Programme for 2012

Meetings in the Memorial Hall at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated

                                      Jan 25^th            AGM, N.B.  7.30pm start

                              “Taste of the Orient, Part 2”

                                        -  Keith Sowerbutts

 

       Feb 15^th              Wave of Prayer at 10.30 am

                                          Followed by coffee

      

     Feb 22^nd          “An Ecclesiastic Journey In Threads”

                                          - Mrs Jenny File

 

      Mar 18^th               Mothering Sunday

     

    Mar 28^th             “Secrets and Surprises”

                                        - Christine Reade

 

      Apr 25^th             Open Evening

                                        “Visit a Garden Near You”

                                        - Dorothy & Andrew Richards

 

     May 2^nd              Deanery Festival  at 7.30 pm

                                         St Paul’s Low Moor, Clitheroe

 

   May 23^rd             “Perils and Pitfalls of the English Language”

                                        - Peter Houldsworth

 

  June 27^th          “ Working for the Royal Family in Saudi Arabia”

                                        - Heather Slater

 

   June 30^th             Rose Queen Festival

 

   Aug 22nd          “Are all Quakers Dead”

                                         - Celia Ball

 

            Sept               Coffee Duty After Parade Service

 

    Sept 26^th              “Fish and Chips, Little Ships, and North Sea Spray”

                                         - Gordon Bartley

 

             Oct             7.30 pm Deanery Quiet Hour

                                           St Leonard’s Langho

 

     Oct 24^th           “Teaching the Teachers in Indonesia”

                                          - Gwyneth Jones

 

      Nov 8^th            Cathedral - Ministry To Visitors

 

       Nov28^th                “The King James Bible”

                                            - Canon Roy Braithwaite

 

         Dec 5^th                 Christmas Meal

 

February 2012 

MOTHERS’ UNION ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS.

YOUNG WIVES WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET OTHER LADIES OF THE PARISH?

Mothers’ Union is an international organization.  We have over 50 ladies who are members of our local branch. Mary Sumner was our founder who organised the first Mother’s Union meeting for ladies in her local parish, Old Alresford in Hampshire.  The idea being that ladies from the parish could meet socially to give each other mutual support, encourage friendships, and work together for the good of the church and those less fortunate than ourselves both nationally and internationally with a Christian ethos.

St Peter’s Salesbury Mothers’ Union has a varied programme and meet in Salesbury Memorial Hall at 7.30 pm on the 4^th Wednesday of each month.  There is a printed programme at the back of church and information is also available at www.salesbury-stpeter.org.uk or if you would like more information please contact myself or Barbara Youles our secretary.

Each year Mothers’ Union has a theme.

The theme for 2012 is “Your Gift? Discover and Celebrate”  

News about the AGM will be in the next issue of St Peter’s church magazine.   The Diocesan Treasurer has requested that our subscriptions are paid a month earlier than usual and we would appreciate it you would pay your subscriptions for 2012 by the February meeting.

We remember in our prayers our members who have been unwell recently and send get well wishes to you and trust you will soon be able to join us at our meetings. 

Dates for your diaries:

15^th February at 10.30 a.m. in Church, our annual Wave of Prayer followed by coffee

18^th March Mothering Sunday service at 10.30am

As our next meeting falls on Ash Wednesday we will attend the service of Holy Communion at 7pm in St. Peters Church before going over to the Memorial Hall for the meeting.  Mrs Jenny File will be our speaker – her talk entitled “An Ecclesiastic Journey in Threads”.  Tea Hostesses please: Pauline Hey, Jennifer Dean, Dorothy Dixon, Anne Duckworth and Susan Duckworth.

With best wishes, Tricia.

                              January 2012

May I begin by wishing you all a very happy new year. We have a full programme booked for 2012 and I look forward to seeing you all at the coming events.

