The Parish Magazine October 2023

The Parish Magazine - October 2023 1
The
Parish
Magazine
The John King Trophy and Gold Award
Best Magazine of the Year 2018
National Parish Magazine Awards
Best Overall 2015, 2020, 2022,
Best Content 2016, 2021
Best Editor 2019
Best Print 2018
Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869
October 2023 — Harvest — Bible 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 - October 2023
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Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869
Church of St Andrew
Serving Sonning, Charvil & Sonning Eye
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 1
The John King Trophy and Gold Award
Best Magazine of the Year 2018
National Parish Magazine Awards
Best Overall 2015, 2020, 2022,
Best Content 2016, 2021
Best Editor 2019
Best Print 2018
information — 1
Contents October 2023
THE ASSOCIATE VICAR'S LETTER, 5
THE PARISH NOTICEBOARD
— Evening with Nicky Gumbel, 7
— Rev Kate farewell, 7
— New Director of Music, 7
— Harvest Festival, 7
— Church cleaning day, 7
— For your prayers, 7
— STAY, 8-9
— Feel the tug, 11
— Over-the-top words, 11
— From the editor's desk, 11
— The Persecuted Church, 13
FEATURES
— Heather's jump for charity, 15
— Ukrainian Bible plea, 17
— Science and the Bible, 17
— Rev Kate in the family, 19
— Apple Day, 22-23
— Harvest Festival, 22-23
—around the villages
— Sonning CoE School update, 21
— Chairman's Cup, 25
— Inner Wheel, 25
— Royal British Legion appeal, 27
— SSES diary dates, 27
This ISSUE's FRONT COVER
The
Parish
Magazine
October 2023 — Harvest — Bible Sunday
the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF
CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY
Heather's charity jump
goskydive.com - see page 15
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 November
issue of The Parish Magazine is:
Friday 6 October
at 12 noon
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 3
Services at
St Andrew’s
Harvest Festival 1 October
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Family Harvest
Service with donations to
Woodley Food Bank
— 4pm Choral Evensong
followed by tea in The Ark
Sunday 8 October
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with
STAY and Sunday Club
Sunday 15 October
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Family Communion
— 3.00pm Messy Church Harvest
Sunday 22 October
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with
STAY and Sunday Club
— 5.45pm Sunday at Six in The Ark
Sunday 29 October
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with
STAY and Sunday Club
health
— Olive oil and dementia, 29
— Thank you, Dr Luke, 29
THE ARTS
— Francisco Zurbarán, 31
— Poetry Corner, 31
— Book Reviews, 31
HOME AND GARDEN
— Growing old?, 33
— Recipe of the month, 33
FASHION
— Autumn colours, 35
history, 37
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:
editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk
From the Registers
OTHER REGULAR SERVICES
Morning Prayer is held in church
every Tuesday at 9.30am.
Mid-week Communion in The Ark is
held every Wednesday at 10.00am. Tea
and coffee follows the service.
Home Communion at Sonning
Lawns Care Home is held on the first
Monday of each month at 11.00am.
PUZZLE PAGES, 37 - 39
children's page, 41
information
— Church services, 3
— From the registers, 3
— Local Trades and Services, 40
— Parish contacts, 42
— Advertisers' index, 42
WEDDINGS
— Friday 11 August, Scott Anthony Mills and Louise Claire Sunderland
— Friday 18 August, Oliver William Blears and Natasha Edith Mary Head
— Thursday 24 August, Brendan James Mills and Jennifer Rachel Galuszka
— Saturday 26 August, Robert Mackenzie Harris and Carmel Ceridwen Bevan
funerals
— Tuesday 15 August, John Leslie Hicks, funeral service in church followed by
cremation at Reading Crematorium
— Thursday 24 August, Michael John Cole, interment of ashes in the churchyard

4 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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The Parish Magazine - October 2023 5
The associate vicar's letter
Dear Friends,
'How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.'
These words were written by A A Milne and were spoken by the wise and lovable
Winnie the Pooh. Over the years I have heard various Winnie the Pooh quotes
used in a variety of contexts, and it is clear that A A Milne’s capacity to convey
deep truths in simple language appeals to people. Sometimes, when words can’t
quite express what you want to say, it appears that Winnie the Pooh can give us
those words, often in conversation with his dear friend Piglet.
I sat staring at a blank Word document for a while before I decided how
to begin this letter, which to some extent is a goodbye letter. It is the last
time I will write a letter for this magazine and it will be printed just a few
weeks before I leave my position as associate vicar of Charvil, Sonning and
Sonning Eye, and prepare to move house.
As I stared at the screen all I could think of was the Winnie the Pooh
quote above. Saying goodbye to this parish is hard; I have shed tears
and I am in no doubt that I will shed more because I have truly loved my
time here. I certainly feel called to this new path, to a new role which will
have new joys and challenges, however, the fact I am so excited about my
move doesn’t make it easy to say goodbye. But how blessed I am to have
something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
PRIVILEGE
One thing I have enjoyed immensely over the past 6 years is my involvement with Sonning Primary and
Charvil Piggott Primary schools. I have done countless assemblies, which I absolutely love, but I have been
involved in the schools in many other ways, getting to know staff and pupils. We are fortunate to have a great
ministry team at St Andrew’s and of course the school work will carry on thriving, but it is something that has
been a significant part of my life in the parish.
Similarly, I will miss Messy Church which was set up shortly after I arrived and then relaunched after the
periods of lockdown during the pandemic. It has been a fantastic way to meet families and to teach Christian
stories and values through craft activities, science experiments, games and singing. Sunday 15 October will be
my final Messy Church and I would warmly invite anyone with children aged 0-11 years to come along. Our
theme will be Harvest. Messy Church will also run in November and December as usual and you can contact
the parish office for more details. Alongside this specific ministry with families and children, I have had the
immense privilege of walking alongside people in our parish through the joys and challenges of life, and have
built some great relationships.
GRATITUDE
This isn’t only a goodbye letter because, as with all my previous letters, I want this letter to have a deeper
message and be relevant to everyone who reads it, not only those who know me. The theme that has come up in
writing this letter is the importance of relationships and community. We are all part of communities whether
based geographically, through workplaces, through educational institutions or other groups. It can be easy in
the busyness of life to take these communities for granted and perhaps not always appreciate the immense
support they can bring. I hope that the community of St Andrew’s Church knows how grateful I am to them for
their part in my life over the past 6 years, but knowing I am leaving has made me even more mindful of this
sense of gratitude.
Gratitude is something that is central to my life as a Christian, both gratitude to God and to others. We can
all benefit from looking around us and actively practicing gratitude. It is not only good for our mental health
but also has a positive effect on others around us. As I leave the parish with a grateful heart, I encourage each
of us to be grateful daily for the people and places that leave a positive imprint on our hearts.
With love and prayers,
Kate

6 The Parish Magazine - October 2023 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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the parish noticeboard — 1
Notices
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 7
Rev Kate Toogood: We shall gather to say farewell to Kate on Sunday 29 October at 10:30am. She will be inducted as
Vicar of Earley St Peters on Sunday 3 January at 7pm. All parishioners are able to contribute towards a leaving gift and
are invited to either do this by bank transfer or by sending a cheque or cash to The Ark Parish Office, St Andrew’s Church,
Sonning, RG4 6UR. The vicar said 'Kate and the family have been with us for six years and in that time she has fitted so much in, both in
the parish and with the chaplaincy and maths department at Blue Coat School. I have valued her as a colleague and she has proved a loyal and
hard working priest and I know we shall all miss her, but maybe not her quirky mathematics jokes! Seriously though, I wish her and the family
every blessing and thank them all for their contributions to our church life.”
Director of Music: A new director of music post has been
created by Hertford College, Oxford, and Hannah has
been appointed. Sadly, this means she needs to step down
from her role with us at the beginning of October. In a
relatively short space of time Hannah has achieved much
with our choirs and we have enjoyed some spectacular
celebratory services for the late Queen’s Jubilee, and the
King and Queen's Coronation.
Richard Meenan MA ARCO, has been offered the
role and, subject to all the necessary checks, will replace
Hannah in early October. Richard is the former head of
music at Reading School and latterly of the Reading Blue
Coat School. We look forward to welcoming him.
An
evening
with
Nicky
Gumbel
6pm Sunday October 29th
A relaxed evening, open to everyone,
for a Q&A with the charismatic founder
of the Alpha course and Bible in One
Year app along with his lovely wife
Pippa. Please bring a friend and join us
at St Andrew’s Church in Sonning.
Harvest Festival: Sunday 1 October at 10.30am. We will
be collecting non perishable goods for the Woodley Food
Bank and/or cash donations. There is full list of items
needed by the Food Bank on page 23 of this magazine.
FoStAC Church Cleaning Day: Saturday 28 October at
9.30am. The Friends of St Andrew's Church (FoStAC)
trustees will be thrilled if you can help them clean St
Andrew’s Church on Saturday 28 October from 9.30am to
12.30pm. This annual event will ensure that the Church
sparkles in preparation for the Remembrance Service on
Sunday 11 November and for the forthcoming Christmas
celebrations.
All cleaning materials will be provided, and tea/coffee
refreshments will be arranged for the 'cleaning crew'. If
you can join the team, please email Sally Wilson at:
mustangsallywilson@gmail.com
For your prayers in October
Curious about Alpha or faith?
Our next course begins January 2024.
For more details email:
office@sonningparish.org.uk
— Rev Kate and the family as they prepare
to move to Earley St Peter's
— The appointment of the right person to
be our new female youth and children’s
worker
— The volunteers at the Woodley Food Bank
— Hannah Towndrow and Richard Meenan
as they take up their new posts
Georgios Kollidas, dreamstime.com

