Coffee Morning – Keep the Bell Ringing

Coffee morning to Keep the Bells RingingCoffee Morning – Keep the Bell Ringing

The Friends of St Mary’s Old Church are holding a coffee morning to support their  “Keep the Bell Ringing” appeal.  Taking place on Saturday 18th February, in St Mary’s Church Hall, coffee, tea, squash & delicious cakes will be on offer from 10:30 until midday.

All are welcome, no charge will be made but Continue reading “Coffee Morning – Keep the Bell Ringing”

Mulled Wine to Keep the Bell Ringing

Buy some Xmas Cards with your Mulled Wine
Buy some Xmas Cards with your Mulled Wine

Mulled Wine to Keep the Bell Ringing

The Friends of St Mary’s invite you to join them for mulled wine, mince pies and refreshments at the Old Church.  Taking place between 12-2:30pm on Sunday 11th December the event is a social occasion to meet friends, chat and look at the decorated Christmas trees.   You could also become a member (or renew your membership) of the Friends of St Mary’s Old Church. All are welcome, no admission charge but donations gratefully received.  Any funds raised will go towards the urgently needed repairs discussed in a previous article on this site.

Christmas Cards

The friends are also selling packs of Christmas Cards featuring the Old Church in wintry scenes.  Costing £3.50 you can buy the cards from Scissorhands, the Pharmacy or directly from Teresa (241878) or Jane (240167).

 

Keep the Bell Ringing Appeal for St Mary’s

Heritage of St Mary's Old Church, West Bergholt
The classic view of St Mary’s Old Church – our local heritage

Keep the Bell Ringing

Friends of St Mary’s Old Church have launched the “Keep the Bell Ringing” appeal for £10,000 .

Why £10,000?

Our 1,000-year-old West Bergholt Old Church in Hall Road is now in need of serious care and attention to give it the chance to continue another 1,000 years.   Its roof is leaking in 2 places requiring repair of the valley gutter and dormer window, and the belfry needs work on its weather cladding.  The estimate of cost for this external work, by the Churches Conservation Trust which now cares for this redundant church, is an eye-watering £127,200.  The CCT secured grant funding for most of this sum, but we have to raise the funding shortfall of £10,000 locally.

How you can help

We need your help!  The plan is to erect scaffolding and do this specialist work next Spring, so we need to raise the funds quickly to make this happen.  To confirm the grant the donors need to see that we can raise our share of the money.

We will ring-fence all donations to this appeal, you could help us in the following ways:

  • Firstly make a donation either:
    • by cheque to the ‘Friends of St Mary’s Old Church” sent to our Treasurer: Rhys Lloyd, 4 Coopers Crescent, West Bergholt, CO6 3SJ.
    • by electronic transfer online to a/c no. 65515734, Sort Code 09-92-99. Please indicate who the donation is coming from.
    • through justgiving.com: to the “ St. Mary’s Old Church West Bergholt” appeal.
  • Next, consider coming to the events we are planning this autumn:
    • Table Top Sale: Saturday 19th November at the Orpen Hall, 10am-2pm at the Orpen Hall.  We will be serving Light lunches and refreshments.  Call Gill Poole on 240512 to book a sale table.  Entrance 50p.
    • Mulled Wine and Mince Pies in the Old Church – Sunday 11th December from 12.00 – 2.30pm. Come and admire the Christmas trees decorated by various village groups, and meet friends and neighbours.  This is a free event but donations will be gratefully received, and memberships (just £5), renewed.
  • Buy our Christmas cards of the Old Church:
    • at our events,
    • the local shops, or
    • from Teresa on 241878 or Jane on 240167. 6 cards for £3.50.
  • Become a Friend of St Mary’s Old Church or renew your membership (just £5). Phone Rhys or Carrie or visit the church for details.
  • Make your friends aware of our Appeal; also that the Old Church is open to visitors from 10am – 4pm every day.
  • Hold a fundraising events or help us with one of ours. To offer help, please contact Jane or Carrie.

