Digital magazine for April 2020

Golden Cap E-Magazine April 2020
Rev Chris Martin licensed as new Team Rector Photos by Rose Trafford
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Unfortunately we are unable to publish our normal April magazine. It was already at the printers when
the Government introduced more stringent requirements on self-isolation in response to the coronavirus
crisis.
In these circumstances we felt it would be wrong to try and distribute the magazine as it would not be
possible to do so while also being able to guarantee maintaining the requirement for social distancing.
As a replacement to your normal magazine, we have produced this newsletter version which is being sent
out by email. We intend to send out further newsletters of this kind on a regular basis until we are again
able to publish a magazine. A special edition for Easter is planned and we will then aim to produce
further issues at the start of each month.
This enables us to properly cover the licensing service that recently took place at Charmouth for the new
Golden Cap Team Rector, the Rev. Chris Martin. I am most grateful to Rose Trafford for providing us
with an excellent photographic record of this memorable occasion.
Also included is our normal Spotlight article together with other items of community interest although,
of course, a large number of local events have been postponed or cancelled due to the health emergency.
We are attempting to distribute this “e-magazine” to all our readers but please forward your copy to
anyone who you think would be interested.
Mark Van de Weyer, Editor

Spotlight
There is a wonderful story of a tightrope walker, who was challenged to walk the
tightrope across Niagara Falls. Everything was in place. There were huge steel
struts on either side of the canyon to hold the rope and a strong, steel tightrope.
There were television cameras, reporters and a massive crowd, but there was no
safety net.
The tightrope walker appeared with a wheelbarrow, which he decided to push in
front of him across the rope. The crowd cheered him on, although some begged him
not to make this foolish attempt. One voice in the crowd was more vociferous than
the rest: “Go on you can do it, I know you can. Don’t listen to those pessimists.
I have complete faith in you.”
The tightrope walker turned to the speaker.” You have faith in me? You’re certain?
You know I can do it?” The speaker emerged from the crowd and nodded. “I am
absolutely certain, I have no doubt at all. You can do it. “
“OK” said the tightrope walker. “Hop into my wheelbarrow, I’ll wheel you across !“
Amazingly the speaker put his money where his mouth was and climbed into the
wheelbarrow, and the tightrope walker wheeled him safely across to the other side. What incredible,
courageous, foolhardy faith!
There seems to be a difference between faith and belief. Faith involves belief, but is more than that. Faith
involves putting belief into action. Faith means both believing and acting on that belief.
At this time of writing we have just started the season of Lent. This is a time for Christians to examine
their faith, to reflect on their lives, to look towards the light of Easter and the Cross.
Jesus called his first disciples from their employment as fishermen to be fishers of men. Just as he called
the first disciples, so does Jesus call us. He calls us not only to follow him, but to become fishers of
people for him. It is a challenging thing to do, in effect it is getting into the wheelbarrow for Jesus.
Jim Pettifer, Licensed Lay Minister
Other news
Team quick to respond
Golden Cap Team Rector, the Rev. Chris Martin, responded quickly to
the challenge of finding different ways to reach out to local
communities while traditional public worship is unable to take place.
Within two days of church services being suspended, the Golden Cap
Team, with technical support from Max Trafford, had set up its own
YouTube channel called ‘Golden Cap Team of Churches’ where it is
planned to regularly include videos produced by the clergy team.
This will enable Chris to produce videos of the remainder of the Lent Courses which otherwise would
have had to be cancelled. Also, the Rev. John Eade immediately produced a video of an address for
Mothering Sunday.
Pancake party—Lyme Regis Church Hall
We had a great time with the Get Together Club on Shrove
Tuesday at the Church Hall making and tossing between 50
and 60 pancakes. £145 was raised by donations and a raffle.
The money was divided between the church and Get
Together Club. A big thank you to all the helpers.
Shirley Williams
Young Farmers help out in Marshwood Vale
Marshwood Vale Young Farmers Club is offering help with shopping for
people having to self-isolate. They can be contacted on 08901-336382
and members will volunteer to provide doorstep delivery.

