News – Page 7
St Swithun’s Church Bell Ringers
There is now a route map of sorts out of the lockdown era; but it does not include any motorways and there is the possibility of detours. Let’s hope that we can all be patient and we shall get there in the end. It’s a bit like driving to holiday. “Are we nearly there, Dad?”, usually asked after only 30 minutes on the road.
The present restrictions on meeting up with people, which will not be changed until after Easter, means we cannot break the year long absence of ringing bells at St Swithun’s.
Easter is the most important celebration in the church calendar. Many incumbents and ringers up and down the country have been asking what can be done. The Church of England and the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers have agreed a set of guidelines, recently published, under which limited ringing may take place. Due regard must be had for social distancing and good ventilation in ringing rooms to minimise risk of virus transfer.
The Easter Day service for the Benefice will be an online gathering at 10am. The church will be open for private prayer from 10am to 3pm, with limited numbers at any one time. The church flag will be flown from early morning and one bell will be rung at about 9.45am to foretell the start of prayers.
I hope that the weather will be right to enable the bell to be heard throughout the village and signal not only Easter but also our journey out of lockdown.
May I wish you all and especially my ringing friends a Happy Easter and continuing good health.
Stephen Smith, Tower Captain
Phone: 07817-979390
Email: stephen.smith4426@btinternet.com
Woodborough in Bloom
The clocks have sprung forwards, hence the days are getting longer, the soil is slowly warming up and Spring has arrived.
As reported last month, Smalls Croft shrubbery has now been pruned and had a general tidy. The shrubs and lavenders at Ploughman Avenue will be pruned during April. Woodborough in bloom have been able to carry out this maintenance work by the generous support of Timmermans with our summer and winter planting schemes.
We would like to thank Perv Rasheed, a gardener and resident of the village, who has done all the pruning for us and the support team of helpers from the PC and friends with the tidying and disposal of the rubbish. It really did make the day run smoothly, a wonderful feeling of community spirit.
Thinking of our summer planting colour scheme we intend to have very bright pinks, cheerful to match our spirits as we slowly emerge from lockdown.
Thank you to all who have generously made donations to our funds this season. If anyone should wish to make a donation online please telephone Jan (9652860) for our sort code and bank details.
Thank you for your support.
Keep safe
Jan, Elizabeth and Jane
Poem for April
Slowing Down
