From the Rector

I jokingly say that God goes on holiday in August – sometimes people give me a funny look and are not sure if I am being serious. What I mean is that for most churches August is a quiet month, a natural pause before the autumn to Christmas period. I think it is a welcomed interlude for all concerned with Church life. But it did raise a thought – what if God went on holiday, was unavailable, stopped listening to our prayers for a while? In one sense all life would stop because God’s self-giving, sustaining love keeps the world in being. Without God there is nothing. But usually we don’t notice it. It is like the world is constantly spinning but none of us feels it because it is all we have ever known. We cannot imagine a world without God because it cannot exist. But if God left the mechanics of the world on automatic and just popped off for a while (where would God go for a holiday?), would it make any difference to you. If you never pray or read the bible, if you never expect God to speak or answer prayer and never expect to be led by the Holy Spirit towards some action, perhaps you might not notice. But it is like having the doctors’ surgery available even if you don’t need it: it is nice to know it’s there just in case. As soon as you know it is not available, it is really important. The local church is often seen like that. Just to confuse matters, sometimes it really does feel as if God has gone away and when we really need God all we are met with is a wall of silence. This has been the experience of many throughout the bible and the rest of history – just when we want God, God seems to be busy with other things. That can feel very lonely. The reality is that God never sleeps, never takes his eye of you, never lets you go out of his thoughts, not for a moment, not the smallest part of a second. God is always ready to respond (even by silence) and never tires of our conversation or requests or simple chat. God gives us the Holy Spirit to make all this happen. It is like a computer modem, which constantly links us with God. As with computers and the internet, it takes some getting used to, but once we are familiar we soon rely on it and use it more and more. God never has down time, the speed is never limited and never closed to upgrade the server. But maybe that is the problem – God is too available and we take God for granted. So maybe God should take some time off – if you any suggestions for a good holiday destination, just let him know. Nick Law

From Rev David Rogers, BAUC

You can transform worries into prayers
Everyone has concerns. They have been a normal part of life since the dawn of time. Moses was concerned that Pharaoh wouldn’t believe that he’d been sent by God to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Solomon was concerned about leading a kingdom wisely. Mary was concerned about having a baby born in a miraculous way. Jesus was concerned about facing death on the Cross. These concerns may appear to be a step beyond “normal” life. They seem bigger than normal concerns, such as keeping your job, losing twenty pounds, or finding an honest car mechanic to service your car. But all concerns, both big and small, need to be approached from the same perspective - God’s Moses, Solomon, Mary and Jesus all handled their concerns in the same way. They expressed their concerns in prayer. Once in God’s presence, they were reminded of God’s love, His power, and His eternal plan. This gave them the strength to move forward and face whatever lay ahead, whether God changed their circumstances or not. The same opportunity is available to you. You can keep worry from weighing down your life by lifting every one of your concerns straight up to Heaven - the minute they threaten your mind and heart. The sooner you do this, the less time an understandable concern has to transform into a stifling, binding burden of worry. What concerns do you have today? Have any of them changed into real worry? Talk to God about it - what you’re worried about will happen, or won’t happen, and why. Prayer invites God to work at the heart of your concern. Best of all, it also invites Him to work in your own heart, guiding you toward both peace and praise, regardless of the “what ifs” that may be whispering to you menacingly from the shadows of possibility. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Philippians 4: 6. David Rogers

 

