The Parish Magazine April 2022

The Parish Magazine - April 2022 1 

The 

Parish 

Magazine 

The John King Trophy and Gold Award 

Best Magazine of the Year 2018 

National Parish Magazine Awards 

Best Content 2021, 2016 

Best Overall 2020, 2015 

Best Editor 2019 

Best Print 2018 

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

April 2022 — Holy Week and Easter 

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 - April 2022 

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




The John King Trophy and Gold Award 

Best Magazine of the Year 2018 

National Parish Magazine Awards 

Best Content 2021, 2016 

Best Overall 2020, 2015 

Best Editor 2019 

Best Print 2018 

information — 1 

Contents April 2022 

THE VICAR'S LETTER, 5 

THE PARISH NOTICEBOARD 

— Easter lilies, 7 

— Easter services, 7 

— Royal Maundy, 7 

— Confirmation, 7 

— For your prayers in April, 7 

— Christian Basics Part 3, 9 

— Christian Ukraine appeals, 9 

— STAY, 10-11 

— Claude on friendship, 11 

— On Reflection: Leviticus, 13 

— From the editor's desk, 13 

features 

— Easter in a nutshell, 15 

— April outings, 17 

— A game for all ages, 19 

— Platinum memories, 20-21 

— All welcome at Easter, 22-23 

— Acrostical Easter, 25 

around the villages 

— Toys and Teens smiles, 27 

— FoStAC music evening, 27 

— Chairman's Cup, 27 

— Thames Crossing Talk, 27 

— Village Rounders, 29 

— Scarecrows are coming, 29 

— Sanctuary Hosting, 29 

— Charvil Brunch for Karun, 29 

history, 31 

HEALTH 

— Dr Simon Ruffle, 33-35 

HOME & GARDEn 

— April in the garden, 35 

— Recipe of the month, 35 

THE ARTS 

— The Kiss of Judas, 37 

— Book Reviews, 37 

— Poetry Corner, 38 

the sciences 

— PCR tests, 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 

April 2022 — Holy Week and Easter 

The 

Parish 

Magazine 

the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF 

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY 

The Easter Fun Day is back this year! 

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 May 

issue of The Parish Magazine is: 

Wednesday 6 April at 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 

From the 

register 

BAPTISMs 

— Sunday 13 February 

Jacob David Knopp 

FUNERALs 

— Thursday 10 February 

Bridget Foley, Burial in churchyard 

— Monday 14 February 

Jean Collin, Funeral service in 

church followed by cremation at 

Reading Crematorium 

— Tuesday 15 February 

Ronald Mark Emmanuel, Funeral 

service in church followed by 

burial in churchyard 

— Wednesday 23 February 

Patricia Irene Prance, Interment 

of ashes in churchyard 


Services at 

St Andrew’s 

Sunday 3 April 

— 8.00am Holy Communion 

— 10.30am Family Service 

— 4.00pm Choral Evensong 

followed by tea in The Ark 

Palm Sunday 10 April 


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with 

the Passion Reading 

STAY and Sunday Club 

Maundy Thursday 14 April 

— 7.30pm Holy Communion with 

the stripping of the Altar 

Good Friday 15 April 

— 2.00pm The Final Hour with 

readings, prayer and silence 

Easter Eve 16 April 

— 8.15pm The First Communion 

of Easter with the lighting of 

the Easter fire 

Easter Sunday 17 April 

— 8.00am BCP Holy Communion 

— 10.30am Parish Eucharist 

Sunday 24 April 


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist 

— 6.00pm Sunday at Six in The 

Ark with refreshments served 

on arrival from 5.50pm. 

OTHER REGULAR SERVICES 

Morning Prayer is held in church 

every Tuesday at 9.30am. During Lent 

this will include a reflection on the 

Lord's Prayer. Tea and coffee is served 

in The Ark after the service. 

Mid-week Communion in The Ark is 

held every Wednesday at 10.00am. Tea 

and coffee is available following the 

service. 

Home Communion at Signature at 

Sonning is held on the first Monday 

of each month at 11.00am. Visitors 

must comply with the care home's 

Covid restrictions so please check with 

Signature at least four days before.


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The vicar's letter 

DEAR FRIENDS, 

After the non-event of Easter 2020 and the tentative half celebration in 

2021, we are now able to fully celebrate Easter again which is just as well 

as it is so central to our faith. The writer, C S Lewis, referred to our faith 

as one unashamedly based on miracles, and called the resurrection the 

central miracle. His friend and fellow writer, J R R Tolkien, referred to 

Easter as a 'eucatastrophe,' or good catastrophe, a radical and miraculous 

turn in human history. 

There's no way around the resurrection in Christianity. If it were not 

true, it would be up to us to abandon Christianity and seek some other 

way to serve God. If this central fact were not the core of our confession, 

we would be wasting our time. The most incredible thing in the world 

happened and people were willing to die horribly in the early years of 

the faith to uphold that witness, and others, having seen the sincerity of 

their deaths, were willing to die as well. That tradition continues today. 

More Christians have been martyred the world over in the past century 

than in all the Christian centuries before. Why, for a fairy-tale? I think 

not. 

THE FUNDAMENTALS 

However, in order to celebrate Easter, we have to know about it. 

Some people simply don't even know who Jesus is. Some people in the 

world today have never heard the good news about Jesus Christ. They 

don't know about the manger, about the baptism, the temptation, the 

Sermon on the Mount, the triumphant entry, the upsetting of the money 

changers, the contentions in the temple, and the breaking of the bread. 

They know nothing of the plotting, the conniving, the betraying, the 

arresting, the condemning, the torturing, the murdering, the burying 

and then the resurrection. This is why the church must constantly strive 

to teach the fundamentals of our faith, not just taking knowledge for 

granted. 

Our Alpha course was a great opportunity for this last year, and this 

year, from September, we shall have two Confirmation groups for young 

people and adults, both seeking to instruct and nurture. In addition, 

Sunday Club and STAY on Sunday offer ongoing teaching, three times a 

month, for children and young people and Messy Church does the same 

for our littlest ones. 

OVERWHELMINGLY IMPORTANT 

The resurrection is not just a trick or a wonder. It's an alteration to the 

world, to society, to us. It's either the most important thing that has ever 

happened, or it is time to be honest about things and do something else 

on Sundays. Archbishop Michael Ramsey once said 'I see no escape from 

the dilemma: either Jesus is fraudulent, or his claim is true: either we judge 

him for being terribly amiss, or we let him judge us'. 

For me, I am convinced the resurrection happened. The Bible tells 

us that over 500 people witnessed the resurrected Jesus and they were 

changed, emboldened to spread the news, even in the face of violence 

and death. They knew that there was nowhere they couldn’t go, no place 

they dare not go, to take this overwhelmingly important message. It was 

not something to be kept to themselves. The church today needs to learn 

from them. It is imperative that we get the word out, not just this Easter, 

but every day of every year! Christ is risen! 

Happy Easter! Warm wishes, Jamie

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the parish noticeboard — 1 

Notices 

Confirmation 

The Bishop of Oxford will lead our 

parish Confirmation on 20 November. 

Confirmation is the process of becoming 

a full member of the Church of England. 

Preparation groups begin for young 

people and adults in September. If you 

would like to find out more about what 

is involved, please speak to a member of 

the Ministry Team. 

The Royal Maundy 

Some months ago, I was asked by the 

Bishop of Oxford to nominate a worthy 

recipient of the Royal Maundy money at 

Windsor Castle this Maundy Thursday. 

This is the third time I have been asked 

during my time in the ministry, the 

first such service was at Canterbury 

Cathedral in 2002, the second, at Oxford 

Cathedral in 2013 and now Her Majesty 

has decided to hold the service each year 

at St George’s Chapel. 

Without hesitation I nominated the 

editor of this magazine, Bob Peters. I 

was delighted to hear recently that he 

had received a letter from Buckingham 

Palace and so he and Sue will go to 

Windsor for the special service later this 

month. 

Bob has served as a Licensed Lay 

Minister here for over 20 years and 

also assisted the Diocese with training 

new LLM’s, but my main reason for 

nominating him was for his work these 

past 10 years editing this multiple 

national prize-winning magazine. 

In this month which marks the 

140th anniversary of the death of the 

founder of the magazine, and its first 

editor, Canon Hugh Pearson, I feel there 

is something very appropriate about 

this, not least because he was a Canon of 

Windsor and he served Queen Victoria 

as deputy Clerk to the Closet. 

Many congratulations Bob and 

thank you for your continued service. 

Jamie 

Easter Lilies 

For your prayers in April 

Indy Biddulph 

Each year we display lilies in the church 

for Easter in memory of loved ones. 

We ask for a donation of £5 per stem 

and we will record names of those to be 

remembered in the sanctuary. The lilies 

will be displayed from Easter Saturday in 

church. 

Please contact Hilary in the church 

office by phone or email or place the 

donation in an envelope in the office 

letter box giving your name and the 

name to be remembered. 

If you prefer to pay by bank transfer 

please mark your payment ‘Lilies’ with 

your surname and make the payment to 

Sonning PCC account number 00011793 

sort code 40-52-40 and email Hilary the 

relevant name to be included. 

The closing date for names for the lily 

display is Palm Sunday 10 April. 


Palm Sunday 1o April, 10.30am 

We meet at The Ark Garden before 

processing via The Ark to Church 

for a Parish Eucharist with the Passion 

Reading. 

