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Registered Charity Number 1210772
Welcome to Christ Church, Blacklands & St. Andrew, Laton Road, Hastings
General News and Notes
The deadline for the August edition is Noon WEDNESDAY 24th July
If you have articles or items of interest for the newsletter, please ring Debbie Dann on 717004 or email on debbie@dann-home.me.uk
The advertisers pay for most of the cost of the paper copies of the newsletter so we do not charge for it, however we are not able to endorse or guarantee the service they give.
The paper newsletter is printed by Plastica. For all printing needs please contact print@plasticapools.net
Women’s Fellowship
On Monday, 8th July, we welcome Darren Sutton who will bring us samples to taste from the range of Wiltshire Farm Foods. On Monday, 22nd July, we will have our last Meeting before our August break. Rita Allcorn & Teresa Hayward will play their accordions & invite us to join in with a ‘singalong’ followed by a slice of homemade cake provided by our Committee.
Meetings start at 2.30 p.m. £1.50 including tea & raffle. Visitors welcome.
Helen Gossling: 01424-423124
Tea ‘N’ Chat
We will be meeting on the 1st, 15th and 29th July, starting at 2 p.m. Please try to support this friendly group or at least come and give us a try.
For more information contact Debbie on 01424-717004
Parish Group
The June meeting saw a return of our group member Kenneth Nunn who showed us some of his own antiques collection before identifying, describing and valuing items brought along by members of the group. Ken’s collection included early,and vicious looking, dog collars, a carved whalebone walking stick and an ancient flintlock candle lighter. Amongst items brought by members were a violin shaped vesta case and a small but valuable bronze. Following Ken’s talk members had then opportunity to handle and examine the displayed items. All together a very interesting evening.
The next meeting will be a dinner on Monday 22nd July. This was to be preceded by an outing but due to insufficient numbers this had to be cancelled. The dinner is booked for 6 p.m., at the Moorings at Pevensey bay at a cost of £10 for a 3 course meal. Transport will be by cars. There may be spare places available for non-members and anyone interested is asked to contact Paul Cabban in church or on 432258.
Following the coffee morning in May the Parish Group has given the church £300 to be passed to St Michael’s Hospice and the Schools Christian Workers as part of the church’s commitment to charitable giving.
Paul Cabban.
Foodbank
From the Foodbank Project Leader and Administrator
Monday, June 10, 2013
Dear Jean,
The Hastings foodbank has just completed its first year of operation, a year in which it has been our privilege to demonstrate the love of Jesus in action by providing emergency food to a total of 2,036 people (1,318 adults and 718 children).
Since our launch last April we have received food donations totalling 19,525kg and have distributed 15,522kg of this to local people in crisis situations. Our records show that Christchurch Blacklands has contributed 181.9kg to this total.
Without the support of local churches, schools and individuals we would be unable to provide this service. A service that current trends indicate will become even more necessary in the months ahead.
On behalf of the foodbank team I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the congregation of Christchurch for their generous and continuing support for the foodbank.
Yours Sincerely,
Jeff Beale
food bank project leader
Hastings foodbank, Kings Church, The Hastings Centre, The Rldge, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 2SA.
Hi Everyone,
Another month has passed so time for another update.
In May we distributed a further 3,045kg of food to a total of 308 people(219 adults and 89 children). Donations received were somewhat less that the amount given out so even though we purchased over 500kg of food from our funds the total amount of food in stock fell by more than half a tonne.
Our shortages are very much the same as last month: long life milk, powdered milk, instant mash, long life juice, meat, fish, small boxes of cereals (ie 500 gm or less) and as always sugar. We still have stacks of baked beans and plenty of rice, pasta, soup, custard and tea.
On 25th May we held a food collection at Asda were we collected 475kg of food, and it was really encouraging that during the day a couple of ex-clients contributed to the collection and told us how much we had helped them when they were desperate.
Amongst recent clients is a man who grew up in Hastings and has spent most of his life here but has returned from a period of working abroad and is unable to find a job and cannot get benefits because he has failed the Government's new Habitual Residency Test. He therefore has no income whatsoever and is living in his car, so we provide him with food that can be eaten straight from the tin and bin liners for personal hygiene! There was also a mother with 3 small children who had her bank account emptied by a pay day loan company....leaving her and her children with nothing at all to live on.
Many of our clients are amazed that all our staff are volunteers and that all the food is donated by the generous people of Hastings.
Keep it up you are really making a difference.
Pete Houlton Foodbank Administrator
Hot Seat a Schools Worker
How time flies, this is our last showcase of this school year. As many of you may be aware that Darren Maylam who worked alongside Lucy Skelton as our schools workers has sadly left the organisation. He has a new position at Pestalozzi Village , working as one of their fundraising team. This therefore is the end of an era, Darren and Lucy having been our longest standing schools work team (this is their fifth year). As we have been thinking about the new chapter of work in front of us we wondered if you really knew what went on in the heads of those who receive the job title of “Schools Worker”. Some of you probably think they must be brave individuals willing to stand and look silly in front of an entire school, others of you probably just think they are slightly mad! Well we know that they enjoy “hot seating” people in their groups, normally it is the role of a visitor to a group to be “hot seated” but at the next showcase we want to put our schools workers in the “hot seat”.
If you have a question you are burning to ask them, maybe it’s about how they do something, a question on a resource or even wonder how they come up with their eccentric over-the-top ideas, then make sure you come to this Showcase!
Our Schools Work Team Leader Lucy Skelton will be there and we hope our new schools worker who will be taking the place of Darren from September will be there to!
