October Parish News


ST ANDREWS CHURCH

Services & Events for October

Sat 4th

1.30

River Lea Walk:

                   details from Joy

Sun 5th

10.30am

6.15pm

Family Communion

“3-16” meet in Family Room

Wed 8th

10.30am

Pram Service in Family Room

Sat 11th

9.30am to 5.00pm

Prayer Ministry Training Day

Sun 12th

10.30am

 

2.30pm

Morning Prayer, with prayer for Healing – All Welcome!

St Andrew’s Ramblers walk

Sun 19th

10.30am

Holy Communion

Wed 22nd

10.30am

Pram Service in Family Room

Sun 26th

10.30am

Morning Praise

Wed 29th

2.30pm

Woodside Nursing Home service

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother's Union - Kew Gardens Jaunt
The Mothers Union recently invited me along to see the lovely gardens at Kew. At first, we thought the day was going to be wet but luckily, the sun shone through the clouds and it turned out to be a glorious day, apart from a short spell of rain. 
The journey was fairly easy from Harpenden station and after a change at West Hampstead we soon arrived at Kew. Edie told us all about the area around Kew as she had lived there before moving to Slip End and it was where Cyril had courted and proposed to her.
The first sight to greet us was the beautiful Palm House alongside the lake. As it is a very large garden we decided to take the explorer-bus, so climbed aboard for the first leg. At the first stop we decided to visit the Temperate House, the largest of the glass-houses which houses the world's biggest indoor plant. We were able to climb the steel stairway and walk around the balcony above all the plants and look down onto them and see the large koi carp that swim around in a large pond there. 
After a sit-down and some lunch we walked towards the beautiful ten storey Pagoda that was designed by Sir William Chambers. I noticed the many planes that fly over Kew, at the rate of one a minute sometimes. Next we visited the authentic Japanese Gateway, a replica of the famous gateway of the imperial Messenger, surrounded by Japanese themed landscapes. 
After another short walk we climbed aboard the explorer again for a tour of the ground. We had just got aboard when the rain started so we were grateful for a 'birds eye view' of the gardens whilst keeping nice and dry. After a walk around the world famous Palm House and the Water Lily House we went through the beautiful Princess of Wales conservatory that she opened in 1987. It is made up of 10 seasonal displays featuring alpines, rock gardens, bonsai, secluded garden and much more. 
After another short rest it was time to set out for the journey home. It had been a lovely day and well worth a visit. We all agreed on a return trip in the Spring to see some of the spring flowers and some of the many other sights that we had missed. Thank you Mothers Union - a great idea!
Sue Cowell
Can anyone guess the mystery picture? (See pictures on page4.) Answer next month.


SHOE BOX REPORT 2002
Millions of suffering children across 15 Eastern European countries experienced the love of God last Christmas: more than 1 million special deliveries of personally wrapped shoe boxes. These were filled with presents sent from schools, businesses, shopping centres, churches, families, prisons and thousands of children. Scores of lorries traveled from warehouses in the UK to ensure that 1,185,318 presents were delivered in time for Christmas. The children have very little and have hard lives, but we have to give them hope. Many lives have been touched and much hope has been given by sharing the hope of Jesus Christ, the true meaning of Christmas.
On a bitterly cold winter day, in a shack no more than a stable, two small children were watching over their baby brother while mother was out collecting wood. Out of the gloom a group of visitors arrived bearing Christmas gifts. The place? A tiny village near Constanta, on Romania's Black Sea coast. Among the Operation Christmas Child team who had come to see the youngsters, was Patricia Cameron from Cornwall: "The children live in the middle of nowhere, sitting on a dirt floor with no light. Moments like this make it is an honour to work with Christmas Child. We call it 'Love in a Box': so much love is put in that small box, our love as well as the love of Christ. There is such joy when it is opened; it is a privilege to be there."
In preparing this year's campaign, we are hoping that you will help again. If you wish to make up a shoebox, see details below. Leaflets can be collected from St Andrews Church or from Teresa on 482681. We do need volunteers, willing to give some time to help get the shoeboxes to children. From November to January we need volunteer drivers (normal license not HGV), checkers, packers and loaders to help in the local warehouse. Housebound? Help by knitting hats, scarves and gloves for the boxes. 
Get an empty shoebox (shoe shops happy to give them away): cover it in Christmas paper wrapping the lid separately. Decide whether your gift will be for a boy or girl and age category. Tick the appropriate box on the sticker and stick this to the top right of the box. Fill the box with gifts, a few ideas:
ü Cuddly toy
ü Toothbrush & paste, bar of soap
ü Notepad, colouring book
ü Pencils and pens
ü Crayons or felt pens
ü Hat, gloves, scarf
ü Small ball or tennis ball
ü Puzzle (jigsaw)
ü For boys, toy car, truck or similar
ü For girls, jewelry, hair accessories
ü Greetings card
ü Sweets (within sell-by date!)
Please enclose £2 (or more!) in the envelope provided to help with transport costs. Cheques payable to Samaritans Purse. Place the envelope inside the top of the box and secure the lid with an elastic band.
Call Teresa if you would like your shoebox collected or take it to a St Andrew's service any Sunday during October and November.
Thank you!
Sue Cowell,
St Andrew's Church Link Person


