Family and Elderly Shoebox appeal

For many years our churches have been involved with this appeal to support families and old people living in unbelievable poverty in Eastern Europe.
The charity which began many years ago when the war crisis in Romania took place and a small group of people living in Worthing in Sussex decided to send a lorry carrying gifts packed in shoeboxes for children who would otherwise have nothing at Christmas. How sad that in today’s world there is still a desperate need.
The charity has grown and now takes gifts not only to Romania but also to Moldova, Bulgaria and most recently to Ukraine. The charity itself has grown and collects boxes from all over the country. There are,of course, strict border controls over what can go in the boxes and a £3.00 donation is asked for to help cover petrol costs. Leaflets explaining more can be found in our churches and Barnack School are also involved in the appeal.
You can also find more on line if you just type in the organisation title. In the year before Covid we sent just over 90 shoeboxes. The title ‘Link to Hope’ says it all. As you think about the gifts you will be giving this Christmas why not add one more to your list and bring joy to a family or an old person living on her or his own all of them without hope of any Christmas joy……until that lorry full of colourful Christmas parcels drives into their village all the way from you!
Filled boxes can be left in Barnack Church or at Barnack School or at The Cottage, Millstone Lane Barnack. Closing date is 5th November.

Sausage and Cider Festival

White Hart Pub, Ufford
Saturday 7th of October – 1-4pm
We are excited to be launching The White Hart Sausage and Cider festival, in celebration of the humble apple. Britain’s most loved fruit is a firm favourite here at The White Hart and we cannot wait to celebrate it in all its glory. We are joined in our efforts by the fantastic and enigmatic Graham Fletcher from Bainton who will be leading us in the Pressing of Apples.
We are inviting families with children of all ages to come and get involved and press their very own apple juice either by bringing their own APPLE secret stash or making use of the ones readily available at the pub. We will celebrate the apple in our own way with a range of scrumptious ciders and mouthwatering sausages! Come on down 1-4pm on Saturday 7th of October for a family affair that will go off with a whizz, pop and a bang!

BARNACK HILLS & HOLES, VILLAGE FORUM

Postscript to news from the August meeting
In the last bulletin from the Forum I wrote about data on the National Nature Reserve being gathered using a drone. Before anybody decides that it would be fun to buy a drone and do something similar, I need to point out that drone flights are subject to a great many regulations. One rule particularly relevant to us in Barnack is that flying a drone in the vicinity of, or on an approach to, an airfield is illegal without permission.
Natural England obtained special permission from RAF Wittering for the drone flight over the Hills and Holes. Well in advance, they booked a date and time for the exercise with Air Traffic Control, and they were in touch with the ATC tower in Wittering during the whole operation. All Natural England’s drone pilots are fully certified by the Civil Aviation Authority and hold extensive insurance for the tasks they undertake.
Look out for more news from the Forum later in the autumn.
Margaret Palmer, on behalf of Barnack Hills and Holes Village Forum

The Young Shepherd and the Horrible Giant

It doesn’t take much guessing to work out what will be featuring at the next Messy Church! Yes, David and Goliath will be starring. The Messy Church team have already been practicing the massive roars and sword-swinging of Goliath, as he challenged God’s people, as well as the courage and precision of David as he responded with slingshots of stones.
Please do come and join us on Sunday 15th October, at the regular time of 3.30-5.00pm, in Barnack Church. As usual, there will be snacks and drinks on arrival, followed by the Bible story and singing, fun-themed activities and crafts, and a thought on the story and a prayer.
To find out more, please contact Carol Summers on 07715 460177, or Mike Mills on 07523 312387.

Barnack Bowls Club

After a very successful year the bowls club will be closing at the end of September. Our three league teams have had a very enjoyable season plus there has been lots of friendly social bowling.
We shall resume playing petanque on the bowls club carpark from the beginning of October on Thursday and Saturday mornings 10.00 – 12.00 including a coffee break.
Everyone is welcome to come and have a go

Free Taster Pilates Class

Join Nichola for a taster Pilates session in the Bainton reading Room.
10-11 am October 8th
Booking is essential. Call Nichola on 0749338345

IMPROMPTU FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL! BARNACK CRICKET CLUB

Thanks to all those who came and supported a last minute invite to Barnack Cricket Club for a drink and burger at the Pavilion on Friday 8th September. It was to celebrate the end of a lovely warm week of weather and the first week of kids back at school for many.
The Cricket Club opened the bar to kick start the fundraising for the new storage shed that will replace the current groundsman’s shed. It was a lovely chilled vibe and a great community social.
Look out for November’s edition, with more detail about the Cricket Club’s Community Shed project.

