The Littleton Link

October 2017

Editor’s Letter

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the full colour edition of the Littleton Link. The

Link is now being printed in colour which is fabulous. I hope

you will agree it has really added a touch of glamour and

vibrancy to the Link. I have re-posted the photograph of

the pumpkins on the front cover, although previously used

and printed in black and white the new colour printing

gives the photo the justice it deserves.

Autumn is upon us and so the harvest is being gathered in.

Enjoy the traditions and events October has in store: conker

gathering, pumpkin picking and early carving, the mop will

be in town and of course harvest festivals.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Regards

Sarah

Littletons Wednesday Club

August 30th. This was a “mystery” meeting, one that was

labelled “TBA” but that didn’t really matter because we’d

had our meeting before the Link arrived. Members arrived

and “what are we doing?” “What’s happening?” could be

heard. Well it wasn’t a quiz & it wasn’t Beetle so what could

it be? Ah! This will be a change it’s B-I-N-G-O. “Eyes down

for any line” & off we go.

For some members it was almost an introduction to the game,

for others they new the way to play. We played for any line

then a full house for 2 games. We had our refreshments &

tickets were sold for the usual raffle & then we resumed our

places for the last game. This game was 1 line then any 2

lines (on the same game) followed by a full house. For any

newcomers it became a wee bit tricky working it all out. Our

winners were Pam, Cynthia, Roy, Chris, Mary, Pam & the

last game no-one stood a chance, 1line winner was Lesley, 2

line winner was Lesley & the winner of the full house was

yes you’ve guessed it Lesley.

I was concerned that we wouldn’t have many at the meeting

after our August 2nd one but it was a good attendance of 33.

September 13th. My my where has the time gone again?

Today we held our Fund raising afternoon. There were 34

members & 1 visitor this afternoon. The stalls were cakes &

produce, Tombola, bric-a-brac

with 3 guessing games & a raffle. Members browsed the

tables & of course their eyes were on the homemade cakes

tarts & pies to begin with. There was a good supply. The

afternoon began at 2-30pm. & trade was pretty brisk. Our

normal refreshment time was brought forward a little as

business had slowed down.

Prize winners were announced.

There were 13 teabags in the teapot and Dave Moss was the

nearest and won a dish of assorted sweets (courtesy of his

wife). There were 62 pompoms in a jar and Eileen won a box

of fruit. Lesley won the sweets in the jar.

The raffle prizes were:

1st prize: a watch – Netta Gisbourne, 2nd prize: Chocolates –

Sandra Morris, 3rd prize: Bottle of wine: Iris Knight, 4th

prize: Bottle of wine: Theresa, 5th.prize: Box of toiletries:

Joyce, 6th.prize: Box of toiletries: Steve.

The sub-total on the afternoon was approximately £240.

Future Programme:

September 27th. will be our official, annual Mystery Trip.

October11th. Our Harvest Festival will be led by Joyce &

Alan Bache. It will be held in the village hall at 2-30pm.

Please come & join us.

October 25th. A.G.M. This will be followed by an afternoon

of filling the shoeboxes for the charity TEAMS4U. Any help

and/donations would be very welcome.

November 8th. Birthday/Christmas lunch held in the village

hall. Members £6.00 non-members £8.00.

November 22nd. T.B.A in the village hall at 2-30pm.

December 6th. Christmas shopping in Gloucester.

December 13th. Carol Service in the village hall at 2-30pm.

Information:

Marion Brighton: 01905 900125

Mary Hilton: 01386 830763.

We would welcome anyone to our meetings in the village

hall or to join us on our outings.

Eileen Meads.

Littletons WI

After welcoming members, guests and our speaker, Dr Gillian White, to our September meeting, Mary led the singing of Jerusalem. President June Lloyd detailed correspondence received and the various activities available on the clipboards including Lunch Group, and visits to the cinema, Art Centre and Witley Court during the course of the next month and a proposed visit to Avoncroft Museum for a Willow Weaving course in the near future. Group Skittles is due to begin later this month. We featured in two articles in WI News, one covering Dragon Boat Racing in which two of our members took part and thoroughly enjoyed themselves and of our making of sensory bands for people with dementia.

