Happy Birthday. The monthly magazine for Minal and Axford. MINAL CHURCH DIARY March Sunday 23 March 10 am Parish Communion Easter Day

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1 MINAL CHURCH DIARY March 2008 Sunday 2 March 10 am Parish Communion Mothering Sunday Sunday 9 March 8 am Holy Communion BCP Lent 5 Sunday 16 March 10 am Parish Communion Palm Sunday Sunday 23 March 10 am Parish Communion Easter Day The monthly magazine for Minal and Axford Issue 72 March 2008 Happy Birthday Sunday 30 March Easter 2 No service in Minal 10am at St Mary s... CHURCH CLEANING Angela Ramsay and Jill Otley FLOWERS No flowers in Lent Easter all helpers please to decorate the Church on Saturday 22 March CONTACTS The Rev d Andrew Studdert-Kennedy Churchwardens - Derek Moss John Sykes Church Office (9am-12noon) we re seven 30 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 1

2 From the Editor s desk AS you will have gathered from the cover of this issue, it s THE PUMP S seventh birthday this month. Many of you have kindly written in to say how much you enjoy your village magazine, so on this anniversary, it s once again time to thank all our helpers, contributors and advertisers. Here s hoping THE PUMP goes from strength to strength and continues to provide enjoyable reading, and possibly some laughs, to you and your family each month. Since your last issue, when the prize winners of the Christmas quiz were announced, I have had happy task of handing out the prizes to everyone. Funnily enough most of them live in Woodlands Road (probably that s where the brainy ones reside!). Sally Pritchard, our main winner, collected two bottles of wine from the manager of M&S in Marlborough. Her husband, Henry, who writes our sports column, was there acting as the photographer, and Gill Otley, our proofreader, who just happened to be passing, witnessed the happy event. You can all see the result of Henry s speedy and excellent photographic skills on page 26. This month sees the start of a new association with Town Printers in Marlborough, who have agreed to undertake our printing from now on. So thanks to them, but also hats off to our previous printing team in Collingbourne Ducis for looking after us so well. Over the past few years Pam and Rodney Haverson have helped us out in a tireless and enthusiastic way and we will always be grateful to them. We send them all our best wishes for the future. Happy reading! - ED Editor Roving Reporters Minal Roving Reporters Axford Michael Kallenbach kall@thepump.co.uk Gordon Aitcheson John Bevan Diann Barnett Bridget Treherne Sports News Henry Pritchard Proofreader Jill Otley Advertising Ninna Gibson Distribution Jonathan Heath, Margaret Ross LIFE AT MERE FARM: MAGIC PROVES TO BE THE STAR OF THE SEASON HE S JUST GREAT Every time I take Magic out, whether it s with my regular hunt, or the Berks and Bucks drag hounds, people turn to me and say what a lovely horse he is. I always feel so lucky and so proud. When I return to Mere Farm at the end of a day s hunting, and Tim and Jonelle are there working in the yard, they usually ask the same question how was your day?. I told them that I m beginning to sound like a broken record now: Magic is wonderful, Magic does all the jumps, Magic stands still, Magic this and Magic that They probably want to tell me to shut up, but then they re so nice about anything to do with horses, that they just listen to my stories week in and week out. When the hunting season does come to an end later this month, I will give Magic a complete rest so that he can be turned out in the lovely grassy fields to enjoy several weeks of relaxation which he justly deserves. As I write this, I have just returned from a wonderful day s drag hunting with the Berks and Bucks. They had their meet at nearby Milton Lilbourne and I don t know why, but they meet on a Sunday. There s certainly less traffic on the roads and it seems to take less time to get to the destination. There were four series of jumps and everyone was terribly excited. It was also half term week, so there were quite a few young out. It was very exhilarating to jump all those logs and newly made fences. The weather was sunny and there were some stunning views. The day seemed to go by very quickly, and by 3.30 pm it was time to go home. Magic, as usual, loads easily into the trailer, has his bag of hay to keep him amused, and once he is back at the yard, is washed down and has his supper. He is so easy-going and when he s back in his stable, I bet he is thinking to himself Wow! I certainly will sleep well tonight as I did all that jumping I loved it all and I just took it in my stride! For my part, I ll be saying: You re just great, Magic and I m so lucky that Tim and Jonelle found you! - ED There will be more about life at Mere Farm in your next issue of THE PARISH PUMP. Production Jeremy THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 29