As we start another year I have several thank you’s. We send our thanks and appreciation to Martin Wrench who made our open evening in November a resounding success. Our Mothers’ Union fund-raising evening was really good. I dressed up as a fairy godmother; we had Dick Whittington, Cinderella, a beautiful cat, a scary looking witch, Dennis the Menace and another fairy godmother. Approximately 50 people came to see our speaker Martin Wrench from Brunshaw Methodist Church, Burnley. He was so funny and had us all doing “one finger, one thumb keep moving”. His jokes were the usual pantomime style – everyone said how much they enjoyed themselves and we raised £230 for MU funds. The sherry, may be helped everyone to relax? One of the raffle prizes was donated by Taylors of Harrogate and others from Mothers’ Union Members - Thank you all, for your generosity.

The Christmas Fair went well, thanks to our members’ help and support, and the donations of cakes from everyone. The tea & coffee and cakes made approximately £300 and potato pies made over £200. We thank Derrick Smith and Bill Ould for arranging the tables, Derek Wardleworth for collecting the boiler and items from church, and I send a special thank you on behalf of all our members to Ian Duckworth who again stood over the kitchen sink as chief washer up.

The Mothers’ Union Christmas Party in the Memorial Hall was another happy event supported by our members. We thank David and his team from “The Traders” at Mellor for organizing, preparing and serving our food. We thank “Northern Vibe”, the barbershop quartette who sing with the Red Rosette Barbershop Choir from Leyland, for coming to sing for us. I thank Christine Wardleworth and our committee members and husbands for their help in setting up and decorating the Memorial Hall and a special mention to Derek Wardleworth, Ian Duckworth and Steve Cooke who washed up and cleaned up the kitchen.

We remember our elderly members who are unable to attend our meetings and wish you all good health for coming year and thank you all for your continued support of Mothers’ Union.

Dates for your diaries:

9^th January 2012 at 2pm Committee Meeting

15^th February at 10.30 am Wave of Prayer service in church followed by coffee

The next meeting in the Memorial Hall is on the 25^th January when we hold our Mother’ Union AGM.

Please come along and support us.

With best wishes Tricia

  

December 2011

At the October meeting we thanked Canon John Hartley for all his support to Mothers’ Union over the last 25 years. John has attended nearly every Mothers’ Union meeting to lead us in prayer. He has been the Mothers’ Union Deanery Chaplin in the past, attending the Deanery Festivals, and other events for Mothers’ Union.  He even became branch leader and took over as Enrolling Member, without his support we would not have been able to continue a Mothers’ Union branch at St Peter’s Salesbury. We thank John for all his invaluable service to Mothers’ Union and wish both Janet and John good health and happiness in retirement.

The speaker at our October meeting was Mr Stewart McNulty who has worked for Lofthouse’s at Fleetwood for many years. The Lofthouse’s company, manufacture the original Fisherman’s Friend lozenges that we all have probably tasted in the past at one time or another.  Stewart’s interesting talk was about the history and expansion of the company which developed from a shop owned by James Lofthouse, a pharmacist, in Fleetwood in 1865. The factory has developed other products and the site expanded over the years and Fisherman’s Friend is now distributed all over the world.  The company has won the Queens award to industry, plus many other awards in the past. We watched several light-hearted clips from television advertisements that were aimed at the overseas markets. We were able to sample some of the different flavours, which are available today: mint, lemon, cinnamon, aniseed as well as the original eucalyptus and menthol lozenges. Most of the products that Lofthouse’s now make are also available in a sugar free range. As well being a major employer in Fleetwood, the Lofthouse family is well known for their philanthropic actions in the area, these include contributing towards a new lifeboat, the public art and the promenade at Fleetwood and a £1.6 million donation to the local hospital.

We send our congratulations and best wishes to Pauline & Colin Hey and to Irene and Alan Mercer who celebrated their golden wedding anniversaries recently.

Thank you to our volunteers who helped at the Cathedral in the ministry of welcome, your help is really appreciated.

We remember our members who are unable to join us at our meetings through illness – we trust that you are keeping warm and comfortable.

Dates for your Diaries

3^rd December – Christmas Fair- please come along and support us

7^th December – at 6.30 pm for 7pm - Mothers’ Union Christmas Meal

Our January meeting is the branch AGM. We start at 7.30 pm. Please come and show your support, new members are welcome. After the business Mr Keith Sowerbutts will be showing the second instalment of “A taste of the Orient”. 

Tea Hostesses please:  The Committee.

Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

With best wishes from Tricia

November 2011

At the September meeting we were joined by Mrs Sue Lewis our speaker, her colleague Carol, and two rather special visitors:  Nelson a hedgehog who had no vision in his right eye, and Ghost a very splendid barn owl.  Sue explained how she had started up the hedgehog rescue centre in Rochdale after finding a baby hedgehog outside her home in the autumn of 1991.

Her talk was interesting and lively. Sue explained how we should encourage the protection of hedgehogs and what to do if we find an abandoned or sick hedgehog. Hedgehogs are an endangered species.  Visit their website for full details of how to care for a hedgehog in trouble:  www.hedgehogrescue.org.uk

Sue explained that being a nocturnal animal, any hedgehog found out during daylight hours will almost certainly have a problem, though not always apparent. Watching over a hedgehog to see if it recovers may not be the right thing to do. Sue advised us to contact the Hedgehog Preservation Society on 01584 890801 or the Rochdale centre on 01706 860904. After attending our meeting in Salesbury, Sue Lewis was then going on to rescue two more hedgehogs from our area.

We remember all our members who are unable to be at our meetings and trust you are all keeping warm and comfortable.

We send our congratulations and best wishes to Marjorie and Peter Jones who recently celebrated their diamond wedding.

Dates for your Diaries

10^th November – St Peter’s Salesbury Mothers’ Union is asked to support the ministry to visitors in Blackburn Cathedral; the help we give is really valued.  

23^rd November – Mothers’ Union - Open Evening 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall

3^rd December - Christmas Fair – we would appreciate any help you are able to give, either on the day or by supplying a cake.

7^th December Mothers’ Union Christmas Meal at 7pm – please pay any outstanding money as soon as possible

The date of the November meeting is Wednesday 23rd at 7.30pm when we will be holding an open evening in the Memorial Hall. Please note there is a typing error on the ticket, it should state that the open evening is on Wednesday 23^rd November. Visitors are welcome. Admission is by ticket at a cost of £5. (in aid of Mothers’ Union Charities). The ticket price includes refreshments.  The speaker will be Mr Martin Wrench - his talk entitled “Pantomime Dame”.

Tea Hostesses please:  Barbara Youles, Vivienne Dugmore, Christine Cunliffe, Nan Clarke, June Dickinson and Anne Duckworth.

With best wishes from Tricia

October 2011

We held a short enrolment service at the beginning of our August meeting when we welcomed Diane Foote as a member.

As usual, our speaker Rita Parkes was down to earth and amusing as she told us of us about her trips to Israel.  Her experience of riding a horse and not swimming in the Dead Sea when she went on a first Pilgrimage to Israel had us all laughing.  Rita also brought along some of the mementos that she had purchased on her trips – wonderful paintings and wood carvings from olive wood.  On a more serious note she told us about some of the problems with the conflict in that troubled area of the world.

We send our best wishes to those members who are unwell and hope that you are soon able to join us at our meetings.

Dates for your Diaries

12^th October at 7.30pm - Deanery Quiet Hour at St Bartholomew, Great Harwood

17^th October at 7pm - Committee meeting

24^th October at 7.30pm - Deanery Meeting

10^th November Cathedral – Ministry to Visitors

The next Mothers’ Union Branch meeting will be on 26^th October in the Memorial Hall, when we welcome Mr Dennis Walker who will talk about “Fisherman’s Friend”.  Tea Hostess please:  Priscilla Smith, Christine Wardleworth, Ruth Cooke, Jackie Calvert and Ivy Buckley.

With best wishes from Tricia

 

September 2011

We trust all our members have enjoyed the summer holidays as we return to our autumn programme.

As there was no meeting in July I refer back to our last meeting in June. The meeting commenced with a short enrolment service lead by Canon Hartley, when we were pleased to welcome two new members, Elaine Hirst and Mavis Collier.  During the meeting that followed it was a pleasure to again welcome Rose Donkin as our speaker.  Rose with her usual amusing anecdotes told us all about her experiences of running a bed and breakfast business.  Registered with our local tourism board with its inspections, Rose met a cross section of the public, from fussy ladies, to other people with colourful or just downright weird personalities.  Her talk was amusing and lively.