Our Speaker Gillian then regaled us with a very enthusiastic talk on “Robert Dudley, Queen Elizabeth and the Kenilworth Entertainment of 1575”. She asked if anyone could think of a suitable shorter title for the talk but no suggestions were forthcoming! She detailed the early history of Robert and the Queen including the questionable relationship between them and the mysterious death of his first wife and the various goings on at the Entertainment which involved plenty of feasting, drinking, hunting and dancing. Although it was widely felt that they would marry, such a union never came about and in 1578 Robert married the Queen’s cousin, Lettice Knowles and the Queen went on to have a friendship with the Duke of Alencon. The Vote of Thanks was given by Rosie McCotter.

Supper followed and then the result of the competition - “An Old Tool”, which was won by Hazel, was announced. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, 10th October - 7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. when our speaker, Fiona Rhodes will give a talk entitled “Hatched, Matched and Dispatched”. The competition is “a wedding photograph”. For further information contact June Lloyd on 01386 830844. New members and guests are welcome as always. See also www.littletonswi.moonfruit.com

Margaret Dalton

PURE LAWNS

Professional lawn and garden service located in South

Littleton.

Our services include:

• Fertilising

• Weed control

• Moss control

• Hollow tine Aeration

• Scarification

• Disease and insect control

• Lawn mowing

• Garden maintenance

Visit our website for more information about our products

and services: www.purelawns.co.uk

Contact Philip Rigby for a no obligation quote:

Tel: 01386 834 198

Mob: 07779 410 993

E: info@purelawns.co.uk

Professional Lawn Care

service

South Littleton Village Development News – Update from the

Parish Council

Why is it when you wait for one development to the village to come

along two appear, and in the next few months we have three !

Its good news but the Parish Council (PC) felt it worthwhile to keep the

residents updated on these development plans:

Firstly the replacement of the Village Street Lights is scheduled to start

work during the last two weeks of Oct 2017. The work is due to last 8

weeks . The lights will provide more effective light & reduce the supply

and current maintenance bill considerably. If any residents wish to

know more or discuss this then please contact the Clerk via the website

– See link below

Secondly the pavement alongside Long Hyde Road is due to be

replaced in early October. Again the PC, alongside the District

Councillor Alastair Adams, have pushed hard for this work to be

undertaken so we are all pleased we now have a start date.

Thirdly I am delighted to confirm the building of a new Playground in

south Meadows which is scheduled for W/c 30th October. The residents

association have worked hard alongside the PC to make this happen and

improve the facilities in this area. Further options to improve the

facilities in South Meadow are also being discussed so if you have any

thoughts or ideas please get involved .

I trust this keeps you all suitably updated

Kind Regards

Richard Herborn

Chairman - Parish Council

www.southlittleton.org.uk - and navigate to the contact us page

October 2017

Dear Friends

This is the season of harvest when the farmers and growers after much

hard work, have gathered in the majority of their produce.

The farmers planted their seeds months ago but many of the fruit

growers would have had their trees planted possibly decades ago.

Irrespective of when the seeds or trees were planted the harvest is

now very much gathered in.

Over previous years much has been done in the six churches of our

Benefice to plant the ‘seeds’ of the gospel and we must begin to look

for the ‘harvest’ from all those various efforts.

Last month I mentioned the new Messy Church starting and also the

Bishop’s Certificate course.

Let us look forward to these two new ventures to bring in a ‘harvest’

into our churches along with the many other exciting events that are

happening in the coming months.

