The Parish Magazine November 2021

The Parish Magazine - November 2021 1 

The 

Parish 

Magazine 

The John King Trophy and Gold Award 

Best Magazine of the Year 2018 

National Parish Magazine Awards 

Best Overall Magazine 2020 

Best Editor 2019 

Best Print 2018 

Best Content 2016 


Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869 

November 2021 — Remembrance to Advent Sunday 

Church of St Andrew 

Serving Sonning, Charvil & Sonning Eye 

the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF 

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY

2 The Parish Magazine - November 2021 

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The Parish Magazine - October 2021 1 

The John King Trophy and Gold Award 

Best Magazine of the Year 2018 

National Parish Magazine Awards 


Best Editor 2019 

Best Print 2018 

Best Content 2016 


information — 1 

Contents November 2021 

THE VICAR'S LETTER, 5 

THE PARISH NOTICEBOARD 

— Songs of Praise, 7 

— View from the pews, 7 

— STAY, 9-11 

— All Souls Service, 11 

— Remembrance Sunday, 11 

— Fire Alarm, 11 

— Christmas Fayre, 11 

— Toy Service, 11 

— For your prayers, 11 

— On Reflection: Habakkuk, 13 

— From the editor's desk, 13 

— The Persecuted Church, 15 

features 

— 100 poppy years, 17 

— Remembering the forgotten, 19 

— What Advent means, 21 

— COP26, 22-24 

— Fire Brigade Trust, 24-25 

around the villages 

— Food Bank crisis, 27 

— Girls at Blue Coat, 27 

— New name for Sunrise, 27 

— Art Group success, 29 

— Sonning Show winners, 29 

— School open days, 29 

— Sonning arts centre, 29 

— Charvil female voices, 29 

history, 31 

HEALTH 

— Dr Simon Ruffle, 33 

HOME & GARDEN 

— Recipe of the Month, 35 

— In the Garden, 35 

the sciences 

— Faith in science, 37 

THE ARTS 

— El Greco's Saviour, 37 

— Book Reviews, 38 

— Poetry Corner, 38 

PUZZLE PAGE, 39 

children's page, 41 

information 

— Church services, 3 

— From the registers, 3 

— Parish contacts, 42 

— Advertisers index, 42 

This ISSUE's FRONT COVER 

November 2021 — Remembrance 

The 

Parish 

Magazine 

the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF 

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY 

Lord Carey preaches at Songs of Praise 

Picture: Indy Biddulph 

EDITORIAL DEADLINE 

The editorial deadline for every issue 

of The Parish Magazine is 12 noon on 

the sixth day of the month prior to the 

date of publication. 

The deadline for the December 

issue of The Parish Magazine is: 

Saturday 6 November 12 noon 

The Parish Magazine online 

The most recent issues can be viewed at: 

http://www.theparishmagazine.co.uk 

Earlier issues from 1869 onwards are 

stored in a secure online archive. If you 

wish to view these archives contact the 

editor who will authorise access for you: 

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk 


Services at 

St Andrew’s 

Sunday 7 November 

— 8.00am Holy Communion 

— 10.30am Family Service 

— 4.00pm All Souls Thanksgiving 

for the faithful departed 

Remembrance Sunday 

14 November 


— 10.30am Remembrance Service 

Sunday 21 November 


— 10.30am Family Communion 

— 3.00pm Messy Church in 

The Ark 

Advent Sunday 28 November 


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist 

— 6.00pm Sunday at Six in The Ark 

OTHER REGULAR SERVICES 

Mid-week Communion in The Ark is 

held every Wednesday at 10.00am 

Morning Prayer will be in Church 

at 9.30am every Tuesday and once a 

month on the first Friday 

Compline on Zoom is sung every 

Wednesday evening — full details 

about how to login from Rev Kate 

(contact details on page 42) 

Home Communion at Sunrise of 

Sonning is held on the first Friday 

of each month at 10.30am. Visitors 

must comply with the care home's 

Covid restrictions so please check with 

Sunrise a few days before beforehand. 

From the registers 

baptisms 

— Sunday 12 September, Leo Thomas Monk 

— Sunday 12 September, Charlotte Elizabeth Scandrett 

weddings 

— Saturday 18 September, Jack Alexander Whitfield and Eleanor Jane Fry 

— Saturday 25 September, Andrew John Page and Lucy Rose Wigmore 

funerals 

— Saturday 4 September, David John Stewart Duvall, memorial service with 

interment of ashes 

— Tuesday 7 September, Jeremy Nicholas Rixon, interment of ashes 

— Tuesday 14 September, Reo Muir funeral in church followed by cremation at 

Reading Crematorium 

— Saturday 18 September, Sheila Diane Siney, interment of ashes in churchyard 

— Saturday 25 September, Tanya Niland, memorial service with interment of ashes



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The vicar's letter 


DEAR FRIENDS, 

It has been said that people are the sums of their memories. This season 

of Remembrance is, in part, about the memories that we hold within 

us. Some have memories of active service. Some might have memories 

of the loved and lost. Some recall memories of civilian life during 

wartime. Others may have evidenced a long commitment to peace and 

reconciliation. Each of us brings different memories and thoughts to our 

season of Remembrance, which helps to make it more comprehensive. 

I know of some in this parish who lived through the Blitz. Some served 

in the forces. Some of us remember when nowhere on mainland Britain 

was safe from IRA bombs. We have all been aware of the Islamist attacks 

in Britain and mainland Europe in recent years. Whatever our memories 

of war and conflict we acknowledge them in this season. We cannot 

hide from what we might choose to forget at other times. During the 

Remembrance season we all bring very different and diverse memories. 

With those memories, we also bring different and complex emotions. 

It is easy to romanticise memories of war, especially for those of us 

who never lived through it. Many films turn into humour that which 

was devastating. Dad’s Army makes everything look funny and almost 

something that we would have wanted to be a part of. The nostalgia 

industry produces cookery books based on the ration. The Blitz can 

make us think of camaraderie and singing songs deep in shelters on tube 

station platforms. We can begin to think people might have enjoyed 

it. Of course, it wasn’t like that. The horrors of the Blitz led to the 

destruction of cathedrals, such as Coventry and for that matter Dresden, 

and to the destruction of countless ordinary people’s homes. For those 

of us who never lived through the Blitz, it’s impossible to imagine 

what it was like to emerge from air raid shelters and find whole streets 

destroyed. 

Sadly, some people misunderstand what Remembrance Sunday and the 

poppy appeal is about which leads to misguided and ignorant virtue 

signalling stances. When we meet in church on that sacred day, we 

remember all those people who have died in the pursuit of freedom 

and goodness. We acknowledge publicly and before God that countless 

people have lost their lives for us, for our freedom and for others and 

their freedom. We also shall pray for all who suffer and have suffered as 

a result of war. 

It would be a mistake for us to think that Remembrance is simply about 

the past, about what has happened. Our remembrance is not simply 

something in the past, but something that we make present here and 

now as we realise the significance for each of us. Whoever, whatever, 

wherever our thoughts turn to during this season, we acknowledge love 

laying down its life for others and we recognise that there is no greater 

thing that one can do than lose one’s life in the defence of freedom. 

'At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them'. 

Warm wishes, 

Jamie 

DIVERSE MEMORIES 

IMPOSSIBLE MEMORIES 

FREEDOM AND GOODNESS 

NO GREATER THING


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Notices 

Songs of Praise 

We raised the roof in songs of praise 

on Sunday 12 September with the 10 

top favourite hymns, as chosen by 

the congregation. The preacher was 

the 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury, 

the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Lord Carey, 

who also blessed the new organ, and 

the Rt Hon Theresa May MP and 

Sir Philip, as joint patrons, formerly 

launched our new choral foundation. 

Our choirs were joined by the choir 

of Papplewick Prep School and 

friends of our former director of 

music, including the former Lord 

Chancellor, the Rt Hon Sir David 

Liddington MP. A special collection, 

totalling £656, was taken to support 

the Karun School and Orphanage, 

South India. 

Above: Songs of Praise images by Indy Biddulph 

YOUR TOP TEN FAVOURITE HYMNS 

1. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder 

2. And did those feet in ancient time 

3. Guide me, O thou great Redeemer 

4. Dear Lord and Father of mankind 

5. In Christ alone my hope is found 

6. Eternal Father, strong to save, 

7. The day thou gavest Lord has ended 

8. My song is love unknown 

9. Glorious things of thee are spoken 

10. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; 

Thanksgiving services 

we will remember . . . 

By Claude Masters 

On the evening of Sunday 12 

September 'Songs of Praise' attracted 

a large congregation who joined 

with the St Andrew's senior and 

junior choirs, and a visiting choir 

from Ascot, to heartily sing 10 of 

our favourite hymns chosen by the 

parishioners. After such a long 

period of Covid-disrupted worship, 

it was a truly memorable, and very 

joyful, occasion. 

The main organiser of the event 

was our recently retired director 

of music, Chris Goodwin, who 

conducted the singing with his 

newly appointed successor, Hannah 

Towndrow, at the new electronic 

organ which played a central role in 

the proceedings. 

Lord Carey of Clifton, the retired 

103rd Archbishop of Canterbury, 

and always a very welcome visitor at 

St Andrew's, officially dedicated the 

new organ to God's service. 

In his sermon Lord Carey 

congratulated the choir for their 

fine rendering of the John Rutter 

anthem Look at the world and spoke 

about the hardships of the Covid 

pandemic comparing it with Hitler's 

attempt to get rid of us in the 1940’s. 

He also pointed out that the hymns 

we were singing had originated in 

many different denominations of the 

worldwide Christian faith. 

FOUNDATION 

A substantial part of the cost of 

the new electronic organ was raised 

by personal donations from many 

of the congregation present and to 

celebrate this Sir Philip and Theresa 

May ceremonially unveiled a large 

'organ stop board' that will be placed 

in St Andrew's as a permanent 

reminder of everyone's generosity. 

Sir Philip and Theresa May also 

went on to inaugurate a new 'Choral 

Foundation' that will encourage 

young, would be, church musicians 

to develop their skills by giving 

them both financial support and the 

opportunity to learn and develop 

their art. Managing the foundation 

will be a key part of Hannah 

Towndrow's new role as director of 

music. 


Claude's 

view 

from 

the 

pew 

David Duvall RIP 

The Songs of Praise evening came 

just eight days after we had been 

treated to another very memorable 

thanksgiving service that also 

focussed on the church organ, or 

rather a previous organist. 

One would not normally refer to a 

memorial service as a happy event but 

that of David Duvall, our esteemed 

former organist and choir master, must 

be an exception; and that is how he 

would have wanted it. 

Eulogies by his two sons brought 

forth expressions of delight and mirth 

from the congregation and a former 

incumbent of St Andrew’s, Bishop 

Christopher Morgan, followed with 

a resume of David's life and of the 

time when they served together in the 

parish. 

A large number of folk came 

to church at 2pm on a Saturday to 

remember a man who made the world a 

better place for his having been in it. 

For many of us there, the service 

was also the first time that we heard 

our newly appointed, 24 year old 

director of music Hannah Towndrow at 

the keyboard. She impressed from the 

start as she almost imperceptibly began 

to play during the congregational chat 

before the service, gradually increasing 

the volume as the choir and clergy 

entered, culminating as the bishop 

took his seat. 

The committal of David’s ashes 

in the church yard was not without 

its moment; the hole was a little too 

deep for the casket to be respectfully 

placed in it, so, rather appropriately, his 

remains were laid to rest over a couple 

of old hymn books — a worthy tribute 

to a much loved long serving organist!



