July - August 2008
ANNUAL VISIT JULY 11-13
Greensleeves Morris Men will be holding their annual weekend of dance in Chipperfield from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 July. As always the village is thanked for the welcome the dancers always receive and equally cordially invited to watch the performances.
The first of these takes place on the Common opposite the Two Brewers at 9pm on Friday 11 July. The dancers will perform in remembrance of Chipperfield resident Leslie Nichols, the squire of Greensleeves who began these weekends in the 1960s.
On Saturday 12 the clubs will be out in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire dancing in towns and villages, and return to dance at The Windmill, Chipperfield and at The Plough, Belsize, both at 5pm.
The main show in the village takes place on the morning of Sunday 13. At 10.30am the dancers will attend an open-air church service on the car park. Just after the service at 11.10am there will by a display by the five visiting sides plus Greensleeves. Just before 12 noon the dancers form up to process to The Windmill, where there will be more dancing.
Visiting clubs this year are: Anker Morris Men from Warwickshire; Bathampton Morris Men from the County of Avon; Dolphin Morris Men from Nottingham; Moulton Morris Men from Northamptonshire; and Wath upon Dearne Morris Men from Yorkshire.
Anyone needing more details, please contact John Box 01494 718274 or Roy Fenton 0208 879 3527.
NEWS FROM ST PAUL'S SCHOOL
Now that the weather is a bit warmer we have reached the time of year when we try to get "out and about" so as to make the curriculum more exciting.
Both Year 5 and the children in the Foundation Stage have been doing a lot of gardening! Children in Year 5 have transformed the overgrown area behind their mobile classroom into a nice grass area, which they hope to use a lot during the remainder of this term.
Children in Nursery and Reception have visited the Garden Centre and have developed their own outdoor area by planting lots of flowers. They also have a nice new playhouse which they have made into their very own Garden Centre!
Our youngest children have also been to Mead Open Farm where the highlight of the day seems to have been sheep racing! Year 4 went to Kingswood Centre in Norfolk for the weekend where they had an amazing time climbing, abseiling, go-karting, fencing, caving and doing lots of other amazing things. Year 6 have spent a week at Barton Hall in Devon and we look forward to hearing about their fantastic adventures also.
We have had lots of sporting triumphs recently. Our football team were the Dacorum School cup winners and our tag rugby players won a festival too. Our cross country runners performed very well at a festival in Bucks. Some of our children took part in a sponsored walk to raise money for our building appeal and raised over £700!
Our Summer Fair is taking place this year on Saturday 5 July and the theme will be "Out of Africa". This fits in with the work we have been doing in finding out about life in Rwanda following the visit by Bishop Jered Kalimba.
Please come to our fair if you can as we would love to see you!
Norah Tattersall Headteacher
SPEED SIGN PROPOSED FOR DUNNY LANE
Hertfordshire Highways Joint Members Panel has agreed to fund one solar powered Vehicle Actuated sign in Dunny Lane in the 2008/09 financial year.
The proposed location is opposite St Anne's/The Thatch facing Belsize. This location will slow traffic approaching the crossroads where Dunny Lane meets The Street.
If you would like to comment on the proposed location of the Vehicle Actuation sign please contact either:
The Parish Clerk (parishclerk@chipperfield.org.uk ) or Councillor Sims (shazsims@btinternet.com )
by 19 July.
Maps showing the proposed location will be displayed on the Parish Council notice boards outside St Pauls School and Stanley's Store.
CURD FAMILY GET TOGETHER
on 19 JULY 2008
at SARRATT JMI SCHOOL
Sarratt Local History Society is hosting an Open Day and Curd family get together on Saturday 19 July in Sarratt JMI school. There will be a display devoted to the story of John Curd and Susannah Pymley who were married in the village church 8 August 1769 and their descendants – a typical local family involved in paper making, straw plaiting and other rural trades.
Anyone with Curd family connections is invited to attend from 10.30am onwards and the hall will be open to the general public from 2.00pm until 4.30. Contact John Hopkins on 01923 268852 for further details.
Family members from County Durham, the Isle of White, Los Angeles and Chipperfield will be attending.
FLAUNDEN CONCERT
There will be a concert and picnic in the fields by the church on Sunday 6 July. It's entitled Flaunden's got Talent - and yes we really do have so much talent within the village and surrounding area. We're so lucky to have such wonderful musicians and singers living here amongst us. There will be a choir of Soul Singers and the handbells will be back as well; not to mention the children, playing instruments, singing and dancing - some to a very high standard.
