stretton focus

Community Voice of the Strettons May 2004 70p

Stretton Focus

Photo: Paul Miller

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STRETTON FOCUS(founded 1967)

Average monthly sales: 1,428 copies.(About 65% of households in Church Stretton)

Chairman David Jandrell . . . . .724531 Co-Editors Norma Taylor . . . . . .723617 Pat Oxtoby . . . . . . . .723199 Rachael Sankey . . . . .720024 Bill Forsythe . . . . . . .724100 Computer Production Barrie Raynor . . . . . .723928 Rowland Jackson . . . .722390 Cover Design Paul Miller . . . . . . . .724596 Distribution Jon Cooke . . . . . . . . .723205 Advertising Len Bolton . . . . . . . .724579 Treasurer John Wainwright . . .722823 Secretary Janet Peak . . . . . . . . .722994

email address: [email protected]

Advertisements. Rates for block and occasional advertisements may be obtained (send s.a.e.) from the Advertising Manager, Len Bolton, ‘Oakhurst’, Hazler Road, Church Stretton, SY6 7AQ, Tel: 01694 724579 to whom copy should be sent.

The Stretton Focus Management Board cannot accept responsibility for any product or service advertised. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply any form of approval or recommendation. Advertisers are required to comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice.

Submission of articles. Material on 31⁄2˝ disks or CDs, and typed or handwritten copy together with good quality glossy colour or monochrome photographs should be handed directly to Stretton Focus c/o Wrights, Estate Agent, Sandford Avenue by noon on the date below. Material may also be sent by e-mail to [email protected] as an attachment by the same copy date.

Disclaimer. Stretton Focus prints a wide range of articles and letters. The views expressed by signed articles are those of their authors and not necessarily those of the Management Board.

Copy day is normally the first Monday of the month. For the June issue it is Tuesday 4th May 2004 (12.00 noon).

The June Stretton Focus will be distributed on Friday 28th May.

Outlets. Stretton Focus may be purchased by annual subscription (delivered) or directly from Newsworld (Sandford Avenue), All Stretton Stores, Co-op, the Esso Filling Station and the Churches.

© 2004 Stretton Focus ISSN 1479-7356

Stretton Focus is printed by WPG, WelshpoolThe Official Church Stretton web site is at

www.churchstretton.co.uk.

Contents NewsTemporary Road Closures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Church Stretton Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Rotary – Youth Speaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Long Mynd Archers (cover article) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Arts Festival - New President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Tourism Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Rubbish Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Forthcoming eventsMayfair Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Silver Bow Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Food Fayre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12More Singers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30British Legion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Senior Citizens Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Borromini Ensemble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Christian Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Regular FeaturesAnglican Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Arts Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Bird of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Catholic Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Focus on Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Know Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Mayfair Lottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Mayfair Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Methodist Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Out and About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Quaker Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Question and Answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Shropshire Wildlife Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Thank you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Town Council Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Trivia Quiz 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Trivia Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40URC Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40What’s On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Other ItemsRavens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Gateway Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12A Canadian Tale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26AONB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Age Concern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28UNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Round Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Rotary - Golden Jubilee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Top Secret Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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What’s On in the StrettonsIf you wish to know the times of regular meetings of societies and groups, please consult the list of societies and their contacts in the central ‘yellow pages’

SUNDAY MAY 2nd• National Trust5.30am to 8.30am, Chalet Pavilion, Carding Mill ValleyDawn Chorus; A walk to the top of the hill to hear moorland birds. Cost: £2, children free

• TUESDAY MAY 4thChurch Stretton & District Flower Club7.30pm, Silvester Horne Institute, Church Stretton‘Nuts in May’- Mrs Kathleen Ceney

• WEDNESDAY MAY 5thSouth Shropshire Furniture Scheme7pm to 9pm, 11 Burway Road, Church StrettonPaper Sculpture course start dateCost - £30 inc. materials, Call 01694 724464

• THURSDAY MAY 6th to SUNDAY MAY 9thAnnual May FairRussell’s Meadow, Church Stretton

• FRIDAY MAY 7thFlicks in the Sticks7.30pm, All Stretton Village Hall‘L’Homme du Train’. Contact: 01694 723378

• SATURDAY MAY 8thRoyal British Legion 10.30am to 12 noon, Silvester Horne InstituteFree coffee morningFor further details see page 40

Stretton Choral Society7.30pm, Church Stretton School‘Mozart in May’Tickets from Burway BooksContact Pam Cole: 01694 723604

Flicks in the Sticks7.30pm, Picklescott Village Hall‘The General’. Contact: 01694 751739

• SUNDAY MAY 9thSilver Bow over the Strettons 10am to 12 noon, Rectory Fields, Church StrettonSponsored five mile walk over the LongmyndFor further details see page 12

• SUNDAY MAY 9th to SATURDAY MAY 15thChristian Aid Week.For further details see page 42

• THURSDAY MAY 13thCancer Research UK10am to 4pm, 6 Lutwyche Road, Church StrettonCoffee & tea, bring & buy stall

Flicks in the Sticks7.30pm, Hope Bowdler Village Hall‘Intolerable Cruelty’. Contact: 01694 723648

• SATURDAY MAY 15thThe Borromini Ensemble7.30pm, St James’ Church, CardingtonSummer Concert “Celebrated Masters of the Science of Musick”For further details see page 42

Folk Dance8pm, Ticklerton Village HallContact: 01694 722418

• SUNDAY MAY 16thArchery Awareness Day10am to 12 noon & 1pm to 3pm, New House Farm For further details see page 9

• TUESDAY MAY 18thAll Stretton Women’s Institute7.30pm, All Stretton Village Hall‘Resolutions’ – an account of a visit to Buckingham Palace

Countrywomen’s Guild2.15pm, Parish Centre, Church Stretton‘Domestic Abuse’ by S.S. Women’s Aid

• SATURDAY MAY 22ndChurch Stretton Liberal Democrats Plant Sale11am, The Paddock, 86 Sandford Avenue, Church Stretton

Shropshire Wildlife Trust – Stretton Branch10am to 12 noon, Parish Centre, Church StrettonCoffee Morning to raise funds for the Habitat Survey of Church Stretton Parish. Cakes, preserves and plants will be most welcome.

• SUNDAY MAY 23rdNational Trust10am to 1pm, Chalet Pavilion, Carding Mill ValleySpiders – Uncover and find out about a few of the 600 species that inhabit Britain. Cost: £2, children free

• FRIDAY MAY 28thFlicks in the Sticks7.30pm, Acton Scott Village HallContact: 01694 781356

• SATURDAY MAY 29thBook Fair10am to 4pm, Silvester Horne Institute, Church Stretton. Contact 01746 785250

Information submitted to ‘What’s On’ might be shared with the Church Stretton web site in the future. Please make it clear, when you send in your contribution, if you do not wish your item to appear on the web site.

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Future Temporary Road Closures Marshbrook level crossing

10th & 11th July 2004 from 11.30pm to 10.00am and 31st July & 1st August 2004

Anglican VoiceIntroducing our New Rector

Many of you will already know by now that the new Rector for the Stretton parish is Graham Stones. He is currently working in the

Exeter diocese.

For the past seven years of his ministry, Graham has been one of four Clergy working as a Team Ministry in and around Sidmouth in Devon. He has had responsibility for two Anglican churches; All Saints, Sidmouth and St Mary and St Peter, Salcombe Regis. Planning and leading worship, including All-Age services, preaching and pastoral care – as well as training and supervision of the Team Curate - have been part of his responsibilities. He has also had various diocesan responsibilities over this period.

Describing himself as Open-Evangelical, Graham has experience of running Alpha courses, leading a pastoral visitors’ team, coordinating home-groups and devising a ‘seeker-sensitive’ event aimed at ‘teens and 20s’. He believes in ‘making church a fun, welcoming and hospitable experience’ and, at the same time, being approachable and caring. He is at home with a wide range of theological traditions and indeed served in a Christian community (Lee Abbey) with others of wide-ranging backgrounds; part of his ordination training was an ecumenical course. He believes that the ‘good news of Jesus Christ is for all people in all times’. He enjoys a wide range of worship styles and is most at ease when the degree of formality matches the mood of the congregation.

Graham visited St Laurence’s about two years ago, while on holiday, and was pleasantly surprised to see our advertisement in the Church Times. As it

happens, he and his wife Marion had been praying about whether the time was right for a move, though without any set ideas. Our Parish Profile he found exciting and he believes that his gifts and experience will find ready application in the Strettons.

Graham’s wife Marion supports him 100% in his ministry, but also feels that her vocation is to be a Christian working in a secular environment, rather than in too many church activities. They have two daughters in their 20s who work away from home.

Prior to joining Lee Abbey, and theological training, Graham had a scientific education and for several years (over 10) worked in industry, holding managerial positions in three different pharmaceutical companies, ultimately with significant responsibility.

Graham`s service of Institution as Rector of the Church Stretton Benefice will be on Friday, 16th July and we are very much looking forward to welcoming Graham and Marion here to the Strettons.

On another tack, we are sorry that URC minister Norman Smith and his wife Sarah will be leaving later this year for

retirement (?) Norman is a wonderful colleague to share with, someone with deep faith and a great support in ministry. We shall miss him…and value the time remaining! Our friends at the URC will have our prayers in seeking a replacement. We’ve just been there – and done that!

Jon Hutchinson

From Revd Graham & Mrs Marion Stones

We were glad to receive a copy of the last issue of Stretton Focus and to see the front page strap line ‘New life in Christ’ alongside the picture

of the newly-hatched chick. Though we are hardly ‘spring chickens’, we are increasingly looking forward to the new life that awaits us in The Strettons.

Marion and I have spent the last sixteen years in full-time Christian ministry in Devon, all but 21⁄2 of them by the sea, so it comes as a surprise to respond to God’s call to a post which, I guess, is nearly as far away from the sea as you can get! At least, we will no longer be pestered by seagulls waking us up in the early hours!

It’s clear from our contact with Stretton folks so far that this is a friendly community and we are excited at the prospect of being part of it. The Christian life is often pictured as a journey; well, we shall soon be undertaking a life-changing journey to Church Stretton. We look forward to being among you and living our lives as part of a new community as we serve God’s purposes together.

