The Parish Magazine December 2023

The Parish Magazine - December 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 

December 2023 — Advent to Christmas 

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 - December 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 - November 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 December 2023 

THE VICAR'S LETTER, 5 

THE PARISH NOTICEBOARD 

— Christmas preparations, 7 

— Rev Kate farewell, 7 

— Future ministry appointments, 7 

— Parish Christmas lunch, 7 

— Beer and carols, 7 

— STAY, 8-9 

— Nicky Gumbel, 11 

— Pray for the Holy Land 13-15 

— From the editor's desk, 15 

— For your prayers, 15 

FEATURES 

— Little town of Bethlehem, 17 

— 800 years of Nativity, 19 

— Christmas cards, 21 

— Your Christmas Invitation, 22-23 

—around the villages 

— Sonning Scarecrows, 25 

— Guard dogs, 25 

— Link Visitors, 25 

— FoStAC curry night, 25 

— Canapés and Cakes, 27 

— Sonning Art Group, 27 

— Twyford & Ruscombe gardens, 27 

— Rotary Polio donations, 27 

THE ARTS 

— Carlos Schwake, 29 

— Poetry Corner, 29 

— Christmas book list, 29 

health 

— Dr Simon Ruffle, 31-33 

HOME AND GARDEN 

— Christmas family quiz, 33 

— Black Forest Fool, 33 

FASHION 

— What to wear for Chrismas, 35 

history, 37 

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 

This ISSUE's FRONT COVER 


Parish 

Magazine 

December 2023 — Advent to Christmas 

the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF 

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY 

FoStAC prepares your 

Church for Christmas 

(page 7) 

Picture: Keith Nichols 

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 January 

issue of The Parish Magazine is: 

Wednesday 6 December 

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: 

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk 

From the Registers 

baptismS 

— Sunday 8 October, Evelyn Scott-Lee 


Services at 

St Andrew’s 

Sunday 3 December 

— 8.00am Holy Communion 

— 10.30am Family Toy Service 

— 4.00pm Advent Carol Service 



— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with 

STAY and Sunday Club 

— 3.00pm Messy Church Party 

— 6.00pm Sunday at Six Beer and 

Carols at the Bull Inn 



— 10.30am Family Communion 

— 5.00pm Nine Lessons and Carols 

—Christmas Eve 24 December 


— 4.00pm Childrens Crib Service 

— 11.00pm Midnight Mass 

—Christmas Day 

— 10.30pm Parish Eucharist 

(Children bring a toy to show 

the vicar) 

—Sunday 31 December 


— 10.30pm Parish Eucharist 

FOR MORE CHRISTMAS SERVICE 

DETAILS SEE PAGES 22-23 

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 

Garden Care Home is held on the first 

Monday of each month at 11.00am. 

funerals 

— Tuesday 10 October, Valerie June Walker, memorial service in church 

followed by interment of ashes in the churchyard 

— Monday 23 October, Rosemary Ann Nutbrown, interment of ashes in 

the churchyard 

— Wednesday 25 October, Timothy Christopher Ottway Stanley, interment of 

ashes in the churchyard



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The vicar's letter 

Dear Friends, 

'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the 

Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into 

being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.' 

Every year, at the climax of our Nine Lessons and Carols Service, 

these words from John’s gospel are read. To signify the significance 

of the message, the congregation stand throughout the reading. 

If John's Gospel were the only gospel we had, this is all that we 

would know about Jesus' birth: before his name was Jesus, his 

name was the Word, and he was with God from the very beginning 

of creation, bringing things into being, making things happen, 

shining light into the darkness. 

He was God's self, God's soul, God's life force in the world. He 

was the breath inside all living things. He was the electric spark 

that charged peoples' hearts. 

GOD'S HUMAN WORD 

Of course, not everyone got that message. Many were blinded by 

this light and preferred the darkness they knew to the light which 

they did not know. The Word sidled up to them and hummed life 

into their ears, but they cleared their throats and walked away. God 

therefore decided to speak in a new way. 