Remembering Bob Knight from Whitchurch Canonicorum
Robert Gifford Knight was born on 31 March 1927 and was the only child of
Charles and Florence who lived at Morcombelake. It is assumed that the
Knights are the oldest established family in this area of West Dorset as they
can trace their ancestry back to 1603.
Bob was a general engineer and started his apprenticeship at Buglers in
Beaminster aged 16 during the Second World War and was then called up to
the armed forces and joined the 16/5 Queens Royal Lancers and did his
national service in Egypt. He then spent eight years in the aircraft industry.
Two of these were with Vickers Armstrong, and then six years with Westland
in Yeovil.
On his mother's death in 1966 he returned to Whitchurch Canonicorum and did
general engineering in West Dorset. He converted the church clock to
electrical winding and worked for Pitfield Brothers building company for a time. Bob could put his hand
to most things and spent quite a lot of his time gardening for people in the district. Bob was a great
naturalist being born and brought up in what was then a thriving rural countryside. He spoke fondly of a
local economy that had a blacksmith, tinker, tailor, baker and a large number of local tradespeople. He
knew many of the local birds just by their calls and was an avid naturalist. He loved his garden having
bees and producing a wide range of fruit and vegetables.
He was also fond of his daily cider right up to his nineties and talked fondly of cider making together
with other local folk, especially Alan Pitfield down at Prime Coppice. Alan was in charge of the apple
mill (scratter) which chopped up the apples to make the pomace to fill the cider cheese in the press.
Cider would be drunk and passed around the circle - all drinking from the same two handled cup.
Bob and Alan Pitfield had a strong friendship working in and around the woods together, and they also
hunted deer for the pot. Bob was able to deploy his considerable mechanical skills fixing Alan's old
crawler tractor and machinery.
In 1964 Bob married Diana Seale-Crisp at Whitchurch Canonicorum and they first lived with his parents
at Goodens Hill. A little later on they purchased land at Morcombelake and built a cedar wood bungalow
on the plot and named it Cedarcote.
During the Second World War Diana was in the RAF as a CO Driver. Later she worked in the
Meteorological Office for six years. Diana passed away in 2009. Bob remained at Cedarcote until his
death in January this year.
Bob was a kindly man with a good heart and a great friend to many people in the village.
He will be sorely missed as one of the last true remaining Dorset country gentleman.
Kit Vaughan, Sylvia Creed-Castle and Jim Coe
Volunteers helping their neighbours
Char Valley Parish Council, which covers Morcombelake, Stanton St. Gabriel, Ryall, Wootton
Fitzpaine, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Fishpond and Monkton Wyld has set up a team to help everyone
living in the area who may need help during the current health emergency.
The Council said: “We are here to help you through these uncertain and worrying times. Helping
neighbours is something we are naturally very good at doing in this area and many of you will already
be making personal arrangements with friends, family and neighbours.
“We know many vulnerable residents are self-isolating already and the situation is moving hourly.
Government provisions may kick in at some time but, meanwhile, volunteers are ready to co-ordinate
offers and needs for shopping, medicine collection and practical help if required.
If you can offer help or need it, please contact them, preferably by email with your contact details.”
The volunteers are:
Morcombelake: Clare Mahaddie clare.mahaddie@icloud.com 01297-489813
Ryall: Rachel Coney/Eddie Hall rachelconey0@gmail.com and eddiehallhome@gmail.com
telephone 01297-489825 and 07971-225873.
Stanton St Gabriel: Andrew Carey andrew@westhay.com 01297-560057
Whitchurch Canonicorum: Carolyn Peck carolyn56peck@gmail.com 01297-489185
Wootton Fitzpaine: Debby Snook debsnook@aol.com 01297-561395

Over 200 watch Chris installed as the new Team Rector
A congregation of over 200 crowded into St Andrew’s
Church, Charmouth, to witness the licensing of the Rev.
Chris Martin as the new Team Rector of the Golden Cap
Team. The service was conducted by the Bishop of
Sherborne, the Rt. Rev. Karen Gorham, assisted by the
Archdeacon of Sherborne, the Ven. Penny Sayer.
Parish administrator, Margaret Trafford, said the
following morning: “It certainly was a night to
remember. The evening flowed beautifully, all readings,
the sermon and welcomes were flawless and inspiring.”
Among the congregation was a group who had travelled by coach from
Chris’s former parishes in Devon.
Many local organisations were represented and formally welcomed Chris
during the service. These were: Cllr Brian Larcombe, Mayor of Lyme
Regis, Cllr Simon Christopher, Dorset Council, Cllr Michaela Ellis, Lyme
Regis Town Council also representing St Michael’s School, Philip Evans,
local President, Royal British Legion, Nick Marks, RNLI Lifeboat
Manager, Eddie Rowe, representing the farming community, Alison
Taylor, Charmouth Free Church, on behalf of the other denominations,
Chris Legg, A J Wakely & Sons, funeral directors, Luke Owen, head
teacher, Marshwood School, Julie Baker, Golden Cap Team bellringers,
Janet Jackson, Deanery Lay Chair, and Very Rev. Nicholas Papadopulos,
Dean of Salisbury. Charmouth Scouts were also represented.
In her sermon Bishop Karen paid tribute to the extra work that had been
taken on so willingly by Margaret, churchwardens, Parochial Church
Councils (PCCs), retired clergy and lay ministers since the previous Team
Rector and Team Vicar, Stephen and Jane Skinner, left in November 2018.
During the service a collection was taken to support the people of Southern
Sudan and Sudan with whom the Diocese of Salisbury has had a link for
many years. It raised nearly £750. The evening ended with canapes and drinks being served by
volunteers from the Golden Cap parishes.
Chris said afterwards: “Can I say an enormous THANK YOU to everyone who worked so hard to make
my licensing at Charmouth such a delightful occasion. A huge team of people made it possible, and both
Tina and I are very grateful.
“I admit to being a little daunted by it on the afternoon beforehand. The Church of England has a
wonderful way of making everything seem very
complicated and I was concerned that the
logistics and choreography of the event would
become so cumbersome as to overtake
everything.
“But the service itself was really enjoyable;
everything seemed to go well and the sense of
warmth and gratitude was tangible.
Huge thanks to those who made it possible, and
to all who came to offer their support and prayers.
Please do continue to hold us in your prayers
during these early days.”