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STAY 

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STAY on Friday 

With STAY on Friday starting back 

on 10 September we didn’t waste 

any time getting straight into fun 

activities. With the darker nights 

we’ve also been able to play some 

Harry Potter based games in The Ark 

grounds. We have also re-opened 

The Ark kitchen for more baking 

sessions. Rocky road (right) was the 

latest yummy treat, we all got to try, 

handmade by the youth! 

STAY in Schools 

Our chaplaincy work in schools 

continues to thrive and grow in both 

Blue Coat and Piggott schools. Plus, 

with the amazing new addition of 

Eleanor in Piggott on Wednesdays, 

she brings an offering of mentoring 

and extra support to pupils through 

being a teaching assistant (TA) in 

the classroom. The amazing thing 

is that the one-to-one mentoring 

really does make a difference. One 

teacher remarked recently that one 

of the students has dramatically 

changed their behaviour in class and 

she said 'it's all down to the input 

of mentoring'. 'I’ll take that' I said! 

Here’s a photo (right) of a typical 

mentoring session; smiles, laughter 

and thumbs up for space to chat. 

STAY on Sunday 

This term is about relationships. We 

are thinking about questions such as: 

— What relationships do we have? 

— What’s good and bad about them? 

— What makes a relationship work? 

— How we foster healthy relationships 

across our lives? 

— We also have Janice (a made up 

character) to help us (photo below). 

Plus we will be looking at the 

relationships Jesus had and how 

he maintained healthy boundaries 

across all the different relationships 

he had. 

Keith Nichols 

STAY at Sonning Show 

On 11 September we had the privilege of joining in with the community 

at the Sonning Show. We took along our church gazebo, a tub of sweets, 

loads of flyers and some games, including, kubb, connect four and quoits. 

Every young person, child, parent and grandparent had a go at winning a 

sweet by knocking over the kubbs. Plus they all took flyers of what’s on at St 

Andrew's church. From STAY on Friday, to Sunday at 6 and Messy Church to 

Rendezvous lunch club for older folk 

turn to page 11



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STAY 

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from page 9 

STAY Detached Project 

Our detached project continues 

to grow and take shape. This term 

we are giving a focus to Charvil on 

Thursdays. We start at Nisa shop, 

then head to East Park Farm and 

finish at the sports courts. We are 

regularly seeing around 35-40 young 

people each week and have positive 

conversations, play games and give 

away prizes. It is a highlight of my 

week! 

Westy’s Training 

With the rise of poor mental health 

among young people I decided to get 

myself on a youth mental health first 

aid course. It was a two day course 

and looked at topics such as: self 

harm, suicide, anxiety, depression, 

eating disorders and psychosis. I am 

by no means an expert but I hope it 

goes some way to me being available 

to help where I can with young 

people and parents struggling in this 

area. Let me know if I can help in any 

way. 

I was also able to bag a place 

at the Oxford Diocese Chaplaincy 

Conference at Christ Church 

Cathedral in Oxford. We heard good 

news stories and best practice from 

prison chaplains, hospital chaplains, 

armed forces chaplains and of 

course a whole section on schools 

chaplaincy. It was amazing to be 

among like minded people, wanting 

to share the love of Jesus in all areas 

of society. The best bit was walking 

up the stairs actually used in the 

making of Harry Potter (picture on 

previous page) and eating lunch in 

the dining hall (above) that gave the 

inspiration to Hogwarts dining hall! 

Keep in touch! 

Feel free to get in touch to chat, 

share ideas or if you would like any 

help with young people in any way, 

please let me know on 0794 622 4106 

or youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk 

Cheers 

Westy! 

Notices (continued) 

All Souls Service for the Faithful 

Departed — 7 November at 4pm 

Our Annual All Souls Service of 

Thanksgiving the Faithful Departed 

is on Sunday 7 November at 4pm, 

followed by drinks. During the service 

you will have the opportunity to light 

a candle for a departed loved one and 

join with other bereaved families in 

thanking God for the lives of departed 

loved ones. If you would like to have 

your departed loved one mentioned 

while the candles are being lit please 

give their name to us on arrival. 

Following the service the ministry 

team will be available to chat over a 

drink. 

Remembrance Sunday 

At the time of writing the intention 

is that the service will go ahead as 

normal at 10.30am. If the situation 

changes, we will pass the news on via 

the parish website and social media. 

For your prayers in November 

— The work of the Royal British Legion 

— All who still live with the scars of war 

— All struggling with their mental health 

— The work of the Woodley Food Bank 

Fire alarm 

Recent advice from the Fire Brigade 

was that our church should have 

a monitored fire detector system. 

Westronics Ltd have now installed this, 

along with our existing security alarm 

system and we are most grateful to the 

Sonning Volunteer Fire Brigade Trust 

(see page 25) who have made a grant 

of £4,000 towards the total cost of 

around £8,000. 

Christmas Fayre 

Because of ongoing uncertainty with 

Covid we have decided not to hold a 

Victorian Christmas Fayre this year. 

Family Toy and Gift Service 

During the 10.30am Family Service 

on Sunday 5 December we will be 

accepting donations of toys and gifts 

for the Reading Family Aid Appeal as 

well as lighting the Christmas tree 

and meeting St Nicholas! 

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On reflection . . . 

Habakkuk: Why? 

By Elizabeth Spiers 

The fresco of prophet Habakkuk at Chiesa di San Guseppe Church 

Jozef Sedmak, dreamstime.com 

The book of Habakkuk the prophet is like a transcript 

of a conversation most of us have wanted to have with 

God at some point. Although it was written about 2,600 

years ago, it is surprisingly relevant today. Habakkuk is 

full of questions about what is going on around him: Why 

do the wicked prosper? Why isn’t justice valued? And 

most of all, why does God, who is righteous, allow it to go 

on without taking action? 

Habakkuk was speaking at a time when evil nations 

were oppressing Israel and conquering their land. He was 

wondering where was God? Hadn’t he promised them the 

land forever? It’s God’s inaction that frustrates Habakkuk. 

He wants God to rise up and help his people. And he’s 

cross that God doesn’t even seem to be listening. 

It’s no different today. Injustice, crime, bad things 

happening to good people, evil people prospering. Human 

nature doesn’t really change. All of us have scars from 

being hurt in some way and all of us say: 'Why, God? 

Where are you? Why aren’t you doing something?' 

God makes several statements against the enemy, 

listing their sins — violence, pride, greed, idolatry — and 

promises Habakkuk that he will demand justice for this. 

RIGHTEOUSNESS ONLY FROM GOD 

In chapter 2 verse 4 Habakkuk says 'See the enemy is 

puffed up, his desires are not upright, but the righteous 

will live by faith.' 

This is a very important principle. The righteous person 

will live and won’t have to face God’s judgement. Think 

about that — God so loved the world that he gave his only 

begotten Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but 

have eternal life. Only God can make us righteous and only 

then if we choose to accept him as our Lord. 

Habakkuk realises that this is true. He understands 

that while evil seems to thrive, and God seems silent and 

unresponsive, in fact, he has a plan and always works out 

justice — eventually. And he finishes his conversation 

with a prayer of praise to God which ends like this: 

Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the 

nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are 

no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields 

produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle 

in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my 

Saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like 

the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. 


From the desk 

of the editor 

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk 

Where has the local 

contacts list gone? 

Three years ago I decided to overhaul the local 

organisations contact list we have published each 

month for as long as anyone can remember. The list 

had contact details for local clubs, groups, societies 

and organisations, as well as the local and county 

councillors and political associations. The update was 

necessary because I was aware that many of the contact 

details were incorrect — new people had taken over the 

leadership of the various groups, and the rules regarding 

privacy meant that I needed written permission to use 

telephone numbers and email addresses. A fresh start 

was necessary. 

In the December 2018 issue of The Parish Magazine I 

removed the list and used the entire half page that it 

occupied to announce my plan to create a revised list. I 

asked all groups to send me the current contact details 

and the necessary permission. 

After a few weeks I received three updates, which was 

surprising because there were 70 contacts on the original 

list. I left it a couple of months to see if I received any 

further response, but there was none. 

Eventually, I decided to make use of the extra space 

by introducing a puzzle page which I know that many 

readers now enjoy. 

A STRANGE COINCIDENCE 

Strangely, a few weeks ago, in the same week, I 

received telephone calls from two different people asking 

where in the magazine was the list of club contacts? To 

my knowledge, it was the first time in three years that 

anyone had wanted to use the list that I inherited when I 

took over the magazine in 2013. 

Creating, and keeping such a list up-to-date, is an 

extremely time-consuming exercise, especially as those 

who appear on it rarely pass on updates when they hand 

over to someone else, and most people nowadays prefer 

to do an internet search to find the information they 

need on the club's website. Therefore, I have no plans to 

reinstate the local organisations contacts list. 

On the other hand, I am always more than happy to 

support our local groups, clubs and organisations on the 

'Around the Villages' pages and whenever possible I will 

include information about where and when you meet and 

who to speak to for more information. 

The deadline for your stories and pictures is always 

12 noon on the sixth day of the month prior to the 

publication date. Hence the deadline for the December 

issue is Saturday 6 November at 12 noon. 

The 12 noon deadline is very strict because within a 

few hours of this I aim to complete the layout for the issue 

so we can begin the proof reading process.



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The Persecuted Church: Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Juliana Taimoorazy by Colin Bailey 

'She has brought hope where there was despair, she has engendered faith where 

there was distrust, and she has brought love where there was indifference' 

Juliana Taimoorazy is the founder of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council (ICRC). 

For over 15 years, Juliana and ICRC have been at the forefront of humanitarian 

and advocacy efforts related to Christians in Iraq and the region. There was a 

two-part article featuring an interview with Juliana in the April and May 2020 

issue of 'The Parish Magazine'. By the time this issue is published, the 2021 Nobel 

Peace Prize award winner will be known — the Award ceremony is scheduled to 

take place in Oslo on 10 December 2021. 

ICRC’s mission is to educate people 

around the globe about Iraqi Christian 

persecution, ask for prayers and 

raise funds to support their basic 

humanitarian needs and partake in 

rebuilding their lives. During her time 

with ICRC, Juliana has proven to be 

a voice for the voiceless — those with 

no one else to speak for them. This 

includes Christians, Yazidis, other 

minorities, women and children who 

have seen their regions overrun and 

their homes and villages destroyed. 

As stated in a Newsweek opinion 

piece that Juliana contributed to in 

August: 'ISIS genocide of Yazidis and 

Assyrians accelerated the near eradication 

of Iraq’s Christian communities. 

Christians numbered an estimated 1.5 

million before 2003. Now about 150,000 

remain in the country.” 

Professor Geoffrey Khan, the 

Regius Professor of Hebrew in 

the Faculty of Asian and Middle 

Eastern Studies at the University 

of Cambridge, said: 'The plight of the 

Iraqi Christians — a people relentlessly 

persecuted for centuries, and the victims 

of genocide twice in the last 100 years 

— is one that the world has, with rare 

exceptions, chosen to ignore in favour 

of playing power politics in the Middle 

East. Juliana Taimoorazy has shone a light 

where darkness reigned. She has brought 

hope where there was despair, she has 

engendered faith where there was distrust, 

and she has brought love where there was 

indifference.' 

Juliana was nominated for the 2021 

Nobel Peace Prize by three specialists 

in Middle East affairs, including Prof 

Khan, along with Dr Anahit Khosroeva 

of the Armenian National Academy of 

Sciences and Fareed Yacoob, Kurdistan 

regional government member of 

parliament. These experts recognized 

the impact she has made in the lives 

of so many people in the region and 

specifically acknowledge her fight to 

save the Assyrian, Chaldean, Syriac 

nation, Yazidis and other minorities in 

Iraq from genocide. 

