Dates to Remember
| Wed 1 Nov | Parish Council – Village Hall 8.00pm |
| Sat 4 Nov | Community Book Swap – Village Hall 10.00 -11.00 am |
| Sat 4 Nov | Police Surgery – Village Hall 10.00 – 12.00 Noon |
| Sat 4 Nov | Fireworks at The Red Lion – 7.00 pm |
| Tue 7 Nov | Church Cleaning – 4.00pm |
| Wed 15 Nov | Preston Village Society – Trinity House – 8.00pm |
| Sat 18 Nov | Community Book Swap – Village Hall 10.00 – 11.00 am |
| Tue 5 Dec | Church Cleaning – 4.00 pm |
Fireworks at the Red Lion
This Year’s Fireworks Display and Barbeque will take place at the Red Lion on Saturday 4 November from 7.00pm. Fingers crossed for a fine, star-lit evening!
North Hertfordshire Local Plan
Hearings on the NHDC emerging Local Plan will start on Monday 13 November and are being held at Icknield Centre, Icknield Way, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 1EF. The hearing to discuss Preston will be on Wednesday 7 February at 2.00pm. To view the complete hearing timetable, please follow the link:
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/local-plan/local-plan-examination/hearing-sessions
Hitchin Food Bank
Many thanks for your ongoing support and contributions to the Hitchin Foodbank. The most urgent needs are: toilet rolls, long life fruit juice, UHT milk, dried milk, sponge puddings, noodles, tinned vegetables, sugar in 500gm bags, instant dried potato, size 6 nappies and strong carrier bags. They are currently oversupplied with pasta and rice. Donations can be deposited in the blue box in the garage at Lychgate House, Church Lane.
St Martin’s Church and Parish Services
| November | Service | Sidesman | Reader | |
| 5th | 10.00 am | ‘All Saints Sunday’ | Malcolm Lowle | Jenny Mason |
| Revelation 7:9 – end, RCL p. 416 Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 Intercessions: Hugh Reeves Chalice: Meta Reeves | ||||
| 12th | 09.30 am | ‘Remembrance Sunday’ | Malcolm Lowle | Mark Lawson |
| 1 Thessalonians 4:13-end, RCL p.427 Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13
#intercessions=Doreen Sansom Intercessions: Doreen Sansom Chalice: Carolyn Hill | ||||
| 19th | 8.00 am | All Saints Church – Holy Communion (BCP) | ||
| 9.30 am | Andy Cole | Di Blockley | ||
| 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, RCL p.433 Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30 Intercessions: Dawn Jenkins Chalice: Dawn Jenkins | ||||
| 11.00 am | All Saints Church – Sunday Praise | |||
| 26th | 9.30am | Elizabeth Hunter | Anna Lawson | |
| Ephesians 1:15-end, RCL p.438 Gospel: Matthew 25:31-end Intercessions: Elizabeth Bunker Chalice: Elizabeth Hunter | ||||
| December | ||||
| 3rd | 10.00am | ‘Advent 1’ | Richard Blockley | Veronica Williamson |
| Isaiah 64:1-9, RCL p. 441 Gospel: Mark 13:24-end Intercessions: Meta Reeves Chalice: Di Blockley | ||||
NB From November 2017 until March 2018 inclusive the service on the first Sunday in the month will be held at St Martin’s Preston at 10.00am.
There will be NO SERVICE AT ALL SAINTS’ on these Sundays.
Weekday services in Whitwell
Every Tuesday 9.30am. Morning Prayer at the Parish Office
Alternate Wednesdays 9.30am . Holy Communion at Lime Tree House.
8 and 22 November.
ST MARTIN’S CHURCH 120 CLUB
The winners of the October draws in the 2017/18 120 Club (£30 each) were:
No. 94 Mrs D M Sansom
No. 97 Mr & Mrs D G Drew
A Letter From Our Team Vicar
Rosemead, 61 High Street, Whitwell SG4 8AH.