Nature Watch

SO, JUST WHERE ARE ALL THE INSECTS?
The summer issue of Bere Link seems to be the time that I find a lot to say about various insect species. While the birds are keeping out of sight as they moult and some of them prepare for migration and mammalian activity is hidden by the density of the vegetation, it is time for the insects to put on a show. So far though there is not much to report. This may lust be me showing a bit of pessimism: in previous issues I always seem to be waiting anxiously for the big burst in the adult butterfly population at this time of year! However a few single individuals have appeared in our garden today, including the first fritillary, so hopefully this family of insects will be well represented by the time this is printed. Looking on the black side for a little while longer though, the flowering of certain plant species in our garden is usually associated with the arrival of particular insects. The marjoram should be covered with bees on a nice sunny day: so far it hasn't happened. Earlier in the year I reported on the various species of bumble bees and other solitary bee species, but very few seem to be around now. The next one on their timetable should be the Eucryphia tree which is almost unique amongst ornamental trees and shrubs in being covered in blossom in August. Several reports in the media suggest that we are not alone in being concerned. There seems to be two schools of thought, especially concerning hive bee colonies. Either the combination of environmental changes and the arrival of parasites like Varroa are causing a terminal decline in the population, or, on the brighter side, insects have such phenomenal powers of recovery due to their high rate of reproduction they will soon return to their previous levels. We wait and see... The smaller sap-sucking insects, commonly known as 'bugs', seem to be plentiful. You don't need to go looking for them: just watch the families of young tits as they move though the garden shrubs and along the hedgerow. As they peck away amongst the fresh green shoots they are picking up the greenfly and any other insects living on the foliage. Sap-sucking aphids such as these greenfly are specially adapted for rapid population growth. They only bother with males, females, flight and egg-laying in order to survive the winter. For the rest of the year 'stem mothers' produce young by a process of virgin birth (scientifically called parthenogenesis). The extra large individuals on your rose-buds are doing just that! All other insects produce eggs for each new generation. Some of these hatch as miniature adult-like nymphs which grow through a series of steps getting bigger and more adult-like each time they shed their skin. The tiny grasshoppers and crickets now emerging from the soil are in the early stages. Their wings become operational only when fully mature (though some species remain flightless). Dragonfly larvae at the bottom of the pond go through the same process. Most insects however follow the more familiar pattern egg-larva-pupa-adult that we are familiar with in butterflies. Whatever the route, the numbers involved are huge: in the tens for each cluster of butterfly eggs, in the hundreds for solitary bees and wasps to hundreds of thousands from one queen in a hive-bee colony! In the meantime, I have only swatted one horse-fly so far this year. Is this a record? Pete Mayston

Bere Ferrers Watersports

High Fliers at the Famous Bere Ferrers Watersports ! Summer on the Bere Peninsula can only mean one thing. Yes, it’s Bere Ferrers Watersports again! This year’s fun day is on Saturday 16th August at Bere Ferrers on the Peninsula and this year there are two new attractions – a hot air balloon and adults’ sumo wrestling! The hot air balloon will be tethered on the Recreation Field and will ascend to 50 feet at various times during the afternoon, with possibly a ‘glowing’ later in the evening. This will depend on weather conditions. Fancy a go at sumo but aren’t anywhere near big enough? Now you can have a go in special huge foam sumo bodies, on the Quay during the evening. It’s all for a laugh! The day starts at 3pm with the first game in the mud; as usual, the barbecue will be open for burgers, hot dogs and bacon butties. The bar on the Quay will be selling drinks at ridiculous prices, including real ale. Some of the delights awaiting children will be a bouncy castle, face painting and, from 3pm until 5pm, pony rides. As the tide starts coming in, the popular crabbing competition off the Quay starts at about 4.30pm, with two age classes. There will be several stalls catering for almost every whim, and talking about catering, the W.I. will be manning a refreshment stall. The usual renowned Bere Ferrers raffle will be run in two parts – one in the afternoon and the other in the evening. The popular static motor cycle display, featuring some vintage models, always gathers a crowd, as do the antics of the teams who fight it out in mud and, later, water to be the best team of the day! The games culminate in the hugely popular Greasy Pole, with combatants knocking each other into the rising waters of the Tavy. After a short respite, the barbecue becomes the Hog Roast at 7pm, the bar continues selling drinks and the evening entertainment starts. The headline band is Red Vegas, back again by popular demand and guaranteed to play a great set including Golden Oldies and some latest sounds. They will play from 8pm until 11pm, with fireworks to follow. A disco will finish the event up to midnight. There’s always a lot of fun at Watersports Day, so if you haven’t been before, give it a try – you may become like many others who return year after year! Bev Slaughter