Maundy Thursday, 14 April, 7.30pm 

Holy Communion which celebrates the 

Last Supper. The service concludes with 

the stripping of the altar, after which 

there is silent reflection before the 

congregation depart in silence. 

Good Friday, 15 April, 2-3pm, 

The Last Hour, a service of Bible 

readings, prayers and silent reflection. 

Easter Saturday Family Fun, 2pm 

Meet inside the Church for a welcome 

and short service before moving outside 

for an Easter egg hunt, bouncy castle, 

riverside walk, egg and spoon races, trips 

up the tower, Messy Church activities in 

the Church, and a free BBQ. Please book 

with the Parish Office 0118 969 3298. 

Easter Eve, 8.15pm 

The First Communion of Easter. We meet 

outside the Church north door where the 

Easter fire will be lit. The congregation 

will be given candles, which are lit from 

the Easter fire. We then move into the 

dark church carrying 'the Light of Christ' 

to celebrate the first Holy Communion 

of Easter. If you have been to this service 

you will know that it one of the most 

meaningful services of the year. 

Easter Day 

BCP Holy Communion at 8am 

Parish Eucharist at 10.30am. Children 

will make the Easter Garden in The Ark. 

Please note: There will be not be an evening 

service, or Messy Church on this day. 

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Christian Basics — Part 3 

Rev Paul Hardingham's series on the foundations of the Christian faith 


Ukraine appeals for help 

The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem 

Resurrection? 

‘Easter is not primarily a comfort, but a challenge. Its 

message is either the supreme fact in history or else a 

gigantic hoax.’ (CS Lewis). 

As we celebrate another Easter, what is the significance of 

Jesus’ resurrection for us? As Paul writes, ‘if Christ has not 

been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins’. (1 Cor 

15:17). 

What does the New Testament affirm about the 

resurrection? It affirms that Jesus’ death on the cross was 

not a defeat but a victory over sin, death and Satan, in 

which we share. 

‘But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the 

agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its 

hold on him’ (Acts 2:24). 

BODILY RESURRECTION 

It points to our own bodily resurrection after 

death, ‘The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised 

imperishable’ (1 Cor 15: 42). 

FORGIVENESS 

It guarantees the forgiveness of our sins, ‘if Christ has 

not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your 

sins’ (1 Cor 15:17). 

THE REALITY 

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It ensures that we can know the reality of his risen life 

today, ‘just as Christ was raised from the dead through the 

glory of the Father, we too may live a new life’ (Rom 6:4). 

The story is told of Russia under the Communist 

regime. A member of the Communist Party addressed 

a packed audience at length, seeking to discredit the 

resurrection of Christ. At the end an Orthodox priest rose 

and asked if he might reply. He was warned that he only 

had five minutes. ‘Five seconds is all I need!’ He turned 

to the audience and gave the traditional Easter greeting: 

‘Christ is risen!’ Back with a deafening roar came the 

traditional reply: ‘He is risen indeed!’ 

23 Feb 2022: Residential building in Kyiv damaged by Russian aircraft. 

Palinchak, dreamstime.com 

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Barnabas 

Fund is sending funds, donated by its supporters, to 

churches in the neighbouring countries of Ukraine as they 

care for refugees, writes Colin Bailey. 

At the time of writing over 2 million people have arrived in 

the border regions of Ukraine’s neighbours. The majority 

have fled to the 12 border crossings into Poland, and others 

to Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova. The UN has 

warned that more than 4.5 million refugees could follow. 

Food is running short. One Moldovan pastor appealed to 

Barnabas Fund for food, clothing and shoes, given that some 

people had left their home without shoes or with only light 

clothing. Barnabas Fund is appealing for: 

— Tinned food that can be opened without a can opener, 

cup-a-soup packets and energy bars 

— Blankets 

— Good quality winter clothes, particularly coats 

Donated items should be taken to a collection point, see 

https://www.food.gives/gb/ukraine/#map for nearest details. 

Volunteers are also sought for supplying and/or driving 

a van or lorry to the borders of Ukraine in Poland, Romania, 

and Moldova. Call 0179 331 7778, or sign up at https://www. 

food.gives/gb/ukraine-volunteer/ 

Funds are also needed by Barnabas Fund’s partners in the 

region, particularly for heating the church halls and other 

buildings housing refugees. Donations may be made via 

https://tinyurl.com/2p8daued 

Thank you for any support — prayer, financial or 

practical — that you can give in support of Ukraine. 

CHRISTIAN CHARITIES 

HELPING UKRAINE 

Christian charities that are helping the people 

of Ukraine would welcome your support: 

Barnabas Fund: https://www.barnabasfund.org/gb/ 

Christian Aid: https://www.christianaid.org.uk 

Methodist Church UK: https://www.allwecan.org.uk 

Samaritan’s Purse: https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk 

Transform Europe: Network: https://www.ten-uk.org 

World Vision: https://www.worldvision.org.uk 

Operation Mobilisation: https://www.uk.om.org/Appeal/ 

ukraine-in-crisis



STAY on Friday 

We had a couple of fantastic youth 

club sessions in February. We had the 

usual games and fun, plus our final 

thoughts on justice and fairness. The 

main question was around; How is it 

fair that we are born into a country 

of affluence, free healthcare, free 

education and access to plenty of 

opportunities. Yet someone born 

in another part of the world isn’t. 

So what are we going to do to bless 

others who have less? 

STAY on Sunday 

We have continued our theme on 

relationships during February. 

Previously covering topics like; 

friendships, romantic relationships, 

family, celebrities, the persecuted 

church and toxic relationships. 

Most recently we looked at our 

relationships with the LGBTQ+ 

community and bullies. Each time we 

think about the influence and impact 

of these relationships plus the kind 

of people we want to be. 

February Half Term 

STAY Detached Project 

Our detached work continued 

with serving over 40 hot chocolate 

mountains to the young people of 

Charvil on Thursdays after school. 

This work builds hugely on the other 

areas of the STAY youth work in 

schools, at youth club and during the 

school holidays. 

STAY Schools Work 

Our work in schools has been 

wonderfully fruitful recently with 

mentoring around 20 students each 

week. Lots of pupils making positive 

steps towards positive choices 

and independence plus assemblies 

continue to give us the opportunity 

to tell young people about a God who 

believes in them and loves them. 

For youth related ideas, chats 

or musings, email Westy on: 

youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk 

It was wonderful so many young people and parents were asking after February ha 

families it is so important to have time away together. So I took my wife Gem and d 

on a ski mission. We stayed for the week with Altitude Mission and the Ski Angels ( 

but on the slopes. We loved our time skiing and serving with the altitude team! Nee 

information on the mission see https://www.altitudemission.com — Westy


Friends for life 

'Who needs a lift up to the church?' 

called the farmer sitting in his four 

wheel drive off road truck, writes 

Claude Masters. 

Although only about 100 metres away 

the church was at the end of a muddy 

farm track and up a steep hill. The 

church, St Mary Frome St Quinton, is 

part of a team benefice and only has 

one service a month, but with such 

difficult access there would not be 

many in the congregation when the 

weather is foul. 

The service on this occasion 

was the funeral of a friend who 

had moved from Reading with her 

husband to a delightful thatched 

cottage in rural Dorset about 20 

years ago. 

It was a bittersweet occasion as it 

was a joy to meet her family again. 

Her son, who played the organ for 

the service is a highly respected 

musician in the city of Hull. 

The music played before and 

after the service was chosen by 

him and some of it was a recording 

of the choir he conducts. After the 

coffin left the church none of the 

congregation moved from their 

seats but respectfully listened to 

the music. It was a very touching 

moment. 

The friendship between them 

and my family had developed many 

years earlier in the choir vestry and 

sacristy at St Bartholomew’s Church 

in London Road, Reading. 

Many of our friendships were 

made in that church and my wife, 

offspring, and I still meet up with 

many of them occasionally even 

Claude's 

view 

from 

the 

pew 

though they now live in different 

parts of the country. 

These are lifelong friends 

but many of our friends and 

acquaintances change from one 

decade to another as we progress 

though our lives. We don’t fall out 

with them, they just drift out of 

our lives. It is often said we choose 

our friends but are stuck with our 

relatives and it is sadly the case that 

we are more likely to fall out with 

our relatives than we are with our 

friends. 

The church is a fine place to meet 

and make friends, especially as we 

now have The Ark to meet each other 

after a service, and to be able to sit 

in a comfortable and welcoming 

environment. 

Youngsters attending the family 

services and other events at St 

Andrew’s will be making life long 

friendships and let us pray they will 

also become regular worshippers in 

God's family. 

lf term activities. But as with all 

aughter Phoebe to Meribel in France 

pictured above). Think Street Pastors 

ded a holiday on return! For more 

The Parish Church of St Mary Frome St Quinton 

Mike Searle


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On reflection . . . 

Leviticus: Being holy 

By Elizabeth Spiers 

Romolo Tavani, dreamstime.com 

Have you tried to read from Genesis to Revelation? 

If you have, I can imagine that when you arrived at 

Leviticus, you found it dry and boring. What can this 

book possibly have to say to us? It was written to 

another culture thousands of years ago and focuses on 

animal sacrifice. So why would God put it in the Bible? 