'And the Word became flesh and lived among us — full of grace and truth.' 

This is John's story in a nutshell. He is telling us about an encounter 

with the Holy One. God's Word was translated into a human being. 

God's self, soul, and life force were concentrated into one mortal life 

on earth, and as a result, nothing would ever be the same again. Not 

because everyone listened, because everyone does not, but because 

the eternal Word of God took human form. The beginning of time 

merged into the present time and God's message was no longer 

ethereal. It had a face, a voice, and a pair of hands. This is the miracle 

of the Word made flesh: God delivered his message to us in person by 

becoming one of us. 

THE WORLD NEEDS JESUS 

The impact of this event has been earth-shaking. Regardless of the 

number of world religions in existence, our present world marks time 

from the time of his birth. This Word of God is the pivotal person 

in our history; the meaning of all life, past, present, and future, is 

focused on this man. A humble Jew, a carpenter from Nazareth, 

changed the world forever and so we rightly celebrate Him this 

Christmas time. He taught us to love and forgive one another and 

He was rightly described as the Prince of Peace. I suggest our world 

needs Him more than ever. 

I wish you all a happy and blessed Christmas. 

Jamie

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the parish noticeboard — 1 


Preparing for Christmas: The Friends of St Andrew's Church (FoStAC) had a record number of volunteers turn 

up to start preparing the Church for the thousands of visitors and regular church members we welcome for the annual 

Christmas celebrations that include several school carol services as well as the traditional Advent and Christmas 

celebrations such as an Advent Carol service, Nine Lessons and Carols, a Children's Crib service, a Family toy and 

gift service, Midnight Mass, and of course, our Christmas Day Family Eucharist. The Trustees of FoStAC offer their 

heartfelt thanks to everyone who gave up their Saturday morning to help with the annual Church clean. Their thanks 

also go to those who provided the well-earned refreshments. The volunteers from every age group enabled all the nooks 

and crannies of the church to be dusted, polished and vacuumed. 

SUNDAY AT SIX 

& THE BULL INN SONNING 

BRING YOU... 

BEERS 

& CAROLS 

6pm, sunday 10th december 

family friendly, 

everyone welcome 

Farewell to Rev Kate 

We gave Kate and her family a good send off on Sunday 29 October with a 

congregational gift of £1,927 and other gifts from the PCC. There was a lovely 

atmosphere at The Ark reception afterwards and special thanks to the Social 

Committee. Her Induction as Vicar of St Peter’s Church, Earley, will be at 7pm 

on Wednesday 3 January. 

Future appointment? 

A number of you have asked 

when 'Kate’s replacement' will 

be coming. Kate’s employment 

was as a part-time maths 

teacher and Chaplain of 

Reading Blue Coat School. 

It was providential at the 

time of her appointment 

there that we could offer an 

informal arrangement whereby 

she was licensed as a ‘Self 

Supporting Minister’ in our 

parish, and that we could offer 

accommodation in return for 3 

days service a week. The School 

is making other arrangements 

for her replacement, perhaps for 

Keith Hawkins 

Rev Kate thanks Sue Peters for making her leaving cake 

that was enjoyed by everyone 

Peter Rennie 

a full time chaplain, as they had in the past. The simple answer to whether we 

shall be able to welcome another ‘Self Supporting Minister’, with the capacity 

to offer 3 days for housing in the future is 'I have no idea'! Please pray about 

this. Jamie 

Parish Christmas Lunch 

Come and join us in The Ark on Tuesday 12 December at 12 noon for a 

traditional festive lunch with carols and a visit from St. Nicholas. Wine, which 

has been donated to Rendezvous, is included in the £10 price. Please contact 

the parish office if you would like to book a place: 0118 969 3298



STAY in October 

St Andrew's Youth 

STAY on Sunday 

We continued our water theme in October by looking at stories of Noah’s Ark, Moses being drawn out of the 

Nile by Pharaoh’s daughter, and God parting the Red Sea to save the Israelites. While thinking about Moses 

we included a prayer activity when the young people took a ping pong ball and a Sharpie marker pen that they 

used to write on the ping pong ball what they want to ask for God to rescue them from. The balls were placed in 

a tray of water and we prayed over them about the things they need rescuing from. It was very powerful to see 

how honest the youth were. 