8 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
the parish noticeboard — 2
St Andrew's Youth
STAY on Friday Youth Club
STAY on Friday Youth Club was back on Friday 8
September at the usual time of 6.45pm — 8.15pm
for all secondary school aged young people and we
want to extend a special welcome to all the new
year 7s who have already told me they are very
excited to be able to attend every week now! Plus
we welcome the new year 6s on the fourth Friday
of each month to help with their transition to year
7 next September.
We have all the usual fun, including board
games, chess, card games and consoles, sports
such as football, volleyball, spike ball, four square,
kubb, frisbee, wide games, table tennis, pool table,
foosball and badminton, a tuck shop, nail bar and
baking in the kitchen!
STAY on Sunday
STAY on Sunday was back on Sunday 10 September
at 10.30am in The Ark on the 2nd, 4th & 5th
Sunday of each month. This term we will be
looking at the theme of water throughout scripture
and worship over the years, including; In Genesis
where the spirit of God hovers over the waters, and
Moses parting the Red Sea!
STAY on Monday
STAY on Monday is back on Monday 18 September
and the group meets every two weeks in the young
people's homes. We will continue using the STIR
cards to prompt discussion around our purpose,
life’s meaning and faith.
STAY in Schools
Our work in schools started the
second week of September in
Sonning CofE School, the Piggott
Schools in Charvil and Wargrave
and Reading Blue Coat School.
Our work will include: mentoring,
assemblies, staff prayer meetings
and some charitable work.
Finally, a huge well done to all
those who had their A-Level and
GCSE results back in August! We
hope you all know your value and
worth is in who God says you are,
not what grades you got and that
God has a plan for your life which is
good!
'For I know the plans I have for you,’
declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.' Jeremiah 29: 11
Mentoring
One of the greatest privileges i
people and recently some of th
hitting golf balls at the driving
way for them to focus, learn, u
have fun!

The Parish Magazine - October 2023 9
STAY on Summer Holiday (part 2)
We had some super
fun activities running
each week throughout
the summer and the
young people seemed
to thoroughly enjoy
them!
Our August
activities included:
more paddle boarding
at Caversham Lakes, a
sports session (right)
in Charvil, a day
out at Thorpe Park
(above) and a trip
to the Waterpark at
Caversham Lakes.
email or
text me
for ideas,
a chat or to
encourage what
we are doing
Westy
s to mentor young
e lads have got into
range! This is a great
se up some energy and
youthminister
@sonningparish
.org.uk
0794 622 4306

10 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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the parish noticeboard — 3
Feel
the
tug
Shutterfree, Llc, dreamstime.com
Have you ever wondered how you
can be certain about who and what
God really is?
One Christian put it this way: 'I’m
reminded of the story of the man
who was out flying a kite. The wind
was brisk and large billowing clouds
were blowing across the sky.
The kite went up and up until it
was entirely hidden by the clouds.
EMPTY SKY?
Then someone came by and asked
the man what he was doing, staring
up at an empty sky.
'I’m flying my kite,' he replied.
'What kite? How can you be sure
it is still there? You can’t see a thing.'
The man flying the kite agreed
that he could see nothing and then
said, 'but every little while I feel a
tug, so I know for sure that it is still
up there and is connected to me!'
STAY CONNECTED
When it comes to God, you don’t
need to take anyone else’s word for
it.
You can find him for yourself by
inviting Jesus Christ into your life.
Then you too will know, by
the warm wonderful tug on your
heartstrings, that though you can’t
see him, he is up there, and that he
lives in you.
Like the man with his kite, you
are connected with God, even when
you can't see him!
Over-the-top
words By The Ven John Barton
I’m trying to stop saying ‘incredible’.
It’s overused and has become almost
meaningless. 'We are incredibly
grateful'; 'I had an incredible meal'. As
the word really means ‘beyond belief
or understanding’, it can’t actually
apply in either case.
‘Unbelievable’ is similarly misused.
So is ‘fantastic’, which is meant to
describe something belonging to an
imaginary world. So, strictly speaking,
a fantastic tennis player can’t be real..
How about ‘amazing’? Count how
many times you hear it today. It should
be reserved to describe something
astonishing, out of this world. If you
think about it, if everything is amazing
or incredible, then nothing really is.
When the exceptional becomes normal
or commonplace, nothing is special.
ICON
We seem to be struggling to find
words to convey something out of
the ordinary. Try ‘iconic’. Iconic
only appeared recently and has
been distorted to mean ‘historic’ or
‘traditional’ or ‘classic’. My dictionary
tells me iconic actually means
something to do with an icon, which is
a depiction of Christ, the Virgin Mary,
or a Saint.
RELIGIOUS
In fact, most of these over-thetop
words, now in everyday use, have
a religious association. Originally,
they were reserved to communicate
otherness, difference, deep respect.
For example, ‘awesome’? It should
mean ‘awe’ or reverence. It’s a takeyour-breath-away
word. Awe is what
Moses felt when he saw a bush on
fire, because it didn’t burn away, and
he sensed God's presence. Awe is
something St Peter experienced, when
he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,
‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a
sinful man!’
If you try to imagine what Moses
and Peter actually felt, words like
‘unworthiness’ and ‘fear’ might come
to mind. They were experiencing
something out of the ordinary, an
experience that stayed with them for
life. They had encountered holiness.
Now there’s a word worth using.
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 11
From the
editor's
desk
editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk
Sitting at my desk on 7 September I
am putting the finishing touches to
this issue of The Parish Magazine for
October. Its theme of autumn and
Harvest means I can't help being
reminded of my childhood.
As a young boy I was always
interested in weather patterns — my
grandfather was a local inspector
for Southend Water Works and he
had a fascinating array of devices
and meters that monitored the
rain, wind and sunshine, and they
printed out the results 24 hours a
day. The information was important
to ensure that the neighbourhood
could turn their taps on every day
without fear of there being a water
shortage.
One regular thing that always
seemed to happen was that, at the
school summer holidays, when
I could have been busy with my
gardening business, it would often
be dull and wet — which was bad
for business! As soon as school
started in September the sun would
shine and instead of being outside
enjoying it I would be shut away with
all the other children in a hot, sticky
classroom.
Today we are expecting one of
the hottest days of the year with
temperatures over 300C. The only
consolation is that it will be too hot
for me to be out in the garden — and
in reality I enjoy working on this
magazine more than digging and
weeding.
DON'T FORGET!
One Hour at 2am on
Sunday 29 October
Helen Davies, dreamstime.com