However, the main aim is for everyone to enjoy themselves and there will be the opportunity for you all to join in some singing at the end of the concert. David Arnold will be comparing and Ken Harratt will be accompanying on the piano. The two of them are masterminding the whole thing so we should be in for a treat. We will have a marquee and stage with a sound system, but if you would like extra protection from the weather, sun or rain, do bring your own gazebo. We have booked the Village Hall, just in case there is a real deluge
The ‘bring your own’ picnic will start at 1.00pm. There will be a Hog Roast available, but that will not be included in the price of the ticket. (Tickets £12 per adult, children free). There will be races and games for the children during the first part of the afternoon and I'm hoping to organise a Tug of War between the Green Dragon and the Bricklayers Arms.
The concert will commence at 3.00pm and should go on until about 5-5.30 pm. It should be a really enjoyable afternoon, weather permitting! If you would like tickets please apply to
Diana Fry - 01442 832204
email: diana.m.fry@btinternet.com
Ali Lyons - 01442 833455
email: alisonlyons02@btinternet.com
PARISH COUNCIL INITIATIVE
In order to make savings this year, Dacorum Borough Council have withdrawn funding to provide dog waste bags throughout the borough.
However, Chipperfield Parish Council consider that the provision of these bags is essential if our village and its open spaces are to be kept clean and free of dog waste. Parish Councillors have therefore decided to purchase a supply of bags for distribution from the boxes on The Common.
If you are a dog owner, please ensure that you clean up after your dog, particularly on pavements and footpaths. The supply of bags will be limited so please do not take more bags than you need and try to persuade visitors not to take handfuls away with them!
Dog owners are legally obliged to clean up after their animals. The penalty for failure to do so is a fine of £1000 !
WILDACRE ANNUAL ART EXHIBITION
The Wildacre annual art exhibition will be held this year at Chenies School from Friday 22 August to Monday 25 August inclusive. The exhibition will be open from 10am to 6pm daily. Refreshments will be available and there is free parking.
The exhibition will include between 250-300 paintings, both framed and unframed, in a mixture of media - water colour, acrylic, pastel and oils. Over the past 15 years over £14,000 has been donated to the Peace Hospice and Chenies School from proceeds of the sale of paintings at the exhibition.
MOBILE POLICE OFFICE
A Mobile Police Office will be in the Church Car Park on The Common on Tuesday 1 July and Tuesday 29 from 11am-1.30pm. Come and visit the office and meet our Police Community Support Officer, David Alexander, who will usually be on duty.
MY BOY BILL
Oh the joys of keeping livestock! I am just about to serve dinner, asparagus fresh from the garden to start, when glancing down to the pond I see Bill, the lamb that I bottle fed, pruning the cornus behind the pond. He is out again! I turn off the grill and run down the garden. Bill tries to get back in but can't manage it and I grab him once again and throw him over the electric fence. He has developed a talent for finding weak places in the fencing and then slipping first his nose and then the rest of him under it. Not good news! I move the spare pegs along a bit, hoping to block his passage, and return for my first course.
As I leave the table to get the main course I glance down to the pond. Bill is sniffing the alliums in my new border behind the pond! I take the chicken pie out of the oven and run down the garden. Once again Bill, who knows he should not be out, can't get back in and has got tangled in the fence. We both get a good few shocks whilst I get him out and he is roughly put back over the fence. I find an old tent peg and try to secure the fence again. Then back for my main course!
I can not take my eyes off the window now - will I get my strawberries before he is out again? Luckily I did but Bill is a real problem. I tried not to "bond" with him while I was feeding him. No cuddles, in fact I tried not to look at him, but he still thinks I am his Mum. At one point I could hardly go down the garden because he would hear me and start bleating and trying to get out. I weaned him as soon as possible and have been using two bits of fencing and had managed to keep him in for a week, but today he is at it again! At least the other two lambs don't follow him, their mum soon tells them off if they get too near the fence. Now I must look for some more tent pegs as that seems to have done the trick. Maybe I will get my breakfast in peace tomorrow.
Wendy Bathurst
VILLAGE PEOPLE
Jenny Laurie was pleased to be part of the team from her flower club Design Scents which won a Bronze medal at the Chelsea Flower Show for their exhibit depicting 'My Fair Lady' in the 'Overture' class in the Floral Design marquee. This was an interesting if exhausting way to visit Chelsea, as the exhibits are put up overnight and you leave the showground at dawn as the press begin to arrive.
Verna Meader would like to thank everyone who gave her and her husband Len so much kindness and support during and after his unsuccessful fight against cancer.