The following week we looked at the parting of the Red Sea and, having seen an experiment on Taskmaster, 

I thought I’d use it to make the point of God saving his people. We had a plate of red dyed water (the Red Sea), 

lit a tea light and placed it on the plate (the pillar of fire) , then placed a large glass jar over the candle (God's 

protection). The water was sucked up into the jar, leaving the plate dry like the ground the Israelites walked on. 

STAY on Monday 

We met once in October and thought about the next STIR card in the pack: ‘Why is life so full of suffering and 

injustice?’ We watched two videos — one about bullying and one about the war in Ukraine. We thought about 

why bad things happen and what we do in response to suffering, and then wrote the things on plasters what 

we have had said or done to us that hurt. Next smashed a plate and stuck it back together with the plasters as a 

type of lamenting activity. The plate represented the world and the plasters us. Even though we suffer, God calls 

us to bring the world together, to live in peace and to love without return. 

STAY in Schools 

The schools work for October involved an assembly, two days of mentoring and two Christian Union (CU) 

meetings. The assembly was about service and challenged the students in their attitude to serving and how 

much they do things for others without reward or return. The mentoring supported students who are finding 

parts of life a little tricky and in the CU meetings we played lots of games and thought about how Jesus treated 

the woman at the well in John 4:1-42. We discussed some points about Jesus being a massive rebel, such as: 

— In those days, men did not speak to 

women, it was a big no no. 

A Parish Primary School Assembly 

— Jews didn't associate with Samaritans 

but here is Jesus, a Jew, talking 

publicly with a female Samaritan. 

— Jesus showed her respect, care and 

didn’t judge her despite her lifestyle 

and choices. 

— Lots of people where she lived had 

shunned and disowned her. 

Jesus didn't! 

For the October half term 

awesome activities chosen 

a football match at the Re 

we bounced our way round 

High Wycombe and we we 

Bowl in Bracknell. Every a 

and everyone had great fu 

STAY on Friday 

Our weekly youth club has 

parish and surrounding co 

the PS5 & Xbox rooms, ba 

youth club runs every Frid 

school years 7-13 and the 4 

LZ7 Charity Bik 

The start of October was a 

tubes, Red Bull, flapjacks a 

into schools through musi 

teenagers that they have a


Half Term 

we did three days of 

by the youth. We played 

ading FC Academy Dome, 

RUSH Trampoline Park in 

nt Bowling to Hollywood 

ctivity was over subscribed 

n! 

picked up in numbers again and it is always great to see young people from the 

mmunities enjoying themselves. We had lots of fun with crafts, board games, 

sketball, round the world table tennis and cooking! Don’t forget STAY on Friday 

ay in term time from 6.45pm-8.15pm at The Ark in Sonning. Every week is for 

th Friday we also welcome the year 6’s. 

e Ride 101010 Challenge 

email or text me for ideas, a chat or to 

encourage what we are doing 

Westy 

youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk 

0794 622 4106 

strange one for me as I spent the first 10 days of October driving a support vehicle from Inverness to Brighton full of water, inner 

nd energy gels! I was following seven cyclists from the Manchester based charity ‘Light’, who take the life changing message of Jesus 

c. Light have signed two bands called LZ7 & SAINTZ who together travel the length of the country and spend time abroad telling 

hope, a future and there’s a God out there who loves them!


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By Bob Peters 

Have you ever wondered how many 

people there are living in the world? 

A precise answer is impossible 

because it is constantly changing. 

At the time of writing, Worldometer 

(see World Population Faiths below) 

estimated there are over 8 billion 

(8,000,000,000) people in the world. 

An even more interesting fact is 

that of this 8+ billion people it is 

estimated that about 16% of the 

number do not identify themselves 

with any of the best recognised 

religions. Christianity is the most 

popular with 31% of the population. 