We will also be electing our management committee. Do you have a passion for taking the gospel into local schools? Or maybe you know someone who does. Well, if you would like to put someone forward to sit on the management committee please contact the Chairman, Roger Mitchell (details on this letter). We still are without a Prayer Secretary. Please consider seriously whether that could be your calling or that of someone you know and can propose.
Unfortunately the meeting was last week but contact info. below.
Contact Details: 242 St. Helens Road, Hastings TN34 2NE.
T 01424 852765
We are an associate of Scripture Union Hastings Christian Trust
Registered Charity 1024041
Flower Arrangers
We still need a coordinator for the flower arranging rota. Also when the work starts on the boiler the vestry will need to be organized with the removal of flower arranging equipment which will have to be moved into the shed.
We need volunteers for this, please.
Do you remember the Graffiti on the Church door?
The culprit pleaded guilty in court, has a curfew order, must pay a fine, pay costs and also serve a term of community service.
The Gardens of Highgrove
Debbie and I recently visited the gardens for a tour followed by a Champagne tea.
Highgrove is in Gloucestershire close to the town of Letbury. It was purchased by the Duchy of Cornwall a little over 30 years ago and HRH Prince Charles has now made the estate his home.
The previous owner was Maurice Macmillan, son of Harold Macmillan a previous Prime Minister.
During the last 30 years the Gardens have been created into one of the most imaginative and inspired gardens of our time.
It has been adhered to strictly organic principles and belief in sustainable methods, encouraging both plants and wildlife to thrive in a very natural environment. The Gardens are a series of interlinked spaces, each with their own character and purpose. Weaving magically around the house they respond to the seasons by ever changing colour and texture.
Apart from the many favoured and rare varieties of flowers, trees, fruits and vegetables, Highgrove is also home to part of the Natural Collection of Beech trees.
One of the most striking features of the Garden is the manner in which architecture has been incorporated into the landscape. Many of the gifts that his Royal Highness has received from his visits abroad have been incorporated as features in the gardens.
Unfortunately due to the high security involved in a visit (personal identity is required on the day) you arrive down a very narrow road and greeted by a Policeman who checks you in, you cannot arrive until 10minutes before your allotted time of the tour. Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed during the visits therefore no photos were possible on the visit. By the way the Champagne tea including sandwiches (without crusts) scones with jam & cream and very dainty cakes were very welcome after the 2 hour tour.
Colin Dann
Heritage Open Days National Partnership
Heritage Open Days is managed nationally by the Heritage Open Days National Partnership. Formed in 2011, the Partnership brings together Europe’s largest conservation and heritage charity in the form of the National Trust, the most extensive network of local community based heritage organisations through Civic Voice and expertise from the leading coalition of national voluntary heritage organisations in The Heritage Alliance.
Together with the Heritage Open Days Advisory Group and the Futures Group, they are working to make Heritage Open Days even better and to create a sustainable future for England’s most popular grassroots cultural event. English Heritage provides grant aid until March 2015, whilst the Partnership develops both a long-term future strategy and funding. Organisational structure Dame Fiona Reynolds, Director General of the National Trust, said: "The National Trust is delighted to be part of the Heritage Open Days National Partnership. Heritage Open Days is the biggest event in the heritage calendar, and one that we have long been proud to be associated with as such a strong expression of local pride of place. We look forward to contributing to its continuing success, as well as to determining a sustainable future for the event." Lloyd Grossman OBE, Chairman of The Heritage Alliance, said: "We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Civic Voice and the National Trust as one of the three charities taking Heritage Open Days forward to a strong, sustainable future.
Run by volunteers for the benefit of their local communities, it is the largest voluntary cultural event in England; with over a million visits last year and over 40,000 volunteers giving up their time to share their passion and knowledge with their neighbours.
English Heritage proved a good friend to the sector when it rescued the event in 2009, and we’re grateful for its continued support in making sure the transition is smooth. We all know how extraordinarily popular our heritage is with people up and down the country, and Heritage Open Days gives us all an opportunity to showcase that heritage and the outstanding voluntary effort and commitment that makes it available to all." Paula Ridley, Chairman of Civic Voice, said: "Heritage Open Days was initiated by the civic movement and we are excited to be part of its future. Over the years millions of people have enjoyed discovering new places brought to life for them by thousands of dedicated volunteers. We intend to build on this outstanding success so that Heritage Open Days goes from strength to strength."
About us Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to places that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission.
Christchurch Blacklands and St. Andrew will be open this year for this event on 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th September.
Churchyard and flower beds.
At a recent Parochial Church council meeting we discussed the state of the Churchyard and the beds with flowers and shrubs facing St. Helen's Park Road. The beds are very overgrown and have lots of weeds and brambles, plus a few sycamore and other saplings growing in them. I am prepared to take charge of clearing the beds and the rest of the area round the Church building, where a lot of weeds and saplings have taken up residence, but it would be nice if there were people prepared to help. Saturday afternoons and early evenings seem to be the best times, unless there are people who have time on other days. I have some tools, so lack of spades, forks, saws and similar is no excuse for not volunteering. Please do contact me, via 07531-098891 or in Church with your offers of help. David.Jones.
Church Together in Hastings & St. Leonard’s and Loaf Project. First Sunday Walks
Sunday 7th July at 2:30 p.m. A summer stroll from John’s Cross. Meeting near the roundabout where the A21 from Hastings meets the A2100 from Battle.
Sunday 4th August at 2:30 p.m. Bodiam and Beyond. Now a popular annual 4 mile walk along the River Rother and exploring the countryside around. Meet at Bodiam car park.
Sunday 1st September at 2:30 p.m. Ramble around Robertsbridge. Meeting at Salehurst Church (turn right at the roundabout at the end of Robertsbridge Bypass) 3.5 miles.