Some residents may not know that Sarah Stanley of Stanley's store is also a photographer and a documentary producer/director (in her spare time!) and recently produced and directed a film for Sky entitled The Man Who Had Minutes To Live. The film follows the emotional journal of the plight of Pete and Julia Nash from Kings Langley. It is an incredible film that thankfully has a very happy ending. Please watch it if you are fortunate to have Sky. It is broadcast three times a month on Sky One and Two.
Sarah's photography is unique. Her company PIGAPICHA (kiswahili for "take a photo") is the only Fair Trade photography company where a percentage of any sale goes back to the remote community where the image was taken - something which Sarah feels very strongly about.
Have a look at her website if you can: www.pigapicha.com
Sarah will be holding her first exhibition Love & Live with Julia Nash, the subject of her documentary film and now a close friend. The exhibition runs at Watford Museum from July 24 until August 7 and also at Watford Town Hall from July 24 to September 5. Please pop along if you get a chance. There will be posters on display at Stanley's Store with more information nearer the time.
FUNDS RAISED FOR DENS
A fair number of people braved the heavy rain on 3 June to attend a fund-raising Coffee Morning at Helen Harmer’s home in Kings Lane.
The sum of £144 was raised in aid of the charity DENS (Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter) which provides accommodation for the homeless.
Another fund-raising event will be held later in the year.
ST PAUL’S AND HOLY CROSS
My father was a History teacher, and in the early stages of my secondary education I enjoyed his lessons: indeed some fifty years on I am amazed what I still remember. He was passionate in the belief that we should study History, so as to learn from the past, for whilst we live in an ever rapidly scientific and technologically changing world, human ambitions stay much the same!
Was it King Louis XIV of France who, sensing the growing unrest in his kingdom due to social and economic injustice, said "Après moi le deluge!" That the growing issues of his day were faced neither by himself nor his immediate successor, proved to be one of the main causes of the French revolution with all its bloodshed and disorder. The system he enjoyed broke down with terrible consequences, not for him, but for those who came later. It was a time of crisis – a time of judgement, for that is the root of our word "crisis".
Today we face a "credit crunch", turmoil in the banking industry, many face real pressures with mortgages and burdens of debt, (self inflicted, or spurred on by those who have encouraged and made it seemingly easy to have now and pay later). Oil prices have soared, as have the price of many of the things we have come to regard as basic. The outlook is decidedly uncomfortable.
What do we do? It seems the current effort is put into trying to find ways of alleviating the pressure (fair enough) but so we can continue with a consumerist lifestyle? - which at the very least desires to maintain the status quo, and so often looks for more! History suggests to us that is a way of folly! (Incidentally the Bible says the same!) Might it possibly be that the present crisis is a warning of judgement and a clarion call that we have to face the uncomfortable challenge of learning to live differently: to live with less rather than more, or else..., that both in the world of today and more certainly in the future others may simply live.
Will we take the attitude of the French Kings and those around them? Or are we ready to face the far harder but wiser path of having our own ambitions challenged and changed, and then encouraging those in positions of considerable influence to lead us all in that direction?
A change of heart is required!
With my prayers,
Jim Stevens
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Following the anxiety and grief of Fr. Des’ illness and death, the parish had to face another worry; not only who would succeed Fr. Des, but would we get a priest at all! The Salvatorian Community in the UK has no surplus of priests to draw on.
We have been so fortunate! Fr. Terry, Des’ brother, has indicated that he would be happy to return from Tanzania. This cannot have been an easy decision for him after forty-six years serving the Church in a specialised ministry to the people of Tanzania. He would have preferred to stay until he was seventy-five, in three years time, but accepts that now would perhaps be the right time, sooner rather than later.
Fr. Terry will return home in six to twelve months time and, all being well, after a period of reintegration and with the Bishop’s consent, will be appointed to the Church of our Lady here in Chipperfield. This will enable Fr. Terry to ease himself back into our society amidst friends that he knows well. He speaks of Chipperfield as a "home from home".
Announcing this good news after Mass, Fr. Peter Preston SDS, who is Provincial Superior of the Salvatorian Order, told us that during the time before Fr. Terry’s arrival, a priest will come to say Mass and perform baptisms and funerals, but the parishioners and established committees will have to take on even more responsibilities for the running of our parish.
BAPTIST CHURCH
Being a joint newsletter I am tempted to double up on my word count. The other thought was to try and jam in double the wisdom (I can hear you scoffing so stop it).
The funny thing is after last month’s comments on the weather, today it is currently lovely and sunny (it may not be as you read this). Summer evokes in us good feelings. Sunshine somehow lifts our spirits and seems to bring life to what was dreary and barren. Plants bloom. All kinds of creatures, big and small, are about. All is right with the world?