Inside St Mary'sInternal works as well

While this external repair work is undertaken we will also carry out urgently needed plastering work and decoration inside the church. This will be funded by the very generous legacy of Mrs Yvonne Henderson which was left specifically for this purpose.

Thank you for reading this appeal.  We hope you will be able to help us preserve our lovely ancient church for future generations and keep it available for the use of our village.   Please be as generous as you can.

Celebrate Christmas with us

Start your Christmas celebrations this year by coming to the 2016 Candlelight Carol Service at the Old Church on 18th December at 2.30pm.

Contacts

 

St Mary’s Update – 9th August 2016

Rio-2016St Mary’s Update – 9th August 2016

St Mary’s Church update for 9th August provides listings of services, bible readings and other events and news such as Ride & Stride, Messy Church with an Olympic theme & Coggeshall Flower Festival.

Messy Church – Sunday 14 August

This coming Sunday the theme for Messy Church will be the Olympics. Hope you can join us! Continue reading “St Mary’s Update – 9th August 2016”

Reach new heights with the EACH Colchester Abseil

Abseil Colchester town hallReach new heights with the EACH Colchester Abseil

On the 22nd March 2015, the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) are holding their fourth Colchester Abseil at The Town Hall.

The abseil will be an exhilarating 100ft descent and will give participants a birds eye view of the high street.  The abseil is being managed by Creation Climbing Centre and there are up to 60 places are available.

Last year over 50 adults took to the challenge raising a fantastic £6,500 for EACH!  The money raised helps care for children and young people with life-threatening conditions and supports their families.  Last year, EACH helped 572 families, many of whom live in Essex.

  • Minimum age to take part is 12 years.
  • Registration and sponsorship:
    • £15 registration for adults 17 yrs and over – minimum sponsorship £85.
    • £15 registration for children 16 yrs and under – minimum sponsorship £30.

To find out more about this fantastic event and to sign up, go to www.each.org.uk/colchesterabseil or call 01206 848450.

More about EACHEACH - abseil in support of them

From babies to young people up to the age of 18, EACH supports families, children and young people living with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk from diagnosis to end-of-life and throughout bereavement. They do this through a range of services delivered where the family wish – in their own home, at hospital, in the community or at one of their three hospices in Milton, Ipswich and Quidenham.

Care at end of life isn’t the only service EACH provides though; many children and young people who use their services are extremely active but need additional support and care.  A child might receive the support of a play specialist to give them access to appropriate play activities helping them grow in confidence and aid their physical and mental wellbeing, enjoy sensory rooms at the hospices, have music therapy sessions to offer the opportunity to interact, communicate and express themselves or sessions in the therapeutic hydrotherapy pool.

Their support stretches further than the young person to include families, they know the stresses and strains living with a life-threatening illness can place on all the family. EACH runs special family events where families can meet others in similar situations to them, sibling days always full of smiles and laughter and spiritual care.

Action for Children Result 2014

Action for Children

As last year, the Methodist Church in West Bergholt organised their annual house-to-house collection for “Action for Children” (formerly National Childrens Homes) , the Methodist children’s charity.  Last year they nearly reached £1,000 (£934.79 to be precise), and whilst they would have dearly loved to break that barrier this year, once again they missed out by a small amount raising £930.19, which is very similar to last years.  This was achieved despite the fact that the shortage of collectors this year meant they were not able to cover as much of the village as they had done in previous years, as one of the organizers commented:

This is a very worthwhile contribution to the important work of Action for Children. Thanks to all who supported and particularly to the small band of collectors. We did not break the £1,000 barrier this year but maybe next year! 

Action for Children is a national charity founded over 140 years ago.  It is dedicated to supporting and speaking out for the UK’s most vulnerable and neglected children and young people, for as long as it takes to make a difference in their lives…  In short they:

  • work directly with over 300,000 children, young people, parents and carers (a 20% increase over last year!);
  • run more than 650 services across the UK; and
  • tackle issues such as child neglect and abuse.

Their vision is:

For a world where all children and young people have a sense of belonging and are loved and valued.  A world where they can break through injustice, deprivation and inequality to fulfil their potential, shape their own destiny and experience the joy of life.

