ON FOLLOWING THE LEADER

Do you remember playing ‘follow the leader’ as a child?

Last night I dreamed about playing follow the leader and when I woke my head was full of memories of that activity.  Some people seemed to find following very easy!  But I remembered a time when the leader was walking on a wall and waving their hands at the same time.  I found it very difficult to copy what they were doing because I was so busy trying not to fall off the wall that I didn’t manage to pay attention to what they were doing with their hands.

Some leaders were hard to follow because I am short and between me and the leader was someone taller so I couldn’t quite see the actions I was copying.  Sometimes the group of children would spend more time sorting out who would be the leader than playing at following.  Some children were such natural leaders that people would end up following them, not as a game, but simply because they wanted to tag along and be part of that leader’s activities.

Recently during a church meeting the group was following Yolanda’s* words as she was reporting back from a discussion elsewhere some months earlier.  I had been in both groups, but in a very similar way to playing follow the leader as a child, I felt I understood and learned more from following what Yolanda was saying.  In the same way, sometimes I stopped listening because I was busy trying to work out how to follow or having my own ideas!

Trying to follow someone else’s thinking and listening to the group’s thoughts reminded me that following a leader in real life also brings challenges.  Our village, church and work communities all have leaders and sometimes the leader we follow isn’t the official one.

Sometimes a change of staff at work or teachers and friends at a new school gives us a chance to choose a fresh leader to follow.  And, sometimes we are or want to be leaders rather than followers.

Of course, because this was a church group we were thinking about Jesus and his followers, his disciples; and what it might mean for us to be followers too. But whether or not you are a person of faith the question of who we follow, and how they lead may still be important.

So, how do you choose the kind of leader you want and how do you learn to follow your leader so closely that other people want to join in and follow along as well?

*not the real name of the person.

The Reverend Rachma Abbott Priest in Charge, Woodhill Benefice.

The Vicarage Clyffe Pypard, SWINDON SN4 7PY.  01793 731134

 

CHURCHYARD TIDY-UP

Thank you to everyone for their hard work during August and the next work morning will on 15 September.

 

 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

8^th Sep                         Church Coffee Morning

8^th Sep                         Ride and Stride

10^th Sep                        PC Meeting with deadline for Good Energy Community Fund       Applications

12^th Sep                        Community Coffee Morning

15^th Sep                        Churchyard Tidy up Morning

22^nd Sep                       Hilmarton Moviola

26^th Sep                        Community Coffee Morning for MacMillan

27^th Sep                        Riding Lights Theatre Company

29^th Sep                        Gents Breakfast Club

30^th Sep                        Deadline for Spackman Charity Applications

30^th Sep                        Harvest Tea and Harvest Festival

6^th Oct                          Harvest Supper

21^st Nov                        BT WI “Star Gazers” Evening

1^st Dec                         Christmas Coffee Morning

 

CHURCH COFFEE MORNING

The next Church coffee morning is the 8^th Sept, the same day as the Ride and Stride.  There will be the usual offerings of Refreshments, Raffle, Cakes, and Sales.  We look forward to seeing you all there for the chat and fun.

 

RIDE AND STRIDE 2018 - 8^th SEPTEMBER

Feeling energetic? Maybe this is the time to take part in a sponsored cycle, ride or walk in this year’s Ride and Stride.

Visit Wiltshire’s beautiful churches and chapels to raise money for Broad Town Church and The Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust.

For more information/sponsor form contact Carolyn Crocker 852754

 

THOMAS SPACKMAN CHARITY GRANT

Do you know a young person in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Charity?  This could be to fund some further education or training or to help develop a particular talent; it could be to help fund tuition in a musical instrument or even to develop a sporting skill.

Whilst the Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training, we are also able to assist individuals or families during times of severe temporary financial hardship.

Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 01793 853895.

All formal applications need to be in by the end of September 2018.

The next opportunity to apply will be March 2019.

COMMUNITY HEARTBEAT TRUST DEFIBRILLATOR

This is a reminder that we have a defibrillator in the Village.  It is sited outside the Village Hall and is available for anyone to use in the unfortunate situation of someone they are with having heart failure.  It is simple to use and talks you through what you have to do.  It is a requirement though, that you RING 999 FIRST to get help on the way as soon as possible.  The ambulance service will also tell you what to do and support you while you wait for the ambulance.  If you are within 200m of the Hall they will automatically tell you about the defibrillator and tell you the access code.  If you are further away but have someone who could fetch it for you quickly, you will need to ask them for the access code.