You’ve heard the saying 'you can take the girl out of Liverpool 

(or wherever) but you can’t take Liverpool out of the girl'. That’s a 

picture of how it was for the Israelites. They had been slaves 

in Egypt for so long that their Jewish heritage and their 

understanding of God was highly compromised. God wanted 

to remind them of who he was and more than that, of how 

holy he is. He wanted them to know how to worship him. 

Some of the laws given in Leviticus may have been for 

health to protect the people but most were so that they 

would be reminded of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

And of his faithfulness, holiness and power. God had made 

an everlasting covenant, with Abraham and the Jewish 

nation. As with any contract, there were benefits if you kept 

to the agreement and sanctions if you didn’t. As humans 

they were unable to keep their part of the agreement. They 

kept sinning, just as we do. They needed a Saviour, as we do. 

RELATIONSHIP 

It wasn’t time for Jesus to come, so God introduced 

animal sacrifice. This was his way for the people to repent of 

their sins and appease his wrath. It may seem horrific to us 

in our age of animal rights, but think of Jesus’ death. 

That too was horrific. He was bloodied, broken, thorns 

in his head, nails in his hands and feet, open back from the 

lashes and he was naked as he hung on the cross. But he gave 

his life to buy us back from a sinful world. Until then, God’s 

wrath was appeased by the shedding of an innocent animal’s 

blood. 

In Leviticus 10, two of Aaron’s sons, who had been 

ordained as priests, went to minister and got it wrong. Verse 

2 tells us they offered profane or ‘unholy’ fire to God and as a 

result they lost their lives. 

God is holiness. It’s not an attribute, it is who he is. Sin 

comes between us and God. And yet, he wants a relationship 

with each of us. 

That’s why we have Leviticus. It teaches us the lengths 

God will go to be able to live with his chosen people and why 

at the right time, he sent his Son so that the need for animal 

sacrifice would be over. 

We are precious, blood-bought children of God. Let us try, 

as God asks us in Leviticus 11:44 to 'be holy, as he is holy'. 

From the desk 

of the editor 

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk 

Sharing burdens is 

good for you . . . 


Sitting on my desk — or rather, there would be if 

there was room! — is a pile of parish magazines from 

churches around the UK. When I have sent this issue to 

the printers my next job will be to read all the waiting 

magazines and score them according to agreed criteria. I 

will also be making suggestions about how each magazine 

could be improved. 

One of my roles outside St Andrew's Church is with the 

Association for Church Editors (ACE). We have about 850 

members, all of whom, edit their church magazine. 

I joined ACE 5 years ago and, after winning its annual 

award for the best church magazine in 2018, I was invited 

to join its management committee, which currently has six 

members. Each committee member will be reading the same 

magazines in order to choose a winner. 

Like me, the other committee members have experience 

of the commercial world of publishing which is unlike the 

majority of ACE members who previously had very little 

editing or writing experience before taking the role of editor 

of their church magazine. Thus, much of the committee's 

time is taken up with encouraging members to develop and 

improve their publications. Running an annual competition 

is one way we try to do this. 

Each month I also write a newsletter for the ACE 

members which includes stories, and ideas for stories, that 

the members can include in their own magazines., and it 

offers tips on how to edit and design magazines. 

FUNDAMENTAL 

Through the newsletter, we also encourage members to 

share their editing and production problems with each other. 

Knowing that someone else has been in a similar situation 

and having someone to share experiences and solutions can 

also reduce the stress — meeting deadlines, and finding 

and writing stories can be stressful for all church editors. 

Having a channel to share problems also helps to relieve the 

loneliness that many editors experience. 

Whether sharing our problems or helping others it 

is, of course, not unique to church magazine editors, it is 

something that can help us in all walks of life. 

Sharing our burdens is a fundamental Christian 

characteristic. When Paul wrote to the Galatians he said: 

'Carry each other's burdens and so you will fulfil the law of Christ.' 

The good news here is that no one need do anything alone. 

You can help friends and family get through life's big and 

small obstacles, and they can do the same for you. 

There is great deal of wisdom in the proverbial saying: 'A 

problem shared is a problem halved.' 

If you have a problem, and no-one to share it with, 

contact a member of the St Andrew's ministry team (details 

on page 42) and if we can't help we will help you find someone 

who can. It's good to share your burdens!



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feature — 1 

The Easter message in a nutshell 


By Rev Canon David Winter* 

Part of the St Andrew's churchyard where local people have been buried since the 7th Century 

'When you die, that’s it. Nothing. 

Out like a light.' That’s what the 

man in the pub said, and his mates 

all nodded, though the one whose 

mother had died the week before 

wasn’t really quite so certain. Still, 

it seemed to make sense. 

After all, we know what ‘dead’ means: 

dead leaves, dead batteries, dead fish, 

dead pets . . . and dead people, to be 

honest. 

While we recognise that it’s all 

too easy to go from alive to dead, 

we’ve got serious doubts about the 

possibility of any return journeys. 

RETURN JOURNEY 

Which is why Christians have an 

uphill task at Easter. Jesus was a great 

man, and people want to remember 

how he died. Fair enough. 

But it starts getting complicated 

when Christians insist that Jesus died 

— but didn’t stay dead — in fact, that 

he’s alive now. That ‘return journey’ 

has happened, they say. 

That’s the problem about Easter, 

Christians persisting in what sounds 

like a ridiculous belief. If they just 

dropped the resurrection bit and 

concentrated on the wonderful 

teaching of Jesus and his example of 

generosity, compassion and love then 

everybody would find Christianity 

much more believable. Wouldn’t that 

make sense? And wouldn’t that fill 

the churches again? 

Well it might (or, more likely, 

it might not). But in any case, 

the trouble is that it wouldn’t be 

Christianity at all. The faith of 

Christians actually depends on the 

resurrection of Jesus, and always has 

done, right from the earliest days. 

After the crucifixion the body of 

Jesus was taken down from the cross 

by some of his friends and put in a 

rock tomb with a heavy stone rolled 

across the doorway. 

Yet the following Sunday, 

the third day after his death, his 

followers claimed that they had met 

him, seen him, talked with him. 

CONVINCED 

So certain was their belief that 

nothing could make them recant it. 

Not ridicule, not torture, not even 

death itself. They couldn’t deny his 

resurrection, because they were 

absolutely convinced that it had 

happened. 

Plenty of clever and powerful 

people at the time had a vested 

interest in proving them wrong. It 

shouldn’t have been difficult to prove 

Peter Rennie 

that a dead man had stayed dead, 

especially when you have at your 

disposal the resources of the greatest 

empire in history. Yet they didn’t do 

it, because it couldn’t be done. 

Still today millions of people all 

over the world believe that Jesus 

did in fact rise from the dead. They 

include brilliant scientists and 

philosophers as well as plenty of 

‘ordinary’ men and women of all ages. 

They believe it because they 

respect the witness of those first 

Christians, and because in many 

cases their own lives have been 

transformed by a relationship with 

Jesus — a relationship that wouldn’t 

make sense if he were dead! 

Christians don’t put their faith 

in a dead hero from the past, but in 

someone who is alive and active in 

their own lives and in the world. 

That, in a nutshell, is the real 

message of Easter. 

*Rev Canon David Winter has worked 

as a teacher, journalist, BBC radio & TV 

producer, head of religious broadcasting 

and as a parish priest. He lives in 

Berkshire, has written 44 books and 

writes a diary column for 'Church Times'. 

He also contributed to Radio 4’s ‘Thought 

for the Day’ for 20 years.



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feature — 2 


What will you be doing this April? 

While Holy Week and Easter dominate April this year, you can find lots of 

other things — from unicorns to Shakespeare and Jazz — to keep you busy 

during the other three weeks of the month. Here's a few for starters . . . 

Unicorns 

are not a 

joke! 

Because April 

begins with All 

Fools Day you may 

be thinking that this is a ruse, but 

it's true, 9 April is National Unicorn 

day. It's a chance, we are told, for 

fans of the mythical creatures 

to celebrate by making rainbow 

cupcakes and decorating them with 

lots of sprinkles and glitter. 

Stories of unicorns have, of 

course, been around for thousands 

of years and although none have 

ever been seen we are told they can 

be recognised by their single large, 

pointed, spiralling horn which 

projects from their forehead. But 

let's not spoil the children's fun; 

there is too much suffering in the 

lives of many of them which is why 

three days later on 12 April we have 

the International Day for Street 

Children. 

DESPERATE NEED 

First held in 2011, this special day 

is a response to the desperate need 

of hundreds of millions of children 

world-wide who are forced to live 

or work on the streets. We can only 

wonder what will happen to the 

thousands of children caught up in 

in the invasion of Ukraine. 

The United Nations admits that 

although there are millions of street 

children, official figures are virtually 

non-existent. Tragically, these 

children are virtually invisible, living 

without rights and protection on 

some of the most dangerous streets 

in the world. Record levels of 

inequality, violence, migration, war 

and natural disasters have caused the 

problem. The children often run away 

to escape abusive, dysfunctional 

homes and end up on the streets 

after being displaced or trafficked. 

Among those trying to help the 

street children is Toybox, a Christian 

charity which has worked with street 

children, first in Latin America and 

now in Asia and Africa, for more 

than 25 years. 

'We want to help children 

marginalised and abused by those who 

should be protecting them,' the charity 

says. 