On Sunday 29 October parishioners 

gathered in St Andrew's Church to 

share the Parish Eucharist and to 

say farewell to Rev Kate who left to 

become the new vicar of Earley St 

Peter's (see page 7). 

Her farewell service was attended 

by over 160 people, and in the 

evening about 200 people — many 

of whom had not attended our 

morning service — also gathered in 

St Andrew's for a very different type 

of worship and prayer service. 

The evening service revolved 

around a discussion with Nicky and 

Pippa Gumbel who shared with us 

the challenge that is facing the Alpha 

Course that they promote through 

HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton). 

Alpha began in 1977 when 

Charles Marnham, a curate at HTB 

started a course for church members 

to explore the basics of beliefs 

commonly held by many Christians. 

In 1990 Nicky Gumbel, who was 

then a curate at HTB, took over 

running the course and began to 

revise and promote its use more 

widely. 

From just four courses in 1991, 

the number of Alpha courses rose to 

2,500 by 1995 and reached a peak in 

1998 when 10,500 courses were run. 

Today Alpha is running in over 

100 countries and in over 100 

different languages. 

More than 24 million people 

have taken the course which has 

been tailored for different Christian 

denominations including Anglican, 

Baptist, Eastern Orthodox, 

Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, 

and Roman Catholic. 


'Everyone, everywhere, to be able to explore 

the Christian faith by 2033' — Nicky Gumbel 

THE CHALLENGE 

TAILORED 

WORLD POPULATION FAITHS 

For the most current population total visit Worldometer: 

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ 

On 30 October 2023 the breakdown of world faiths was: 

On the platform (left to right) Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Catherine Karalus and Westy 

2,173,180,000 Christians (31% of world population), of which 50% are Catholic, 37% Protestant, 12% 

Orthodox, and 1% other. 

1,598,510,000 Muslims (23%), of which 87-90% are Sunnis, 10-13% Shia. 

1,126,500,000 No Religion affiliation (16%): atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with 

any particular religion. One-in-five people (20%) in the United States are religiously unaffiliated. 

1,033,080,000 Hindus (15%), the overwhelming majority (94%) of which live in India. 

487,540,000 Buddhists (7%), of which half live in China. 

405,120,000 Folk Religionists (6%): faiths that are closely associated with a particular group of 

people, ethnicity or tribe. 

58,110,000 Other Religions (1%): Baha’i faith, Taoism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Tenrikyo, Wicca, 

Zoroastrianism and many others. 

13,850,000 Jews (0.2%), four-fifths live in two countries: United States (41%) and Israel (41%). 

Yet the Gumbels are not ready to 

put their feet up. Their inspiration 

for their latest Alpha project is 

driven by 'The Great Commission 

of Christ' found in the Gospel of 

Matthew 28:16-20 which says: 

'Then the eleven disciples went to 

Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus 

had told them to go. 

When they saw him, they 

worshipped him; but some doubted. 

Then Jesus came to them and said, 

‘All authority in heaven and on earth 

has been given to me. 

Therefore go and make disciples of 

all nations, baptising them in the name 

of the Father and of the Son and of the 

Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey 

everything I have commanded you. 

And surely I am with you always, to 

the very end of the age.’ 

HUGE JOB 

‘There is still a huge job to be 

done’, said Nicky, 

‘Our vision is for everyone, 

everywhere in the world to have the 

opportunity to explore the Christian 

faith through Alpha during the 

next 10 years. 2033 is a key moment 

in history, it will be the 2,000th 

anniversary of the resurrection of 

Jesus. 

'We hope to make exploring 

the Christian faith as accessible as 

possible, so that millions more might 

encounter the love of God.’ 

ALPHA INFO 

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visit: https://alpha.org.uk/try-alpha



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PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 4 

More than ever your 

prayers are needed 

for the Holy Land 

On 7 October, in a moment US President Joe Biden 

described as ‘pure unadulterated evil’, the Iranian-backed 

terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, 

murdering at least 1,400 people of all ages in the most brutal 

of ways, injuring thousands more and taking more than 200 

hostages. 