The chairman of the board 

of directors of ICRC, Rev David 

Fischler, has said that with the fall of 

Afghanistan to the Taliban, 'Her work 

on behalf of the Middle East’s religious 

minorities is more important than ever.' 

UNYIELDING FAITH 

In a statement on Juliana’s Nobel 

Peace Prize Nomination, Dr George 

Rodriguez, Adjunct Professor of 

Biblical Theology, Loyola University 

and St Thomas University, says how in 

Afghanistan as a result of the 'calamity 

that has recently been transpiring, Juliana 

is currently working with her partners to 

secure and serve persecuted Afghans.' 

As well as working with her US 

partners to help those wanting to 

leave Afghanistan find a safe passage, 

she is gathering aid such as clothing 

and hygiene products for women 

and children, for the US camps. If 

you would like to donate to the care 

package creation work, you will be 

able to find, from November, more 

information on the ICRC website 

https://iraqichristianrelief.org Also there 

are details of other campaigns such as 

the 'Adopt a Refugee Family Program' 

and ways people can donate. 

'Juliana’s unyielding faith in God 

and her deep Assyrian roots' says Dr 

Rodriguez, 'continue to propel her along 

this vital…urgent humanitarian path'. 

He cites Juliana concerning the 

nomination, 'Yes, I am proud of this 

nomination. But whether the ultimate 

prize is bestowed upon us or not we will 

nevertheless continue our mission… to do 

so wholeheartedly and relentlessly in the 

service of all humanity.’ 

Juliana’s life work has been 

dedicated to relieving people’s 

suffering, and she asks for prayers for 

God’s grace. 

References and further reading: 

Newsweek 30 August 2021 'Biden Must Stop ISIS 

from Finishing Genocide of Assyrians and Yazidis 

| Opinion' – Abraham Cooper, Juliana Taimoorazy 

and Hadi Pir https://www.newsweek.com/bidenmust-stop-isis-finishing-genocide-assyriansyzidis-opinio-1624287 

Iraqi Christian Relief Council website: 

https://iraqichristianrelief.org



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feature — 1 

100 years of red poppies 


Flanders Poppy field: J Vd, dreamstime.com; Selling poppies, Pawelkowalczyk, dreamstime.com 

By The Ven John Barton 

Amid the mud, blood and carnage of trench warfare in World War 1, tens of 

thousands of bright red poppies grew, marking the graves of the fallen. This 

led John McCrae, a Canadian army physician who had lost a colleague, to 

write 'In Flanders Fields' . . . 

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row 

That mark our place, and in the sky 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly. 

Poppies in St Andrew's 

Tom Farncombe 

This image inspired the adoption 

of a red poppy as the symbol of all 

soldiers who had died in conflict. 

Exactly 100 years ago, on the 

11 November 1921, poppies of 

remembrance were sold for the first 

time in British and Commonwealth 

countries. Hostilities had ceased 

three years earlier at the 11th hour 

of the 11th day of the 11th month. 

NATIONAL 

This year, on 14 November, which 

is the nearest Sunday, a two-minute 

silence will be kept at war memorials 

throughout the country, and at the 

national ceremony at the Cenotaph 

in London’s Whitehall. 

The Queen will pay tribute 

alongside members of the Cabinet, 

opposition party leaders, former 

prime ministers, the Mayor of 

London and many others. 

Representatives of the armed 

forces, fishing fleets and merchant 

air and navy will be there, as 

well as high commissioners of 

Commonwealth countries. All will 

wear a red poppy. 

About 30 million poppies are sold 

each year in the UK by the Royal 

British Legion with the proceeds 

being used to provide serving and 

ex-service personnel with financial 

support, advice, employment, 

mobility, housing and mental health 

facilities. 

LIFE SCARS 

Today we are more aware than 

ever that battles are fought mainly 

by young people, and many of those 

who survive bear scars for life. The 

act of ‘remembering’ will not only 

look back to mark their sacrifice, but 

also yearn to learn lessons for the 

future. 

Reflecting on the poem, In 

Flanders Fields, the American 

professor Moina Michael, wrote: 

And now the torch and poppy red 

We wear in honour of our dead. 

Fear not that ye have died for naught; 

We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought 

In Flanders Fields.


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feature — 2 

Remembering those not always remembered 

Every year, on Remembrance Sunday, the names of those killed in action during World War I & II and other conflicts are 

read out as a posy of flowers is placed in front of their individual memorial plaques on the south wall inside St Andrew's 

Church. As part of this annual Remembrance, we often list all their names in the November issue of this magazine, but 

this year, 100 years after the introduction of the 'Remembrance Poppy' by the Royal British Legion, we thought that we 

would remember the names of some others who served our country in the armed forces but whose time or place of death 

did not qualify them for the memorial inside St Andrew's Church. The following information is based on the research into 

his family by David Hedley-Goddard, a descendant of the Ansell and Goddard families of Sonning — William Ansell was 

killed in action in October 1916 and is remembered on the St Andrew's Church war memorial. 

Lieutenant John Seymour lngleby 

Lived in Appletree Cottage Sonning with his mother and 

served in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force in 

World War I but was killed aged 20 years in June 1919 while 

on active service after the end of hostilities and so is not 

listed on the war memorial. However his family dedicated a 

stained glass window in St Andrew's Church to his memory 

(photograph above). He is buried in St Andrew's churchyard. 

His mother died in 1939 at the age of 75 years and is also 

buried in St Andrew's churchyard. 

Private Benjamin Dark and Private Albert Ponting 

Both were World War I soldiers who are buried in St Andrew's 

churchyard but did not live in the parish so their names do 

not appear on the St Andrew's Church war memorial. Both 

men died under suspicious circumstances, Benjamin Dark 

was found hanging from a tree on the tow path at Sonning 

and Albert Ponting was found drowned in Wokingham. Their 

deaths could be a sad reflection of the violent nature of life 

for those serving in the armed forces during World War I. 

Private Albert Frederick Middlecoate, Captain Frank 

Rushby and Lieutenant Colonel F A Deare 

Three World War I soldiers buried in St Andrew's churchyard 

but did not die in action and therefore are not recorded on 

the war memorial. 

Private Albert Frederick Middlecoate. was born in 

Reading in 1889. In 1905, when Albert was 16, his father died, 

and the family moved to Headley Cottages, Headley Road, 

Sonning (now part of Woodley). 

Bob Peters 

Albert joined the army, becoming a member of the 3rd 

Btn/E company Northamptonshire Regiment and on 12 

November 1918, just one day after the Armistice was signed, 

he died at the Military Hospital at Broadway Sheerness from 

pneumonia caused by Spanish flu. His body was returned to 

Sonning and he was buried in the churchyard at St Andrew's 

Sonning. Albert's mother, who died in 1951 is also buried at 

St Andrew's, as was his sister Victoria Grace in 1952. 

Captain Frank Rusby was born in 1867 and the family 

arrived in Sonning sometime in the early 1900's, at first 

living within the village and then moving to Earley in 1911. 

When World War I broke out Frank enlisted as a Captain in 

the Royal Field Artillery, however in February 1915 he also 

caught Spanish flu and died of pneumonia aged 48. He is 

buried in a family grave in the churchyard at Saint Andrew's. 

Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Arthur Deare was born into 

a military family at Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1862. In 

1881 his military career began when he enlisted into the The 

Berkshire Regiment and rose through the ranks. His family 

lived in Twyford and eventually Caversham. At the outbreak 

of World War I, Frederick returned to the colours and served 

in home postings. He died at the age of 53 and was buried at 

Saint Andrew's Church. 

Sergeant Bernard Thomas Abbott, Sergeant Sidney John 

Dean and Sergeant Christopher Ronald Young. 

Usually, the names on the St Andrew's war memorial only 

mention those who are buried in Commonwealth War 

Graves, however these three sergeants, are mentioned as 

World War II casualties, and are all buried at St Andrew's.



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feature — 3 

What does Advent mean to you? 

By Bob Peters 

As I have grown older, I have 

increasingly believed that my parents 

must have had Jewish ancestry — I 

won't bore you with my reasons 

other than saying that my father 

would often use Jewish humour. One 

of his favourite sayings was 'if you 

lock seven rabbis in a room with one 

question you will end up with seven 

different correct answers!' 

I was reminded of this when I started 

to write about Advent, which begins 

this month on Sunday 28 November. 

Google 'Advent' — there are other 

internet search engines available! 

— and you will quickly see what 

I mean. Advent means different 

things to different people around the 

world, and the confusion has been 

intensified in modern times by the 

commercialism that blights many 

religious celebrations — most Advent 

calendars, Christmas cards and gifts 

and other 'traditions' have very little 

to do with the religious significance of 

the original events. 

Even Christian theologians from 

different parts of the world have 

different 'correct' answers as to what 

Advent is about — I've not tried 

locking seven of them in a room, but 

I'm as sure as my father was about the 

rabbis, that I would get seven correct 

answers! 

PREPARATION 

There is, of course, one thing that 

all Christians agree on and that is that 

Advent is a time of preparation that 

leads up to Christmas. 

In the Middle Ages, preparations 

involved fasting three days a week 

beginning on St Martin's Day which is 

on 11 November. The original fasting, 

which became known as Martinmas, 

lasted 43 days but over time it was 

reduced to 40 days to reflect the 40 

days of Lent before Easter. Because of 

this, it is sometimes called, St Martin's 

Lent. 

Martin was the pioneer of western 

monasticism: he founded the first 

monastery in Gaul about 360 AD and 

by popular demand was made Bishop 

of Tours in 372. 

Bishop Martin continued 

his simple life as a monk and an 

evangelist. Christianity had been 

largely confined to the urban centres 

of population, but Martin took it 

into the countryside. He travelled his 

diocese by donkey and boat, preaching 

the good news of Jesus Christ while 

helping his people to tear down their 

heathen temples and sacred trees. He 

was sought out for his healing prayers, 

and also his defence of the faith from 

heretical critics. 

ADVENTUS 

Martin’s emblem in English art is 

often that of a goose, whose annual 

migration is about this time of year. 

‘St Martin’s Summer’ in England is a 

spell of fine weather that sometimes 

occurs around 11 November and it is 

why eating goose at Christmas is for 

many people a tradition. 

In the Western Christian churches, 

St Martin's Lent evolved into Advent, 

the name being derived from the Latin 

adventus which means the coming or 

arrival. Adventus was the translation 

of a Greek parousia that was used 

in the New Testament to mean the 

Second Coming of Christ. 

Thus, Advent in the Western 

Christian calendar anticipates the 

'coming of Christ' in three forms: the 

Nativity in Bethlehem, the reception 

of Christ in the heart of the believer, 

and the Second Coming of Christ — 

the three things that we focus on each 

year during Advent. 

For Eastern Catholic and Orthodox 

churches, the Advent preparations 

This 'Advent Calendar' builds up day-by-day 

to become a full Nativity scene for Christmas 


Stained Glass in the Church of Saint Severin, 

Paris, depicting St Martin of Tours handing a piece 

of cloak to a beggar Jorisvo, dreamstime.com 

are known as the Nativity Fast or 

Philip's Fast which is observed from 15 

November to Christmas Eve. St Philip 

the Apostle's feast day is 14 November. 

In St Andrew's Church, like many 

around the world, Advent is marked 

with our own traditions. Each of the 

four Sundays of Advent are marked 

by the lighting of an Advent Candle 

symbolising hope, love, joy and peace 

and on Christmas morning, a fifth, 

central candle is lit to represent Jesus, 

the light that came into the world. 