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Most Whinchats return from their wintering grounds, mainly in the grasslands

of sub-Saharan Africa in early May. Several pairs inhabit the higher reaches of each of the Long Mynd valleys, and a few can also be found on Caer Caradoc, the Stiperstones and other parts of the south Shropshire Hills. The total population on the Long Mynd is well over 100 pairs, and is probably around two-fifths of the Shropshire total.

Whinchats are slightly smaller than Robins. Males have a dark brown back and wings, bright buff (almost orange) breast, broad white stripe just above the eye, and white feathers on the outer edges of the tail. Females are similar, but duller. The eye-stripe distinguishes them from the similar Stonechat, which often occupies adjacent hillsides.

When they first arrive, the birds feed quietly, flitting around the heather or dead bracken, rebuilding their energy after their long migration flight. After a short period, the males start singing to establish their breeding territories, and May is well underway. Scattered hawthorn trees are the favoured song posts in those territories that have them, but any prominent sprig of heather or bracken may be used.

The first clutch of eggs is laid in mid May, and Whinchats are relatively inconspicuous after the female starts incubating. Once nestlings are well-grown, from the first week in June, the adults emit a loud piping “tac tac” alarm call, usually from a prominent perch on the tallest frond of bracken. This call can be heard from a distance of a couple of hundred metres in still conditions. They circle around an intruder, calling incessantly, drawing attention away from their nest, or, later, the recently fledged young. Often the parents will separate and split the

brood between them, so they are not all vulnerable to a single predator. Any newly fledged young seen from late June onwards may be from second broods.

Whinchats are rarely heard singing after late June, and they are seen only occasionally after mid July. By then the young from first broods are independent, and feeding quietly in the well-grown bracken, whilst the adults are either stealthily raising a

second brood, or hiding away from danger while they moult. They start migrating south from mid August onwards.

Whinchats are almost wholly restricted to steep hillsides, and the Long Mynd Breeding Bird Project has proved that only hillsides covered with bracken are occupied – if there is no bracken, there are no Whinchats.

Bracken is usually perceived as an alien invasive nuisance, and habitat management plans often attempt to eradicate it through expensive aerial spraying. However, Whinchats are wholly dependent on bracken on the Long Mynd, and on many other British uplands as well.

The species is in serious decline, both nationally and in Shropshire, but the population density on the Long Mynd is still extremely high by national standards. The National Trust therefore has a particular obligation to these vulnerable birds, and must conserve bracken with an understorey, on steep hillsides near water, as their essential breeding habitat. However, continued removal of bracken from the Long Mynd plateau is also important. This won’t affect Whinchat, which is restricted to steep slopes, but it will benefit several other species which live only on the plateau, and which cannot tolerate dense bracken – particularly Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel and Skylark.

Bird Of The Month – May Whinchat

Hopefully, April’s Bird Of The Month, the Ring Ouzel, has returned to

breed on the Long Mynd. The Nest Protection Scheme will only work if we find any nests before the predators. Any information is useful. If you see a Ring Ouzel, please phone the location and other details, immediately, to Leo Smith on 01588 638577

The National Trust has now altered its bracken-spraying programme to reflect these requirements. Leo Smith

picture: Copyright Rory McCann

The Shropshire Raven Study Group reports

that a female Raven from a site close to the Welsh border

in 1994, which has been nesting within a couple of miles of Church Stretton for the last few years, is back in 2004. She is therefore the first wild Shropshire bird which has been proved to reach 10 years old. She is known as ‘White CB’ after the colour and letters on her ring. Happy Birthday, ‘White CB’!

In addition to this female, another 10 year old, a male from near Ratlinghope, still has a nest near Cardington.

Two Short Coursesat Mayfair

Two courses which are running from 20th April (and can be accessed at any time) are:

• ‘Banish the winter blues and spring into summer’ A six week course to help raise your energy levels. Tuesdays, 1.30 – 3.00pm with Gill Griffiths.• ‘Positive Living Course’ Tuesdays, 10am – 12noon with Annie Drury (Runs until 6th July)

STOP PRESS There have been several sightings of a Red Kite flying over Church Stretton during April.

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This year’s public speaking competition for schools, run by the Rotary Club of Church Stretton, was held at

Craven Arms. There were eleven teams taking part, from Ludlow College, Bishops Castle Community College, Bedstone College and

Church Stretton School. The students had to speak on topics that were announced only at the last minute. The judges said that the standard of presentation and argument was very high. There were two sections of the competition, Senior and Junior. Church Stretton came first in both the sections.

The winning Senior Team was made up of Emmanuel Eposti, Vernon Kerswell and Kyle Reece. The runners up in this section also came from Church Stretton School. They were

Youth Speaks Competition

Junior winners: Hannah Farley, Will Bretherton and Matthew Phillips receive their cup from Roy Jones.

Senior winners: Emmanuel Eposti and Vernon Kerswall with Roy Jones.. Photos courtesy S Shropshire Journal

March 30th was a big day for Church Stretton and the Area. After two and a half

years of consultation and planning, representatives of the Church Stretton Area Partnership were in Birmingham at the office of Advantage West Midlands, to present the Strategic Action Plan for our town and area.

We were quietly confident that we had a comprehensive plan that identified the needs of our communities. The plan offers ways of making our area more vibrant for those of us who live here and for visitors, helps retain our younger people and offers continuing opportunities for them to live and work here – but, above all, preserves and enhances our inspiring environment.

We met representatives of the West Midlands Market Towns Task Group

and made a 30 minute presentation of the 132 page Plan then waited for questions. “Had we done enough?” we asked ourselves. “Would we now qualify for the funding and other support to carry our Plan forward? Have the many thousands of hours of volunteer time and effort been worthwhile?”

Any nervousness we should have had was totally dissipated when Mark Pearce, a Director of AWM and leader of the panel, said that ours was the best and most comprehensive Market Town Plan which they had received. He said we had made some bold suggestions for addressing the needs which our consultation had identified. After one or two minor questions for clarification, he said that the Plan is very acceptable, nothing would be referred back to us for

Presentation of the Strategic Action Planchange and his panel would make written recommendations to the full Task Group. Their comments will be communicated to the Partnership within four weeks.

We came away elated. What next?

The Partnership is meeting in April to widen its membership, to formalise its procedures and to set up a Steering Group that can focus on securing funding and moving the projects forward. Some projects will take longer than others but there is plenty to do in the short term to progress towards our Vision for the Town and Villages aroundLong Mynd Living – an Inspiring and Thriving Environment

Trevor DaviesChurch Stretton Area Partnership

Nicola Phillips, Luke Carless and Ed Potter. The members of the winning Junior Team were Will Bretherton, Matthew Phillips and Hannah Farley.

The competition is a national one with four stages. These culminate in a grand final at Cardiff. The Church Stretton Teams went on to compete in the Midlands section at Penkridge but unfortunately were knocked out at that stage.

The competition aims to give young people the opportunity to gain valuable experience, not only at public speaking, but also in formulating ideas, working as a team and planning presentations. It is one of the ways in which the Rotary Clubs try to contribute to the development of young people in the community.

Roger Stokes

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‘Union, True Heart and Courtesy’

We are proud to have an Olympic athlete living in our local community. Alison Williamson of the Long Mynd Archers, whose picture appears

on the front cover, is ranked No. 1 in the UK and a short while ago was No. 1 in the world. She has just been selected for the British team, following a ‘shoot-off ’ at Lilleshall on 4th April and will compete in Athens at the Olympic Games in August. She will also compete in the European Championships being held in Belgium this month.

Long Mynd Archers have a home base at New House Farm, Church Stretton. Their 150 by 50 metres field nestles between the grandeur of Caer Caradoc and the roar of the A49 traffic. The Club is a thriving example of one of England’s oldest sports, and has a current membership of 75, with under-18s constituting almost half of the total. The Grand National Archery Society has as its motto: ‘Union, True Heart and Courtesy’.

Why do people become interested in archery? Age, size and gender are immaterial and all the family can participate. Long Mynd Archers, whose eldest member is over 80 and the youngest a mere six years old, compete throughout the year. The outdoor season is from May to September, but there is an indoor range at the William Brookes School at Much Wenlock. The School, called after one of the founders of the modern Olympic movement, has been the indoor venue for the last 25 years.

In all sports, true champions prepare themselves thoroughly to perform at the competitions that really count. Alison Williamson started shooting arrows at the age of 7. By the age of 13, she was invited to make her first international trip for her country. Today, at the age of 32 and with almost 20 years of international experience, she trains for a minimum of three hours a day and shoots at least 300 arrows a session. At Olympic levels, the speed of an arrow is 240 feet per second.

Alison’s preparation for the Olympics has been taking place in Germany where the facilities and coaching expertise available are outstanding. Her German coach holds the view that a 300 arrows practice is a mere warm up for the actual training session! In 2003, Alison broke 6 national records but is still improving and learning.

How can potential champions be recognised from an early stage? Tom Williamson, Club President, has a clear view and vast experience – “It’s the way they come to the full draw” says Tom. “They make it look easy with all parts of the body working smoothly and in unison”. Alison experiences sheer frustration when she fails to hit the middle of the target with every arrow. ‘Stroppy’ was the word used to describe his daughter’s behaviour when something less than perfection takes place!

Tom Williamson has just completed 15 years service as the International Manager for the British Junior Team and is therefore in a strong position to know what it takes to make a champion. Anne Webb is in charge of the UK Paralympics Team. Sue Williamson runs the Junior National Squad in the winter as well as being the Secretary of Long Mynd Archers.

The Club is well blessed with six coaches for helping all members to progress. Anne Webb, Graham Hislop, Tom and Sue Williamson all hold recognised coaching certificates with Kim and Kay Lucas on the way to achieving the same status. Sue is also the Records Officer and maintains a computerised record of every member’s

progress.

Everyone in the Club shoots to their ‘classification’ – a form of handicap similar to golf. ‘Classification’ allows everyone to compete with each other on an equal footing. The grades of progress are 3rd, 2nd to 1st class followed by Bowman,

Master Bowman and finally Grandmaster Bowman. No prizes for guessing who the

one Grandmaster is in the Long Mynd Archers with Kay Lucas designated as a Master Bowman.

Archery safety regulations are strictly upheld at the Club. An overshoot area of 50 yards behind the target is in place and a Field Captain, with the aid of a whistle, controls the competition with safety uppermost in mind. Long Mynd Archers have an unblemished record in this respect. Safety regulations are a key part of the induction process for all new members.

