Bridge 2010

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June - July 2010                       Issue 171
LETTER FROM THE VICAR

I wonder if you have ever walked out of Eastleach towards the river valley? It is my favourite
local walk, because it is so varied. One begins in a pretty Cotswold village, passes some
rough ground which I wonder may have been a previous settlement, and then the path heads
downhill towards a lovely stream. Crossing on stepping stones, there is then a little wood
before doubling back over a bridge through sheep pastures. It is a walk that can be done
gently, resting awhile to admire the view or watch minnows.
A journey is often used as an image for life. Between the beginning and the ending there can
be varied terrain, points of rest, and times of exertion. Life’s journey can be a physical
metaphor, or a spiritual one. For each of us has our own journey with God, walking through
life with him, sometimes sensing him near, sometimes perhaps wandering from the path
before returning again.
To help us along that journey, the churches in Lechlade have planned a series of events this
year called ‘A Faith to Share’. Each event is designed to help people at different stages in
their lives with God.
 For instance, if you are looking for the inner meaning in life, you may well be attracted by
the ‘Beautiful You’ event and the ‘Essence Group’; if you have lots of questions then ‘Grill a
Bishop’ and the ‘Foundations Course’ will be perfect for you; if you definitely want to move
a step further in your faith then come to the evening service on 20th June; if you’re just
looking, then try the service on the morning of the 20th.
Each of these recognises that various people are at quite different places in their journey.
Wherever you may be, I hope that you will take the time to stop awhile, reflect on where you
are, and see where to explore with God next.
With every best wish
Christopher Bryan
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OBITUARIES

The funeral for April Powell was held on Friday 19th February at Southrop Church, where
she had grown up. It was well attended by local friends and her extended family. The Rev’d
Brian Atkinson (Team Rector) officiated. April was married to Gerry, and they lived in
Magnet House on the High St in Lechlade for many years. Sadly, April had struggled with ill
health for some time, but faced it with courage and perseverance, supported loyally by Gerry.
At her service, her son gave the eulogy in her memory, and her granddaughter read from John
14:1-6. The service was followed by cremation at Kingsdown.

John Harry Roberts passed away on 7th March, aged 72. John was educated at King
Edward’s Grammar School and went on to a technical apprenticeship at Joseph Lucas in
Birmingham, then a world leading electrical components manufacturer. John was married to
Penny in 1987, and they moved to Lechlade in 1998. John’s life was rich and varied. In the
Air Training Corps he rose from cadet to Wing Commander. He was a magistrate, only
stepping down after his 70th birthday. John was still flying and lately had taken a liking for
gliding. Above all John’s sense of humour was infectious, and he could always find a positive
and humorous side to even the darkest situation. He touched people’s hearts, from the age of
1 to 101, with his love, learning, patience and humanity.
The funeral for Eva West was held in St. Lawrence Church on 5th May, with family, friends
and neighbours from St. John’s Priory in attendance. One of Eva’s close neighbours, Sylvia
Messenger, gave a tribute during which she remembered Eva as a kind person who always
put others first. Sadly Eva had been much affected by her husband John’s death and then by
illness. The service was followed by burial in the same grave as John, who died some four
years ago.

A thanksgiving service for the life of Edna Madley was held at St Lawrence, Lechlade on
29th March 2010, following her cremation at Kingsdown earlier. Edna came to Lechlade at
the age of 95 from Bournemouth, where she had been an active and valued member of St
Thomas’ Church, Ensbury Park, to live with her daughter, so that Pam could care for her
during her illness. She was tiny in stature but larger than life, with a strong faith that God had
his hand on her life. Those who knew Edna found her an inspiration and were enriched by
knowing her. She was always positive, a keen gardener, a great seamstress who took great
trouble with her appearance and kept up
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to date with current affairs. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her but as her vicar
said of her: “Heaven has a new angel!”
The funeral of Cicely Morris took place at St Lawrence Church on Thursday, 6th May.
 Cicely and her husband Basil came to live in Lechlade a few years ago. Cicely was born in
1937 and lived most of her life in Oxford. She became Catering Manager for St Aldate’s
College. She was a creative person and very fond of nature. She was much loved by her
family
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METHODIST NEWS

My greetings to you all! It is with deep sadness that I have to confirm that the Methodists in
Lechlade have decided that they can no longer operate as a separate congregation. The
service at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday 25th July, which I hope to share with Revd Frieder
Kreschnak, will be the last service for the present congregation. I know some folk intend to
worship at St Lawrence whilst others are still exploring where to worship. Over the past four
years a number of our members have died and, culminating in the passing of Eric Long, this
has meant that there are too few to make the church viable.
However, whilst the congregation will disperse, this does not necessarily mean that the
building will cease to be available to the community. I am exploring with the other churches
in Lechlade and the Mayor ways in which, providing suitable management arrangements can
be put in place, the building can remain open. Ownership could be retained by the Upper
Thames Methodist Circuit thus removing the need to find the sum needed to purchase it.
Graham Tidmarsh
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TED PIERCE
The following pieces are taken from tributes given at the service to celebrate Ted’s life in St.
Lawrence church on 21st April.

