January 2016

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The Five Parishes News

Serving the villages of Catthorpe, Misterton/Walcote, Shawell,

Stanford-on-Avon, and Swinford

The copy deadline for the February issue is Thursday 14th January

Please send news items, by the copy date, to: news@avonswift.org.uk

Copies of the current and previous newsletters are also available to view online at: www.avonswift.org.uk

PLANS AND PROJECTS The turn of a New Year often brings thoughts of New Year Resolutions, or perhaps even just thinking of what we

would like to be doing in 2016 … holidays, family visits, or even simply getting round to tidying that cupboard!

I am composing these thoughts towards the end of 2015, just having had a big scare! Never having visited a hospi-

tal for 45 years, I have just had to have surgery for a suspected cancer. The news is good however… further treat-

ment is needed, but for something more minor!

Part of the shock of that initial scare involved recognising how fragile we are and how all our plans and projects

can so easily collide with the possibility of infirmity or even death, coming much sooner than we had hoped for! The journey over the last month for me has brought in to sharp focus that each day is a gift from God:

‘New every morning is the love, our wakening and uprising prove…’

to quote the opening lines of John Keble’s beautiful morning hymn.

In our contemporary Western culture, the default mode often seems to be to go into denial about death and talking

openly about death. Many other contemporary cultures seem to have retained a much more healthy realism about

our fragility and mortality and that death is real! This enables people to grieve and to share openly and honestly about fear of death and dying and to be free to express the pain of bereavement and experience community sup-

port through it. I have certainly been blessed by so much love and support over this last month and I know how

much this happens time after time for other folk in our parishes who are facing serious illness or who have just

experienced loss. So many people express love and support in such natural and unassuming ways…we are very blessed!

My journey over the last month has enabled me to rediscover, in a very focussed way (!!), that we are incredibly fragile, and that the best laid plans and projects might never happen in the face of serious illness and the possibil-

ity of imminent death. At the same time I have learnt genuinely to celebrate not just each day as a precious gift

from God, but to rejoice in another of His most precious gifts… the love and affection and prayerful support of so many loving people, in this benefice, in the wider family of the diocese and beyond. This has meant that the whole

business of coping with the scare has been intensely personal but with never needing to feel alone. To be able to

receive each day as a gift from God and to thank Him for it is to rejoice in it and to be open to the signs of God’s

love and presence, made real through the love and sup-

port of others, sometimes in unexpected ways!

When we discover life as a gift and not to be taken for

granted, we can approach each day in a new way!

Every blessing for 2016!

Canon Chris Oxley

What’s On - January

7th Swinford Skirts Planning Meeting

12th Swinford Village Hall Booking Meeting

14th Swinford WI

17th Black Horse Community Group Meeting

29th Sing-a-long Grease Night

30th Soup and Puds Lunch

January 2016

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SWINFORD SKIRTS

At the time of writing Swinford Skirts are looking

forward to their Annual Christmas Party. This year

it is being held at The Woodlands At Hopthorpe

Hall. Partners are allowed to this event and usually

its a most enjoyable get together. The next skirts

meeting will be the planning meeting in the Che-

quers Pub on Thursday 7th January. Its a very in-

formal meeting where we all discuss the plan of

action for the year ahead. Absolutely no obligation

to organise anything but all ideas are most wel-

come.

If you are new to the village please feel free to join

us.

Julie Morris

07765 148335

NEWS FROM SWINFORD SCHOOL

December has been magical in Swinford School,

with a huge variety of seasonal treats and delights

interspersed with what is still a busy time for learn-

ing.

We started our Christmas preparations with the an-

nual Christmas Fayre, organised by FOSS and at-

tended by lots of parents and friends of the school.

Father Christmas also paid us a visit that night and

met the children in his specially constructed grotto.

Next was Decorations Day when once again par-

ents and grandparents came into school to help

make lots of festive decorations for both the class-

rooms, and for the Swinford 2000 Christmas tree

on the Green. Glitter and sparkles were in abun-

dance, and we even found time to help raise some

money for the NSPCC with a coffee morning ar-

ranged by Sonya Gray, one of our parents.

Christmas excitement continued to build with the

Year 1 and 2 children visiting the Methodist church

in Lutterworth to take part in their Christmas ex-

January 2016

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perience, and several of the children also travelled

into Leicester for the Diocese Advent service at the

cathedral.