Bere Ferrers Horticultural Society 100th Produce and Flower Show

The parish celebrated the society’s 100th show on the 26th July 2008. The Bere Ferrers (Parish) Horticultural Society was formed and held its first show in 1899. A public meeting was called in April 1899 to decide whether it would be possible to hold a show that year. Support was substantial and a committee was elected. At the first committee meeting the Bere Ferrers Fruit, Vegetable and Poultry Society was formally created. It was later to change its name. Three months later the first show took place. Quite an achievement! The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Lord of the Manor, accepted an invitation to become president of the society. Mr G Brighton offered the use of his Pleasure Gardens, near Bere Alston station, for the show venue on 26th July. This date is the date on which the show was held this year! The Pleasure Gardens already provided an attraction for visitors coming to the country from Plymouth by the comparatively new railway line (1890). According to newspaper reports, the weather was fine, the exhibits of high quality and the Pleasure Gardens offered ‘charming views’. The Bere Alston Band was in attendance and a party of Maypole dancers from Gunnislake performed. A sports programme followed. The second show in 1900 was equally successful and in subsequent years the show became a major village attraction. In 1909 the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe presented the parish with a large and imposing Parish Hall located at Bere Alston. This was declared open on the 28th July and the society had been invited to stage its show on that day. Over 700 entries were received and the earl congratulated the society in his opening speech on the number of entries and the fact they had a reasonable balance in the bank. He then announced he would donate £5 towards the cost of furnishings for the new hall and suggested the society should consider donating a similar amount from its funds! A programme of sports, music and sideshows was held on the site in Sarah Park, now occupied by the surgery and housing development. This aspect of the flower show continued for many years but eventually the sports events were abandoned, due to lack of support. The other events carried on, but in the 1950s even these finally ceased. However, the flower show dance did manage to continue for some years after this. A formal public luncheon was another feature of show day. A record in the minute book shows that Mr E Flood was willing to cater for the luncheon at 2/6 per head (12½p!). This would have been held at his pavilion in Station Road, near the junction with Lockeridge Road (1929). In 1991 the WI and the society decided to merge their annual shows from the following year. Since 1900 the show has always been held in the Parish Hall, apart from 2007 when proposed building work forced a change of venue to the School Hall. This year the show was once again back in its usual home. In theory the hundredth show should have been celebrated in 1999. Indeed, there were celebrations in that year to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the first show. However, the two world wars had intervened, causing cancellations and interrupting the sequence. In each case the annual show was resumed as soon as possible. Long may the tradition continue! Jean Sharman

 

 