To most of you, my father was Ted Pierce, to some few of you, Teddy Pierce, to my sister
and I, Dad – though I think he would have quite liked me to call him ‘Sir’, as he had his own
father – and to his grandchildren, Grandpa.
Born in Wolverhampton, his mother was a school teacher, and his father an ‘old China hand’
– a merchant travelling in the South China Sea. Dad was sent away to school – to Magdalen
College School on a choral scholarship. He was one of the boys who had to turn out at dawn
on the 1st of May, to assemble on the roof of Magdalen College tower and sing in the Spring.
 The choir left him with a lifetime love of choral music.
After school, his first job in commerce was soon overtaken by the Second World War. Dad
joined the navy, where he rose through the ranks, ending as a First Officer of a
communications ship, HMS Bulolo, the headquarters ship for the Allied landings in North
Africa. At the end of the war, demobbed, he joined Sankey’s, an engineering firm in the
Black Country, now GKN. He met and married my Mum, and embarked on married life that
was initially hard, living in rented rooms in Wolverhampton, with no electricity and food still
rationed. Wartime had given him his first real travel experience, with postings to Africa and
India, ending up with a stint in postwar Germany. This provided a cue to his professional
life. He moved to GKN’s international marketing division and was soon being sent on
missions behind the Iron Curtain. He would be incommunicado for weeks, causing no little
anxiety to my Mum, before emerging again through Checkpoint Charlie and calling home.
After this he became GKN’s man in Africa, travelling between three and six months a year in
sub-Saharan Africa. He would bring home Super 8 movies of himself on safari sporting
gigantic khaki shorts and bizarre gifts he’d been presented with in the course of his travels.
 We got only glimpses of what his business life was like: returning hospitality to people who
had given it to my Dad overseas, having them to Sunday lunch and without exception taking
them to visit Windsor Castle. I lost count of the number of times we tramped through the
castle precincts. When he retired, my sister and I worried about what he would do, how he
would fare without his international contacts, his swanning around the world’s hotels. What
would sleepy little Lechlade have to offer him? Well, as you know, it was more a matter of
what he had to offer Lechlade!
The father I knew was quite a shy man, a man of fine sensibilities and enormous tact, a man
of precise judgements about the preoccupations and sensitivities of other people, and a man
able to put others at ease, afford them space, and give them confidence. I knew he had all
these qualities – what I
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didn’t know was the extent to which he had put them all to use. As a father, he was warm
and kind, always interested in what his children were doing, always encouraging but never
pushing, always ready to support us, even when he thought what we were doing was unwise.
 He shared with my mother sixty years of the happiest of marriages, and their marriage is
itself a fitting monument to him. We will all miss him terribly, but there is a great deal to
celebrate. It was a long life, a good and happy life, in many quiet ways an inspiring life, and,
above all, a life well lived.
Stephen Pierce

Ted was a very able person, but a very modest man, and few people know just how much he
contributed to Lechlade. Indeed, his work on behalf of the whole community has been
outstanding. His major contribution to Lechlade and, if you will forgive the pun, Ted’s
‘Pierce-de-Résistance’ was his involvement in the Lechlade Community Project. The Parish
Council formed a Community Recreation Committee in 1990 to be responsible for the initial
planning of a Youth and Sports Pavilion, a Community Hall and an All-Weather Surface
facility. Together with his great friend Richard Clarke, who chaired the committee, Ted was
instrumental in helping to develop the proposals to build the complex. He and Richard
visited many halls throughout Gloucestershire to gain new ideas. They canvassed local
opinion, pursued funding, resolved complaints and handled the inevitable politics to provide
Lechlade with a complex that is the envy of other towns and villages for many miles around.
But the work didn’t stop there. Ted designed and helped build the table racks in the main
hall, a sophisticated storage facility under the stage and soundproofing in the Pavilion. This
work took many weeks of intensive labour to complete. Even before the new hall was
constructed Ted had instigated a much-needed refurbishment of the old Memorial Hall, and
led the way with his carpentry skills.
The project work carried out by Richard and Ted would have cost tens of thousands of
pounds if it had been undertaken by outside professional consultants. These costs would
have substantially reduced the funds available for the development, leaving us with much
lesser facilities. As a tribute to their unswerving commitment to the project, the ‘Clarke &
Pierce Room’ was named in their honour. Earlier this year Ted produced a detailed narrative
and illustrated account of the origins and implementation of the Lechlade Community Project
which describes how, with skill and tenacity, they overcame all obstacles to reach a
successful conclusion to a project that took eight years to complete. There is a copy of this
brochure in the Library.
Ted truly proved the maxim “if you want to ensure something is done, then ask a busy
person”. Ted Pierce was a very special man, a fine citizen and a true gentleman. He will be
greatly missed by everybody who knew him,
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LECHLADE’S OTHER ANNIVERSARIES

