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Our village show was blessed with wonderful weather this year. Thanks to the endeavours of all involved the tent was again graced by wonderful entries to the classes. We were also fortunate to welcome the return of the sheep show and the sheepdog trials. With a strong pony club and dog show entry there was plenty to see and do. We had various groups supplying entertainment, from Northumbrian pipes to steel drums. The falconry display returned again this year to complete the official entertainment.
We must also thank all of the stallholders who added to the colour of the day.
John Swanson, the Show Chairman, thanked all the helpers who made the day a success, the committee, who work the whole year and the many volunteers who turn out on the weekend to share the load of putting on the annual event.
Thanks are also due to the Hunters and Guirys who allow the Show Committee to use their land. We should also record our thanks to John Guiry and his helpers who had additional work in putting on the sheep show and facing all of the additional regulations now needed for this event since the foot and mouth outbreak.
Margaret Thompson and Joan Gardner presented the prizes, as they celebrated their eightieth birthday along with the show. Although not able to get to the show John Frater also celebrated his eightieth from his home in South View.
Thank you to everyone who helped on the day and throughout the year.
The fundraising committee is now preparing two bids for funding to carry out essential repairs to the Hall to get us over the winter months. Shortly speculative bids will also be considered for all of the outstanding work.
The current climate of grant-making cutbacks is not good but the fundraising committee considers that it is better to try and fail rather than not try at all.
The NTC Touring Theatre Company gave another splendid performance in the Village Hall. An ingenious performance of Quay Moments used six performers to play many parts. These performers managed to make us happy, sad and amused over the performance but most of all made us laugh at their observations about a flotilla holiday.
The Hall committee wish to thank all of you who came along to this great evening.
The final draw for the 100 club was also held on that evening with Sheila Virtue winning the first prize of £50 and Denis Rough second, receiving £25.
The Parish Council wishes to thank everyone who has contributed to make life a little quieter in the village. Thanks to all the kids who co-operated by playing elsewhere and a special thanks to Arty and Sheila Hunter who made an area available for kids to use over the summer months.
We have some good news. Sunday papers are now available in the village from The Queens Head. Ian is opening from 8:30 until 11:00 a.m. for the sale of the papers. They will also be available from 12:00 all day when the pub is open for its normal hours.
The Macmillan coffee morning held at Pam and Mike Bridges raised over £500. Thanks to all who supported the event.
A programme of meetings has now been arranged for the next year.
The first talk listed will take place in the Whittingham Memorial Hall at 7.30 pm and will be followed by coffee or tea and biscuits. Please check the notice boards for changes to the programme or venues.
The committee hope that the Records and Recollections magazine will appear in December and will include a delightful memoir of life in Glanton in the 1920s and 1930s by Bessie Clark (born 1915). There will also be a synopsis of the talks already given.
Subscriptions are £8 per individual member and £12 for joint members living in the same household. Visitors may attend meetings on payment of £2 per meeting. Membership application forms can be obtained from Bridget Winstanley (Hon. Secretary) The Old Post Office, Whittingham NE66 4RB Tel. 01665 574353 email bridget@winstanley36.fsnet.co.uk.
Everyone who has been in our Church recently has noticed the transformation with the newly painted walls, soft cushions on the pews and the Cross on the wall behind the pulpit. This has been made for us by Pete Williams and has been much admired and commented on. Many people have asked about the symbol of the fish - this is the explanation I have been given - it was one of St Peter's symbols and is also used as a symbol for Baptism.
The Greek capitals ISHTHUS (Fish) can be made to represent in Greek the phrase "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour. It was used by the early Christians as a secret sign to enable them to identify each other.
Marion Guiry
Dear all, As I have been in post here for nearly six weeks then I thought it was perhaps time that I introduced myself. My name is Edward Butlin, and I have been appointed as the new minister for Felton, Longframlington and Branton with Glanton United Reformed Churches, and I have to say that it is a privilege to be able to serve such friendly and welcoming communities. We are living in Felton and this first move has been a big move for us as we have come from Birmingham, and have left our families down in Derbyshire. But after a very short time here we already feel very much at home, and we are looking forward to the coming years that lie ahead of us. May God bless you all. Rev. Edward Butlin |
An update - Just to remind you First Responders are teams of volunteers trained to administer life saving treatment to victims of heart attacks. Trained First Responder Groups can be mobilised immediately by the response desk of the local ambulance service. They attend selected life threatening emergencies, such as a person suffering a cardiac arrest, and arrive within minutes. This means that life saving treatment can be started before the professional ambulance and paramedic services arrive.
After a successful fundraising exercise Mike Mason and his team have secured defibrillators for each of the villages. As a consequence of this expansion they are in need of helpers. If you are interested and are over 18, able bodied and preferably with a driving licence please contact Mike Mason on 01665 578221
You will be aware that we have an excellent web site for the village that is maintained and services by Dave Dixon, from Red Lion Cottages.
We get a number of messages from that web site, many from people interested in their family history. In August we received a message from Sarah Turnbull, which said:
"I would much appreciate if you could pass on a message to all that live in Glanton now and have memories of the school between 1975 and its end in 1981. I am the youngest daughter of Ken and Marion Wilkinson, former Head teacher and Teacher of the school prior to its closing, and am currently researching a film which I would like to eventually make about the story of the school; its fight to remain open, and the importance it held throughout the village from not only a social view but also an economical one. There are many many people that I would like to get in touch with: most will know me better than I know them as I was only five when I left; but to myself and my family the time we spent there was the happiest of our lives. For those who knew us; this has been inspired by the untimely death of my mother, Marion Wilkinson, a year and a half ago, whose ashes we scattered on Glanton Hill three weeks ago. Any names, addresses, views etc would be most welcome. I assure you that the subject will be treated with the utmost sincerity. Yours Sarah Turnbull (nee Wilkinson)" |
If you want me to pass on contact details to Sarah please let me know.
Joyce Owen and Alan Matteson wished me to pass on their thanks to so many of their mother's friends who came to the service at the United Reformed Church and whom they were able to meet afterwards.
"It was lovely to know Marjory had not been forgotten". Marjory Matteson passed away on 12th August 2003 in Harrogate.
We were saddened to learn that Reg Johnston passed away suddenly on the 11th September 2003.
Contributions for the next newsletter If you have anything to include in the next newsletter please pass the information to Norman Dunn, 5 Front Street, Glanton by 26th November 2003, please.