Bere Local History Group

Mrs Denie Snushall was the speaker at the June meeting. She traced the History of Gardening from the Romans to Victorian times, with the help of an overhead projector manned by Tony Newman. The Romans in the first century AD were particularly keen on herbs and their culinary uses, many familiar to us today. They left our shores in 450AD, having imported many plants and practised the art of topiary. By 597AD, missionaries had established Christianity, and cloistered monastery gardens were the order of the day. Medicinal herbs were grown to treat the sick. Practical gardens were needed. Norman gardens followed, tended by women as the men were often abroad fighting. Often cruciform in shape, the gardens were very spiritual, statues abounded, as did Madonna lilies—and introduction from the Crusades. In Tudor and Stuart periods the great houses boasted formal, well laid out gardens with sweet smelling herbs, roses, lavenders, dianthus and silvery artemisia. By 1475 gardens were meant to represent economic wealth and status. A typical example is Hampton Court Palace, which was modelled on the Palace of Versailles. Very structured with formal parterres, a knot(t) garden, a maze and labyrinth, these gardens were also designed for pleasure and promenading. The gardens of the Puritans followed. By 1660 there were no fripperies or fuss. Plain, formal gardens showed discipline. From the 1770s onwards affluent people took the Grand Tour of Europe and when they returned home they naturally wanted to copy the lifestyle they had seen and experienced abroad. So homes were changed into lavish houses and interiors and the grounds were transformed based on the Italian Renaissance style. Studley in North Yorkshire is one of the best examples with ornamental lakes, canals, temples and cascades. Stourhead in Wiltshire reflects nature and the passion for pastoral scenes which was prevalent at that time. This garden was completed in 1780 and is regarded as one of the great gardens of the world, complete with lakes, lawns, follies, grottos, temples, parkland and spectacular views. It could be said that 1715-1753 was the age of Capability Brown. An exceptional landscape designer, his work can be seen the length and breadth of the country. His forte was to use the natural contours of the land to enhance his designs. Croome Park in Worcestershire was his first complete landscape park creation with the obligatory lake. Petworth Parkland in West Sussex was also one of his outstanding creations. A contemporary of Capability Brown, Humphrey Repton was renowned for his ‘Red Books’ on garden design. He designed the 430 acre Hatchlands Park in Surrey and a local example of his work is Endsleigh House at Milton Abbot. The Mount Edgcumbe estate across the Sound from Plymouth was for a century from 1750 ranked on a par with Blenheim Palace. It too has magnificent views, a folly, temple, the King’s garden and rolling landscapes. Today it holds the national collection of camellias with more than 1,000 varieties. The Industrial Revolution had an unexpected effect in that some rich people became extremely rich and liked to flaunt their wealth by acquiring land and transforming their homes and gardens almost beyond recognition. There were some sponsored plant hunters such as Joseph Banks (1804-1861), who brought back exotic plants and seeds from abroad, such as camellias from China, and oranges and lemons which were grown in fashionable glasshouses known as Orangeries. The Victorians were interested in planting orchards, herbaceous borders, hedges, shrubberies, grottos and ferneries, and lawns were needed by the upper classes for the popular sports of croquet and tennis. Joseph Paxton is remembered chiefly for designing London’s Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851. At the turn of the 20th century, Gertrude Jekyll, a great plantswoman and an expert at making pictures with living plants and an author, together with architect colleague Edwin Lutyens, were famous for their legendary working partnership. Everyone who could afford it wanted a home and garden designed and executed down to the last detail by this outstanding couple. Their work is instantly recognisable. Famous gardens such as Sissinghurst, RHS Wisley and the Edwardian garden at Hestercombe near Taunton spring to mind, and humbler houses at Milton Abbot are also in Lutyen’s style. Jekyll was always responsible for the planting, which complemented and contrasted with the formal architecture of home and garden designed by Lutyens. Hestercombe at Cheddon Fitzpaine is a remarkable garden where you can admire three periods of English gardening all in a day, Bampfylde having designed the 18th century garden. The next meeting will be on the 28th July, when Paul Rendell will talk about ‘Exploring the River Walkham’. Everyone is welcome. Members were invited to take a ‘Sense of Place’ envelope to record thoughts, memories and enthusiasms of our area. Some twenty members of the Yelverton History Group were recently given a conducted tour of Bere Alston, which they enjoyed. Betty Endean

Parish Council

June Meeting
County Boundary Reorganisation
In June Council was addressed by Jonathan Bell, Head of Strategy, and Ross Cook, Democratic and Member Support Manager, from Plymouth City Council, about the proposed county authority boundary changes. They clearly and concisely put their case for a sub-regional authority for Plymouth and South-West Devon. Mr Bell said that a change is going to happen and that Devon County Council and all the other districts will cease to exist. There are three options to be considered by the Boundary Commission: a rural South Devon and Dartmoor; Plymouth and South-West and a Unitary Devon. The latter was considered by Plymouth as the most flawed, as it will be the biggest unitary authority in the country and local representation will suffer. Several councillors voiced their fears that the Plymouth option would mean that the city would swallow most of the southern half of West Devon and many parishioners were against this. Mr Bell replied that there is no agenda for Plymouth to sprawl over the countryside. It is committed to developing rural communities, with affordable housing, employment, transport, etc. If anything, he said, the rural areas would take over Plymouth. Subsequent to the meeting, it was announced on 7th July that the Unitary Devon option is favoured.