Then came our Christmas production, ‘A Christmas

Fairy’s Tale’, which told the story of the nativity

with some wonderful singing, dancing and a con-

temporary tale to remember what Christmas is all

about. The children in Reception, Year 1 and 2

really did themselves proud with their enthusiastic

performances.

The annual visit to the panto has also taken place

with a journey to Coventry to see ‘Beauty and the

Beast’, and as I write, we are now looking forward

to our final assembly in church, when the Recep-

tion children will again tell the story of the Nativity

in their costumes, and class cups will be awarded.

Rumour has it that Father Christmas may well be

making a second visit to the school for some break-

fast with the children on the last day of term!

There really is no better place than a primary

school at this time of year.

This is a time to reflect on the past year and I

would like to thank FOSS particularly for working

so well with the school council to organise special

events, raise extra funds and then put these to good

use. Thanks to their hard work and the incredible

generosity of parents and friends of the school we

have recently purchased 10 new gym mats, a set of

heavy duty goalposts, a set of cross country vests

(embroidered with the school logo and name) and a

large basket swing! It really does make me incredi-

bly proud to belong to a community of people who

give so willingly of their time and money to make

our school such a well-resourced and fun place to

be.

I would also like to thank all of our children, teach-

ers, support staff, governors and volunteers – I

know how hard everyone has worked this year to

help make Swinford School a wonderful place to

learn, play and dream. I hope Santa has been good

to you and that you all have had a very happy

Christmas and wish you all the very best for 2016!

We have now sent out admission information for

the children we have registered with us to start

January 2016

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school next Autumn (2016). If you have not re-

ceived a letter and have a child who will be 5 years

old between 1st September 2016 and 31st August

2017, we would be grateful if you could let us

know if you would like them to come to our school.

As ever, if you would like to come and visit us, we

would love to meet you and show you our school.

Mr Edy O’Connor (Head Teacher)

Tel: 01788 860404

Email: admin@swinford.leics.sch.uk

Website: www.swinford.leics.sch.uk

THANK YOU

I would like to thank everyone who supported me

and sent cards after Don passed away, and also to

Alison for conducting his funeral.

Kath Brittain

NSPCC SING-A-LONG GREASE NIGHT!

Hello, I have lived in the village for almost 9 years

and have three children at Swinford Primary

School. I am running the London Marathon in April

2016, proudly fund raising for the NSPCC. I am

organising a Sing-a-long Grease Night at Swinford

Village Hall, on Friday 29th January 7.30pm. Tick-

ets are £10 each which includes a 'Pink Lady' cock-

tail on arrival and a goody bag of props for use dur-

ing the show! Fancy Dress is optional, with a prize

for the best costume! There will be a licensed bar

and a raffle with top prizes including a stay in a

luxury hotel.

All profits from the event go directly to the

NSPCC. Please come along and join us, every

penny makes a real difference!

Please contact me to purchase tickets on 07803

330847.

Many thanks,

Sonya Gray

January 2016

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January 2016

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Avon-Swift Group Services

every week….. Tuesdays at 12 noon quiet reflective Midday Prayer (15 mins) at North Kilworth

Wednesdays at 9am simple said Eucharist (approx. half an hour) at South Kilworth

Thursdays at 5pm quiet said Evening Prayer (20 mins) at Gilmorton

Sunday 3rd January The Feast of the Epiphany [White]

Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephes. 3: 1-12; Matt.2: 1-12

8.30 am North Kilworth Holy Communion (BCP) Canon Chris Oxley

9.30 am Stanford Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

9.30 am Kimcote Holy Communion (CW) The Rev’d Paula Oxley

11.00 am Misterton Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

11.00 am Gilmorton Family Service The Rev’d Alison Iliffe

4.00 pm Peatling Parva Christingle Service The Rev’d Alison Iliffe

6.00 pm Swinford Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

Sunday 10th January The Baptism of Christ [White]

Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8; 14-17; Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22

8.30 am Kimcote Holy Communion (BCP) The Rev’d Emma Davies

9.30 am Ashby Magna Holy Communion (CW) The Rev’d Emma Davies

9.30 am Catthorpe Holy Communion (CW) The Rev’d Paula Oxley

9.30 am South Kilworth Family Service Canon Chris Oxley

11.00 am Gilmorton Holy Communion (CW) The Rev’d Emma Davies

11.00 am Swinford Family Service Canon Chris Oxley

4.00 pm Misterton Family Service Canon Brian Davis

Sunday 17th January 2nd Sunday of Epiphany [White]

Isaiah 62: 1-5; 1 Cor. 12: 1-11; John 2: 1-11

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity runs from 18th to 25th January.