Horrified by the news of the terrorists’ butchery as it has 

emerged, I find myself woefully unqualified to comment 

in any expert way on the geopolitical complexities of the 

situation and the after effects. This monthly column is where 

we examine cases of Christian persecution around the world, 

and so we will take a look further on in this article at the 

impact on the Christian community of the Hamas massacre 

and Israel’s defence, with insights gleaned from advocacy 

agency Open Doors and from The Philos Project, a non-profit 

organisation who describe themselves as a ‘Christian network 

promoting positive engagement in the Near East’. 

CEASEFIRE CALL 

At the time of writing, some are calling for a ceasefire 

in the Hamas-Israel war. Charles Moore in The Telegraph 

of 1 November said that a ceasefire would mean a massive 

advantage to Hamas, effectively removing from Israel its right 

of self-defence. The Philos Project say that while they ‘mourn 

the tragic loss of Palestinian lives, a ceasefire will not bring 

peace.’ 

They describe Hamas as ‘an existential threat to Israel 

and Palestinian lives.’ Former US Secretary of State Hillary 

Clinton said, ‘People who are calling for a ceasefire now do not 

understand Hamas.’ 

She explained, ‘it would be such a gift to Hamas because 

they would spend whatever time there was during a ceasefire 

to rebuild their armaments and create stronger positions to be 

able to fend off an eventual assault by the Israelis.’ 

HAMAS OBJECTIVE 

Hamas’ objective is the creation of a Sharia caliphate, 

rejecting a negotiated peace or two-state solution, with the 

killing of Jews a prerequisite to the Day of Judgement. 

Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a founder of Hamas and 

author of the book Son of Hamas said in a CNN TV interview 

broadcast some time ago and shown on Instagram recently 

‘The destruction of the State of Israel is not Hamas’ final 

destination… Hamas’ final destination is building an Islamic 

State on the rubble of every other civilization.’ 

The Philos Action League (PAL) is a network of Christians 

across the world committed to ‘showing up for their local 

Jewish community in the face of anti-semitism’. Since the 7 

October attacks on Israel, anti-semitism has increased 1,200% 

according to PAL. 26 October was designated as a special day 

for them to show support, with Christians going to Jewish 

communities in 150 cities in the world to show their support. 


THE persecuted church by colin bailey 

Israeli civilians in Tel Aviv gathered in solidarity for a ceasefire between 

Israel and Gaza. 

Engin Korkmaz, dreamstime.com 

In Gaza there is a diminishing Christian minority — less 

than 1% of the 2.2 million population. Since Hamas came to 

power in 2007, the Christian population has reduced from 

3,000 to roughly 1,000. 

The Christians have suffered persecution under Hamas. 

For example, after Hamas came to power, the last Christian 

bookshop in Gaza was firebombed. Its Christian owner, Rami 

Ayyad, was kidnapped and murdered by jihadis. Christians 

now are heavily affected by the Hamas-Israel war. 

Christianity was brought to the Gaza region in the early 

15th century AD by St Porphyrius who became Bishop of 

Gaza. In 723 AD St Willibald described visiting Gaza and 

seeing Christians and Muslims worshipping side-by-side in 

peace. 

During the Crusades, Gaza became a ‘haven’ for Christian 

and Muslim worshippers. Fast forwarding to the present time, 

the author and war correspondent Janine di Giovanni says in 

her 2021 book The Vanishing: the Twilight of Christianity in the 

Middle East that ‘the purging of the Christian community [in 

Gaza] is part of a broader vanishing of Christians from the 

Middle East.’ 

As elsewhere, Christians in Gaza are targeted for their 

faith. They are made to feel second class citizens under 

Hamas. In the delicate political environment, Christians 

may choose to avoid openly critiquing Hamas to ensure their 

safety. 

The Philos Project say that Christians in Gaza do not 

openly sympathise with sentiments of Zionism expressed by 

Christian communities in the West. 

