2014-10

October/November 2014 

Delivered to over 5,000 homes in S8

WELCOME to Impact - the magazine of St Chad’s Church, 

Woodseats. Impact is published every two months and distributed 

to over 5,000 homes in S8. 

St Chad’s Church is committed to serving you - the people of 

Woodseats, Beauchief and Chancet Wood. To find out more about 

St Chad’s, visit our website at www.stchads.org or call the church 

office on 0114 274 5086. 

Here’s where to find us: 

Abbey Lane 

Linden Avenue 

Church 

House 

St Chad's 

Church & 

Church 

Office 

Camping Lane 

Chesterfield Road 

Abbey Lane 

School 

Please note: The inclusion of adverts in Impact does not mean the advertisers are 

endorsed by St Chad’s Church. 

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To discuss all our available packages contact our 

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or visit www.kenwoodhallsheffield.co.uk 

St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats 

Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA 

Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

email: office@stchads.org 

Page 2 

website: www.stchads.org 

4783 Kenwood Hall 92x65.indd 1 05/12/2013 14:39

This morning the news contained the sad report that 

Robin Williams, one of the greatest comic actors of 

his generation, had killed himself. Set alongside the 

ongoing tragedies of Iraq, Gaza and the Ukraine, 

Robin William’s death might not be worthy of 

mention, except for the fact that once again we find ourselves 

confronted by the seeming disconnect between comic genius 

and personal depression. Behind the smiles and laughter 

lurks something darker and unappeasable. Robin Williams is 

not the first and won’t be the last comic to succumb. 

The entertainment industry is big business, contributing 

some seven per cent to the British GDP. Stand up comedy 

has been called “the new rock and roll”, the 2014 Disney 

hit Frozen, was their biggest ever grossing movie. More of 

us are attending live music and theatre than ever before. 

We might be tempted to envy the stars of stage and screen: their apparent 

popularity, their Hollywood lifestyle and their red-carpet treatment. Robin 

Williams’ sad death reminds us of the cost behind the acclaim. 

But is it just the performers who are papering over the cracks? With one 

in four of us suffering from depression at some point in our lives, I wonder 

how many of us seek entertainment as a way of, temporarily at least, forcing 

sorrow into the background. The most successful movies are often the 

“feel-good” ones; the most successful music is often that which gives us an 

emotional lift. Even in church, I notice that many of the contemporary songs 

that are sung with gusto are those sung in a major key with affirming and 

hopeful words. Where in our lives is the place for acknowledging - even 

wallowing - in sorrow? 

Earlier this year Amy and I went to see a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Sixth 

Symphony, the Pathetique, at Sheffield City Hall. Tchaikovsky wrote his final 

symphony shortly before he killed himself and it’s a work laden with beauty, 

suffering and despair. Instead of ending, as so many symphonies do, with 

a positive and rousing finale, they symphony almost fades out in dispirited 

resignation. Usually audiences will pause in a reverential silence before 

applauding. On this occasion, the ending of the symphony was immediately 

followed by a heart-rending wailing. Sitting in front of us was a severely 

disabled man in a wheelchair. He could not contain the emotions stirred up in 

him and, to his obvious embarrassment, simply broke down in tears. There 

could have been no more appropriate way of responding to the music. 

The ancient Greeks called this catharsis - the purging of the emotions 

through effective drama. It’s something that I think is too often lost 

in our culture that rushes to laughter and shuns the tears. 

The Bible speaks of there being a time to weep and a time 

to laugh, and a life lived in balance will pay attention to both. 

Jesus told jokes (did you hear the one about a man with a 

plank in his eye…) and Jesus cried at the obscenity of death. 

Maybe we too need to find the space to cry as well as the place 

to laugh. 

Rev Toby Hole, Vicar, 

St Chad’s Church, Woodseats 

October/November 2014 

Delivered to over 5,000 homes in S8 

Tears and Laughter 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 3 


website: www.stchads.org

miracles, near death experiences, 

torture and escaping from impossible 

situations. 

Brother Yun experienced all these, 

after following God‟s calling since the 

age of 16. Through illegal house 

churches he helped spread 

Christianity through China, whilst 

evading the Chinese authorities who 

saw him as a dangerous criminal. 

After his conversion, Yun fasted for 

100 days on just a bowl of rice, 

praying for a chance to 

glance at a Bible; his 

family were concerned 

for his sanity. To be 

found with a Bible would 

have meant serious 

consequences and 

punishment. God 

honoured this fast and 

prayer sending Yun a 

Bible. He immediately 

read and memorised 

chapters from the Bible. 

With few resources 

During this fast Yun was repeatedly 

tortured, humiliated and beaten by 

Prison Guards and fellow prisoners. In 

prison violent and dangerous men 

observed Yun‟s faith and obedience 

to God. They realised that he was not 

a criminal, just a committed Christian 

and came themselves into a deep and 

loving relationship with Jesus. 

Miraculous and loving interventions 

helped Yun for example jumping over 

a ten foot wall; walking through the 

open doors of a high security prison 

unobserved and walking after his legs 

were so severely broken (he was told 

he would be crippled for life after this 

punishment). 

Whatever Yun experienced, God 

repeatedly demonstrated his 

faithfulness never leaving him or his 

family to cope alone. We will 

probably never experience this kind of 

persecution but this book is testimony 

to the incredible power of God and his 

Holy Spirit. 

Sian Mann 

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At Church House 

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St Chads Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats 


Church Flat Offices: Roofing 

15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 22 website: www.stchads.org 

Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

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Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 4 



A man complained 

after he was sold a 

blown-up balloon at 

a fair for £3. “Your 

previous customer 

only paid £2.50,” he 

told the 

seller. 

“I’ve 

adjusted 

the price 

due to 

inflation,” 

was the reply. 

Did you hear about the man 

who read the book about antigravity? 

It was impossible to put down! 

Why aren’t dogs good at 

dancing? 

They have two left feet! 

Did you hear about the 

man who wrote a song 

about a tortilla? He 

decided to turn it into a 

wrap! 

Entertainment on the Ark was not always the 

most appropriate! 

Did you hear 

about the 

restaurant 

that was 

opened on 

the moon? 

It served 

great food 

but there 

was no 

atmosphere! 

Why did the 

bad singer have 

to stay out all 

night? 

He couldn’t find 

the right key! 

What did the 

landlord say to 

Shakespeare 

when he asked 

for a drink? 

You’re Bard! 

Fun and Laughs 

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0114 2745229 / 07802 752429 

Davis 

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- Full/part removals 

- Internal - 19ft 5” x 7ft 9” high x 7ft 4” wide 

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Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 5 



What’s On 

If you have an event you would like 

to see included in our What’s On 

section, email impact@stchads.org 

Health Walks 

•Mondays - 10am: Graves Park. 

Meet at the Animal Farm car park; 

•Tuesdays - 10.30am: Ecclesall 

Woods. Meet at Abbeydale 

Industrial Hamlet; 

•Thursdays - 10.30am: 

Lowedges. Meet at the 

Community Wing, Lowedges 

Junior School. 

) Call 0114 203 9337. 

October 4&5 

Steam Gathering & Antiques Fair 

Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet 

10am-5pm 

Traditional crafts and skills 

displays, live music, a barbecue 

and the hamlet’s second Antique 

and Craft Fair in conjunction with 

Sheffield Antiques Quarter. 