During our first family service of 

Advent, which is on 5 December this 

year, we light the Christmas tree, an 

event that is overseen by St Nicholas 

who receives gifts of toys and games 

from the congregation which are 

passed on to deprived children in 

the Reading area. When the Covid 

pandemic meant that handing over 

gifts was not possible a 'cash' collection 

was made for Reading Family Aid who 

bought new toys for the children. 

The beauty of the Christian faith is 

that while around the world there are 

many different Advent traditions they 

have the same purpose; to celebrate 

the coming of Christ into the world, 

his coming into our individual lives 

and the hope for the future promise of 

his second coming.


feature — 4 

COP26 — the first 33 years . . . 

'Today's children 

and teenagers will 

face catastrophic 

consequences 

unless we take 

responsibility now, as 

'fellow workers with 

God' (Genesis 2.4-7), 

to sustain our world.' 

Archbishop of Canterbury 

Pope Francis 

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew 

June 1988: Dr James Hansen told the US Senate 

that he was 99% certain that the earth was 

warmer then than it had ever been because of the 

greenhouse effect and he explained that freak 

weather was the result of this global warming. 

November 1988: the World Meteorological 

Organization and United Nations Environment 

Programme established the Intergovernmental 

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 

November 1990: IPCC's first report said that 

'emissions resulting from human activities 

are substantially increasing the atmospheric 

concentrations of greenhouse gases'. This led to 

calls by the IPCC and the second World Climate 

Conference for a global treaty. 

March 1995: COP1, the first Conference Of Parties 

to the United Nations Framework Convention on 

Climate Change was held in Berlin. 

December 2015: at COP21, 195 nations met in Paris 

to agree to combat climate change and unleash 

actions and investment towards a low-carbon, 

resilient and sustainable future. 

November 2021, COP26 meets in Glasgow — it 

was postponed by a year because of Covid — 

with the objective to 'stabilize greenhouse gas 

concentrations in the atmosphere at a level 

that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic 

interference with the climate system'. 

WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY 

33 years after Dr James Hansen warned of the 

dangerous situation the world was heading towards, 

many world leaders, including those from the Roman 

Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church 

and the Anglican Communion are demanding more 

urgent action. Their statement — A joint message 

for the protection of creation — was published in 

October and was signed by Pope Francis, Ecumenical 

Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Justin 

Welby. They urge us all to play our part in ‘choosing 

life’ for the future of the planet, and call on us to pray 

for the world leaders attending COP26 this month. 

Their message begins with a summary: 

‘We call on everyone, whatever their belief or world 

view, to endeavour to listen to the cry of the earth and 

of people who are poor, examining their behaviour and 

pledging meaningful sacrifices for the sake of the earth 

which God has given us. Today, we are paying the price… 

Tomorrow could be worse. This is a critical moment. Our 

children’s future and the future of our common home 

depend on it.’ 

'We stand before a harsh justice: biodiversity loss, 

environmental degradation and climate change are the 

inevitable consequences of our actions, since we have 

greedily consumed more of the earth’s resources than the 

planet can endure. But we also face a profound injustice: 

the people bearing the most catastrophic consequences of 

these abuses are the poorest on the planet and have been 

the least responsible for causing them.’ 

1988: James Hansen testifie 

Archbishop of Canterbury 

Pope Francis 

Ecumenical Patriarch


s 

public domain: NASA 

commons.wikimedia 



A JOINT MESSAGE FOR THE PROTECTION OF CREATION 

From the Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew 

For more than a year, we have all experienced the devastating effects of a global pandemic, all of us, whether 

poor or wealthy, weak or strong. Some were more protected or more vulnerable than others, but the rapidly 

spreading infection meant that we have depended on each other in our efforts to stay safe. We realised that, 

in facing this worldwide calamity, no one is safe until everyone is safe, that our actions really do affect one 

another, and that what we do today affects what happens tomorrow. 

These are not new lessons, but we have had to 

face them anew. May we not waste this moment. 

We must decide what kind of world we want 

to leave to future generations. God mandates: 

'Choose life, so that you and your children might 

live' (Deuteronomy 30:19). We must choose to live 

differently; we must choose life. 

September was celebrated by many Christians as 

the 'Season of Creation', an opportunity to pray and 

care for God's creation. As world leaders prepare to 

meet in November at Glasgow to deliberate on the 

future of our planet, we pray for them and consider 

what the choices we must all make. 

Accordingly, as leaders of our Churches, we call 

on everyone, whatever their belief or world view, 

to endeavour to listen to the cry of the earth and of 

people who are poor, examining their behaviour and 

pledging meaningful sacrifices for the sake of the 

earth which God has given us. 

THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION 

In our common Christian tradition, the Scriptures 

and the Saints provide illuminating perspectives for 

comprehending both the realities of the present and 

the promise of something larger than what we see in 

the moment. 

The concept of stewardship-of individual 

and collective responsibility for our God-given 

endowment-presents a vital starting point for social, 

economic and environmental sustainability. 

In the New Testament, we read of the rich and 

foolish man who stores a great wealth of grain while 

forgetting about his finite end (Luke 12:13-21). 

We learn of the prodigal son who takes his 

inheritance early, only to squander it and end up 

hungry (Luke 15:11-32). We are cautioned against 

adopting short term and seemingly inexpensive 

options of building on sand, instead of building on 

rock for our common home to withstand storms 

(Matthew 7:24-27). These stories invite us to adopt 

a broader outlook and recognise our place in the 

extended story of humanity. 

But we have taken the opposite direction. We 

have maximised our own interest at the expense of 

future generations. 

By concentrating on our wealth, we find that 

long-term assets, including the bounty of nature, are 

depleted for short-term advantage. 

Technology has unfolded new possibilities for 

progress but also for accumulating unrestrained 

wealth, and many of us behave in ways which 

demonstrate little concern for other people or the 

limits of the planet. 

Nature is resilient, yet delicate. We are already 

witnessing the consequences of our refusal to protect 

and preserve it (Genesis 2:15). Now, in this moment, 

we have an opportunity to repent, to turn around in 

resolve, to head in the opposite direction. We must 

pursue generosity and fairness in the ways that we 

live, work and use money, instead of selfish gain. 

The current climate crisis speaks volumes about 

who we are and how we view and treat God's creation. 

We stand before a harsh justice: biodiversity loss, 

environmental degradation and climate change are 

the inevitable consequences of our actions, since we 

have greedily consumed more of the earth's resources 

than the planet can endure. 

But we also face a profound injustice: the people 

bearing the most catastrophic consequences of these 

abuses are the poorest on the planet and have been 

the least responsible for causing them. 

We serve a God of justice, who delights in creation 

and creates every person in God's image, but also 

hears the cry of people who are poor. Accordingly, 

there is an innate call within us to respond with 

anguish when we see such devastating injustice. 

PAYING THE PRICE 

Today, we are paying the price. The extreme 

weather and natural disasters of recent months 

reveal afresh to us with great force and at great 

human cost that climate change is not only a future 

challenge, but an immediate and urgent matter 

of survival. Widespread floods, fires and droughts 

threaten entire continents. Sea levels rise, forcing 

whole communities to relocate; cyclones devastate 

entire regions, ruining lives and livelihoods. Water 

has become scarce and food supplies insecure, 

causing conflict and displacement for millions of 

people. 

We have already seen this in places where people 

rely on small scale agricultural holdings. Today we 

see it in more industrialised countries where even 

sophisticated infrastructure cannot completely 

prevent extraordinary destruction. 

Tomorrow could be worse. Today's children 

and teenagers will face catastrophic consequences 

unless we take responsibility now, as 'fellow workers 

with God' (Genesis 2:4-7), to sustain our world. We 

frequently hear from young people who understand 

that their futures are under threat. 

For their sake, we must choose to eat, travel, 

spend, invest and live differently, thinking not only 

of immediate interest and gains but also of future 

benefits. We repent of our generation's sins. We 

stand alongside our younger sisters and brothers 

turn to page 24


feature — 5 

from page 23 

A MESSAGE FOR THE PROTECTION OF CREATION 

throughout the world in committed prayer and 

dedicated action for a future which corresponds ever 

more to the promises of God. 

Over the course of the pandemic, we have learned 

how vulnerable we are. Our social systems frayed, 

and we found that we cannot control everything. We 

must acknowledge that the ways we use money and 

organize our societies have not benefited everyone. 

We find ourselves weak and anxious, submersed 

in a series of crises; health, environmental, 

food, economic and social, which are all deeply 

interconnected. 

A VISION FOR LIFE 

These crises present us with a choice. We are 

in a unique position either to address them with 

shortsightedness and profiteering or seize this as an 

opportunity for conversion and transformation. If 

we think of humanity as a family and work together 

towards a future based on the common good, we 

could find ourselves living in a very different world. 

Together we can share a vision for life where everyone 

flourishes. Together we can choose to act with love, 

justice and mercy. Together we can walk towards a 

fairer and fulfilling society with those who are most 

vulnerable at the centre. 

But this involves making changes. Each of us, 

individually, must take responsibility 

for the ways we use our resources. 

This path requires an ever closer 

collaboration among churches 

in their commitment to care 

for creation. Together, as 

communities, churches, 

cities and nations, we 

must change route and 

discover new ways of working together to break 

down the traditional barriers between peoples, 

to stop competing for resources and start 

collaborating. 

To those with more far reaching responsibilities— 

heading administrations, running companies, 

employing people or investing funds — we say: 

choose people-centred profits; make short-term 

sacrifices to safeguard all our futures; become leaders 

in the transition to just and sustainable economies. 

'To whom much is given, much is required.' (Luke 12:48) 

This is the first time that we feel compelled to 

address together the urgency of environmental 

sustainability, its impact on persistent poverty, and 

the importance of global cooperation. Together, on 

behalf of our communities, we appeal to the heart 

and mind of every Christian, every believer and 

every person of good will. 

CRITICAL MOMENT 

We pray for our leaders who will gather in 

Glasgow to decide the future of our planet and its 

people. Again, we recall Scripture: 'choose life, so that 

you and your children may live' (Deuteronomy 30:19). 

Choosing life means making sacrifices and exercising 

self-restraint. All of us, whoever and wherever we are, 

can play a part in changing our collective response to 

the unprecedented threat of climate change 

and environmental degradation. Caring 

for God's creation is a spiritual 

commission requiring a response 

of commitment. This is a critical 

moment. 

Our children's future and 

the future of our common 

home depend on it. 

THE SO 

PART T 

The National Firefighters Memor 

Cathedral. 

Sonning Fire Station 

geograp 

— Pray for world leaders attending COP26 

— For individuals to make meaningful sacrifices for the 

sake of the planet, working together and taking 

responsibility for how we use our resources 

— For those with far-reaching responsibilities, to choose 

people-centred profits and lead the transition to just 

and sustainable economies 

Bill Oxford, unsplash.com 

2017: The enclosed cab Sonning


NNING VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE: 

WO — A TRUST THAT KEEPS GIVING 

ial, London by St Paul s 

Chris Dorney , dreamstime.com 

h.org.uk, wikimedia.commons 

engine 

Tony Foster 

In Part One, we followed the birth and rise of the Sonning Volunteer Fire Brigade from the first idea in 1904 

to tackle the growing dangers of fire to property and lives in the parish, through the early ground-breaking 

years as recorded in 'The Parish Magazine'. The pre-World War II years, and the war years themselves, 

were to see some inevitable changes that saw many local fire brigades disappear, but in Sonning it lives 

on in the form of an active Trust that is still serving the parish today. This part of story is best told from the 

records of The Sonning Volunteer First Brigade Trust . . . 