3 Cookery Corner continued Another quickie from Di as the previous recipe has not taken up much space! MOCHA SQUARES 8 oz margarine 8 oz granulated sugar 8 oz S.R. flour 5 oz porridge oats 2 oz cocoa Melt the butter and sugar together. Stir until the sugar has dissolved completely, and then stir in the flour, oats and cocoa. Grease a baking tray and press the mixture down well with a spoon. Put into the oven at 180C for exactly 15 minutes. It should still be quite soft. Leave in tray to cool. Coffee Icing Interiors Exteriors Domestic Commercial Contract K i t c h e n r e f u r b i s h m e n t. A v o i d t h e e x p e n s e o f a n e w k i t c h e n b y r e f u r b i s h i n g y o u r e x i s t i n g c a b i n e t s. PA R K E RYO U N G PAINTING & DECORATING Fine quality painting and decorating and decorative restoration. 2 Year Written guarantee on all Workmanship Phone: (local rate) Mobile: jeremy@parkeryoung.co.uk Members of Minal Parish Council: Wallpapering Paint effects Furniture painting 2 oz margarine 1 tbsp coffee essence or strong instant coffee 8 oz icing sugar Mix together and spread over the cooled cake. Cut into squares. Di Devonshire Nigel Thompson, Chairman nigel.thompson@arup.com Brian Hey Vice Chairman Tom Otley tandjotley@btinternet.com Barbara Philpott Suzanne Bailey John Bevan Derek Price Parish Clerk Cameron McLennan cameronmclennan@dsl.pipex.com 28 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 3

4 Clergy Letter By Team Curate Susannah Reide Cookery Corner continued By the time you read this letter I shall be on maternity leave and coming to the end of my four year curacy. I started in June 2004, so have been a curate locally for more than half of THE PUMP S life. Later this year I will be applying for posts as a vicar and moving on to another stage of ministry. The Easter story tells us about Jesus who died, was buried and then rose again, appearing in a rather elusive way. Each year we are invited to walk with Jesus through his experiences of being welcomed on Palm Sunday, betrayed on Maundy Thursday and killed on Good Friday; then brought to greater, resurrection life on Easter Sunday. God invites us to enter into these experiences and to see this pattern at work in our own lives as well. Going into the church of St John the Baptist, Minal is a powerful way to experience some of the continually unrolling history of your village. Near the font is a list of priests who have served in Minal over hundreds of years, up to the present day; around the church are monuments marking different people s contributions to the life of your village community. I like the old, quiet smell when you walk into the church; I like it as a reminder of the stillness that waits for us to experience it now, the stillness that is a foretaste of eternity. When I go into the church, especially if I go in alone, I sense a Presence who has been waiting for me and who welcomes me. It is somehow entwined with the smell of gentle damp and quiet age and it connects me to other ancient churches I have visited, buildings which are places to kneel where prayer has been valid (from Little Gidding by TS Eliot). The point of a parish church is its presence, something enduring, pointing beyond itself. But a building where few meet is at risk becoming a mere monument. My prayer for the church of St John the Baptist is that it serves as a magnet to draw people together into the presence of the Unseen One who is immortal, invisible, God only wise. This precious stillness is one of the attractions of Minal; one of the things that makes life here feel different from life in the nearby town of Marlborough. Stillness and awareness of the beauty of the valley. These are Minal s healing gifts which everyone can enjoy. and sprinkle the remainder of the grated cheese over the top. Cook in the oven at 160C, 325F gas mark 3 1/2 until golden brown on the top. Serve with cheesy mash or boiled, parsley-buttered new potatoes, or with fresh crusty bread and a leaf salad. Serves 6 (or 4 large portions) Annie Cranstone DI'S 'CAN'T GO WRONG' CHOCCY CAKE Grease an 8" cake tin very well. Shorten cooking time if you use sandwich tins or cup cake cases. 5 fl ozs vegetable oil 5 fl ozs plain yogurt 4 level tablespoons golden syrup ( dip the spoon in boiling water first) 6 ozs castor sugar 3 eggs, beaten 8 ozs S.R. flour 2 rounded tablespoons cocoa 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda Heat the oven to 160C, Gas mark 2 Stir the liquid ingredients together with the sugar and eggs Sieve the flour, salt, bicarb. and cocoa into mixture and stir in carefully. Pour into the tin and bake for 1 hr 30 mins. As mentioned above, adjust time for different size tins. Icing: Adjust to taste, should be like thick cream Sieve 5 oz icing sugar and 2 tbsps cocoa. Boil 2 tbsps water, 1 tbsp castor sugar and a lump of butter until sugar is melted. Stir into the icing sugar. Pour over the cooled cake. 4 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 27