We send our best wishes to Audrey Kirkham who has recently been in hospital and we remember other members who have been unwell over the summer holidays and wish you well.

We send congratulations and best wishes to Joan & Rex Broughton and to Joyce & Ted Whitworth, who have recently celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversaries.

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Rose Queen Festival your support was really appreciated.  Thank you also to everyone who contributed to the Mothers’ Union coffee morning, we raised £181.50p.

Dates for your Diaries

  5^th September Mothers’ Union Sub committee meets at 7.00pm

11^th September Mothers’ Union providing coffee after the Parade Service

  1^st October at 10.30am Mothers’ Union coffee morning at the Vicarage

12^th October Deanery Quiet Hour at St. Bartholomew, Great Harwood at 7.30pm

Next Meeting

At our meeting on 22^nd September we welcome Mrs Sue Lewis who will talk about ‘Hedgehog Rescue’.  Tea hostesses please: Susan Duckworth, Christine Wardleworth, Eileen Bagot, Shelagh Beaghan and Irene Bonney.

With best wishes

Tricia

July 2011

It was good to meet our speaker Mr. Joe Wilson at our May meeting.   I am sure many of us have listened to the Sunday morning programme, broadcast by our local radio station, Radio Lancashire.  Joe was able to tell us about meeting many of the celebrities he’d interviewed over the years.   He also enjoyed seeing the inside of many of the plush hotels they stayed in – unfortunately the BBC doesn’t provide 5* accommodation for the radio presenters.  Joe told us about the practical joke played on him by Norman Wisdom; he also spoke about many of the amazing and inspirational people he’d interviewed who worked for charities or who had overcome physical disabilities.   His talk was lively, interesting and was well illustrated with several amusing anecdotes.  Joe has worked for the BBC for many years, starting as a junior and by solid perseverance continued in his career, unlike today when many of the reporters and television journalists successfully complete the course at University of Central Lancashire on Television & Radio Broadcasting before commencing their career with the BBC.

We remember our sick and elderly members who are unable to be with us at our meetings and we send our best wishes to you.

If any members would like to order Diaries or Calendars or copies of Families First, for next year please let me know.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES

  9^th July                       Mothers’ Union Coffee Morning

  5^th September            Committee meets at 7.00pm

11^th September            Mothers’ Union provide refreshments after the Family Service

  1^st October                Mothers’ Union Coffee Morning

  8^th October                10.30am to 3.30pm at St Martin’s Hall, Fulwood, Preston

                                    Mothers’ Union Action and Outreach’s Overseas’ Day

As usual there will be no monthly meeting during July and I wish all our members a happy and relaxing summer.  Our next meeting in the Memorial Hall will be on 24^th August when Mrs Rita Parkes will be our speaker.  Tea hostess please: Janet Hartley, Vivienne Dugmore, Joyce Wade, Joyce Whitworth and Margaret Wilson.

With best wishes from Tricia

June 2011

We had a last minute change of speaker at our April Meeting.  Due to Jean Raffaelli’s car breaking down, she was unfortunately unable to join us in Salesbury to talk about the R.N.L.I.  We were extremely grateful to Margaret Rawlings who stepped in at the last moment to give a talk about the family of King George III.  This was the King who was thought to have suffered from porphyria.  We had a fascinating history lesson, which Margaret delivered with some amusement, concentrating on the lives of King George & Queen Charlotte’s 6 daughters.  The morals and antics of the family bringing the monarchy into disgrace and unpopularity, the only legitimate grandchild and heir being Queen Victoria.  Thank you Margaret for sharing your knowledge with us.

We remember our members who are elderly and unable to attend our meetings and we send best wishes to those members who have been unwell recently.

We send our congratulations to Dorothy Dixon and to Joan Broughton who both received long service certificates at the Deanery Festival held on 4^th May at St Mary’s Church Mellor.  Dorothy was awarded her certificate for 50 years service to Mothers’ Union and Joan was awarded her certificate for 40 years service. St. Peter’s Salesbury was well represented with 14 members present.

Dates for your Diaries

18^th June - ROSE QUEEN FESTIVAL - Any help you are able to give would be much appreciated.

