OPERATION
CHRISTMAS CHILD - 2003
On Tuesday 18th February we had a visit from Sheila Heaton
and Colin Ridgewell, the area co-ordinators for O.C.C. It was
lovely to see them and hear about the successful operation
for last year. Thousands of children received their very own
'love in a box' and were very grateful to all their overseas
friends.
We should soon receive some pictures of the children opening
their boxes. Please don't forget this very important and
worthwhile charity - every time you go shopping if you see
something that might go in a shoe-box why not buy it and save
it. Quite often you see a 'Buy 1 Get 1 free' so it needn't
cost you anything.
We are already looking for volunteers to help with this
years' operation so if you think you might be help (November
is a very busy month) please let Teresa know (01582 482681)
Sheila and Colin have asked Teresa to include the Milton
Keynes area this year so lots of helpers will be needed for
checking boxes and collecting them.
Thank
you to Jenny in Rossway who has supplied me with a pattern
for the balaclava. If you would like a copy please contact me
or Teresa and we will get one to you (picture shown)
Don't forget to use the pattern in last months PN if you do
have some spare wool and spare time. Many thanks
Sue Cowell, Editor
Some of the lovely toys already knitted
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TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES THIS PICTURE WILL HOPE TO BE UPLOADED
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Sheila, Colin and Teresa
CAFÉ # 7
Why not pop along to the latest venture to open in Caddington.
You will be assured of a warm welcome in a nice friendly
atmosphere.
Sarah and Chris McCaughey, local residents have recently
opened Café#7 next door to the Post Office in Caddington.
A café offering good home-cooked food for all ages;
somewhere for the young and the old to meet and chat over
coffee and muffins or perhaps a bite of lunch.
Children are catered for with highchairs, toys, crayons and a
special gallery for their pictures and all the staff live
locally.
Prices are very reasonable:-
Children's meals = £1.95 with drink
Set breakfast = £3.60 with drink
Sandwiches/rolls from £1.45
Homemade soup/roll = £1.85
Cakes from 50p to £1.75
Why not give yourself a treat and let someone else do the
cooking for a change? Or have a take away!
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Some happy youngsters enjoying their lunch out for Half Term
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View of the counter
Hours of opening as follows:-
Monday to Saturday
8.00am to 6.00pm
Sunday
9.00am to 1.00pm
GOOD LUCK Sarah and Chris from Slip End and District Parish
News.
SORRY - BUT DUE TO
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES THIS PICTURE WILL HOPE TO BE UPLOADED
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View of the Café in Manor Road (next to Post office)
Sarah and Betty at the counter
Slip End Playgroup Nearly New Sale
Saturday 15th March at
Slip End Village Hall
2pm to 3:30pm
Clothing, equipment & toys for children
aged 0 to 12 years only, plus maternity-wear
Items to be labelled clearly with name, size and price
(including 20% for Playgroup).
Labels to be pinned on with safety pins or
sticky labels to be used.
Items to be provided on hangers if possible
Deliver goods to be sold between
midday and 1pm on Saturday
to Slip End Village Hall
For further details phone: 01582 724888 or 01582 734767
Please return for your goods at 4.00 p.m..
Any goods not collected will be donated to charity.
EDIE HAM
Congratulations to Edie who celebrated her 80th
Birthday on the 7th February 2003.
SORRY - BUT DUE TO
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Edie with some of her friends.
She was born in Brentford, Middx in 1923 and moved to Slip
End when she married her husband Cyril in 1955. When she was
first married she worked at Hawkins, a haberdashery store
that was situated right where part of the Arndale Centre is
now. She then went to work at Woolworth's where she enjoyed
working on the sweet counter. Many of you might remember
Cyril who was handicapped, although it never seemed to get
him down. Cyril belonged to the St Raphael Handicapped Club
in Houghton Regis for twenty five years and for many years
Edie and Cyril enjoyed some lovely holidays in Caister
through the club. They also ran the Toy Stall for the club
when it was fund raising and had a very happy marriage. In
the late 80's Cyril moved to Caddington Hall where he sadly
died two years ago.
Edie is able to remember six different vicars who have spent
some of their working life at St Andrews and they are
Reverend Warwick; Reverend Ashworth, Reverend Cooper,
Reverend Michael Withey, Reverend David Bolster and finally
Reverend Joy Daniel, priest in charge at present. Edie has
been a member of the Mothers Union for about six years now
and runs the Bring and Buy Stall for them (no doubt her early
days on the Toy Stall for the handicapped club gave her lots
of training for it!) She has also helped with the Handicrafts
Stall for St Andrews for many years and in the early days
helped at the Jumble Sales that were run for the Church with
Grace Ginger. In fact she has been an inspiration to all who
know and love her.
Attempting to blow out the candles!
Message from Edie
Edie would like to thank all the Church family,
friends and relations that helped through her recent illness
with all their gifts, flowers and kind thoughts whilst in
hospital and then recovering at home.
She also thanks everyone for the wonderful surprise party
that Jill Sanders held at her house for her. Many friends and
villagers were able to pop in and see her and enjoy some tea
and cake. She received 49 cards in all and lots of gifts.
Thank you to all her friends that arranged it and helped with
the food.