12 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 4
Digital surveillance is increasing in China. A current
affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific, 'The Diplomat',
provides news and analysis of politics, security,
business, technology and life across the region. In
a July 2023 'Diplomat' article, Zhuoran Li cites the
book 'Surveillance State' by two journalists Josh Chin
and Liza Lin. The article points out the activities of
the Chinese authorities and companies in capturing
citizen activities. Specifically, they report ‘an advanced
national database, connecting identification documents,
facial recognition data, fingerprints, and travel history.’
There is also in China an extensive network of CCTV
cameras. Artificial Intelligence (AI) facial recognition is
apparently used to analyse the footage from cameras in
real-time, using software provided by various Chinese
companies including Huawei and China Electronics
Technology Group Corporation (CETC).
The major tech companies in the country can operate
‘without constraints’ due to the absence of strict legal
regulations and only a ‘fledgling’ digital privacy code. The
upshot is they are enabled to track phones, monitor online
purchases, and decrypt messages.
SECRET BIBLES
According to the Atlantic Council, a non-partisan
US think tank on international affairs, for the Chinese
government, investment in surveillance technologies
‘advances both its ambitions of becoming a global technology
leader as well as its means of domestic social control.’
Applying that to the church, as the latest edition of
the Open Doors magazine points out, Christians in many
parts of China know their every move could be watched,
through CCTV or online. It’s illegal to access the Bible on
the internet and authorities have demanded Christian
apps and online resources be deleted.
One believer in China, Ming — the name has been
changed for security reasons — has taken the risk of
delivering secret Bibles. ‘I could be arrested, interrogated and
even imprisoned’, he says.
One day Ming and his friends were arrested. Ming
was freed but not his friends. He is on the radar of the
authorities, who regularly search his house. Even within
the state-approved Three Self Patriotic Movement, there is
pressure.
Registered churches have cameras installed and have
their weekly sermons reviewed, with adjustments very
likely. House churches and small groups are illegal. Ming
says he needs to make friends cautiously as ‘there may be
spies pretending to be Christians. I need to stay vigilant.’
His father-in-law forbade him to be with his wife and
daughter, because of his faith.
Life for believers like Ming is likely to get harder.
Open Doors asks us to pray for Ming, that he may be
reconciled with his wife, daughter and wider family; for
protection of the believers; and for the Lord’s compassion
on Open Doors’ local partners serving the church. If you
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 13
THE persecuted church by colin bailey
‘There may be spies pretending to be Christians,
I need to stay vigilant’
Surveillance cameras in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing
Matyas Rehak, dreamstime.com
would like to make a donation to Open Doors’ work in
encouragement, training and provision of Bibles, please go
to https://www.opendoorsuk.org/
For more insights, read the Open Doors Parliamentary
Report, Digital Persecution: The New Frontier for Freedom of
Religion or Belief — go to: https://media.opendoorsuk.org/
document/pdf/Open%20Doors%20Digital%20Persecution%20
Report.pdf
References and further reading
The Diplomat - ‘The Human Level of China’s Security State’:
https://thediplomat.com/2023/07/the-human-level-ofchinas-security-state/
Atlantic Council - ‘China’s surveillance ecosystem and the
global spread of its tools’: https://www.atlanticcouncil.
org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/chinesesurveillance-ecosystem-and-the-global-spread-of-its-tools/
Open Doors (home and donate page): https://www.
opendoorsuk.org/
Open Doors magazine: https://media.opendoorsuk.org/
document/pdf/OD-UK-2023-SEP-MAG.pdf
Open Doors Parliamentary Report, Digital Persecution: The
New Frontier for Freedom of Religion or Belief: https://
media.opendoorsuk.org/document/pdf/Open%20Doors%20
Digital%20Persecution%20Report.pdf

14 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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feature — 1
feature — 1
Heather's
impact jump!
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 15
By Heather Hexter
A few months ago I set myself the challenge to do something different to
celebrate a 'big birthday this year' by raising money for charities caring for
teenagers with mental health issues. After a rescheduling due the weather, on 2
September I jumped out of a plane — I was strapped to a GoSkydive instructor
from Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury and my thanks goes to the entire team who
were so professional that the experience was amazing.
MAD MILLENNIALS
Mad Millennials (MM) is the
UK’s first non-profit enterprise
organisation dedicated to
supporting the millennial
generation’s mental health and
wellbeing.
Run by volunteers, MM raises
awareness around mental
health, fosters conversations
to de-stigmatise the topic and
provide real and relevant support
through various mediums
including one-on-one sessions,
peer support groups, events, and
digital content.
Through online and
community events and
partnerships with the NHS
mental health services, Soho
House, and the Saracens
Foundation, MM is creating
welcoming spaces for a
generation in need.
Its pre-crisis intervention
services are aimed to alleviate
the pressure felt by millennials,
address the gap in services and
demand, and normalise the good,
the bad, and the ugly parts of
mental health.
https://www.madmillennials.org.uk/
The skydive pushed me way outside
my comfort zone and although it
was more akin to a fairground ride
I was thrilled to have achieved the
first part of my goal to do something
different. The other part of the goal,
to raise money for charity, is still in
progress!
For my big birthday, I have asked
friends and family to donate to
one — or both — special charitable
causes supporting teenage mental
health: Mad Millennials, and/or
STAY, St Andrew's Church Youth.
Many of you will know why I
especially want to raise money for
teenage mental health issues and
how my heart goes out to anyone
who is a parent or carer and is
Images: goskydive.com
dealing with these issues. Social
media on the Internet enables
young people to experience even
more pressure than in past times
to conform and they cannot escape
the constant bombardment, which
can be 24 hours a day, asking them
whether they’re beautiful enough or
smart enough.
Children are cruel when they
can comment anonymously online
leading many to self-harm or have
anxiety. This has to stop. We need to
raise awareness, to put in boundaries
that are healthy and support each
young person as best we can. Please
donate (details bottom of page) to
support these fabulous causes:
— Mad Millennials: The funds
raised will help them to continue
their outreach in communities and
businesses.
— STAY: The funds raised can help a
female youth worker flourish in her
important role and will help them to
continue their community outreach.
Mad Millennials: https://gofund.me/9cf5c832
STAY: https://www.justgiving.com/page/heather-hexter-1687629015342?utm_term=bEmdDxxMQ

16 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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feature — 2
Ukrainians
seek more
Holy Bibles
As well as the war in Ukraine
creating a dramatic rise in the
demand for military equipment
and support, there is also desperate
demand for more Bibles as people
seek existential answers about life
and death. Sadly, as our picture on
the right shows, precious Bibles are
not immune to Russian fire bombs
that have been destroying churches
and homes.
The Ukrainian Bible Society reports
that, in the last 15 months, some
700,000 Bibles have been distributed
across the war-torn country. This
is a five-fold increase on numbers
handed out before the war. In 2020,
some 136,767 Bibles were distributed
in Ukraine.
For Christians, the Bible is God’s Word. It tells us about his character and
creative purposes, how he has related to people in the past, and his promises
for the future. Science is a specific way of studying the world, exploring the
physical properties of things — a wonderful way to explore God’s creation. So,
the question to ask if the Bible and Science seem to be contradicting each other is,
have we made a mistake in interpreting one or the other?
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 17
Anatoliy Raychynets, deputy general secretary of the Ukrainian Bible Society explains, 'The experience of this time
is that so many people are looking for Bibles and churches. 'We are doing everything possible to reach all the needs, but
more Bibles are needed. With the help of the Word of God, we can bring the love of God to those who need it.'
Bibles are distributed around the country, including to soldiers and civilian communities on the front line, and to
those in hospital. 'Wherever the Bible is taken, it is very much appreciated,' said Anatoliy.
To make a donation towards the work of the Bible Society in Ukraine:
https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/get-involved/donate/appeals/bring-peace-and-comfort-to-ukraine-through-gods-word/
Science is very good at answering
certain types of questions: ‘What
size is it?’, ‘How fast does it travel?’,
‘What is it made of?’, and so on.
Questions such as ‘What’s it for?’,
‘What should I do with it?’, and ‘What’s
it worth?’ can’t be answered using
scientific methods.
Some of the misunderstanding
in discussions of science and religion
come from not recognising the limits
of science.
It’s also important to recognise
what the Bible is, and what sort of
questions it can answer. The Bible was
written well before people began to
investigate the world in ways we would
recognise as scientific.
People in the ancient Near East
were studying the world around them,
observing the movements of the stars,
the processes of life and death, the
seasons, the behaviour of physical
objects, and so on. But they did not
study the mechanisms underlying
these things systematically using the
tools of science, and they did not see or
describe the world in scientific terms
— not because they weren’t intelligent,
but because science wasn’t happening.
BIBLE SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER
The burnt pages of a Bible destroyed by a Russian rocket in an Orthodox church in Odessa.
Lesik Aleksandr, dreamstime.com
Do science and the Bible contradict each other?
By Dr Ruth M Bancewicz church engagement director, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion Cambridge.
Biblical writers used words that
were commonly used in their own
cultures to record events, share
truth and wisdom, and tell stories
that convey deep truth about God’s
character.
If we want to understand God’s
intention in inspiring these words,
we need to do some careful work to
connect with those ancient writers
and find out what they meant, before
we can discover what those words
mean to us today.
These principles can help us have a
more fruitful debate about science and
Christianity. If we allow any apparent
conflict between the two to fuel our
search for understanding, not only will
we learn as individuals, but we will be
able to draw others into a conversation
that is relevant to society today.