October 11 

Book Sale 

36 Crawshaw Grove, Beauchief 

10am-12pm 

Good quality second-hand books 

for sale in aid of the Alzheimer’s 

Society. Donations of good 

condition paperback novels or 

biographies are welcome (but not 

larger books due to space). 

October 18 

Escafeld Chorale in Concert 

Central United Reformed Church, 

Norfolk Street, Sheffield 

7.30pm 

Escafeld Chorale, in association 

with the Friends of Rowan School, 

presents Before the Lights 

Went Out – a concert of music 

mainly composed in the period 

immediately before the First World 

War, with pieces by Parry and 

Elgar. The concert also includes 

Rutter’s settings of traditional 

British folk songs, The Sprig of 

Thyme. 

Tickets £11 (£8 concessions; £5 

students/children). Call 0114 236 

9548. 

October 18 

Hallam Sinfonia 

High Storrs School 

7.30pm 

A concert of Russian Music by 

Hallam Sinfonia with pieces by 

Glinka, Prokofiev and 

Tchaikovsky. 

November 8 

Sheffield Philharmonic 

Orchestra 

All Saints’ Church, Ecclesall 

A concert by Sheffield 

Philharmonic Orchestra with music 

by Strauss and Shostakovich 

November 18-21 

Star Quality 

Ecclesall Church Halls 

7.30pm 

Ecclesall Theatre Company 

presents Star Quality by Noel 

Coward. 

November 19-22 

Surprise Package by Dronfield 

Players 

Dronfield Civic Hall 

A farce set in Formentara, the 

smallest of the Balleric Islands in 

the Mediterranean. 

CALLING THOSE OVER 50 YEARS OF AGE: A new group has started as part 

of St Chad’s Third Age Ministry. The TWO (Talking With Others) Groups are at 

Church House on Abbey Lane. All are welcome over 50 years of age. Please 

contact the Church Office on 0114 274 5086 if you would like to find out more. 

We would love to meet you - all our groups are open to all. 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 6 



Ecclesall Woods Sawmill 

10.30am-12.30pm 

November 22 

Nature quiz trail, stream dipping 

Book Sale 

and 

36 Crawshaw 

bug hunting 

Grove, 

activities 

Beauchief 

for 8 - 13 

year 10am-12pm olds. 

Good Call quality 0114 235 second-hand 6348. books 

for sale in aid of the Alzheimer’s 

February Society. 20 

Why Donations Not Try of good A Bike condition 

Greenhil paperback Park novels or biographies 

10am-2pm are welcome (but not larger books 

Rediscover due to space). your cycling skills in 

Greenhill Park. The rangers will 

November 23 

provide a bike, helmet and 

Concert Cavalleria Rusticana and 

instruction. 

HMS Pinafore 

Meet at the Bowls 

Pavilion, 

St Oswald’s 

Greenhill 

Church, 

Park. 

Millhouses 

Booking 7.30pm is essential. 

Call 0114 283 9195. 

Beauchief Abbey Abbey holds holds a variety a 

of variety services of services. and anyone For is more 

welcome information to attend. see page For 20. more 

details see the Abbey notice 

board. 


website: www.stchads.org 

five caracutes of land to be taxed - 

this land is said to have been within 

A double the concert land bill of the by Sheffield manor of Hallam”. 

City Opera. 

T 

For tickets, priced his £10 is and a translation £8, call of part of 

07547 230632. the Domesday Book, the 

great land survey of 1086 

commissioned by William the 

November Conqueror. 29 He wanted to assess the 

A Celebration extent of of the Crafts land and resources 

St Chad’s being Church owned in England at that time, 

11am - so 3.30 that pmhe could determine how much 

A Celebration tax he could of Crafts raise. Sale The with survey also 

proceeds served for St as Chad’s a gauge Church of the country's 

Reshaping 

economic 

Project. 

and social state. 

Come and 

The 

share 

name 

as you 

„Domesday 

support 

Book‟ was 

your local church; buy gifts for 

not adopted until the late 12th century 

Christmas; browse stalls selling 

- the huge, comprehensive scale on 

items including hand made cards, 

scarves, 

which 

buntings, 

the survey 

cushions, 

took place, and the 

inspired 

irreversible 

fabrics, jewellery, 

nature of 

baby 

the information 

gifts and collected, cakes. led the people to compare 

There will it to also the be Last the Judgement, opportunity or 

to see St „Doomsday‟ Chad’s plans described for the in the Bible, 

future, enjoy when refreshments people's deeds, and written be in the 

inspired Book to create. of Life, were to be placed 

To find before out more God call for 0114 judgement! 274 Royal 

5086. commissioners were sent out to 

collect and record information from 

thousands of settlements around 

England. That information was 

What’s On 

Hands 

near a 

Dome 

histori 

Norma 

countr 

feuda 

Throu 

Book 

eviden 

land a 

enoug 

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the An 

in Eng 

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in 107 

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Church Offices: 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 23 

Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

DORE & TOTLEY 

GOLF CLUB 

where friendliness is par for the course 

Special offers on Golf Membership 

Club House lounge 

available for hire for all occasions 

with full catering facilities 

Call the Secretary on 

0114 236 9872 

The Club House, Bradway Road 

Sheffield S17 4QR 

Anderson Tree Services 

Telephone: 0114 274 9101 

Email: thujopsis@aol.com 

Bill Anderson 

131 Holmhirst Road 

Sheffield S8 0GW 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 7 



Laura’s an international 

My friend’s daughterin-law 

is an 

international 

performer. Her 

name is Laura Cork. 

“Don’t recognise the name” 

you say. No, perhaps you 

don’t, but you’ve most 

probably seen her 

without realising it. 

“Is she a 

concert pianist, 

an actress, 

a singer?” 

you ask. No, 

she’s a circus 

artiste and 

numbers aerial 

performance with 

trapeze, hoops and 

silks (that’s lengths 

of fabulous coloured 

silk instead of ropes) 

amongst her many skills. Laura 

is also an expert at fire-spinning 

and stilt-walking. “Mmm, 

not much call for that kind of 

entertainment” you say – but 

that’s where you’re wrong! Laura 

doesn’t sit at home twiddling 

her thumbs. She’s always in 

great demand and performs in 

countries world-wide – Australia, 

Serbia, Kuwait and the United 

Arab Emirates to name just a few. 

Her love of performance started 

as a child in Sheffield. Laura 

became a roller-skating champion 

and travelled as far afield as Beirut 

and South Africa with a stunt 

team. An excellent gymnast from 

a young age, it was her dream to 

take part in the Olympic Games. 

However, whilst studying for 

A-levels at Sheffield College, 

she was drawn to an Art 

and Design course which 

eventually led to her gaining 

an Art Foundation degree 

and this completely 

changed the direction 

of her future 

career. 

Her work is 

physically 

very 

demanding 

and Laura 

spends 

hours 

each day 

perfecting 

her 

established 

routines as well 

as devising new 

ones. Then there’s all 

the exhausting travelling 

to contend with, so how 

on earth does she find the 

time to design and create 

all her fabulous costumes? 