5 Sally Pritchard s Cookery Corner Church Notes Minal Sarah Brough This month I have two recipes given to me which two excellent cooks in the village have suggested could be put into Cookery Corner as they have been much admired at Minal Suppers. As one is a fish and one a chocolate cake recipe, they would both be ideal for Easter so thank you to Annie and Di. ANNIE'S FISH BAKE 500 gms of firm white fish (cod, haddock, monkfish, pollock etc.) 225 gms large prawns 200 gms salmon or smoked fish - optional 200 gms frozen soya beans or peas - cooked 2 or 3 medium leeks, cleaned and cut into 1" slices 8 rashers of dry cure streaky bacon or pancetta For the sauce 1 pt milk 25 gms flour and 50 gms butter for the roux Grated cheese for the sauce and topping - optional Plain flour and seasoning to taste for coating the fish Cut the fish into large chunks and remove any bones. Defrost prawns and dry. Grill the bacon rashers until crispy, cool, and break up into small pieces. Cook the leeks in a little water and butter until just cooked but not soft, drain any excess liquid and reserve for the sauce. Coat the fish with seasoned flour and pan fry in a little butter or sunflower oil until golden on the outside (do a few chunks at a time). Alternatively, microwave the fish for about 4 minutes for a less fatty option. Make up the white sauce, add the grated cheese to taste and season with pepper. Butter a 2 pint casserole dish and layer the fish, leeks, prawns and beans/peas, adding the crispy bacon as you go. Pour the sauce over 26 THE PARISH PUMP The Easter services in Minal will run slightly off their usual pattern as, following the 10.00am Palm Sunday service in Minal, there will of course also be a 10.00am service to celebrate Easter Day on 23 March. This is often a time when many people are away, but we hope to have a good congregation! Even if you cannot make the service on the Sunday, do remember the Good Friday Service at St Mary s in Marlborough, which I went to last year. It is a very peaceful and reflective service, which helps to prepare for the celebration of Easter Day. Mothering Sunday is on 2 March hopefully you are reading this in time to urge the mothers in our community (of all ages!) to come to the 10.00am service in Minal. Prayer Requests We have a prayer requests book at the back of our church which some people may not be aware of. It is there for anyone to use, so if you know someone or a situation that you would like to have prayers said for, please go into the church and take a few minutes to write your request. Minal Fete This year we are hoping to have another Village fete, and have tentatively booked the cricket pitch for 6 September. Our last fete was a great success and it was wonderful that we had so many visitors, and also lots of help. There will be a meeting at 7.30pm in The Horseshoe Inn on Tuesday, 1 April to discuss ideas and help for the fete. I expect some of you are reading this and thinking: No, not for me I don t have time to help out. Please rethink! It really is a case of Many hands make light work This meeting will be a chance to have a drink, find out who people are and share ideas about how we could have another happy community day. There will be no obligation on anyone who comes along to do anything, but we are hoping that by identifying some of the different jobs, a large group of people will be able to take on small roles that they will enjoy, and will not take up too much of your time! So we need lots of people! We know you re out there.... Money from the fete goes to the Sports and Social Club, the Village Hall and the Church, so your help will help contribute financially to Minal. The most important aspect of the fete will be the bringing together of lots of people of different ages (yes, do get your children to volunteer!) to achieve something together. If you can t make the meeting, but have some ideas, please let us know by ing sarah.nicol@btopenworld.com. THE PARISH PUMP 5

6 News in Brief In the Garden with Steve Pickett Horseshoe Ping the greyhound that THE PARISH PUMP tipped two months ago has now notched up a sequence of 10 wins and has been voted Sprinter of the Year, reports John Bevan, our roving reporter. At a special celebration in London s Lancaster Hotel, proud owners John and Pam Desmond collected a magnificent trophy which is now on display in The Horseshoe. Well done John and Pam! On Good Friday there will be the usual Procession of Witness through Marlborough, followed by a Christian Aid lunch in St Peter s Church. Everyone is welcome. The same day, at 7.30 pm, there will be Music for Good Friday in St Mary's Church performed by the Marlborough Choral Society. Christian Aid Week is from 11 to 17 May. If you can spare time for door to door collection, please phone Mary Fishlock on Welcome to Poulton House s new gardener, Bob Davison, his wife Nicki, and their one year old son, George. They have recently moved here from Goldalming in Surrey and we are sure they will love living in this area. Waiting for Panto! is a new play to be performed by the Marlborough Players at the Town Hall, from April. Tickets are 6 and can be obtained from the White Horse Bookshop. Anyone interested in seeing last year s Nativity play photographs or the Minal ladies outing to the snowdrops at Welford Park, please go to The Passion, a medieval mystery play will be staged at St Mary s Church, Marlborough on 17 and 18 March. Tickets are 4.00 each and available by phoning History Alive, The Axford Fete s plans are for Saturday, 2 August. If you have ideas, please go to the website, organised by Jeremy Young, on The Minal Fete is pencilled in for Saturday, 6 September. Gilly Price and Sarah Brough are organising a kick-off meeting at the Horseshoe on Tuesday, 1 April at 7.30pm. Please come to that meeting if you re free. Do you want to read THE PARISH PUMP on line? Go to and you will see the latest (and previous issues) on the Axford village website. A date for your diary. Henry Pritchard is once again organising the annual Beating of the Bounds. It will be on Saturday, 3 May starting at 9 a.m. Watch out in THE PUMP for more details nearer the time. To all those who kindly deliver THE PUMP: please could you PLANTS: Finish spring pruning roses, remove all dead, diseased and damaged wood. Of the bush roses treat the large flowered hybrid-tea more severely than the cluster flowered floribundas and just prune shrub and hedge roses lightly. Then give them their first feed of rose food. Prune down shrubs such as cornus and salix to ensure brightly coloured stems, and then push the cuttings into a pot of multi-purpose compost. Keep well watered and they should be rooted by the end of summer. When snowdrops have finishes lift and divide congested clumps while they are still green. Mulch beds and borders while the soil is moist to reduce the need for watering and keep down weeds. Top dress or replant overgrown or pot-bound plants and add a slow release fertilizer. LAWNS: Rake out any moss and thatch, and seed any bare patches. If the grass needs a cut then set the lawnmower on a high setting for the first cut. Repair damaged or bare patches of lawn with a lawn repair kit. Apply a spring fertiliser to establish lawns once they are actively growing. FRUIT AND VEG: Plant asparagus crowns now but don t harvest for two years to let them build up some strength first. Start sowing beetroot, carrot, lettuce, parsnips, radish and salad onions outside. Split and replant herbs such as mint and chives, and put some in a pot outside the kitchen door. GREENHOUSE: Make sure pots and seed trays in the greenhouse do not dry out. Under glass sow tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgettes and french and runner beans. QUOTE NO POET I VE EVER HEARD OF HAS WRITTEN AN ODE TO A LOAD OF MANURE RUTH STOUT 6 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 25

