Thank you for all the ‘Best wishes for 2011’ I have received from you and for taking the time to tell me how Inview has helped publicise your events. 

 

Well the February edition is upon us and 2011 seems to be going as quickly for me as 2010.  I can’t say that February is one of my favourite months, it always seems a bit flat after the celebrations at Christmas and New Year, but apparently we get ten hours of daylight, about two hours more than in December. I am hoping to get out in the garden a bit this month as it could certainly do with some work doing to it before the Spring.

 

News snippets

Families in England are to be offered £250m in vouchers in a bid to encourage them to eat healthily and exercise.  Food vouchers, nutritional advice and discounted activities are all part of Change4Life's "Great Swapathon".  There is more information on the website (www.swapathon.co.uk), including recipes and ideas for how to get more exercise.

 

Fuel Poverty - In a recent survey, conducted for Age UK of more than 1,300 people aged 60 or over:

·         Nearly a third were likely to resort to extreme measures to keep warm, including wearing a coat and scarf inside

·         Fourteen percent lived in one room. With nearly 14 million over-60s in the UK, that is around 1.5m choosing to live in one room to contain heat

·         Four percent said they would stay in bed all day to try to keep warm, while 9% percent said they could not get warm at home last winter

·         Age UK is concerned that many more older people are stuck in fuel poverty - well over three million of them spending more than a tenth of their income on their energy bills

The government has a long-standing vow to end fuel poverty in England by 2016 but the problem has apparently increased largely because of big increases in domestic fuel bills and the onset of the economic recession.

Half-term ‘Coffee Morning’

for young children with parents/carers

 

Thursday 24th February         

10am – 12 noon

 

Cakes! Toys! Craft! Games!

Emmaus Church Centre

                  Gorse Cover Road

Severn Beach

 

“Relax together with family and friends”

 

{Emmaus Church Community Event: No charge}

Supporting Fairtrade Fortnight

  Invitation to an

 ‘African Evening’

 

  with Photos, Videos and Presentations

  of trips to Rwanda and Kenya

  Wednesday 2nd March

  8.00 - 9.30 pm

DECEMBER

 On the 7^th The flag flew for Sarah Perkins on her birthday. “Happy Birthday to our precious daughter” said Mum and Dad. The 10^th was the Golden Wedding anniversary of Delcia and Michael Humphries who counted the many blessings in their life together. Ken Vowles asked for the flag to fly on his 89^th birthday and we obliged as soon as it was possible because on that day snow came with a vengeance and getting to the flagpole risked limbs if not life! It was also the 88^th birthday of Kathleen Dean who usually gets her picture taken by the flag, however, as soon as the snow permitted the flag went up for both of you.  Briefly on the Feast of St Stephen (Christmas Sunday) the flag was raised  to remember that Ron and Grace latham would have celebrated the fantastic achievement of 75 years of marriage. Sadly Ron died a couple of months short of this quite rare event. On the 29^th Lesley Vowles celebrated his 90^th birthday. Happy Birthdays Les.

JANUARY

The flag flew on the 15^th January in remembrance of Eva Denner who would have been 100 on that day.. She is remembered with love and affection by Pamela, Rosemarie, Nicholas, and Laura

If your request for the flag comes after the magazine deadline day, 1^st January it may not appear in the February  edition but in the following one

 Flying the Flag supports the two choirs at St Peter’s, the Sunday choir and the Festival Choir. Not only does the flag flutter at the church flagpole for you, you receive a customised card with whatever greeting you wish. We celebrate anything, if it’s special to you we will arrange it, even at short notice- and all for just £5. We are grateful to the many who donate more than £5, but will keep the official amount at £5 where it has been for nearly 8 years. 

Call Roy on 01454 632670 or write to 21 Chessell Ave, Pilning, South Glos BS35 4LP

Thank you everyone for your support, our choirs go from strength to strength.  Roy Edwardes

Breakfast Club for Severn Beach, Pilning & Easter Compton.

We meet on alternate Sundays of every month in termtime at 10.00 am at the United Church. It is mainly for children of primary school age but their parents and the rest of the family may find it interesting and enjoyable as it teaches the Christian faith in a new and exciting way. contact Alison Carmody on 633039 or Pamela Griffin on 632624.
 

Busy Bees – Meeting every Monday at Severn Beach United Church between 1.30 and 3.00 pm to knit, read, play games, talk, drink tea and enjoy each others company.

Line Dancing - Wednesday Night Stompers.
Learn to Line Dance to Country Music. Meeting at Severn Beach School on Wednesday Nights. Contact: Nancy Vowles Tel: 632135. Email:- nancy@vowleshome.fsnet.co.uk

 

Minnows for Severn Beach, Pilning & Easter Compton, meeting in the United Church - on alternate Wednesdays at 2.00pm until 3.00pm in term time. All welcome from birth to school age. Listen to a story about Jesus make something to take home, sing a song, have something to eat & drink and make new friends. Enquiries to Pamela 632624. Email:- robert.griffin@tiscali.co.uk

 

Pergamno Parchment Craft Workshop.