Soon be Advent

It’s beginning to look a lot like Autumn…. And this coming Advent and Christmas will have as usual many special services. If you’re interested in helping us to form a small choir for the Bainton Advent Carol Service (4.30 pm on 3rd December) or the Barnack Christmas Carol Service (7 pm on Friday 22nd December).
Please let Reverend Gary know. gary.aldersonwrites@gmail.com or 075 039 75588.
Advent Book Group
Advent may seem a long way away but it is surprising how quickly it seems to suddenly be on us and it is so good just to take a breath before all the Christmas festivities take over. This year Advent begins on 3rd December and as part of our preparations there will be two study groups:
In Barnack we will be reading ‘The Meaning is in the Waiting’ by Paula Gooder. Each chapter of this book is focused around the biblical character associated with the four candles on the Advent wreath.
In Wittering we will be reading ‘Walking backwards to Christmas’ by Stephen Cottrell which focuses on the characters in the Christmas story.
Both books can be ordered online or I will order for you {looking for the cheapest offer} Barnack’s meeting will be during an afternoon and Wittering early evening.
If you are interested in joining us please let me know…..we always have interesting discussions in these groups….even if sometimes they go off the point! Tea or coffee and biscuits provided.
Canon Margaret Venables 07936193084

Peterborough Arts Society

12th October 2023, The Arts Society Peterborough’s monthly talk is at The Fleet, PE2 4 DL.
‘1968, the year that changed the direction of art ‘ by Anna Moszynska.What happened in ‘68? A series of major events shook the world and artists responded to the changing times by making work that challenged the traditional assumptions of art. Examining this year in context, Anna will discuss how new art movements, such as Land Art and Arte Povera sprung up, and how artists, including Sir Richard Long (UK); Robert Smithson (USA) and Daniel Buren (France), came to push the boundaries of art. For the first time, female artists also played a major role. To understand the art of this period is halfway to understanding the art of our time.
Doors open at 10-15am for coffee and a chat, the talk lasts an hour, just come along and enjoy your first talk free, so why not come and join us? All are welcome.
For more information visit: www.the-arts-society-peterborough.org.uk

BARNACK FUN RUN

Saturday 8th October – races from 2pm.
There’s still time to enter! Come and join the fun at this fantastic community event. Open to all ages and abilities. Come and run, skip, jog, walk, dress up, push a buggy or run to win!
Entries close at midnight on Thursday 6th October.
Enter at www.pta-events.co.uk/barnack

Barnack Community Association AGM

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Thursday 12th October 2023 at 7pm
All welcome to join at Barnack Village Hall.

Thanks from the Laycocks

David and Joan Laycock want to thank all the people in Barnack who have helped them with transport, shopping, and enquiries about his health during David’s being incapacitated.
We thank you all for all your help!! Hopefully he will be on his feet again before long and back in Church playing the piano.

The Buttercross Club

It was good to see so many members and friends at our first meeting after our August break and, of course, at our new, earlier time of 7pm. We had hoped to welcome David Palmer, auctioneer at Batemans in Stamford. Mr. Palmer was unable to attend at the last minute but arranged instead for Ron Bateman and his daughter Kate to come in his place.
We were delighted to welcome them and spent a very good evening during which they looked at and valued items brought along by their audience. The largest item was a lovely baby bath set in a mahogany surround. There were items made of pottery, fine china, pewter, gold jewellery and wood. Of course it was not always easy to put a value on an item without further examining it but Ron and Kate were able to venture an approximation based upon similar items sold at auction.
Kate has spent time in America and has deviated somewhat from her auctioneering career. Many of you who like programmes about antiques will recall that she was often on television in Paul Martin’s ‘Flog It’, but she has now become a published author of historic novels and she brought some along to our antiques evening. A number of members purchased books.
The talk was followed by a brief news update, the results of the raffle and refreshments.
We were saddened to learn of the death of Laura Pollock who had been a member of Buttercross for many years and who served as our treasurer until she moved from Tallington to Stamford.
Diary Date: On 11th October we are having our Harvest Lunch at Burghley Golf Club at 12:30pm.
(Please note that the date in your Buttercross diaries for the event is no longer applicable as the Golf Club was not available to us on the 4th.)