Her performances are often 

peppered with comedy and yet 

are stunningly beautiful when 

something more graceful is 

called for. Laura was thrilled to 

be selected from hundreds of 

performers to take part in the 

opening spectacular of the 2012 

Olympics, strangely fulfilling 

her childhood dream but in a 

different way. You would have 

seen her flying down from 

the stadium roof dressed as 

Mary Poppins. She was also 

part of the closing of the 

Paralympics, descending as 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 8 



high-flyer 

a “firefly” on a flaming aerial hoop, 

then riding a flying stag as Coldplay 

duetted with Rhianna. 

Not content with her solo 

work alone, Laura has set up a 

performance company called 

Meddling Pixies which has meant 

her mastering business skills, too. 

The company creates bespoke 

entertainment for festivals, 

ceremonies, launches, and corporate 

parties but also private events for 

adults and children alike. Meddling 

Pixies work alongside their clients 

with every detail from initial 

concept through to design and 

finally choreography to produce a 

memorable and unique event. 

You can contact Laura at info@ 

lauracork.com or Meddling Pixies at 

hq@meddlingpixies.com 

Chris Laude 

The Abbey Public House 

We would like to welcome old and new 

customers back to the new Abbey. 

We now offer: 

Home cooked food, locally sourced 

A range of great real ales 

A welcoming & relaxing environment 

Come and try our excellent Sunday 

Roast with real roast potatoes and 

Yorkshire puddings. 

With a variety of special events 

throughout the year, come and see what 

we have to offer! 

Call us: (0114) 274 5374 

Email: info@theabbeysheffield.co.uk 

Facebook - The Abbey Public House 

The Abbey. 944 Chesterfield Road, Woodseats, S8 0SH 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 9 



Here’s how little it costs 

to advertise in 

Adverts are priced 

at the following rates for 

one year (six editions): 

1/8 page: £110 

1/6 page: £155 

1/4 page: £225 

1/2 page: £445 

Full page: £915 

Call St Chad’s Church office on 

0114 274 5086 

or email 

impact@stchads.org 

for more information 

Where’s that 

from..? 

Break a leg 

Meaning - to wish actors “good luck” 

without actually using those words, because 

to do so would only result in the opposite 

happening! 

Derived from - superstitions which abound 

in theatrical circles. Thespians say that 

it’s bad luck to whistle backstage, you 

shouldn’t utter the final line of the play 

at a dress rehearsal, and most certainly 

never say the name of the “Scottish play”, 

and so on. There are many suggestions 

as to the derivation of this strange 

exhortation. It’s said that Greek audiences 

stamped their feet to show appreciation - 

presumably, if the actors were worthy of 

a great deal of stamping, legs could get 

broken. Apparently Elizabethans banged 

their seats instead of applauding and this 

often resulted in chair legs being broken. 

However, perhaps another suggestion 

is more plausible - “legs” are tall narrow 

drapes which define the performance area. 

They are hung on either side of the stage to 

mask the off-stage area, where actors often 

wait before they come on-stage, and hide 

them from the audience’s view. At the end 

of a performance, if the audience demands 

an actor come and take several bows, too 

much pulling the “legs” aside could, in fact, 

“break a leg”. 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 10 



I’ve always been a big fan 

of comedy, from sitcoms to 

surreal programmes, like 

the Mighty Boosh. I’ve also 

enjoyed going to watch live 

comedy, but shy away from the 

front row so I don’t get heckled! 

In my teens and twenties, I 

loved acting and performing but 

I never thought about stand-up 

comedy until about two years 

ago. Not knowing where to start, 

I bought a couple of books and 

enrolled on a comedy course 

in Sheffield. Twelve standup 

gigs and two improvised 

comedy (improv) shows later, 

and I’ve met some fantastic 

• 

Lindsey Ladhams and Louise 

Tinniswood have shown they’re 

game for a laugh by taking up 

stand-up comedy. They spoke to 

Impact about how they got started... 

I 

first performed stand-up 

comedy at a revue night 

at my theological college. 

I’d seen many comedians 

perform over the years and 

just wanted to have a go myself - 

and what a buzz it gave me! 

Since starting my job as a 

curate in a church in Doncaster 

I’ve found that performing 

comedy, at church fundraising 

events, in pubs and for charities 

has given me a creative outlet 

that I wouldn’t otherwise have. 

I love making people laugh and 

have found that this has spilled 

over into how I lead church 

services and preach. 

I know that we need to be 

respectful at many points during 

a service but just by putting a 

couple of funny points into a 

people, started to enjoy my time 

on stage and discovered that 

making strangers laugh can be 

tough work! 

As a Christian, there are 

certain topics that I don’t cover, 

and I don’t swear, but I’ve 

found that if the jokes are good 

enough, then you don’t need to 

be obnoxious to make people 

laugh. Sometimes I think, ‘what 

am I doing?!’, but God gives me 

the confidence and the energy 

to get out there and perform. I 

think that maybe if we all did 

a bit of improv ‘yes, and….’, 

instead of ‘no, but’, then the 

world might be a slightly better 

place! 

Lindsey Ladhams 

sermon I’ve found 

that it’s easier to get 

the message across 

and quite often helps 

people to remember the point of 

the sermon too. 

When I perform on stage my 

material is clean and largely 

observational - stories about 

things I’ve done and people I’ve 

met. I don’t like comedy that 

belittles people at all but 

people are a wonderful 

subject and I usually find 

that highlighting foibles in 

my own personality helps 

me to connect with my 

audience. 

I’m sure God has a 

sense if humour too, 

after all have you 

seen how he 

designed the 

giraffe? 

Louise 

Tinniswood 

Having a Laugh! 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 11 



The Theatrical History 

Those who worship at St Chad’s 

will remember this year’s Palm 

Sunday service when members 

of the congregation produced a 

service involving drama, music 

and song. In the three sketches were 

several former members of the St Chad’s 

Dramatic Society, which folded in the 

year 2000 after 54 years of existence. 

There are at least two original members 

still worshipping at the church, namely 

Mary Diskin and Betty Ward. 

Over the years the dramatic society put 

on comedies, farces, and thrillers, as well 

as pantomimes. One of the highlights 

came in 1995 when the group put on 

a revue Put That Light Out! to coincide 

with the 50th anniversary of the end of 

the Second World War. Members also 

wrote and produced dramatic pieces for 

inclusion in Sunday services. 

The society, in its heyday, formed a 

crucial part of the church, entertaining 

with its productions, performing in 

services and helping with fund-raising 

activities. We had a reputation for 

enjoying a great social life, as well as 

taking the performances very seriously 

– up to a point. We also did it for fun and 

fellowship. 

Productions were put on in the 

Memorial Hall for many years but when 

that was demolished, the society decided 

to build a theatre in the body of the 

church – with great success. So, for 

every production, members, their families 

and other volunteers would turn up 

after the church service on the Sunday 

preceding the week of the play, build a 

stage, rehearse for a few days and then 

perform Thursday to Saturday. Then, 

following the Saturday performance, we 

would pull it all down and enjoy a drink 

and a fish supper, knowing that we would 

be back at church in the morning, bleary 

eyed but proud. 

We know that we entertained the 

audiences because feedback was 

St Chad’s Dramatic Society’s very first production 1946 in the Memorial Hall 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 12 



of St Chad’s 

generally good. Of course things went 

wrong – that’s half the fun of am dram. 

Doors refused to open, lights refused to 

shine and, on one occasion, when we 

needed the sound of a car crash, we got 

“God Save the King”! I remember almost 

falling off the side of the stage one night, 

managing to hold on, while dropping a 

tray of crockery – it got the biggest laugh 

that night! 