8.30 am Gilmorton Holy Communion (CW) The Rev’d Emma Davies

9.30 am North Kilworth Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

9.30 am Ashby Magna All-Age Service The Rev’d Emma Davies

9.45 am South Kilworth Holy Communion (BCP) The Rev’d Jane Kennedy

10.45 am Walton Baptist Church Joint service with Kimcote church for Week of Prayer for Christian

Unity The Rev’d Emma Davies

The Rev’d Alison Iliffe

11.00 am Shawell Holy Communion Canon Brian Davis

11.00 am Peatling Parva Holy Communion (BCP) Canon Chris Oxley

6.00 pm Swinford Evensong Canon Chris Oxley

Sunday 24th January 3rd Sunday of Epiphany [White]

Neh. 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Cor. 12: 12-31a; Luke 4: 14-21

10.30 am Gilmorton Avon Swift Group Service with the Team

Special Guest Preacher: the Rev’d Jonathan Dowman

Holy Communion (CW)

+++Collection point for Lutterworth Foodbank+++

January 2016

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Sunday 31st January Candlemas (Presentation of Christ in the Temple)[White]

Malachi 3: 1-5; Hebrews 2: 14-end; Luke2: 22-40

9.30 am North Kilworth Holy Communion (CW)

Joint service with South Kilworth Canon Chris Oxley

10.30 am Kimcote Holy Communion (CW) The Rev’d Emma Davies

11.00 am Ashby Magna Holy Communion (BCP) The Rev’d Jane Kennedy

4.00 pm Gilmorton Evening Service for Candlemas The Rev’d Emma Davies

The Rev’d Alison Iliffe

6.00 pm Swinford Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

Sunday 7th February Sunday next before Lent [Green]

Exod. 34: 29-end; 2 Cor. 3:12- 4:2; Luke 9; 28-43a

8.30 am North Kilworth Holy Communion (BCP) Canon Chris Oxley

9.30 am Stanford Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

9.30 am Kimcote Holy Communion (BCP) The Rev’d Jane Kennedy

11.00 am Misterton Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

11.00 am Gilmorton Family Service The Rev’d Emma Davies

4.00 pm Peatling Parva Songs of Praise The Rev’d Emma Davies

6.00 pm Swinford Holy Communion (CW) Canon Chris Oxley

BCP = Book of Common Prayer (1662) - traditional language

CW = Common Worship (2000) - contemporary language

All enquiries regarding Church matters should be directed to:-

The Revd Canon Chris Oxley, The Rectory, Kilworth Road, Swinford.

Telephone: 01788 860445; email chrisandpaula@canonoxley.co.uk

The Revd Emma Davies, The Vicarage, 5 Church Lane, Gilmorton.

Telephone: 01455 556573; email emma.davies1@sky.com

The Revd Jane Kennedy, 17 Cromwell Close, Walcote.

Telephone: 01455 554065; email jane@kennedy47.orangehome.co.uk

The Rev’d Alison Iliffe, The Rectory, 21 Dag lane, North Kilworth.

Telephone: 01858 881248; email ajiliffe@gmail.com

For Shawell:

The Revd Canon Brian Davis, Telephone: 01858 431843; email Revbdavis@aol.com

From the Parish Registers

Funerals - we say farewell and commit to Almighty God:

Neil Townsend, formerly of Kimcote, aged 87 years 2nd December

Donald Knight aged 75 of Swinford 3rd December

January 2016

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‘BEGINNING LENT’

For your diaries… the next Eucharist in school, to

which everyone is welcome, will be at 9.15am on

ASH WEDNESDAY (10th February) to mark the

beginning of Lent, when again the children will

have helped to prepare the service and to lead parts

of it.

SWINFORD VILLAGE HALL BOOKINGS 2016

All regular users of Swinford Village Hall who

wish to make bookings for 2016 are invited to at-

tend the meeting on Tuesday 12th January at

7.30pm in the village hall. This is to ensure that the

needs of all users can be considered and discussed,

rather than the first come first served basis operated

previously.