The Summer holds out an exciting prospect for the Strettons as we follow Alison’s progress in the Old Amphitheatre in Athens. The hopes of the local community rest on shoulders that have suffered recent injury but are now healing. We wish her well!

People who may wish to deepen their knowledge and interest in this ancient and honourable sport can do so at a forthcoming Archery Awareness Day. It is taking place at New House Farm on Sunday, 16th May between 10.00 am - 12 noon in the morning and 1.00 - 3.00 pm in the afternoon. Simply turn up and have a go at £5 for adults and £3 for juniors. Alternatively, access the Club’s website on www.longmyndarchers.co.uk or contact Sue Williamson on 01694 722767.

Man on Target

Long Mynd Archers

Save the Children

The Nearly New morning held on April 3rd was most enjoyable and successful and £386 was taken. We would like to thank everyone for their support.

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Methodist VoiceDaffodil Fair – 20 March 2004

This was a very successful and enjoyable day, inspired by Pam and Colin Powney. The church was beautifully decorated in readiness for the Mothering

Sunday service the following day, and the Fair was extremely well supported by members, friends and visitors. Over £700 was made for the fund for re-furbishing the church. We are grateful to Pam and Colin and to all other church members who helped to contribute to the success of the day.

On display was an impressive exhibition of artwork by the Junior Church on the theme ‘My Favourite Bible Story’, reflecting the work being done in Junior Church. We are grateful to Mrs May Holdway, and the Junior Church staff for this, and all the other work being done.

Church Anniversary – 23 May 2004

Both the morning and evening services on this day will be conducted by Revd Amos Cresswell, a former President of the Methodist Conference.

Festival Of Preachers

We are very grateful for those preachers who have accepted the invitation to be a part of the annual Festival, and the programme is given below:-4 July Revd Mary Austin - Walsall

Focus on Faith

I told a group of people that I had just been to see the film “The Passion of the Christ” and they looked absolutely taken aback! When I said that I was glad that I had been, and that I

would like to go again, they did not know how to react!

I meant it – I would like to go again. It is not an easy film to watch. There were times when I longed to close my eyes because I could not watch Jesus suffering any longer. Then I realised that that is why Jesus’ friends ran away – they could not watch it either.

Certainly I had never grasped what the taunting, jeering and scorn would be like. I had never realised either how vicious would be the whipping, beating and scourging. The weight of the cross, and the hammering of the nails through his hands were gruesome.

Like so many of us, I’ve read the story year after year, and it has lost some of its impact on me. I refer to the cross in nearly every sermon I preach, and I wear a silver cross round my neck, because I believe that that is at the heart of our faith, but I needed the film to see how much Jesus suffered, to see what his “passion” was like.

There is, of course, more to the account of Jesus’ suffering than that. When we reached the end of the film, the

11 July Mrs R Lyddon – Shrewsbury18 July Major Barbara Duncan (Salvation Army) Newcastle, Staffs

25 July Revd Susan McIvor – Newport (all-age worship)All the above services start at the usual time of 10-30am.

Away Day – 12/14 October 2004

The above will be held at The Methodist Guild, Lindfors in the Forest of Dean and will be led by Revd Joan and Mr Royce Warner. Further details of this at the appropriate time, but thanks to David and Stella Jandrell for organising the event.

Worship Group

The principal areas of work covered are:-(a) planning special services and inviting outside preachers and /or worship leaders, and,(b) working together to develop ‘in-house’ acts of worship(c) recommendations to the Church Council relating to ‘special’ services, and any other matters affecting church worship.

‘Review your worship, and that of your church. Is it acceptable to God, full of reverence and joy?’ (Revd Michael Baughen, formerly Bishop of Chester)

Harry Clarke

question in my mind was “What does it mean? Doesn’t it seem pointless?”

I watched “Heaven and Earth” (BBC1) a few weeks ago, when this film was being debated, and a prominent Jew was very angry that it was anti-semitic. One of the other people being interviewed was quite adamant that it was not, and it seems to me that she was right. It doesn’t matter which nationality put him to death (and it was more than one anyway), it was feelings like we have sometimes that put him there – jealousy, rage, spite, hatred and so on. We cannot blame anyone else – we are all in it together. But when we then hear him say, in a voice hoarse and breathless, hardly able to put the words together “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” we know that that is for us as well. We know that we too are loved and forgiven.

When, in the last moments of the film, we see Jesus raised from the dead, we catch a glimpse of a God who not only loves and forgives us, but also gives us a new beginning, new life, life that conquers death, eternal life. Now that we have reached the Sundays after Easter, that is what we celebrate over and over again – new life, for ever!

Joan Warner

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:29 am7


Church Stretton Food Fayre

The Committee is trying to ensure that both businesses and residents around the Town

Centre know of and have opportunity to comment on our plans for this year’s events on July 9th – 11th. Survey forms have been delivered to everyone and non-respondents will be followed up individually. We hope that as many businesses as possible will stay open for the main event on Sunday, as we want as many people as possible circulating round the town. We will have attractions by the Co-op as well as the main hospitality in the Mayfair Community Centre, plus the ‘Strangers in the Window’ competition, to lure people round the Town, spending ‘loadsamoney’, hopefully. A liberal distribution of hay bales will give then opportunity to rest their weary feet and a hand stamp will allow them to move freely between all the attractions.

When the programme of events on Russell’s Meadow is finalised, we will undertake a similar exercise with residents around the playing fields. I am delighted now to have a Vice-Chair, Sharon Nichols, who is taking charge of this venue.

It is really encouraging that so many businesses are making pledges for the Promise Auction on the Saturday night, so that should be a most enjoyable and lucrative event - there’s still time for more pledges, though. For the Sunday night finale, we have booked the Hereford Big Band – but, promise, all will be silent by 11p.m.!

We are delighted that the Ale Trail will this year include three hostelries from the centre of the Town, so we’ll be encouraging trailers to use their legs a little to ease the pressure on the Shuttle. The Guided Walks will this time link in with some hostelries we cannot easily bring in to the Trail, so giving us a wider coverage.

Publicity-wise, we have now relaunched our web-site, www.foodfayre.org which gives all the latest information, plus the option of downloading a booking form for

discounted advance tickets (children/young people under 16 years of age will have free admission). Advance Fayre tickets (with 25% discount) and Ale Trail and Walking tickets are now available from the Tourist Information Centre, John Thomas (florist) and Burway Books. Tickets for the Ale Trail (also available from participating pubs) and for Guided Walks have to be limited in number – so buy now to avoid disappointment!

Bob Welch, Chairman, Food Fayre Committeecontinued next column

Every fortnight, on a Wednesday evening, over 30 members of the South Shropshire Gateway Club and their carers meet at Wistanstow Village Hall

for a dance or entertainment. There are Gateway Clubs throughout England and they are affiliated to Mencap providing social activities for adults with learning difficulties.

Recently the Club at Wistanstow has been having difficulties with its sound equipment. John Miles, the organiser of the Club was delighted when Shaun Willocks of the Round Table of Church Stretton said they would help to replace the equipment. Eventually it was decided that this would be a joint venture with the Rotary Club of Church Stretton, so each raised £350 for this. With a generous offer of assistance from Rob Mulliner, the General

Manager of the Salop Music Centre, who offered to add about the same amount to the total, it has been possible to provide an excellent DJ setup for the club.

This was handed over on Monday 15th March at the Salop Music Centre in Castlefields. It was received by two members of the Club, Mark Betts and Robert Sherratt of Blackhurst. Pat Doyle, President of the Rotary Club, Graham Stewart (Chairman of the Round Table) and Rob Mulliner of Salop Music Centre joined in saying how delighted they were to assist such a very worthwhile local project. Stefan Edwards, the regular DJ, said that it would be an immense asset to the Club and he would enjoy having such professional equipment to operate.

Roger Stokes

New DJ Equipment for the South Shropshire Gateway Club - a joint venture

Silver Bow over the Strettons Sponsored Walk on Sunday 9th May 2004

On Sunday 9th May, hundreds of mums, dads, children, runners and walkers are expected to set off from Rectory Fields, Church Stretton, to complete a

sponsored five mile, 1200ft ascent over the Long Mynd. The event will raise much needed funds for the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre Appeal to improve facilities for local people with cancer at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Participants can set off between 10.00 am and 12 noon and should be reasonably fit, wear walking footwear and suitable clothing. The walk is on tracks, footpaths and open hillside. It will be signposted and marshalled at strategic points. All participants will receive a route description and sketch map.

Organiser Anita White said “Two years ago I became aware of the lack of decent facilities for children receiving cancer treatment at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and I wanted to help. With friends, helpers and local organisations we put on this sponsored walk and raised over £15,000. It was a wonderful achievement and an occasion when many people had a fun time. People and organisations are already coming forward, offering support and wishing to undertake the challenge. I am now appealing for even more support for this new charity appeal. We are all looking forward to another gala day in Church Stretton”. See photo opposite

Call 01694 724222 for further details and a sponsor form or to offer help. Sponsor forms are also available from Chamberlaine & Stephens Estate Agents.

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:29 am8

Stretton Focus - 13 - March 2004

Anita White (walk organiser) and Catherine Jacobs (walker being sponsored) with Oscar, Warrant Officer Les Ashfield (Royal Logistics Corps) and Michael Jacobs (junior walker in training).

All Stretton`s Art and Crafts Exhibition

We made £245.03 for village funds and had nearly 200 visitors to see the work of 40 exhibitors and that of the Local History Group. Most

important, we had a great community occasion.

Many thanks to all who contributed in so many ways, the exhibitors, the construction/demolition team, the stewards, the arrangers and hangers, the cake makers and innumerable others who volunteered their services with characteristic All Stretton generosity.

Roger & Margaret Stokes

Alison Clarke-Williamson with her son’s picture ‘Me through a goldfish bowl’

Betty Shearer with her tailored suit that she made

‘Churches Together’ Coffee Morning

Churches Together’ in the Strettons is delighted to report the great success of the coffee morning on the 27th March when the wonderful total of £940 was raised

for the Afghan Livelihood Project. This means that over the last six years the annual coffee mornings have raised a total of £4,251.80 for charitable projects, both local and further afield. These mornings provide a lovely opportunity for all the churches to work together and we would like to thank everyone for their support.

Norma Brewer Mothers’ Union

The Condover Deanery Branches of the Mothers’ Union would like to thank all those

people who supported them at the Marmalade Market held in the Square, Church Stretton, on Saturday 6th March. A total of £165 was raised for Diocesan funds. All stock sold out very rapidly, so sorry to those of you who were disappointed!