18 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
feature — 2
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feature — 3
Rev Kate keeps things in the family
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 19
Rev Kate Indy Buddulph Earley St Peter's Church Michael Ford, Wikipedia Commons
On Sunday 29 October St Andrew's Church Sonning will be saying thank you
and goodbye to Rev Kate as she leaves to prepare for her new role as Vicar of
Earley St Peter's. As such, she will be keeping things in the family because she
will be moving to what was originally a daughter church of St Andrew's.
Earley St Peter’s Church was
consecrated on 14 May 1844, the
land having been donated by Lord
Sidmouth, of Erleigh Court, in
memory of his wife Marianne.
The building work was paid for
by the Palmer family of Holme Park,
Sonning.
Robert Palmer, MP (31 January
1793 – 24 November 1872) was,
according to Wikipedia, 'an English
gentleman from Berkshire and Tory/
Conservative Member of Parliament'.
When Robert Palmer entered
Parliament in 1825, Lord Liverpool
was Prime Minister, and he took his
seat on the Government side of the
House.
At the next General Election
in 1826, Robert Palmer was
returned unopposed. This
Parliament continued through the
successive ministries of Canning,
Lord Goderich, and the Duke of
Wellington, till 1830, when the death
of King George IV brought it to an
end.
LIBERTIES
Originally, the ecclesiastical
parish of Sonning consisted of four
'Liberties' or districts — Sonning
Town; Woodley & Sandford; and
Earley, in Berkshire; and Eye &
Dunsden, in Oxfordshire. It was
unusual, as it still is today, for a
church parish to span the River
Thames and to be in more than one
county.
The four Liberties were really four
separate parishes, each having a St
Andrew's churchwarden assigned to
them.
HUNDREDS
Sonning and Woodley were in
the Hundred of Sonning, Earley in
the Hundred of Charlton, Eye and
Dunsden in the Hundred of Binfield
and Longtree.
'Eye' means island, hence today
we have Sonning Eye.
A hundred was an area within
a shire created for administrative,
military and judicial purposes under
the common law.
When they were introduced by
the Saxons, between 613 and 1017, a
hundred had enough land to sustain
approximately 100 households.
FLOWN THE NEST
By Victorian times the population
was growing in the four 'Liberties'
with the result that daughter
churches in Woodley, Earley,
Wokingham, and Dunsden were
created with the financial support
of the Palmer family — St John's
Woodley, Earley St Peter's, All Saints
in Eye and Dunsden.
Today each of the daughter
churches have 'flown the nest' and
operate as parish churches in their
own right and Earley St Peter's is now
part of Reading Deanery.
REMINDER
Earley St Peter’s is a Grade II
Listed Building, in the Early English
cruciform style with a distinctive
76ft tower designed by John Turner,
who also donated a stained glass
window depicting St Andrew in the
south wall of the sanctuary.
The window was in recognition
of the mother church in Sonning,
so Rev Kate will have a constant
reminder of her time at Sonning.
GOODBYE
At St Andrew's Sonning we will be
saying goodbye to Rev Kate and her
family during the 10.30am service on
Sunday 29 October.
Her induction as Vicar of Earley St
Peter's will be on Sunday 3 January
at 7pm to which everyone is invited.
Parishioners who wish to
contribute towards a leaving gift for
Kate are invited to either do this by
bank transfer or by sending a cheque
or cash to The Ark Parish Office, St
Andrew’s Church, Sonning, RG4 6UR.

20 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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The Parish Magazine - October 2023 21
around the villages — 1
Growing our offer as we enter the new term
From Phil Sherwood, headteacher, Sonning Church of England Primary School
At the time of writing, we are just starting our new term after having lots of
work completed over the summer break. This included installing new signs,
repainting classrooms, improving our outside areas and smartening up the
reception classroom and outside area.
This would not have been possible without the support of our community, and
I would like to extend my thanks to Sonning Parish Council and a number of
volunteers for their help.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
With this in mind, if anyone in our community would like to volunteer their
time on a regular basis to work with our pupils or around the site, we would
greatly appreciate it.
Some of the ideas for support include leading a gardening club, reading with
our pupils once a week, helping with our site management and maintenance —
weeding or painting or anything else you think you can offer.
For any volunteers attending the school site while pupils are here, we will
undertake checks to meet our safeguarding duty and ensure the adults on site
are suitable to work with pupils. Please do not see this part of the process as a
barrier — we will sort all the checks for you.
As always, thank you to our community for their support, and here’s to an
exciting new academic year at Sonning Church of England Primary School.

22 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
feature — 4
Images from dreamstime.com
Apple leaf, Pretoperola
Harvest Moon, Chayanan Phumsukwisit
English eating apples, Pjhpix
2,500 reasons to eat an apple this month
An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a common saying that comes from an old
English adage, 'to eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg his
bread'. In 1990, Common Ground, a Dorset charity, decided it was time to boost the
social standing of the humble British apple by giving it a special celebration day,
aptly called 'Apple Day' to be held on 21 October each year.
The first Apple Day was in the old Apple
Market, Covent Garden, London.
As well as being a celebration, Apple
Day was intended to raise the awareness
of the danger of not only losing the
traditional British apple but to also
highlight the richness and diversity of
our landscape, ecology and culture. It
has, says Common Ground, also played
a part in raising awareness in the
provenance and traceability of food.
RAISING AWARENESS
Common Ground describe themselves
as 'a small, grass roots organisation that
collaborate openly to reconnect people with
nature and inspire communities to become
responsible for their local environment.'
They believe that enjoying where you
live and celebrating the connections
people have with the wildlife and
landscape on their doorstep, is at the root
of meaningful conservation.
Raising awareness of the British
apple is an excellent example of their
ambitions. Did you know, for example,
there are about 2,500 varieties of apples
in the UK alone — worldwide the number
is about 7,000.
Someone has calculated that you
could eat a different variety of English
apple every day for six years, so why not
start by trying some different varieties
on Apple Day this month?
The apple dates from Biblical times
and, depending on the translation, it is
referred to several times in the Bible. It
is often thought to have been the fruit
that Adam and Eve picked from the tree
of life, although most Biblical scholars
will tell you that the fig is a more likely
candidate, especially as they covered
their nakedness with fig leaves.
Adam and Eve, 1538 by Lucas Cranach the Elder
Public Domain
According to Christiananswers.com
'There is currently no clear evidence that
apples grew in Israel in ancient times
(possibly due to heat). But they were
certainly not unknown in Israel, as the land
does have cooler hill country. They definitely
grew north of Israel in Lebanon. The ancient
Romans cultivated apple trees extensively.
It is possible that climatic conditions may
have been more favourable in ancient times
in Israel.
Today, more than 40 types of fruit are
grown commercially in Israel. Apples are
grown successfully in the northern hills of
Israel and in Gaza
CRAB APPLE
The apple is thought to have been
domesticated 4,000–10,000 years ago
in the Tian Shan mountains between
western China, Kyrgyzstan and
Kazakhstan. It then travelled along the
Silk Road to Europe, with hybridization
and the transfer of genetic material
between species of wild crab apple from
Siberia, the Caucasus and Europe.
The first known named English
apple variety was the pearmain. It was
first mentioned in 1204, having been
introduced into Britain by the Normans.
https://www.commonground.org.uk/apple-day/

