WALTON NEWS

The school holidays are here, with for once a spell of good weather timed to bring extra enjoyment to weddings and other family gatherings. It was on one of the idyllic summer afternoons that there was a wedding reception in the heart of the village in the garden of the Old Post Office with the church marquee in Hutsby's field set up by the usual band of stalwarts to celebrate the marriage of Tony and Lindsey who are perhaps more used to entertaining large get togethers of ducks than lunch parties for their friends and relations. The word has certainly gone around the duck population that Townsend Corner is a good place to congregate and Tony was telling me that there was a procession of at least thirty five waddling across the field a few evenings ago, and the word had even got around to the ornamental ducks who came down from the pond at the farm to join in the fun. Lindsey did not actually have any duck attendants, but plenty of family and friends, including her mother Carol who is well known in Walton for the pretty handknitted and handsewn goods which we see on her stall at the Fête and the Christmas Fair. It was real village occasion and we wish Tony and Lindsey all happiness in their married life at Walton.

It has been good to meet visitors staying at Walton Hall on mid-week breaks who have been enthusing about the beauty of the surroundings. One of them said to me that they had no idea when they booked their holiday that they would be coming to such a lovely place. They saw it when it was on its best behaviour with the sun shining and the crops looking golden against the dark summer trees. We who live here experience it of course at all times of the year, in sunshine and shower, when the lane is treacherous with snow or when after heavy rainfall the waters rush down the ditches into the valley and the Dene brook spreads out into the water meadows.

We learn to cope with life in the valley in all its moods and I think we can say that if the sun shone all the year we would appreciate it less than we do now when it puts in its spasmodic and very welcome appearances.

At this moment the farmers and gardeners are praying for rain after the long drought, but we do hope that it won't decide to come next Sunday on the day of the Fête or on the week-end of 24th-25th September when there will be a Flower Festival at the Church with a Harvest theme.

The Church will be open all day on the Saturday and Sunday with Evensong at 5.30 on Sunday 25th to celebrate the Centenary of the King James Bible when the preacher will be the Chaplain to the Sealed Knot and he and others will be in full seventeenth century costume.

This will help us to look back in time and there will be special readings to remind us of how the beautiful words of this centuries old translation have become deeply embedded in the language that we know and use ourselves today. Do come along and enjoy the flower arrangements and the service and help to ensure that the Church continues to be a living place of worship, as well as a sanctuary from the pressures of twenty first century life.

EH

Commun­ity Speed Watch

As from Tuesday 19th July 2011, Wellesbourne has launched Community Speed Watch.

‘Community Speed Watch is a locally driven initiative which involves volunteers from the community monitoring the speeds of vehicles with approved speed measurement devices. Where vehicle speeds are found to be inappropriate, notice is sent to the drivers by the Police with the aim of encouraging them to reduce their speed when driving in the future. Community Speed Watch enables communities to participate in helping to make their roads safer by reducing traffic dangers’.

Wellesbourne & District

It really is hard to believe that the Summer holidays are nearly over. Our children and young people are preparing to go back to school and colleges – some may even be looking forward to it!!

This leads me into telling you about a new Lions venture which we are piloting this month. Many people comment that there is not enough in the Wellesbourne area for young people. So on Friday 23rd September we are running a disco for 11-15 year olds at Wellesbourne Village Hall. It will run from 7.00pm to 10.00pm. Tickets at £3 per person MUST be purchased in advance. For ticket information please call 07811 560356. Entry will not be permitted on the night without a ticket. There will be lots of Lions present at the event to ensure that everybody has an enjoyable evening. Please tell your children about this event and if it is well supported it maybe something that we will run on a more regular basis.

The other major event taking place this month is our concert. Following the highly successful ‘Last night of the proms concert’ in Warwick last year the Lions will again be hosting a concert, this time in Stratford. The event will take place at Stratford Civic Hall on Sunday 11th September at 7.30pm and will feature the Flowers Band, one of the country's top brass bands. The concert will feature all the usual ‘Last night at the proms’ favourites plus much more, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Tickets cost £12.50 and are available now from the Civic Office box office or via local lions clubs. The concert is in aid of Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice and Lions charities.

Looking forward, an important week in our events calendar is the Lions sight awareness week which runs from 8th to 16th October, with World Sight Day on 13th October. Lions from all over the world will be taking part in a range of events.

Finally a huge thank you from all the Lions for your generosity. On Saturday 6th August, we held a bucket collection outside the Co-op store in Wellesbourne, to raise money for the people suffering in East Africa. The response was amazing and I will report how much was raised in my next newsletter.

Lion Andy Stokes


A Sealed Knot Enactment Scene

New Lions President Robin Hammond with grand-daughter Charlotte & singer Anne Williams with a poster of the Mini Prom on 11th September

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