Muriel Hill buys at the Marmalade Market

Church Stretton Inner Wheel

The Members of Church Stretton Inner Wheel would like to thank the people of the Strettons who supported the recent concert by the ‘Intrada’

Brass Ensemble. The musicians, from various backgrounds including the youngest member of the ensemble who is leader of the brass section of the National Youth Orchestra and one not-so-young from the famous Grimethorpe Brass Band , helped us raise £780 to be divided between Children in Crisis and Inner Wheel Charities.

Barbara MacIntyre

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am9


Mayfair

T he following is from a talk given by Dr. Jenny Howard at the ‘Easy Health’ Open Day at Mayfair. We found it so inspiring we would

like to share it with Focus readers.

I am a Partner in the GP practice, but I have also been training as a homeopath over the last three years at Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital. In another context,

I could have introduced myself as a calligrapher or an embroiderer or a member of a singing group - all of which would be truthful statements and I want you to remember that because it is relevant to what I am going to talk about today.

My title is ‘Therapeutic Encounters’, which sounds rather grand, but what I am going to talk about is very simple, it is the stuff of human meetings that we all do at different levels every day. It is about what happens between a doctor and a patient or a client and a carer.

Let me start by saying a few things about the way I understand ‘health’ and ‘healing’. The first is that health can be difficult to define, but not difficult to understand. Health is a subjective phenomenon: we know whether we feel well or not, and we don’t need a health expert to tell us. To understand how people get sick and people get well we need to understand the individual and the context in which they have become ill. We cannot understand illness without understanding the person that is ill. This is different from understanding the disease process occurring at the level of the affected organ. A person who is ill is more than a disease entity. If I ask someone to tell me about themselves and they say, “I am a diabetic”, they have told me nothing about the person who has been diagnosed with diabetes.

Our bodies have an amazing potential for self-healing. We take it for granted that wounds heal and bones mend but it is our bodies that do it. It is important that the bones are lined up correctly and held in plaster, or that the wound is cleaned and stitched. Our task is to provide the right conditions for healing to take place, to support the body whilst it heals itself.

So how do we identify and then provide the right conditions in our everyday encounters with other human beings to allow healing to happen? In particular I am referring to the meeting between a patient/carer and a client/therapist but, in fact, all human encounters have the potential to be therapeutic.

I am not talking about things that separate us as therapists, what I call our tools - the doctor’s drugs, the homoeopath’s remedies, the acupuncturist’ s needles - these are all important. We need to be skilled in using whichever therapy we practise, but we also need to be skilled in using ourselves. How do we use ourselves creatively? We know how to do it instinctively, but we don’t always think about it. Perhaps by thinking about it and training ourselves to do it we could become more successful at catalyzing healing responses. What do we bring to a consultation that comes from ourselves rather than our training? These are intention,

attention, compassion, empathy, kindness, honesty, integrity, listening, time, touch, silence, atmosphere, motivation, awareness and perspective. Perhaps we are more powerful than we realise!

Why do consultations fail to work? Stand in the checkout at the Co-op to hear what people say about visits to the doctor and you will soon find out. “The doctor was in a rush, I don’t feel she listened to me.” “1 hadn’t finished talking before she was writing the prescription for anti- depressants I didn’t take them”. “He ignored me and only seemed interested in my disease.” Does any of that sound familiar? What can we learn from those comments? Well, we need to be there, not thinking about what to cook for tea. We need to listen and hear both what is said and what is not said. We need to think about whom we are meeting, not what the diagnosis is. Simple stuff really, but not always easy to achieve.

How do we activate ourselves so that we are focused on the person in front of us? We all know the difference between music on in the background that we are not actively listening to and then switching ourselves on really to listen. That is the change we need to learn and one of the ways we can do it is by waking up our creative processes in other ways - painting, writing, etc and that creativity will translate to our other work. So go and find what Mayfair has to offer and join that painting class!

I’m sure that you have had the experience of meeting someone in the course of the day’s activities and feeling better for it. How does it leave you feeling? I can think of a particular person who I cared for as she was dying. Sometimes I wasn’t sure who was the patient and who was the doctor. I always left her presence feeling calmer and better able to cope and get on with the next task. That is how I would like people to leave my surgery; feeling better able to cope and in control of their anxieties. Empowered and enabled is the jargon term. The strength has come from within themselves and the consultation has merely provided a catalyst

Some thoughts about how we can get better as carers. Learn from your own encounters and the good and bad examples that you witness about what works and what doesn’t. Our patients are our best teachers. Use your own experience of illness and unhappiness and how you coped or failed to cope. Learn from other disciplines; spiritual traditions and other healing approaches have their own insights. Wake up your own creativity. Learn to draw or paint or play a musical instrument and don’t forget to laugh. John Ruskin said, “When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece”. Let’s see if we can’t produce an entire art gallery.

Mayfair Lottery Result for March No..... 517 .... £100 304 .... £50 11 .... £20 356 .... £10

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am10


Dear Editor ....

It is encouraging to see from recent issues of Focus how much activity is taking place to ensure a healthy future for our pleasant town

and to protect its environment. May I be permitted to suggest, however, that there is a danger that one vital aspect may be overlooked? A considerable number of existing groups provide activities and facilities that are an established part of the town’s current enjoyable life. Many of these groups are run by active but inevitably ageing volunteers, and unless a steady succession of helpers comes forward these groups will eventually die, and with them the amenities that they provide. Volunteers are often difficult to find. In our enthusiasm for new activities and ideas, might we not be allowing part of the town’s life to die?

As the current chairman of the Gardening Club, I am proud to be part of a group that provides regular and well attended monthly winter talks, a well patronised series of coach trips in the summer and, above all, the successful traditional annual Summer Show (supplemented this year by an informal Spring Show). Within the next year or so we shall urgently need a treasurer, a secretary, a publicity secretary and a vice chairman (with a view to taking over the chairmanship within a short time). These tasks have been nobly performed for a number of years by dedicated people, but none of them is beyond the capabilities of the ordinary interested person. Forget those forbidding experts on the media! Clearly, without volunteers to come forward (and none are currently obvious), this successful Club could be faced with closure.

May I be impertinent, and suggest that some who have already shown their enthusiasm in relation to new activities might (in colloquial parlance) be prepared ‘to put their money where their mouth is’ and come and help us? Perhaps the C S Partnership owes this to us, as it has arranged its last two public consultation meetings on the same days as our traditional monthly lectures. This has presented our usual numerous audience with a difficult conflict of loyalties, denying those publicly spirited persons who have direct responsibilities to the lectures the opportunity to make their voices heard and depriving able visiting lecturers, who come from a considerable distance and are booked a year in advance, of part of their audience.

Roy CoadChairman, C S and District Gardening Club

What an excellent reply to the Church Stretton Partnership report by Janet Beaumont-Nesbit. May I ask who

created this unelected organisation and is its purpose to take over the democratically elected council? I sincerely hope not.

The report was gushing with praise and adoration for the consultants’ report by Mr. Geoff Edge of West Midlands Enterprise Consultants. I would like to know how much this consultancy cost and

did it cost the community taxpayer any money? I hope not.

I have lived in All Stretton for 19 years and I think the Strettons are the best place on the planet and it does not require do-gooders to regenerate and spoil the situation. I am a semi-retired chief executive and have travelled our planet extensively over the last 40 years but I was, and still am, delighted to return to this wonderful area which has so many good points and feelings.

I would like to know if the quango Advantage West Midlands has visited the council to hear from our elected body, or have they worked directly with the so-called partnership? I would like to think that Advantage West Midlands would be working alongside our council. I await your reply. Michael Whitehouse

I recently came upon an interesting old book entitled Church Stretton, some Results of Local Scientific Research, published by Wildings, Shrewsbury and edited by Major

C W Campbell-Hyslop 1900-1904.

Unfortunately I only have the first volume (of three) entitled Geology by E S Cobbold Macro-Lepidoptera by F B Newnham, BA and Moluscs by R A Buddicom, BA.

The other two volumes are Volume 2: Birds by G H Paddock, Plants by R de G Benson, Mosses by W P Hamilton and Parochial History by Henrietta M Auden and Volume 3: Archiological Remains byE S Cobbold.

I don’t know if the other two volumes still exist anywhere, but these books must be the most comprehensive studies of the Church Stretton area ever made, and by local people at that, judging from the names of the contributers.

It would be very interesting to make comparative studies of the area today 100 years later to compare the flora and fauna of the area, to see if there has been any decline or change, given farming changes etc.

I would be happy to lend this book to anybody who would like to use it, and wonder if copies of Vols. 2 and 3 still exist? They were obviously a very small print run, so may be extremely rare. W F KerswellLetters continued at foot of next page

I read with great interest the article on the Church Stretton Branch of Save the Children. It brought back many fond memories of committee members that I worked with.

They were full of energy, ideas, humour and inspiration!

I do need to just add a little to Barbara’s mention of me and my sponsorship. I was, indeed, the facilitator for the sponsorship of a number of children in Ladakh, India but real credit must go to the pupils of Church Stretton School. Each year I would make an appeal to the school’s Year 7 to support the sponsorship of a child, through fund raising and letters and, without fail, the response would be overwhelming. It always restored my faith in the young!

Bernard Ford

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am11


URC Voice

This is the month in which Church Stretton United Reformed Church marks its anniversary. This year our anniversary

preacher is our Moderator, the Revd Elizabeth Welch. Our church began with just seven members, who formed themselves into a Congregational Church, meeting for a time in a room above a carpenter’s shop.

Bearing in mind that Jesus was a carpenter, and that at the end of his ministry an upper room was of great significance, it might have been a disappointment to leave those premises when the congregation got too large!

They moved into the present building in 1866 (which hopefully will begin to be refurbished before long) and, although

significant changes have affected the denomination since that time, the congregation in Church Stretton have gone on meeting week by week. In 1972 when many Congregationalists and Presbyterians joined together it became a United Reformed Church. Although the name did not change again, there was a further union with some

I would just like to say how much I miss the old style ‘Diary’ from Focus. I agree there is a lot more in the way of contacts and phone numbers - but the “What’s on in the Strettons” doesn’t cover half as much as before. Although I’m a regular reader of the town noticeboards, I feel that some people are going to miss out on events and activities they

may otherwise have supported.