The Parish Magazine - October 2023 23
HARVEST 2023
Although Harvest Festival is not a fixed date in the Church of England Lectionary most churches, including St Andrew's Sonning,
choose to celebrate it on the first Sunday of October which is often the nearest Sunday to the appearance of the Harvest Moon and
which this year will also be the last 'supermoon' of the year. Harvest Moon is the name given to the full Moon that happens closest
in date to the first day of autumn and it is also known as the autumn equinox in the northern hemisphere. This is when day and
night are the same length. Last year the Harvest Moon occurred on 10 September 2022 and this year it occurred on 29 September.
Harvest Festival at St Andrew's Church will be held at the 10.30am Family Service on Sunday 1 October when we collect donations
of food or cash for Woodley Food Bank — see the suggested list below.
The modern day Harvest festival is
attributed to Rev Robert Hawker who,
in 1843, invited parishioners to a special
thanksgiving service in Morwenstow,
Cornwall.
In reality, of course, harvest
celebrations date back about 3,500 years
to Old Testament times when God gave
Moses instructions for seven annual
feasts (Leviticus 23), which included three
harvest festivals:
— First fruits in spring for the barley
harvest;
—Weeks in early summer for the wheat
harvest;
—Tabernacles, or the ingathering, in the
autumn when thanks was given for all
the year’s crops and prayers for rain were
offered for the coming year.
THE SEVEN SPECIES
As well as wheat and barley, the other
main crops were grapes, figs, dates,
olives, and pomegranates. These seven
foods are sometimes called the ‘Seven
Species’ of the Bible. They are the ones
God told the Israelites they would enjoy
when they arrived in the Promised Land.
(Deuteronomy 8:8)
In Rev Hawker’s days most of the UK
population relied totally on growing
their food locally and a good
harvest was vital for their
wellbeing in the coming
year. It is easy to see how
his idea for a great festival rapidly
established itself as a tradition.
Today, however, few people in the UK
rely on growing their own food or source
it entirely from within their community,
so the underlying nature of Harvest
Festival has changed significantly,
although the primary focus remains the
same — we give thanks for all those who
grow our food wherever it may come
from in the world, for those who process
it, transport it, sell it and cook it.
Despite this change of emphasis,
there is no change in who we have to
thank for the food itself — God our
creator.
HARVEST
WILL IDEA
Christian Aid's harvest appeal this year is
to ask people to put their faith into action
by considering leaving a gift in their Will
to their Church and to Christian Aid. For
more information contact them on:
hello@christian-aid.org.uk
Seven Bible Species
Wheat, barley, grapes, figs,
dates, olives and
pomegranates.
Please remember your
Harvest food donations for
the Woodley Food Bank on
Sunday 1 October. If you can't
attend our Harvest Service
you can leave your donations
in the box just inside St
Andrew's Church between
10am and 4pm every day.
Thank you!
Here's the latest message we received
from Woodley Food Bank:
Thank you for your donations.
Unfortunately there is a high demand
at the moment. We are currently low in
stocks of cooking oil and tinned chick peas
and kidney beans. We are also short of
plastic bags.
Donations of the following are always
welcome:
Sugar Pasta Sauce
Coffee Spaghetti (dried)
Pasta Noodles
Cereals Pot Noodles
Tinned vegetables (all types, including
potatoes),
Tinned pies (Fray Bentos meat and veg
varieties)
Tinned fish
Tinned fruit
Tinned soups veg and meat
Meat meals (tinned)
Biscuits, Crisps, Custard - tinned and dried
Tinned Desserts
Long life milk
Juice (cordial and long life)
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Shampoo and Shower Gel
Deodorants (male and female)
Toilet Rolls are welcome at any time.
Images from dreamstime.com

lla Interiors Parish ad April 23.qxp_Layout 1 28/03/2023 08:37 Page 3
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around the villages — 2
Devon or Cornwall?
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 25
Chairman's Cup for seaside painting
When 19 ladies from the Inner
Wheel Club of Reading Maiden
Erlegh took afternoon tea at the
Riseley Village Tea Room the only
disagreement was the scones —
Devon or Cornwall!
Inner Wheel is an international
organisation for women, and it is
celebrating its centenary in January
2024.
The local group meets monthly
at Sonning Golf Club, usually on the
third Thursday of the month, for a
chat and a drink at 7.15pm before a
two-course meal which is usually
followed by an interesting speaker.
The group is involved in several
fund raising projects to support
community organisations such
The Cowshed, which is a Christian
charity that provides clothing
and other items for individuals
and families in Berkshire that are
experiencing hardship, and The Book
Bus which delivers books to deprived
children overseas.
Over the last 12 years, The Book
Bus fleet has travelled 250,000 miles
and opened reading schemes in
Zambia, Malawi and Ecuador.
More than 100,000 children now
have books to read.
www.innerwheelrme.org
Sonning Art Group's latest Chairman’s Cup award for a painting of the
Seaside was won by Maggie Hollidge (left) for her pastel painting of her
granddaughter fishing on the rocks at Exmouth. The Cup was presented by
fellow committee member Ruth Malton
In October the group welcomes back Jenny Whalley, a favourite tutor, who
will be demonstrating animals in motion. The Group meets every Friday
afternoon at Pearson Hall from 2.30pm — 4pm and for the first time in many
years they don’t have a members waiting list, so it will be a good time to call in
to meet the group and see what they do.
RENDEZVOUS
IN THE ARK
Open to everyone of all ages for
lunch and conversation
Tuesday 10 October
Tuesday 24 October
at 12 noon
Reserve your seat on: 0118 969 3298

26 The Parish Magazine - October 2023 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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around the villages — 3
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 27
Sonning and
Sonning Eye
Society Pearson
Hall Diary Dates
Sonning's Royal British
Legion urgent appeal for
new members
Membership of The Royal British Legion (Sonning Branch) has fallen to
its lowest since it was formed in 1924 by ex-service personnel and several
Sonning residents and civilians from nearby villages. The main cause, says
the committee, is failing health and deaths, so they are trying to enlist new
members but feel that many people may not fully appreciate the excellent
service the Legion gives to ex-service personnel and their families.
The Royal British Legion comprises
many branches around the country
who all desire to raise money and
support the organisation's six
convalescent homes.
The funds needed to run these
homes are raised by members during
the annual Poppy Appeal. Additional
monies are raised through the
membership fees which, in Sonning,
are currently £18 a year.
SUPPORT
Since the end of the Second World
War, there have been other conflicts
where our armed services have been
deployed.
These include the Mau Mau
uprising of 1952 which lasted until
1960 in the British Kenyan colony,
the Irish Troubles, The Falklands,
The Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq
with many others as well. These wars
have created a new wave of injured
personnel, many of which need
constant care.
The homes provide after care
following operations until they are
Images: poppies - Sandor Kacso, dreamstime.com; flag - Indy Biddulph
able to return to the safe care of
their families.
The Legion continues to support
these families until they are able to
manage on their own.
Money is also sometimes
provided for other equipment such
as wheelchairs or home adaptation.
By joining the Sonning branch
of the Royal British Legion you will
have the satisfaction of knowing
that you are helping those who have
served Britain and its people.
SIGN UP
You do not have to be ex-service
personnel to join The Royal British
Legion and you will not have to be
active if you do not wish to be so.
For your membership fee you
will receive a colour magazine twice
a year and other benefits.
For more information about
joining the Sonning branch of
The Royal British Legion contact
Seb Knight on 0779 386 4381
orknight1831@gmail.com
minnystock, dreamstime.com
27 October 7.30pm Pearson Hall,
Neil Pitts, explorer and adventurer,
entertains with the challenges he
faced while attempting to ski across
Norway.
18 November: AGM and dinner in
Pearson Hall from 7pm. The speaker
will be Cathy Haill, fun curator of
the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Tickets for both events can be
obtained from sonning.org.uk or
Penny Feathers penny.feathers@
btinternet.com 0118 934 3193
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A garage to
rent in or near
Sonning
to store
a classic car
dominic@
deveredevelopment.com
Valentino Visenti, dreamstime.com

28 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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HEALTH
Is opting for olive oil — one
of the seven Bible species —
a good choice for dementia?
If you have more than half a teaspoon of olive oil a day,
it may cut your risk of dying from dementia by 28%, a
recent study by Harvard University suggests.
‘Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, bless the bed that I
lie on’ - my grandma taught me that one, writes David
Winter. At least it meant I never forgot the names of the
writers of the four Gospels. This month Luke, the writer
of the third of them, has his feast day – 18 October.
He was, we learn from the letters of St Paul, a ‘physician’ —
an educated man and probably the only one of the writers
of the New Testament who was not a Jew. In modern
terms, he was Turkish.
Paul took him as one of his missionary team on a long
journey around the Middle East, and they clearly became
close friends. Under house arrest later in his life Paul
wrote, ‘only Luke is with me’.
However, it is Luke's Gospel which has established him
as a major figure in the history of the Christian Church.
Mark’s Gospel may have more drama, Matthew’s more
prophetic background and John’s a more profound sense of
the mystery of the divine, but Luke offers us a Jesus who is
utterly and believably real.
A MAN OF THE PEOPLE
This man turned no one away, reserved his harshest
words for hypocrites and religious grandees, cared for the
marginalised, the poor, the persecuted, the disabled, and
the sinful. His Gospel is full of people we can recognise —
indeed, in whom we can often recognise ourselves.
He was also a masterly story-teller. Try, for instance,
the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). Read it not as
a sacred text but as a brilliant piece of story-telling: subtle
repetitions (‘your son, this brother of yours’), believable
characters, drama and profound emotion.
There is the older brother, so cynical about his sibling’s
alleged reformation, the ‘prodigal’ himself, so hesitant
about throwing himself on his father’s mercy after the
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 29
But nobody knows quite why. Some experts say it may
be that the antioxidants in olive oil can pass through the
blood-brain barrier, which may have a direct effect on
cognition. Along with figs, dates, pomegranates, wheat,
and barley, olives are one the healthy seven species listed
Dusan Zidar, dreamstime.com
in the Bible (see centre pages)
One doctor explained: 'Opting for olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine and commercial mayonnaise,
is a safe choice and may reduce the risk of fatal dementia.'
There are estimated to be 944,000 people living with dementia in Britain, with the majority suffering from
Alzheimer’s. The number is expected to increase to more than one million by 2030, with one in three people born in the
UK this year expected to develop dementia in their lifetime.
The condition costs the country £34.7 billion annually and is now the leading cause of death. Sadly, there are currently
no licensed drugs that can slow down or repair brain damage.
Thank you, Dr Luke!
St Luke painted by Guido Reni in 1621
Public Domain
folly of his earlier behaviour, and there is the father, of
course, abandoning the dignity of his role in the family and
actually running to welcome his wretched son’s return.
There are more women in Luke’s Gospel than in any of
the others, but also more poor people, more lepers, more
‘sinners’ and tax-collectors, more ‘outsiders’ who are shown
to be ‘inside’ the love of Christ. This, for many of us, is the
great Gospel of inclusion and compassion. Here is a Jesus
for the whole world and for every one of us.
Thank you, Dr Luke!