OUR BIRTHDAY MEETING
To celebrate our September Birthday, we decided to give it a "Blue" theme: dresses, tablecloths, decorations, napkins and ballons, all in blue. The only thing not blue were the jokes! We welcomed guests from Downside, Houghton Regis, Studham and Totternhoe. 
The "Sandy Singers" entertained us with the most beautiful singing, accompanied on the piano by a very brave gentleman! Doris Wright, chairperson of the ad hoc Over 60's committee, cut the cake in recognition in the part she plays with Over 60's Club for the W.I. A big Thank You, Doris. We all enjoyed the finger-picking, licking refreshments followed by the Birthday Cake, baked by Madame President Mrs L. Kalisz.
Madame President, with Madame Vice President Mrs K. McIlroy volunteered to help in the W.I. Marquee at the Shuttleworth Steam Rally. They had blistered hands to prove it: no, not by stoking the boilers, but cutting and buttering bread rolls!
We meet each 3rd Tuesday monthly at 7.30pm in the Baptist Church in Caddington. Forthcoming dates are shown on the Diary Page. We look forward to welcoming you.
Patricia Crick
Ed: It was a pleasure to meet Patricia recently at Madame Vice President Mrs K McIlroy's (quite a formal bunch at the W.I.!) 40th Birthday Party, here in Slip End.
Little Ones, Come & Join the Fun!
The Slip End Toddler Group has now re-opened following the Summer Holidays. So join lots of other mums, dads and carers from within the area for a chat and a cuppa, while the "Little Ones" play and get to know new friends.
Sessions are in the Village Hall on Tuesday afternoons from 1.30 to 3.00 and cost just £1.30 per child with 70p for extra children thereafter. Each session is coordinated by a Play Group leader, assisted voluntarily by a parent, providing a range of various play activities for the children. 
Older siblings are also welcome. Light snacks and a drink are available for the children, with tea and cake for the adults.
For further details or queries, call me on 405931 or leave a message.
So if you fancy a midweek treat, join us next Tuesday!
Tricia Liddell