7 News in Brief MINAL SUPPERS All those who attended Sally and Henry Pritchard's Supper Party at Corner Thatch in January had a wonderful time. The Supper Parties just get better and better! We are meeting new people who have moved into the village and would love to see others too. All are welcome. Many thanks to all who have offered to hold a party during the coming year. Here is the date for the March Supper party to put in your diary, and others until June. Thurs 13 March Rebecca Spicer Woodlands Tel: endeavour to complete deliveries speediliy as some readers say they have only received their copies a week after publication date. Would you like to be a Roving Reporter for THE PARISH PUMP, the popular monthly magazine for Minal and Axford? We are always looking for new volunteers. Do you hear news and views in your road or lane? Why not get in touch with the Editor by sending him an today? If you hear of someone who hasn t been getting THE PARISH PUMP please phone Jonathan Heath or Margaret Ross on To readers and contributors of THE PARISH PUMP. All material MUST reach the Editor no later than the 10th of each month if it is to appear in the following month s edition. No exceptions can be made, so please don t ask! Contributions must be sent directly to the Editor via kall@thepump.co.uk or by post to The Cottage, Church Lane, Minal, Wiltshire SN8 2LU. Fri 25 April Sat 17 May Sat 28 June Jill and Derek Moss The Knap Tel: David and Mary Fishlock The Old Forge Tel: Carole and Maurice Stanton The Heathers Tel: Please ring the hosts if you would like to go and they will advise you what to bring. Gilly and Derek Price Tel: Small Business / Club / Charity Internet package 10 page website 100 addresses Contact form Search engine insertion FREE.CO.UK DOMAIN FOR FIRST 2 CUSTOMERS If you are a local company, club etc. add; FREE animated 120x60 ad with links from other websites. FREE: Up to 5 subdomains Also available: domains, ecommerce & database features, dynamc content, mailing lists, blogs, newsletters and more. Monthly hosting, support and maintenance provided at variable rates depending on your requirements. For more information: The Axford Media Company Ltd Kennet Rise, Axford, info@axford-online.co.uk Marlborough Wilts SN8 2EZ 24 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 7

8 8 THE PARISH PUMP Beat the Bugs with Homoeopathy By Karenza Grant, Probationary Licensed Homoeopath It is now commonly thought that a cold eliminates not only viruses from our bodies, but also other types of toxicity. However, there comes a point when the cold is too much for us or we have developed flu and we really feel the need to do something about it! In Homoeopathy we understand that the symptoms of cold and flu, the runny nose, weakness, feeling generally down are not actually the problem. These symptoms are produced by the body which is trying to get rid of an invading virus or the toxins in our bodies. Ideally we need to rest. However, sometimes we can t rest or the cold or flu is so bad that we need to take paracetamol, Lemsip, or some other medication to help us through. Unfortunately this does not actually remove the toxicity or the virus but just removes the symptoms and therefore hinders the body s natural healing process. What can we do then? Fortunately homoeopathic remedies stimulate the body s natural healing process to help it deal with the cold or flu more effectively. So homoeopathy helps get rid of the virus or the toxicity, and therefore helps the body to be healthier. And it works quickly and effectively. The following remedies are helpful for more typical symptoms of cold and flu. Choose the one that is most similar to your condition. All these remedies and many more are available in Boots or Wild Thymes (Hughenden Yard) in Marlborough. Take one three times a day until you start to feel better. Remember... rest up as much as you can to allow your body to sort itself out. Also keep your fluid intake up, particularly water. Vitamin C not a homoeopathic remedy but a wonderful help all the same. I recommend Nature-C available from Wild Thymes in Marlborough. It is completely naturally derived and because of this it works amazingly well (all vitamin C products are not the same). Your Individual Symptoms are Important! In homoeopathy we take your particular symptoms to find the right remedy, so there isn t just one or two remedies for colds and flu, in fact there are many. If your symptoms are not listed above you might want to look in a book on homoeopathy, look on the internet, or contact a homoeopath for more help. Another alternative is to call a homoeopathic pharmacy, for example Helios, which always have homoeopaths on the phone who are happy to advise you on which remedies to take for minor complaints their number is Letters to Uncle Alf continued From his sister Janet Weymouth March 30 My dear Alf I was quite touched by your most kind letter to me received last week, it is very kind of you to think of me so; as a little token of my gratitude accept the (horrid) photo of myself we sent last week. I am much better thank you, tho Cooper and the Dr here both assure me I can t get rid of the horrid aching pain in my side for some time yet. I go out for a walk once or twice every day, and it does not tire me as much as at first. Min and Julia went home yesterday, the latter had been here a month, Min a little more than one week. Mother and I propose going Home next week; then we shall have been away 5 weeks. Mother is certainly the better for the change. I think she was knocked up with having to look after both Belle and me when we were ill. Aunt Augusta and co, Esther and her Mabel, and other people have been to inspect your feathers at Mrs Seaman s and report most favourably of them. I hope you will get a really good price for them. Belle is staying with the Skinners as I dare say you know she says she is much less lame hers has been a long spell for her has it not? Leo and Ward come Home next week as you may imagine; I think you also know that Lex Blake leaves Rugby then and Dr Percival takes it; it is to be hoped he will raise the tone of the school more. In every shop and indeed almost everywhere there is nothing to be seen but something for the Queen s Jubilee, it really is quite wearing, what is the Cape going to do in honour of it? You have not told us lately how the little Southey baby is is it a nice baby? The clergyman here called here today, he is a nice old man, Mother says you know him. I have been for a row twice, I do like it so much! All the boatmen are bringing their boats after their winter retirement onto the beach again it is so pretty to watch them rowing one boat and towing one or two others behind. Father is I think gone up to Town to hear what his London doctor thinks of his going to the Cape; he seems to talk of it quite in earnest now. I hope long ere this you will have at least one female servant to do for you. Now with my very best love to you and warmest thanks for your dear letter (much the nicest I ever have had from you) and love to dear old Harold Believe me, dearest Alf, Ever your very loving little sister Janet Soames THE PARISH PUMP 23