30 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
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THE ARTS
Poetry Corner
Reaping Revealings
By Steven Rolling
Revelation 14: 14-20
Tune: Wir Pflugen
We plough the fields and scatter
I looked, behold a white cloud
Revealed, and in unshroud
One sat upon this cloud, he was
Displayed majestic thus
Having on head a gold crown
And name of great renown
One like the Son of man He
Had sharp sickle, now see
Chorus
Angel from the temple
Loud, loud, his message call
‘Thrust in your sickle, the earth reap
Harvest it, the good keep’
2. Time for the earth to be reaped
E'en seemed in evil steeped
But there good too, the harvest-tide
Fruits ripe it does provide
So He that on the cloud sat
Thrust in His sickle, that
The earth should then be reaped sure
The good gathered e’ermore - Chorus
3. Yet then, another angel
Who had too sharp sickle
Came out of temple, waits for
An angel from altar
This one had power o’er fire
Having words solemn, dire
Spoke to angel with sickle
Who true did hear his call – Chorus
4. Said angel from the altar
‘Thrust I your sickle,’ stir
Yourself to gather earth’s vine
For see this, this the sign
The grapes are fully ripe now
They must be reaped, and how
Righteous judgements of God known
Victory o’er evil shown – Chorus
Chrisat, dreamstime.com
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 31
Sacramental beauty of Creation
‘Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose’ by Francisco Zurbarán
The weekday Eucharist can be a great contrast to the bustle and liveliness
of Sunday services. It can offer a quiet time to focus on the gifts of bread
and wine offered on the altar, writes Rev Canon Michael Burgess, and at St
Andrew's it is held in The Ark followed by refreshments and a chat.
This month’s painting of 1633 is an opportunity to focus on the gifts that have
been offered at the altar of this table, in ‘Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and
a Rose’ by Francisco Zurbarán. He was a contemporary of the more famous
Velázquez and worked in Seville until his death in 1664,
There is something quite special and evocative in the arrangement of fruits
and flowers — two highly polished plates, one bearing the citrons (not lemons
as the title tells us), the other a cup of water and a rose. In the centre there
is a basket with oranges and orange blossom. Against the dark background
we sense the cool tones of the plates and cup, and the warmth of fruits and
flowers.
There is a curious balance and poise here, and some critics have suggested
a Trinitarian allusion in the three groups so deliberately placed on the table.
Others have pointed to the rose and water as symbols of our Lady, and the fruit
and blossom as signs of the new life of Easter. A devout Spanish Catholic in the
17th Century would have noticed these allusions, but they may be too fanciful,
as X-rays have shown that Zurbarán painted out another plate which simply
contained sweet, candied potatoes.
What he has portrayed is an allegory of the senses. We can almost smell the
fragrance of orange blossom and the tanginess of the fruits. We want to reach
out to touch and taste. But no, we must look and ponder the offering of these
gifts for our delight, and simply give thanks for the artist who has shown us
something of the sacramental beauty of creation in them.
Book Reviews
Better than Halloween — bright alternatives for churches and children
By Nick Harding, CHP, £1
This will help to transform 31 October into a fun and meaningful
Christian-themed event for children aged 5-11. It has an explanation
of the origins of Halloween, and why many Christians choose not
to celebrate it; detailed instructions and practical suggestions for
planning and running Bright/Light parties; a wealth of supporting
resources, such as fun sheets, party invitations, and sheet music
that can be photocopied, and sources of further advice and
guidance; and a free full-colour CD-ROM of all the supporting resources.
My Baptism Book – a child’s guide to Baptism
By Diana Murrie and Craig Cameron, CHP, £4.99
This helps children understand one of the most important days
of a child's life. It is a beautiful personal reminder of their special
day and one that a child can return to again and again. It can be
used by adults and children together, or in more formal baptism
preparation and includes a number of inspiring ideas on ways to
use the material. It is for children aged 3+ years.

32 The Parish Magazine - October 2023 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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HOME AND GARDEN
Is now a good time
not to grow old?
By Rev Peter Crumpler, a former communications director for
the Church of England
'Don’t grow old,' a parishioner of advanced years warned
me some while back. 'You won’t like it.'
Sadly, that dear woman is no longer with us, and I’m a
whole lot older than when she offered me that kind advice.
But was there wisdom in her words?
It’s true that generally people are living longer and in
better health than in generations before, but there are
increasing challenges for older men and women in our
society.
My friend, Maggie Dodd is an ‘Anna Chaplain’ for
older people. She is one of around 300 such chaplains up
and down the country. They spiritually support people of
strong, little or no faith in care homes, sheltered housing
or in their own homes.
Maggie has told me how life is becoming harder for
older people, and we’ve swapped notes on what we have
both observed.
MARGINALISATION
She told me: 'Some of the basic services older people
need are becoming more difficult to access. I hear about
doctor’s surgeries asking for patients to print out their
own forms or send photos to or from smart phones.
'Banks are phasing out high street branches, pushing
everyone towards online banking. Many older people
feel very uneasy about going online, worried of being
scammed out of their savings.
'A trip to the shops is also becoming more complicated.
Checkouts in supermarkets are increasingly self-service.
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 33
Ampack/ dreamstime.com
Mobility can also be affected as car parks often need an
app to be uploaded onto a smartphone to park. In many
car parks there is no option to pay by card or cash!'
Plans to remove the ticket offices at train stations
will make matters worse for many older would-be rail
travellers.
Maggie told me 'This gradual marginalisation of people
can leave them feeling lonely and isolated. Loneliness can
have a huge detrimental effect on health and wellbeing.
Prolonged social isolation and loneliness are the
equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.'
It’s good that many churches run special events and
activities for older people, as well as groups for all ages.
But is this enough?
Christians are called to follow Christ’s example and
speak out for at risk of being marginalised in our society.
Today, that could be our older brothers and sisters.
Recipe of the Month for Apple Day on 21 October
Spiced Apple Cake from Carole Robb
Ingredients
— 225g butter or Stork margarine
— 225g Muscovado sugar
— 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
— 100g sultanas
— 225g Self raising flour
— 2 level teaspoons baking powder
— 400g cooking apples, peeled cored and grated
— Cinnamon (to taste)
Method
Sue Peters
Pre-heat oven to 1800C or Gas 4
Grease 9 inch deep round cake tin and line with baking parchment
You can soak the sultanas in spiced rum (optional!) then mix them with the flour and baking powder
Beat the butter and sugar
Add eggs with some flour, then, bit by bit, all the flour, baking powder and sultanas.
Layer the mixture and grated apples — cake-apple-cake-apple-cake — and add a generous amount of cinnamon with each
layer. (Three layers of cake and two of apple works well). Sprinkle extra sugar on top then bake for 1¼ to 1½ hours.