TURN TO PAGE 15



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FROM PAGE 13 

PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 5 

Pray for peace in Holy Land 

Palestinian Christian leaders refrained from expressing 

sympathy for the victims of the 7 October Hamas terrorist 

attacks, voicing concerns and criticism after Israel’s response 

and focusing their condemnation on Israel’s actions in the 

aftermath. 

Hundreds of people were reported killed in the bombing 

of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, possibly more than 

500. This is the only Christian hospital in Gaza, one once 

visited by Brother Andrew. 

The attack is not believed to have been because of its 

Christian affiliation. Both Israelis and Palestinians have 

blamed the other side for the bombing. 

Many had been sheltering in its grounds as it was believed 

to be a safe place. Most of the Christians in Gaza are finding 

refuge at churches in the city. In a separate incident, an 

explosion next to a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City 

resulted in the deaths of 18 Christians. 

Advocacy agency Open Doors asks us to pray for all 

caught up in the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza. The 

Bible Society in Israel say ‘More than ever, we need your 

prayers. Prayers for those who mourn. Prayers for God to use 

this tragic event to cause people to seek God about their own 

eternal destiny.’ 

And they ask us to pray God gives us wisdom in these 

days: ‘Wisdom how to comfort. Wisdom how to pray. 

Wisdom and grace to be God's messengers, serving his 

kingdom, that we not weaken his message with our own 

anger. Pray with us that God will use all those leaders whose 

decisions in these days will determine the fate of so many 

people. May our loving God bring this disaster to an end.’ 

References and further reading 

Telegraph article on ‘Labour’s Islamist Problem’: https://www. 

telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/10/30/anti-semitism-starmer-labourparty-islamism/ 

The Philos Project: https://philosproject.org/ 

The Philos Project on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ 

thephilosproject 

President Joe Biden on Hamas attack – inews: https://apple.news/ 

Ae6dniMIST_qY-FcDGGtzKg 

Mosab Hassan Yousef CNN interview on Instagram: https://www. 

instagram.com/reel/CybYejTxsKJ/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng%3D%3D 

Federation of American Scientists – translation of excerpts of the 

original 1988 charter of Hamas: https://irp.fas.org/world/para/ 

docs/880818a.htm 

Bombing of Christian hospital in Gaza: https://opendoorsuk.org/news/ 

latest-news/israel-gaza-news/ 

Open Doors – prayer: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latestnews/israel-gaza-prayer/ 

For your prayers in December 

— Crisis at Christmas 

PRAYERS NEEDED 

— Salvation Army’s work with the homeless 

— A blessing on all seeking peace in the Holy Land 

— For all who will be alone this Christmas 

Peter Rennie 

From the 

editor's desk 


editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk 

There's no getting away from it, the older you get the faster 

time seems to fly by. As a child I remember that waiting for 

Christmas — which was far less commercialised 77 years 

ago - seemed to go on for an eternity. Now, it seems just like 

yesterday since we last celebrated this important Christian 

event that changed the world for ever! 

It also seems like yesterday that I became editor of this 

magazine, but that was 11 years ago in December 2012. 

Looking back at that first issue I was responsible for surprised 

me how much it has changed since then. That first issue was 

mainly in black and white and had just 24 pages. Today, of 

course, it is in full colour throughout its 44 pages and there 

are still a few items that I have to hold over for another day. 

Most magazines that are funded by advertising, as we 

are, operate, as we do, on a 60:40 balance, between editorial 

(60) and advertising. (40) pages. In the publishing world this 

is a well recognised balance that works both financially and 

aesthetically, and we are fortunate that we have so many 

local businesses and organisations that support us through 

advertising. And this is why, of course, that we ask you, as a 

reader, to mention The Parish Magazine when you respond to 

one of their advertisements in the magazine. 

THANK YOU! 

This also means that we have some special 'thank yous' 

to make — thank you to our advertisers for their continued 

support and thank you to our readers for being readers and 

for mentioning where you saw an advert. 