 

RIDING LIGHTS THEATRE COMPANY (YORK)

will present ’Gospel Street’ in St Bartholomew's on Thursday September 27^th at

7pm at the start of their Autumn tour.  Admission Adults £10. Concessions £8

Tickets available soon.  (Running time 2 hours plus interval.).  Enquires Derek Ormston. 852779

 

BROAD TOWN WI

On Wednesday November 21^st the WI will be holding an Open Meeting to which all villagers are welcome.  We will be having a talk by a member of Swindon Star Gazers on astronomy.  Entry will be £5 to include drinks and cake.  Please put the date in your diary.  Further details will follow.  Kate Orton

 

COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNING

The CCM team hope you have enjoyed the summer break and look forward to welcoming you back in September on Wednesday 12^th

Wednesday 26^th - money will be raised for Macmillan Cancer Support as part of the Macmillan Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning 2018.

As we begin a new season we have a few requests:

If there is anyone who enjoys baking and could bake a cake for us three or four times a year – we would love to hear from you, even if you are not able to get to the coffee mornings!

We are starting a fresh book share table and need some new books - if you have a book that you have enjoyed but no longer need we would be grateful to share it at the CCM

If you have any spare drinking mugs the CCM could make good use of them!

Many thanks

Margaret 731564; Carolyn 852754; Sandra 731523 and Annie 731281

HARVEST SUPPER

In VILLAGE HALL – Saturday 6th October – 6.45 for 7pm

TICKETS £10 Children under 16 £5 - 3 COURSE MEAL - BAR - RAFFLE

Tickets on sale now from Margaret and Ray Manley - Tel. 731564

 

REACH OUT TO TOUCH THE WORLD THIS CHRISTMASTIME 

No wrapping paper required, ribbon or tags, just knowing that by offering hospitality to a “Stranger Soon to Become Friend”, the experience will stay with you and your guest long after recycling the wrapping paper, storing decorations and finishing off the cold turkey! 

Here at HOST UK we offer you the opportunity to engage in an extra special Christmas-time by opening your home to an international student for whom the alternative would be, not only being far from home and loved ones but marking time in lonely halls of residence.  HOST UK arranges visits for International students all year round but as can well be imagined, festive season hospitality is greatly sought after and valued.  Our “festive season” will include the period in the Christmas run up, as well as New Year.  Your guest will be someone keen to experience British life with all its special traditions and culture and keen to share those of their home country.  Your hospitality will be a unique gift, invariably remembered and treasured.  Your gift to each other and to the world will be that of growing friendship, peace and understanding.  Please consider this opportunity and remember that if the festive season is difficult for you, we do operate all year round and hosting can become one of your New Year Resolutions!

If you should like to know more, please go to our website www.hostuk.org

or leave us a message on http://visits.hostuk.org/Public/ApplyToBecomeAHost

 

NOVEMBER 2018

So far not much has come for the exhibition in November of the 1WW so I am asking if anyone has any memorabilia for any conflict since then which they are willing to lend to the Church.  If you would like to write down your remembrances of either the 1WW or 2WW to put those in the exhibition I would be very grateful.

Thank you so much.  Margaret  margaretgreen@waitrose.com or 01793 854200

 

HARVEST TEA AND FESTIVAL

Harvest this year will be celebrated on Sept 30^th. We will have tea at 5.00pm followed by evensong at 6pm.

We will be collecting for the Food Bank as usual.

 

 

ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT’S PRISONER OF WAR CAMP

Can you or your family help?  During the course of the First World War, hundreds of thousands of men were interned in Britain.  Wootton Bassett opened a camp in March 1918 under the supervision of the Devizes Headquarters.  34 German military prisoners were housed in a substantial stone built property called the “Corner House” in Wootton Bassett, 38 other prisoners lived with local farmers and 10 were in migratory gangs.

We would dearly like to find out more about the Prisoner of War camp.

Did your farm employ Prisoners of War?  Do you know where the Corner House was?

Do you have any family memories or documents to share?

If so please get in touch by e-mailing rwbresearch@gmail.com or phone Judy on 01793 731605

 

PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE

How to contact us.  To make it easier to contact any one of your Councillors we have put our email addresses and telephone numbers in one place on our Parish Council website. You can find them at the following link

https://www.broadtown.co.uk/ParishCouncil/ParishCouncilDocuments/tabid/323/ID/2436/Parish-Councillors-Contact-Details.aspx

Footpaths Working Group

We received an update on progress from the Group at our August meeting and were very pleased to be able to support the purchase of a metal gate for Little Town cattle grid.  This has been a recognised need for some time and the Group should be congratulated on delivering their first significant improvement in making our footpaths more accessible.  The Group will be turning their attention to scoping the improvements needed on the White Horse Trail which has received a lot of poor feedback from residents and visitors to the village.