SLIP END PARISH COUNCIL
Coronation Gardens
£1,000 is put aside for Coronation Gardens, from the joint Millenium Fund put aside by the Caddington & Slip End Parish Council. Caddington spent all their funds so, when we became a separate Parish, joint assets were split and this sum left: we took it with us. We have asked over the years if there would be anybody who, within certain guidelines, may like to take a stab at refurbishing or re-designing the Gardens. (all minuted) Val Church has kindly offered to have a look at the Gardens and I shall be getting in touch with Pauline Smith, who looks after the Gardens. Hopefully we three can get together and have a look at the situation.
Council Minutes.
It should be noted that Minutes of Council meetings, after they have been proposed, accepted and signed by the Chaiman of the Council, are displayed in the Parish Notice Board. Copies can be obtained from our Clerk, David Haste. The Minutes are also found on the Slip End Website, and can therefore be downloaded. However, Minutes are always a month behind: in October, the Minutes of Septembers meeting will be proposed, accepted and signed: so these will then become public knowledge. 
Traffic Calming.
What an emotive issue! Money for this did not come out of council funds. It was paid for by Airparks, as part of the 'Planning Gain', for allowing their business to operate here. Although Parish Council was asked what we would like at the two sites, the planners and 'suits' up at Beds CC always seem to put in what they consider to be needed. You may know what you want and where you want it put, but Traffic and Planning Depts., who are responsible for Highways will, usually end up doing what they consider necessary. It's one of the few situations where you pay up huge amounts of money for something and get no control at all as to what you are going to get! 
The mystery of the extra 'footpaths' in Church Road needs explanation. They are not footpaths, do not walk on them. They are cycle paths put in to protect cyclists from faster traffic, where the road narrows because of the Splitter Island. So, if you are pedaling up Church Road approaching the splitter island and you feel the presence of something large looming behind, ride on the path and let it go past, keeping you safe to proceed with your journey. I don't know about cycle paths, but the whole episode is turning me into a 'psycopath'! 
Looking at the chicane in Grove Road, we see bicycle signs are marked on the road, around the back of both islands, making it safer for them to pass on the inside. Road signage has been cleaned up there as well. 
In discussion with a Beds CC's officer, I was told that Traffic Calming like this is, in his words, organic! i.e. it needs to grow to see what needs to be done. So it will probably need to be tweaked here and there later. 
As far as other traffic calming possibilities go, they will happen when Beds CC has got the money and we move up the priority list. Unless, for instance, a large development is planned for Slip End or a commercial interest like Airparks came, then we could get them as a Planning Gain. You really don't want to go too far down the whole rigmarole: that way madness lies.
Pedestrian Safety Zone in Post Office area
After at least two years of back and forth between the PC and BCC planners, we are hopeful of bringing this project to fruition.
The stumbling block on this project has been the strength and durability of the bollards used to protect pedestrians. We await the final plans and the project has been costed at about £6,000 which will come out of our 'savings' for the Parish Initiative with BCC. 
Legal Action against Beds CC
Nothing new to report as yet. There will be some important information coming to you soon, but that's all I can say at the moment.
Crime
No crime figures to report as I have not received them from the Police.
Skate Park
Some land at the Peter Edwards Playing Field has been identified. We are looking for some matched funding and I will be in touch with manufacturers of skate park equipment. It would be interesting to see how much money is going to be needed.
Thats about all for this month. Take care.
Christine Benson, Chairman, Slip End Parish Council.


PHONE BOX NUISANCE?
There have been several complaints regarding the telephone box situated in Front Street. 
It has been reported that it is used late at night by drunks and nuisance callers which is very distressing to the local residents, and can also cause parking problems. BT have agreed to look into the moving of this to a more suitable area, but will only do so after consulting all local residents. 
BT will relocate the telephone box if a suitable site can be found and enough residents express a desire for one. This is a costly exercise for them and they are anxious not to cause offence so will not relocate unless a clear agreement is reached.
Please put your views in writing to Councillor Penny Jones at 34 Fairgreen Road, Caddington, LU1 4JG or email at Penny.jones@southbeds.gov.uk

Editor: Please feed back about this. A radical thought: do we really need a phone box these days? 


KNITTING CLUB - OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Yes, after a short break we are back to the very important knitting club. 
We know lots of you have been busy through the summer knitting away for the shoeboxes so thank you very much for that. If you would like to come along and share in a friendly get-together you are invited to come to the next session. Teresa has managed to get some more ideas for the shoeboxes so it needn't be knitting, it could as easily be sewing, or cutting, or sticking or making boxes, so do come along. Drinks and biscuits will be provided and lots of friendly chatter. 
The meeting will be in the family room at St Andrew's Church at 7.30pm on Tuesday October 7th. Forget the TV for once and get out and about! You will all be most welcome and we look forward to seeing you there. 
Sue Cowell & Teresa Willson.


FOIL APPEAL 

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR USED FOIL & CANS AT 7 FIVE OAKS, CADDINGTON, OR CALL 480107 TO ARRANGE COLLECTION


Next Page