St Mary’s News – the Midsummer Edition

This edition starts with Rev Heather’s Midsummer Message

This edition of St Mary’s News starts with Revd. Heather’s “Midsummer” message and then continues with:

Trip to St Paul’s Cathedral for Evensong and Tour,
Eco-matters & seasonal produce,
Wildlife Count in Churchyard,
Drop in Café,
Living in Love & Faith Course , and
the usual listings of services and co nt acts.

Midsummer Message from Rev. Heather

Our Father

It seems hard to believe, that the midway point of the year is approaching, our days are so much longer now, as we enter June and summer begins, but still time seems to rush on and there is never enough time to get things done.

May 21, 2023February 22, 2024

Steve Hallam leads Big County Birdwatch on a Dawn Walk

Once again, Steve Hallam led a successful Dawn Chorus walk through Hillhouse Wood on 6th May. This year it was one of 19 bird walks taking place in Essex over the Coronation weekend.

Steve Hallam reports:

Well, it looks as if I must have done the odd good thing in a previous life. Despite the distinctly dodgy weekend weather forecast, we had a lovely morning for our 2023 Dawn Chorus walk. Not that we could see this of course, at 03.45, but at least we knew we’d be staying dry. A nice number of 14 people also turned out, despite the distraction of a certain Royal event later that morning. Also different this year was that we had folded the walk into the programme of The Big County Birdwatch, organised by the Essex Birdwatching Society. This had been moved to take place in Spring, rather than Autumn. It was pleasing to welcome EBWS people to the walk.

May 4, 2023May 31, 2023

Coronation Weekend – have you got plans?

Have you got plans for the Coronation weekend?

If you don’t have plans for Coronation weekend perhaps some of the following might appeal:

Friday

The Vocal Zones Choir will be celebrating the Coronation in style at St Mary’s Church from 7:30 pm, tickets at the door are £3 (cash) to include wine and light refreshments.

Saturday

Some of the birds seen/heard at the 2022 Dawn Chorus walk

Why not take in the Dawn Chorus and be back home in time for the Coronation? Steve Hallam will be leading the walk starting from the Old Church at 3:45 – read more about this, and several other bird walks taking place this weekend, here.

Coronation Picnic in the Upper Castle Park will run from 10 am until 4 pm. Bring your own picnic or buy from street food stalls from Colchester Market.

Sunday

There is a Family Fun Day Coronation Celebration at the Mercury Theatre’s Piazza from 11 am – 3 pm. This event is free and includes live music, family games & crafts and cream teas.

April 25, 2023April 25, 2023

Walk the Dawn Chorus 2023

Dawn Chorus 2023 with Friends of Hillhouse Wood

The Dawn Chorus Walk 2023 is taking place on a busy weekend with Bird walks all across Essex. It will form part of the “Big County Birdwatch ’23” which being organised by the Essex Birdwatching Society. First, though, a report by Steve Hallam on the recent Spring Flower Walk at Hillhouse Wood.

Click here if you want to jump to the bird walks.

Spring Flower Dilemma

It is always a dilemma as to which date to set for the Spring Flowers walk. This is because the timing of when the various species flower can vary considerably between early and late seasons. This year I anticipated that the season would be early – so naturally it has been late. The solution was obvious, and so the ‘Bluebell’ walk was re-christened as a ‘Spring flowers’ one. The forecast for the afternoon was either for sunny periods or rain showers, depending on which forecaster you looked at. Either way, undaunted, a pleasingly large group of 22 assembled at the appointed hour and starting point.

April 7, 2023April 9, 2023

Spring Flower Walk 2023

Spring Flower Walk 2023 with Friends of Hillhouse Wood

Early Purple Orchids similar to those seen

This is one of a few guided walks the Friends of Hillhouse Woods run each year. They work with The Woodland Trust to look after this beautiful remnant of ancient woodland.

Last years’ Spring Flower Walk identified nine flowers in the first few yards, also many birds and other natural delights. The stars of the walk were Early Purple orchids that were flowering in profusion on the bank above the top pond. Walkers saw a total of 29 plants and trees in flower, which shows what a rich little patch of nature we are lucky enough to have.

Don’t miss this years’ walk!

April 1, 2023April 1, 2023

St Mary’s News – the “He is not here” edition

This edition of St Mary’s News starts with Heather’s “He is not here” message and then continues with:

Holy week services
Prayer spaces,
FISH Club, and
the usual listings of services and co n t acts.

He is not here, he has risen – Rev. Heather’s Easter Message

April begins in a rather playful mood, with April Fools day. Be it on TV, radio or in the papers, over the year, there have been some rather clever April fools jokes played on us, the unsuspecting public.

April Fools Pranks

Who can forget, Richard Dimbleby’s report in 1957 on a particularly bountiful crop of spaghetti in Switzerland, due in part to the disappearance of the pesky spaghetti weevil.

March 16, 2023March 16, 2023

Gardeners’ Newsletter January 2023

West Bergholt Gardeners’ Newsletter – January 21st 2023

Hello and a Happy New Year from your Committee!

Talking of whom, we have had a meeting to discuss Speaker and subject ideas for our next season from this September through to May 2024. I know it sounds a long way off as we’ve only just jumped into 2023 but Speakers are rapidly becoming booked up! We hope we shall do our best for you all and make choices that will enthuse and interest you in anything horticultural!

March 13, 2023March 13, 2023

Environment & Highways – 9th March 2023

The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 9th March 2023 with topics including:

installation of new signs,
Parking,
Potential vandalism of signs in School Road,
Great British Spring Clean,
Problems entering the MUGA/Tennis Courts.

Environment Committee Minutes

March 4, 2023March 4, 2023

St Mary’s News – the Daffodils & Hope edition

This edition of St Mary’s News starts with Daffodils & Hope and then continues with:

Daffodils - By Genet, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24680708

Eco Church,
Lent Soup Lunches,
Vocations Evenings,
Lent Compline, and
the usual listings of services and co ntacts.

Daffodils and Hope

As March beckons, spring bursts onto the scene. The words of William Wordsworth might come to mind as we see the daffodils emerging from beneath the ground:

January 28, 2023January 28, 2023

St Mary’s News – the “Love Is All Around Me” edition

This edition of St Mary’s News starts with “hopes for 2023″Love is all around me”, and continues with other news including:

FISH Club,
Pancake Party,
Church Hall Decoration,
Wedding Celebration, and
the usual listings of services and co ntacts.

Love Is All Around Me

‘I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes, Christmas is all around me and so the feeling grows’

… say the lyrics of the Christmas film, which has just celebrated its 20th anniversary, Love Actually.

It doesn’t seem five minutes since we were celebrating Christmas, and yet in the world of advertising and card manufacture, we have definitely moved on, into a season more appropriately linked to the original lyrics of the song, first performed by the Troggs in 1967 ‘I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes, Love is all around me, and so the feeling grows.’