Toybox grew out of a Christian 

couple’s compassion for the children 

they saw suffering on the streets of 

Latin America. 'Today, we continue to 

act, motivated by that same Christian 

faith, to see a world in which no child is 

forced to live or work on the streets.' 

To support Toybox: 

https://toybox.org.uk/support 

PET MONTH 

April is also National Pet Month, at 

the centre of which, is an educational 

campaign that brings together 

animal welfare charities, professional 

bodies, pet business, schools, youth 

groups and pet lovers. 

The campaign is coordinated by 

the National Office of Animal Health 

and the Pet Food Manufacturers’ 

Association and it aims to raise 

awareness of responsible pet 

ownership throughout the United 

Kingdom. 

http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk 

Patrickwang, dreamstime.com 

OXFORD v CAMBRIDGE 

The Boat Race, probably the most 

famous amateur sporting event, takes 

to the Thames on 3 April. The Women's 

Boat Race starts at 2.23pm and the 

Men's Boat Race begins at 3.23pm. 

First raced in 1829 by crews from 

Oxford and Cambridge Universities, it 

is considered the epitome of amateur 

sport, and each year attracts more than 

250,000 spectators to the banks of the 

Thames, as well as many millions more 

on television. 

It is raced over the Championship 

Course, which is over 4.25 miles of tidal 

Thames between Putney and Mortlake. 

This year will see the 167th Men’s Boat 

Race and the 76th Women’s Boat Race. 

WORLD EARTH DAY 

World Earth Day on 22 April started 

50 years ago with the mission to invest 

in the future by taking action, not 

because we care about the natural 

world, but because we all live on it. 

World Earth Day’s message is that 

every one of us needs a healthy Earth 

to support our jobs, livelihoods, 

personal health, survival, and 

happiness. ‘A healthy planet is not an 

option — it is a necessity’. Our local 

event is being organised by Imperial 

College, London who are raising 

money for the Berks, Bucks and Oxon 

Wildlife Trust. More at: 

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/ 

description/index.php?route=132532/5k-/ 

MORE APRIL EVENTS 

2 April: World Autism Awareness Day 

18 April: World Heritage Day 

22 April: National Shakespeare Day 

23 April: St George’s Day 

30 April: International Jazz Day



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feature — 1 

CHESS! 

A game for 

all the ages 


Inara Prusakova, dreamstime.com 

Although it has been suggested that the ancient game of Chess was invented by King Solomon (c990-c930 BC), who 

was known as the wisest of all the wise people of his time, there is evidence that it was played about 250 years before 

he was born. In this brief history of chess, Vic Ballard, a Rendezvous Club member and President of the Reading Chess 

Club, suggests that chess, which is still enjoyed by the young and old alike, goes even further back in time. It is truly a 

game for all ages and the ages — young and old, ancient and modern! 

FACT OR FICTION? 

To be a fact there must be proof. Is it 

fair to assume the chess as we know 

it today evolved over the centuries 

from a variety of war games played by 

moving pieces over a chequered board? 

Here are a few facts: 

In Kannak, on the tomb of Queen 

Nefertari of Egypt, is a fresco depicting 

the Queen sitting at a board game in 

which figures resembling castles are 

used. This is dated 1250 BC. 

There is evidence of early war 

games played on a chequered board 

displaying a variety of different styles 

of game. 

Some of the early Egyptian games 

were played on boards with 144 

squares and 48 pieces. The Egyptians 

also played on a board of 30 squares 

with 12 pieces. Today we play with 64 

squares and 32 pieces. 

In the 5th Century AD, in Persia 

there is evidence that a war game, 

known as 'elephant chess' was played 

on an 8x9 board with flat pieces — 

one of the pieces was marked with an 

elephant to denote a general. 

There is also historical proof that 

elephant chess was played in India in 

the 4th Century. 

A LIVING GAME 

Chess is a living game that has 

evolved over the centuries. It spread 

to many parts of the world long before 

easy communications could have 

taken place. As travel became possible, 

so the game adjusted to merge the 

finer details of the different cultures of 

the world. 

From 500 AD, the old Sanskrit 

name for chess is 'tesch aturanga', 

meaning 'four sides'. This indicates 

that the pieces could move in all 

directions on the board. 

The old Persian word 'shah-mat' 

meaning 'the King is dead' evolved 

into 'checkmate'. 

In Indian elephant chess, the 

elephant was the forerunner of the 

bishop. The rook was a chariot of war 

and pawns were soldiers. 

HOW MANY BOOKS? 

When asked on the old radio 

programme, The Brain Trust, the 

question: 'How do you define the skill 

levels of one game compared to another 

such as chess and draughts? an eminent 

professor answered: 'By the amount of 

literature that is written on the subject'. 

Compare the number of books written 

on chess with any other board game. 

Some estimates for chess books are 

about 100,000! The earliest books 

were by Arabs who had learnt the 

game from early Persia in the 8th 

Century. The elephant was retained, 

while the knight replaced the rook, 

and the castle appeared. 

An antique chess set including Julius Caesar (centre) 

MASTERS 

It was during this period that the 

earliest masters of chess emerged. The 

greatest player being an Arab, Ar-Razi 

in 850 AD. He wrote a book wth the 

descriptive title, 'Playing with Elegance'. 

In the 8th Century when the Arab 

world spread into Europe, chess was 

introduced to Sicily and Spain. 

The oldest written reference with 

the name 'chess' is dated 1008. It is a 

bequest made on a battlefield in Spain 

by Count Er-Mengaud of Urgel who 

stipulated that his rock crystal chess 

set should be given to the Cloister St 

Gilles-du-Gard. 

The first western European chess 

book was published in Spain in 1283. 

It linked innovations to the Arab rules 

of play. 

The first chess book printed in 

English was published in the 14th 

Century by William Caxton. Today, 

there are enough chess books to fill the 

Louvre in Paris, yet still the demand 

grows. 

Final fact: chess has taken the 

computer in its stride and confirms 

that it is still the game for all the ages! 

Sjankauskas, dreamstime.com


PLATINUM MEMORIES 

Proud to be part of a very 

memorable (but very wet) 

worldwide celebration 

London 1953: The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret pass through Parliament Square during the Coronation parade where Tony Whitwam (above) was part of 

the guard of honour, and for which he received the Coronation Medal 

Parliament Square picture: Alamy 

It rained that day, quite hard and I stood 

out in the rain all day. About eight and 

a half hours. It was Tuesday 2 June 1953 

and I was lining the route for the Queen’s 

Coronation, writes Tony Whitwam, a 

member of the Rendezvous in The Ark 

Club. 

I was a cadet at the Royal Air Force College 

Cranwell and all three service cadet 

colleges, the others being Sandhurst (Army) 

and Dartmouth (Navy) had gathered at 

Sandhurst for training together and to be 

near London. 

We got up early and went by train to 

Waterloo. I can’t remember whether we 

marched to Parliament Square or not but 

that was our patch. I don’t think it rained 

when we arrived on site but it soon did — 

and we were in our best uniforms and kit. 

I was on the inside of the square and 

that side had no people behind us. Our 

colleagues, on the other side of the road, 

had the public right behind them. Before 

the ceremony the road in front of us was 

crowded with very grand cars with earls 

and other grandees and their ladies 

in their robes with crowns of various 

patterns. You can tell the rank of the 

wearer by the pattern of the crown that 

they wear. 

I particularly remember seeing a 

small 1928 Austin Seven among all 

the grand cars. It held four people 

without robes and had a big sign in the 

windscreen saying 'CHOIR'. 

The road was crowded for hours. I 

think the people attending had been 

given special times to arrive so that they 

could gradually fill the Abbey in order 

and allow the cars to be driven away. 

At lunch time we were allowed 

to leave our position one or two at a 

time and to eat a packed lunch for a 

few minutes then return to our kerb 

side place. I don’t remember any toilet 

facilities being available. 

In the afternoon the troops formed 

up in the road ready to be part of the 

procession that followed the Queen after 

the ceremony. They were as wet as we 

were; the whole parade was steaming. 

Eventually our duties finished and we 

returned to Waterloo station and went 

back to Camberley by train. 

We thought we had finished for the 

day but we were wrong: the kind citizens 

of Camberley had granted all three cadet 

colleges permission to march through 

Camberley with 'bayonets fixed and 

colours flying'. It was a great privilege 

which we didn’t appreciate at the time, 

but I am sure we gave the citizens a good 

show. 

My friend who had stood opposite 

me with the public behind him even 

managed to get back to London for a 

date with a girl who was behind him 

most of the day. Some people have all 

the luck! 

It was a very memorable day and I'm 

proud to have received one of the 129,051 

Coronation medals that were presented.


2.5 billion people will be flying their flags for 

Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee 

Photo 48135706 © Steve Allen | 

Dreamstime.com 

It's not just the 67 million population of the 

United Kingdom that are celebrating The 

Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Around the world 

2.5 billion people in the Commonwealth of 

Nations also call her Queen. 

In February 1952 when Elizabeth II 

acceded to the throne following the death 

of her father, George V, she also became 

Head of the Commonwealth. Although 

it is not hereditary, Prince Charles was 

appointed her designated successor at the 

Commonwealth Heads of Government 

Meeting in 2018. 

In 1952 the Commonwealth was a body 

of eight states, including Canada, Australia, 

India, and Pakistan, which had been empire 

territories. The organisation now has a 

membership of 54 countries, with nearly a 

third of the world’s population. Only two 

members — Rwanda and Mozambique 

— were not formerly part of the British 

empire. In addition to the UK, the Queen 

is Head of State of 14 other countries 

which are often referred to as ‘Realms’. 