There's also a very special thank you to the original 

advertisers who have continued to support us continuously 

throughout our last 11 years — Haslams Estate Agency, 

The Hicks Group, AB Walker funeral directors, The Mill 

at Sonning, the Scouts, AF Jones and Sheppard funeral 

directors, and especially The French Horn, who have not 

only supported us with advertising but have also generously 

supported us in several other special projects that St Andrew's 

Church and this magazine have been involved with. It was, 

therefore, with some sadness to learn that The French Horn 

and its estate is up for sale for £12 million. We wish the 

owners a happy and very well-earned future. 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE? 

A key point about our advertisers is that they all agree 

to support us throughout the whole year and we are hoping 

many of them will continue to do so in 2024. If you are 

potentially a new advertiser and would like to become part 

of our magazine family then now is a good time to talk with 

Harriet about reserving some space for your business or 

organisation. Her contact details are on page 42. 

Whether you are an advertiser or a reader The Parish 

Magazine team has one important message for you — have a 

Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year!



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feature — 1 

Poor little town of Bethlehem 


Petr Svec, dreamstime.com 

Marta Maleszewska, dreamstime.com 

Giovanni De Caro, dreamstime.com 

During Holy Week 1982, I was on a pilgrimage in the Holy Land, writes Bob 

Peters. We arrived in Tel Aviv when Israel and Lebanon were at war and were 

greeted on the first evening by an Israeli general who assured us that we were 

safe if we did not wander off on our own. And this proved to be true. 

A result of the war meant that on a few 

of the days our programme of visits 

was changed, sometimes while we were 

travelling in a coach. Whenever we set 

off, we were not always sure where we 

were heading! 

On one occasion we were a short 

distance from a restaurant where we 

were expecting to enjoy a traditional 

Israeli lunch but we were hastily 

diverted to a different town. It was the 

only time our guide and the driver, 

showed any sign of concern. We learnt 

later that the original restaurant had 

been bombed. 

Often in the morning it was very 

chilling to see aircraft flying over our 

hotel heavily ladened with missiles and 

Rendezvous in The Ark 

Christmas Lunch 

Tuesday 12 December 

12 noon 

Everyone Welcome! 

Want to know more 

or to reserve a seat? 

0118 969 3298 

Book Early! 

office@sonningparish.org.uk 

bombs. And it was even more chilling 

when they returned later completely 

empty. 

Another chilling place on our 

pilgrimage — although this time 

it was a pleasant chill — was the 

birth place of Jesus in Bethlehem, 

which was under Palestinian control. 

Having experienced the hustle and 

bustle of the wealthy cities of Tel Aviv 

and Jerusalem, the little town of 

Bethlehem came as a shock. 

Jesus, Christ the King, was not only 

born in the poverty of a stable fit only 

for animals, but was also born in one 

of the poorest and most deprived parts 

of our world. It easy to understand why 

Jesus showed such compassion and 

love for the poor and the sick people he 

met during his ministry on earth — he 

not only understood their situation, he 

had grown up with them. 

If I have the opportunity, I 

would happily return to the little 

Palestinian town of Bethlehem that 

we will be singing fondly about this 

month during Christmastide, and 

also remembering it as we put up our 

nativity sets. 

It was during my visit to Bethlehem 

that I bought my first nativity set. 

Appropriately, it was made locally from 

olive wood (picture above) — although, 

perhaps, it is not really appropriate, 

and neither are the other 160 sets I 

have, as they don't reflect the poverty 

into which Jesus was born. 

The other three images above, 

however, reflect a more realistic image 

of Bethlehem. These are claimed to be 

Banksy graffiti that reflect the conflict 

of peace and violence that still haunts 

the poor little town of Bethlehem 

that God chose to adopt for his son's 

coming to Earth. 

There is, however, one place in the 

Holy Land that I would not choose 

to return — Jericho, a capital city of 

Palestine. 

I have visited several capital cities 

around the world and always felt safe, 

even in Jerusalem when the country 

was at war, but the inhospitable 

atmosphere of Jericho frightened me 

and I was not the only person in our 

party who could not wait to leave. 