Up to the start of World War II, Sonning Fire 

Brigade attended numerous fires and won many 

prizes at competitions over the South of England, 

building up an outstanding reputation for 

efficiency and devotion to service. 

In 1936 a new Dennis Ace Chassis and pump was 

purchased, and a closed-in body was designed by 

Tom Edwards, the son of Archibald Felix Edwards, 

a leading light in the early years of Sonning's Fire 

Brigade. Archibald received a King George VI 

Birthday Honour in June 1951. 

The enclosed body meant that fire fighters 

could travel to a fire in greater safety inside the 

fire engine, rather then clinging to the outside as 

had been the traditional way until then. It was the 

first of its kind in the country and on the day of its 

delivery it attended its first fire. Sonning received 

many congratulations from other brigades for the 

innovative design. 

AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS 

A year later, the Fire Brigade Act of 1938, was 

to herald the start of new era in the management 

of local volunteer brigades such as Sonning. 

The act put the onus of fire protection on rural 

district councils. Financial support for the local 

brigades from insurance companies and public 

subscriptions ceased and councils contracted with 

existing brigades to provide protection. Sonning, 

for example, had contracts with Bradfield, Henley, 

Wokingham and Cookham councils. 

With the Second World War underway in 

1940 fire brigades focussed on training in air raid 

precautions and they came under the control 

of the central government. Sonning became 

'Station 15' with subsidiaries at Goring, Holloways 

Garage Caversham, Mortimer, Sonning Common, 

Burghfield and Checkendon. 

Their remit went much further afield, so much 

so, that during the war the Sonning enclosed 

cab fire engine was to answer calls to air raids 

on London Docks, Birmingham, Southampton, 

Bristol, Ascot, Oxford, Bagshot, Croydon, Gosport, 

Portsmouth, Slough, Winchester, Coventry and 

Plymouth — as well as attending to the local calls. 

The innovative closed cab engine stayed in 

service after the war until 1968 after a remarkable 

31 years. 

While looking for a photograph of the Sonning 

1936 Dennis chassis engine, we came across the 

one shown bottom left on https://www.fire-enginephotos.com/picture/number40721.asp 

by Tony Foster 

in 2017 who told us: 'The picture was taken at the old 

Ordnance Depot in Weedon, Northamptonshire, where 

it was hoped the Fire Services National Museum Trust 

would be. However things conspired against this and 

the collection was moved in 2017 to Petersfield. 'Again 

there were too many obstacles laid in their path and 

sadly the museum had to be broken up and sold off. The 

1936 Dennis Ace was bought by a private collector in 

Yorkshire and will now receive the attention it deserves.' 

In 1948, when the UK government took charge of 

the Sonning Brigade, it purchased all the equipment 

previously owned by the Sonning Volunteer Fire 

Brigade and the proceeds were used to extend the 

Robert Palmer Cottages. 

The seeds of the idea to support the local 

villagers in this way led to the creation, in 1952, 

of a Trust fund which also received the benefit 

of the rent paid by the Royal Berkshire Fire and 

Rescue Service — that was by then responsible for 

providing the service — for the use of the Sonning 

Fire Station in Pound Lane. 

SEVENTY TRUST YEARS 

The station was eventually closed in 2007 when 

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Services decided to 

have a 24-hour crew installed in Wokingham, and 

subsequently the site was redeveloped for housing. 

However, the Sonning Fire Brigade Trust 

continues and next year will be celebrating 70 

years of serving the local community by financially 

supporting almost every club and voluntary group 

in the parish, the local schools and St Andrew's 

Church, (see fire alarm on page 11) and helping The 

Parish Magazine to create an online archive of past 

issues. 

We began this two-part review of Sonning's 

Volunteer Fire Brigade with the report in the 

November 1904 issue of a Sonning Parish 

Council meeting when it was suggested to ask 

for subscriptions to purchase a stand pipe. This 

suggestion led to starting a fire brigade. It was one 

that would not only improve village life then, but still 

does today, and it also had a significant impact way 

beyond our parish boundaries.

26 The Parish Magazine - November 2021 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements 

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around the villages — 1 

Food Bank crisis — urgent 

donations required! 

Reduced donations of dried and canned foods for the Woodley Food Bank and 

an increasing demand for more help for struggling families has led to reports 

of empty shelves. Add to this the approach of winter and Christmas and the 

need for donations is even greater than ever before. 


Blue Coat School 

to be fully co-ed 

in five years 

The following items are in 

desperate short supply. 

— Tinned Potatoes 

— Vegetable Soup 

— Tinned Vegetables 

— Tinned Fruit 

— Custard, tinned and packet 

— Tinned Tuna 

— Sugar 

— Rice 

— Spaghetti 

— Biscuits 

— Cooking Oil 

— Coffee 

— Tea 

— Toilet Roll 

— Bathroom items: toothpaste, 

toothbrushes, shower gel, 

deodorant (male and female) 

— Tinned Pies (meat and vegetable) 

— Juice (long life) singles and 1 litre 

— Milk (long life) 

— Tinned desserts 

Donations can be left just inside 

the door of St Andrew's Church 

Sonning between 10am and 4pm 

every day, or at Asda in Lower 

Earley, the Woodley Baptist Church 

(Monday to Friday mornings), 

Woodley Library, Waitrose in 

Woodley, the Co-op Bulmershe and 

the Woodley Food Bank store located 

at Emmanuel Church, Southlake 

Crescent (Monday to Friday 

mornings). 

The sun sets on Sunrise care home 

as Signature signs in at Sonning 

On 1 December 2021 the Sunrise of Sonning residential care home will be 

changing its name to Signature. It is part of a UK-wide sale of Sunrise and 

Gracewell homes previously owned by the US company Sunrise Senior Living. 

The nearest Signature residential home is in Marlow. Signature will take on 18 

Sunrise and two Gracewell homes, while Care UK will become the owner of the 

remaining seven Sunrise and 19 Gracewell homes in the UK. Sunrise Senior Living 

in the US is to focus its future business 0n growing its North American market. 

Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald, UK chief executive of Sunrise Senior Living and 

Gracewell Healthcare, said: 'Sunrise has been proud to serve thousands of residents 

over the past 20 years in the UK and to provide a great place to work for our 

team members. Most recently, the commitment and resilience of our entire team 

throughout the pandemic, and the support of our residents and their families, has 

been outstanding. We are delighted to be working with two high quality providers 

to ensure a smooth transition process to benefit our residents, families and teams.' 

Aidan Roche, chief executive of Signature Senior Lifestyle, said: 'Adding 20 new 

homes to our portfolio is the latest stage of the growth story that began when we 

started the business in 2006 and is a testament to the hard work and dedication 

of the entire Signature team. We will be working towards a seamless transition 

for staff and residents and are hugely excited to be taking these next steps 

together.' 

Planning consent from Wokingham 

Borough Council for Reading Blue 

Coat School in Sonning to increase 

the school’s number of students has 

allowed the governors and senior 

leadership team to enable girls to 

now join from the age of 11 years. 

It is over 50 years since Reading Blue 

Coat opened its doors to its first 

female student, and 34 years since 

the school had a fully co-education 

sixth form. 

Now, from September 2023, 

the school is extending its coeducation 

provision by welcoming 

girls into Year 7 with the intention 

of becoming fully co-educational by 

September 2027. 

The school's chair of governors, 

Peter Bertram, said, 'Reading Blue 

Coat School has seen a steady 

increase in pupil numbers over the 

last 10 years, so this decision to 

extend our co-education provision 

comes from a position of strength. 

Academic results have improved 

year on year and at the same time 

our 45 acre campus has benefited 

from considerable investment 

providing 21st Century facilities 

for our students and staff. We are 

looking forward to our move to full 

co-education and seeing the school 

continue to develop and improve.'



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around the villages — 2 


Back to normal for Sonning Show . . . 

George and John enjoyed being back in Pearson Hall 

... so say the members of Sonning Art Group after the Sonning Show when they 

had a very successful day out. Added to this, the group are now back in Pearson 

Hall for their regular meetings. Jill Watkins, pictured left, had a particularly 

satisfying show — she carried away the coveted George Lamb Trophy presented 

for the most popular picture voted for by visitors to the group's exhibition at the 

show. 

SONNING VILLAGE SHOW PRIZE WINNERS 2021 

Preserves & Cookery: Brutton Cup for most points — Diane Reeves 

Victoria Sandwich: Sonning Glebe WI Golden Spoon —Christine Emmett 

Jubilee Cup (men only) — Tom Leviss 

Vegetables: Hillier Cup for the most points — Jackie Holland 

Best Onions: Nobby Clark Onion Cup — Emelia Silvey 

Collection of four kinds veg: Les Moss Tankard — Lynn Woodhouse 

Overall Winner: David Penny Pumpkin Trophy — John Gale 

People's Choice Prize: The Flower Club — Yvonne Hatcher 

Children's Prize: The Flower Club — Ashling Hyland 

Photography: Sonning Glebe WI Trophy — Karen Mccoy 

Craft: British Legion Cup — Jane Hunt 

Art Best Exhibit: Bill Gallimore Trophy — Saskia Mercer-Gray 

Bygone Days: Martha Angel Centenary Cup — Sonning Club 

Overall Winner: Wethered Flower Cup — Arthur Thomas 

Children's Section: White Hart Cup — Jonathan & Sophia Smyly 

Infants Section: £10 — Izzy Sawyer 

Pegs Egg Challenge — Jeff & Hannah 

Sonning Art Club People's Choice: George Lamb Trophy — Jill Watkins 

Charvil singing for female voices 

Here's two, not to be missed, singing opportunities for Charvil's female voices led by 

local music teacher and choir director Suzanne Newman in Charvil Village Hall: 

Saturday 4 December, 2-4pm: Sing some great Christmas songs arranged for a 

two-part female voice choir, including: Deck the Hall, Jingle Bells, We wish you a 

Merry Christmas, I'll be home for the Christmas, and Home for the Holidays. The £10 fee 

includes music and light refreshments. 

10, 11, 12 April, 6-8pm: A Les Miserables singing course from the film version 

of the show. This course is limited to 20 singers who will need to attend all three 

sessions. The £30 fee includes the music. 

For more details contact: Suzanne 0118 934 0589 / suzanneynewman@btinternet.com 

An autumn pastel by Jean Hutchinson 

Sonning School 

open days for 

prospective 

parents 

Sonning CofE Primary School is 

inviting prospective parents to 

join the staff and pupils at one 

of two forthcoming open days 

on Wednesday 24 November or 

Monday 6 December. 

Further details about the school's 

excellent facilities and the open days 

can be found on the school website: 

http://www.sonning.wokingham.sch.uk 

or by telephoning the school on: 

0118 969 3399. 

Performing Arts 

Centre Appeal 

While a substantial sum has already 

been raised for the new Sonning 

CofE School's Performing Arts 

Studio (see our June 2021 issue) there 

is still some way to go. If you would 

like to help this worthy local cause 

please visit: 

http://www.peoplesfunding.com/ 

fundraising/performing-arts-centre 

where there is more information 

about this exciting project and the 

opportunity to make a donation!



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History 

Was it really . . .? 

. . . 150 YEARS AGO on 10 November 1871 that Welsh 

journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley (born John 

Rowlands) located the missing missionary and explorer Dr 

David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika in present-day 

Tanzania. He might, or might not, have greeted him with the 

words: 'Doctor Livingstone, I presume?' 

. . . 125 YEARS AGO on 16 November 1896 that Oswald 

Mosley, British fascist politician, was born. He was 

imprisoned for three years in 1940 for founding the British 

Union of Fascists. 