The Rev'd Fr. Philip Morton

Priest in Charge & Associate Director of Ordinands

The Benefice of the East Vale & Avon Villages

From the Parish Registers August/September 2017

Weddings

12-Aug-17 Bretforton Matthew James Turvey & Jodie Shannon O'Keefe Trundell

22-Aug-17 Offenham David Stuart Elliott & Karen Anne Haines

26-Aug-17 Badsey Jason Richard Medcroft &Emily Jane Churchley

31-Aug-17 Badsey Daryl Jack Beattie & Hannah May Riach

02-Sep-17 S. Littleton Neville Frank Martin & Kimberley Hannah Brewer

Baptism

20 Aug 17 Bretforton Lily Harber

27 Aug 17 Badsey Arthur Benjamin Atkinson

Funerals

11-Aug-17 Bretforton Jelfs Hilton Stepney 86

14-Aug-17 Bretforton Fowles Desmond Charles 92

14-Aug-17 Cleeve Prior

Smith Irene Florence 62

18-Aug-17 Cleeve Prior

Dewson Roy Frank 85

30-Aug-17 Bretforton Pryke Clive Victor 69

31-Aug-17 Bretforton Huttlestone Isobel 94

31-Aug-17 Offenham Nightingale Phyllis Betty Joyce

90

06-Sep-17 Badsey Bolton John 77

05-Sep 17 Badsey Biddle Christabel Jane 81

The Littletons Village Hall Update

Like winter moving on apace, so has the village hall evolved over the last few months, with new acquisitions, maintenance, repairs and events to come.

a) A new entrance lobby dust mat b) Two lavender pots gracing the entrance outside c) The noisy toilet cistern has been finally silenced d) The annual spring clean, by a small determined band of

volunteers, spruced up areas not normally reached by the cleaners

e) Soup and Chat dates now fixed for the winter months and the annual Christmas Fayre in November (see separate adverts)

f) Two telephones are up and functioning inside the hall, (but only for landline numbers).

g) And finally, the new fireproof curtains are now in situ. I waived a magic wand and “Voila!” it is done. I will omit the blood sweat, tears and naughty words involved with the process.

The issue of Food and Hygiene Certification for the hall kitchen and for those preparing food was raised at our last meeting. It has now been made clear to me that: The hall was awarded a Food Hygiene rating of ‘ Exempt’ by Wychavon District Council on 19th November, 2008. For volunteers and charity groups that want to provide food in a village hall Food Hygiene Certificates are not a legal requirement. Please keep supporting your village hall – it is for use of ALL Littletons

residents. Chris, Secretary of LVH

LITTLETON FOOTBALL CLUB

October/November Fixtures October 7 Coventry Alvis Away 3pm

October 11 (SM Cup) (Wed)

Knowle Home 7.45pm

October 14 Lichfield Home 3pm

October 21 Ilkeston Home 3pm

October 28 Atherstone Away 3pm

November 4 Bolehall Swifts Home 3pm

November 7 (Tues)Heather St Johns Away 7.45pm

November 11 Coventry Copsewood Away 3pm

November 18 Heather St Johns Home 3pm

November 25 Nuneaton Griff Away 3pm

Volunteers are always welcome to join existing ones who continue to

carry out the everyday tasks involved with running the club. Help is

always appreciated especially on match days. For more information

please contact Colin Emms on 01386 832084.

Should you wish to support the club you can sponsor a game for £50 or

a match ball £25. Please contact the Colin Emms.

We would also be pleased to see you at Five Acres to give your support

to players and management team. Hot and cold drinks are available.

Looking forward to seeing you at Five Acres

Marion Brighton Secretary Telephone: 01905 909125

St Michael’s Church, South Littleton

Benefice of East Vale and Avon Villages.

Priest in Charge Revd Philip Morton at the Vicarage, High Street,

Badsey WR11 7EJ. Tel 01386 832599. For weddings baptisms and

funerals contract Wendy Stafford Parish Administrator 01386 424728.

For general enquires please contact the Churchwardens Robert Johnson

01386 831504 or Sue Jinks 01386 831553.

Sunday services

1st October at 9.30 Family Service

8th October at 9.30 Morning Praise

15th October at 9.30 Eucharist

22nd October at 9.30 Morning Praise

29th October at 11.00 Benefice Eucharist at Bretforton

5th November at 9.30 Family Service

Family Services are short non-Eucharist service especially for

families with coffee and drinks.

