple nd safe it is. I will be holding informal familiarization sessions on Saturday 17th June in the village hall. The sessions at 10.30am or 2.30pm will last about forty five minutes. I will explain how it works and show you how easy and safe it is to access and use the machine. Come and ask me those difficult questions and I will share my experiences as a qualified paramedic. I know Defibrillators save lives. Come and see how
BROAD TOWN CHURCH NEWS
Servies for June: 4th June - Communion - 10.30am – Coffee and biscuits after Service
11th June – Evening Service – 6pm
25th June – Evening Service - 6pm
2nd July - Ordination, as Deacon, of Richard Holness - Salisbury Cathedral.
BROAD TOWN NEWS
Is your neighbour new to Broad Town or do you know anyone who relies on smoke signals to find out what is going on in Broad Town? If so……. then why not let them know that they can easily subscribe to the BT News by e-mailing BroadTownNews@gmail.com
BROAD TOWN TRULY DID CELEBRATE!!
What an incredible few weeks we have had in the build up to, and the celebration of, the Coronation. The village looked amazing and judging by the number of motorists who stopped to take photographs Broad Town will be on many a Facebook page, not just our own! We were mentioned, and the scarecrows were featured, in the Gazette and Herald plus we also received a lovely letter (printed elsewhere in this newsletter) from a passer-by. Thank you to everyone who contributed and participated in whatever way, from litter picking, decorating (village, hall and shelter), making scarecrows (wow, some imagination went into those), baking cakes, dancing your feet off, donating raffle prizes, buying raffle tickets, buying mugs and tea towels, joining in with the Commemorative Service (and didn’t the Church look fantastic?) and helping out at the Church Yard (sorry about the weather, but amazing that people still turned up in spite of this). As well as having a wonderful time and making new friends we have also raised nearly £3000 for charity through all these efforts. Well done Broad Town, you are AWESOME! PS If you fancy helping us make it over the £3000 mark there are still some Coronation tea towels and mugs available – email mailto:raymanley1@icloud.com
BROAD TOWN HISTORY
Does anyone fancy doing a bit of detective work to locate and take a picture of Broad Town’s 9 benchmarks. Benchmarks were usually indicated by a chiselled arrow below a horizontal line where an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a levelling rod. They were originally cut by Ordnance Survey staff between 1831 and 1860 in order to provide a network of points at which the height above sea level was precisely measured. The network of ½ a million benchmarks was maintained until 1993 after which time the Global Positioning System (GPS) took over. Some of our benchmarks may have already disappeared so it would be good to get them recorded. Let me know if you’re interested in documenting our benchmarks – Contact Judy on 731605
BISHOP’S LETTER
One year ago, I became your bishop with that great service in the cathedral. It has been the fastest year in many ways, with changes coming at us all with a post-pandemic pace that has somewhat stunned us all. Changing prime ministers and monarchs, the cost-of-living challenges and international events moving faster than ever – just at the point when we ought to be reflecting on all that has happened to us. It’s been an ‘interesting’ time to become a diocesan bishop! I’m often asked if I’m enjoying it. There is no doubting the pace and the pace of change, but the answer is a certain yes – but – mostly because this is the Diocese of Salisbury. I have visited as many places as possible and what is clear is that the church is all about the local, and the bishop (and those assisting in this co-ordinating ministry) are there to hold more than one locality together. We are truly blessed here with our rural/urban mix, with coast and countryside, with Islands and ‘thin’ places. In being blessed, it is how we respond that makes the difference. We have a chance to show this when the Archbishop of Canterbury comes to us this month. Much of my time, with the contribution of so many in the diocese, has been the preparation of our new Diocesan Vision and Strategy – our plan for that coordination of our common life under God as disciples. All the detail to come, will live under the title Making Jesus Known. For all our differences in each locality, if we are not to be about Making Jesus Known, then I’m not sure what we are about. If we are all doing that, then yes, I’m really enjoying it!