9 Letters to Uncle Alf continued the breed. She has a most excellent nose and is docile beyond belief. I think you asked me some time ago about domesticating elands. There is a man named Wolf who makes it a business to get wild animals for transportation he told me he could provide young elands to order from the bushveldt. From his father Mildenhall March 28 My dear Alf I will enclose a cheque for 650 to enable you to meet the May payment as promised. At present we have not heard what Mrs Seaman can get for the feathers, but I understand she has written to you. C.E.S. has seen them and thinks them very fine. I am very likely going up to Town on Thursday or Friday, and shall try and find Mrs Seaman at home. I shall see my London Doctor and if he thinks it prudent I shall very likely come out to you for a short visit, sailing on the 18 May. I ve not been very well lately, heart somewhat irregular and it would not do to be very seasick under the circumstances. I went to Weymouth last week and found your mother and Janet both much better but I am sorry to hear that the latter has had a pain in her side since I left. We went to Portland one day, and I fear the struggle up the shingle beach tried her rather too much, and she does not seem quite to recover yet. I hope however she will be alright by next week when they return home. Min and Julia come home tomorrow. We had our Confirmation yesterday 19 candidates at St Peter s. C.E.S. was home for a Hunt with Lord A s staghounds met on Marlborough Common and took on the Railway at Poulton, having turned out by? Mile Clump. C.E.S. much disgusted, tho they had an hour s gallop. Gordon has gone up to Cambridge today for a Theological Exam n I hope he will pass it satisfactorily. He has engaged to go to Hull as Curate. George is at home all right again. He found quantities of snipe in the water meadows during the snow, and killed 5, but they are in poor condition now. Mar 30. No letter again this week. Telegram from Weymouth that Janet has seen a Doctor there, who gives a good account of her, notwithstanding a little more pain. No other news that I know of. I shall go to London tomorrow and see what Dr says about my going. Love to Harold. Homoeopathy can treat almost all medical conditions, so think of us if you have a problem the doctors can t sort out, or if you just want a more natural system of medicine! Aconite 30c Arsenicum 30c Belladonna 30c Bryonia 30c Euphrasia 30c Gelsemium 30c Pulsatilla 30c Remedies for Colds and Flu Symptoms appear suddenly, especially after exposure to cold and cold wind or after a shock. The sufferer experiences sneezing, restlessness, a sore throat, and is worse at night. The person will have a fluid discharge that makes the nose sore. There will be lots of sneezing, and the patient feels restless and chilly. Again this cold or flu will come on suddenly. The patient is fevered. They are very hot, and feel burning. Light hurts the eyes and the pupils may be dilated. The sufferer may be very thirsty. Children often display these symptoms. The person will feel thirsty, irritable, worse for slight movement. A real bear with a sore head. The sufferer will have profuse catarrh, a burning sensation in the eyes, and the eyes may stream. The nose runs during the day but is stuffed up at night-time. The person is chilly but likes fresh air. This remedy is for flu or a flu like cold where the person feels shivery and tired. They feel achy, heavy and cold, and they may have a throbbing headache. A great remedy for children who as soon as they are poorly become extremely clingy and want a lot of attention. Usually this will be accompanied by a lack of thirst. Karenza lives in Axford. She has two children and discovered the effectiveness of Homeopathy when pregnant with the first. She s studying with the British School of Homeopathy at Bath Spa University. She is currently practising locally, under supervision, at a reduced rate, and hopes to be qualified by December. 22 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 9