Thank you to all who supported Flowers and Photos in the Church with

Teas and Cakes on Saturday 30th September and Sunday 1st October

2017.

100 Club winners August No 1 - Mrs Caldicott

July No 34 - Mrs Johnson

June No 48 – Mrs Rimell

May No 14 – Mrs Saunders

For information on St Michael’s please visit our web site

www.southlittletonchurch.co.uk

Visit from Germany August 2017

Nine of our friends from Germany came to visit between 4th and 7th August. They arrive in the early hours of Friday morning, having flown into Birmingham. Later that day we visited Pershore Abbey for a guided tour, a cup of coffee and Eucharist, followed by a picnic in the Abbey Park and some free time to sightsee in the town. Then to Offenham and visited Wendy Stafford’s glassworks, this had been asked for as our gift in 2016 had been a piece designed and made by her. Then to the hosts for a rest before meeting up for a BBQ at the Beddis’s. The weather proved to be a little damp but did not stop an enjoyable evening. Saturday saw an early start to go to Weston super Mare, this trip had been organised by Hugh & Sally Mitchell. Leaving in 3 cars ,the weather looked fine ,but,due to an accident on the M5 it took nearly 4 hrs to there ,making us late for lunch most had fish and chips [we were at the English seaside after all ] After lunch a stroll along the pier and as the tide was coming in we could see the sea ,the weather was very nice while we were there and the ice cream tasted lovely . A little walk along the seafront and then it was time to travel back , our German friends had thoroughly enjoyed themselves and luckily our journey back didn't take quite as long . On return it was a quick change and to Badsey Church for a 6.30 service to celebrate our partnership which was taken by Archdeacon Robert Jones. This service was conducted in both languages, including singing the hymns in both languages in alternate verses. We were also very pleased to have a peal of bells and choir to make the service special. At the end of the service our friends from Germany made a presentation to our Benefice which was accepted by Revd Philip Morton.

We then enjoyed a buffet supper which allowed the sharing of food and fellowship to around 50 people. Sunday, a 9.30 family service at Offenham Church and afterwards coffee whilst

waiting for the gardens in the NGS to open, visiting three gardens before returning to the hosts for Sunday lunch. The afternoon was spent with the host some took their guests to Evesham to hear the Bretforton Band play in the park. Early evening saw us meeting at the Wheatsheaf for a farewell drink, then to the hosts for evening meal. Monday we had a short farewell service at Cleeve Prior church before our friends set off to visit Birmingham before returning to the airport for the evening flight home. Thanks to all from the Benefice who made this visit special. Next year sees the twentieth anniversary of our partnership and we are planning a visit in August next year to Germany to celebrate 20 years of our Partnership

Alex Christison

S.W ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE

LOCAL, FRIENDLY AND RELIABLE ELECTRICIAN

ALL TYPES OF DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL WORKS

CARRIED OUT

TESTING AND INSPECTION

FULL AND PARTIAL REWIRES

FUSE BOARD UPDATES

ADDITIONAL LIGHTING AND SOCKETS

SECURITY LIGHTING

GARAGE AND SHED SUPPLY

PAT TESTING

PART P REGISTERED NAPIT APPROVED

CALL STEVE ON: 01386 833380 or MOBILE 07923672572

Stevew.electrical@gmail.com

Benefice of East Vale and Avon Villages St Nicholas Church, North and Middle Littleton

October 2017 Services

1st Oct Holy Eucharist 4.30pm Rev’d Philip Morton 8th Oct Evensong 4.30pm Rev’d Philip Morton 15th Oct Holy Eucharist 4.30pm Rev’d Philip Morton 22nd Oct Evensong 4.30pm Rev’d Philip Morton 29th Oct Benefice Eucharist 11.00am Bretforton 5th Nov Holy Eucharist 4.30pm Rev’d Philip Morton Any Parishioner wishing to contact Rev’d Philip Morton, or seeking information should contact: The Benefice Administrator, M/s Wendy Stafford. 01386 424728 or email: admin@eastvaleavon.org.uk Wendy is the first point of contact to arrange Weddings and Baptisms. For any other matters relating to St Nicholas Church please contact Peter Brown (Churchwarden) Tel 01386 831529.