Summer also heralds the holiday season. Now time off is vitally important to our sanity. In church life it is just as much a weekly event as a yearly two weeks away in Benidorm. The word used often in churches for this time is Sabbath. The God given time for rest. It may sound an outdated and odd word but it is a recognition that God really knows us and what we need. The weekly Sabbath no longer has an important place in many of our lives but we cannot disagree with the fact we need and long to get away from it all. We all need to relax and refresh our minds and bodies. Interesting given the amount of preparation required. Often a mad capped dash to an airport and all the stress that involves. The maddening realisation that everyone in the world has chosen to use the same bit of road you are currently on.
I would like to ask a question of us all. A question we may very rarely ask ourselves and it has to do with what the Sabbath was also about. What does a holiday do for our souls? The Sabbath is not only a time of rest for the body but a chance to recharge ourselves spiritually. For us to come before God, without all the normal daily routines and allow Him to recharge us. For us to recognise what He has done for us in His son Jesus Christ. That He has given us this amazing world to live in and that it is all for our benefit to enjoy.
We are supposed to have time to stop and think. Whether we are on some white sandy beach or in a B&B in Skegness, can I suggest we all ask ourselves the question why are we here?
Love
Jason, The Man in the Manse
BAPTIST CHURCH NEWS
It was rather chilly with the threat of showers on the day of our May Fair, and so it was decided to hold it inside. The event was well supported and £650 + was raised for our much needed church funds. It was fun as well as hard work, and our thanks to everyone who supported us so generously and to friends who helped with all the preparations both before and on the day.
We had a Barbeque in the manse garden on June 1st at 4pm. Fortunately it stayed dry after having showers in the morning. The food provided by various friends was fantastic and a great time was had by all so, God willing, we will be having another on August 17th. Why not come and join us?
Please note the July lunch is on the 5th (the first Saturday), as members from the Morris sides will be staying in the hall the following weekend. We are looking forward to the joint service with St. Paul's on July 13th in which the Morris dancers will be taking part. This is usually at 10.30 am on the Common. We do invite you to come and join us for our special evening service at 6-30 on that day – we'll be very pleased to see you.
All are welcome to our monthly lunch, normally held on the 2nd Saturday of the month. Just contact Brenda on 01923 269574. You will be most welcome.
There will be a report on the visit of the Chiltern West Gallery Quire and our Quiz Night in the next issue.
We wish you all a very happy and relaxing holiday time from the Baptist church family.
ST. PAUL’S CHURCH AND HOLY CROSS
Children’s events
These are some of the Children’s events that we run in Chipperfield:
Every Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtime the Youth and Children’s department at St. Paul’s Church and Holy Cross Church goes into St Paul’s Primary School to run ‘Accelerate +’. This is a fun filled lunchtime club, which aims to teach the children about Jesus and we teach them from the bible. We normally have approximately 30 children at each club.
‘Accelerate + ‘links with our bi-monthly club, called ‘Accelerate’ which is held at St Paul’s Parish room on Saturday mornings. The morning is jam packed with crafts, drama, games, songs, bible teaching and fun! We have held 5 sessions since September and our next ‘Accelerate’ is on Saturday July 12th , 10.15-1pm at St Paul’s Parish Room.
Youth Events
Each Monday we run an activity club called Contact in St Paul’s Parish room. We have a range of activities for the young people to get involved in e.g. dance, crafts, cooking, outdoor games, video nights and socials. We then also have a short talk at the end of the evening about God and the Christian faith. Contact is held for two age groups. We have approximately 30 young people attending contact. 6.15—7.30pm for Year 6-8 7.45—9pm for Year 9 –11
On a Tuesday evening the Youth department run Small Groups. These are Bible study groups where young people are discipled in the Christian faith. They are supportive and encouraging but they also challenge the young people to build a personal relationship with Jesus and be changed by it! We have approximately 20 young people meeting in small groups. There are 3 different small groups: Year 6&7 (Tues), years 7-10 (Tues) and years 8-10 (Fri) These meet in homes of the leaders from 6.30—7.30pm.
Every month we run PULSE, an event in which young people from 4 churches gather together to serve their local communities. This can be in any way that help is needed. E.g. gardening, painting, litter picking etc. Our next PULSE is over in Chorleywood for a fun day on Saturday 28th June. We will be hosting a football tournament, face painting etc. Please join us!
