Edition 563 November 2023
Printed courtesy of Mrs Annette Haynes as a service to the community
Please email your entries for the December 2023 issue to: ThePennant@mail.com by 21st November 2023
Bradford Abbas Art Exhibition
18th–19th November, 10am-4pm
At The Old Mill House, Mill Lane, Bradford Abbas (behind the school)
This is an exciting new venture celebrating the work of the wonderful, talented artists, who all live in our village.
Would you believe that we are able to show the work of 20 different artists. An amazing exhibition of different styles of painting, using a variety of mediums and subjects, will be on show and some of them will be on sale. Pottery, ceramics, wooden items, jewellery, cards etc will be included. Some of our artists, young and old, are professional and some are amateur, all are very talented.
You are warmly invited to visit the exhibition, which will be wonderful. There is no charge for entry. Hot drinks and cake will be available to purchase.
Simon Cain O’Grady, one of our brilliant artists, has kindly donated his original oil painting of the beautiful old oak tree in the field between Bradford Abbas and Thornford to raffle. If you cannot make the exhibition but would like buy a raffle ticket they are available from Tricia Chapman 602279 or Jenny Thomas 706419 or Squish 354341.
Any offers of cakes for refreshments would be gratefully received. Offers to Tricia or Jenny Thank you. All proceeds will go to the Bradford Abbas churchyard restoration and maintenance fund.
So bring your family and friends and enjoy this event in the studio at the Old Mill House and our thanks go to Valda Baker for hosting this event and cheering up November for us all.
The Bradford Abbas Artists
Bradford Abbas Variety Club
Variety Show 2024!
We held our AGM on 3rd October, which was very well attended. This enabled us to maintain a good Committee and make some great plans for a 2024 show – three to be precise! Dates are:
Friday 12 April – 7.30pm
Saturday 13 April – 3pm & 7.30pm
So, get them in your diary now!
Our next planning meeting will be on Wednesday 10 January 2024, 7.30pm at the Social Club. This is for anyone to attend who’d like to participate or offer help and assistance – don’t be shy, it’s a Variety Show, so the more acts the better!
Tickets on sale nearer the date but any queries, please contact: lou.silk@hotmail.com
St. Mary’s Community Trust
We hope you enjoyed our Harvest Breakfast in the church on 7th October. If you missed out, we’ll be holding another breakfast do in February. Details in the New Year. COMING UP:
Friday 8th December 7:30pm – Wreath-making evening in the Village Hall, with Prosecco and puddings. £25 per person. We will provide everything you need to make a wonderful Christmas wreath. Help / guidance available. If you are interested in making an “all natural” wreath, let us know when you book. Tuition will be available.
Please call or text Gary (07799 430400) to book. Payment will be needed to secure places.
Sunday 24th December 5:30pm – Outdoor Carol Service in front of the church. Church Road will be closed to traffic. What started as a response to Covid has become a village favourite. Start your Christmas off with a warm glow.
See you soon.
Jo, Alan, Rob, Ruth, Trevor and Gary, The ST MARY’S COMMUNITY TRUST team
Bradford Abbas WI
The next meeting is Tuesday 21st November in the village hall 7.30pm, our speaker is Jeanne Gardiner, where we can find out more about the incredible work of medical detection dogs.
Competition - Your favourite pet picture!
Would you like to hear more? Come along, everyone welcome and we provide refreshments - non members £3. We look forward to seeing you there.
Bradford Abbas Camera Club
- Tuesday 14th November: Accomplished Dorset based photographer Rob Nolan will be showing us his landscape images, and after the break his astro photography. Rob will tell us how he goes about achieving his images.
- Tuesday 28th November: The Overton Cup, our annual black and white competition, which will be judged by John Tilsley.
All welcomed. Further information at sbacameraclub.co.uk.
Mixed Ability Yoga
Saturday morning yoga continues at Bradford Abbas Village Hall on from 9.15--10.15 am. So come along and join us! These are friendly and fun classes, suitable for most. Start your weekend with movement and relaxation. £8.50 per session.
November dates - 4th / 11th / 18th / 25th
For more information email emmarileyyoga@gmail.com, message on Facebook @emmarileyyoga or call/text 07884246550.
Bradford Abbas Petanque Group
Petanque is a great game on any level and all are welcome.
Wednesdays 11.00am, run by Alan Fall, starts with a cuppa and chat followed by a game or two, an easy social event.
Thursdays 2.00pm, now run by Bob Taylor, who has very kindly taken on the leader’s roll for the club members who meet on the Piste and also play a couple of games.
Bob also runs the 2nd Sunday of the month game, starting at 2.30, as well as the occasional Pub and Piste outings.
All are welcome, come and give it a go.
Any queries please contact Bob Taylor on 77840340799
Pop-up Market
A huge thank you to everyone who's supported the pop-up monthly market since we started back in February. We generally have about 4 to 8 stalls, including local meat, jams, chutneys and honey, cards and gifts, and cakes.
The next dates are:
18th November, 16th December.
We run from 11am until 1 pm, in the village hall. Why not have a coffee and a natter in the church first?