01438 871658 or
01462 686808
email: elizabethbunker@hotmail.com
Dear Friends
At our service at All Saints’ last Sunday we celebrated the saints and we also celebrated the ministry of Ann Males in the parish and her contribution to the community in Whitwell. It was a very special occasion for us all. Ann was nominated as a modern day saint by the congregation and although I know she was apprehensive about the celebrations afterwards she (and John) certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was lovely that David Dewey and Julia were able to be with us.
And I know Ann would want me to remind you that we were saying Thank you to her and John this morning and definitely not Goodbye. They are still here in the parish and we look forward to seeing her and John at church for a long time yet.
At the end of September we celebrated Harvest with the traditional Harvest Supper in the Village Hall,; two days later our Harvest Festival was spread over two services: a Family Harvest Service in the morning and Harvest Praise in the evening, The church was beautifully decorated with flowers and fruit and included this year a Harvest decoration made by children from Preston Nursery School.
Ten days later nearly ninety children and a good number of adults from the Primary School were present in church for the Primary School Harvest service.
The previous Friday was Harvest Auction time at The Red Lion; a great evening and a significant amount raised for the benefit of Preston Primary School, the Cricket Club and St Martin’s. Thank you to all who contributed to this.
Now it is almost autumn although it is very warm and when you read this British Summer Time will be over and November, the month of remembrance, will have arrived. We will be celebrating All Saints’ Sunday on 5 November at the first of our winter joint services at St Martin’s at 10.00am. The All Saints’ congregation are delighted with the warm welcome they receive at St Martin’s when we hold these joint services. Don’t forget the time – half an hour later than usual at 10.00am.
The following Sunday (12 November) is Remembrance Sunday when we will pay tribute to those who died in the two World Wars during our 9.30am service at St Martin’s.
And then it will be Advent – more about Advent and Christmas next month.
With my prayers and good wishes
Elizabeth
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 Veolia ☎ 0800 328 6023.
PC Matt Jenkins and PCSO Heather Burrows can be contacted regarding local community issues – ☎ 01438 757604.
In the event of an emergency or if you witness a crime taking place please call ☎ 999.
Police Surgery – Village Hall – 4 November
There will be a Police Surgery in Preston Village Hall on Saturday 4 November
from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. PCSO Heather Burrows from our Safer Neighbourhood Team will be happy to discuss any concerns you may have.
The Community Book Swap will also take place from 10.00 – 11.00am.
The 2017 Autumn Litter Pick Up of Our Parish
The Preston Trust would like to thank warmly all the 19 villagers who kindly and enthusiastically turned out this morning, Saturday 20 October, to tackle this task. We are really grateful to you all. We had sufficient helpers to deal with all the lanes, including Charlton Road right down to The Lodge and the two new houses beyond Offley Holes Farm, AND all the footpaths as well, including the one south past Prestonhill Farm and on through Hitch Wood! Another splendid effort, for the 4th time in the last two years that we have done this.
Special mention should be made of Phil and Ita who cleared a long stretch last week, before they went away for a few days! And also to Andy and Monica, newcomers to the village, who bravely tackled the ‘Hitch Wood circuit’, and Linda and Steve who went north to Wain Wood, Tatmorehills Lane and back to Sootfield Green. And lastly, but not least, Colin continued his own special project of sponging away that grey green grime on the wooden A- frame signs for the Red Lion, and also on the PRESTON roadside signs on the entry to the village – just notice how they sparkle now! Many thanks for such commitment.
Do now notice and enjoy the seasonal colours and varied shapes of the natural litter of leaves from our hedegrows and trees, before the wind, rain and frost of winter weather inevitably comes round again! AND, do please report, in the usual way, anyone whom you witness fly-tipping.
Preston Village Society
Our next meeting is being held on Wednesday 15 November at 8.00pm at Gail Edwards, Trinity House, Church Lane. Derek Niemann will give a talk entitled “A Nazi in the Family”