Regeneration Project
A public consultation was organised in the Parish Hall on Thursday 17th July regarding the proposed contribution of £20,000 by the parish to the capital cost of the regeneration of the hall. Two leaflets to be distributed to each household explaining why the money is needed with a voting slip at the bottom of the leaflet. The subsequent result of the ballot: 307 for, 251 against. Thanks to everyo;ne who voted.

Pentillie Road Development
A letter was received from some residents of Pentillie Road complaining about several issues with the contractors. The letter has been forwarded to West Devon Borough Council for attention.

Dog Fouling in Bere Alston
Council agreed to purchase more dog bins for the village and to try an awareness campaign in September, similar to that done recently in Bere Ferrers.

Council Meetings
Parishioners are always welcome at Council meetings and there is a question time at the end of meetings for any enquiries from parishioners. Fixed meetings are: Finance and General Purposes on the penultimate Tuesday in the month, usually at 7.30pm; Full Council on the last Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm, unless there is a guest speaker, when the meeting starts at 7pm. For full details of these and other meetings, please see the parish notice boards. Bev Slaughter

GROUPS

Bere Alston Carnival Committee

The committee is holding its Annual General Meeting on 25th September at 7:30pm in Hope Cottage Café. The Carnival Committee put on a lot of events throughout the year and leading up to these we meet each week. Normally, however, meetings are once every three weeks with a longer break in the summer. We have some new members, but really need some more help. We would love suggestions for new events too. We have a few of our own, but sadly lack the helpers to enable us to go ahead with them. If you didn’t want to become a committee member, you could put your name forward as a friend of the carnival, meaning that if you were available you could help at some events. We hope to see you at the AGM. Please show your support, as without it we will struggle to continue the work we do.  

Bowling Club

The Club Tour is over for another year and a great time was had by all. Based in Reading, we played local clubs and, believe it or not, we had good weather: sun on our backs and playing the game in the conditions expected and associated with bowling. Our last game on the way home was at Clevedon Bowling Club, the home of David Bryant. Unfortunately the great man was not there but the sun was out and we had a competitive but friendly match. We look forward to September when Clevedon will visit Bere Alston while on their own Club Tour of Devon. Our club matches are suffering from the bad weather with several being cancelled. Results for league matches are not good but we are all just grateful to get games played. Not all bad news though: the men have reached the semi final of the Littleton Cup. This will be a local derby with Tavistock. Good luck guys. August brings our annual Open Competition with teams from around Devon and Cornwall competing for the trophy and prize money; always a good day with a high standard of bowling. The bar will be open all day and as always an excellent selection of homemade food will be available. Come along for lunch, be involved in a great atmosphere and see some first class bowling. The date for your diary is Sunday 3rd August. Our Car Boot Sales have also been plagued by the bad weather but we persevere. The next one will be on sunny Saturday 16th August and then Saturday 20th September. The cost is £5.00 per car, starting 10.00am until 12.30pm. Sellers set up from 9.00am. Junk or jewels, bring it along and turn it into cash. Fancy playing bowls? Come along to the Club (6.00pm) on any Tuesday evening, meet the members and get involved. We have qualified coaches available to show you the ropes. Ken Bellchambers, chairman - 01822 841 664 Website at: www.geocities.com/berealstonbowlingclub

Bere Alston Gardening Club

The winter programme of speakers has been arranged: 1st October Dick Fulcher: Agapanthus 5th November AGM & David Bough: The Cotehele Christmas Garland 8th December Frances Howard: Rare and Unusual Trees 4th February Charles Pridham: Flora of Madeira 4th March Sue Fisher: Making the Most of a Small Garden 1st April Paul Rendell: Wild Plants of Dartmoor.  Members can purchase fertilisers and other gardening sundries at the Pentillie Road at the Pentillie Road club shed by prior arrangement with Tony Newman 01822 841012.   