Here the constitutional functions of the 

Crown are exercised on the advice of 

local representatives known variously 

as Governors-General, Governors and 

Lieutenant-Governors. The Realms are: 

— Antigua and Barbuda 

— Australia 

— Bahamas 

— Belize 

— Canada 

— Grenada 

— Jamaica 

— New Zealand 

— Papua New Guinea 

— Saint Kitts and Nevis 

— Saint Lucia 

— Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 

— Solomon Islands 

— Tuvalu 

Steve Allen, dreamstime.com 

RENDEZVOUS 

IN THE ARK 

We meet every 

second and fourth 

Tuesday 

of the month 

for lunch and 

conversation 

To reserve your 

place call 

0118 969 3298

EVERYONE 

feature — 4 

GOOD 

THE LA 

15 Apri 

MAUNDY 

THURSDAY 

14 April 7.30pm 

Peter Rennie 

PALM 

SUNDAY 

10 April at 10.30am 

Alleluia! He is Risen I 

EASTER SUND 

17 April at 8.00am and 10.3

FRIDAY 

ST HOUR 

l 2-3pm 

WELCOME! 

EASTER EGG 

HUNT 

Egg & Spoon 

Races 

EASTER 

SATURDAY 

FAMILY FUN 

16 April from 2 pm 

Easter Activities 

BBQ 

Peter Rennie 

Indy Biddulph 

EASTER 

EVE 

16 April at 8.15 pm 

ndeed! 

AY 

0am 

For more details 

of these events 

and services 

see page 7 

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feature — 5 

Acrostical Easter 

In this issue we have looked at Easter in words and 

images, but here is an unusual approach — acrostics. An 

acrostic uses the first letter of each line to spell a word 

or phrase which relates to the text itself. They are often 

written as poetry. Our special thanks goes to Harry 

Hunter — https://faithacrostics.org — for his kind 

permission to print his Easter acrostics. 

PALM SUNDAY 

People pack the streets to hail their Messiah 

Adversaries keep their distance, out of the way, 

Lying in the wings they plot and conspire, 

Mobs are fickle, not too difficult to sway. 

Scattered with palms, the way is strewed, 

Upon the colt of an ass, Jesus prays yet grieves. 

Now Israel divides, leaders collude, 

Daringly, Joseph of Arimathea believes. 

Ajudgement awaits you, you vipers’ brood, 

You who made the temple a den of thieves. 

MAUNDY THURSDAY 

Meeting for Passover one final time, 

A sacrifice awaiting a traitor’s crime, 

Upstairs, far from the madding crowd, 

Night wrapped you tight in its ink black shroud. 

Dipping your matzah in the blood red wine 

You became quick branches in the Saviour’s vine. 

Take, eat of my body, drink of my blood 

He commanded. How little you understood; 

Uneasily, you let him wash your feet. 

Remembrance, from now, would be bittersweet – 

Suffering in joy, receiving in giving, 

Death to self as a new way of living. 

A final command, ever old and ever new – 

You were to love one another as He had loved you. 

GOOD FRIDAY 

Golgotha was a wretched place that day. 

One passer-by had helped him bear the cross, 

Others had succoured him on the way, 

Despairing their victory had turned to loss. 

Flogged, mocked, spat upon, betrayed 

Rejected, stripped, despised, disowned thrice – 

In between thieves he hung. One, unafraid, 

Deprecated Him for his futile sacrifice, 

And the other, penitent, with whom Jesus prayed – 

You shall be with me this day in Paradise. 

On the road to Emmaus 


Pavel Kusmartsev, dreamstime.com 

EASTER 

Even though the cross had staunched his breath, 

And the tomb had set its seal on brutal death, 

Sins of men yet stung in wounds still fresh, 

The word no longer dwelt with us as flesh – 

Even these could not prolong that darkest night. 

Resurrected life kindled the world alight. 

DOUBTING THOMAS 

Didymus, the twin, was not in the room 

On the Sunday of the empty tomb. 

Unless he witnessed flank and limb 

Believing wasn’t an option for him. 

Then the Lord returned, dispelling doubt: 

In front of all, he pointed out 

Nailmarks and the spear’s 

Gash, recalling God-forsaken tears. 

Thomas rarely grasped things first time round – 

His doubt was real, his faith profound. 

Overwhelmed, humbled he confessed 

My Lord and My God – and then was blessed. 

And the twin became a saint of steel: 

Sincere doubts oft make faith more real. 

EMMAUS ROAD 

Every Sabbath they’d heard the age-old story 

Many times the rabbi had read from Isaiah 

Maybe this year, with great pomp and furore 

Armies would arise, led by the Messiah. 

Unwary, on the road, they encountered dirty glory 

Suddenly the travellers’ hearts were afire. 

Religious routine rarely reaps reward, 

Only through relationship can our walk begin 

And when you first encountered the risen Lord 

Didn’t your heart strangely burn within?


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around the villages — 1 

Toys and Teens means 

2,558 smiling faces! 


Chairman's Cup challenge still 

going strong after 14 years 

The 2021 Toys and Teens Appeal that St Andrew's Church 

supported by collecting gifts during the December Family 

Service, put 2,558 smiles on deprived children’s faces! 

The Toys and Teens cash appeal raised over £15,000 and 

hundreds of toys to help 2,558 children enjoy Christmas. The 

campaign began in October and over the next few months 

involved pop-up donation points, fundraising and donations 

by local businesses, schools and places of worship, gift 

sorting, online purchases, and last but definitely not least, 

the distribution of packed toy sacks. 

The organisers said that so many people — from those 

who donated to sponsors and volunteers — went out of their 

way to put smiles on children’s faces on Christmas morning. 

You can read more about the campaign at: https://www. 

readingfamilyaid.org/our-blog/toys-and-teens-2021-2558-smiling-children 

Friends of St Andrew’s Church Sonning 

Musical Evening 

featuring 

Ascot Brass Band 

Bulmershe School Choirs 

Church Junior Choir 

Soloist – Celeste Hexter 

Saturday 30 April 

7.30pm 

St Andrew’s Church Sonning 

Tickets: Adults £10, Children free (with accompanied adult) 

Bob Hine 0118 969 8653 bob.hine@btopenworld.com 

Keith Nichols 0118 969 4628 keith.daphnenichols@gmail.com 

Proceeds in aid of FoStAC seeking to ensure sufficient funds 

are available for any future emergency repairs. 

Charity No: 1101944 

Zurijeta, dreamstime.com 

2,000 years of crossing the Thames 

Tony Weston is the Sonning and Sonning Eye guest speaker 

in Pearson Hall on 22 April at 7.30pm. His chosen subject is 

'From a Ford to a Flight — over, under and above 2,000 years of 

getting across the Thames'. Tickets are £4 members, £5 guests. 

They are available on http://sonning.org.uk or from Penny 

Feathers 0118 934 3193 or penny.feathers@btinternet.com 

After a Covid enforced gap of over 2 years, the Sonning Art 

Group Chairman's Challenge Cup has been awarded once 

again. The much treasured cup dates back to 2006 when it 

was introduced by the, then chairman, George Webster. 

The cup was first mentioned in The Parish Magazine in 

December 2005: 'A new feature for 2006 is the introduction 

of the Chairman's Challenge Cup to be awarded quarterly for 

'Best Picture' on a chosen subject. The first subject picked for 

this new initiative is 'A Local Scene'. The cup will be awarded 

on 13 January at the start of the new season. 

The idea behind the cup is to encourage local artists to 

experiment with different subjects and mediums, and to 

display work that is ready for exhibitions. Accordingly this 

time the theme was the Natural World which produced 

excellent entries from sea horses to snow leopards. The 

winner voted for by the members was Lynda Tolworthy 

(pictured above holding her painting) who produced a forest 

scene in mixed media using ink and watercolour. 

Some of the pictures in the competition, along with 

others produced by members, will be displayed in Pearson 

Hall in June as part of the Scarecrow trail. 

EASTER ACTIVITIES IN 

ST ANDREW'S CHURCH 

SATURDAY 16 APRIL FROM 2pm 

revkate@sonningparish.org.uk



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*Prices are subject to change please check our website 

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

around the villages — 2 

Charvil brunch 

to raise funds for 

Karun School 


Scarecrows are 

coming . . . 

One of Karun's teachers visits a local village 

to provide essential supplies during the covid 

outbreak in South India 

The Inner Wheel Club of Reading 

Maiden Erlegh is holding a charity 

brunch on Saturday 14 May at 

Charvil Village Hall in aid of Karun 

school and children's home in South 

India. It is gradually recovering 

from the covid pandemic that swept 

across the entire country. 

Karun will be well known to many 

readers through the support that 

St Andrew's Church and the local 

Rotary Clubs have given them for 

several years. 

While the school was closed 

during the pandemic, the teachers 

continued to come to school daily 

and provide support to the local 

communities. This included some 

teachers travelling to surrounding 

villages to visit children in their 

homes for one to one coaching on the 

core subjects, providing text books, 

and food. 

UPDATE 

Karun's trustees continue to work 

closely with the staff of the school 

and we hope to bring you a full 

update on the situation in the next 

issue of The Parish Magazine. 

