Preston Parish Council
AGM And Parish Council Meeting
Preston Parish Council’s AGM will be held on Wednesday 6 May at 8pm which will be immediately followed by a Parish Council meeting at about 8.15pm. Both meetings will be
via Zoom video conferencing. Any member of the public who would like to raise an issue to be discussed at the Parish Council meeting should contact the Clerk. Anyone who would like to join either of these electronic meetings should also contact Lisa Lathane, Clerk to the Parish Council:
by Friday 30 April. A link to join the meetings will be emailed about 15 minutes before the AGM is due to start.
Parking on The Green
The Parish Council would like to thank everyone who sent comments regarding parking on The Green. After looking at all the options, there isn’t an obvious working solution so the Parish Council will keep the issue under review.
The Red Lion
The Red Lion has re-opened for outside table service. 459585 for a reservation and information regarding food availability. Hopefully, subject to relaxing of restrictions, service will re-commence inside on Monday 17 May.
St Martin’s Church and All Saints’ Church Services
A recording of the service from All Saints can be found on the link below:
www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7580/
| Sunday 2nd May | 9.30am
11am |
Holy Communion at St Martin’s
Acts 8: 26 – end John 15: 1 – 8 Holy Communion at All Saints |
| Sunday 9th May | 9.30am
11am |
Family Service at St Martin’s
Acts 10: 44 – end John 15: 9 – 17 Holy Communion at All Saints |
| Sunday 16th May | 8am
9.30am
11am |
Holy Communion (BCP) at All Saints
Holy Communion at St Martin’s Acts 1: 15 – 17; 21 – 25 John 17: 6 – 19 Family Service at All Saints |
| Sunday 23rd May
Pentecost |
9.30am
10am
|
Holy Communion at St Martin’s
Acts 2: 1 – 21 John 15: 26 – 27; 16: 4b – 15 Holy Communion at All Saints (Please note change of usual time) |
| Sunday 30th May | 10am | Joint service of Holy Communion at All Saints Isaiah 6: 1 – 8 John 3: 1 – 17 |
Team Vicar of St Paul’s Walden with Preston:
A Letter From Our Team Vicar
Slowly we are starting to get back to normal. Though we are still wearing our masks, and there are still things we can’t do, the easing of restrictions is opening things up for us, and I expect that like me you are welcoming the greater freedom.
For one thing, we can plan ahead more. Maybe think about a holiday or how to spend more time with family or friends. We are rediscovering the future and preparing ourselves more for it. Of course, life isn’t all about tomorrow or next year or the far distant future. It’s about living today, living ‘in the moment’, about fully appreciating the here and now.
Jesus was saying this sort of thing when he urged us to live fully in the moment and not to worry excessively about the future. Of course, it is right to take care over doing things properly, and we need to think ahead, but (he says) ‘Don’t fret.’ Don’t be consumed by worry or anxiety. This is the call to trust in God, to have faith in him.
So just as gardeners do what they can, and then leave the growing to the plants, or sailors exercise their skills but can do nothing to make the wind blow, let us do all that we can to be ready, and then let ‘God be God’. The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which we shall celebrate on Sunday 23 May, enlivens us to step out with confidence. As the psalmist says to God: ‘You will show me the path of life: in your presence is the fullness of joy’. (Psalm 16)
With every blessing
Stephen
St Martin’s Church 120 Club Draw 2020/2021
The winners in the April draw in the 2021/22 120 Club (£30 each) were:
No. 21 Mrs F Wright
No. 69 Mrs M Trinder
There are a few unsold tickets and we welcome any new participants – tickets cost £20 for the year, with 25 prizes of £30. This is an important source of income for St Martin’s church to help maintain the building and churchyard. If you would like to join please call Richard Blockley 457631.
Plant Stall
The second Plant Stall will be on Saturday May 1st from 9.30am on the verge outside Crunnells Green House. Again in aid of St Martin’s Church. Welcome!
Neighbourhood Watch
The number to contact at North Herts Police for all non-emergencies (including witnessing of fly-tipping) is 101 or 01707 354000.
For removal of fly tipping which has already occurred, call NHDC 01462 474000 or online at www.north-herts.gov.uk, then follow the links to Transport and Streets, Street Cleaning and Fly Tipping where there is a form to complete to report the details. If you use the What3Words app, please include the three words for the location of the fly tipping.
PC Johnie Streeter and PCSO Heather Burrows can be contacted regarding local community issues. Their contact details are as follows:
PC Johnie Streeter: 07525 905431 or 01438 757604 Johnie.streeter@herts.pnn.police.uk
PCSO Heather Burrows: 07740 745168 or 01438 757604 or heather.burrows@herts.pnn.police.uk
In the event of an emergency or if you witness a crime taking place please call 999.
Reporting suspicious activity
Please report any suspicious activity or vehicles you may witness in the locality.
Call the police on the non-emergency number 101 or report it online by using the website www.herts.police.uk/report and follow the links.
Hitchin Foodbank Shortages
All donations are welcome; the following items are the most urgently need due to recent strong demand: Tinned Rice Pudding; Sponge Puddings; Tinned Tuna; Tinned Tomatoes; Long Life Juice; Squash (1 lire size please). Thank you for your continued support. Please ensure items are undamaged and in date. Donations can be deposited in the blue box in the garage at Lychgate House, Church Lane, or at Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
COVID-19 and the Newsletter
Producing our Parish Newsletter is a community initiative. Between us, we have taken steps to protect both the volunteers who produce and deliver as well as our readers. We have reduced the number of people involved in production – Howard edited the newsletter and e-mailed it as a Word file for printing; Rae and Wal printed, folded and sorted into delivery rounds this month; then distributed, contact free to the volunteers who deliver.