Deadline for the June 2023 newsletter is 23 May.
Annual Parish Council Meeting: Thursday 18 May
The annual Parish Council Meeting will be held on Thursday 18 May at 8pm in the village hall. At this meeting the Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the 2023-2024 civic year will be elected, followed by the usual meeting agenda. Any member of the public who would like to raise an issue to be discussed at this meeting should contact the Clerk.
Members of the public who would like to speak to the Parish Council in person should register with the Clerk prior to the meeting. Contact details are: Lisa Lathane, Clerk to the Parish Council:
Preston Village Society: Thursday 11 May
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 11 May at 7.00pm in the Village Hall. Jennifer Hepworth will talk about “All Things Lavender”
New members are very welcome to come along.
Preston Village Hall – AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the Village Hall Committee will take place in the hall on Friday 5 May at 10.30am.
The Big Help Out Walk
Dear villager we hope you will join us on one of our walks on Monday the 8th of May to raise money for local charities. There will be two routes, a long one to Minsden Chapel and a shorter one around the Tatmore loop. Meet on The Village Green at 10:30am, chose your route, donate some cash and hike, with friends, family, strangers and a dog.
Preston in 2023
Back in 1953 a scrapbook depicting village life of the time was produced by the Women’s Institute of Preston and Langley to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II Coronation. We think it would be fantastic to create a similar masterpiece depicting life in Preston in 2023. If you think that you would like to contribute a short piece about your family / house / pets / travels etc please keep an eye out for further communications on this in the coming weeks. GDPR was not even a word (let alone an abbreviation) in 1953 so please only divulge information that you are happy to be shared.
If anyone would like to see, the digitally reproduced version of the original, please contact
Oyez Oyez!
There is only one week until parishioners come together for the celebration of the Coronation of King Charles lll.
Sunday 7th May starting at 12 00 am – The Coronation Big Lunch
A Street party and picnic in front of The Red Lion with games and competitions on The Green.
There is still time to book your places which we would appreciate, as it helps us set up for the day. Please don’t worry if you forget, you will still be more than welcome to come along and join in the festivities!
Have you created your fancy dress and practised your baking and decorating?
A change to the April newsletter- The age categories for both of these competitions will be: 11 and Under / 12 – 17 / 18 and Over.
Your fancy dress and bakes can be whatever you would like, as long as they follow the theme of Royalty please.
At midday, those in Fancy Dress will make their way towards West Green and then parade onto The Village Green to have their costumes judged.
Please drop your cakes and bakes into the snug in the Red Lion when you arrive for the day.
When you’ve enjoyed your lunches Paul Brenham, our deputy lieutenant, will propose the Loyal Toast and plant the King’s Coronation Oak Tree. Games for all ages will then be played on The Green. Will you be taking part or watching and supporting everyone who is? Then at around 4.30 pm prizes will be awarded and you will be able to sample the cakes and pastries from The Great Coronation Bake Off…
With many thanks
David, Jane, Jo, Joyce, Malcolm, Paul, Rae, Richard and Vicky
(Preston’s King’s Coronation Celebrations committee)
To book:
There was an RSVP slip in April’s newsletter, which may be dropped off at St. Martin’s Place, Church Lane.
OR
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/prestonscoronationcelebrations
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/prestonscoronationcelebrations
If you have any questions, or would like to offer to help please use the same contact details as for booking.
St Martin’s Church and All Saints’ Church Services
Sunday 7th May
Thanksgiving after the Coronation of HM King Charles III |
9.30am
10.30am |
St Martin’s All Age Communion
Acts 7: 55 – end John 14: 1 – 14 All Saints Special Commemorative Service |
Sunday 14th May | 8.00am
9.30am
11.00am |
All Saints Holy Communion
St Martin’s Holy Communion Acts 17: 22 – 31 John 14: 15 – 21 All Saints Sunday Praise |
Sunday 21st May | 9.30am
11.00am |
St Martin’s Family Service
All Saints Holy Communion Acts 1: 6 – 14 John 17: 1 – 11 |
Sunday 28th May
Pentecost |
9.30am
11.00am |
St Martin’s Holy Communion
Acts 2: 1 – 21 John 7: 37 – 39 All Saints Holy Communion |
Team Vicar of St Paul’s Walden with Preston:
A Letter From Our Team Vicar
The highlight of this month is undoubtedly the Coronation of our new King, Charles III. Celebrations will be enjoyed in our villages, as they will be all over the UK and beyond. For most of us, of course, this will be the first coronation that we have experienced. We will see a blend of the traditional and the new, past and present working organically together as is the way of our constitution.
The Coronation will remind us of the richness of our society and the importance of volunteering. It will be a public display of harmony and goodwill which we must hope may be lasting, amid all the social, economic and political challenges we face.