Christmas Craft Fayre

Saturday 25 November

11am-3pm

At The Littletons Village Hall Unique hand crafted gifts

Tombola

WI Cakes

Tea/coffee Refreshments

ALL WELCOME : FREE ENTRY

In support of The Littletons

Village Hall

LITTLETON BOWLING CLUB

The outdoor bowling season has now come to a close with the Club having had a very successful season, not only because of the results but we had many people who had never played the game before who have really progressed and been playing in the competitive side in leagues as well as friendly games and competitions.

Would you like to have a go at bowling?

This friendly Club is holding a taster session for male and females of ANY AGE on Saturday 7th October at 2pm for 2 hours.

If you would like to come along to the Bowling Club, which is within the Recreation Field off Long Hyde Road in South Littleton and try the game informally then please contact Dave on 832421.

If you enjoy it and would like to learn the game with a qualified coach then we will be having further sessions on the following five Saturday afternoons.

After completion of these sessions you should be competent to play in a proper game enjoying friendship of your fellow members as well as people from clubs in other local villages and towns.

We already have men and women signed up for these sessions and numbers are limited so get in touch immediately to book your place.

A similar event will be taking place in February/March so again book your place asap.

A date for your diary

LITTLETON FOOTBALL CLUB

PRIZE BINGO

LITTLETON VILLAGE

HALL

SATURDAY

DECEMBER 9, 2017

EYES DOWN

8pm

MARTIN GRINNELL FUNERAL

SERVICES

Local independent Funeral Director

Serving the local community for over 26

Years

Personal attention Day or Night

Private Chapel of Rest

Tel: 01386 642332

Mobile: 07970292026

JCS Motors Cleeve Prior Garage

Hoden Lane, Cleeve Prior, WR11 8LH

We offer a full range of garage services at competitive prices.

A regular car service ensures that your car is safe and is running at

optimum performance. We provide different levels of servicing from a general check-over to a

major service.

Brakes * Clutches * Diagnostics * Exhausts * Timing Belts * MOT Preparation * MOT Repairs * Servicing * Suspension

We also offer a free collection and return service if required.

Over 35 years experience!

Contact John Stanley: 01789 773795 or 07977 333719

Email: jcsmotors@yahoo.co.uk

RWH Accountancy Limited Personal Tax Returns … … … … From £95 Sole Trade Accounts … … … … From £295 Company Accounts .. … … … … From £495 Other Services: VAT Returns, Bookkeeping, Payroll

Contact Richard: 07823 889711 –

richard@rwhaccountancy.co.uk

Corrine’s Cleaning Service

Office Cleaning

Laundry & Ironing

CRB Checked

General Cleaning &Tidying

Light housework

Competitive Rates

Call: 07731 866 445 or Email:

Corrine.page2@googlemail.com

Jo MartinYouthDance

A recreational dance class for boys and girls age

5-16, welcoming all abilities.

Offering street, jazz and contemporary dance.

Tuesday

JMYD Juniors 5-10 years old 6-6.45pm

JMYD Seniors 11-16 years old 7-8pm

£3 a class, per person

Offenham Village Hall

For more information contact:

Jo Martin

07581328329

jomartin89@hotmail.com

Keeping in Touch

Your church now has a new email service.

If you would like to keep up to date with events, services and other

news within your parish you can subscribe at:

www.eastvaleavon.org.uk/outreach

James Glover Garden Maintenance

Hedge Clipping: Pruning

Weeding: Planting & Removing

Shrubs: Preparing Vegetable Plots

Lawn Mowing

Now fully insured

Telephone: 01386 830409

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Editor information: Entries and enquiries for the next Link should be sent to:-

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South Littleton

WR11 8TP

01386 831678

sarah561stephens@btinternet.com

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12 Noon on Wednesday 18 October 2017

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