As an example, as a member of the Stretton Traidcraft group, our regular stall at Mayfair (Thursdays 10.30am - 1pm) was automatically listed in the section for weekly/monthly events. This no longer appears. Could this feature please be re-instated?

Kate JohnsonWe apologise for failing to list the Stretton Traidcraft Stall. This is now being advertised in the ‘Support at Mayfair’ section in our yellow pages. Ed

who belonged to the Churches of Christ. In more recent times another step forward was taken when the Congregational Church of Scotland took steps to extend the United Reformed Church north of the

Scottish border.

In keeping with a famous prayer that Jesus used, our tradition has tried to find ways of bringing different denominations together. Jesus prayed ‘that all of them may be one……so that the world may believe that you sent me’. More and more congregations around the country are working together, and we await the outcome of initiatives that have been taken to bring Methodist and United Reformed Churches together, at the same time also looking for the outcome of the Anglican/Methodist Covenant.

Having written all that, I find it refreshing to find people who are not hung up on denominational labels. Many who move house these days, especially those of a younger generation, do not necessarily look for a church of a particular denomination, but a church where the Good News of Jesus is clearly proclaimed and reflected in its worship and witness. They search for a community that is excited about the faith, and clearly attempting to inspire its members to be aware of God’s love, but also equip them to serve him in the community and the church.

As we start another year of our history we need to concentrate on the essentials of our faith, and to focus on how we help others discover the love, joy and peace of the living God.

Norman Smith

Letters continued

As a resident at Denehurst Court retirement apartments I take exception to the remarks levelled at the development in Focus. It was quoted that the property was ‘not responding to a properly identified need’. But surely the very reason for this type of accommodation is to meet the needs of the elderly retired so that they can live in a secure

environment with independence and with the consolation of company when desired.

Further, at no time can we ever be a burden on the health services or county subsidies. We do not in any sense detract from the ethos of the neighbourhood nor conflict with the interests of the community at large. We are dutiful Council Tax payers and contribute to the local economy. It was also reported that there was a slowdown in the sale of the apartments, but this is strongly denied by the trading group which asserts that sales were well on target for a development of this size.

The alternative suggestion made of using the site for affordable housing would hardly seem attractive in view of the limited employment prospects, except perhaps to financial services providing mortgages. On no account could we be regarded as ‘a waste of space’.

R. Harper (on behalf of the residents)

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am12


New president

The Church Stretton & South Shropshire Arts Festival has announced

the name of its new president. He is the British composer Andrew Downes. Born in 1950, he ranks today among internationally acclaimed composers. He will preside over our popular Summer Festival which takes place between Saturday 24th July and Saturday 7th August 2004.

Andrew Downes won a choral scholarship in composition and, in 1974, went on to study with Herbert Howells at the Royal College of Music. He is now Head of the School of Composition and Creative Studies at Birmingham Conservatoire. His music has been performed throughout the world in many leading concert halls and cathedrals and has also been broadcast internationally. To date twelve CD’s have been made of his music. Current projects include Songs for Autumn, commissioned by Symphony Hall, Birmingham, first performed in October 2003 and an opera, Far from the Madding Crowd, to be premiered at the Thomas Hardy Festival in 2006.

John Woolmer, Festival Chairman said, “We are absolutely delighted to have Andrew as our President, especially as he comes from such a prestigious and creative artistic

Arts Festival

Posters and Programmes for 2004

As you read this, posters and programmes will have spread round our town and

well beyond its borders, indeed throughout the country, judging by last year’s audiences. Friends of the Festival will already be ordering their tickets, others will have to wait a few weeks. If you wish to become a Friend, or to find out more about us, our Membership Secretary, Gerald Bolton, on 01694 723807, would love to hear from you. If you run any type of establishment offering accommodation, our programmes can be useful tools in attracting visitors or for putting on display in your ‘Local Attractions’ stand. Many visitors from other parts of the country came to try the Festival once and now come back every year. Just let us know and we can deliver a supply.

A brief reminder of the dates: 24th July – 7th August. We look forward to seeing you. Last year attracted record numbers, with many events completely or nearly sold out, so we hope for the same success this year. All this couldn’t happen without people running it. Would you like to help in any way? Why not give us a ring?

George Roby, 01694 722159

The Blue Remembered Hills Project’s first year has been a great success – over 3,000 people have taken part in the events, walks, talks and community

consultations and over 100 landowners have been offered management advice and grant aid for features such as rivers, wildlife sites and orchards.

For year two, there will be more opportunities both for groups and individuals to celebrate, conserve and enhance the beauty of the Shropshire Hills landscape. The Tree Wardens Scheme is being promoted to Parish Councils in order to recruit more local volunteer tree wardens who

A Canadian Tale

Those of our readers old enough to remember the Second World War in the Strettons may recall Jean Holmes; she moved to Canada shortly after the war,

became Jean Legare and settled in Alberta, in Grande Prairie in the northwest of the Province.Living alone since the death of her husband some years ago, but spry and independent at four foot nine and seven stone, she was going down stairs after bedtime on Christmas Day when she tripped and fell. She lay at the bottom of the stairs with a broken leg, a broken arm, and a fractured hip,

background. He is a really nice man, very easy to talk to and full of enthusiasm. With his support we are looking forward to another successful Festival.”

Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)gather information about local trees and act as contacts for matters concerning tree care.

Riddings, a wildlife site in the Clun Forest, will benefit from a grant enabling the removal of hawthorn scrub to open up the grassland to sunlight and warmth, promoting the growth of wild flowers (including the rare Northern Marsh Orchid) and encouraging butterflies and other insects.

For further details and events programme contact the AONB Office tel: 01588 674080 or visit the website at www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk

surviving for nine days (!) by drinking water from a jug she was able to reach. Various relatives who tried to contact her all assumed she was staying with someone else, but in the end asked the RCMP to break in to her house where they found Jean in the basement, quite lucid and able to tell them what had happened. She was described in hospital shortly afterwards as ‘in good spirits and doing well’. A memorable Christmas but not recommended.Our thanks go to Dot Alston who sent us a clipping from the local paper.

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am13


May is For Mary

It has been part of the Catholic tradition to put aside the month of May to think about Mary, the mother

of Jesus. The Bible does not say a great deal about Mary, but what it does say tells us that she was the key human person whose agreement with the angel, (“Let it be done to me according to your word”) began the story of Jesus Christ’s coming amongst us.

We can trace the life of Mary through the things which happened to Jesus, until the day when she is recorded standing by the cross when Jesus died on the first Good Friday.

From this point, there are two factors which make Mary so important. The first is seen as we come to realise, through our understanding of who Jesus was, what that meant for Mary. If Jesus is God (“The Father and I are one”) then what can we say about Mary? This is why we call her ‘Mother of God’. If Jesus is risen and is therefore alive so that we can speak to him (“I will be with you until the end of time”) can we not also speak to Mary?

The other factor which gives us our devotion to Mary comes from our human understanding of her relationship with us. At the foot of the cross stood Mary and John, the beloved disciple. Jesus said to Mary, “This is your son” and to John, “This is your mother”. Mary becomes the mother of all the brothers and sisters of Jesus. As she could direct her son Jesus to change water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana, so she can direct Jesus now to help us.

Roman Catholic Voice

Age Concern Tuesday Day Centre

Church Stretton Tuesday Day Centre has been in operation since 1982, supported by Age Concern and a wonderful band of volunteers.

The aim of the centre is to provide a day out for people living alone (or lonely through other circumstances) or a day of respite for a carer or family looking after an elderly relative. The Centre, which is held weekly at the United Reformed Church Hall, offers a place where people can relax, meet old friends and make new ones, have a little shopping done if wanted and generally enjoy the company. Transport is provided where possible. Members are recommended through a doctor, nurse, health visitor or Age Concern.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are to hand mid-morning, followed by a first class mid-day meal and afternoon tea with cakes or biscuits before going home. There is always a raffle where everyone gets a small prize as well as sing-songs, readings and some (very!) gentle exercise. There are various outings during the year and a splendid Christmas party. Each week there are fresh flowers on the dinner tables, which members take home afterwards. This is all made possible by devoted volunteers and long may it continue. Further details from Jean Morgan (organiser) 01694 723826

In one of the best known Catholic prayers, which every catholic will never forget, we say, “Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, now, and at the hour of our death”

Fr Joseph Donlan

Imagine you’ve recently disposed of a computer and someone uses the information on the hard drive to impersonate you. You can’t understand how anyone

could have accessed your private information; you reformatted the hard drive. The unfortunate truth is that whoever has your old computer can easily retrieve your ‘deleted’ data without even buying any special software.

When you delete files or format a hard drive you are not removing data, you are simply telling the computer to re-use the disk space. The information is still there until it’s replaced. Although recovering data from a formatted disk requires software, such applications are freely available on the internet as trial versions.

The best way to remove data is to overwrite it, replacing the old data with new, null data. There is software available to ‘sanitize’ hard drives but even this can be reversed with very sophisticated equipment. Admittedly, you would probably have to be suspected of international espionage for your ex-computer to receive such treatment.

If you work from home or own a business, there are further problems associated with computer disposal. Organisations risk prosecution if data is not properly removed from unwanted

computers. It is an offence under the Data Protection Act to discard a computer that contains personal data on other people. It can lead to Crown Court prosecution, unlimited fines and separate prosecutions by any individuals affected.

If you really do want to make sure your old data won’t be viewed there is only one answer – destroy the hard drive. The police recommend drilling holes into it; a spokesman from one hard drive manufacturer suggests using a sledgehammer. If you think this is a bit violent, be warned; even a trip to the bottom of the sea won’t kill your hard drive!

Rachael Sankey

Recommended software for hard drive sanitation: WipeDrive (www.accessdata.com)Norton Systemworks (www.symantec.com)Free Eraser from Heidi Computers (www.heidi.ie/eraser)

Know Your Computer: Hard Drive Hijack

“Drill through your hard drive!”

photo: Paul Miller

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am14


Church Stretton Spring Clean

On Sunday 4th April, 6 women and 2 men undertook the first of our monthly street

sweeping exercises, filling 16 bags. Much litter had already been removed by our litter-picking team and there was no dog dirt. However, there was a considerable amount of tree debris around some of the premises and in the gutters. There was also impacted mud and dirt around shop frontages and in drains, which we scraped away with hoes.