9th July - MOTHERS’ UNION COFFEE MORNING

(Tickets available from Mothers’ Union Committee Members and from Mrs Barbara Youles)

Our next meeting in the Memorial Hall is on 22^nd June when our speaker will be Mrs Rose Donkin with her talk entitled “Bed & Breakfast”.  Tea Hostesses please: Margaret Heseltine, Kathleen Sowerbutts, Peggy Stone, Clare Taylor and Margaret Taylor.

With best wishes from Tricia

May 2011

Before our March meeting, it was good to see a full Lady Chapel for the communion service to celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. (Only 9 months to Christmas).

After the service we welcomed the Revd. Andrew Holliday to our meeting in the Memorial Hall.  Andrew, like many of our speakers, said we all have a story to tell and he explained to us how he had been “Called to Serve”.  After growing up in a village in Hampshire, he moved to London with his parents.  Upon leaving school he decided on a career in catering, preferring the “front of house” to the kitchen side.  On leaving college he worked as a waiter for 9 years.  This was at Claridge’s, the 5* hotel in Mayfair.  Andrew showed us some of the Menus he had kept as mementoes from his time spent there.  One evening after work he found himself drawn to a Midnight Christmas Service at one of the London Churches.  No one sat next to him, though he said he wasn’t particularly looking for company, no one spoke to him.  It seemed to him that this was a moment of realization that he would change his career and enter into the Ministry.  After 3 years at Oxford studying, the first parish he was “Called to Serve”, was St. Paul’s Morton, in Blackpool.  He can recall how nervous he was and reflecting on his time there, says the congregation taught him a lot and were very supportive. For this part of his journey he did have company. 

The next parish he moved to was St. Chad at Poulton le Fylde, where he met his wife.  Her father was the organist there.  Andrew then moved to St. James in Leyland and then latterly to St. Peter’s, Darwen.  Andrew explained how being a minister and wearing a dog-collar can be lonely.  Lots of people appear to avoid him in Tesco’s or when out and about.  Amongst his props for the talk he brought along a picture of the Last Supper – in a modern style.  He talked about what we see, first impressions and who are our companions along life’s road?

Thank you to all our members who participated in the Mothering Sunday Service.

We send our very best wishes and congratulations to Kathleen and Kevin Ashton who celebrated their Golden Wedding recently.

Dates for your diaries

  4^th May        7.30pm Mothers’ Union Deanery Festival at St Mary’s Mellor,

11^th May        7.30pm Committee Meeting

18^th May         Committee Dinner

18^th June        Rose Queen Festival

Our next meeting in the Memorial Hall is on 25^th May when our speaker will be Mr Joe Wilson, who broadcasts for Radio Lancashire on Sunday Mornings.  Tea Hostesses please:  Priscilla Smith, Janet Hartley, Margaret Rawlings, Cheryl Sandford and Kathleen Sowerbutts.

With best wishes from Tricia

 

April 2011

Before our March meeting, we held our annual “Wave of Prayer” service in church, where we prayed for Mothers’ Union in the wider world as well as for  members in our own country.

After the service we returned to the Memorial Hall, where we welcomed our speaker Derek Hartley.  Derek supports the work of the Leprosy Mission locally, by fundraising and giving talks, and at St. Peter’s we support his work by donating our used stamps, which are collected at the back of church.  Derek was able to visit India with his wife, and we saw the amazing slide show of the work of the Leprosy Mission.  Leprosy can be cured with antibiotics which cost around £15, but many people do not seek medical treatment in the early stages of the disease because of the stigma and prejudice associated with the disease or simply because they are unable to afford to pay for the medication.  Once treated the person has immunity from leprosy for life. The Leprosy mission funds hospitals, clinics and out-reach workers, who travel around by bicycle to visit families affected by the illness.  The Leprosy Mission also run mobile clinics from rough looking ambulances, for patients who are unable to attend the hospitals, wounds being dressed in the streets. With large hospitals in Deli, Japura, Bangladesh, and Mumbai, the Leprosy Mission are able to offer patients’ treatment to correct the contracture or deformities of their hands, or foot drop when their feet have been affected.  With early intervention the disease can be halted and can prevent the need to amputate limbs too damaged to save.  The hospitals provide artificial limbs for patients who are badly affected.  The Leprosy Mission also run education work – shops, so that people affected by this illness can work and lead independent lives.