Pantomimes were great fun and 

we were able to involve lots of church 

members, of all ages. It was the 

same with Put That Light Out! where 

we borrowed some sketches, wrote a 

few more ourselves and got everyone 

singing, a la Vera Lynn. We had some 

great backstage members, including the 

late Ivy Ward who had three jobs with the 

society and would never, despite many 

suggestions, give any of them up. One of 

her jobs was to be in charge of props and 

she kept an array of old relics at the back 

of church, off the Alpha Room. It is still 

called “Ivy’s back passage” to this day! 

When I put the St Chad’s centenary 

history together, I received lots of 

photographs from productions over the 

years and I know that it brought back 

memories for many. We still hold the 

occasional reunion and, hopefully, we 

can bring some more drama to church 

services in the future. 

David Manning 

A CELEBRATION 

OF CRAFTS 

Saturday, November 29, 11am-3.30pm 

at St Chad’s Church, Woodseats 

HAND-MADE CARDS, SCARVES, BUNTINGS, CUSHIONS, 

INSPIRED FABRICS, JEWELLERY, BABY GIFTS, CAKES 

in aid of St Chad’s Reshaping Project – come and see our plans for the future! 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 13 



Help to take control 

of your money 

The CAP Money Course is 

a revolutionary free money 

management course that teaches 

budgeting skills and a simple, 

cash-based system that really 

works. It helps anyone to get more in 

control of their finances, so they can 

save, give and prevent debt. Whether you 

are struggling to make ends meet or are 

comfortable financially, the course gives an 

opportunity to take control of your money. 

The next dates for the course at St 

Chad’s are on Wednesdays October 15, 22 

and 29 at 7pm in the Alpha Room. 

For more information contact Karen 

Kilner 0114 2507369. To find out more 

about Christians Against Poverty go to 

www.capmoneycourse.org. 

Are you looking for 

a room to hold your 

party or meeting? 

St Chad’s Church has 

two rooms available for 

hire at 56 Abbey Lane 

Call 0114 274 5086 for details 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 14 



Your Kids Around The World, 

• based at 708 Chesterfield Road 

in is one of the newest shops in 

Woodseats. Here Wendy Holmes and 

Cynthia Goodison tell us its story... 

In 1989 Wendy Holmes had the 

opportunity to visit a Philippine 

orphanage which cared for 

18 children. After taking them 

to the beach one day, she 

was presented with a meal – but 

the children were nowhere to be 

seen. On asking where they were 

eating the house mother told her: 

“We ate yesterday, maybe we’ll eat 

tomorrow!”. She was hooked. 

Recognising she couldn’t alleviate 

hunger all over the world, she 

declared that these children would 

not go hungry again. She came 

home and told family, church and 

friends all about them and started a 

child sponsorship programme which 

runs to this day. Fifteen further visits 

have been made to this orphanage 

and a new building completed. Her 

sister, Cynthia Goodison, caught 

the vision too and joined her in 

fundraising activities and visits. 

Other opportunities arose 

and Wendy spent six months 

working on the hospital ship, 

Africa Mercy, run by Mercy 

Ships. She witnessed lives 

being transformed by surgery 

and had the joy of sitting 

with patients post op learning 

about their lives. 

Through Operation 

Christmas Child, both 

ladies were able to go on 

distribution trips giving out 

the precious shoe box gifts 

to underprivileged children in 

Romania, Kosovo and Bosnia. 

And visits were made to a welfare 

centre in China where a Woodseats 

physiotherapist has been helping 

physically and mentally disabled 

children for the last seven 

years. 

Their fundraising activities 

grew and grew but always 

the need was greater 

than the supply of funds. 

Finally, both now retirees, 

they decided to set up 

their own charity to support these 

worthy causes, with whom they have 

personal contact. So Your Kids 

Around The World was formed and 

the shop opened. 

In addition, the shop supports 

Baby Basics – a Sheffield charity 

which helps new mums who have 

little or nothing for their babies. They 

need cots, Moses baskets, prams, 

newborn nappies, clothes, toiletries 

etc. 

Small items of toys are stored to 

go into shoebox gifts at Christmas 

whilst good quality shoes are sent 

to the orphanage in the Philippines, 

ranging from babies to adults. 

You are invited to support this 

venture by purchasing from the shop 

and giving donations. Volunteers 

who could give a few hours a week 

either serving on the shop floor or 

working on stock preparation are 

also welcome. 

Some of the Philippine 

children with Wendy 

Helping the World 

To find our more about the charities Your Kids 

Around the World supports visit www.Mercyships.org. 

uk; www.samaritanspurse.uk.com; www.chinaconcern. 

org and www.kingscentreonline.com/babybasics 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 15 



Services at St Chad’s 

Informal and relaxed in style 

An emphasis on families 

Sunday Services 

Sunday 

Services 

Includes music, led by a band 

Includes refreshments before the service 

The 9am Service 

● Traditional in style 

The 

The 

9am 

9am 

Service 

Service 

 

Includes Traditional Holy in style Communion, a sermon & hymns 

● Traditional in style 

Includes refreshments Holy Communion, afterwards 

a sermon & hymns 

● Includes Holy Communion, sermon hymns 

Taken Includes from refreshments Common Worship: afterwards Holy Communion 

● • Includes Monday refreshments to Thursday afterwards at 9am 

Taken from Common Worship: Holy Communion 

● Taken from Common Worship: Holy Communion 

Morning Prayers 

Lifted, Evening the Prayers 11am Service 

Lifted, the • Monday 

● Informal to 

the and 11am 

11am 

10.30am Thursday 

relaxed Service at 

Service in style Service 5pm 

An Informal emphasis and relaxed on families 

in style 

● Informal and relaxed in style 

Includes An emphasis music, on led families by a band 

● An emphasis on families 

• Refreshments Includes Traditional music, in served style 

led by from a band 10.15-10.45am 

● Includes music, led by band 

• Refreshments Includes Taken from refreshments Common served from before Worship: 10.15-10.45am 

the Holy service Communion 

● • Refreshments Includes Holy served Communion, from 10.15-10.45am 

a sermon & hymns 

• Held in the Lady Chapel at the back of church 

The Thursday 10am Service 

Weekday Services 

Weekday 

Services 

 



Prayers 

 

Monday to Thursday at 9am 

•• A To Monday Monday half-hour be held to 

to service on Thursday Monday 

Thursday of prayer at June 9am 

at 9am and 20 and Bible Monday readings July 

18, 7.15-8pm 

• Every Monday to Thursday at 9am 

• A contemplative and meditative form of worship 


with Monday the theme to Thursday Seeking at 5pm Stillness with Jesus . 