. . . 100 YEARS AGO on 11 November 1921 that poppies 

were sold for the first time in British and Commonwealth 

countries to commemorate military personnel who died in 

war. In the UK they are sold by the Royal British Legion to 

raise funds for current and former members of the British 

Armed Forces. Around 30 million poppies are sold each year. 

. . . 90 YEARS AGO on 30 November 1931 that the Crystal 

Palace in London was destroyed by fire. 

. . . 80 YEARS AGO on 13 November 1941 that the British 

aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal was torpedoed by a German 

submarine in the Mediterranean Sea near Gibraltar. It sank 

the following day. 


. . . 65 YEARS AGO on 5 November 1956 that Premium 

Bonds went on sale in the UK. They were designed to 

encourage saving, and offered cash prizes instead of interest. 

.. . . 50 YEARS AGO on 14 November 1971 that NASA’s 

Mariner 9 spacecraft (launched in May) reached Mars. It 

was the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. Mars was 

engulfed in a dust storm, but eventually images were made 

of 85% of the surface. It was deactivated in October 1972. 

. . . 40 YEARS AGO on 12 November 1981 that the US Space 

Shuttle Columbia was launched on its second flight into 

space and became the first reusable manned spacecraft. 

. . . 30 YEARS AGO on 18 November 1991 that the Church of 

England envoy Terry Waite was released by Islamic Jihad in 

Lebanon after being held hostage since January 1987. 

. . . 25 YEARS AGO on 30 November 1996 that England 

officially returned the Stone of Scone to Scotland after 700 

years. Scotland agreed to loan the Stone to Westminster 

Abbey for future coronations. 

. . . 20 YEARS AGO from 12-13 November 2001 that the 

Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban abandoned the capital as US/ 

NATO/Northern Alliance forces entered the city. 

Planning Your 

Traditional Wedding? 

Then you might like to 

discuss the possibility of 

marriage in our ancient and 

beautiful parish church. 

If so, call the vicar, Jamie 

0118 969 3298 

He will be pleased to help! 

In addition to the stunning and historic location in Sonning, 

we will work hard to provide you with a memorable and 

moving occasion. We can provide a choir, organ, peal of 

eight bells, beautiful flowers, over 100 lit candles set in 

ornate Victorian chandeliers and the use of our beautiful 

churchyard as a backdrop for your photographs. 



the church of st andrew SERVING CHARVIL, 

SONNING & sonning eye since the 7 th century



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HEALTH 

On the surface we may answer this question with the five 

senses in mind: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. 

However, we all interpret the signal from our sensory 

nervous system differently. Some eating a chilli may have 

markedly different reactions. Broccoli and sprouts cause 

delight and disgust; and there is always the Marmite 

argument. Equally, painful stimuli can be agony for one 

and mild discomfort in others. 

It wasn’t until the second half of the 20th Century that 

scientists discovered the different nerves that allowed us to 

sense temperature, movement, pressure and pain. 

Nerves transmit electrical signals. We know from 

research that each nerve requires a chemical reaction to 

trigger the next nerve to fire and eventually a part of the 

brain is triggered and we then perceive the world around us. 

What we didn’t know was what triggered the sensory 

nerves to initiate the signals. Why does chilli make us feel 

heat and menthol cold? Why is some pressure on our skin 

unpleasant but other pressure is pleasurable? 

We are closer to understanding the mechanisms thanks 

to the teams led by David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian in 

the US who have just been announced as joint Nobel prize 

winners in Physiology or Medicine for 2021. 

The vast majority of human physiological functions are 

triggered by the activation of receptors — the locks. The 

triggering factor is the key. The keys well known to us are 

chemical keys, such as drugs, alcohol, nicotine, hormones 

and surface proteins of bacteria and viruses. When these 

receptors are activated they allow the movement of ions 

across our cell membranes which creates an electrical 

gradient and thus an electrical signal. But how does 

pressure work, there is no chemical reaction? 

It seems we have receptors that ‘open’ ion channels 

when pressure is applied to the cell membrane. 

They found them by, literally, poking cells with a very, 

very, small pipette. The receptors are coded by our genes. 

For the pressure receptors they found 72 genes that could 

be involved. 

One by one they switched these genes off until the 

cell gave no measurable signal. They named the receptors 

'Piezo', from the Greek word for pressure, píesi. 

What made us eat chillis? Surely the pain would put us 

off trying a second one forever! 

Capsaicin is the chemical in chillis that causes us to 

feel heat, even if the chilli is cold. Menthol makes us feel 

cold, even if it is hot. What is going on? 

The team in America theorised that these chemicals 

caused a response in the body and there would be a 

section of DNA that produced the protein that reacted to 

capsaicin. They introduced this DNA to cells that didn’t 

normally react to chilli. When they found this protein 

its activation caused an ion channel to open and set off 

the reaction to create a nervous impulse. They named it 


Dr Simon Ruffle asks . . . how do we perceive the world? 

LOCK AND KEY 

PRESSURE 

FEELING HOT HOT HOT 

TRPV1. They then studied its reaction to heat and found 

that at 430C it opens. Try heating water to 430C. It won’t 

burn unless you remain exposed for minutes but it is the 

point where you will feel uncomfortable. 

Similarly menthol also has its own receptor TRPM8 

which activates at cooler temperature. 

IMPLICATIONS 

At the moment our treatments for pain relief is very 

crude. The most powerful of medications block channels 

in our brain and have pretty awful side effects, they are 

also addictive and many studies show that the quality 

of some people's lives are significantly reduced over and 

above just the misery of pain. For acute conditions they 

are brilliant but not for chronic pain. Being able to stop 

the signals at source would be fantastic. Capsaicin is 

already used in a pain relieving cream. 

Being able to change the way we ‘feel’ pressure may 

also have many applications especially in where that 

mechanism has gone wrong such as amputees and where 

the person feels light touch as pain and in chronic pain 

syndromes. 

HUGS 

So giving a loved one a hug is now understood a little 

better, however I wouldn’t suggest mentioning Piezo 

receptors at that moment or threaten someone with I’m 

going to stimulate your Piezo receptors with my fist! 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER 

Simon Ruffle 

The photograph with this article is taken from inside a 

bar in Rome. 

A pleasantly warm day in spring, we’d walked to the 

Colosseum and walked back to Piazza Navaro. Repeated 

pressure on our feet started to make it uncomfortable to 

walk, so we sat down; enjoyed a cold beer and a delicious 

lunch with a slight kick of chilli. Later after a walking 

tour of the Forum, we enjoyed a very nice gelato, mine 

was mint! 

If only I’d have put it altogether I’d have a Nobel prize 

to my name. Instead, I have a chemical and nervous 

pathway created by stimuli that I can use to remember 

that day; which I still perceive as one of my favourite 

days!



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It’s a new day at Sunrise 

As we move into Autumn and the days get shorter, thoughts naturally move 

to the future. So what better time to think about what happens next when it 

comes to your loved one’s care? 

At Sunrise of Sonning, residential, nursing, dementia and palliative care is 

not just about providing practical support. It’s about creating community, 

friendships and memories. 

We encourage our residents to get involved in their home in whatever way 

suits them, from flower arranging to being a Sunrise resident ambassador, 

retaining and building purpose and self worth. 

Over 96% of our residents and team members have received their 

second vaccination. 

Call 0118 338 2986 or visit SunriseSonning.co.uk for more details. 

25 March 2021 

Sunrise of Sonning 

Old Bath Road, Sonning, Berkshire RG4 6TQ 

Residential, nursing and dementia care home 

ADV_SON_0821_ParishMagazine_02.indd 1 24/08/2021 12:30

HOME & GARDEN 

Recipe of the month 

New England Pecan Pie 

From Emma of Emma's Kitchen, Twyford 


In the garden 

Ingredients 

— 500g pack sweet shortcrust pastry 

— flour, for dusting 

— 75g butter, softened 

— 100g golden caster sugar 

— 175g golden syrup 

— 175g maple syrup 

— 3 eggs, beaten 

— ½ tsp vanilla extract 

— 300g pecan halves 

Method 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry. Use the pastry to line a 23cm 

tart tin (keeping any off-cuts in case you need to fill any cracks after blindbaking). 

Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork and chill for 30 minutes, 

or until firm . . . 

. . . or, you can cheat and buy a ready made base! 

Heat oven to 1900C/1700C fan/gas 5. 

Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake 

for 15-20 minutes until the sides are set. Remove the beans and parchment and 

return the tin to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the pastry is golden and the 

base is set. Leave to cool. 

Increase oven temperature to 2000C/1800C fan/gas 6. 

Use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar together until light and 

fluffy. 

Keep the beaters going and pour in both of the syrups. 

Gradually add the eggs, ¼ tsp salt and the vanilla, then whisk until combined. 

Stir through the pecans, then pour the mixture into the tart case. 

Bake for 10 minutes. 

Turn heat down to 1600C/1400C fan/gas 3 and continue baking for 30-35 

minutes. The pie should be golden brown and the filling should wobble a little 

in the centre when shaken. 

Leave to cool in the tin. You will probably need to run a knife around the tin to 

lift out the pie. 

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. 

is back! . . . 

Third Sunday of the month in The Ark at 3pm 

revkate@sonningparish.org.uk 

motortion, dreamstime.com 

Plant beans, peas 

and trees now 

for tomorrow 

November is no excuse not to get 

out into the garden. As well as 

giving everything a good tidying 

you can also sow some broad bean 

and hardy pea seeds for an early 

spring crop and, of course, it is the 

start of winter tree planting season 

which runs from November to 

March. 

Broad beans and early peas such as 

'Meteor’ and ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ are 

best sown under cloches that not 

only protect them from any harsh 

winter frosts, but will also save the 

fresh shoots from being plundered 

by hungry pigeons! 

TREE WEEK 

This year's National Tree Week 

sponsored by the Tree Council 

starts on Saturday 27 November. 

While there is nothing to stop 

you appreciating the old trees in 

your garden by giving them a hug, 

probably the best way to celebrate 

trees is to plant some more! 

To find out how to do this visit: 

https://treecouncil.org.uk/take-action/ 

seasonal-campaigns/national-tree-week/ 

where there is a lot of helpful 

information about planting and 

caring for trees.



W E L L N E S S B Y D E S I G N 

A T A I L O R M A D E S O L U T I O N , W H E R E L U X U R I O U S 

I N T E R I O R D E S I G N A N D F I T N E S S E Q U I P M E N T 

C O M E T O G E T H E R T O M E E T Y O U R N E E D F O R A 

G R E A T E R S E N S E O F W E L L B E I N G A N D S E R E N I T Y 

I N Y O U R H O M E 

P R O J E C T M A N A G E D F R O M C O N C E P T T O C O M P L E T I O N 

J O A N N A @ S A B E L L A I N T E R I O R S . C O M 

W W W . V E L V A E R E F I T . C O M 

0 7 7 8 0 8 3 6 7 4 7

the sciences 

Should we have faith 

in science? 

dotshock, dreamstime.com 

By Dr Ruth M Bancewicz, church engagement director at 

The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Cambridge 

How do you feel about science after more than 18 months 

of pandemic: tired or interested, impressed or cynical – 

or a bit of everything? 

The response to Covid-19 has demonstrated how ideology 

or world view are hugely influential in our interpretation 

and use of scientific data — and at times in the process 

of experimentation itself. Should we trial a vaccine in 

Spain or South Africa? Is this treatment safe enough to 

administer to the general public? Should vaccination be 

made compulsory? The data does not tell us what to do. 

So, when we are encouraged to ‘trust the science’ in our 

ongoing response to the pandemic, or in the run-up to the 

COP26 UN climate change conference, how can the Church 

respond? 