The following Mothers’ Union Charities have been helped from the proceeds of our open evening last year:  The Overseas Fund, The Away from it All Holiday Fund, The Relief Fund, The U.K. & Ireland Development Fund and the General Fund.  In addition to this some new books have been purchased for the ‘fun bags’ for younger children to use during the church services at St Peter’s.  We have also purchased some new leaflets recently issued by Mothers Union: “Children in Church”, “Children & Spirituality”, ”Children & Bereavement”, and “Taking Children Seriously”.  These are to be found at the back of church on the table, with laminated copies kept in the fun bags.

Dates for your Diaries

  3^rd April       Mothering Sunday

  4^th May        Deanery Festival at 7.30pm at St. Mary’s Church, Mellor.

11^th May        Committee Meeting

18^th May        Committee Dinner

Our next meeting in the Memorial Hall is on the 27^th April when we welcome Jean Raffaelli who will talk about the R.N.L.I.   Tea hostesses please:  Susan Duckworth, Barbara Youles, Marjorie Jones, Audrey Kirkham and Irene Mercer.

With best wishes from Tricia

March 2011

Thank you to all our members who supported us and attended our Annual General Meeting on 26^th January.

After the meeting we welcomed Derrick Smith as our speaker.  Derrick showed us some fantastic pictures recalling the time he spent from 2000 to 2004 living and working in South West France.  Derrick and Cilla chose a bungalow in a village called Cornebarrieu as their residence whilst in France.  Cornebarrieu is situated a short distance from Toulouse, the main city of the Department of Haute Garonne with its temperate climate situated close to the Pyrenees.

We saw how the River Garonne and the Canal du Midi enclose the old city and we had a picture tour of the “pink city”, most of the buildings in Toulouse being built using local red clay bricks. As well as the Capitole (Town Hall) with its impressive façade, we saw the St Sernin Cathedral, a major stop on the Via Tolosa route to St Jacques de Compostella, and the Convent of the Jacobins with its peaceful cloisters.

Derrick also spoke about a typical work day, particularly enjoying “les bisous”, and told us about buying logs, the health service, learning French and generally living in “la bureaucracy”.

Derrick’s work enabled him to be in the area during the development of the Airbus A380.  Retiring back to the UK in May 2004, he was invited to the roll out ceremony the following February and we ended the evening seeing wonderful pictures of the Airbus taking off and flying on its maiden flight in April 2005.

One of our members asked if we had a web site:  as well as our information on, http://www.salesbury-stpeter.org.uk, Mothers’ Union has a web site for the Blackburn Mother’s Union,  http://www.mothersunionblackburn.org.uk/ and a central web site, http://www.themothersunion.org/ members can also sign up on “facebook” too:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42502860714

Dates for your diaries:

4^th March       Women’s World day of Prayer

3^rd April         Mothering Sunday

Our next meeting is on 23^rd March, when we meet in church at 7pm for a Lady Day Service before going over to the Memorial Hall.  Our speaker Rev. Andrew Holiday’s talk is entitled “Called to Serve”.

Tea hostesses please:  Christine Wardleworth, Janet Hartley, Pauline Hey, Margaret Heseltine, and Val Jefferson.

With best wishes

Tricia

February 2011

At our last meeting, we met at the ‘Dog and Partridge’, at Chipping, for our Christmas meal.  In spite of the cold and icy conditions 33 of our members and their friends joined together for a pleasant evening with good food and homemade entertainment. 

We thank all our members for their continuing support of the Mothers’ Union and its charity work both in the UK and abroad.  We are a thriving branch and welcome new members.  If you have friends or neighbours who would like to join, please invite them along, also, if any members of the Young Wives Group would like to join us you would be welcome, come along and bring a friend.

Mothers’ Union subscriptions for members will be £19.00 next year.   We are sorry that these have gone up but you will be pleased to know that the cost at branch meetings for refreshments and some cost towards the speaker will be remain at £1. We would appreciate it if you would pay your committee member by cheque as soon as possible.

