Saints Alive: Stanhoe and Barwick Newsletter

December 2009/January 2010

Christmas Fayre

The Christmas Fayre held on Saturday 7th November raised the grand total of £454.20. Many thanks to everyone who contributed and worked so hard to make this event such a success. The money raised is going to the Neo-Natal Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Pat and Keith Jackson

Both Pat and Keith died this year. They owned Northgate Cottage which they used as a holiday home.

They had much pleasure in renovating it and designing the charming cottage garden. Their children and grandchildren loved the cottage and were very upset when it was sold.

Pat and Keith always made great efforts to support village events and made many friends.

Their children wanted to share the letter which Pat and Keith’s granddaughter Gemma wrote to Pat after she had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

“Dear Grandma & Pampar,

Thank you very much for the very generous amount of birthday and Christmas money, and for the lovely meal.

It was nice to see you and I hope we will come again very soon. I’m glad that you’re still talking as much as ever, Grandma, and just as beautiful!

Can you remember when James and I stayed with you at Norfolk and we visited as many beaches as we could within twenty four hours? You woke us up at six o’clock and we were sitting in the sand dunes at Holkham, drinking hot milk at half past six! We were the only people there and felt as though we owned the beach.

Another time at Holkham, Grandma and I walked along the sea’s edge, collecting shells and dodging spray.

You said that life didn’t get much better than this, and that one day I would take my grandchildren here, just as you had, and tell them about the day, many years ago, when I had played on the same beach, with my Grandma.

I could write about many other memories such as Christmases at Harringworth – snow fights in the garden, wet socks, your invention of plastic gloves over woollen ones to keep our hands dry in the snow; walks around the village, feeding the horses, counting icicles on thatched roofs and lunch in the dining room but I seem to have run out of paper!

Lots of love from Gemma xxx.”

Mystery geese

Overnight, recently, two new geese appeared on the pond. The owners of the original pair are mystified. Does anyone know who owns these two new geese? If so, please tell one of the Parish Councillors.

More lucky people

Kathy and Tony Bowern were the lucky winners of the £25 third prize in the Burnham Market Community Car Scheme October draw. (The other prizewinners were from Brancaster and York). The organisers thank everyone who has kindly renewed their subscriptions this year. If you have mislaid your form or would just like to start to take part in the draws, please contact Daphne Potter on 01485 525511.

Stanhoe Methodist Chapel

A Carol Service will be held on Thursday 10th December at 7pm. All are welcome.

Christmas Day 25th December – morning service 10am, all are welcome.

Nadine and Kevin Casey

The Casey family would like to invite anyone in the village who knows the family to attend the wedding service of their youngest daughter Francesca to Richard Moore in the church on the 9th January at 2pm. You are most welcome to come and share in this happiest of occasions and we would be only too pleased to see you – Kevin and Nadine.

Stanhoe Archive Presentation

To take place on 22nd November: Stanhoe as it Used to Be, in words and images, speaker Gillian Beckett, 2.30pm in the village hall.

Community Information Point

The plan for internet access for residents has come a step closer.

It now looks as though the broadband link will be installed in time for the system to go ‘live’ in January or February 2010.

In the meantime, a suitable telephone line will be installed in the village hall, and in due course the equipment will be delivered and installed.

It is anticipated that it will open initially twice each week, on a weekday morning and probably Friday evening, and a volunteer will be on hand at these times to assist with accessing the internet, with any specific questions that users may have.

It is not intended to be a course on using computers, but a facility to enable residents to make use of the valuable resource. This will be a free service but a donation towards the cost of ink and paper would be welcome.

We will have a modem computer, a desk and a printer.

We would like to make this a village social occasion as well, and to this end we would like to offer refreshments to computer users.

If anyone would be prepared to assist with making tea or coffee, it would be helpful if you would let Pamela know (518033).

We are not looking for the same person or people to work every week, but if we could have a few more volunteers it would spread the load.

If, on the other hand, you are computer literate and would be prepared to volunteer for an hour every so often to help others to use the internet, please let Pamela know.