Bere Ferrers WI

A tasty talk on Gruyère and other cheeses by Sally Wetherbee on the 9th July saw the hall packed with 2l members and 22 visitors!  Sally used to teach at Tavistock College and now works in Plymouth promoting Gruyere cheese. A cheesemaker trains for seven years and at present four Swiss families import cheese to the United Kingdom. Now only Gruyère and Emmental are sent from the valley floor due to EU regulations changing the way the cheeses can be promoted. To produce 2lbs 6oz it takes l2 litres of raw milk (not pasteurised). Villagers bring their milk morning and evening to the dairies, so that the milk used is always fresh. Animal rennet produces the curds and whey at a heat of 56 degrees in copper vats to achieve a curd the size of a wheat grain. Between 10-12 large cheeses weighing 80-90lbs are made each day. The cheese is then immersed on a pallet into a brine bath for 24 hrs absorbing 22% salt. After this the cheeses are turned automatically and coated with salt for a further ten days. Every cheese is marked with the day and place of origin. The coating is edible. After four to five months a bore hole is made to test the cheese. One thousand tonnes will be imported this year. We were then lucky enough to sample swiss cheese tartlets, fondue and two different aged gruyere cheeses. Well worth turning out on such a wet evening! The speaker at our next meeting on Wednesday, 10th September is Trevor Paddon-Hall about Humanitarian Aid for Children - look forward to seeing you there.    Kate Harman

Bere Alston Theatre Group

It’s time to think PANTOMIME! It’s incredible, but pantomime rehearsals are beginning again in September! It only seems like last month we finished the last pantomime! The committee is considering an original, but traditional-style pantomime for performance next February as usual and by the time you read this a choice will have been made one way or another. Whatever is chosen, you can rest assured that it will contain the usual mix of comedy (including silly jokes!), fun and lots of music and dancing. Watch out for notices announcing dates of cast auditions and the first rehearsal and please respond by joining in the fun. We always need people to take part on stage, especially if you would be happy to take a chorus part, or maybe you could help backstage: scenery painting, making props or costumes. There is always plenty to do and never enough help! If you should miss the notices, then please ring our secretary, Sally Dunn (840388).

Chatterbox

Having decided since the last report to meet weekly, we have been enjoying some outside speakers. The first was Lisa Townsend, a local baby signer. She gave a very enjoyable and interactive taster session demonstrating how to sign with the toddlers using musical rhymes. We are hoping to book her for a four week course from 29th August if we have sufficient families who wish to participate. Diana Lee led a cookery workshop that involved the parents cooking homemade burgers and homemade rolls then eating them together. The feedback was extremely positive following this session with all the parents enjoying participating in something that has not been available in the village before. Triangle Training provided a basic first aid taster session covering scolds, burns, choking, resuscitation etc. In September we have booked the Tavistock Womens Institute to run the government funded ‘Let’s Cook’ course. This is six sessions with a week off on 31st Oct (half term), commencing on 26th September. All these sessions have been organised by the voluntary leaders of Chatterbox, paid for by Tavistock Children’s Centre and the venue kindly provided by the United Church. The parents are asked to pay just £1 per session and the children are cared for in a crèche on the premises. When sessions are running the drop-in area is still available for parents who wish to meet up and enjoy a drink and company but not participate in the workshops. During the summer holidays we are remaining open but not organising any specific sessions, except 15th August 1-4pm which is the Fun Day being organised by Tavistock Children’s centre and being held at the school. Volunteers are requested to assist in manning the refreshment stall as Chatterbox has been given the opportunity to run the stall and keep all the profits. This would be a good opportunity to raise some money to purchase some children’s toys, or put towards some training. If you wish to volunteer to assist on Fun Day or require further information on Chatterbox Parents Group please contact Julie Overnell on 01822 840452.