Action for Children 2014

Action for Children

As last year, the Methodist Church in West Bergholt are organising their annual house-to-house collection for “Action for Children” (formerly National Childrens Homes) , the Methodist children’s charity, from 1st to 13th September. Last year they nearly reached £1,000 (£934.79 to be precise), and would dearly love to break that barrier this year.  To help them make this, they would be delighted to have some more helpers to do rounds, so they can cover as much of the village as possible. If you can help, even for only a small round, please contact Sylvia Wilks, 76, Mumford Road (01206 242511) as soon as possible.

Action for Children is a national charity founded over 140 years ago.  It is dedicated to supporting and speaking out for the UK’s most vulnerable and neglected children and young people, for as long as it takes to make a difference in their lives…  In short they:

  • work directly with over 300,000 children, young people, parents and carers (a 20% increase over last year!);
  • run more than 650 services across the UK; and
  • tackle issues such as child neglect and abuse.

Their vision is:

For a world where all children and young people have a sense of belonging and are loved and valued.  A world where they can break through injustice, deprivation and inequality to fulfil their potential, shape their own destiny and experience the joy of life.

Open Gardens a success

Nicola and Richard Bowdidge
Nicola & Richard Bowdidge
Tom Bowdidge Team at Open Gardens 2014
Tom Bowdidge Team at Open Gardens 2014

Open Gardens 2014

Sunday 22nd June was a glorious day.  The sun shone and over 400 people turned out to visit 13 open gardens and the allotments in West Bergholt.  Apart from the beautiful gardens, some small, some large, there were donkeys to feed, a vintage Jaguar to admire and a 1960’s jukebox to listen to.  The church halls laid on refreshments, as did Garlands Farm.  Plants and other produce were on sale at the allotments and some gardens.

Fantastic Fundraising

The event, organised by the West Bergholt Gardening Association, raised over £3,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.  In addition Tom Bowdidge’s family raised over £400 for the Tom Bowdidge Foundation at his grandparents open garden. To find out  more about these charities visit   www.teenagecancertrust.org or www.facebook.com/thetombowdidgefoundation.

Far flung visitors

The event drew visitors from other villages and even from far flung places such as Ipswich (a charabanc full from their allotment society!) and Leigh-on-Sea.  The organisers would like to thank everyone who took part including the visitors.  They welcome comments, both positive and negative, please send to [email protected].

The Association are looking to make this an Annual Event .   Watch this space!!!

Gardeners Association Meeting

The club’s next meeting will be on the 15th September when DEBORAH HART will give a talk on Hanging Baskets and Winter Containers. 7.00 for 7.30pm.   Why not come along to the Orpen Hall, all are welcome.   There is a small charge of £3 including refreshments , also gardeners raffle.

Christmas fun & fundraising

The Methodist Church
Busy before Christmas – The Methodist Church

The Methodist Church had a busy run-up to Christmas

Carol Singing Friday 20 December

A hardy band of carol singers were outside the Coop store from 18.00 to 19.30. They entertained shoppers and Coop staff with a range of popular carols. Thanks to the generosity of the shoppers, and the singers, the sum of £52 was raised for Action for Children. The hot drinks and mince pies enjoyed after the singing were most welcome.

Candlelight Carols Sunday 22 December

The service by candlelight provided a very special Christmas celebration atmosphere with a mix of traditional carols and readings. Many of the congregation were also able to enjoy a chat with coffee and mince pies in the hall after the service.

Coffee and Craft Monday 23 December

Building on the events held in the summer this proved to be a popular morning for families. Twenty-four children, together with accompanying adults, enjoyed a range of Christmas crafts including make your own Nativity Scenes, Snow scene domes and flying reindeer complete with sleighs! There was also time to enjoy a chat and the drinks and cakes proved popular also. Encouraged by the response we will be looking to provide further Coffee and Craft mornings in the Easter school holidays – look out for our publicity nearer the time.

Thanks to all who supported and worked to make possible the above events, and best wishes for the New Year.

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