• Monday to Thursday at 5pm 

Monday to Thursday at 5pm 

Evening Prayers 

Evening 

Evening Prayers 

Prayers 



Church Offices: 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 3 website: www.stchads.org 

Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

The Thursday 10am Service 

Traditional in style 

The 

The 

Thursday 

Thursday 10am 

10am Service 

Service 

• Taken Traditional from in Common style Worship: Holy Communion 

Traditional in style 

• Includes Taken from Holy Common Communion, Worship: a sermon Holy Communion 

& hymns 

Taken from Common Worship: Holy Communion 

• Held Includes in the Holy Lady Communion, Chapel at the a sermon back of & church hymns 

Includes Holy Communion, sermon hymns 


Held in the Lady Chapel at the back of church 

Other Services 

Other 

 

Services 

Prayer and Praise 

Prayer Contemplative 

Sunday, and February Praise Night 13 at 7.30pm Prayer 

Prayer and Praise 

Sunday, February 13 at 7.30pm 

October Sunday, 

Ash 18, Wednesday 7.15-8pm 

28 February and November 13 at 7.30pm 25 

Service 

Ash Wednesday, March Service 9 at 7.30pm 

Ash at 8pm 

Service 

• To be held on Monday June 20 and Monday July 

• An evening service of prayer and contemplation 

• A contemplative and meditative form of worship 

Wednesday, with the theme March Seeking at Stillness 7.30pm with Jesus . 

Wednesday, March 9 at 7.30pm 



Church Offices: 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 14 website: www.stchads.org 

St Chad’s St Chads St Tel: Chads Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats 


Church, 

(0114) Church, 274 

Linden Linden 5086 

Avenue, Avenue, Woodseats 

email: email: office@stchads.org 

Church Church Church St Chads 

Office: Offices: Offices: Church, 

9 Linden 15 15 Camping 

Linden 

Avenue, 

Camping Avenue, 

Lane, Sheffield 

Lane, Sheffield 

Woodseats Sheffield 

S8 0GA S8 0GB S8 0GB Page Page 316 

14 website: website: 

website: email: 

www.stchads.org 

office@stchads.org 

www.stchads.org 

Tel: Tel: (0114) 

Tel: Church 

(0114) (0114) 

274 

Offices: 

274 5086 

274 5086 5086 15 Camping Lane, Sheffield S8 0GB Page 14 website: www.stchads.org 

Tel: (0114) 274 5086

Sat in the Riding Lights 

rehearsal room is a touring 

set covered in signatures. 

Some are worn away by the 

repeated scuffs of actors’ 

feet, others are still bold and bright 

ten years after they were first written. 

Each is from an audience member of 

The Fun Of The Fair, a Riding Lights 

national tour highlighting creative 

ways to respond to poverty. Many 

have a location attached, everywhere 

from Zimbabwe to Beirut, York to 

Glasgow. It is an astonishingly global 

audience for a piece of theatre 

which visited communities in the 

UK. Most importantly, however, each 

signature is a commitment to combat 

poverty and work for a fairer world. 

Stories were told and audiences 

were entertained, but more than this 

people were moved to action. 

Riding Lights has been touring 

theatre like The Fun Of The Fair 

for over 30 years - theatre which 

engages and delights its audience, 

but also challenges us to look at the 

big questions of life. For example 

our play Origins & Lemons took the 

stories and themes from the opening 

of Genesis and used them as a 

springboard to puzzle over issues 

of science, religion, and the state 

of the world (as well as tell a few 

good jokes). It received the fantastic 

description from one reviewer as ‘CS 

Lewis on a skateboard’. 

We’ve found telling stories to be 

an incredibly valuable way to ask 

questions. They have the marvellous 

ability to illustrate and explore big 

ideas without losing sight of the fact 

they’re played out in human lives. 

A good story doesn’t just show 

us a question, but it also helps us 

empathise with the person asking 

it. Our Roughshod companies are 

a prime example of this. Working 

in local communities – including 

schools, prisons, churches, 

homeless shelters – they use fast 

and funny sketching to get an 

audience laughing. They might be 

retelling a familiar story or pointing 

out an absurd bit of thinking our 

world has got itself caught up in. 

An excellent example of this is a 

sketch performed by our most recent 

Roughshod company titled ‘Hope 

for First World Problems’ which 

took the Facebook or Twitter phrase 

#firstworldproblems, and imagined a 

charity set up to tackle these minor 

tragedies in comfortable lives. 

Some of the most powerful pieces 

a Roughshod company performs are 

stories from actors’ own lives – their 

struggles or moments seeing God at 

work. These stories remind us that 

none of us have our lives sorted – 

the person on stage might appear 

confident, but at times they’re just as 

confused as everyone else. Another 

example from our most recent 

Roughshod company was from 

Daniel who, with wit and confidence, 

told the story of his struggle with 

OCD. These are moments of honesty 

as well as laughter, moments which 

tell us that it’s ok to be searching, or 

hurting, or confused – and none of 

these things disqualify us from God’s 

love. They are stories which leave 

us with a little hope, and perhaps a 

glimpse of the divine. 

Peter Birkinshaw 

Riding Lights Theatre Company 

Stories in Action 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 17 



The World of Minecraft 

Over the past decades 

entertainment has been 

transformed. From 

smartphones and iPads 

to PlayStations and Wiis, 

entertainment is now a hi-tech 

industry with computer and video 

games providing very popular in 

homes across the world as well as 

in Woodseats. 

One of these is Minecraft – a 

Lego-style adventure game which 

is said to have over 100 million 

registered users and is becoming 

the third most popular video game 

of all time. 

We asked three of our younger 

readers, Magnus, Isaac and Lydia 

Hole to tell us what’s so great 

about Minecraft... 

Isaac (8): “Minecraft is an 

everlasting computer game where 

everything is made out of blocks 

and there are no levels. As the 

name suggests, you craft and you 

mine. You also create structures 

and play with your friends on 

multiplayer servers. 

“I like the three dimensions: the 

bright and sunny overworld, the 

fiery Nether and the dark, small 

End. I also like the countless 

structures, biomes and blocks. 

On your first night you will come 

across all sorts of creatures - from 

zombies and skeletons to creepers 

and giant spiders. These are 

known as ‘mobs’. The first blocks 

you will mine will probably be dirt 

and wood, but as you go along you 

can get to diamond and obsidian. 

“I’m making a giant dragon roller 

coaster made from diamond, with a 

giant glass tube that runs through 

lava. The dragon will have green 

eyes made of emerald and a ramp 

that sends you flying. You will be 

able to go inside the dragon too!” 

Lydia (5): “I like building because 

I like making villages and I like 

making tree houses. And I just love 

making hotels. What I love about 

the hotels I make is that they are 

so pretty. I actually made a hotel 

for animals and the receptionist is 

a cow and it has beds for pigs to 

sleep in. There are some sheep 

and there is some food for the 

sheep. There’s a TV in the hotel 

and some chairs. 

“I like going in mine carts and 

whizzing around.” 

Magnus (10): “I like the fact 

that Minecraft is a cooperative 

game with no limits to what you 

can make on it. I built a massive 

house with a hidden entrance and 

loads of furnaces in the kitchen. I 

absolutely love mining and the thrill 

of finding a rare material such as 

diamond or gold. 

“I also like the fact that you 

can have your very own ‘look’ on 

Minecraft and your own character 

you look through the eyes of. I also 

like it that updates come out every 

few months or so adding new 

mobs and new blocks and things 

like that.” 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 18 



When you are invited 

to a family-based, 

participatory stage 

production, which 

includes songs, 

slapstick comedy, dancing by crossgender 

actors – all combined with 

topical humour and based on a wellknown 

children’s tale then you know 

it’s the pantomime season again! 

I cannot quite remember when I 

first went to the panto but I imagine 

it would have been an amateur 

production in one of the church halls 

in Chapeltown where I lived until I 

was nine. We used to take our own 

children and have now started taking 

our grandchildren. To be honest a lot 

of the humour is lost on children as 

it’s designed to ‘go over their heads’ 

– at least we hope it does. 