Once a month we also hold Cool Runnings in St Pauls Parish room. This is an informal, all age service from 5.30—7pm. We have some musical worship, games and crafts, food and a talk using a film. The next Cool Runnings is on Saturday 5th July, 5.30-7pm,
All are welcome! Please call St Paul’s Church, Youth and Children’s office on 01923 270572 for more information about any of these events.
Emma King Youth and Children’s Intern,
St Paul’s Church, Chipperfield and Holy Cross Church, Sarratt
SUMMER IN THE GARDEN
Gardeners do spend a lot of time talking about the weather. Last summer we had a lot of rain which made the weeds grow furiously and lawns needed more mowing, slugs and snails were more active and diseases such as Potato Blight were rampant. Should we have hot dry weather, we should be taking steps to retain moisture in the soil and the best way of achieving this is by laying landscape fabric on the ground and covering with a mulch or organic compost or bark chippings or even home-made compost. Trees, shrubs and roses will not need to be watered in dry weather if a good thick mulch is put around them. Bedding plants, especially those in hanging baskets and containers, do need to be watered regularly and so, too, do all vegetables. Tomatoes will develop Blossom End Rot if they are not watered at regular intervals.
This summer keep up with regular sowings of salads, parsley, radish and lettuce and start sowing late beet and cabbage. Wallflowers should be sown as soon as possible. Give lavenders a light trim, cut the hedges and prune shrubs once they have flowered. Prune soft fruit and cut out the old canes of raspberries, with the exception of the autumn-fruiting varieties. All the prunings can go on to the compost heap.
Vegetables will need feeding with Growmore or a liquid feed and tomatoes will need regular feeds of Tomorite. The best fertilizer for roses is Toprose which is also a good feed for shrubs and hardy perennials. Spray roses every 3 weeks against Black Spot, Mildew and Rust and it's a good idea at the same time to spray campanulas and hollyhocks to keep them free from Rust.
Keep the lawns cut regularly but in hot dry weather do not cut too short and never attempt to water - a nice brown lawn will always return to green a very short time after the rains come. Always keep on top of the weeding and dead-head roses, bedding plants and perennials as often as you are able.
This is the best time of the year to take hardwood cuttings of many shrubs and climbers. Spring-flowering bulbs will soon be on sale and it is a good idea to chose while the selection is at its peak, but far too early to plant out in the garden.
Should you be going away on holiday do try to find a friend who is able to water your hanging baskets, tomato plants, runner beans, marrows and courgettes and to ventilate your greenhouse in your absence. In the garden centre there are automatic devices on sale which can do some of these tasks for you. Remember in hot weather to put out water for the birds and to top up the pond. During the summer months there are a host of plants which look good in the garden and a visit to one of the many gardens open to the public is well worth while. The garden at White Gates, Commonwood, is open on Saturday 5 July, and the Barn, Stoney Lane, Bovingdon, is open on Sunday 13 July. Stresa, The Drive, Rickmansworth is open on 27 July and the Abbots House, Abbots Langley, is open on both 6 July and 24 August. At Chenies Manor the annual Plant and Garden Fair is on 20 July. The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is from 8-13 July (tickets 0870 247 1240) and the RHS Flower Sow at Tatton Park is from 23-27 July (tickets 0870 906 3748).
Terry Simmonds
VILLAGE HALL A.G.M.
The Chairman of the Village Hall Committee, Richard Edwards, welcomed representatives of user organisations to the 24th AGM held on 4 June. He reported that following a two-year freeze of rental charges, it will be necessary to increase rates from September 1 this year to meet higher operating costs and anticipated rises in the price of gas, electricity and water. £4,800 had been spent on internal decorations in August 2007 and a further £2,500 will be spent on sanding and sealing the floor this August. The cost of sanding the floor has been met by a grant from the Parish Council and £800 had been received from Chipperfield News. The Chairman thanked all members of the Committee for their support during the year and praised Mrs. Moreen Wheeler for her vigilance as a caretaker and her assistance showing the premises to prospective hirers.
Tony Cornell, the Treasurer, presented the annual accounts, drawing attention to the income of just under £20,000 and the expenditure of just over £20,000, which led to a deficit of just over £1,000. The balance sheet recorded net assets of £28,500 after absorbing the deficit.
Ann Stickland, Secretary, read out the names of proposed Committee members for the forthcoming year, confirming one vacancy. Offers or proposals to fill the vacancy should be made to the Chairman or Secretary.
Next year the Village Hall celebrates its centenary. It was built in 1909 by Mr. Burgin of Bovingdon at a cost of £450. The original building was officially opened by the Bishop of St. Albans in July 1909 and the Village Hall Committee will discuss possible celebration events at its next meeting in September.