The complimentary comments from motorists and passers-by were very encouraging, and we greatly appreciated the coffee from John Thomas the Florists, cups of tea offered by Derek Barker and the bacon sandwiches and coffee given by John Gott, Berry’s Coffee House.

What did we get out of it? Pride of Place, satisfaction in a job well done, fresh air and exercise and we found £1.02p!

During our first sweep we worked for approximately two hours but were only able to cover Sandford Avenue and the area around the Square. We could really do with some more volunteers. Our next ‘Sweeps’ will be held on Sundays, 2nd May and 6th June at 7.30 a.m. If anyone feels they would like to help, please do ring 01694 720086

On the same day, John Bennett’s team cleared 23 bags of rubbish the Railway area!

Church Stretton Area Tourism Group

The More Singers Summer Concert‘Sumer Is Icumen In’

Following their successful concert at Munslow Church, which raised £150 for the Church

Restoration Fund, The More Singers Summer Concert takes place again at Concord College on June 19th at 7.30 p.m. The choice of charity this year is the Mayfair Community Centre in Church Stretton, which is hosting the event.

The Music to be performed ranges from the sixteenth century, beginning with John Dowland and Orland Gibbons, to Stanford, Parry and Elgar, ending with George Gershwin.

The guest artist is the talented young soprano Sarah Westwood, who will sing music by Poulenc and Roger Quilter. After graduating from Birmingham Conservatoire, Sarah continued her postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music with Valerie Masterson and Elizabeth Ritchie. Whilst there she sang for Robert Tear, Sir Colin Davis and Christopher Hogwood and was a prize-winner in the Isabel Jay opera competition. She is now an established performer in oratorio and recital music. Past teaching posts have included the Elgar School in Worcester and Hereford Cathedral School.

Tickets cost £10.00 and include a pâté supper and a glass of wine in the interval. They are available from the Mayfair Community Centre, Burway Books Ltd and John Thomas Florists in Church Stretton. For further information, please telephone 01694 724078

Church Stretton Support for Afghan Refugees

The United Nations Association Church Stretton Branch hosted a talk by Gerry Hickey from

UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) on 25th March in St Laurence’s Parish Centre. She said UNHCR faces its biggest challenge ever with the repatriation of 2.5 million refugees.

Here in the UK Gerry said that the vast majority of Afghans have been refused permission to stay. In the last 12 months the government has forcibly returned 350 people and only 160 people have returned voluntarily.

Gerry’s account of the situation in Afghanistan today was a sobering one. However, the Church Stretton UNA Branch is making a practical contribution by fundraising for its Afghanistan Livelihood Project which supports a UN training scheme in the country.

The Church Stretton Churches Together Coffee Morning on 27th March boosted the Branch’s funds by raising the magnificent total of £940.Contact David Oliver (01743 718817)

if you would like to get involved

photo: Paul Miller

Trivia Corner – No 6 by Ken Willis

1. What French word, meaning froth, is a dish of flavoured cream, whipped and frozen?

2.Who in Greek mythology was the Muse of astronomy?

3. Artur Rubinstein was a virtuoso on which musical instrument?

4. Which television series was a spin off from Dallas?

5.Which is the widest and heaviest arch bridge in the world?(Answers on page 40)

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am15


The Round Table is an organisation that was founded by Louis Marchesi 76 years ago. Its key aims are: to promote social interaction among young men

up to the age of 45, through the medium of their various occupations; to emphasise the fact that one’s calling offers an excellent medium of service to the community; to cultivate the highest ideals in business and in civic and professional careers; to recognise the worthiness of all legitimate occupations and to dignify each by precept and example; to further the establishment of peace and goodwill in international relationships; to further these aims by meetings, lectures, discussions and other activities.

With members all around the world, there are over 1200 clubs in the UK alone. Church Stretton & District Round Table is one of the largest and most active groups in the Midlands though it only has 17 members and honorary members, yet annually manages to raise c.£5000 for local good causes.The Round Table always welcomes new members.

Church Stretton & District Round Table presented yet more donations to local charities at a special event that took place at the Stretton Hall Hotel. The cheques were made available as the culmination of their hard earned fundraising. The money was raised during the record Christmas collections by the many little helpers accompanying Santa’s Sleigh who collected in the week before Christmas in Bayston Hill, Dorrington, Church Stretton and Craven Arms, together with a further £820 raised during an auction of promises held at the Round Table’s Valentines Ball.

The beneficiaries include the two main charities for this year: the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital’s Symptomatic Breast Cancer Fund and The Eye

on the Ball campaign, which aim to promote awareness of and research into testicular cancer. Other donations were made to Macmillan Cancer Relief, the 2nd Church Stretton Brownies and Friends of St Lawrence.

Chairman, Graham Stewart said that they were delighted to be able to support these local good causes and went on to add that a few of their members had been directly affected by Testicular Cancer and Breast Cancers within their families and so the main charity donations were particularly pertinent this year. He paid tribute to the generosity of the local people who made this a record year for the Christmas collections.

Simon Shakeshaft, who founded the The Eye on the Ball campaign, expressed his gratitude to the Round Table, saying “This money will go a long way in helping to build awareness and understanding of these forms of cancer, which are very curable if detected early but otherwise potentially fatal.”

Angela Price, representing the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital Symptomatic Breast Cancer Fund, said the donation would help fund ancillary equipment that is needed in the new Breast Cancer clinic at RSH, which will open later this year.Ian Musty, Shropshire Fundraising Manager for Macmillan

Cancer Relief added, “Our donation will be used to help with the funding of the new Macmillan Cancer Therapy Team at the RSH. I am really grateful to Round Table for their continuing support of our Shropshire activities.” Brownies leader Judy Russell commented “We are really pleased with this donation which will enable us to start the new Brownie Programme in the Summer term, which is six months earlier than expected.” Meanwhile, the Friends of St Laurence are sprucing up the Infant’s playground and the money donated will fund two sheds to keep the new equipment in good condition.

Presentations of cheques for other good causes have been made recently, including the sponsorship of John Tearle, who ran the New York Marathon in

aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust. The trust is a register of bone marrow donors for children with Leukaemia. Through research, funded by voluntary donations, there is now almost a 100% success rate. Other funds have been provided to the Craven Arms Thursday Club, The Pines Trust in Bishops Castle and a major contribution to the Gateway Club for new disco music equipment.

For further information please look atwww.churchstrettontable.co.uk or contact Graham Stewart on 07771 657078. Press release prepared by Richard Mulford tel : 01694 724873

President: Don RogersChairman: Graham Stewart, Vice Chairman: Ian Beaver

From left to right : (back row) Shaun Willox (Round Table), Sue Mitchell, Judy Russell (Brownie Leaders), Mary Farmer and Becky Blackman (from the Friends of St Laurence), Ian Musty (Macmillan Cancer Relief ).(front row) Paul Stephens (Round Table), Angela Price (representing the Symptomatic Breast Cancer Fund), Simon Shakeshaft (The Eye on the Ball Campaign) and Graham Stewart ( Church Stretton Round Table Chairman).

Round Table Do It Again…. Big Time

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am16


Synopsis of Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on Monday 22nd March 2004

THE LATE MR H L FRANKLIN – The death of aPast Chairman of Church Stretton Urban District Council was reported and the meeting stood in silent remembrance.

PLANNING MATTERS - District Decisions • Demolition of nursing home and erection of 9 detached dwellings and garages, White House Nursing Home, Sandford Avenue. Approved, with conditions related to windows, drainage, landscaping. • Erection of an office etc., Beam House, Madeira Walk. Approved with conditions. • Erection of extension to dwelling, Beam House, Madeira Walk. Approved with condition.• Erection of an extension and conservatory, Howard Lodge, Clive Avenue. Approved with condition.• Erection of a dwelling, Littlebrook, 38 Ludlow Road. Refused, because of impact on neighbouring dwelling. • Erection of extension to dwelling, Mill Glen, Cardingmill Valley. Approved with condition.• Formation of an access ramp and entrance, Barclays Bank, 29 Sandford Avenue. Approved with condition.

PLANNING – Town Council responses to District• Erection of extension, Hawkstone, Hazler Crescent. No objection.• Erection of a dwelling; and extension to shop and flat, 8 Sandford Avenue. No objection.• Erection of a Conservatory and a Domestic Garage, 21 Swains Meadow. No objection.• Erection of a dwelling, The Old Garages, The Yeld, Shrewsbury Road. Objection in that this application is substantially the same as that recently refused by SSDC and therefore previous objections are still valid• Re-advertised Application. Erection of a dwelling and domestic garage, and formation of a vehicular access, rear of 110 Sandford Avenue. The Council wishes to register the strongest possible objection to yet another inroad into the destruction of the distinctive character of the town.• Construction of a pitched roof over flat roof extension, Brambles, Clive Avenue. No objection.• Felling and other works to trees, Longmynd Hotel, Cunnery Road. No objection, but recommend that the advice of the County Trees Officer be sought.• Erection of extension, Snatchfields Farm, Snatchfields Lane. No objection.• Modification of Planning Permission to substitute alternative traffic calming measures, Four Winds, Watling Street North. No objection.• Felling of a Weeping Ash Tree, Ashford House, High Street. No objection.• Felling of 4 Lime Trees, land alongside and to the front of 23 & 25 Ludlow Road. Object strongly to the removal of these trees as they are very significant in the landscape and well deserve their protected status. • Erection of 4 dwellings and alterations to access, land at Westholme, Hazler Road. Object to this application on the following grounds: sewers, drainage, access, etc. – see full minutes for details.

Church Stretton Town Council• Change of use, retail to B & B and cafe/bistro, Victoria House, 43 High Street. No objection.• Erection of extension and a conservatory, 133 Watling Street South. No objection.• Erection of an agricultural building, Brook Farm, Little Stretton. No objection.

Church Stretton Partnership: After discussion, it was agreed that the Town Council needed a stronger representation on the Partnership. Concern was expressed that public money could be channelled through a non-elected organisation. The Partnership could be of great benefit to the town providing the Town Council has enough control over how the money is spent. As the Partnership concept was developed and set up by the Town Council, any progress and outcome is seen by the public as being the responsibility of the Town Council but it now has no control over it. For example, in spite of public discord over the proposals for the station, nevertheless support for a £20K feasibility study for the project may be forthcoming when smaller grants for the toilets and swimming pool cannot be obtained.Copies of the Strategic Action Plan may be consulted at the Council office.