Finally, thank you for the kindness and support that Edie,
her sister Olive and niece Kathryn have received at the loss
of her sister Jean who died recently. It has been a difficult
time for them all and your thoughts and prayers were much
appreciated.
Bless you all.
From Edie
MASSED HARP CONCERT
On Sunday 23rd February a concert was held in
St Andrews Church led by Concert Harpist Margaret Knight. The
harps ranged from Margaret's large concert harp with its
beautiful engraving to a tiny harp approximately 3 foot high.
The concert started with a duet played by Margaret and
Stephanie Crossett from Slip End. Margaret was able to
introduce many of her young pupils and also some friends who
had come along to help her. The youngest harpist was Lily
Wilson who comes from Dunstable and is only 9.
SORRY - BUT DUE TO
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Lily with her harp
Margaret explained that harps are extremely difficult
instruments to play. They do not like the cold, they do not
like the heat and they do not like draughts!. A large harp
has 47 strings on it and if one goes it is very difficult to
play. Every time you pluck one string you exert 2lbs of
pressure so you end up with very strong fingers.
They were 12 harps in the Church and they all played
beautifully together on two occasions. All of the girls
played several pieces and it made a very pleasant change for
a Sunday afternoon.
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AT A NOT TOO DISTANT TIME (ie. within the month)
Stephanie with her harp
Margaret informed us three of her teachers had been men
although it is unusual to see a man playing the harp. Some of
the larger harps have 7 pedals on which can play three
different notes for each string !! She told us that 'Harps
are for Angels, - but you have to work like the devil to play
it!
We were finally treated to some of Margaret's favourite
pieces. The first was Waterfall in the Woods which sounded
beautiful with the lovely acoustics in the Church and then a
Scott Joplin piece which she named - 'The Slip End of
Ragtime' to end with which was amazing and certainly
something for all the young harpists to aspire to.
Well done to all the harpists who entertained the packed
Church so beautifully.
Sue Cowell, Editor
SLIP END PLAYGROUP
Since the beginning of term we have been
joined by six new children and one new adult. Linda is
studying for an NVQ 2 in Childcare at Barnfield and will be
with us as a student two days a week. She and the new
children have settled in well and all seem to be enjoying
themselves.
This term we have been concentrating on our senses - taste,
smell, touch etc. We made sandwiches with different fillings
to sample and cut up fruit to taste; we tried observational
painting and made music with shakers made by ourselves out of
boxes and pots filled with rice or pasta, and to test our
senseof touch put familiar objects in a 'feely box' to try to
identify them by touch alone. To mark Valentines day we
decorated plastic pots and filled them with pot-pourri for
our parents.
This term we are fund raising by holding our Nearly New Sale
on Saturday 15th March at 2 o'clock (see the advert in this
magazine) and will also hold an Easter Raffle in conjunction
with the Toddler Group.
These two events help us to keep the groups going and to
purchase new supplies especially the ever popular paint and
glue to create the masterpieces that only three year old
children can produce -just beautiful, and so much paint.
Jill Acton
CAUSE FOR CONCERN
(an e-mail I received recently)
Last month a world-wide survey was conducted by the UN.
The only question asked was:
"Would you please give your honest opinion about
solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"
The survey was a huge failure....
In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant.
In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest"
meant.
In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage"
meant.
In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant.
In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution"
meant.
In South America they didn't know what "please"
meant.
And in the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the
world" meant
Mades you think - doesn't it?
EDITORS COLUMN
With Mothering Sunday on March 30th here are
some thankyou's to all the mums out there- young and old.
Thanks to all the mothers….
… who made hard times seem good times.
… who faked their portions at dinner so that
everyone else got a little more.
… who said go ahead and finish it off -
they didn't fancy ice-cream.
… who persuaded us that living in a dirty
downtown area was exciting.
… who chopped up the best thing in their
wardrobe to make us a party frock
overnight.
… who sang us home in the rain.
… who tried their hand at algebra.
… who shared our chickenpox.
… who managed to smile when we ran a
fever just before they were due to go out
for their birthday treat.
… who always found money from the tooth
fairy - even if they had to hunt down the
sides of the sofa.
… who only cried a very little when we
broke the best teapot.
… who let us have our own opinions - just
as long as we knew why.
… who let us grow up and fly free.
To Mother.
For childhood's golden memories
For happy bygone years,
The comfort of your presence
In days of joy or tears.
For all your love upon life's way -
I thank you from my heart this day.
Working Mothers
Take in the laundry. Collect the mended shoes.
Reading tests and driving tests and interviews.
Telephone and train times. P.T.A.
Bacon, cheese and crackers and bunny rabbit hay.
Computers and portfolios, manuscripts and mice.
Transatlantic telex and long-grained rice.
Measle spots and mergers, the ballet school display
And the BBC are asking for an interview today.
Till receipts, sea cadets, sandwiches and soap.
Mother - tell me, mother - how the hell you cope?!
and finally a little verse to finish with
This poem was given by a seven year old to her Grandparents
who live in Slip End.
Thank you God for families
Your love is all around
My family does so much for me
To keep me safe and sound.
They give me help on every day
They are there when things go wrong
With all the love they give
I'm always safe and strong.
Thank you God for Grandparents and everything they know
They help me see that your great Love is everywhere I go.
Hope you enjoyed them - Sue Cowell Editor
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