In addition to the eighth centenary of the granting of our market charter, 2010 is also the
significant anniversary of two other events which, in their different ways, have played
important parts in the lives of the citizens of our town over the centuries.
In 1510, the roof of the nave of our church was destroyed by fire. Money to provide a
replacement roof was very generously donated by the local population. So much was
donated, in fact, that there was sufficient available to carry out what amounted to a second
stage in the building of the church. The north porch was added and the original east window,
which would have been in the Perpendicular style, was replaced by the superb Tudor style
example that graces the chancel today. The most outstanding addition, however, was the
graceful, slender spire that dominates the sky-line of the town and has been a very welcome
and comforting sight to Lechladians returning from their daily labour or their journeys to
places far and near over the past five hundred years.
Two hundred and fifty years later, in 1760, another notable feature was added to the church in
the shape of the present clock which must be the oldest piece of working machinery in the
parish. It was built in Oxford by a specialist turret-clock maker named Thomas Reynolds and
is of a type known as a “four-poster”. The iron frame from which it is constructed was forged
at Logdo in Sweden and is of the very highest quality. One of the beams of the frame bears
the logo of the forge which includes a representation of a crown, which indicates that it was,
in fact, a royal forge. Until 1974 it was wound manually every day but in August of that year
an electrically operated automatic winding gear was installed together with a “Westminster”
quarter-chiming apparatus. It would be nice to think that it will
THE ESSENCE

For those who like a hands-on way of exploring their spirituality in a Christian context, we
are running The Essence Course. This course is aimed at those with no faith or a strong faith
and starts from wherever you are. There are five weekly sessions starting on Tuesday 29th
June 2010 in the Baptist Church from 8 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., followed by a sixth session on 10th
August. The first session starts with refreshments so come along for a "taster". You can also
find out more about it at the Beautiful You event on
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members joined a group in Wales for the week-end and went walking in the beautiful Elan
Valley - the weather was cold but dry!
Our next meeting is on Tuesday 1st June, when Rosemary Stammer will be speaking about
'Changes in Wedding Fashion. If you would like to join us please come along to our monthly
meeting or contact Deb Jones (253025)
TED AND THE NAVE

As many of us know, Ted loved woodwork – a hobby he took up after he retired. Rachel
conducts the Church choir using the swing-out music-stand he made, the Art Society use all
the display stands he made for their annual exhibition and he constructed all the shelving
under the stage in the New Memorial Hall. He was involved in many other such projects.
But Ted had a more secret project in mind when he asked me a couple of years ago if I would
give him a hand. Top secret – not a word to Iris! He did not want her to worry that he was
climbing up the very worn and poorly lit spiral stone staircase. Could I meet him in the
church and he would explain. So we met (I discovered that Iris was at the hairdresser!) and
crept up the stairs, past the bellringers’ stage and onwards and upwards into the bell tower.
Out came pencil, paper and tape measure and we got to work. What Ted had in mind was to
replace a very old, very unstable ladder with some lovely new steps. So we took all
necessary measurements, did some drawings and then Ted retired to do all the carpentry work
in what should be his garage, but is more like a well equipped workshop.
In due course, he was in touch again. It was all finished and ready for putting together. So
we took all the bits down to the church (Iris was at the hairdresser again!) and I carried them
up into the bell tower. Not only had Ted done all the woodwork, but he had also prepared an
IKEA-like instruction sheet – complete with illustrations – showing every piece of timber,
where it went and which screw to use on which piece. (This has been laminated and hangs in
the bell tower.)
Stewart Bruce and I used these instructions to assemble the steps, bolt them to the wall and
then (belt and braces!) put concrete round the base. What a wonderful, solid job!
When it came to testing time, we went up the steps, confidently thinking that we would
emerge from the little door onto the base of the spire. Not a bit of it. There we were looking
along the roof of the nave! So, if and when the roof leaks, the repairers will be able to get out
there without breaking their necks.
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LECHLADE & DISTRICT SOCIETY'S CURATE’S EGG