We continue to remember in our prayers our members who are unwell or unable to attend our meetings and we send our best wishes to you all.

Dates for your Diaries:

23rd February

The ‘Wave of Prayer’ Service will be held in the Lady Chapel in church at 7pm and will be followed by the monthly meeting in the Memorial Hall when we look forward

to meeting our speaker, Mr Derek Hartley, who will give a talk about the Leprosy Mission.  Tea Hostesses, please: Christine Wardleworth, Pauline Hey, Anne Duckworth, Sheila Goodman, and Margaret Greenwood.

23rd March

The Lady Day Service will be held in church at 7.00pm, prior to the monthly meeting in the Memorial Hall.

3rd April

Mothering Sunday Service at 10.30am in church

With best wishes

Tricia

January 2011

We wish all our members a happy new year and look forward to seeing you at our AGM on 26^th January 2011.  The meeting will start at 7.30pm promptly.

As I write, the temperature is minus 6° centigrade outside and the snow and frost look very picturesque. We trust all our elderly members are able to have friends, neighbours and family to visit and help with their shopping.

At our November meeting we were pleased to have Mrs. Rita Parkes as our speaker. Rita made a splendid entrance as the “Christmas Fairy” and her Christmas miscellany was both amusing and thought provoking - contrasting poetry showing the different aspects of Christmas. Rita is a Commissioned Mothers’ Union speaker and we thank her for her valuable contribution to the work of the Mothers’ Union.

We thank everyone for all their hard work at the Christmas Fayre.  We really appreciated your help, especially Suzanne for the use of the school kitchen and for all the help in preparing the pies.  We send our thanks to Ian, who did the washing up and to Bill for helping with the tables and chairs and for putting them away again.  The Christmas Fayre was well attended in spite of the weather and with our members’ help we were able to provide coffee and cake and lunches for most people who were there.

Last month’s notes were produced too late to acknowledge the death of Dorothy Coar, a member of this branch for many years, and one-time Enrolling Member.   She had borne her illness with dignity over many years.   We send our love and sympathy to Alan, Peter and their family.   (We understand, from the Vicar, that donations to church, in lieu of flowers, raised approximately £525.   Thank you).

Dates for your diaries

12^th January  Committee meeting at 1.00pm.

23^rd February  ‘Wave of Prayer’ Service in Church 7.00pm, prior to our Monthly Meeting

Our next meeting in the Memorial Hall is the AGM on 26^th January.  After the meeting we welcome Mr Derrick Smith as our speaker.  His talk is entitled, “Living and working in South West France”.   Tea Hostesses, please: The Committee.

With best wishes from Susan and Tricia

November 2010

For our October Meeting we welcomed Rev Andrew Malcolm as our speaker.  His talk entitled from “Crook to the Cross” found us back in history.  I say back in history because many young people will have no memory of the events of the early l980’s.  To begin Andrew told us about his early life and living in Waddington, which at that time was in Yorkshire, and how he attended church at St. Helen’s.  His mother was a member of Mothers’ Union.  He went on to explain that we all have a story to tell and that he hoped we would be interested to hear about his. 

He joined the Police Force as a cadet in Edinburgh and was transferred back to Barnoldswick as a young police constable.  He spoke about the Toxteth Riots in Liverpool and how he was going off duty on 4^th July 1981 when the call came to go straight to Liverpool to be deployed in keeping the peace.  The police force at this time had limited equipment for dealing with riots and certainly little in the way of personal protection.  He made it sound amusing armed with nothing much but a shield – some officers had only dustbin lids. But standing in the way of an angry mob armed with petrol bombs, bricks, and other missiles must have been an adrenaline evoking time.  Andrew was stationed in Burnley for many years and as with ‘bobbies’ in those days came to know the people on his patch. 

He was called to the “Cross” after a conversation with the Vicar at Fence.   This was later reinforced by Father Peter and after reflection Andrew applied to Theological College.