Pantomimes, whilst very modern in 

flavour, have their heritage in ancient 

Greece and Rome where a theatre 

troupe would travel round the major 

cities performing for the masses – I 

cannot imagine they would have 

been anything like the performances 

we have now. In fact it was during 

the early 1800s when panto began 

to take on the shape we know today. 

That is when the trend for basing 

them on folk tales began and has 

continued to this day. This form of 

entertainment developed in England 

and really nowhere else except in a 

few English speaking countries. For 

this reason if you ever have foreign 

visitors or exchange students don’t 

think of taking them to see a panto 

unless you want them to think that we 

have gone absolutely bonkers. Not 

only is it unlikely to be part of their 

culture but the producers of the panto 

assume that we all know the story 

so well that there is little explanation 

needed, which might leave your 

visitors a bit mystified. If you don’t 

believe me try explaining why the 

principal boy is played by a girl 

and the female lead is really a man 

Dick Whittington is this year’s 

pantomime at the Lyceum from 

December 5 January 4 and stars 

Samantha Womack, Damian 

Williams and Andy Day. 

dressed as a rather large woman! 

For me panto is an integral part 

of the winter season and audience 

participation is the best bit. We get to 

boo and hiss at the villain and cheer 

at the hero/heroine. We even get to 

shout out the traditional responses 

such as “he’s behind you” or “oh yes 

it is” – “oh no it isn’t”. The fun is in 

knowing the story so well that we 

can anticipate what is coming next 

and, if they are lucky, the children get 

chosen to go on stage and perform 

or get sweets thrown towards them 

by the cast. 

In recent years we have gone to 

the Lyceum which is just an amazing 

venue for panto. This year it’s Dick 

Whittington although my all-time 

favourite panto ‘actors’, the Chuckle 

Brothers, are performing elsewhere 

this year. If you’ve never been to a 

pantomime, give it a try – leave your 

inhibitions at home and enjoy! 

My favourite panto joke – 

‘Our family is very poor. I tried 

supplementing our income by taking 

a job as a contortionist but I still 

couldn’t make ends meet’ – boom, 

boom. 

Steve Winks 

Oh yes it is! 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 19 



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Welcome 

to Beauchief Abbey 

www.beauchiefabbey.org.uk 

email info@beauchiefabbey.org.uk 

Weekly Services are held at Beauchief Abbey 

All welcome 

st 

1 2 

nd th 

& 4 Sundays each month 

Holy Communion: 11.00am 

rd 

3 Sunday Evensong: 3.00pm 

th 

5 Sunday Matins 11.00am 

Our church services are based on the Book of 

Common Prayer 

and refreshments are served after the service. 

See our website for more information about 

the Abbey and special events. 

Sharing the 

As I write this article 

I have just finished 

packing to go on 

holiday, and winter 

seems a long way 

off. But I know that as soon 

as we get back home we will 

begin sorting out premises for 

this year’s Operation Christmas 

Child. 

It can be quite a headache 

finding a place large enough to 

receive the many shoeboxes 

donated by schools, churches, 

businesses, families and 

organisations and have space 

for the many volunteers who 

come along to check and seal the boxes 

ready for dispatch. 

Operation Christmas Child, organised 

by Samaritan’s Purse, works with 

local churches and charities overseas 

to distribute the shoeboxes to those 

who most need them regardless of 

their background or beliefs, asking 

nothing in return. This may be in 

schools, hospitals, orphanages, 

homeless shelters or impoverished 

neighbourhoods. 

Adam Tankard, the new regional 

manager for this area was able to help 

distribute shoeboxes in Rwanda. He has 

many stories to tell but I would like to 

share just a couple here. 

“As we started handing out the boxes, 

the anticipation in the room built up. 

When the children finally opened their 

boxes I have never heard excitement 

quite like it. The shouts and squeals of 

delight seemed to go on for ages. 

“The next day we went to a community 

centre which has an outreach to the 

children. This is the poorest area we 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 20 



Love of Christmas 

Adam Tankard and Arsene 

visited. One boy in particular made a 

huge impression on me. He is called 

Arsene and is 12 years old. He was 

very excited to meet an Englishman and 

said that he has always wanted to visit 

England. I warned him how cold it was. 

When he opened his box a hat was the 

first thing he found. He put it straight on 

and said “I can visit England now and I 

won’t be cold”. He had a huge grin on 

his face as he said it. As I said goodbye 

he pulled a candy cane from his box and 

said “I’ve never seen these before, but I 

want you to have it”. He is an amazing 

boy and our meeting will stay with me for 

the rest of my life. 

We can’t erase the poverty and needs 

of all the children, but we can bring 

excitement and fun into the lives of 

some. 

It’s so easy to do – just giftwrap a 

shoebox then fill it with a selection 

of simple gifts such as paper, pens, 

pencils, crayons, ball, skippingrope, 

cars, soft toy, doll, hair-slides, 

soap, toothbrush, hairbrush, hat, 

gloves, scarf, 

not forgetting a 

few sweets with 

a sell-by date 

of at least March 2015 (not chocolate). 

More ideas and a list of items which 

are not permitted can be found in our 

leaflet which will be available from St 

Chad’s Church Office or in church from 

October 1. Choosing gifts can be fun for 

all the family and with a little imagination 

it doesn’t have to cost much. Finally 

please add a donation towards shipping 

costs (£3) and bring the completed box 

along to the church or church office by 

the end of November. 

I hope you will consider supporting 

us this year. If you would like more 

information or want 

to come along to the 

warehouse to help 

check shoeboxes, 

please contact 

me through the 

church office on 

0114 274 5086. 

Carole Titman 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 21 



The Story of ‘Disco Dave’ 

Many of you will know ‘Disco Dave’ 

• Frost as an entertainer at events 

and venues across the area. Here he 

tells us a bit about his life-story... 

I was young 

I listened to the 

radio playing all my 

favourite songs’ - you 

‘When 

might remember that 

as a hit song by the Carpenters but it 

relates to my childhood life wanting to 

be a radio presenter and disc jockey. 

From pirate radio on the North 

Sea I listened to Kenny Everett, Noel 

Edmonds and Roger Moffat – even 

Listen With Mother on my mediumwave 

valve radio! My father was a 

photographer at Firth Browns at Firth 

Browns and, after leaving Rowlinson 

School, I worked as a salesman at 

Sheffield Photo Company becoming 

a sales representative in the audio 

visual department. For three years I 

studied TV, radio and electronics at 

Stannington and Chesterfield College 

on my day off. 

St Chad’s was a big part of my 

growing up with Bible study groups, 

being confirmed and the Friday night 

Youth Group in the then Church Hall. 

I started to DJ – and Disco Dave 

was born – playing music on vinyl 

records and then cassettes! I 

became a youth leader and server to 

help with vicars Peter Wright, Hedley 

Hodkin and Pat Needham for the 

church services. I joined St Chad’s 

Drama Society with Bert Bishop, 

Mary Diskin and Betty Bradwell, 

learning the skills of entertainment. 

A disco for kids was an idea I gave 

to the Youth Leader team, to be held 

in the Church Hall every Saturday 

evening with pop, crisps, a local boy 

band and myself as the DJ – a great 

idea for mums and dads to leave the 

children with us and have a night off. 