On the evening of 31 March, over 60 members of the Lechlade & District Civic Society held
their 37th AGM. In attendance were a number of Lechlade Town councillors, led by the
Mayor, Christine Eatwell. However, for the first time in many years, the local elected
members for the District and County councils were absent, although invited. The AGM
learnt that the Society's membership had increased and that its financial status remained
sound. During his report, the Chairman, Stewart Bruce, described the year as something of a
'Curate's Egg'. There had been a total lack of progress by Gloucestershire Council Highways
Department regarding the agreed improvements to the pedestrian path across Ha'penny
Bridge. In its current state, disabled wheelchair, pushchair and pram access is, at best,
dangerous and more sensibly, impossible. It was deeply disappointing that the disabled and
young families were being denied access across the bridge and down to the river Thames
tow-path. For their part, the Cotswold Water Park Society were actively pursuing the
provision of a suitable ramp which will give access from the bridge down to the Thames but,
without Gloucestershire Highways playing their part in the project, a viable solution was
impossible. Concern was also expressed about the plethora of new and modified planning
requests emanating from Coln Park LLP, the developers of the Claydon Pike lakes site. More
disturbing still was the work carried out by them, without prior planning permission; an
apparent cynical disregard for local considerations. One note of success was sounded when it
was reported that after over two years of co-ordinated pressure, Gloucestershire County
Council and the Environment Agency finally cleared the ditches and drains in the
Downington area of Lechlade which had been the scene of extensive flooding during the
summer of 2007. After the formal AGM, the CEO of the Cotswold Water Park Group,
Dennis
DR DAVID’S GARDEN

I am sure that many of you will have noticed how beautiful Dr David Stephens’ Memorial
Garden looks this Spring. This is entirely due to the hard work lavished on it by John Knott. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank John on behalf of all of us who wanted this
garden to be a fitting tribute to a wonderful man.
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FLOODLIGHTING

Do you enjoy seeing St Lawrence church floodlit?

Many people comment on the fact that it is a joy to see St Lawrence church floodlit,
especially in the dark winter months.
This floodlighting is quite expensive to run. For many years the people of Lechlade and
others have generously helped to fund this expense by giving donations to commemorate a
special event.
However in recent months the donations seem to be getting less.
Please can I encourage more people to join the scheme.
If you would like to contribute towards the running cost of the floodlighting and would like to
commemorate a special person or event, please enter the details in the diary which is at the
back of the church. The names and events will be published in The Bridge on a regular basis.
The PCC has suggested that a minimum donation of £10.00 would be appropriate and if you
are a tax-payer you could consider gift aiding your contribution. Gift aid envelopes may be
found at the back of the church and all donations should be placed in the wall-safe or barrel.
May I offer a huge thank-you to all those who are already helping to pay for the running costs
of the floodlighting.
 Donations have been given to commemorate the following for the period June - July 2010 as
recorded in the floodlighting diary:-

June 4th For Lizzie and Nic on their Wedding Day
July 16th In memory of Stan Hemmings on the Anniversary of his death.
July24th In memory of Godfrey Richard Penfold.