Dates for your Diaries

4^th December   Christmas Fayre, please come along a join us

8^th December   Christmas Meal (the coach will leave from outside Church at 6.30pm)

The next meeting in the Memorial Hall will be our Annual General meeting on the 26^th January 2011 and will start at 7.30pm.  After the meeting we will welcome Derrick Smith as our speaker.  Tea Hostesses – the committee.

As Christmas approaches we wish all our members a happy and peaceful Christmas.

With best wishes from Susan and Tricia

June 2010

At our April meeting we welcomed Christine Slater from the Community Fire Service.   Not all of our evenings go to plan and the gremlins appeared in Christine’s computer equipment.   Christine, not daunted by the problems, was able to talk through many of the causes of fires, for example, by electrical equipment; an iron or a tumble drier being left unattended, or through careless use of candles near curtains.   Newer smoke detectors are now available with a longer life battery in them.   Christine brought with her an iron that had caused a fire.   The resultant pictures and newspaper article showing a totally burnt out house.   The iron had been left on inadvertently by the householder.   We had our refreshments mid-evening and Christine was eventually able to show us the short film showing how quickly a fire can take hold.   ‘The Three Minute’ fire reminded us all how important it is to keep the smoke alarm in full working order and to check it regularly.   The informal question and answer session at the end of the evening was lively and interesting.   We were all invited to contact the community Fire Service if we needed advivce on fire safety in the home.

On 5^th May we were represented very well at the Deanery festival, which was held at Whalley Parish Church.   Three of our members received long service awards: being   Audrey Clarkson for 40 years and Peggy Stone and Ivy Buckley for 50 years.

We send our congratulations and best wishes to Nellie Benson and to Freda Miller who recently celebrated their 90^th birthdays.

With sadness we inform our members of the death of Nancy Walton, a long term member of the M U.   We send our condolences to her husband, John, and his family at this sad time and remember them in our prayers.   We also remember in our prayers those members who are unable to join due to illness.

The Rose Queen Festival, together with the School Summer Fayre, organised by FOSSA, is to be held on 26^th June.   The weather permitting we hope as many as possible of our members will be able to join in the procession, which begins at 11.45am.   Help will be needed in the morning and the afternoon to serve the refreshments.   If you are able to bake or provide a cake for this event and/or help with the preparation or serving of the refreshments we would be very grateful.

The next meeting in the Memorial Hall is our Open Evening when we welcome Mr Nigel Haworth.   Admission is strictly by ticket only.   Please see your committee member for further details.   We ask that the committee serve the refreshments on this occasion, please.

With best wishes to you all

Susan and Tricia

April 2010

At our February meeting Mrs Pat Morris introduced us to the fascinating study of surnames.   Surnames were first introduced in England around the time of the Norman conquest when King William wanted to know what land each landowner held and what value the cattle and other assets they held were worth.   Initially it was only when wealthy landowners were bequeathing their land was it necessary to identify them.   Pat went on to explain when surnames were first introduced in Ireland, Scotland Wales, and then it was not until the 13th and 14th centuries that ordinary people were given surnames, which mostly fell into four categories: names after the place where the person had lived, names after the occupation of the parent or the family, names after the father’s name and nick names.   Pat has asked for some of our surnames and we had some light-hearted fun listening to some of the meanings of our surnames.

We trust our more senior ladies are warm and comfortable at home and remember in our prayers those members who are unable to join us due to illness.

We thank all our members who attended and helped with the Mothering Sunday Service.

Dates for your diaries

April 18th        The Commissioning Service for the new Diocesan President, Beverly Laycock, will be held in the Cathedral at 4.00pm

May 5th          The Deanery Festival at 7.30pm in Whalley Parish Church

May 19th        Committee Meeting

June 24th       The National AGM for the Mothers’ Union at the Guild Hall in Preston.   Tickets are £7.50 and can be obtained through either Susan or Tricia.

June 26th       Rose Queen Day

Our next monthly meeting in the Memorial Hall is on 28th April when we look forward to a talk by the Fire service on ‘Fire Safety in the Home’.   All ladies from the parish are welcome to join us on this occasion.   Tea hostesses, please: Barbara Youles, Janet Hartley, Clare Taylor, Margaret Taylor, Deborah Tattersall and Joyce Wade.

With best wishes from Susan and Tricia