If you'd like to have a stall or have any questions, please contact me on 07805 605887.
Bradford Abbas History Society
Our meetings this month are on either 28th November Tuesday afternoon at 2.30pm or 30th November Thursday evening at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
The talk will be on THE GLOVING INDUSTRY, presented by Joseph Lewis. Joseph will also bring a selection of period trade tools we can hand around from Yeovil Heritage Centre.
MEMBERS FREE, VISITORS (WELCOME) £2.
The Rose and Crown, Bradford Abbas
Opening hours:
- Monday CLOSED;
- Tuesday 5 - Close (Drinks Only)
- Wednesday 12-3 & 5-close (Drinks), 12-2 & 6-9 (Food)
- Thursday 12-3 & 5-close (Drinks), 12-2 & 6-9 (Food)
- Friday 12 - close (Drinks), 12-2 & 6-9 (Food)
- Saturday 12 - close (Drinks), 12-2 & 6-9 (Food)
- Sunday 12 - 6 (Drinks), 12-4 (Food)
The Friendship Club
The Friendship Club meetings are on Tuesday afternoons at 2.00pm at Bradford Abbas Sports and Social Club. There is Bingo, a small draw, tea and biscuits and a chance to have a chat and laugh with fellow villagers. New members will be warmly welcomed.
Monday Night Bingo
Every Monday at Bradford Abbas Sports and Social Club at 6.45pm with eyes down at 7.15pm. Everyone 18 and over is welcome to our weekly light-hearted evening which also includes a small draw a chance to win the SNOW BALL and of course a laugh and chat, we finish just before 9.00 pm.
Village Hall AGM
The Village Hall AGM will be held on Wednesday 8th November, in the Village Hall, at 7.30. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Bradford Abbas and Clifton Maybank Village Hall
In order to book the village hall please go to the Parish Council website (https://bradford-abbas.uk/hall) to see if the hall is available and how to book, alternatively please email bacmvh@gmail.com or ring the Booking Secretary (Tricia Chapman) on 01935 602279. Please note the new telephone number.
Yeovil Railway Centre at Yeovil Junction
No public events this month. With all the ghouls and ghosties safely tucked up in the haunted castle for another year, attention now turns to Christmas for Tea With Santa and the Santa Specials. Further information at yeovilrailwayy@hotmail.com or on our facebook page.
St. Mary’s Church, Bradford Abbas
SERVICES IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER - EVERYBODY IS WELCOME.
SUNDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 10am Morning Service (lay-led).
FRIDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 10:50am Act of Remembrance for pupils and staff of St Mary’s School (led by Tony Gilbert) at the War Memorial.
SATURDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 10:50am Act of Remembrance (lay-led) at the War Memorial.
SUNDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 10:50 am Remembrance Service (led by David Dunning) starting at the War Memorial, continuing in the church.
SUNDAY 3RD DECEMBER 10am Morning Service (lay-led).
SUNDAY 17TH DECEMBER 6pm Service of Lessons and Carols (led by Gill Thomas) with choir – come and enjoy the beautiful music in this traditional service.
CHRISTMAS EVE 5:30pm Outdoor Carol Service (lay-led) – in front of the church. Dress up warm and singalong with carols. Church Road will be closed to traffic.
CHRISTMAS DAY 10am Christmas Eucharist (led by David Dunning).
A message from the Vicar
It is hard, as I sit in my shirtsleeves in the evening in early October, to imagine that the cold days of winter will ever come. El Niño is keeping the weather unseasonably warm, so we, like everyone else, are enjoying the extra days of good weather to eat outside, potter in the garden after work, and avoid putting the heating on until the last possible moment. It feels almost like time stolen from the summer, or maybe better, time paid back after a rather dreary summer, time to get a few more rays onto our skin, a bit more vitamin D in our blood, a few more dry miles on the bike before the chilly days and dark nights of winter set in.
So, what will winter bring? For many, it will be a welcome repeat of years gone by. Evenings huddled around the fire, warming stews out of the oven, the strange dressings-up of Halloween, the joy of singing carols, presents under a tree, and then the crisp frosts of January, which sharpen the appetite and leave the nose and eyes streaming.
For others though, it may be much harder. Winter is a very challenging time for some, for those who must choose between heating their home and feeding their children, for those who find that the cold is not merely an inconvenience but adds significant risk and danger of falling, or of sickness, and not forgetting the many who find the long dark days sink their mood to a point where life seems almost too much to bear.
So, what can we do? Here’s a thought: make the most of the joys and pleasures of winter, while sparing a thought, and practical care, for those for whom there is much that makes it difficult. Make the most of the quietness and solitude that time indoors may bring, while seeking every opportunity to be in company, to visit a ‘warm space’ or ‘the hub’ or ‘morning coffee’, to go out and see friends, to meet at the school gates, or the village shop, or at Sunday worship.
And one more? Why not this winter, follow the pattern of the Christian story, from Advent through Christmas, from Lent through Easter. Let the seasons lead you to the one who came to offer love and hope and peace to any who would receive him, as Christ-child and as Jesus-Saviour. In the darkness, find the Light of the World.
Rev George Moody, Team Vicar