34 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
Kind Hearts. Fierce
Minds. Strong Spirits
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Open events and group tours available
Book your visit at
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To make a reservation or for more information contact the office on
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FASHION BY HARRIET NELSON
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 35
Falling for
the colours
of Autumn
Images: pexels.com
The English summer has a predictable way of ending suddenly, so it's never
too early to consider what you might need to enhance your wardrobe for this
autumn. We have all found ourselves wearing our fall fashion sooner than
any of us might have expected! Goodbye, T-shirts and hello, jumpers!
Now autumn has arrived, I'm excited
to start seeing the latest trends
which are emerging. It's time for
everyone to start wrapping up in
their classic woolly jumpers and
jeans again — well, that's what I do!
My favourite part of autumn
fashion this year has to be the wide
range of fall colours. The forecast for
the 2023 season is that the colour
palette will be more muted and laid
back than in recent years. While
previously we have had colourful
reds and dark burgundies, this year
it's predicted that natural tones will
be in fashion. Think creams, caramel,
browns, buttery yellows, pumpkin,
and the usual patterns inspired by
this upcoming season.
PUMPKINS
These colours and patterns in our
autumn clothes have always been
a staple in our wardrobes, and this
fashion often reflects back to harvest
time.
Our autumn style choices have
always been inspired by the colours
around us at this time of year and
even influenced by traditional
farming clothing such as dungarees,
which are still a staple in some
people's wardrobes today!
Many foods which are harvested
at this time of year still inspire
fashion designers and feature on
many aspects of our clothing. The
pumpkin, for example, is a classic
harvest food featured on our
clothes this season. We all associate
pumpkins with autumn.
A big part of my childhood was
helping my mum set up the harvest
festival breakfast at St Patrick's
Church in Charvil. One of my
fondest memories from this time was
the harvest breakfast each year.
I felt so important dressed up,
assisting, and being a part of the
unique service, even if it was just
placing the butter dishes out!
Everyone sat around the
horseshoe-shaped table during the
service, enjoying breakfast together.
The table was lined with delicious
breakfast foods dedicated to the
harvest; my favourite was the
massive harvest wheat sheaf loaf, a
wonderful symbol of the importance
of wheat and bread in our everyday
lives and, of course, the communion
bread we share during services.
WHEAT
This season's traditions, like the
harvest festival, have inspired many
designers in the fashion world.
My favourite luxury designer this
autumn season has been Simone
Rocha.
His most recent 2023 collection
was inspired by the Lughnasadh
— or Lughnasa — an Irish harvest
festival that dates back to pagan
times.
Many outfits within his collection
were designed with the theme of
wheat, a staple harvest food.
I'm not sure that I'll ever get the
chance to wear a wheat-style dress
such as the one that runway model
Serena Motola wore for Simone
Rocha's recent show, but I have
certainly worn a few T-shirts with
pumpkins on over the years!

36 The Parish Magazine - October 2023 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement
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SIG_ADV_CAV_0523_SonningParishMag_02.indd 1

The Parish Magazine - October 2023 37
History PUZZLE PAGE — 1
Was it
really?
Kmiragaya, dreamstime.com
. . . 150 YEARS AGO on 1 October 1873 that Edwin Landseer, artist
and sculptor, died. He is known for his animal paintings, and his
famous lion sculptures at the base of Nelson’s Column in London.
. . . 1o0 YEARS AGO on 10 October 1923 that Nicholas Parsons,
radio and TV game show host and actor was born. He is best
known for hosting Just a Minute and Sale of the Century. (Died 2020)
. . . 80 YEARS AGO on 17 October 1943 that the Burma Railway was
completed. The Japanese built it using Asian labourers and Allied
prisoners-of-war, thousands of whom died. One of the railway
bridges is featured in the famous film Bridge over the River Kwai.
. . . 75 YEARS AGO on 27 October 1948 that the Morris Minor was
launched at the British Motor Show in Earl’s Court. It cost £358.
. . . 70 YEARS AGO on 30 October 1953 that the US Secretary of
State George Marshall was awarded the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize
for engineering the Marshall Plan. It was a massive economic aid
programme for Europe in the aftermath of WWII.
. . . 65 YEARS AGO on 1 October 1958 that Michael Bond’s
children’s book A Bear Called Paddington was published.
. . . ALSO 65 YEARS AGO on 28 October 1958 that the State
Opening of Parliament was televised for the first time.
. . . 60 YEARS AGO on 15 October 1963 that the word ‘Beatlemania’
first appeared in the Daily Mirror. It described the intense,
frenzied reaction of fans of the Beatles.
. . . 50 YEARS AGO from 19 October 1973 to 17 March 1974 that the
1973 Oil Crisis took place. OPEC suspended oil exports to nations
supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War. It led to major shortages
and rationing in the UK, USA, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands,
Portugal, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa.
. . . 40 YEARS AGO on 5 October 1983 that Lech Walesa, leader of
the Solidarity movement in Poland, and later President of Poland,
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
City Verse Search by Ralph
N
O
B
S
I
L
O
G
P
T
E
M
I
O
L
L
I
L
S
U
N
S
G
L
R
A
I
B
F
H
C
T
C
O
A
W
A
L
A
H
A
U
E
L
E
W
O
E
O
A
N
A
N
G
I
C
G
E
T
L
A
S
P
N
S
N
S
N
O
H
T
E
U
H
S
R
C
S
E
D
I
I
A
A
L
D
N
M
E
I
S
E
A
U
N
M
A
R
L
S
E
A
A
E
N
Ralph Hewitt is a Sonning resident and a member of a local
Methodist Church. He not only loves doing puzzles but he creates
them for fun. The grid above contains the names of 26 cities and
one town. They all have five letters or more in their name. Their
initial letters are: 3A; 5B; 2C; H; 4L; M; N; O; P; 5S; T; V; W. See if
you can find them! If you find all 27 place you will find that
the unused letters spell out a relevant verse from the Old
Testament (ESV). You might even manage to identify the
verse. Answers next month. Good luck and God Bless!
Write your answers here . . .
A
B
D
N
R
H
E
T
I
V
D
C
N
S
K
W
N
E
I
B
S
A
N
S
R
A
E
R
N
I
O
O
B
I
T
E
G
G
E
E
E
D
A
A
A
C
D
T
D
J
A
R
T
E
D
P
R
O
N
B
S
N
I
T
P
I
S
R
R
N
E
A
E
R
A
O
O
V
O
A
M
N
E
A
H
C
I
D
P
I
M
L
R
A
A
W
B
G
E
H
V
T
S
U
N
O
E
E
M
O
A
A
A
A
T
H
E
N
S
B
. . . ALSO 40 YEARS AGO on 25 October 1983 that Microsoft Word
1.0 was released. It was the first version of the popular word
processor, and Microsoft’s first full-featured application.
. . . 30 YEARS AGO on 15 October 1993 that South African leaders
Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, won the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize
for their efforts to end apartheid.
. . . 25 YEARS AGO on 16 October 1998 that David Trimble and
John Hume won the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the
Northern Ireland peace accord.
. . . 20 YEARS AGO on 19 October 2003, that Mother Teresa was
beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of
Calcutta. She was canonised as Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 2016.
. . . 15 YEARS AGO on 24 October 2008 that the financial crisis
‘Bloody Friday’ took place. About £89.5 billion was wiped off the
value of Britain’s biggest companies.
ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH'S ANIMAL VERSE PUZZLE
ANTEATER
ANTELOPE
ALIGATOR
CROCODILE
CHIMPANZE
CURLEW
CHEETAH
DROMEDARY
DALMATION
DOBERMAN
ELEPHANT
EARWIG
EAGLE
HORSE
HIPPOPOTAMUS
LION
LURCHER
LAMB
MONGOOSE
MANATEE
NIGHTINGALE
NEWT
NARWHAL
OKAPI
PUMA
RACOON
ROACH
RHINOCEROS
RABBIT
TAPIR
TUNA
WEASEL
WHELK
The hidden Bible verse was from Acts 10:12 (ESV)
In it were all kinds of animals