In addition donations were made for May:-
May 5th In memory of Barbara Hill on her birthday.
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JUNE 2010
Tuesday 1st U3A Palmer Hall, Fairford 2.30pm ‘Reflections on a UK Industrial
  Career’ talk by David Abel-Smith
 WI Memorial Hall 7.30pm ‘Changes in Wedding Fashion’ talk by
 Rosemary Stammer
Saturday 5th SOCIETY OF RECORDER PLAYERS South Cotswold branch
 Methodist Hall 2.00pm Alyson Lewin conducting
Sunday 6th FAIRFORD & LECHLADE FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL
 Fairford Market Place 10.00am
Wednesday 9th MOTHERS’ UNION Memorial Hall 2.00pm
 ‘Helen and Douglas House’ talk by Alison Hooker
 GARDENING CLUB Clarke & Pierce Room 7.30pm
 ‘Plants for Shade’ talk by Jenny Pape
  ART SOCIETY Memorial Hall 7.30pm
 Critique of members’ artwork by Paul Deacon
Friday 11th RIVER FOLK Sing Around at The Trout 8.00pm
Saturday 12th RNLI Flag day 9.00am - 1.00pm
 CHALICE and guests in concert Memorial Hall 7.30pm
Wednesday 16th COTSWOLD CANALS TRUST monthly meeting at The Trout 7.30pm
Thursday 17th FARMERS’ MARKET in Market Place 8.30am - 1.00pm
 LADIES GROUP Clarke & Pierce Room 2.30pm
  ‘Gunpowder, Treason and Plot’ talk by Muriel Pilkington
Friday 18th ‘BEAUTIFUL YOU’ - inside and out Memorial Hall 8.00pm
 LECHLADE LIBRARY 6.00pm ‘The East Gloucestershire Railway’
 talk by Colin Moulden
Saturday 19th MEN’S BREAKFAST ‘Grill a Bishop’ 8.30am The Trout
Sunday 20th COMMUNITY CINEMA Memorial Hall 7.30pm ‘Invictus’
Monday 21st HISTORY SOCIETY evening visit to Burford details 252457
Wednesday 23rd ART SOCIETY Lakes by Yoo clubhouse 6.00pm
 ‘Van Gogh’ talk by Anthony Slinn. Advance booking essential 253510
Thursday 24th THEATREGOERS matinee performance of ‘Stepping Out’ at Cheltenham
Friday 25th RIVER FOLK Sing Around at The Trout 8.00pm
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THE CHILDREN’S BOOK            by A.S.Byatt     (Chatto & Windus)

A finalist for the 2009 Booker Prize, a big read, and one very difficult to classify. It takes a
bit of getting into, but once the various characters become clear in one’s mind, it rapidly
becomes absorbing. Set at the end of the last century, the story follows the Wellwood family
whose mother, a famous author, writes a separate private book for each of her children,
bound in different colours and placed on a shelf in their rambling house in the Romney
 Marshes. Into their world comes a young boy from the Potteries, drawn by the beauty of the
treasures in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Thus the scene is set - the story moves from
England to Russia, to Germany, to France; the growth of the Fabian and suffragette
movements, the First World War, until the end, when families mourn their dead and face the
promised New World. A great book, wonderfully well-

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LECHLADE IN THE 1900s - Postal Services
by Jack Downey (born 1896), who spent his adolescence at ‘The Trout’ and was a telegram
boy at the Post Office. Further extracts from Jack’s writings, which were passed to Lechlade
History Society by his son, will appear in future issues.

About 1100 people live in Lechlade and the postal services here are rather unique. It has a
full-time Post Office status, with a Postmistress (Mrs Saddler), two telegraphists whose
Morse-code keys are forever tapping out messages to F.G. (Faringdon) and F.A.C. (Fairford).
 Lechlade’s call is L.B.L., so as they are all on one omnibus line, bits of news – domestic or
otherwise - are quickly circulated for miles around. There is one town postman and about
five others, who radiate out on cycles twice a day (am and pm) to the villages round about in
Oxfordshire (Kelmscott, Little Faringdon), Berkshire (Buscot, Buscot Wick), Wiltshire
(Inglesham), with their out-of-the-way farms, and Southrop in Gloucestershire. Motors are
not yet in fashion, so the mail comes in the morning by horse-van from Swindon, dropping
mail at Highworth en route, then proceeding to Fairford where it drops the mail and stables
for the day.
When the morning’s outgoing collection is brought in it is taken by handcart by Mr Selby
(the town postman) to Lechlade station on the Great Western Railway where it is put aboard
for Oxford, and the incoming afternoon mail is collected from Oxford and taken back to the
office, where it is sorted out and delivered. In the evening, the late collection is collected by
horse-drawn van again from Fairford and it collects again from Highworth en route to
Swindon.
At the office there are two telegraph boys who work a 55-hour week for 5/- with one of them
getting an extra 3d for going in on Sunday morning and the other 1/- for keeping the bike
clean for the week. They change over these chores weekly and have been known to offer to
clean a postman’s bike for 3d in dirty weather and sometimes a sarcastic postman has found
his tyres let down. Mrs Saddler gave them 6d each too for certain household duties like shoe
cleaning, knife cleaning and silver cleaning, always with the advice ‘it didn’t mean cleaning
the sugar bowl twice a day’. Postmen at this time wear shakos and gold braid stripes on their
left breast, one for each five years’ service, and always have clean buttons.
One or two of the country-delivery postmen also have allotments in the villages they visit so
that they can work on their vegetable gardens during the time they have to spare between
deliveries and collections, or rest
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LECHLADE PLAYERS