10 Many congratulations on THE PARISH PUMP'S 7th anniversary. Over its life it has been an invaluable part of the glue which binds Minal and Axford as communities, a focus for publicising events, raising awareness of the villages' rich history and current issues, and even acting as a calming conduit for the occasional complaint! A huge amount of work and organisation has gone into the production of a consistently first class publication from which we all benefit. THE PUMP has been a staunch ally in our endeavours to raise the profile of Minal's Church locally, not only as a place of worship and spiritual retreat, but also as the lovely physical core of the village of which we can all feel proud. Yours etc, John Sykes Churchwarden, St John the Baptist This is just to say thank you to everyone who came by and saw our Christmas lights at Berrycroft. I think everyone must have enjoyed them a great deal and got some pleasure out of them. Everyone was very generous and we managed to collect more than last year. There was which will go to the Prospect Hospice. This included money we found in the wishing well and on the front door step. And to those who ask - YES, we will be putting up the lights again this Christmas - on 1 December they will be switched on. So a big "thank you" to everyone. Pat and John Little 18 Berrycroft, Minal Letters to the Editor Is there a reader of THE PARISH PUMP who is an expert on the behaviour of bumble bees? Twice over the last few days I have spent time removing a very large bumble bee from our greenhouse, it zoomed off and disappeared high in the sky in the direction of Minal. An experience this morning (a lovely day, 10 Jan) made me realise that I had probably got it all Letters to Uncle Alf continued his change here. GOD bless you. From John X Merriman- Cape Town- March My dear Alfred It is a long time since I have written to you and I am glad to learn that all goes well with you. I enjoyed my trip to the Transvaal very much and am greatly impressed with the capabilities of the country and the gold fields. It is not a sheep country, but for cattle and cultivation far superior to the rest of S. Africa, as it has plenty of water and the rivers run level with their banks. The Boers are all wild with speculation just now, and are selling their farms for more pounds than they used to fetch shillings, or even pence. As for the gold, I think there is no question that when it is properly developed it will be one of the great producing centres, but just now everyone s energy has been wasted in stock jobbing, and not sufficient attention has been given to the real work of getting gold. If you can spare the time, a trip to Barberton would repay you as there is a great deal of big game such as eland lion giraffe and buffalo still left between Delagoa Bay and Barberton. In fact the lions have sometimes seized prospectors. From Port Eliz. to Delagoa by steamer and walk up which takes 4 days is the best way taking natives to carry your traps. The months to go in are from May to Sept (inc). I suppose however that the advent of the railway will put a stop to this hunter s paradise which people now neglect in the absorbing interest of searching for gold. The journey by coach from Pretoria to Barberton is one of the roughest I have ever made, both as regards roads and food. I am sorry to hear what you say about farming in this country and I fear that it is only too true, but the price of wool at any rate ought to make some compensation for the? on feathers. But the fact is this country will never really go ahead until there is an importation of something else than mere townsmen and the land gets filled up. I think that the Transvaal will offer many more attractions to emigrants for settlement and may possibly become a large English-speaking republic, in which case it will have a preponderating effect on our own colonial condition. You ask about dogs. I have only one which I have nursed through the distemper, but my brother Jim long ago told me that he had a pointer for me. As my bitch has turned out so well, if Jim choose he may send you the dog, and when I am in need you can supply me. My bitch is a Gordon setter, but I do not want to let her have pups yet I think that you know 10 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 21

11 Letters to Uncle Alf Alfred Soames, now 24, a son of the Minal rectory, has gone to South Africa to seek his fortune. He has recently been joined by his younger brother Harold, aged only 17. From his mother Weymouth 23 March 1887 My very dear Alf We are longing for Cape letters. Mrs Seaman says she has written direct to you. I don t know the nature exactly of her information, however I hope it is satisfactory. CES has seen the feathers, Father has not yet, Mrs Seaman was out when F called. He talks of going to London next week to consult his Doctor as to the desirability of his travelling to South Africa, and all being well he will (with Lill) very likely start about May 18 but of course nothing is settled yet till we know what his London Doctor may consider good for him. He is much better but you will think him aged I expect. He walks so slowly, takes such short steps and soon tired he yearns to see you and Harold. Janet has been photographed and she sends you a copy with her best love to you. I am to ask you to tell her whether you like it. She does not but I think it is excellent. If anything turns up that I have to write on more important matters tomorrow, then I shall defer sending the photo till next week because I have only one 6d stamp, and we have to post at 10am too early to tramp half a mile to the P. Office to buy another stamp. Mary, Janet and Father greatly enjoyed a few hours at Portland, to see the Chesil Beach and admire the waves. Do you remember it all? You used to like going, such bouncy magnificent waves, it is too far for me, my walking powers are not first rate. Gordon has been to see about a curacy at Hull, under a Mr Trist a youngish man a dirty nasty locality and very far off. I can t understand why Gordon fixed on that place, but he does not take me into his confidence I presume he is pleased himself, and that is the great thing certainly. I hear George looks very thin. Cambridge does not agree with him I am sure. Your 2 letters Feb 24 and March 1 are come. Very glad H. and the horse were not both drownded in the river. F. has no more to add but that his going to the Cape depends on his health. wrong. Loud buzzing noises drew me into the greenhouse and there under the apex of the roof were three bumbles having it off. Judging by who was where, there were two males and one female, if they have that sort of thing. Sometimes the two males were fighting in a friendly sort of way to get into the prime position in a tightly packed threesome, at other times one flew a couple of feet away to regain energy presumably before returning to the fray. The female seemed quite happy and spent time during brief spells of aloneness apparently wiping her tail end with what I first thought was her sting but I really think it must have been a back foot. After lunch I went to see how they were progressing and obviously things had cooled off and all three were trying to get out. I helped them do this and off they flew. But no! I went back after a siesta, and one of the bumbles had returned and was buzzing around, maybe not with quite the same energy as before. Has anyone seen this sort of thing before? I thought bumbles were solitary insects. Can one easily tell a female? With honey bees the female is rarely seen and much bigger surely. Of course as one can't really tell one bumble from another six bumbles may have been involved! Good news for an endangered species. From an anxiously awaiting Geoffrey Treherne, as the season is young. Axford Congratulations on another year of publication! THE PARISH PUMP proves to be very interesting reading for our guests and there is always some amusing feedback. Keep up the good work and a big thank you to all those involved with compiling, stapling and delivering. David and Mary Fishlock The Old Forge, Minal Letters to the Editor Belle s foot is better but after all these weeks I believe the poor thing cannot get across the room without a stick. F. is going home today certainly the better for 20 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 11

