Edition 554 February 2023
Printed courtesy of Mrs Annette Haynes as a service to the community
Please email your entries for the March 2023 issue to: ThePennant@mail.com by 21st February 2023
Bradford Abbas History Society
Our next meetings will be in the Village Hall on Tuesday AFTERNOON 28th February at 2.30 pm and Thursday EVENING 2nd March at 7.30 pm.
At both meetings there will be a talk given by Janet Seaton on the Stuckeys of Langport and Stuckey’s Bank in the 18th Century.
Meetings are open to all at a cost of £2 per person per meeting or free to History Society members (annual subscription £10) and to those 16 and under.
Bradford Abbas Variety Club
The Bradford Abbas Variety Club is pleased to announce that it will be going ahead with the 2023 show.
The show will be held on Friday evening 14th April, with a matinee and evening show on Saturday 15th April.
Rehearsals start Sunday 26th February at 2pm in the Village Hall.
If you feel that you can contribute in any way, then please come along. All ideas and talent welcome.
If you need any further information, please contact Merys on 07834 547578
Neighbourhood Plan Update
Thank you to everyone who took the time to tell us what matters to them in the parishes at both our open meeting in November and via post/Terry Hunt for those that couldn’t attend. There will be plenty more opportunities as we move forward for you to get involved and share what you would like to be included in the Neighbourhood Plan.
We have collated the feedback received and are moving to the next stage of the project by beginning to develop our Neighbourhood Plan household survey. We will send this to all households within Bradford Abbas and Clifton Maybank. This is an opportunity for us to define further what matters to us most in the parishes and will define the content of the plan.
Households will receive a paper copy of the survey within the Pennant and the option to submit online, if possible - our preference would be to complete online to assist with data collection. This will be live on the Parish Council website in the coming weeks in line with delivery of the survey via the Pennant. Although this is a household survey, we’re keen to hear the views from the younger people within the parishes, so encourage households to complete with their children where possible. Further information regarding the Neighbourhood Plan can be found online at:https://bradford-abbas.uk/neighbourhood-plan-index.
Come and Sing – Saturday 3rd June
Following last year's successful Come And Sing event, there will be another this June. If you wish to take part in the choir or be in the audience, look out for announcements in the coming months.
St. Mary’s Community Trust
We hope you enjoyed the Christmas Eve outdoor carol service. We have had some lovely feedback from those who attended. On 21st January, we held a wassailing evening. Many thanks to Mark and Ann at Mill Farm for allowing us to behave foolishly in their orchard and then enjoy an evening of song and entertainments in their music room.
Our next event is The Big Breakfast on Saturday 18th February 2023 9am to 12 noon in the church. Come and enjoy a delicious breakfast with us. If any local groups, clubs or businesses want to set up a table to advertise your activities and search for new members or customers, please speak to one of us and we’ll reserve you a space.
Immediately after the breakfast at 12 noon, St Mary’s Community Trust will hold its annual open meeting where you can ask about the Trust’s activities and finances. Everybody is welcome to attend.
Later in the year, we have…
The Church That Rocks with live music in front of the church and – when night falls – inside the church will take place on Saturday 10th June 2023.
The Church That Rocks 2 with live music in the playing field will be on Saturday 9th September.
Jo, Alan, Rob, Ruth, Trevor and Gary
The ST MARY’S COMMUNITY TRUST team
Mill Farm Events
- The Little Unsaid – Live at Mill Farm – Saturday 4th Feb – Live music returns to the farm venue for 2023, welcoming this superb alt folk / alt rock band on their latest album tour.
- Mill Farm Dining Society – Best of British Game – Thurs, 16th Feb – Local Chef Oli Kahan offers a delicious menu showcasing the game season as it draws to a close.
Tickets and further info available online: www.millfarmmusic.com/events
Mixed Ability Yoga on Saturdays
Come join us at Bradford Abbas Village Hall on Saturday mornings from 9.15am--10.15am. These are friendly and fun classes, suitable for most. Start your weekend with movement and relaxation. £8.50 per session. For more information email emmarileyyoga@gmail.com, message on Facebook @emmarileyyoga or call 07884246550.
The Oddments Theatre Company presents THE ROAD TO THE CROSS
18th March 4pm, Thornford School Hall
This contemporary stage show will make you laugh, cry and reflect as we follow the story of Jesus and his disciples from Palm Sunday to Pentecost. No under 14s please. Run time approx two hours (including interval).
Tickets available from http://oddments-theatre.co.uk/book-your-tickets-here. This performance is for the benefit of St Michael's Church, Beer Hackett.
Bradford Abbas Women’s Institute
Our meeting in February will take place on Tuesday 21st at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. It will be a social evening of chat and discussion about the way we would like our WI to develop. Come and join us and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and read the entries to the competition: What friendship means to me.
NB Our annual Jumble Sale will take place in the Village Hall on Saturday 4th February 2023 from 2.00 – 4.00. Donations may be left at the Village Hall from 10.15am on that day and we look forward to seeing you there.
The Friendship Club
The Friendship Club meets on the first Tuesday afternoon of the month at 2.00pm at Bradford Abbas Sports and Social Club. There is Bingo, a draw, tea and biscuits and a chance to have a chat and laugh with fellow villagers, new members are welcome.