In the mean time, you can help 

them by booking an English brunch, 

cooked and served by the Inner 

Wheel in Charvil Village Hall on 

Saturday 14 May at 10.15am. Tickets 

are £15 from 0118 934 2883 

http://www.innerwheelrme.org 

Katarzyna Bialasiewicz, dreamstime.com 

Sanctuary Hosting is looking for 

new hosts and volunteer support 

workers in the Reading area. 

Sanctuary Hosting is a scheme 

that started in July 2015 to provide 

temporary accommodation in 

Reading and across Berkshire. Todate 

it has provided over 25,000 

nights of accommodation. 

Sanctuary Hosting matches 

refugees, asylum seekers and 

vulnerable migrants with kindhearted 

hosts who offer a free bed, 

a warm welcome and a chance 

to tackle the causes of their 

homelessness from a place of safety 

and security. 

Every host and guest is in turn 

supported by a team of dedicated 

volunteers. 

If you would like to join the 

volunteer team, contact: 

info@sanctuaryhosting.org 

For more information about the 

scheme, visit: 

http://www.sanctuaryhosting.org 

Village rounders is 

up and running! 

King George's 

Playing Field 

5.30pm, 17 June 

Roibul, dreamstime.com 

The annual Sonning Village rounders 

match for teams from local organisations 

is returning this year on Friday 17 June 

at 5.30pm on King George’s Playing Field. 

Sonning Cricket Club will be opening its 

bar and Sonning Primary School PTA will 

be cooking a BBQ so don't have tea before 

arriving at 5.30pm! 

2018: Trumpty Dumpty! What scarecrows 

will be popular this year? Sue Peters 

Entries for the Jubilee Scarecrow 

Trail — Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June 

— around Sonning are already being 

registered. If you have not registered 

yours yet, now is the time to do so. 

You can register as an individual, 

group or organisation. 

And, if you can help on the day — 

make a cake, serve refreshments, man 

a garden, sell trail maps or offer your 

garden to display a scarecrow — the 

organisers would welcome your offer 

on, contact@sonningscarecrows.co.uk 

The trail is from Ligugé Way, along 

Pound Lane, to Pearson Road, High 

Street, Thames Street and the village 

end of Charvil Lane. If you don’t live 

on the route, the organisers will find a 

home for your scarecrow on the trail.


Louise Amanda Sheppard (BA/Dip) 

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History 

Was it really . . . ? 

. . . 150 YEARS AGO on 2 April 

1872 that Samuel Morse died. This 

American artist and inventor helped 

develop commercial single-wire 

telegraph systems and co-developed 

Morse code. 


. . . 125 YEARS AGO on 3 April 1897 

that Johannes Brahms, German 

composer, piano virtuoso and 

conductor, died. 

. . . 1oo YEARS AGO on 3 April 1922 

that Joseph Stalin became leader of 

the Soviet Union, in succession to 

Vladimir Lenin. 

Sir Patrick Moore 

wikimedia.com 

Nicku, dreamstime.com 


that the Royal Shakespeare Theatre 

opened in Stratford-upon-Avon, 

replacing one burnt down in 1926. 


that the school leaving age in the UK 

was raised to 15 years. 


that the term ‘Cold War’ was first 

used when American financier and 

presidential adviser Bernard Baruch 

described the relationship between 

the USA and the Soviet Union. 


that the first episode of the British 

astronomy series The Sky at Night 

was broadcast on BBC TV. It became 

the world’s longest-running TV series 

with the same presenter — Patrick 

Moore (above) — until his death in 

December 2012. 


that the first episode of the radio 

comedy panel game show ‘I’m Sorry I 

Haven’t a Clue’ was broadcast on BBC 

Radio 4. It is still running. 

. . . 40 YEARS AGO on 2 April 1982, 

that the Falklands War began when 

Argentina invaded the Falkland 

Islands. Argentina continues to claim 

sovereignty. 


that Betty Boothroyd became the 

first female Speaker of the House of 

Commons. 


that the Grand National steeplechase 

was disrupted after the IRA sent 

coded bomb warnings. 60,000 people 

were evacuated from the Aintree 

course and the race was postponed 

until Monday 7 April. 


that the Netherlands became the first 

country to legalise euthanasia.



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57732 AF Jones Parish Magazine Advert.indd 1 19/11/2014 10:43

HEALTH — 1 

Dr Simon Ruffle writes . . . Big Yellow Taxi 

I’m breaking from my monthly 

themed article, I apologise. The song 

mentioned in the title written in the 

60’s is very pertinent to today’s world. 

Taking areas of nature, sustainability 

and loved institutions and turning 

them derelict — ‘they paved paradise 

and put up a parking lot.’ 

I write as a GP who has had the 

privilege of working for the people of 

Twyford and the surrounding areas, 

including Charvil and Sonning, for 

the last 25 years — from a trainee 

at the practice to a contract holding 

partner. 

I am not a Berkshire native and, 

honestly, had never expected to live 

and work here until fate intervened. 

I now cannot imagine working 

anywhere else, having come to know 

many of you and your families. It 

may not always be obvious, and we 

may not always get everything right, 

but the concern I and my fellow GPs 

share for your lives and health is deep 

seated. The effort we put in to ensure 

high quality care at the practice is 

relentless. 

GREAT CONCERN 

I'll add at this point that in the 

UK, full time working constitutes 

37.5 hours, legally. I regularly work 

at the practice for more than 50 

hours a week, in addition to time 

spent working out of hours doing 

administrative work at home and my 

role representing local GPs at the Local 

Medical Committee and the BMA. 

My 'part-time' colleagues often do 

more than 30 hours. We also advocate 

tirelessly for better services in hospital 

and elsewhere for you. 

Why? because we want things to 

work — if they don't, you suffer. 

It is therefore with great concern 

that I read of the proposal by a 

Conservative linked think tank, The 

Policy Exchange, with a foreword 

by Sajid Javid, secretary of state for 

health, to end the ability of GPs to 

work as independent contractors and 

to make them employees of larger 

organisations, including tax avoiding 

overseas firms. 1,3 

I think many local MPs of every 

‘colour’ will see that the existential 

threat to family practices with these 

proposals is wrong as a wholesale 

policy 2 and will lead to higher costs and 

a poorer service. 

I fear this not for my own income, 

or, even that I am a patient of the NHS, 

but because this threatens to destroy 

the long term link between GPs and 

their patients. 

The proposal refers to GPs in 

Birmingham managing patients in 

Essex, digitally, and GPs working 

in other countries consulting with 

English patients. For example, the 

future envisaged is you, speaking to a 

GP in Australia, who you have never 

met and never will. 

Please think about this. Decide if 

this is what you want for you? For your 

elderly parent? For your child? 

CIRCUMSTANCES 

The value of knowing your area and 

patients is immeasurable but I know 

what it is like to consult a patient when 

you have no idea what their area is like 

or their family circumstances. I risk 

25 years of gained knowledge being 

thrown away. 

Imagine our church being run by a 

minister in New Zealand and having 

different clergy taking services each 

week in person or by video link. 

Hospital and secondary care 

services are expensive, so moving 

these costs into a primary care sector 

could be seen as value for money. 

However, the Covid pandemic has 

seen many issues that the Hospital 

would normally deal with sent out 


Derelict, Simon Ruffle 

into primary care. We have not been 

able to effectively soak up this work as 

there has been no additional funding 

for us to do this. I suspect you have 

seen the results of this in the fact 

that it is even more difficult to get an 

appointment with us than it was before 

the pandemic. 

SECONDARY CARE 

The changes proposed will see 

hospital trusts essentially being our 

contract providers and primary care 

being at the beck and call of secondary 

care for following up work that they 

have started, investigating things that 

they wish to be done that is outside the 

expertise of a general practitioner. 

We are expert in community care 

and a jack of all trades which is highly 

cost effective for the health service. We 

will be unable to do the vital work we 

do should secondary care bodies, that 

have no idea how to run primary care 

services, suddenly take over. 

They seem to ignore the fact that 

90% of all NHS contacts are made in 

primary care already. We cannot do 

more without extensive resources being 

shifted into our service. 

I know some people don’t like 

me or my style of medicine, but we 

are a diverse group at Twyford, who 

support each other in learning about 

our patients, their circumstances, and 

medical conditions. How I do that with 

a colleague in Birmingham, let alone in 

Australia effectively is beyond me. 

turn to page 35


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from page 33 

HEALTH — 2 

Dr Simon Ruffle 

So far, these proposals and the 

proposals to integrate primary 

care into integrated care service 

organisations have not been open to 

public consultation. Some of these 

will go ahead in April 2022. I am 

sure that the sunny uplands of what 

they propose will be what they will 

tell you; they have a much bigger 

communications budget than your 

general practitioner and the BMA 

have. 

I fully appreciate online and remote 

consultation for simple medical 

conditions, and, indeed, most of these 

that we see could be dealt with by good 

patient education/information and 

well-trained pharmacists. But we are 

struggling to cope with the complex 

needs of our community as it is. 

WRITE AND TWEET 

I urge you to consider the above 

and make your feelings known. Write 

to Mr Javid. Write to your MP. Tweet. 

Tell your friends. 

Think about how much or how 

little you want you and your relatives 

to be looked after by a rotating army 

of strangers, largely over the internet, 

and rage against this proposal. 

In the words of Joni Mitchell you 

don’t know what you have got until it 

is gone. 