The whole Biblical story affirms that God is the only 

one in whom we can have complete faith. On the other 

hand, I put a certain amount of trust in other things. I can 

have faith in a plane, a body of knowledge, or a person. 

This trust is within limits because I know that air travel 

involves hazards, a body of knowledge will contain some 

mistakes, and every ordinary human is fallible. 

KNOWLEDGE IS PROVISIONAL 

I trust science to some extent because it involves 

careful observation and measurement, collecting different 

kinds of evidence. Data is interpreted, and competing 

interpretations are tried out. We summarise our findings 

in general principles or mathematical equations. Scientists 

keep each other accountable by looking critically at each 

other’s work. Our knowledge is always provisional. You 

can’t prove anything scientifically because we only deal in 

evidence, not proof. 

On the other hand, there must always be the potential 

to disprove a theory or it’s not science. Our aim is to 

keep getting nearer to the truth about the way the world 

is. Overall, I believe this method is reliable and worth 

supporting, but that only God is completely trustworthy. 

Psalm 8 reminds us both of the splendour of God’s 

creation, and that he has placed us in a position of 

responsibility over it. Scientific knowledge can be part of 

what helps us to rule well. The process of doing science can 

be a bit like a blurry image coming into focus. The more we 

learn, the better we can usually see what’s going on, and 

hopefully the easier it is to decide on a course of action. 

So in answer to the question ‘Should we have faith in 

science?’ I would say yes, when used wisely and within its 

proper limits. 

the ARTS — 1 

All who 

pass 

this 

way, 

look 

and 

see 


By Rev Michael Burgess 

El Greco, public domain, Wikimedia Commons 

The philosopher Wittgenstein advised people visiting an art 

gallery or exhibition to never rush through all the paintings 

on show, but instead choose just one painting. Sit in front of 

it for 20 minutes. Then get up and leave the art gallery. 

It is difficult advice because we feel we want our money’s 

worth. Once inside we feel so overawed by the number of 

paintings and the pressure of the crowd that we go quickly 

from one canvas to the next. 

The rushing around in a gallery is part and parcel of the 

way we meet each day. We rush out of habit, and we rush 

because everyone else is rushing. Our world seems set in the 

fast lane. Carl Honoré in his book In Praise of Slow tells how, 

as a busy journalist, he experienced a flashback to a time in 

his youth when life was unhurried. He reflects, with regret, 

that it was a better life then. 

If we take Wittgenstein’s advice seriously and find ourselves 

in the National Gallery, Edinburgh, we could do no better than 

to sit in front of this month’s painting: El Greco’s The Saviour. 

Born in 1541 in Crete, El Greco travelled to Venice, Rome and 

then to Toledo in Spain where he died in 1614. 

AN INNER STRENGTH 

His art is a fusion of eastern and western traditions, given 

extra fervour by the Counter-Reformation and resulting in a 

unique style of painting. His canvases have elongated figures 

who seem to be straining upwards, just as the Counter- 

Reformation was exhorting the faithful to set their sights on 

heaven as they made their journey through life. 

In Crete El Greco trained as an icon painter, and that is 

much in evidence in The Saviour. It shows a half-length figure 

of Christ — he painted a fuller figure later. This Christ like 

icon is looking out at us, with his right hand raised to bless 

us and the world, while the left hand holds that same world 

in his care. We can see in the eyes an inner strength, but also 

the poignant sadness of longing for this is a Saviour who has 

come through suffering and death to bring us new life. 

We find in El Greco’s work a Christ-calmed steadiness 

amid the spinning world of rush and busyness. The nearer we 

draw to Jesus, the slower we will find ourselves spinning. The 

duties and responsibilities that demand so much from us take 

their place in the wider perspective of the Saviour’s grace and 

love. Then we can begin to experience that peace which the 

world cannot offer, but which Christ can bring.


THE ARTS — 2 

Celebrating Christmas — 

Embracing joy through art and 

reflection, Amy Boucher-Pye, 

BRF, £9.99: A hardback gift with 

images and words to explore 

the joys and sorrows of 

Christmas in a broken world, 

which is ‘why Jesus came to 

earth!’ 

The Christmas Story - for 

families to share, Martyn 

Payne, BRF £2.50: Colourful, 

engaging and deceptively 

simple, it is designed to help 

parents, grandparents and carers 

share with their children through 

a fun and interactive family Bible. 

The Whole Christmas Story — an Advent adventure through 

Genesis, Revelation and points in between, Jo Swinney, 

BRF, £8.99: Over 120 gospel verses take you from Gabriel’s visit 

to Mary to the family's escape to Egypt with daily readings, 

reflections and prayers, from Advent Sunday to Epiphany. 

The Impossible Promise, Bob Hartman, Bible Society, £2: 

Get involved with the nativity like never before by colouring in 

your favourite characters and imagining what they think and say. 

The Christmas Visitors, Deborah Lock, LionChildren’s, £9.99: 

This beautifully illustrated faithful retelling of the Christmas 

story will spark the imaginations of young children. An ideal 

read aloud story, sharing with children the joy and wonder of the 

events of the first Christmas. 

The Christmas Story, Karen Williamson, Candle Books, £6.99: 

A delightful re-telling of the Christmas story, ideal for sharing 

with toddlers, with bright charming illustrations. 

An Advent Book of Days — meeting the characters of 

Christmas, Gregory Cameron, Canterbury Press, £9.99: 

An Advent Book of Days tells the stories of the characters and 

creatures that make up the Christmas story, with daily prayers 

and reflections based on their experiences. 

The Weirdest Nativity, Andrew Sach and Jonathan Gemmell, 

10Publishing, £2.99: As well as the baby, the stable, the manger, 

etc it includes an enormous red dragon. His story is tucked away 

in the lesser-known pages of the Bible and his terrible deeds are 

facts of history. Though few people are aware of him, he is fighting 

a battle in which we all must choose sides. 

When Santa Learned the Gospel, Simon Camilleri, 

10Publishing, £3.99: Follow Santa's journey as he learns about 

Jesus' message of grace and discovers what it means for the 

naughty and the nice. 

The Characters of Christmas Storybook: Ruth Hearson, 

10Publishing, £3.50: Lots of different characters play a part in 

the wonderful story of Christmas. Children can meet them all in 

this beautifully illustrated book, and learn how they can be part of 

the most amazing story ever! 

Poetry corner 

All Saints by Edouard Amedee Didron, stained glass window in Saint 

Thomas Aquinas in Paris, France 

Zatletic, dreamstime.com 

Saints Splendorous 

By Steven Rolling, to the tune: Sine Nomine — ‘For all the 

saints’ Revelation 7:9-17 

1. John did behold, and, lo, great multitude 

Which no one could number, these he sure views 

All nations, peoples, kindreds, praise renewed 

Alleluia, Alleluia! 

2. They stood before the Lamb, and too the throne 

Clothed in white robes, Jesus as Lord they own 

With palms in hands, they worship Him alone 


3. They cried with loud voice, saying, Salvation 

To our God, He atones for each nation 

Sits on the throne. The Lamb He be His Son 


4. All angels worshipped, and all gathered there 

In endless jubilation they do share 

With saints, redeemed ones, e’er under His care 


5. They said, Amen, Blessing, wisdom, glory 

Thanksgiving, honour, power, and might be 

To our God ever, through eternity 


6. One there said to John, These be they which, see 

Came forth from great tribulation, now free 

Their robes washed in the Lamb’s blood, white now be 


7. Therefore they before God’s throne day and night 

Serving Him in His temple, in His sight 

He swells among them, here endless delight 


8. They hunger nor thirst any more, for so 

The Lamb shall feed them lead to fountains flow 

Of waters, every tear gone, glory’s glow 

Alleluia, Alleluia!

CROSSWORD 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

8 

9 10 

11 12 

13 14 15 

17 18 19 

16 

20 21 

22 23 

Across 

1 Money that is owed (4) 

3 Supervisor (8) 

9 Part of an orchestra (7) 

10 Floral leaf (5) 

11 Takes a break (5) 

12 Rubbish (7) 

13 Routed (anag) (6) 

15 Simple; unrefined (6) 

17 Leaning at an angle (7) 

18 Latin American dance (5) 

20 Existing (5) 

21 Selfish person (7) 

22 Writer literary works (8) 

23 Gelatinous substance (4) 

1 - Money that is owed (4) 

3 - Supervisor (8) 

9 - Part of an orchestra (7) 

10 - Floral leaf (5) 

11 - Takes a break (5) 

12 - Rubbish (7) 

13 - Routed (anag) (6) 

15 - Simple; unrefined (6) 

17 - Leaning at an angle (7) 

18 - Latin American dance (5) 

20 - Existing (5) 

21 - Selfish person (7) 

22 - Writer of literary works (8) 

CODEWORD 

Down Down 

1 Completely 1 - Disreputable (opposed) (13) (13) 

2 Data entered 2 - Shouts into orders system (5) (5) 

4 Distinct being 

4 - Countenance 

(6) 

(6) 

5 Children's toy (12) 

6 Sincere (7) 

6 - Take out (7) 

7 Impulsively (13) 

7 - Amusement park ride (6,7) 

8 Poorly fed (12) 

14 Illness (7) 

8 - Modestly (12) 

16 Urge to 14 do - Totals something up (7) (6) 

19 Vegetables 16 - Go related out of a place to (6) 

onions (5) 

5 - Consequence of an event (12) 

19 - Reclining (5) 

23 - Gelatinous substance (4) 

26 3 8 14 18 17 20 22 24 8 7 10 

25 16 12 22 13 4 8 

13 16 17 8 19 17 7 3 19 12 21 7 

1 13 15 8 13 24 10 

24 25 25 8 26 24 10 24 20 13 10 8 

8 3 7 24 8 20 

3 8 13 6 8 3 22 25 13 7 20 13 

7 15 26 24 24 15 

7 10 3 13 24 26 2 10 8 15 8 6 

23 8 10 17 13 8 13 

8 15 15 17 24 13 24 3 25 24 9 10 

3 15 19 15 11 26 8 

5 24 13 15 15 17 13 25 10 2 17 7 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

R 

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

O K 

SUDOKU 

Each of the nine blocks has to contain all the 

numbers 1-9 within its squares. Each number 

can only appear once in a row, column or box. 

WORDSEARCH FOR POPPIES 

Search for 20 words hidden in the grid above 

that are from the story below ... 

It was 100 years ago this month, on 11 Nov 

1921, that Remembrance poppies were sold 

for the first time in British and Commonwealth 

countries to commemorate military personnel 

who died in war. Amid the mud, blood and 

carnage of trench warfare in World War 1, tens 

of thousands of bright red poppies had grown, 

marking the graves of the fallen. This led John 

McCrae, a Canadian army physician who had 

lost a colleague, to write 'In Flanders Fields': 

In Flanders fields, the poppies blow, between 

the crosses, row on row, that mark our place, 

and in the sky the larks, still bravely singing, fly. 

This image inspired the adoption of a red poppy 

as the symbol of all soldiers who had died in 

conflict. In the UK they are sold by the Royal 

British Legion to raise funds for current and 

former members of the British Armed Forces. 

Around 30 million poppies are sold each year. 