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.
Monday Night Bingo
Every Monday at 6.45pm with eyes down at 7.15pm at Bradford Abbas Sports and Social Club.
Everyone 18 and over are welcome to our weekly light-hearted evening which also includes a small draw with a chance to win the SNOW BALL and of course a laugh and chat. We finish just before 9pm.
Sherborne Bradford Abbas Camera Club
- Wednesday 8th February: The 4th Keith Lane Lecture will be given by Devon based David Clapp, “Images with Impact”. He is a great communicator, his talk will explore how we should be tuning our photographic concepts, creating images, which are strong and have impact. He will teach the intricacies of composition, image subtlety and other aspects of photography. David is an excellent candidate for our annual keynote lecture and one not to be missed.
- Tuesday 28th February: Postproduction Challenge – take one of your out of camera images and post process it. Experiment with different ideas, turn it into a cartoon or drawing, change colours, convert to mono, perhaps employ infra-red techniques. The before and after images will be shared, critiqued and discussed. Have fun!
Meetings are in the Village Hall starting at 7.30pm, everyone welcome. Further information at sbacameraclub.co.uk
Bradford Abbas Sports & Recreational Club
New members are always welcome. The Club Function Room can be hired for Private Parties. For bookings, please contact the club: Tel: 01935 420575, www.bradfordabbasclub.co.uk
Visit our Facebook page: Bradford Abbas Sports and Recreational Club
Crib Morning - Mondays from 10:15am. Tea, coffee and lots of laughs are available.
Bingo - Monday evenings - Starting at 6:45 pm with eyes down at 7:15pm.
Arts & Crafts - Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm. If you are feeling artistic, why not join like minds.
Happy Hour - Every Sunday we are open from 1:00pm-5:00pm and we have a happy hour 3:00pm-4:00pm
On Tuesdays we are open from 7:30pm as there will be skittle matches taking place, so please do come along and support the teams. During the skittles season we will also be open on Thursday evenings for another of our skittles teams.
Yeovil Railway Centre at Yeovil Junction
There are no public events this month, however the shop will be open on Sundays, 10am to 12noon.After a very successful Santa season work resumes on maintenance, and the start of building a new toilet block and extending the running line into the South chord. There’s plenty to do and we are always looking for new volunteers to help. If you are interested come along on Sunday or Tuesday mornings and see what we do.
St. Mary’s Church, Bradford Abbas
SERVICES IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH
EVERYBODY IS WELCOME – PLEASE DO COME ALONG.
WE ARE ALWAYS DELIGHTED TO SEE NEW FACES.
- SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 10am Welcome to Worship (lay-led)
- SUNDAY 19TH FEBRUARY 10am Holy Communion (led by David Dunning)
- SUNDAY 5TH MARCH 10am Welcome to Worship (lay-led)
- SUNDAY 19TH MARCH 10am Holy Communion (led by David Dunning)
On weekends when we are without a service in Bradford Abbas, we encourage villagers to join a service at one of our neighbouring churches. These are posted on the notice boards outside the church.
BABY BASICS Our collection for Baby Basics amassed approximately 50 items donated at our church and at Sacred Heart and St Aldhelm RC Church in Sherborne. These have now been delivered to the charity for distribution to new mothers in need across the South West. Thank you for your generosity.
WARM SPACE Just after Christmas, we installed a new heating system in a small part of the church (the area we call the Lady Chapel). This is a state-of-the-art underfloor system. While we trial the system (with a view to eventually extend it across the whole church) we have designated this area as a “warm space”. Everybody is welcome to come into the church and use this space. Why not meet a friend for a chat or come in to read a book. We have tea and coffee too – help yourself. The church is open until dusk every day.
LENT COURSE You may know that we have a small bible study group on Tuesday evenings. If you would like to join us for Lent, we will be taking a short course, concentrating on the Lord’s Prayer. Send a text message or email to Jo Matthews to register your interest and to receive details about times and locations of the meetings (07802 839187 or mrsj.k.matthews@gmail.com).
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER will take place on Friday 3rd March in Yetminster Methodist Church at 10.30 am. All are very welcome.
A Message from Rev’d Anne Budgell
Once we used maps to find our way; and A-Z detailed maps of cities. Living in London, in the sixties, the A-Z was necessary information for my travel in that vast area. Every road name beginning with a letter of the alphabet was indexed and mapped. Now, many of us use Satnavs to get to our destinations.
One name of Jesus, God’s Son, is ‘A-Z’. In the Greek alphabet it is ‘Alpha and Omega’, the first and last letters.
He who master-minded the creation of all the vast Cosmos entered this small Earth as a vulnerable baby. Why? To create a new journey and route to the unchanging and everlasting dimension we call Heaven. He walks that pathway with each of us who ask. He was the Beginning of all things, and will be there for us until the Ending. He is the guide for our lives and our travelling companion through the years ahead. In his great love, mercy and grace, he promises to accompany each of us through 2023 and onward; the harder parts and the joyous parts. He knows all our human sadness and joy - because he became human, like we are. We need never feel alone.
May the One who is both Alpha and Omega be your companion and guide in the year ahead.