The Saturday Duck Show was born. 

Children from across the area came 

to hear live bands as music and lights 

converted the Church Hall 

into a disco. 

We had a large youth 

club going out and about 

in school holidays on the 

train, cycling to Padley 

Gorge, Grindleford and Hathersage. 

There were weekends at Hollowford 

Retreat Centre and a narrowboat trip 

to Goole. The group and I presented 

many events for the community from 

pea and pie suppers to pantomimes. 

My entertainment career stopped 

after I was attacked, mugged and left 

unconscious. I was taken to hospital 

and remained on an emergency ward 

for about two years. Ian Cowley, the 

curate, and my family prayed at my 

bedside and others prayed for God’s 

help and guidance. One year later 

I was “re-made” so that I could help 

other people in the community. 

I always liked the radio and wrote 

to Keith Skues, director of Radio 

Hallam, for a job. I joined the team, 

producing The Bailey Brothers Rock 

Show from MTV, presenting various 

shows including Sunday Spread, a 

religious programme (called The God 

Squad Team) interviewing celebrities 

including Cliff Richard. 

I was a Community Church Worker 

with the YMCA and worked at Cliff 

College and Moorlands College in 

Bournemouth, and at Skegness each 

spring I hosted the daily morning 

show on Spring Harvest Radio at 

Butlin’s. I started Radio Cracker as 

the first young people’s Christian 

Radio in Yorkshire and helped 

start, and present, Hope Radio 

in Bournemouth and Premier on 

Freeview channel. I write for Plexus 

magazine and have DJ-ed for garden 

parties, fairs and family parties as 

well as school events, including at 

Abbey Lane. 

Radio presenting, community work 

and DJ-ing is a gift from God. What’s 

yours? 

“Thank you for the music”. 

David Frost 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 22 



The Montgomery has 

recently been described 

in the Sheffield Telegraph 

as Sheffield’s hidden gem. 

More and more people 

are discovering its existence but 

it is actually one of the oldest 

entertainment venues in the city. 

Montgomery Hall was built in the 

1880s making it the perfect place 

for Sunday schools to meet, and as 

a resource for the city. The building 

was named after James Montgomery 

– hymnwriter, poet, philanthropist and 

one of the founders of the Sheffield 

Sunday School Union – and included 

two large halls which were used for 

a variety of entertainments as well 

as for religious events. The grand 

opening took place in 1887 and 

the hall was filled with prestigious 

Sunday school members and clergy 

from around the city. After hymns, 

prayers and speeches to mark 

the opening, Sir Henry Coward, 

England’s premier chorus-master, 

conducted a performance by the 

Sunday School Union Choral Society. 

Performance and music have 

long been important activities at The 

Montgomery. The 1935 and 1937 

Whit Sings, conducted by Sir Henry 

Coward, were broadcast on the 

radio. Although the upper hall was 

roughly converted into a theatre in 

1910, it wasn’t until the 1930s that 

the potential of the theatre space 

was really recognised. A total of 

£470 was spent to extend the stage 

and a proscenium curtain and stage 

lighting were installed to enhance 

The Montgomery as a theatre, not 

just a meeting hall. Staging theatrical 

performances at The Montgomery 

put it right at the heart of city culture 

and entertainment! The lower 

hall was converted into the iconic 

Tuckwoods’ Restaurant during the 

Second World War. 

On April 4, 1971 a fire started on 

the stage late at night and destroyed 

most of the 

theatre. It was 

the biggest 

city centre 

fire since the 

Second World 

War. Described 

by the local 

press as ‘a 

phoenix rising 

from the ashes’ 

the theatre 

reopened on 

April 10, 1972. 

Since then it has been home to 

many local operatic societies, drama 

and dance groups, as well as the 

Montgomery Players. 

Recently the managing trustees 

have taken the bold decision to 

upgrade the venue, both in terms 

of programming (developing a 

programme of family-friendly events 

in line with the charity’s Christian 

ethos as well as fostering the vital 

links with local amateur societies) 

and fabric. Programming includes 

workshops, film and theatre. Look 

out for the family arts festival events 

in October including Jack and the 

Beanstalk and The Jungle Book. Full 

details of these and all our events 

can be found on our website www. 

TheMontgomery.org.uk. 

We would love to welcome you. 

Glyn Jones, 

Chair of Trustees 

Sheffield’s Hidden Gem 



Tel: (0114) 274 5086 

Page 23 



Entertaining Memories 

When the Second 

World War 

broke out I 

had worked at 

Firth-Brown’s steel works 

for just over two years as 

a shorthand typist so I was 

not compelled to join the forces. 

However, I had to enrol in one of the 

after-work services such as St John 

Ambulance, WVS or ENSA. I joined 

the latter and after doing a day’s 

work we would go into town after 

having tea and congregate in Surrey 

Street where there was a convoy 

of single-decker buses with each 

concert party’s name on the side. 

We were taken to entertain troops in 

various localities and army camps 

within Yorkshire and Derbyshire. 

We also went to stately 

homes like Hardwick 

Hall which were usually 

officers’ quarters. 

There were about 10 

of us in the actual concert 

party doing different acts 

as well as some doing 

small skeches. My 

mother used to be the 

wardrobe mistress and 

my father acted as stage 

manager. 

We started entertaining at 

about 8pm and finished about 

10pm, arriving home at midnight. 

It was then off to bed and back to 

work at Brightside to clock in at 

9am. We did three concerts most 

weeks. 

At the end of the war there was 

a huge gathering at the City Hall 

with one person representing each 

concert party taking part in a victory 

celebration. As there were not 

too many artists who did poems, I 

represented our party and recited a 

Victory Poem written by my father 

to finish off the entertainment and 

the closing of Voluntary ENSA 

entertainment around this area. 

Barbara Fox 

• 

We asked members of St Chad’s 

Third Age Ministry to tell us 

a little about their memories of 

entertainment in times gone by... 

• My aunts’ names, Misses 

Rodgers, are listed in the 

programme (below) from 1905. 

They were all members of St 

Chad’s Church later but attended 

Chantrey Road Methodist Church 

and worked along with many 

others to build St Chad’s in 1912. 

All three ladies and my mother, 

who was a 

few years 

younger, 

were 

involved in 

all sorts of 

plays and 

concerts at 

St Chad’s 

in the early 

years. This 

was the era 

of musical 

evenings at 

home and in 

small venues. 

Mary Diskin 

• One of my memories is learning 

to swim at New Brighton when you 

‘walked’ into the pool. My parents were 

very good swimmers. My father played 

water polo, my mother was either the 

first or only woman to win the annual 

Morecambe Cross Bay race. 

Pat Parker 

• When I was young we could play 

in the road with a skipping rope tied 

across the road around the boxes 

oranges came in. Two girls would 

turn it and another run and jump into 

it chanting a rhyme. Mums and dads 

would come out and watch us and it 

wasn’t long before they took over the 

game and we stood and watched. 

Dora Binney 



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The first production of 

Hiawatha took place 

in 1933 from May 

6-13. It was the first 

musical spectacular to be 

produced at the newly-built 

Sheffield City Hall which 

had opened the previous 

year and was such an 

outstanding success that 

it was performed again the 

following year. 