If you have any queries please contact Liz Pittman

by e mail at epittman@hotmail.co.uk.

SWINFORD WI

We met in The Chequers for our AGM and Christ-

mas Party. We enjoyed good food and great chat.

Brian made us very welcome. The AGM produced

some changes for committee. Hazel Gardner has

been voted President for another term of office and

Joan Vickers has joined in Pam Shortt's place as she

wished to resign. Mary McCulloch and Hazel

Gardner were thanked for their contribution this

past year and presented with lovely orchids.

We have a great programme planned for 2016.

January 14th Social Evening

February 11th Royal Agricultural Benevolent Insti-

tution—Supporting Farming Families

March 10th Gillian Farren—cooking

April 14th Gardens of the National Trust

May 12th Crown Jewels—Lt Col.Kesinksk

June 9th Garden Visit

July 14th Garden Party

September 8th Air Ambulance

October 13th The History of the Postal Service and

Stamps

November 10th The Body Shop

December 8th AGM and Christmas Party

Our Social Evening in January is going to be Wine

and Cheese. We are hoping to welcome several new

members. Perhaps you too would care to join us

14th January in The Village Hall at 7.30p.m.

Hazel Gardner

President

RETURN OF THE SOUP AND PUD LUNCHES

Christmas and New Year indulgences will be a

thing of the past so come and join us for a Soup and

Pud lunch on Saturday 30th January in Swinford

Village Hall. Doors open at noon and lunch is

served until 2pm. All Soups and Puds are home-

made. We look forward to seeing our regular cus-

tomers and hopefully some new ones. Bring the

family and meet your friends. Cost held at 2015

prices of £5 per person payable on the door.

January 2016

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THE BLACK HORSE COMMUNITY GROUP

Would you like a share of the Black Horse?

The Black Horse Community Group continues to

make progress in its work to secure the pub

and reopen it as a Community Asset. A Community

Benefit Society in which its members (who

would be drawn from the community) operate for

the benefit of the Walcote and surrounding

communities is being registered with the Financial

Conduct Authority. This has involved very

considerable work with the Plunkett Foundation

who offer specialist advice for such ventures.

However although benefitting from that advice,

very considerable workloads have fallen on

some members of the steering group. Work is now

taking place in terms of financial planning to

make it realistically possible for the purchase of the

pub.

Because it is registered as an ‘Asset of Community

Value’ there are six months in which to

raise funds. That will not guarantee that the sellers

have to accept our bid but it gives us a very

much stronger commercial probability. The dis-

posal is after all a commercial issue. However a

fundamental principle of a Community Benefit So-

ciety is that it is comprised of shareholders,

and it is anticipated that share offers to members of

the local community be available very soon.

IT IS THEREFORE INTENDED TO HOLD A

MEETING AT THE WALCOTE MEMORIAL

HALL AT 4pm ON SUNDAY 17TH JANUARY

when the full details of shares and their benefits

will be explained. Whereas it was previously antici-

pated that share value may have to be

limited to £20,000 per person this can now be in-

creased. There is provision to make much,

much smaller investment too. Full details of share

prices, minimum and maximum holdings, tax

benefits, etc. will be explained at the meeting.

This will not just be a meeting about the purchase

of shares to contribute towards the reopening

of the Black Horse. To remind us all of what we

used to enjoy and hope to regain, good quality

local real ales will be available, with wines, to

make it an enjoyable social occasion.

Come along and hear all about it, enjoy the beers

and wines, enjoy the company. For those

unable to attend and wanting to know more, or for

those wanting a very confidential conversation, the

following are available…..

General enquiries…Kate Green…01455 556672

Share and financial enquiries…

Patrick Piggot...01455 552836 or

Geof Cobbe…01455 554467

January 2016

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CHRISTIAN AID

A cheque for £125 has been sent to Christian Aid

from two House Masses and Hunger Lunches held

at the Rectory in November.

In the last twelve months we have sent at least £800

just from these Rectory lunches to Christian Aid in

solidarity with Syrian Christians, both those trying

to stay at home, and all who have become refugees.

Many thanks to all who have supported these

events…and to those places across the benefice

where similar events are being put on. We shall be

doing something similar at the Rectory during Lent

and Eastertide in 2016…watch this space!

January 2016

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January 2016

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