On 9th March at a beautiful Memorial Service in St Lawrence Church, The Lechlade Players
joined John Deacon and his family in saying farewell to Val, a member of The Lechlade
Players from the mid 1990s whose untimely death has robbed us of one of our most talented
and vivacious actresses. Val could turn her hand to any acting role, whether dramatic or
comedic, and in pantomime she would quite simply light up the stage with her performance –
a rare gift indeed. We shall miss you Val, more than mere words can say.
Years of friendship and fun were also sadly laid aside recently as we said farewell to long-
time member Ted Pierce. Nothing was ever too much trouble or beyond his talents as he
designed and made the sets for so many of our plays. We shall always remember you Ted
with gratitude and the greatest affection.
After much hard work both on stage and behind the scenes, our February production of John
Chapman and Dave Freeman’s ‘Key For Two’ was a huge success, playing to near sell-out
audiences. The compliments received were numerous, and included one from a couple
watching us for the first time who said they had been to many professional productions and
never seen a show as good as ours! If you missed this, where were you?!! A DVD of the
show is available at £7 – please telephone Catherine Hitchman on 01367 253351 if you
would like a copy.
The Lechlade Players AGM was held on 18th March. After 10 years’ valiant service as
Treasurer, Maureen Rose had decided to stand down and was thanked for all her hard work
and dedication. Hard shoes to fill but the task was taken on by Mike Lee. The new committee
have already begun planning for the future – a summer BBQ on 11th July, quiz night on 11th
September, children’s workshops/production in the autumn and possible plays to perform in
February 2011. Here’s hoping that we go from strength to strength.
THANK YOU

I would like to express my sincere thanks to all our friends and neighbours who have
supported us over the last few weeks following Mike’s very unexpected need for heart
surgery. We both feel very blessed to have received so many cards, gifts and offers of
support; this has made a very stressful time much easier to deal with. Thank you.
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When breeding the starling ceases its sociable behaviour and concentrates on private life.
 The roosts get a chance to recover. After the young have flown family parties soon form
flocks and the sociable starling is back in business. My morning wake-up alarm will cease
and my little garden birds
LECHLADE FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL

Despite a wet and cold start to the day, hundreds of people turned up to enjoy the first ever
Fairford & Lechlade Food & Drink Festival kicking off in Lechlade Market Place on Sunday
2 May. Luckily by 10am the rain had eased and Cotswold District Councillor Sandra Carter
was able to make the opening welcome and address in relatively dry conditions. This was
followed by the Rev Christopher Bryan blessing the Festival and praising our local
businesses. The Choir of St Lawrence Church then sang a spring carol, and Stephen
Armstrong-Watkins continued the harmonious jollity by playing saxophone throughout the
day with Graham Dalby singing wonderful renditions of popular swing tunes. The infectious
"Lark Rise to Candleford" feel of the Festival even prompted spontaneous dancing in the
Market Place.
All 24 food and drink related stall holders said the attendance at the Festival had exceeded all
expectations and could not wait to book for next year. The Macmillan Cancer Support stall,
which sold home-made marmalade, jams and chutney, made nearly £500 for the charity.
 Thank you to all nearby residents for their consideration and support during the day and
thanks also to all drivers who removed their vehicles from the Market Place as requested. The
whole day was a wonderful example of a community working together, celebrating local
businesses and produce and enjoying themselves.
Fairford hopes to repeat the success of Lechlade when the next Food & Drink Festival will be
held in Fairford Market Place on Sunday 6 June, coinciding with the annual Fairford Festival.
There will be a big turnout of runners taking part in the 10k Road Race and 3k Fun Run and
the Festival Parade with colourful floats and fancy dress will pass through the town.
Fairford's Town Crier in his usual flamboyant style and the newly elected Festival Queen will
open the Festival at 10am. Former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton will be supporting the Festival,
and there will be live music as well as a performance by the Farrell School of Irish Dancing.
 More information at www.fairford-lechladefoodanddrink.co.uk.
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distance of the stage there were occasions when the clashing of swords, daggers, ropes and
thunderous flashes of fire were uncomfortably close. This was a tremendous production by
Rupert Goold very worthy of its place in the RSC repertoire. A stimulating ,thought
provoking visit, but maybe we were hindered by our stereotyped conception of Romeo and
Juliet.
V.R.
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THE PAROCHIAL CHARITIES
Parochial Charities Report year ending December 2009