Local Walks

Footpath 10 - Hole Farm to Collytown
From Hole Farm road enter the track leading to Hole Farm. With the farmhouse on your left, go between the outbuildings on your right to a gate leading into a field (the gate is heavy and on a slope but please make sure it is closed). Turning left and keeping to the top of the field, in a short distance you will see on your right a grassy path sloping down to a gate and stile. Over the stile the path is easy to follow down till you come to another track. You will notice a footpath marker post slightly to your left pointing down. Personally I would not attempt to go that way, it is steep with no steps or hand holds, even our footpath warden agrees with me that it is dangerous. Instead turn right and continue down the narrow path to join footpath 7, go left until you come to the large signpost. Here take the path that descends to the small stream, over the bridge and walkway and up to the path that continues through the wood. The path this side is a series of clear bends leading up to a small metal gate. The path now joins bridleway 97. Turning left, go through the large gate in front of you and continue up to what was Collytown Farm, passing between the converted buildings to the Collytown – Bere Alston road. Doris Chapman

Recipe Books

The 750th parish anniversary recipe booklet will be ready for September. The recipes have an ‘old’ connection: either old favourites, granny’s recipe or new recipes from old ingredients. The books will be available from Margaret Willmott and the Saturday shop in Bere Ferrers and the Pharmacy and Hope Cottage in Bere Alston. Proceeds to St Andrew’s Church. The Scripture Cake recipe will be used for a cookery class at the Bere Apple Fest in October.

750th Anniversary Celebrations Concert In St Andrew’s Church, Bere Ferrers

On Friday, 19th September at 7.30pm. Join the musicians of the peninsula to celebrate 750 years of music—from ‘Sumer is Icumen In’ to ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and beyond! Guests include: Tyrone Piper, Tutte Voci, David Crocker, Tavy Tars, Squandered Youth, Tim Hampson, Tim and Rebecca Hamlyn, St Andrew’s Singers. Tickets are £5, to include a glass of non-alcoholic punch and a biscuit at half time. They will be available from Margaret’s Hairdressers in Bere Ferrers and The Pharmacy in Bere Alston. Proceeds to St Andrew’s Church

Love in a box

It is time to think about Love in a Box and how we can bring a smile to the faces of children in Eastern Block Countries that rarely have cause to smile. I have a DVD of children in the Ukraine receiving the boxes of last year’s appeal and it is very hard to keep a dry eye. The excitement and joy was heart warming to behold. Just in case you have forgotten the routine, or are new to this appeal, you need to cover a shoe box (standard size please, not a boot box) with Christmas paper, ensuring the lid is wrapped separately. Fill the box with UNWRAPPED hat, gloves, scarf, chocolate or soft sweets, drawing materials, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, flannel , comb and/or brush, toys ( NOTHING OF A MILITARY NATURE), preferably a soft toy and a ball or pack of cards or similar suitable for the age child for which it is intended. Please include a letter or card for the child. It would be helpful if you included a donation in a separate envelope to help towards the transportation cost. Might I suggest £2, but this is not essential. Finally, please stick a label to the top of the box indicating if the contents of the box are suitable for a girl and /or boy, and the age range i.e. 2-5 years; 6-11 years or 12-15 years. If you feel unable to complete a box you could help by handing in items for suitable for going in boxes and knitting hats, gloves and scarves. Boxes and items can be handed in at Holy Trinity Church, St. Andrew’s Church or to Sue Belfield, tel 840997, by the end of OCTOBER. THANK YOU ! Sue Belfield

Bere Ferrers Weekly Surgery

A public meeting was held in Bere Ferrers church hall on the 15th July for everyone concerned about the closure of the weekly surgery—which had come as a shock and surprise to everyone and without warning. After lengthy discussion, a group of five residents was elected (Robin Musgrave, Ken Harris, Irene Sheaf, Marcel Kelly, Caroline Clark) with a brief to contact the PCT manager to arrange a meeting with himself and the surgery to talk the matter over, establish good relations and see what could be done to try to rescue the situation. Please express you views in writing and pass them to one of the group so they can put them forward. We are not troublemakers in Bere Ferrers! But no-one told us what was happening and it affects a lot of people.