38 The Parish Magazine - October 2023 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement

PUZZLE PAGE — 2
CROSSWORD
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9 10
11 12
13 14 15
SUDOKU
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 39
answers in the next issue
September
Solutions
CROSSWORD
C O N S E C U T I V E
T V E A I I I
H E A N V I L V A N
O G R E S E T I T
U L O I S E D G E
G R I N N I N G R
H E S U S R
T T H A N K Y O U
L A R G O I M N P
E H V G A D O P T
S H Y E T H O S N E
S M R E K Y D
V E N T U R E S O M E
17 18 19
16
20 21
22 23
Across
Across
1 - Expression of regret (4)
1 - Expression of regret (4)
- Keep at a distance (8)
3 - Keep at a distance (8)
- Simple sugar (7)
9 - Simple sugar (7)
- Latin American dance (5)
10 - Latin American dance (5)
11 -- Short choral choral composition composition (5) (5)
12 -- Ripping (7) (7)
13 -- Christening (6) (6)
15 15 -- Request made made to God (6) to God (6)
17 17 -- Leave Leave quickly quickly and in secret and (7) in secret (7)
18 - Distinguishing characteristic (5)
18 - Distinguishing characteristic (5)
20 - Spends time doing nothing (5)
20 - Spends time doing nothing (5)
21 - Turned down (7)
21 - Turned down (7)
22 - All people (8)
22 - All people (8)
23 - Wet with condensation (4)
23 - Wet with condensation (4)
CODEWORD
Down
Down
1 - Given to debate (13)
1 - Given to debate (13)
2 - Mature person (5)
2 - Mature person (5)
4 - Extracts a metal from
its ore (6)
6 - Make ineffective (7)
5 - The proprietor of an
eating
7 - In
establishment
an inflated manner (13)
(12)
6 - Make 8 - ineffective Endlessly (12) (7)
7 - In an 14 inflated - European manner river (7) (13)
8 - Endlessly 16 - More (12) likely than not (4-2)
14 - European 19 - Stroll river casually (7) (5)
16 - More likely than not (4-2)
19 - Stroll casually (5)
4 - Extracts a metal from its ore (6)
20 22 10 15 1 10 26 18 10 24 25 10
2 11 26 26 8 1 14
23 20 3 21 10 17 15 15 22 10 13 13
10 10 1 24 3 13 8
3 24 13 5 10 25 10 24 26 8 14 12
25 25 7 13 21 19
8 24 18 2 8 3 24 3 3 10 14 25
20 24 25 24 16 10
14 20 8 15 8 10 26 13 16 1 8 14
24 4 5 26 24 8 18
5 - The proprietor of an eating establishment (12)
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 ST LUKE
To St Luke, whose feast-day is 18
October, we owe a beautifully written
gospel as well as the Book of Acts.
He was a Greek physician and faithful
traveling companion to St Paul. Under
house arrest near the end of his life Paul
noted, ‘only Luke is with me’.
Luke’s gospel focuses on the
compassion of Christ, and offers us
moving parables, such as the Good
Samaritan and Prodigal Son. Women
figure more prominently in Luke’s
gospel than in any other: look out for
the extended story of the Virgin Birth,
and stories of Mary, Elizabeth, and the
woman who was a sinner.
His gospel also features more poor
people, more lepers, more ‘sinners’, who
are all shown to be ‘inside’ the love of
Christ. In Acts, Luke skilfully links sacred
and profane history, as subsequent
archaeology has shown.
He tells of how the early Christians
moved away from Jerusalem into the
pagan world, and especially on to Rome.
CODEWORD
F A N T A S T I C A L
T D H N T O N
R U E V O K E R H O
I G L O O O M T N
C A R Z S T A M P
E X T R E M E S A
R E M Q B R
A V I R U L E N T
T U T O R S A T I
O Y E S N E W T S
P A P T R U S T E A
S E R E U E N
A D J O U R N M E N T
SUDOKU
WORDSEARCH ANGELS
Scribble Pad
2 26 10 5 10 24 14 25 8 9 16 10
13 14 13 17 10 16 14
10 15 15 24 17 8 15 25 6 10 24 25
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
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
U Y R
CHRISTIANS
JERUSALEM
PHYSICIAN
COMPANION
PARABLES
COMPASSION
SAMARITAN
PRODIGAL
HOUSE
ARREST
PAUL
GOOD
SON
WOMEN
VIRGIN
BIRTH
POOR
LEPERS
SACRED
PROFANE
PAGAN
EARLY
ROME
LUKE

40 The Parish Magazine - October 2023
Local Trades and Services
Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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
SMALLWOOD
Landscaping, garden construction,
patios, lawns, fencing, decking etc
0118 969 8989 https://www.smallwoodlandscaping.co.uk/
office@smallwoodlandscaping.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
BERKSHIRE STUMP REMOVALS
Stump grinding and tree stump removal
Latest narrow access machinery
Contact: Mark
0798 495 7334 http://www.berkshirestumpremoval
CHLOE LEFROY COUNSELLING SONNING
BACP Accredited Private Psychotherapy
Online or in-person with over 10 years experience
I offer you a confidential and emphatic space
https//:www.chloelefroycounselling.com / 0758 731 0902
Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements

CHILDREN'S PAGE
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 41

42 The Parish Magazine - October 2023 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 / 0744 747 8048
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
— Terry Hunt terencehunt@me.com / 0773 470 7368
— Sue Peters mail@susanjpeters.com / 0118 377 5887
— Ruth Jeffrey, 0118 969 3298
— Molly Woodley (deputy churchwarden emeritus)
mollywoodley@live.co.uk / 0118 946 3667
Parish Office Manager
— Hilary Rennie
office@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298
Parochial Church Council
— Secretary: Hilary Rennie 0118 969 3298
— Treasurer: Jerry Wood 0118 969 3298
Director of Music, organist and choirmaster
— Hannah Towndrow BA(Oxon), MA(RAM), LRAM
music@sonningparish.org.uk
Safeguarding Officer
— Nicola Riley 0118 969 3298
Sonning Bell Ringers
— Tower Captain: Pam Elliston
pam.elliston@talktalk.net / 0118 969 5967
— Deputy Tower Captain: Rob 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: Harriet Nelson
advertising@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0770 707 7773
— Print and Distribution: Gordon Nutbrown
classified@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
Abbey School 26
Abbeyfield Wey Valley Society 20
ACG Services Locksmith 40
Active Security 26
AJ Wealth Management 28
All Aerials 40
AMS Water Softeners 28
Barn Store Henley 16
Berkshire Stump Removals 40
Big Heart Tree Care 40
Blandy & Blandy Solicitors 14
Blue Moose 30
Bridge House 43
Bridges Home Care 10
Bull Inn 30
Canon Tree Care 28
CBLS consultants Architecture Design 18
Chimney Sweep, Thames 40
Chiropody, Linda Frewin 40
Chloe Lefroy Counselling Sonning 40
Clark Bicknell 40
Computer Frustrations 40
Design for Print 28
Freebody Boatbuilders 6
French Horn 44
Gardiner’s Homecare 30
Good Oaks Homecare 18
Great House Sonning 10
Handyman and Decorating Services 40
Haslams Estate Agents 2
Heathium Clinics 20
Hicks Group 16
Home Stair Lifts 28
Intersmart Electrical Installations 40
Innertonic 18
James Autos 40
Jones & Sheppard Stone Masons 32
Kingfisher Bathrooms 12
MC Cleaning 40
Mill at Sonning 4
M & L Healthcare Solutions 12
Muck & Mulch 32
Odd Jobs 40
Pysiocare Body Management 38
Queen Anne’s School 34
Reading Blue Coat School 10
Richfield Flooring 14
Sabella Interior Design 24
Seniors Helping Seniors 32
Shiplake College 14
Signature Care Homes 36
Sonning Golf Club 34
Sonning Scouts Marquees 32
Smallwood Garden Services 40
Style by Julie 6
The Humble Tiffin 28
Thames Valley Water Softeners 6
Thames Valley Wills Service 40
The 50 Plus Home Repairs 32
Tomalin Funerals 16
Walker Funerals 12
Water Softener Salt 16
Window Cleaner 16

Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement
The Parish Magazine - October 2023 43
A shared passion for
the finest care
At Bridge House we care passionately about enabling our residents to live their best lives.
Every day is different, but our exemplary
standards of care remain constant, delivered by
a highly trained and dedicated team of clinical
nursing and care staff that ensure our residents
maintain their independence, dignity and enjoy
a fulfilling day.
Our welcoming, elegant Georgian country
house on the edge of Twyford offers a timeless
calm with stunning views across the grounds to the
Visit bridgehouseoftwyford.co.uk
river Loddon, whilst our newly built rehabilitation
centre provides access to short
term recovery and recuperation though the in
house team of therapists.
To discuss your nursing, residential or
rehabilitation needs, or a visit, please contact
our new Care Home Manager Rachel Stoneman
at enquiries@bridgehouseoftwyford.co.uk or
01189 340777
A shared passion for later living
BRIDGE HOUSE
of Twyford

44 The Parish Magazine - October Please mention 2023 The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement
The French Horn,
Sonning. Quality.
A continuing commitment to
wonderful food and wine.
0118 969 2204
www.thefrenchhorn.co.uk