Dr Simon Ruffle MB.BS (London 1992) 

DRCOG MRCGP (1998) DOccMed 

GP Partner Twyford 

With thanks to Dr Paul Evans, 

(Gateshead LMC) for the idea. 

1. https://policyexchange.org.uk/ 

publication/at-your-service/ 

2. https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/ 

news/breaking-news/governmentofficials-visit-wolverhamptonshospital-run-gps-to-exploremodel/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_ 

medium=email&utm_ 

campaign=pulse%20breaking 

3. https://www.transparify.org/ 

blog/2018/11/16/pressure-grows-onuk-think-tanks-that-fail-to-disclosetheir-funders 

HOME AND GARDEN 

In the garden in April . . . 

Olesia Bilkei, dreamstime.com 

C Bridgwater, dreamstime.com 

Recipe of the month for Easter 


PLANT POTATOES . . . . . . .SHALLOTS . . . . . .PRUNE FIG TREES 

Dotlock, dreamstime.com 

AND, DO ALL THE OTHER JOBS TO PREPARE FOR SUMMER! 

April is a busy time for gardeners. It's time to finish tidying up after winter and to 

prepare for the new season. Weeding is one of the first jobs to get in hand — there's 

an old saying: 'A season’s seeding means 7 years of weeding!' Beware of late frosts. 

It is not unknown to have snow in April, so keep vulnerable plants and new shoots 

protected at night if necessary. Delay planting tender bedding until later in the 

month, and be prepared to cover them if necessary. As well as frost, keep an eye out 

for slugs and snails and deal with them before they become established. Then it's time 

to start sowing seeds and planting out. First early potatoes can be planted by the 

first week of April, followed by second earlies, and maincrop, towards the end of the 

month. Finally check your garden furniture by having a well earned rest! 

If you gave up chocolate for Lent here is an indulgent recipe from BBC Good Food: 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/ 

Ingredients 

— 150g unsalted butter 

— 50g golden syrup 

— 1 tsp vanilla extract 

— 400g dark chocolate, finely chopped 

— 60g Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate 

— 60g extra dark or milk chocolate 

— 150g salted pretzel sticks, broken 

into small pieces 

— 100g shredded wheat, crushed 

— 100g chocolate-covered raisin 

—100g salted peanut 

— chocolate eggs, to serve 

Method 

Line a 20cm round cake tin with a 

large paper cake tin liner, or cling 

film. Heat the butter and golden 

syrup in a large heavy-based 

saucepan over a gentle heat. Once 

melted, add the vanilla extract and 

all the chocolate. Continue heating 

gently until the chocolate has 

melted, stirring every now and then 

to combine. 

Remove the pan from the heat and 

mix through the pretzel sticks, 

shredded wheat, chocolate-covered 

raisins and peanuts. Transfer to the 

prepared tin, pressing in and around 

its sides, creating a dip in the centre 

to produce a nest shape. Chill for 1 hr 

or until set. To serve, remove from 

tin, scatter with extra pretzels and 

fill with an assortment of chocolate 

eggs. It should keep in an airtight 

container for up to 5 days.

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The ARTS — 1 

‘In a grove lit only by a kiss’ 

Holy Week, as its name tells us, is the most important, 

holiest week in the Church’s year, when we follow 

Jesus from his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to 

the Upper Room, to Calvary and to the garden of the 

tomb. As we make that journey each year, we are not 

just remembering past events. We are celebrating how 

eternity touched Jerusalem in that first Holy Week and 

how eternity can touch our lives now. 

To create that impact and that realisation, the week is 

brim full of colour and variety in its worship, full of action 

and movement, full of processions and music. But we 

might think it is a week with very little silence. 

Yet the silences are there if we look at the Gospels 

closely. We enter an upper room and catch our breath 

when Jesus announces a betrayer. Peter denies our Lord, a 

cock crows, and a bleak stillness falls on that scene. In the 

palace Jesus stands accused, no words are spoken, and the 

governor wonders in the silence. And there is silence by 

the cross until the ninth hour. 

AMAZING FRESCOES 

The silence does fall during Holy Week, punctuating 

the crises of these tense days. It is conveyed with dramatic 

force in this Gethsemane scene: Peter Firth’s poem 

describes it as ‘a grove lit only by a kiss.’ The painting is by 

Giotto, ‘The Kiss of Judas’ and is part of an amazing series 

of frescoes he painted for the Arena Chapel in Padua from 

1305-06. 

At first glance it is a scene of frenzied activity: burning 

torches wave in the sky, weapons are wielded, and a ram’s 

horn blown. The cohort of soldiers advance on Jesus, and 

Peter tries to defend him by cutting off a soldier’s ear in 

his anger. One of the religious leaders points to Jesus in 

the centre of the painting. 

Book Reviews 

The Easter Story 

By Karen Williamson, illustrated by 

Marie Allen, Candle Books, £6.99 

A book for sharing with toddlers 

and young children, leading up to 

Easter. It is written as a continuous 

journey, from ‘A noisy entry’ where 

Jesus is walking to Jerusalem, ‘A 

meal to remember’ where Jesus ate with 12 special friends, 

through to him appearing to his friends and his ascension. 

The Print of the Nails – the Church 

Times Holy Week and Easter 

Collection 

By Hugh Hillyard-Parker, Paula Gooder, 

Sam Wells, et al, Canterbury Press, £16.99 

Reading and resources for the build-up 

to Easter, including: meditations on 

the Stations of the Cross; a short story 

set in Gethsemane; Pilate; the art of 

Good Friday; Judas; starting Easter 


By Rev Michael Burgess 

Reprinted by kind permission of the Arena Chapel, Padua 

And it is there that the tragic stillness falls as our eyes 

focus on the eyes of Jesus: that steady, discomforting gaze 

into the eyes of Judas the betrayer. Judas’ cloak seems to 

engulf Jesus, but it cannot blot out the look of our Lord. 

The face of Judas is troubled, and the look of Jesus 

seems to burrow deep into that anxiety, beneath the 

surface into his heart. 

In Holy Week they are eyes that look out to us. The face 

of Jesus is turned in our direction, saying, ‘Yes, you may 

follow Me in the heady excitement of Palm Sunday. But will 

you also follow Me into this garden, on the way of my cross to 

the foot of Calvary, and beyond to the empty tomb of Easter 

morning?’ 

celebrations in the dark; Easter carols; poetry of the cross; 

and on why the Resurrection is central to faith. 

All royalties will go to the Church Homeless Trust. 

On Earth as in Heaven – Through the 

Year with Tom Wright 

By Tom Wright, SPCK, £19.99 

Christians of all traditions regard the 

writings of Tom Wright as a rich source 

of guidance for living faithfully in 

today's world. His bestselling books, 

including Simply Christian, Simply Jesus, 

and Surprised by Hope, have encouraged 

millions worldwide. Now, you can enjoy 

their wisdom each day with this thoughtful selection of 

365 daily meditations from his classic works. The devotions 

begin on Easter Day, the first day of new creation, and follow 

the seasons of the Christian year to end with a second Easter 

and the invitation to begin again. 

Reflecting on the biblical themes of beauty, power, 

spirituality, justice, truth, freedom and love, these daily 

meditations will invigorate and sustain you as you cultivate 

a Christ-like life on earth as in heaven.


THE ARTS — 2 

Poetry Corner 

THE SCIENCES 

The wonder and the 

sorrow of PCR tests 

By Dr Ruth M Bancewicz, church engagement director at The Faraday 

Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge 

Iago Lopez, dreamstime.com 

Occasions For Oils 

A poem by Steven Rolling based on ‘Blessing of the Oils’, a Holy 

Week ritual found in some service books for Maundy Thursday. 

Tune: St Peter – How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 

Lord, bless the oils of anointing 

That they peace, comfort bring 

As channels of your Spirit pure 

May they bring healing sure 

Oils as symbol of your Spirit 

Flow, be outpoured, each whit 

To meet the depths of human need 

Each from their sins be freed 

God the Father he did anoint 

His Son, and did appoint 

Him with the Spirit, he did go 

The power of God did show 

He did do good and went about 

Bringing haling no doubt 

To those by the devil oppressed 

They were set free and blessed 

Work how you will, heal, sanctify 

The healing oils apply 

‘Tis all by your grace, mercy, love 

Your Spirit, holy dove 

Oscar C Williams, dreamstime.com 

PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are a fact of life for 

us. As a biologist who was doing this procedure long before 

most people had heard of it, I take secret delight in people’s 

use of the acronym. Let me open the laboratory door and 

share the wonders it conceals. 

The swab from your throat and nose goes into a tube 

containing a little liquid. The liquid is heated or mixed with a 

chemical to kill any live virus particles, and then purified to 

remove every part of the virus except ribonucleic acid (RNA). 

This test is called RT-PCR. Reverse Transcription (RT) by an 

enzyme converts RNA into DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). 

Multiple copies of the DNA are then made using Polymerase 

Chain Reaction (PCR). Reverse transcription produces one 

half of a DNA helix, like one side of an unzipped zip. 

The enzyme DNA polymerase is a little like the zipper 

except as well as zipping up it also manufactures the other 

half of the zip using DNA subunits that have been added to 

the tube. Like a zip, the two sides of the DNA helix are mirror 

images of each other. If that new helix is unzipped, DNA 

polymerase can then make a new strand on both sides. 