Mr Trevor Davies, as Chairman of the Partnership, was commended for his hard work amounting to at least 400 hours over the past year.

Rectory Wood and Fields Interest Group A £9,000 grant will enable the flora and fauna and archaeological surveys to be conducted. A management plan will then be put together. A volunteer workforce is being formed which will work in partnership with the National Trust Tuesday Task Force.

Cunnery Road Cemetery Interest Group Progress was being made regarding surveys and information gathering with a view to submitting a grant application to DEFRA. The cemetery is the responsibility of the Council and the group’s remit is to produce a management plan to allow access to funding for improvements. Acknowledgement was given to the great amount of work the Council’s outdoor staff have already put into improving the cemetery and to the voluntary groups which started this process last year.

Public Conveniences Provided suitable financial arrangements can be made, the Town Council will take over the Lutwyche Road toilets from 1st April 2005.

Proposal for extended Conservation AreaThe extension to include Scotsmansfield, Madeira Walk and Cunnery Road Cemetery was supported.

Church Stretton Conservation Group Additional Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s): there are 108 sites in Church Stretton (500-600 trees) which have TPO’s on them. Three additional areas had been identified and approved.

[Continued on next page]

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am17


[Town Council Minutes continued]

Conservation Areas: the Group is continuing to look at areas, including All Stretton and Little Stretton regarding creation of, or additions to, Conservation Areas.

A49 at Watling Street South junction There is still no agreed scheme.

TOURISM ‘Britain in Bloom’ Competition To give people a better idea of what is involved in entering the Britain in Bloom competition, details are to be included on to our Website.

Tourism Group AGM Minutes of the meeting on 12th February were noted. The Council much regretted the tone of Chairman’s report.

Grant Scheme Request – SignageThe quote for signage, maps and litter bins, totalling £7,900 was accepted, to be funded by grants through SSDC Community Regeneration Programme. It was regretted that the Tourism Group did not want the Stretton Civic Society to be involved in this matter as they are a long-standing organisation and had done much good for the town over a number of years. Only one finger post had been included in the bid but it was agreed that a second post was required, one by the Old Barn and the other in Easthope Road. It was agreed to offer a maximum of £1,500 for an additional post.

Assessment of Air QualityThe installation on the verge at the junction of Watling Street North and Sandford Avenue is an air pollution monitor for measuring fine particles known as PM10. Church Stretton is at risk of exceeding a health-based objective set by government medical advisors.

Don Clow

Certainty

One of the recurring debates in the press is on the subject of how children learn to read. Journalists often quote or misquote ‘experts’ who decry the

‘lowering of standards’, blaming ‘Look and Say’ or ‘whole word’ methods taught since the 1960s. Often these critics promulgate the myth that we know how children should be taught to read, that is, through teaching them their letter sounds and blending these together. Parents, armed with the judgement of ‘experts’, confidently challenge teachers, because they have it on authority how children learn to read, and how they should be taught.

People like certainty. And ‘experts’ give them certainty.

But I was trained to teach in the 1960s, and was never taught a dogmatic formula for how to teach children to read; rather it was emphasised that many approaches, including blending sounds together, and ‘look and say’, appear to help the mysterious process of learning to read, and students were encouraged to consider and experiment with a variety of approaches; it was even suggested that different children learn in different ways. Wise words!

If you think you know better than this, and are certain that blending sounds is THE way to teach reading, how do you teach a young child to read the words, ‘because’, ‘dinosaur’, ‘parachute’, ‘the’, or ‘email’? Try blending the letters together- it doesn’t work!

You will pbraboly hvae very ltitle dlficfuity rdaenig tihs prapagarh; mbaye you are a lttile slwoer, and smoe wdros may gvie you smoe duiiclffty, but I ecpext you raed smoe words, for eamxple the wrods ‘duiiclffty’ and ‘prapagarh’, imematlidey, wtiuhot any rael ploberm, perhaps because the shape of the whole word or part of the word, looked familiar; others you probably had to puzzle over, and used your knowledge of the sounds of letters to help you to decode the word. Other words you guessed because of the context of the word, your brain supplying the wrod taht

mdae sesne in the wohle setnnece. But you certainly couldn’t read it if the only strategy you used was to blend letter sounds together!

Investigations into how children learn to read must continue, so that improvements in teaching can continue to be made in the coming decades; today’s insights must not become dogma, to the exclusion of further research and insight.

Religion tends to attract dogma. Today’s thoughts become tomorrow’s dogma. Those who accept the dogma, belong; those who don’t are outsiders. But from the very beginning, Quakerism has avoided fixed dogma or creeds. It emphasises the importance of experience in expressions of faith, rather than external authority.

This is not to say that Quakers do not have beliefs! Arthur Eddington wrote in 1929:

“Rejection of creed is not inconsistent with being possessed by a living belief. We have no creed in science, but we are not lukewarm in our beliefs. The belief is not that all the knowledge of the universe that we hold so enthusiastically will survive in the letter; but a sureness that we are on the road. If our so-called facts are changing shadows, they are shadows cast by the light of constant truth. So too in religion we are repelled by that confident theological doctrine which has settled for all generations just how the spiritual world is worked; but we need not turn aside from the measure of light that comes into our experience showing us a Way through the unseen world. Religion for the conscientious seeker is not all a matter of doubt and self-questionings. There is a kind of sureness which is very different from cocksureness.”

Quaker Faith & Practice. Chapter 27, Paragraph 24

Les Dobb

Quaker Voice

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am18


The Club in Church Stretton was started in late 1953 but it was not officially chartered by Rotary

International until March 1954.

The first President was Gordon McMitchell. The other founder members were: G R Ball, E Bromley, T J Black, A Farrow, V C Goatley, A H Horrocks, A E Jones, H R Jones, Dr J A McClintock (Vice President), A McLachlan, V G B Mansell, P J Phillips, Rev. J M Philpott, L V Priestley, W F Sagar, L E Sands, M J Spear, C J Taylor, Rev. G Waddington and A H Woolner.

The Club now has 31 members. The celebration dinner was held at Rowton Castle. There were over 60 Rotarians present coming from all over Shropshire as well as from from Plymouth, Willenhall and Stafford.

Brian Stoyel, the President of all the Rotary Clubs in Britain and Ireland, was present and congratulated the Club as did our District Governor, Keith Higgins. The Guest of Honour was Sir Neil Cossons, the Chairman of English Heritage. He said that more modern history had an important place in the work of English Heritage and he expressed admiration for the voluntary work that the Rotary Clubs had done to assist in the community during the last hundred years since their foundation in the USA.

The evening was much enjoyed by all in a spirit of fellowship and friendship typical of the Rotarian movement and it made one pleased to belong to it.

Roger Stokes

Rotary Club of Church Stretton Celebrates its Golden Jubilee

Rotary Club in the 1950sBack row, from left: Gordon McMitchell, Tom Priestley, Vic Goatley, Morton Spier and George BallFront row, from left: Phyllis McMitchell, Marjorie Goatley,Jean Priestley and Hilda Spier

The promise of an evening on lapwings organised by the Strettons Branch of the Shropshire Wildlife Trust attracted a large audience to the United Reformed

Church in Church Stretton. The speaker was Tim Ashley, who is employed by the Partnership of RSPB, DEFRA and Shropshire Wildlife Trust, known as Severn/Vyrnwy Lapwing Project

He gave a great deal of information about the Countryside Stewardship Scheme that at least 25 farmers have joined to make sure that their land is farmed to give lapwings a chance to breed and rear young. Small financial payments for this stewardship and for creating tourist attractions go some way to compensating for less productive farming.

This huge area is mostly open flood plain and spring sown cereals are found to favour lapwings’ nests and rearing of their chicks. We heard much about the general principles of farming to help wildlife conservation and there were some lovely pictures of the Montgomery Canal and the Rivers Severn and Vyrnwy, but some of us were disappointed not to learn more about the habits and lifestyle of lapwings.

At the next meeting, Mr Roy Mantle demonstrated, with beautiful slides, that there were wild flowers and wild wild flowers of mountain and moorland. Members and friends were taken through his talk to Shropshire’s Whixall and brown mosses, Yorkshire’s limestone pavements, Welsh Tryfan by the A5, Rannoch Moor and Loch Tay in Scotland.

Mr Mantle’s pictures brought us close to both the common and the rare: heather and cross-leaved heath; bog rosemary; sphagnum moss; cotton grass; sundew (traps small flies on its leaves); Alchemilla mollis; marsh helleborine; marsh gentian; butterwort; globe flower; primulas; Solomon’s seal; purple saxifrage; little mountain pansy; moss campian; pink dianthus and on the coast: sea holly; sea pinks. It was a journey we much appreciated on a cold March night.

The chairman Mr John Dalton then announced the start of training afternoons for volunteers taking part in the Habitat Survey of Church Stretton Parish - Tel 01694 722837 for information. To raise funds for this survey, the Strettons Branch is holding a Coffee Morning on Saturday 22nd May 10am – 12 noon at the Parish Centre.

Margot Daniels

Shropshire Wildlife Trust

Questions and Answers

AnswerIn answer to the question in March Focus asking if anyone knows of mistletoe growing in Church Stretton, Claire Cottrell, who lives just off the Shrewsbury Road, writes: Mistletoe suddenly appeared last winter on an apple tree in the garden next door to me. The house is currently unoccupied but the mistletoe can be seen from my back garden.

QuestionThere is a cottage called ‘Toll House’ in Little Stretton. Was it really a toll-house and are there others in the Strettons? Can anyone tell us more?

Q & A

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am19


Weather in March

The month began with a spring-like, warm spell

that lasted almost a week before it turned much cooler. By the 9th, when snow fell, it had become really cold with a night temperature of 28F. After some real snow on the 10th, it again became mild but changeable. March 20th announced the spring equinox, a time of year noted for strong winds, with a storm force 10 gale which, down here in the vale, is a rare occurrence. Many of our roads were littered with dead or broken branches blown down from nearby trees. Sandford Avenue was covered with bits, most of them dead bits and posing no danger but elsewhere, Birmingham, for example, severe damage was caused.

The rainfall in March was well scattered but we did have a run of 8 consecutive wet days from the 17th to the 25th. The total rainfall for March was 1.96in, the wettest for three years, but still well below the maximum of 6.10in recorded in 1981. The snow lay for only two days, bringing to an end a very mild winter. We also had hail on 4 days, which is a new record.