They had managed to 

engage an authentic ‘Chief’ 

called Oskenonton to take 

the leading role and this was 

a great attraction as, with his 

feathered headgear, bronze 

skin and wonderful singing 

voice, he was the ideal 

choice. Many of well-known 

choirs were approached 

• We used to go 

to the Weston Picture 

Palace as youngsters 

and see cowboy 

pictures, usually Roy 

Rogers or Gene Autry 

and Felix the Cat. We 

needed an older person 

to take us in; it cost 5d 

or 6d. 

We joined an 

organisation called the 

Girls Friendly Society 

and once a year they 

took us to Filey on a 

holiday. We also joined 

the Brownies and went 

camping. 

During the war we 

used to go down to the 

greengrocers to find out 

if they had any bananas. 

If they had, we would ask 

them for the rope that 

fastened it and used it as 

a skipping rope. We also 

had a gramophone with 

a horn fixed to it and 

played 78rpm records. 

Anne Phelps 

to take part in what was a 

spectacular production of 

acting, dancing and singing. 

I was 11 years old and 

chosen to be one of young 

dancing team. We were 

‘sunbeams’. 

It was such an outstanding 

success that it was produced 

again the following year. I 

was in it the second time 

around and it was very 

exciting as we knew most 

of those taking part and 

‘Hiawatha’ used to tell us 

stories when we had chance 

to sit around at rehearsals. 

Although we only had a 

small part to play it was 

something so colourful and 

enjoyable and something 

one can always look back on 

• Before, during and after 

the war, trainspotting 

was one of my main 

interests. The steps on 

Charlotte Road for me 

and my mates was the 

favourite spot for spotting! 

Express locomotives at 

that time were Jubilees 

and Patriots. Heavy goods 

were pulled by 2.8.0s 

and the strong Garretts. 

Tanks, guns, lorries and 

all kind of goods travelled 

on the Up London and Up 

Manchester lines. 

November 1, 1944 

was very special. The 

Coronation-class City Of 

Sheffield made its only 

visit to the city to be 

officially named and 

I went to the Midland 

Station for the naming 

ceremony. Although 

I saw London North- 

Eastern locomotives as 

well, it was the London 

Midland Scottish that 

held my interest. 

and be glad to have had the 

opportunity to be part of. 

Barbara Fox 

The first time I saw a 

Great Western Railway 

locomotive was when I 

joined the Army in 1947. 

I was agog when I first 

saw a King locomotive – 

what a magnificent beast. 

Over the years I began a 

Great Western record of 

locomotives. When I was 

posted to Chatham, my 

association with Southern 

railway began.Today I have 

a large model railway at 

home. When I met my wife 

Iris she told me that as a 

child to use to watch the 

Southern railway train pass 

the bottom of her garden. 

What a lucky girl! 

Gerald Roe 



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Book Review 

Never Look Away 

by Linwood Barclay 

This is a fairly 

pacey American 

thriller that is 

an easy and 

entertaining read. 

The story is centred 

around a newspaper 

reporter, David Harwood, 

working on a story about a company called 

Star Spangled Corrections that is trying 

to open a new prison facility in his home 

town. Harwood suspects corruption and in 

seeking the truth comes into contact with 

some very shady characters. He also meets 

with a stange reluctance from his newspaper 

bosses to develop what could be a real 

scoop of a story. 

Meanwhile his wife suddenly appears 

to develop a bout of depression and, in 

order to enjoy some “quality time” with 

her husband and four-year-old son, books 

tickets for a new theme park. A strange 

choice for a day out with a four year old, 

and even stranger still the child is put into 

a pushchair and immediately falls asleep 

on the way in! However this doesn’t seem 

to concern Harwood or anyone else. The 

disappearance of his son, followed by, on 

finding his son, the disappearance of his 

wife, does distress him. From then on things 

get stranger and stranger as he tries to get 

to the truth behind these events. The story 

takes many twists and turns and manages 

to keep the reader engrossed. Personally I 

struggled with the liberal sprinkling of bad 

language, but that’s probably just me. Some 

of the characters are a little shallow and 

no-one seems to ask the obvious “why” 

questions that would have brought the case 

to a resolution much more quickly. 

Although the book, for me, fails to 

compete with the quality of writing from 

many British thriller writers it is nevertheless 

a good holiday read. 

Jane Jones, St Chad’s Book Club 



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Registers 2014 

Thanksgiving 

July 

5 Katie Marie Moore 

Baptisms 

August 

17 Macy Rae Etches 

Jude William Everatt 

Funerals 

July 

15 Doris Crookes (89) 

16 Barry Gall (74) 

28 Jean Hoyland (81) 

August 

5 Margaret Birtles (89) 

11 Margaret Frow (87) 

11 Mary Anate Roper (77) 

For Weddings 

and Funerals 

You don’t have to be a churchgoer to 

have a wedding in church or be 

‘religious’ to have a dignified and 

meaningful funeral service at St Chad’s. 

If you live in the Woodseats or 

Beauchief area, St Chad’s would be 

delighted to help you, whether it is 

planning the Big Day or saying goodbye 

to a loved one. 

For weddings please contact St Chad’s 

church office. For funerals please tell 

your funeral director that you would like 

to have a church service. 

• If you have had a new baby and would 

like to celebrate that baby’s birth with 

a service in church then please come 

to one of our thanksgiving and baptism 

mornings at St Chad’s. 

The morning will explain the difference 

between the two services and give 

parents an opportunity to ask any 

questions. Please call the church office 

on 0114 274 5086 if you are interested in 

attending. 



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Cafe Church 

Sunday 

November 29th 

11am 

St Chad’s Church 

Coffee :: Cake :: Chat :: Worship 

JOHN FORD PLUMBING 

All aspects of general home maintenance 

SPECIALISTS IN BATHROOMS 

Shower rooms, conversions and tiling, 

no job too small. 

Full service, all work guaranteed. 

Qualified tradesman, 40 years experience. 

Call now for your free estimate! 

Telephone: 0114 235 9746 

Mobile: 0776 156 9068 



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Contacts @ St Chad’s 

CHURCH OFFICE 9 Linden Avenue 274 5086 

S8 0GA 

Term time office hours: 

Mon - 10am-1pm; Tues - 9.30am-1pm; 

Thurs - 9.30am-1pm; Fri - 9am-11am 

Church Office Administrator 

Helen Reynolds 


Vicar Toby Hole (Vicarage) 274 9302 

email: toby@stchads.org 

Curate Duncan Bell 274 5086 

email: duncan.j.bell@gmail.com 

Assistant Minister for the elderly Yvonne Smith 274 5086 

Youth Worker Nick Seaman 274 5086 

email: nick@stchads.org 

Besom in Sheffield 

Steve Winks and 

Darren Coggins 07875 950170 

Impact magazine Tim Hopkinson 274 5086 

email: impact@stchads.org 

Church Wardens Jimmy Johnson 274 5086 

Linda McCann 274 5086 

Deputy Wardens Ann Firth 274 5086 

Ann Lomax 274 5086 

Buildings Manager Malcolm Smith 274 5086 

Uniformed Groups 

Group Scout Leader Ian Jackson 235 3044 

Guide Leader Jemma Taylor 296 0555 

CHURCH HOUSE 56 Abbey Lane 274 8289 

Bookings Helen Reynolds 274 5086 

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.stchads.org 

PLEASE NOTE: The inclusion of advertisements in Impact in no way means the 

advertiser is endorsed or recommended by St Chad’s Church. 



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2014-10

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