LEARNING FROM THE PAST 

The beauty of PCR is its simplicity. Multiple rounds of 

heating, which melts the DNA helix strands apart, and 

cooling, which allows the enzyme to make new DNA, 

produce more and more mirror image DNA strands. 

Scientists often tell stories about the wonders they study, 

or make use of, in the lab. Sadly, if this particular process 

works it means that there was probably Covid-19 in the 

sample, and someone may become ill. 

Do you live with similar tensions in your own life? 

Perhaps you sell a fantastic product that most people in the 

world can’t afford, or you love taking care of people, but your 

role only exists because others live with great physical or 

mental challenges. For the Psalmists, a relationship with God 

was forged in the confusing space where the struggles of life 

mingled with praise for creation and trust in him. How can 

we learn from these ancient writers, celebrating the wonders 

we experience in our lives while also lamenting the world’s 

brokenness, praying for healing and justice? 

This article is produced, with permission, from licc.org.uk.

CROSSWORD 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

7 8 

11 

13 

18 19 20 

22 23 

24 

9 10 

16 17 

Across 

ACROSS 

- (11) 

1 Politely (11) 

- (5) 

9 Take illegally (5) 

10 

- Polite 

address 

address 

for a man 

for 

(3) 

a man (3) 

11 - Undertaking something something (5) (5) 

12 - Courage; boldness boldness (5) (5) 

13 - Talk with with (8) (8) 

16 Particle with negligible mass (8) 

16 - Neutral particle with negligible mass (8) 

18 Unwarranted (5) 

18 - Unwarranted (5) 

21 Greek architecture (5) 

21 - Style of Greek architecture (5) 

22 Auction item (3) 

22 - Auction item (3) 

23 Angry (5) 

23 24 - Angry Type (5) of artist (11) 

24 - Type of artist (11) 

CODEWORD 

12 

14 15 

21 

Down 

DOWN 

2 - Choices (7) 

2 Choices (7) 

3 - Coarsen (7) 

3 Coarsen (7) 

4 Discharges 

4 - (6) 

5 Unfasten 5 - Unfasten a garment a (5) (5) 

6 Not 6 a - winner Not a (5) 

7 Boldly 7 - Boldly (11) (11) 

8 The military (5,6) 

8 - The military (5,6) 

14 Learner (7) 

14 - Learner (7) 

15 Female big cat (7) 

15 - Female big cat (7) 

17 Printed mistakes (6) 

19 Mark of repetition (5) 

20 Be 19 alive; - Mark of be repetition real (5) 

17 - Mistakes in printed matter (6) 

20 - Be alive; be real (5) 

3 23 19 7 23 26 11 7 14 23 14 9 

9 3 15 3 24 3 6 

14 7 24 17 23 20 10 21 9 3 9 14 

3 1 26 20 13 23 3 

11 1 1 9 3 23 20 9 3 10 15 23 

7 10 12 15 19 22 

26 3 9 23 15 4 7 14 23 17 8 23 

9 23 10 7 10 19 

15 11 3 3 11 16 9 22 11 16 25 23 

14 12 24 18 10 5 17 

10 16 11 12 7 24 26 7 5 9 26 14 

22 21 12 10 20 12 12 

9 22 9 3 2 11 17 9 23 12 12 2 

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 

Y X Z 

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

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 LAST SUPPER 

On the night before he died, Jesus ate his last 

Passover meal with his disciples. He then 

transformed the Passover into the Lord’s 

Supper, saying of the bread and wine that, 

‘this is my body’ and ‘this is my blood’. Jesus, 

the Lamb of God, was preparing to die for the 

sins of the whole world. John’s gospel makes 

it clear that the Last Supper took place the 

evening before the regular Passover meal, 

and that later Jesus died at the same time 

that the Passover lambs were killed. 

Jesus then astonished the disciples by 

washing their feet. He said: 'A new command I 

give you: love one another. As I have loved you, 

so you must love one another.' His disciples 

were to love through service, not domination, 

of one another. In Latin, the opening phrase of 

this sentence is ‘mandatum novum do vobis’. 

The word ‘maundy’ is thus a corruption of the 

Latin ‘mandatum’ (or command). 


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

EASTER EGG EXAMINATION 

PASSOVER 

WASHING 

DISCIPLES 

COMMAND 

SERVICE 

MAUNDY 

SUPPER 

BREAD 

GOSPEL 

WORLD 

KILLED 

LORD 

TRANSFORMED 

1. Why do we have Easter eggs on Easter Sunday? 

2. Approximately how many Easter eggs are eaten in the UK every year? 

3. Who made the first Easter egg in the UK? 

4. Who delivers Easter eggs in the UK? 

5. Who delivers Easter eggs in Switzerland? 

6. What country started the tradition of dyeing Easter eggs? 

WINE 

BODY 

BLOOD 

LAMB 

GOD 

DIE 

SINS 

JOHN 

FEET 

ATE 

LOVE 

LAST 

March 

Solutions 

CROSSWORD 

C O N N O T A T I O N 

I N E E O U F 

N E E X E R T S P A 

T U N E D M E T S 

E E F E M U S I C 

M I S G U I D E I 

P S L A B N 

E T O R T I L L A 

R I O J A W H U T 

A C D N E N N U I 

T E E O R I B I D N 

E A P N S E G 

I N S T I G A T O R S 

CODEWORD 

A D J U N C T S L A N E 

L O E R B X 

A S K E W U N C L A S P 

S I S S C O 

N W T O R Q U E S 

P I G E O N S E S I 

R M M N 

O S A M A I L B A G 

P O L E N T A N A 

O E N I T Z 

S H E R I F F S U E D E 

E V U C A T 

D Y E S A L L E L U I A 

SUDOKU 

WORDSEARCH LENT 

WHO DOES WHAT AND 

WHERE QUIZ? 

1. Haslams 

2. Gardiners Homecare 

3. Peter Freebody & Co 

4. Seniors Helping Seniors 

5. Signature Care Homes 

6. St Andrew's Church 

Romolo Tavani, dreamstime.com


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 

http://www.jamesautos.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 

PROFESSIONAL HOME VISIT 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 

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 

CALLAGHAN CARPETS & FLOORING 

Thirty-six years local experience 

Family run company 

0118 962 8527 0779 223 9474 

callaghancarpets@btinternet.com 

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 https://www.smallwoodlandscaping.co.uk/ 

office@smallwoodlandscaping.co.uk 

ALL WASTE CLEARANCE & DISPOSAL 

Waste clearance from office, house, garden, loft 

Licensed waste carriers, no job too small or large 

Contact: John 

0771 021 2056 j.garmston@ntworld.com 

BERKSHIRE STUMP REMOVALS 

Stump grinding and tree stump removal 

Latest narrow access machinery 

Contact: Mark 

0798 495 7334 http://www.berkshirestumpremoval 

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 - April 2022 41

42 The Parish Magazine - April 2022 Please mention The Parish Magazine when replying to advertisements 

information — 2 

Parish contacts 

Ministry Team 

— The Vicar: Revd Jamie Taylor (Day off Friday) 

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

vicar@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298 

— 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 / 0779 194 4270 

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 

Sonning Bell Ringers 

— Tower Captain: Pam Elliston 

pam.elliston@talktalk.net / 0118 969 5967 

— Deputy Tower Captain: Rod Needham 

r06needham@gmail.com / 0118 926 7724 

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 6 

ACG Services Locksmith 40 

Active Domestic Appliances 16 

Active Security 30 

ADD Plumbing 12 

All Aerials 40 

All Waste Clearance 40 

Barn Store Henley 16 

Berkshire Stump Removals 40 

Big Heart Tree Care 40 

Blandy & Blandy Solicitors 14 

Blinds Direct 26 

Blue Moose 8 

Bridge House 43 

Bridges Home Care 26 

Bull Inn 8 

Callaghan Carpets & Flooring 40 

Chimney Sweep, Thames 40 

Chiropody, Linda Frewin 40 

Chris the Plumber 32 

Clark Bicknell 40 

Complete Pest Solutions 40 

Computer Frustrations 40 

Cruz Kitchens 28 

Design for Print 28 

EMDR Hypnotherapist 30 

Freebody Boatbuilders 6 

Fields Pharmacy 32 

French Horn 44 

Gardiners Nursing 8 

Great House Sonning 24 

Handyman and Decorating Services 40 

Haslams Estate Agents 2 

Hicks Group 16 

Intersmart Electrical Installations 40 

James Autos 40 

Jones & Sheppard Stone Masons 32 

Kingfisher Bathrooms 26 

MC Cleaning 40 

Mill at Sonning 4 

M & L Healthcare Solutions 12 

Mortgage Required 18 

Muck & Mulch 28 

Odd Jobs 40 

Painter and Decorator 40 

Pearson Hall Sonning 24 

Reading Blue Coat School 26 

Richfield Flooring 14 

Sabella Interiors 34 

Seniors Helping Seniors 12 

Shiplake College 14 

Signature Care Homes 36 

Sonning Golf Club 32 

Sonning Scouts Marquees 30 

Smallwood Garden Services 40 

Style by Julie 6 

Thames Valley Water Softeners 6 

Thames Valley Wills Service 40 

Tomalin Funerals 24 

Walker Funerals 12 

Water Softener Salt 28 

Window Cleaner 16

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 - April Please 2022 mention The 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 April 2022

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