12 Letters to the Editor Dear Ed,, We just want to add our voices to the chorus of plaudits for Wiltshire's best village magazine. There is no better way for a community to develop a sense of adhesion than through the circulation of a vigorous and entertaining magazine, and we are full of praise for what you have achieved in the past seven years. Ad multos annos! Jane and John Bevan, Romans Halt, Minal Dear Michael, Thank you very much indeed for including Peter Leeds` tribute about Liz in last month's PUMP. It is very much appreciated. Roger de Vere, Minal Thank you, as Editor of THE PUMP, Michael, very much for my prize and for giving the village a prize-winning magazine every month. I know everyone appreciates all the hard work you put into producing it and we have enjoyed watching it grow in content and interest over the years. Also thank you Tom (Otley) for setting us another thought-provoking quiz which I confess would not have been completed by me without the help of Google. I think I managed about three quarters of the answers from the depths of the little grey cells. We look forward to many more. Sally Pritchard Corner Thatch, Minal The Ed writes: As readers will know, Sally was the winner of the first prize (two bottles of wine from M&S, Marlborough) in our Christmas Quiz competition. Thanks again to the compiler Tom Otley. Minal Neighbourhood Watch The Watch is alive and well but has had some changes over the past few months in the way that the Police now operate. Our liaison officer is the Community Beat Manager for Marlborough Rural North and East - PC 1661 Batch Batchelor. He is assisted by police Community Support Officer (PCSO) for Marlborough Rural North and East - PCSO 6093 Jonathan Mills. Batch Batchelor creates a newsletter each month which can be 10 pages long (as the January one was). Because of the size of this it is too costly to duplicate in the numbers required to provide each villager/parishioner with their own personal copy. In order for as many people as possible to view these newsletters I have taken the following action. Firstly, as in the past, Minal has been broken down into areas with an "Area Coordinator", taking on the responsibility for looking after a small number of dwellings (minimum of five and maximum of 20). This would entail receiving a copy of the newsletter and making sure that this is passed on to all the houses in the "area" on a read and pass on basis. The coordinator would also be asked to keep an eye out for any of the normal suspicious goings on within that area as well as a weather eye on any of our older inhabitants - milk, papers, letters not picked up etc. Secondly Maurice Stanton will take the newsletter and place it on the Minal web site, thus giving anyone with Internet access the ability to download a full colour copy for their own personal use. Please Maurice enquiry@minal.org.uk about any suggestions, ideas or improvements that you would like to see on the Minal Community Site. If you have any information regarding the activities and organisations within Minal, please send them to him. I am looking for volunteers to act as coordinators within the following areas of the village. Church Lane - Upper, Church Lane - Lower, Centre village (cross roads to Horseshoe), Home Farm Close, Main Street East - Bungalows, Thicketts Road and Mere Farm and Werg Lane. There are also the outlying districts - Poulton, Woodlands and Warren Farm, Durnsford, Stitchcombe/ Grove Farm and Forrest Hill. I would appreciate anyone wishing to volunteer their services or requiring more information to get in touch with me. Derek Price, THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 19