Good Energy Community Fund.

If you are a local community organisation seeking funds for a project please send your application for a grant from the Good Energy Community Fund into the Parish Clerk for consideration at the next Parish Council meeting.

See the Parish Council website for details on how the fund works -

http://www.broadtown.co.uk/ParishCouncil/ParishCouncilDocuments/tabid/323/ID/2391/Good-Energy-Community-Benefit-Fund.aspx

The date of the next Parish Council meeting is Monday 10^th September at 18.30pm in the Village Hall. Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be provided.

 

GENTLEMAN’S FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST CLUB

The Gentleman’s Full English Breakfast Club meeting is on Saturday 29^th September.  The speaker at this event will be Rita Jolliffe.  She will be talking about Wizzybugs.  Contact David May, davemay104@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to attend.

 

FOUR WAYS: OUR COMMUNITY PUB in Broad Town Village Hall

BINGO EVERY SUNDAY – eyes down 7.30pm; last ball 9.30pm-ish! Support your local non-profit: unlike commercial Bingo, every pound you flutter is returned to our players.  Stakes from £1.25, prizes can be over £60.  More participants = bigger winnings!  Never played?  It’s easy for beginners – we’ll show you how! Participants from beyond Broad Town always especially welcome.

BAR EVERY FRIDAY 8.15pm-late – OPEN TO ALL, CHEAPER THAN WETHERSPOONS!  Classic 60s-90s music vids or sports on our two-metre cinema screen.  Draught pints of Wadworth 6X and Beck’s Vier £2.60; various ciders, wine, spirits, fruit juice, squash, fizzy drinks, Aero hot chocolate, Tetley tea, Nescafe cappuccino, coffee & decaf always available.  Our fully licensed bar is available for your village hall event (at least four weeks’ notice required please). Contact: Trevor on 01793 731699  email fourwaysbroadtown@gmail.com • ‘Like’ us on facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown

 

WILTSHIRE MOVIOLA

Hilmarton Parish Church Hall, Saturday 22^nd September

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (12A)

7pm FOR 7.30pm, 75 comfy seats, refreshments and a wine sale licence, tickets £6 from Breda Cottage, 34 Church Road, Hilmarton 760312 (opposite chapel) or

Email hilmartonmoviola@hotmail.co.uk

Hilmarton Moviola also has a Facebook page.

For more info call Geoff Procter on 01249 760312

 

HELLO

Just a quick word to remind you all that 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.

Ellen Blacker, Health and Wellbeing Champion.

 

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.

 

 

BROAD TOWN PAINTER & DECORATOR

Hi Just thought I’d remind all of you that I’m in the Village.  It’s Glen Morley the Painter and Decorator.  I undertake interior and exterior work, to a very high standard. Everything is completed to the level I would have in my own home.  Please feel free to call me at any time for a free consultation and VAT free estimate.  My numbers are: Landline: 01793 739227 Mobile: 07545 573002.  Please leave a message if I’m unable to answer.

 

LOUISE – GIRL FRIDAY

Never-ending to-do list? Not enough hours in the day? Too much paperwork? Need a spare pair of hands? LET ME HELP!

Hi, I’ve lived in Broad Town for over 15 years and have a broad range of skills covering both business/office experience and practical, hands-on abilities.

If you need help with services such as: business support; de-cluttering & waste removal; Personal Assistant/Secretary; typing; general housekeeping; IT assistance, PowerPoint presentations; party invitations; garden maintenance; Excel spreadsheets painting; pet/horse care; general errand running, or anything else - please ask!

If I can’t do it, I’ll try and find someone who can.

I have full DBS/CRB clearance and £1m public liability insurance and references are available.

Examples of rates are available on my web site www.louisegirlfriday.co.uk. Please email louise@louisegirlfriday.co.uk or call 07748 752625 (land line 731858) to discuss your requirements. Thank you. Louise.

 

BRADIES ANNOUNCEMENT

Bradies is now under new management.

The telephone number is as before – 01249 890794.

All the Services are as before and the Hospital service will continue.

Details of the new timetable will follow.