We are still in the Easter season, a time that tells of light in the darkness, of Jesus present again to his disciples after being brutally put to death. What looked like defeat had become victory – death overcome and new life conferred.
The risen Christ is capable of coming to every single one of us, to help us on our life journey, as the companion of our way.
Please do come and join us in our celebrations at church, both for the coronation and for the wonderful life changing event of Easter. In particular, do note that the service on May 7 to celebrate the Coronation at St Martin’s starts at 9.30 as usual but at All Saints at 10.30, to enable us all to get home in good time for our street parties and other celebrations.
With every blessing,
Stephen
St Martin’s Church 150 Club 2023/2024
The winners in the first draw (April) in the 2023/24 150 Club (£30 each) were:
No. 135 Mr P Barter
No. 13 Mrs R Brown
There are a few unsold tickets and we welcome any more participants – tickets cost £20 for the year, with 25 or more 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
The Preston Trust’s Great Easter Egg Hunt, on the afternoon of April 8th
From 2pm until 5pm on Easter Saturday afternoon, April 8th, the central part of the village was ‘alive’ with 80 children and their parents taking part in this year’s Easter Egg Hunt.
The route of the Hunt started at The Green, then up Chequers Lane as far as the footpath along to Church Meadow, across the Meadow and into St Martin’s church, and then back up Church Lane to The Green. There were numerous ‘stops’ en route, to notice and to find things, and ‘activities’ to complete. All were interesting and intriguing, some quite challenging!
Easter eggs and chicks, bunnies and their paw prints were everywhere, and numerous children in St Martin’s were sharing what they considered to be examples of not shouting. (At one point they were asked to go into the pulpit and without shouting welcome people by saying “Hello everyone! I hope you can see me and hear my voice”)
The weather was very fortunately mild and dry, and everyone had an immensely enjoyable afternoon. Our thanks are due to everyone who organised the Hunt, those who helped on the afternoon, and to all our participants. THANK YOU!
The winners were as follows:
The Preston Trust organisers have been delighted yet again with the response to this Easter holiday event and we have been inspired to plan one or two new ‘activities’ already! We can report that Shelldon is now back with the other chicks, and brought Keith Cheggwing with him, who may, or may not, appear with a balloon next Easter…(thank you for the idea of Keith)
We are missing a number of small plastic eggs though. Should you find any around Church Meadow please would you drop them off in the porch of St.Martin’s Place, Church Lane.
Some answers for those of you have asked:
The sticker stop anagram was Saint Martin’s – Our apologies the letter ‘I’ was missing, but congratulations to the many of you who still worked it out!
The Emojis:
- Sticker stop 1 ~ Happy Easter (Smilie, Cross, Egg)
- Sticker stop 2 ~ Baking a Cake (chef, oven, cake)
- Sticker stop 3 ~ Peace on Earth / World Peace (dove, earth)
- Sticker stop 4 ~ Easter Bunny (Easter Island head, rabbit)
- Sticker stop 5 ~ Dairy Milk Chocolate / Milk Chocolate (Cow, bottle of milk ,chocolate)
- Sticker stop 6 ~ Baby Lambs / Baby Sheep (baby, lamb)
- Sticker stop 7 ~ Easter Bonnet (Compass east, Tear, Arrow to bonnet of car)
- Sticker stop 8 ~ Cream Egg (Ice-cream,
ice, egg) - Sticker stop 9 ~ Going to church (family walking, arrow, church)
- Sticker stop 10 ~ Palm Sunday (hand open, sun/sunrise)
- Sticker stop 11 ~ Chocolate Bunny (bar of chocolate, bunny)
- Sticker stop 12 ~ Spring Time (actual spring , clock)
Spot the Difference
Thank you so much again those who helped on the afternoon, and to all our participants, we couldn’t have done it without you.
Preston Trust committee members: Adrian, Jo, Liz, Rae, Tim, Vicky, Wal.
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.
PCSO Heather Burrows can be contacted regarding local community issues.
Contact details are as follows:
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.
Voluntary Emergenct Telephone System
There are now enough volunteers to make this system viable for Preston and it is expected to go live during the summer. There is space for 2 more volunteers who must live in the main village and be able to attend the Volunteers’ training on Thursday 6 July at 7.30pn in the Village Hall.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer or who would like more information about the system should contact Margaret Trinder at:
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Hitchin Foodbank Shortages
The following items are the most urgently needed: deodorant (men’s and women’s), nappies size 5 or 6, tinned meat, tinned vegetables, dried mash, sponge puddings.
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. Thank you for your continued support; for more information please visit letchworth.foodbank.org.uk