The Parochial Charities were set up many years ago from money left by local residents for
the benefit of the more senior citizens of Lechlade and most of the money distributed was
made up of winter fuel payments and Christmas gifts. In 2009 we decided to amalgamate
these two payments as publicised at last year’s Council meeting to enable more families to be
included.
In December 2009 22 couples were given £60 and 53 single people were given £50 and
hopefully we included people born in Lechlade who are now into their 70s. If anyone feels
they should have been included please let the Trustees know as it is only because some of the
Trustees were born in Lechlade that we have an idea of who these people are! Of course
people who have moved into Lechlade are also included where possible, but the original
intention of the Charity was for those born in Lechlade so we must honour this.
A special payment of £100 was paid out to a family facing difficulty during the year.
£74.50 was paid out from small charities. The Wellman Charity of £1 for a loaf of bread for
10 widows is paid near Christmas. The Oatridge Charity of £5 for twelve oldest people is
paid on Valentine’s Day. The Rainton Charity £4 towards the upkeep of the Church, and 50p
for the Vicar’s sermon on Good Friday.
The balance in the Parochial Charities account at 31st December 2009 was £1898.24 + 50p
cash

The Educational Foundation
The Educational Foundation is from money left for the benefit of school children and
students under the age of 25 years and also for the support of the Sunday School.

The payments this year from the Educational Foundation were:-
£1300.00 Grants for students entering University or other further
education courses
£ 200.00 Coach for @ The Ark (Sunday School) outing
£ 36.99 Open the book courses – St. Lawrence School
£ 232.50 Royal School of Church Music courses and medals
£ 75.00 Viney Hill weekend for the youth groups
£ 200.00 Special grant for a Student going to Dornakol (Gloucester
Diocese link)
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£2300.00 St Lawrence School (2008/09 payments)

The balance in the Educational Charities account at the 31st December 2009 was £3090.79
The Milward Charity paid £10 to twelve people; this was originally called a clothing charity.
EVENTS AT LECHLADE LIBRARY

These are free events, but please phone 01367 252631 or call in to book as seats are limited.
Friday 18th June 6 - 6.30 p.m. Colin Moulden of the Cirencester Railway Society talks
about ‘The East Gloucestershire Railway’.
Monday 12th July 11 – 11.30 a.m. Laurie Lee biographer Barbara Hooper talks about her
book ‘Cider with Laurie’.

Storytime and sing-along for pre-school children:
Every two weeks, Wednesdays, 11.30 a.m. to 12 noon.

Other services at the Library include:
DVDs to hire from as little as £1 until our next opening time.
Free computer use and broadband Internet access.
Reserve up to 20 books and have them delivered to Lechlade Library absolutely free.
FLOWER AND PRODUCE SHOW

Don't forget to put the date of this year’s Flower and Produce Show in your diary- Saturday,
September 4th.
Get your schedule now from the Library, the Newsagent or Moore Allen.
BMcN
32
GARDENING HINTS

Do you ever get distracted from your main task when you are gardening? I do. All the time.
Let’s take this week end as a prime example. I started to plant some delphiniums that had
been in pots all winter and it was high time that they were in their final resting places. I
planted one and placed the others, and then thought that they were rather crowded by the
overhanging fig tree that I had been meaning to prune all winter, but had never got around to.
So off I go to the potting shed to get my long handled clippers and on the way I get distracted
by having a conversation with a cat in the green house and check some seedlings in there and
finally I’m back at the fig tree lopping a bit off here and a bit off there, worrying all the time
that I am doing this at the wrong time of year and that we will lose our fig crop (or rather that
the birds will lose our fig crop...), then, because pruning is addictive, I take the loppers and
move on to ivy on the wall, and then because I realize that it is Thursday and the green bins
go out in the evening I move on to the Garrya Elliptica and the Euonymus and then have
another go at the winter jasmine. Wonderful. I feel satisfied, but time is running out and I
have two other delphiniums to plant. Plant one but realize that it is going to be over shadowed
by a rather droopy poppy that should have a support by now, and this opens up a real can of
worms as I collect pea sticks and go around the border sticking the twigs in and twining them
around clumps that are likely to collapse, and in the course of this activity I see all the goose
weed! This leads to a good half hour of frenetic weeding and finally the last delphinium is in
its place. Sometimes the thing that I started with never gets done at all....
Really the only time that I think that I am truly focused is when I am on Border Patrol. If
neighbours see a strange flickering light in my garden at about 11 o’clock at night let them be
reassured; there is no need to call Neighbourhood Watch, it is only me on my Border Patrol,
torch in hand and three cats in tow, looking for the slugs and snails that are eating my lilies
and munching my seedlings in the green house. I read somewhere that it was a good idea to
plant the lily pots with violas, so that the lilies did not come up as bare stems out of bare earth
in the pots. What a good idea, I said to myself. Why didn’t I think of that? So violas were
planted in every lily pot, and guess what? Slugs and snails love eating violas, so along they
come and take up residence in the foliage of the violas where they are most difficult to see,
and then they can eat the emerging lily shoots to their hearts’ content. Drat. It seemed like
such a good idea at the time, but now nightly Border Patrol is very necessary, and I can
scrutinize the emerging dahlias as well. By the way the ‘nice’ slug pellets seem to have no
effect
33
what so ever, which is a real pity. I am going to order some nematodes for the very first time
in my life, and I will let you know how I fare with that method.
Such cold weather means that seedlings are not growing very quickly in the unheated green
house. At this rate I may have some tomatoes at Christmas. But in spite of the cold this May
has been one of the most beautiful that I can ever remember, and as I write Canary Bird
(Rosa xanthina spontanea) is shining in the border. I love this rose. It is usually the first one
to bloom, has delicate ferny foliage and a graceful habit and sweet bright yellow single
flowers. Another rose that everyone should have (sorry,




VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR NEW CHARITY SHOP
IN LECHLADE

Cotswold Centre for Voluntary Services are delighted to announce that the charity is opening
a new charity shop in Lechlade.
This shop is to support the activities of the charity, which are community transport, both
minibuses and volunteer hospital cars, Day Care services, and support to voluntary groups in
the Cotswolds.
We are looking for volunteers to run the shop. We operate on the basis of two shift patterns –
10 am until 1 pm, and 1 pm until 4 pm, Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings.
If you would like to volunteer to help us, or find out more about volunteering, please call
Annette or Graham on 01285 658802 on any weekday between 9 am and 3 pm.
35
THE LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS
SATURDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER

Enjoy the Last Night of the Proms in Lechlade Memorial Hall on Saturday 11th September,
watching this spectacular event on the big 5 metre wide screen with an all round sound
system. This is the equivalent of a picnic in the park, except that it is indoors and you do not
need to worry about the weather. Get together with some friends, bring your own picnic
hamper and join in the fun. If you cannot travel to the Royal Albert Hall, this is the next best
thing. Doors open at 6.00pm. The programme starts at 7.30 and is due to finish at 10.40.
 Tickets cost £5.00. To reserve a seat, or to find out more, please contact 01367 253633.

LECHLADE COMMUNITY CINEMA
Since showing our first film in May 2002, the Lechlade Community Cinema has proved
extremely popular. Over 5,500 people have attended events put on by the Community
Cinema and it has raised over £6,000 for the Lechlade youth and community building, £450
for the refurbishment of the surface of the multi sports pitch, as well as smaller amounts for
various local organisations.
The Memorial Hall has excellent facilities for showing films, with a 5 metre wide screen and
an all round sound system. We show recently released films. With the exception of April,
August and December, we show films on the third Sunday of the month at 7.30pm. For
details of the next film, look out for posters on the town notice board outside Londis and in
the Library, or in What’s On or Ripples. Our film for June is Invictus, about Nelson Mandela
and the Springboks rugby team. Although still to be confirmed, the film for July is likely to
be The Hurt Locker.
The cinema really does have a friendly atmosphere and it is a great chance to get to meet
other people in the community. For further information, or to




TO ADVERTISE IN ‘THE BRIDGE’

Contact Linda Kent (01367 253175)
Or any member of the Editorial Committee
Rates are for 1 year - Six issues: -
 Half page: £60
Quarter page: £35
Eighth page: £18
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor: Linda Kent Tel: 253175
Assistant Editor: Marian Winckles Tel: 252851
Distribution: Daphne Rowley Tel: 252200
Treasurer: David Newton Tel: 252543
Computerised Layout: Simon Winckles Tel: 252851
For St. Lawrence PCC: Christopher Bryan Tel: 252262

Key Dates for next issue:
Copy Date: Wednesday 21st July
Print Date: Thursday 29th July
Collation Date: Friday 30th July.

The E-Mail address set up for submitting items is:
items@lechladebridge.org.uk

Submit Diary entries to:
diary@lechladebridge.org.uk

Please ensure electronically submitted items are in either Word or RTF format with minimal
text formatting.

The hard copy submissions may be left in the church in a special box marked BRIDGE which
is below the pigeon holes which face you as you enter through the glass doors. If the church
is locked, items may be posted