PUZZLE PAGE — the answers will be published in the next issue 

REMEMBRANCE 

POPPIES 

COUNTRIES 

COMMEMORATE 

FLANDERS 

PERSONNEL 

THOUSANDS 

MUD 

BLOOD 

SOLD 

RED 

CARNAGE 

TRENCH 

WARFARE 

BRIGHT 

GRAVES 

FALLEN 

FIELDS 

SYMBOL 

MILITARY 

October 

Solutions 

CROSSWORD 

D A I S W E A K N E S S 

I N M N A A P 

A S P H A L T L A R G O 

M U L I E N N 

E A T E N T R I D E N T 

T O Y D S A 

R A D I U M B O S T O N 

I I R E S E 

C U S H I O N C E L L O 

A E S J O E U 

L E A C H O P P R E S S 

L S E I E K L 

Y I E L D I N G E S P Y 

CODEWORD 

F I E N D S S E I Z E D 

A A E M J E E 

C A R I B O U E B A 

I L U L A C Q U E R 

A X I N G T T L 

L E I E M E R Y 

S H O P E D N 

L A T H E L R A 

A R Y K N O W S 

R A V I O L I A L I 

G E I N U Z Z L E D 

O N N G O E E 

S I T T E R R O N D O S 

SUDOKU 

WORDSEARCH HARVEST 

MUSICALS QUIZ 

1. My Fair Lady 

2. Top Hat 

3. Oklahoma 

4. Singing in the Rain 

5. Sound of Music 

6. South Pacific 

NOVEMBER QUIZ — suggested by Claude Masters: Name the top ten hymns (see page 7) from which these lines came . . . 

. . . remember, as Eric Morecambe once said: 'they are not necessarily in the right order! 

1. He whose word cannot be broken 

2. Whose arm hath bound the restless wave 

3. He is my light, my strength, my song; 

4. Forgive our foolish ways 

5. Be all else but nought to me, save that thou art; 

6. My Saviour’s love to me, 

7. And was the holy Lamb of god 

8. I am weak, but thou art mighty; 

9. I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, 

10. The darkness falls at thy behest; 

St Andrew's Church by night Peter Rennie


Local Trades and Services 

ACG SERVICES - LOCKSMITH 

Locks changed, fitted, repaired and opened 

Door and window locks fitted, UPVC door lock expert 

Checkatrade member - Which Trusted Trader 

Call Richard Homden: 0149 168 2050 / 0771 040 9216 


CHIROPODY AND PODIATRY 

Linda Frewin MInstChp, HCPC member 

General foot care and treatments 

25 Ashtrees Road, Woodley RG5 4LP 

0118 969 6978 - 0790 022 4999 

CLARK BICKNELL LTD - PLUMBING & HEATING 

Qualified Plumbing and Heating Engineers Gas Safe 

25 years experience - local family run company 

Office: 0118 961 8784 - Paul: 0776 887 4440 

paul@clarkbicknell.co.uk 

COMPUTER FRUSTRATIONS? 

For jargon free help with your computer problems 

PC & laptop repairs, upgrades, installations, virus removal 

Free advice, reasonable rates 

0798 012 9364 help@computerfrustrations.co.uk 

INTERSMART LIMITED 

Electrical Installation and Smart Home Automation 

intersmartuk@gmail.com 

Elliott — 0777 186 6696 

Nick — 0758 429 4986 

HANDYMAN & DECORATING SERVICES 

Reliable and affordable 

Small jobs a speciality! 

Call Andy on 0795 810 0128 

http://www.handyman-reading.co.uk 

JAMES AUTOS 

Car Servicing, Repairs and MOT 

Mole Road, Sindlesham, RG41 5DJ 

0118 977 0831 

james_autos@hotmail.co.uk 

ALL AERIALS 

A local business based in Sonning. TV - FM - DAB aerials etc. 

Sky dishes. Communal premises IRS systems, TV points. 

Free estimates - All work guaranteed 

0118 944 0000 

MC CLEANING 

We are a family business with excellent references 

and we are fully insured 

All cleaning materials provided 

For free quote call: Maria 0779 902 7901 

THAMES CHIMNEY SWEEPS 

0779 926 8123 0162 882 8130 

enquiries@thameschimneysweeps.co.uk 

http://www.thameschimneysweeps.co.uk 

Member of the Guild of Master Sweeps 

PROFESSIONAL HOME VISIT WILL SERVICE 

Thames Valley Will Service 

Also Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate Service 

We are still working during the pandemic period 

0134 464 1885 tvwills@yahoo.co.uk 

AJH ROOFING Co (READING) Ltd 

Tiling, Slating and Flat Roofing specialists 

36 Chatteris Way, Lower Earley, RG6 4 JA 

0118 986 6035 0794 447 4070 

ajhroofingco.co.uk info@ajhroofingco.co.uk 

WANT HELP WITH AN ‘ODD JOB’? 

For local odd jobs please call Phil on 

0118 944 0000 

0797 950 3908 

Thames Street, Sonning 

BIG HEART TREE CARE 

Reliable and friendly service for all tree care 

NPTC qualified — Public Liability of £10million 

0118 937 1929 0786 172 4071 

bighearttreecare.co.uk info@bighearttreecare.co.uk 

SMALLWOOD 

Landscaping, garden construction, 

patios, lawns, fencing, decking etc 

0118 969 8989 

info@smallwoodcc.co.uk http://www.smallwoodcc.com 

BEECHWOOD CARPENTRY & CONSTRUCTION SERVICES LTD 

All types of Carpentry, Kitchens, Renovations 

Built-in Cupboards & Wardrobes, Flooring & Doors 

78 Crockhamwell Road, Woodley 0776 276 6110 

http://www.beechwood-carpentry-construction.co.uk 

CARER — COMPANION 

Experienced lady carer who is local to this area 

offers live-in support at competitive rates 

Excellent references provided — Contact Louise 

0784 226 2583 lasheppard61@gmail.com 

PAINTER and DECORATOR 

Roger McGrath has 25 years experience 

Restoration painting work of any size undertaken 

For a free quotation call 

Roger 0742 332 1179

CHILDREN'S PAGE? 

The Parish Magazine - November 2021 41

42 The Parish Magazine - November 2021 Please mention The Parish Magazine when replying to advertisements 

information — 2 

Parish contacts 

Ministry Team 

— The Vicar: Revd Jamie Taylor* 

The Parish Office, Thames Street, Sonning, RG4 6UR 

vicar@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298 

*Day off Friday 

— Associate Vicar: Revd Kate Wakeman-Toogood 

revkate@sonningparish.org.uk / 0746 380 6735 

On duty Tuesday, Friday and Sunday 

— Youth Minister: Chris West (Westy) 

youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk / 0794 622 4106 

— Licensed Lay Minister: Bob Peters 

bob@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 377 5887 

Children's Ministry 

— Alison Smyly office@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298 

Churchwardens 

— Stuart Bowman sdbowman73@aol.com / 0118 978 8414 

— Liz Nelson liz.nelson1@ntlworld.com / 0118 934 4837 

Deputy Churchwardens 

— Simon Darvall sdarvall@businessmoves.com 0793 928 2535 

— Sue Peters mail@susanjpeters.com / 0118 377 5887 

— Molly Woodley (deputy churchwarden emeritus) 

mollywoodley@live.co.uk / 0118 946 3667 

Parish Administrator 

— Hilary Rennie 

office@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298 

Parochial Church Council 

— Secretary: Hilary Rennie 0118 969 3298 

— Treasurer: Richard Moore 0118 969 2588 

Director of Music, organist and choirmaster 

— Hannah Towndrow BA (Oxon) 

music@sonningparish.org.uk 

Parish Website: http://www.sonningparish.org.uk 

The Parish Magazine: http://www.theparishmagazine.co.uk 

— Editor: Bob Peters 

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0118 377 5887 

— Advertising and Distribution: Gordon Nutbrown 

advertising@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0118 969 3282 

— Treasurer: Pat Livesey 

pat.livesey@yahoo.co.uk / 0118 961 8017 

— The Parish Magazine is produced by St Andrew’s PCC and delivered 

free of charge to every home in Charvil, Sonning and Sonning Eye. 

— The Parish Magazine is printed in the United Kingdom by The Print 

Factory at Sarum Graphics Ltd, Old Sarum, Salisbury SP4 6QX 

— The Parish Magazine is distributed by Abracadabra Leaflet 

Distribution Ltd, Reading RG7 1AW 

— The Parish Magazine template was designed in 2012 by Roger 

Swindale rogerswindale@hotmail.co.uk and David Woodward 

david@designforprint.org 

Advertisers index 

ABD Construction 10 

ACG Services Locksmith 40 

ADD Plumbing 12 

AJH Roofing 40 

All Aerials Sonning 40 

All Waste Clearance 34 

Barn Store Henley 16 

Beechwood Carpentry and Construction 40 

Big Heart Tree Care 40 

Blandy & Blandy Solicitors 14 

Blinds Direct 26 

Blue Moose 8 

Bridge House 43 

Bridges Home Care 14 

Bright and Fresh Cleaning 26 

Bull Inn 8 

Carer Companion 40 

Chimney Sweep, Thames 40 

Chiropody, Linda Frewin 40 

Chris the Plumber 32 

Clark Bicknell 40 

Complete Pest Solutions 16 

Computer Frustrations 40 

Cruz Kitchens 34 

DAC Mobility Services 34 

David Shailes Plumbing & Decorating 26 

Design for Print 28 

Freebody Boatbuilders 6 

Fields Pharmacy 32 

French Horn 44 

Gardiners Nursing 8 

Graham Blake Soft Furnishing 6 

Great House Sonning 26 

Handyman, Decorating 40 

Haslams Estate Agents 2 

Hicks Group 16 

Intersmart Electrical Installations 40 

James Autos 40 

Jones & Sheppard Stone Masons 16 

Just Brickwork 20 

Kingfisher Bathrooms 18 

MC Cleaning 40 

Mill at Sonning 4 

M & L Healthcare Solutions 12 

Mortgage Required 18 

Muck & Mulch 28 

Newgate Car Finance 20 

Odd Jobs 40 

Painter and Decorator 40 

Pearson Hall Sonning 30 

Pennymatters Finance Advice 10 

Q1 Care 30 

Reading Blue Coat School 18 

Richfield Flooring 14 

Sabella Interiors 36 

Shiplake College 20 

Signature Cliveden Manor Care Home 28 

Sonning Golf Club 32 

Sonning Scouts Marquees 32 

Smallwood Garden Services 40 

Style by Julie 10 

Sunrise of Sonning Senior Living 34 

Thames Valley Water Softeners 10 

Thames Valley Wills Service 40 

Tomalin Funerals 30 

Velvaere Studio 6 

Village Hamper 20 

Walker Funerals 12 

Water Softener Salt 28 

Window Cleaner 30

Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding this advertisement 


BRIDGE HOUSE 

of TWYFORD 

Because you deserve 

the very best 

Welcome to Bridge House Nursing Home 

Established for 35 years, the elegant Georgian Grade II listed Bridge House has extended its facilities to 

include a beautiful, light-filled and airy purpose built nursing home. 

Our philosophy is built upon helping residents maintain their independence and dignity, whilst ensuring 

their needs and expectations are fully met. We believe that being independent means having the freedom 

of choice and flexibility over how the day is spent. Working closely with families and professionals 

is fundamental in delivering and maintaining the required level of health and wellbeing. 

At Bridge House, our comprehensive facilities and care provision is designed to deliver skilled, 

professional and individually planned care in an unobtrusive manner. 

Call 0800 230 0206 

Visit www.bridgehouseoftwyford.co.uk 

INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • NURSING HOME 

190821 - Bridge House Ad Parish Mag v01.indd 1 21/08/2019 18:06

44 The Parish Magazine - November Please mention 2021The Parish Magazine when responding this advertisement 

The French Horn, 

Sonning. Quality. 

A continuing commitment to 

wonderful food and wine. 

0118 969 2204 

www.thefrenchhorn.co.uk

The Parish Magazine November 2021

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