Meeting on the 1^st Saturday of each month in Severn Beach Village Hall from

10.00am – 4.00pm. For details:- Vera Jones – 01291 420527

 

Pilning & Severn Beach Gardeners’ Club.

A club for the amateur gardener, a friendly group of people who enjoy sharing ideas and plants. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month (except January) at the United Church, Beach Avenue, Severn Beach at 7.30 - 9.00 p.m. A speaker is engaged for each meeting. For information contact the Secretary, Rosemary Roper 01454 632936.

 

Princess Royal Trust for Carers Group, Severn Beach.

Would you like to meet other carers? Severn Beach Carers Group meets on the second Wednesday of the month from 1 until 3pm at Emmaus Church Centre.  Call Penny Snow  01454 851201

.

Severn Beach Mother and Toddler Group.

We meet every Thursday from 9.30am until 11.15am, in Severn Beach Village Hall. Refreshments will be provided. Organised trips and events. Call Cathie on 633137 Email:- cathiecrew@yahoo.co.uk

 

Severn Beach over 50s Society.

We meet at Severn Beach Village Hall every Thursday between 2.00 pm until 3.30 pm. Come and have a cup of tea and biscuits. Meet old friends and make new ones.1st Thursday every month is Bingo. Call Margaret Weaver 07879274094.

 

Severn Beach Rainbows.

We meet on a Monday at 5.15pm till 6.15pm during term time at the Severn Beach United Church. Girls between the ages of 5 and 7 welcome. For more information please contact Sara Messenger 617765. Email:- sara@messyzoo.net

 

Severn Beach Playgroup.

Learning through play for all pre-school children. Open Monday to Friday 9.15 to 11.45 in term time, at Emmaus Church Centre, Gorse Cover Rd, Severn Beach.  Ring Pauline 01454 632745

 

Severn Beach Youth Club.
We at Severn Beach Village Hall on Monday nights from 6 – 9pm for the benefit on the 13 to 19 year olds. Various equipment is been acquired and expertise is available for topics of:- sports, fishing, motors etc. Please just turn up if you are in this age range.

 

Stitches Group.

Meet on the 1st Monday of every month at United Church at.7.00-9.00pm. If you enjoy any kind of craft - at any level - quilting, patchwork, embroidery, cross-stitch, knitting, card making etc. why not come along to our next meeting.   We are a friendly group and would love to have some new members.    If you would like further details, please contact Julia on Pilning 632286.

 

NB If any of this information is out of date or can be elaborated on please contact the Editor.  If we haven’t listed your Group and you would like it included, please let me know.

The Memory Lingers

Christmas seems a long time ago, but there is still time to say ‘Thank You’ to all those who placed Memory Stars on the Christmas tree at St Peter’s.

 

Remembering your loved ones has raised £125 for Children’s Hospice South West and will help those who have children with life limiting illnesses to cope with their devastating circumstances.

Care for the Elderly

We are holding a Coffee Morning at The Halls, Easter Compton on Wednesday, 16^th February 2011 in The Halls, Easter Compton from 10.30 - 11.45am.

       Come along and join us - £1.00 to include coffee/tea and homemade scone. There will also be a Raffle and Cake Stall.

       Whilst visiting the Post Office come and join us.  All very welcome

Thank you to all who supported us in 2010

Get out in the fresh air with Severnside Ramblers

There will be hints of Spring this month. Come and enjoy the countryside on a walk with the Severnside Rambler. We are a friendly group and non-members are always very welcome.

       Walks range from two hour ambles on a Friday to walks between 5 and 10 miles at the week-end.

       For more information about our walks in February, log on to www.severnside-ramblers.org.uk, or pick up a programme at your local library.

       We meet at Aldi car park, Bradley Stoke, BS32 9DA and share lifts to the start of the walk.

NEWS FROM SEVERN BEACH SCHOOL

As the new year began, we welcomed Eloise into Year 2.  Year 3/4 are having swimming lessons this term and Football Club and Learning Club continue after school.  Year 5/6 were finally able to complete their cycle training, which had to be postponed due to the very wintry weather we had before Christmas!

Thoughts are already turning to spring with the slightly longer days and the appearance of bulbs pushing through the ground.

Our school website is now up and running so please take a look at www.severnbeachprimary.org.uk to see what we have to offer your child and all the things we do!

 

I recommend having a look at the website if you get chance, very colourful and informative. Ed.

Thank you to everyone who helped to fill 84 boxes and to the team of volunteer helpers who checked and packed 850 boxes at Severn Beach Church ready for dispatch to Romania on 19th November 2010.  I met up with Carolyn from Southmead and four Blythswood volunteers and our leader from Medway for the trip to Hungary. 

       This was a hands on trip and we met families and children in great need and handed out 200 shoe boxes, bags of groceries and some clothing at three locations, a school in the north, a gypsy community at Kisvarda and a kindergarten in Budapest where we played games and sang songs with children 3 to 7 years who are homeless and live in abandoned coaches, cars and shacks.We spent an afternoon working in the warehouse filling boxes for poor families with food and clothing and met representatives of ADRA  (Adventist Disaster Relief Agency)  We had two extra days due to Gatwick being closed travelled by tram and metro for a very enjoyable day in Budapest.