Bere Community Village Shop and Cafe

On Saturday 5th July we think the café had a record attendance. Over 100 drinks were served and extra cakes were needed! All regular stall holders were very busy. Our new vegetable stall has done brisk business ever since it joined us and it is now wonderful to be able to buy delicious local cheeses. Whenever a person who hasn’t a car can shop close to home and every time we shop locally and don’t take our cars out of the parish, we are all really making a difference to the quality of our lives, proving that we can all help each other save fuel and time and buy high quality local produce whether it be food or gifts. We also provide, for all of us, a great opportunity each Saturday to talk to each other, exchange information and meet friends, new neighbours and visitors; as we can all hear, the volume of voices at peak times is exhilarating! So as a community we should be very proud and give ourselves a good ‘pat-on-the-back’. To continue the good work PLEASE ALL come, with your diaries, to the Shop Café Rota Meeting on September 3rd at 8pm in the Social Club. If you want to be part of a team, form your own team or just be part of the RUG (Really Useful Group), helping out occasionally, do come to the meeting or let Juli (841660) or Caroline (841481) know. If you want to have a stall do please let Pearl know (840344) and if one of your skills is cake baking please get in touch with Lesley (840315). The more of us help the less we have to do! On October 11th the Annual Bere Applefest takes place and the cake rota team will be asked if some can provide a cake for the afternoon refreshments, preferably with some apple content, and don’t forget your talents can also be displayed by entering the Apple Pie Competition! See you all on Saturdays and at the meeting on 3rd September. Steering Committee

Olympic Games

With the Games due to start in Beijing on the 8th August, here are a few interesting facts. All athletes competed nude at the ancient Olympics. Since the first modern Games in 1896, 12 sports have disappeared completely from the Olympic schedule: golf, rugby, croquet, cricket, Jeu de Paume, pelota, polo, roque, rackets, tug-of-war, lacrosse and motor boating. Also dropped were underwater swimming, the standing highjump, tug-of-war, pigeon shooting and duelling pistol. The FIRST Olympic champion of the modern Olympic Games was James B. Connolly of United States, the winner of the triple jump (first final event in 1896). The FIRST time women competed at the Olympic Games was in 1900 in Paris, the FIRST woman to win an Olympic event being England's Charlotte Cooper, who won the tennis singles. The FIRST time athletes marched into the stadium behind their nations' flags was in London 1908. The FIRST Games to be televised were Berlin in 1936, shown on large screens around Berlin. The FIRST Olympic Games to be covered by television worldwide was the Rome Olympics in 1960.

Send a Cow celebrates 20 years
20 years ago someone had the bright idea of sending a cow to Africa. Soon Send a Cow was born - and a small group of dairy farmers began by sending pregnant cows from their own herds to poor families in Uganda. They wanted to help poor farmers in Africa to become self-sufficient by providing them with livestock, training and advice. 20 years on, the charity still works with some of the most vulnerable groups in Africa, including children orphaned by war, families affected by AIDS, and disabled people. All families helped by Send a Cow pledge to pass on the skills and benefits they gain to another family in need - meaning that just a little assistance from the UK goes a long, long way. Nowadays, Send a Cow works in 10 countries across Africa, giving hope by providing a variety of locally bought animals and other assistance. Visit www.sendacow.org.uk for details of their anniversary campaign.

Salvation Army Kids Website The
Salvation Army has launched a new website for kids at http://www2.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_sakids.nsf/

Time for God’s Creation
Church leaders have called upon Christians throughout England to use the period from 1st September until 4th October as an opportunity to put the environment at the heart of their worship. The Time For God's Creation initiative, which would run annually, follows a resolution that the period 'be dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change.' Time for God's Creation incorporates several existing dates related to Creation themes in the different church calendars.

August/September Diary