13 Sally Pritchard, of Corner Thatch, Minal, was the winner of this year's Christmas Quiz organised by THE PARISH PUMP, and compiled by Tom Otley. Here she is seen receiving her prize - two bottles of wine - from Jamie Clark, manager of M&S, Marlborough with the editor of THE PUMP, Michael Kallenbach [Henry, Sally's husband, took the photograph in the store] Sports and Social Club Henry Pritchard reports With the mild weather (early February) the grass has taken off and was cut and as a result now looks very lush and green. It is nice to think that before long it will be used for cricket. Annual General Meeting A further reminder that this will be in The Horseshoe on Tuesday 8 April at 7.30pm. Please make a note and try to attend. Beating the Bounds This is not strictly a S & S event, but this is just a reminder that this will be on Saturday 3 May, leaving from the end of Church Lane at 9am. Further details will follow in THE PUMP. But phone in the meantime if you require further details. 100 Club This month's draw was carried out at their home by Gladys and Joe Smith. Despite our best efforts, neither they nor I managed a winning number! Winners ( 5) for February 2008 are:- 15 Colin Davis 39 Helen Scholes 84 Richard Cook (again!) 86 John Hounslow. Is there anyone in the village who could help out with the door to door collection for Barnados this year? The areas are set out below. If you feel that you are able to help please contact me. The dates are 9-22 June. Thicketts Road, Lower Leaze and Werg, The telephone box to the Village Hall, Berrycroft, The Village Hall to Church Lane, Church Lane and Woodlands Road and houses towards Marlborough, Woodlands. Many thanks. Gilly Price Tel: Letters to the Editor We do congratulate The Editor for seven years of increasing excellence of THE PUMP and a cracking start for the eighth. Also for Tom (Otley) for producing a quiz of tricky quotes which in this household produced only two thirds answered. Out east we are an higerant lot! I was thinking of trying to write a short letter on the subject of the importance of writing letters. We keep all hand written letters which hopefully will be of interest to our children if and when they want to know what life was like when they were young - boxes and boxes of them. They are history and in this computer, throw-away age are almost the only way future generations can get an idea of what ordinary people did and thought about. Not so long ago we used to get a dozen or so each week; now we are lucky if we receive two. E - mail and computer generated stuff is too compact and impersonal, part of the throw away age, instantly disposable we hope. Writing is fun too for the writer, but one must retain sympathy for the reader. The diary is the other medium which records what could be described as the basis of future history. Readers of THE PUMP are of course only too aware of these thoughts by way of Uncle Alf. Geoff Treherne Axford 18 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 13

14 Thank you to those people who enquired about my sister's dog. He has now found a new home. My sister also has an eight year old pure bred collie to be rehomed, so I would be pleased to hear from anyone who could offer Ben a nice home. He is a fabulous dog, loves to retrieve a ball and is very well behaved and good with children. Gilly Price Tel: Letters to the Editor As the patients representative for the Ramsbury Surgery, I have received a letter from the surgery regarding the Government's plan to extend GP opening hours. The Government has been looking at forcing GP surgeries to open for routine appointments outside the current hours of 8am and 6.30pm (either in the evening, weekends or early morning). Although this may seem an attractive option for some, the longer hours will have less welcome effects. At present we are the only GP practice in Wiltshire open on Saturday mornings and we would like to continue this; but on our and our patients terms, not the Government's. They insist that the Saturday morning would be for pre-booked routine appointments only. We feel that it should be for urgent appointments and for visits to seriously ill patients. Patients with genuine difficulty getting to weekday surgeries have always been seen on Saturday mornings. Recent patient surveys have shown 97% to 98% satisfaction with opening hours but the Government is persisting with its plans. It is uncertain how much your, our or the BMA's opinions will be listened to by the Government, but we would welcome your comments to allow us to lobby the BMA and to shape our own services. The Surgery have asked for your feelings regarding this Government Initiative. If you would like to read the full document please contact me, it EASTER SURPRISES a Service of Celebration for all Ages to be held at ST MICHAEL S CHURCH, AXFORD at 3pm on Sunday 30 March 2008 all ages welcome donations of cakes and biscuits for tea would be gratefully received please phone Suzy Connell on for further information and to offer help 14 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 17

15 Axford Fete 2008 Sat 2 August 2-5 pm!!!! Volunteers needed!!!! To do 1-hour sessions on any of the following :- Entrance gates (cars and walk-in) Prize draw tent (selling and folding tickets) Produce Hoopla Refreshments Duck Race ticket sales Plants Bookings dog show Books Events announcer Skittles Setting up am Ladder and Beanbag Clearing up pm Tombola Coconut Shy Donations for the following would be appreciated Cakes for refreshments and produce stall Tombola Plants Hoopla Books Prizes for main and sporting draw If you have suggestions, can offer assistance or can donate something please contact Bridget Treherne bmrgat7@dsl.pipex.com Suzie Connell susanaconnell@aol.com Diann Barnett d.barnett@hotmail.com Michelle Beckingham Or visit the fete website Letters to the Editor is important that you feed back your thoughts to me, or speak to Alison Harrod, Practice manager Manager, or Jonathan Rayner at the surgery. Please don't ignore this: it affects you. Mary Fishlock, The Old Forge, Minal Telephone Congratulations on THE PUMP'S seventh birthday and many thanks to all of those of you involved in its production and distribution. Derek Moss, Churchwarden, Minal Thank you very much for including my letter in the February issue of the THE PARISH PUMP. I received my copy in the post and I also received an from Miss Audrey Vockin who lives at Kintbury near Hungerford. Her mother and my father Reg were cousins. We had lost touch over 20 years ago and we now are in touch again. So, well done to you and THE PUMP for enabling me to be in touch. Les Lewington Chipping Sodbury 16 THE PARISH PUMP THE PARISH PUMP 15