The maximum temperature for the month was 69F on the 31st and the minimum was 21F on the 1st. The mean temperature was 44.44F which was down quite a bit on last year’s 47.05F. However, last year was exceptional and well above the average.

Robert Smart

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This recipe is a very easy way of making a delicious soup. It can be served chilled as well as hot, so it is a good soup to use in the summer months.

1 tin whole asparagus spears or 8 oz fresh asparagus1⁄2 oz butter and 1⁄2 tablespoon oilHalf a medium onion, peeled and chopped1 small stick celery, chopped (optional)Half pint chicken stock 2 tablespoons white wineJuice of half a lemon Eighth pint single creamSalt and paprika pepper

Saute the celery and onion in the oil and butter. Drain the tinned asparagus and reserve half the liquid. (Simmer the fresh asparagus for 20 mins} Cut off the tips and put aside, chop the stalks and place them in a pan with the onion, celery, stock, wine, asparagus liquid and lemon juice. Cool and blend in a liquidiser to form a smooth puree or rub through a sieve. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the asparagus tips and the cream before serving. If re-heating, do not boil. Serves 3 people. It’s very good! “Her Ladyship”

South Shropshire Senior Citizens ForumPublic Meeting to be held atCraven Arms Methodist Hall

Wednesday 19th May 10.30am – 12.30pmSpeaker: Police Chief Superintendent GUY RUTTER

Come along, listen, ask questions and work together on issues regarding • Community Policing • Perception of Crime • Road Safety • Crime Prevention eg bogus callers

If you would like to attend the above meeting but have transport problems or would like further information, please telephone Jackie: 01588 673698

Refreshments, Light Buffet will be available

Top Secret SurveyThe question posed was:“In the West we have plenty, but how, honestly, would you tackle the food shortage in the rest of the world?” The responses revealed that: in Africa they didn’t know what ‘food’ meant. in Eastern Europe they didn’t know what ‘honest’ meant. in Western Europe they didn’t know what ‘shortage’ meant. in China they didn’t know what ‘opinion’ meant. in South America they didn’t know what ‘please’ meant. in the USA they didn’t know what ‘the rest of the world’ meant.

Royal British LegionChurch Stretton Branch Coffee Morning

On Saturday 8th May the local branch of the Royal British Legion will hold a

free coffee morning from 10.30 to 12.00 noon at the Silvester Horne Institute. There will be a small display and the usual stalls with cakes, bric-a-bac, books and a raffle. The event will contribute to over £5000 raised from the Strettons area towards the Poppy Appeal.

Answers to Trivia Corner - No 61. Mousse 2. Urania 3. Piano 4. Knotts Landing

5. Sydney Harbour Bridge

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am20

May 2004Stretton Focus - 42-

Thanks and ApologiesWe are very pleased to have had an exceptional number

of contributions this month. Please keep them coming, (it is helpful if they are reasonably concise). However, we apologise if, as a result, we have had to shorten your piece or hold your

article over for another issue. We do try to present a balance of material but we have had enough copy this month to fill at least one and a half magazines.

Eds

Out and About

In May, the daylight hours are getting much longer, and where better to spend some than in the garden? On 9th May from 11am, there is a Spring Plant Fair at

Attingham Park to tempt you to buy some new additions to your borders, and you can enjoy a walk round the Park as well. If you missed the Bluebell Walk in Rectory Wood, there is chance to go on the one at Croft Castle on Sunday 9th May starting at 2pm (pre-booking essential – tel: 01568 780246)There is an opportunity to experience the sounds of true African praise and worship as the Chililabombwe Choir from Zambia share their stories and music together with some exciting dance and drama routines on Saturday 8th

May 7.30pm at Crowmoor Baptist Church, Shrewsbury and on Sunday 9th May 10.30am at Claremont Baptist Church, Shrewsbury and 6.30pm at Christ Church Bayston Hill.Better than a Dog, the story of the marriage of Charles and Emma Darwin told through family letters will be performed at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms on Friday 14th May at 7.30pm, or if you are a jazz fan, you can hear Ludlow-born jazz singer Sheena Davis at the same venue on Saturday 22nd May 7.30pm. (Box office 01584 878141)Further afield, a concert that pairs Beethoven’s most imaginative Piano Concerto No.4 with the unfinished final Symphony No.9 by Anton Bruckner is being staged at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham on Wednesday 26th May at 2.15pm and Thursday 27th May at7.30pm The conductor is Jaap van Zweden, pianist Lang Lang. (Box office 0121 780 3333)In lighter vein, there is An Evening with Gilbert & Sullivan at the Shrewsbury Music Hall on Friday 28thMay 7.30pm (Box Office 01743 281 281)Ludlow Castle Festival of Crafts will be held over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend 29th, 30th and 31stt May with selected designer makers, demonstrations and hands-on activities in Ludlow Castle 10am – 5pm.

Christian Aid Week, 9 – 15th May

Money raised this year will be used to improve people’s lives in more than 50 countries worldwide.

£25 given to Christian Aid buys the materials for ten young people to make their own rucksacks for climbing and camping expeditions in the former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan.£5 buys rice for a family in Sierra Leone to plant, which provides food, income and seeds for the next season.£10 pays for taps and troughs to provide two villages in Bolivia with a safe and reliable water supply.£15 trains a Guatemalan woman in business techniques and gives her the opportunity to learn how to make a sustainable living.£17 provides a month’s food rations for four Burmese refugees. Completing A Gift Aid declaration would provide each with a blanket.

Christian Aid is working with other organisations to campaign for trade justice; instead of expecting traders in the poorest countries to compete on equal terms with those of the richest, trade rules need to give explicit help to the poor. More information is available from www.christianaid.org.ukIf you would like to help with this year’s House to House Collection, please phone 01694 722064.

The Science of Musick

The Borromini Ensemble, with Alan Davis (recorder), Jean Gubbins (cello), Richard Silk (harpsichord) and Sarah Westwood (soprano) visit St James’

Church, Cardington on Saturday May 15th at 7.30pm for their Summer Concert ‘Celebrated Masters of the Science of Musick’. Composers include Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti, Purcell and Vivaldi.

The ensemble will also launch their new CD ‘By Purling Streams’, a recital of

baroque pastoral music from England, France and Italy.

Tickets are £5 (£4 concessions) including a glass of wine, from Burway Books and Richard Silk, 01694 722649

Household Rubbish CollectionsMay Bank HolidaysThere will be no collection of domestic refuse onMonday 3rd May and Monday 31st MayDuring weeks commencing 3rd and 31st May, all rubbish collections will be made one day later than usual.Friday collections will be made on SaturdayGreen Box and Green Sack collections where applicable will be made on the revised day, as described above.

If in doubt, please phone 01584 813396/7/8

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am21


IRONING SERVICECOMPETITIVE RATES

FREE Local Collection & Delivery01694 771883

PRESSING PROBLEMS ?

Occasional Advertisements

Good Neighbours. Local people providing help to local people

We exist to help the elderly in the Strettons & surrounding district. This is just some of what we do: Transport by car for medical care. Daily delivery of Meals on Wheels. Thursday Day Centre. Support for bereavement and volunteer home visiting.For more details please call us on 01694 724242

Don’t want to do D-I-Y?For repairs, maintenance and property

improvements with care and consideration

call Phil Bollom 01694 771433

A. J. HOME & GARDEN SERVICESAlterations, Plastering, Plumbing, Bathroom & Kitchen

fitting, Floor & Wall Tiling, Fireplaces, Windows & Conservatories installed,

Fencing, Slabbing, and much more.Tel: Andrew Longville 07813 278108

A & B SMITHCorgi Reg No 197466

Domestic Appliance Warehouse (Est. over 20 years)Specialising in New/Factory Seconds

Electric & Gas Cookers, Ranges, Hobs, FiresFridges, Freezers, Washing Machines

Tumble Driers, Microwave OvensBuilt-in Appliances

(Over 200 appliances on display)MAIN CALOR GAS STOCKIST & LPG SPECIALISTS

FREE LOCAL DELIVERY01588 673647

Long Lane Industrial Estate, Craven Arms

WANTEDAll old and interestingWood Working Tools.

Please Phone 01743 873544Evenings and Weekends.

E.E.C.Electrical and Plumbing

All Aspects UndertakenFree Quotes

All Work GuaranteedNo Job too Small

Tel: Home 01743 243860Mobile: 07816 562497

Mynd House HotelLittle Stretton, Church Stretton

Our Restaurant is now open to the public on Wednesday to Saturday (7.00 - 9.30 pm)

We offer a mixture of Malaysian, Western and Vegetarian cuisine and cater for groups

up to 20 persons

Reservations Essential. Call 01694 722212

Specialist Cooker ServicesCast Iron Service

Oil and Solid Fuel Cooker SpecialistsAga Service & Maintenance

We buy and sell pre-owned Agas

PAUL SAUNDERSTel/Fax 01694 724395Mobile 07974 807059

THE BEAUTY ROOMAt the Raven Hotel, Much Wenlock

• Electrolysis • Waxing • Facial Treatments• Manicure/Pedicure • Eyebrow/Eyelash shaping and tinting

• Reflexology • Massage • Body TreatmentAll consultations in confidence and free of charge

Please call Pauline 01952 727251

J J LAWRENCE A.S.F.A., A.C.I.B., A.I.F.P.Independent Financial Planning ConsultantYou want advice on a full range of financial planning from a

consultant who is: Highly Professional, Qualified, Honest and Trustworthy

Totally Independent Available when convenient to YOU!Able to offer fee or commission basis

Offering a discrete and personal serviceCall Jeremy Lawrence on 01694 725580

for a free informal appointment with No Obligation.Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority

Open Air Jazz SpectacularShrewsbury Big Band

at Netley Hall, DorringtonSaturday 22nd May

Gates open 4.30pm, Music commences 6.30pmAdmission by ticket only from 01743 718070

£5.00 or £15 per family

Guided Walking in Shropshires Secret HillsDAY WALKS GROUPS WELCOME

All accommodation and meals includedSeven, Four and Two Day Breaks

Weekend and Midweek BreaksBased in Church Stretton

Secret Hills Walking HolidaysAshlea House, 33 Ashley, Minsterley, Shropshire SY5 0BU

email: [email protected]: 01743 791976

May 2004 mag 16/4/04, 11:30 am22

stretton focus

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