ON LEARNING, F-LEARNING AND THRIVING
In July this little group of six churches will have an occasion to celebrate. Lots of us are going to Salisbury cathedral to see Richard Holness ordained as deacon because he will be coming to serve with us as curate. Now if you are thinking of curates and vicars as seen on television, Richard is not going to be curate in the style of Father Ted or Fleabag. On the other hand, those of you who know me will know I'm not really like the Vicar of Dibley - physically there might be a slight resemblance but in terms of my sense of humour and my ability to tell a joke I'm much closer to Alice Tinker than Geraldine Granger. Richard has been part of these churches longer than I have - he lives in RWB with his wife Fiona and their daughter Ruth and Broad Town is the parish that has married them, christened Ruth and helped develop his sense of being called to serve in ministry. Richard has already been doing this as a Lay Worship Leader but now he's going to have the very strange experience of being dressed up in a collar and apprenticed to serve the whole group while still working full time and being husband, dad, friend, colleague, IT geeky person and himself. My task is to help him continue to find out what that all means for him - Richard has already learned lots - he's been at college in Salisbury studying part time and now our task is to do lots (or at least as much as can be sensibly fitted in around full time work and life) of f-learning on the job. F-learning is not Rachma having a bad language moment but the skill she has begun learning from the local schools of seeing making mistakes, and failing as a route to greater learning. Failure-learning - abbreviated to flearning A curacy is a time and place for experimentation trying and succeeding, and sometimes trying and failing so that one can learn and learn to fail better next time. Much of the trying and failing will be done by Rachma not by Richard! It’s a compliment to all the churches in the groups that they thought we were willing to be experimented on and supportive of this apprenticeship element of Richard’s preparation for life as an ordained minister seeking to serve God at home, at work, and sometimes here in our churches. As you get a chance to welcome him over the next few months and years at both church and community events please be kind, say hello and find out what our favourite f-learning has been! - Rachma
REQUEST FROM RAY BOURTON
Having lived in Broad Town since the late 1930 there has been many changes. When my family moved here there was already a garden and flower show which was one of the highlights of village life this continued almost every year in August. The show changed from produce and flower and craft to the village gig which was enjoyed by most local people and residents from surrounding villages. The equipment that has been bought by the show committee over the years has been stored since the last gig in the lockup at Manor Farm Bungalow. Perhaps it is time to consider what should happen to this. I have no problem with the container staying in the field but do not want the responsibility for the contents. Do we want the contents to be sold off and any funds raised to go into a account and these funds to be held by the parish council for any events in the future for the benefit of the village. Any comments from interested parties within the village would be very much welcomed i.e. school /church / social club and parish council. R.A.Bourton Manor Farm Bungalow Please e-mail me on mailto:raandmebourton@btinternet.com
CHURCH COFFEE MORNING
The next Church coffee morning will be held in the Village Hall on Saturday 10th June from 10 am to midday. Refreshments, Raffle, Sales Table and Children’s Craft.
FOODBANK
The next village collection will be on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June at the Village Hall from 9am to 4pm each day. It has been reported that Food banks are struggling to keep up with demand, so please be as generous as you are able to.
OPEN THE BOOK
OTB offers primary school children an opportunity to hear Bible stories, presented by a team, in an imaginative and dramatized way. Broad Town Church has a team of 9 Storytellers who visit Broad Town School fortnightly.
WORK MORNINGS
Unfortunately the last two Churchyard work mornings had to be cancelled due to bad weather. Revised dates are as follows: Sat 27th May and Sat 17th June from 10am to midday and again on 8th July. Main task will be strimming (bring your own if you have one please) but there will be plenty of other tasks. Refreshments will be provided.
PROSPECT BOXES
In the recent collection of the prospect boxes a total of £235 was donated. Thank you to everyone who contributed – your continued support is very much appreciated.
CRAFT GROUP
This group is still in its infancy having only had four sessions however it has been well attended for such a new group. We meet on the first and third Wednesday mornings of each month to enjoy two hours of crafting and chatting with tea and coffee (and biscuits of course). We pay £2 a session to cover the cost of the hall. Between the members there are a variety of crafts ranging from model making and painting to cross stitch and crochet. There is opportunity to share ideas and learn something new from other members or to simply enjoy a quiet morning with like minded folk and do some adult colouring. You do not need to be good at any particular craft, all are welcome. We hope to have learned a bit more about one another’s abilities over the coming weeks with one of the ideas being to work towards a ‘Made in Broad Town’ craft stall for the Church Christmas Bazaar in early December. By then we will also have chosen an appropriate name for the group. Our June sessions will be on the 7th & 21st from 10-12 noon in the village hall, all welcome
WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH
The SID has been located at Chapel Lane monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB)
26,644 vehicles passing the SID which equates to approx. 888 a day
2,952 (11%) vehicles were speeding.
SOCIAL CLUB & DIARY DATES
Thank you to everyone for the great feedback about the live band who played over the Coronation weekend, and yes, we can confirm that, due to popular demand, we are pursuing them for New Year’s Eve. Can you believe we are already looking that far ahead? Up our sleeve for the rest of the year is a Games Night, a Beetle Drive, Community Carols and the NYE party. Details to follow. If you have any ideas about other events or themed nights you would like to see (and help organise) particularly on a Friday night, please email annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com Dates for Food for Thought are: ❖ Friday 30th June ❖ Friday 14th July ❖ Friday 25th August ❖ Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. ❖ 5pm – 8pm for takeaways; 5pm – 11pm for the bar. If you would like to come into the Club to eat your fish and chips, you are very welcome to do so. For the more discerning diners you are also welcome to bring your own plates, cutlery, and bread & butter (but please take your washing up home with you!). Standard Friday Nights ❖ Bar open 8pm – 11pm ❖ Great range of reasonably priced drinks and snacks ❖ Free darts and pool (snooker, not swimming!) ❖ Why not drop in? Everyone welcome: the more the merrier.
COMMUNITY SPEED WATCH (CSW)
Please give me a call if you want to be part of Broad Town’s CSW group. Chris Woodhouse on 07790815616
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Saturday 27th May – churchyard work morning10am to midday
Sunday 4th June - Communion10.30am – Coffee and biscuits after Service
Wednesday 7th June – Craft Group10am to 12
Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June - Foodbank
Saturday 10th June – Church Coffee Morning10am to 12
Sunday11th June – Evening Service 6pm
Wednesday 28th June Community Coffee Morning10am to 12
Sunday 2nd July - Ordination, as Deacon, of Richard Holness - Salisbury Cathedral.
Saturday 8th July churchyard work morning
The deadline for items for the newsletter is the 22nd of EVERY month. or e-mail BroadTownNews@gmail.com or Ray Manley 01793 731564