Jericho 

Valdemaras, unsplash.com


feature — 2 


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feature — 2 

800 year anniversary of the first Nativity play 

This Christmas, thousands of 

Nativity plays will be held around 

the world and countless millions 

of Nativity sets will be unpacked 

and put on display in our homes, 

churches, shops and places of 

entertainment and work. Have 

you ever wondered who staged the 

very first play or created the first 

Nativity set? 

It was St Francis of Assisi, who came 

up with the idea exactly 800 years 

ago in Greccio, Italy, on Christmas 

Day December 1223. 

Francis had been born into a 

wealthy family, but abandoned his 

noble inheritance when he became a 

Christian. Instead, he had turned to 

a life of great simplicity, in service to 

Christ’s church. 

Francis spent many hours 

meditating on the stories of the life 

of Christ, and even travelled to the 

Holy Land in 1219 and 1220, to see 

the various holy sites of Jesus’s life. 

The sites deeply moved him, as they 

brought the Bible stories to vibrant 

life. 

INSPIRATION 

Back in Italy, in November of 

1223, Francis was in Rome, and 

he had an idea. Why not share 

something of the inspiration of the 

Holy Land with his people here in 

Italy? 

Barely 50 miles to the north, in 

Greccio, he knew many people to 

whom he had been ministering for 

years. He could at least show them 

something of the simplicity of the 

birth of Jesus. 

And so it was that, two weeks 

before Christmas, Francis asked his 

friend, the Lord of Greccio, Giovanni 

Velita, to prepare a nearby cave with 

live animals and a hay-filled manger. 

That cave, beside some rocky 

crags, became the venue of the 

very first ever Nativity scene. On 

Christmas 1223, when the people of 

Greccio attended Christmas Mass as 

usual, they were invited to ‘come and 

see’ the simple scene. 

According to his biographer, 

Brother Thomas of Celano, Francis 

wanted people to see what Jesus had 

'suffered for lack of the necessities of 

Sonning School pupils' Nativity at St Andrew's in December 2022 

a new-born babe, and how He lay in 

the manger between the ox and ass.' 

According to eyewitness accounts 

of the moment, fires lit the dark 

scene while crowds arrived at the 

spot carrying candles and torches. 

There were also accounts of 

miracles happening that night. Some 

people had a vision of a real infant 

in the empty manger, and others 

reported miraculous healings. 

CELEBRATIONS 

All in all, the Nativity scene was 

an instant success, and soon other 

communities were staging their own. 

Some people, not wanting to miss 

out on the celebrations, began to 

build life-size models of the Nativity 

in their gardens and those without 

garden space began to make smaller 

sets to display indoors. 

No one knows how many billion 

Nativities will be going on display in 

the world this Christmastide — and 

there are countless different versions 

from homemade sets to mass 

Indygo Photography 

produced ones, and they can be made 

from any material you can think of. 

A fascinating aspect of the 

Nativity set is that it as you travel 

around the world you find different 

characters and different animals 

included that reflect the culture of 

the country in which they are made.* 

Today, you can still visit the cave 

and rocks where the first Nativity 

was staged. 

It is now a Franciscan hermitage 

and sanctuary. Every year at 

Christmas, the people of Greccio 

stage a live, historical re-enactment 

of St Francis and the first Nativity 

scene. 

Pope Francis has visited the spot 

two times: in 2016 and then in 2019, 

when he signed an apostolic letter on 

the importance of Nativity scenes. 

*My collection of over 160 Nativity sets 

from around the world will be on display 

in St Mary's Church Twyford during 

the Twyford Christmas Fayre 6-9pm on 

Friday 1 December - editor



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feature — 3 

Sir Henry Cole's Christmas legacy for the world 

Christmas cards have a history which 

may surprise you: their origins are 

not of the Church, but of the Post 

Office and railways. 

Of course, very early ‘Christmas cards’ 

had been around for hundreds of years, 

in the form of a simple exchange of 

Christmas greetings in private letters. 

The earliest such letter on record was 

written in England in 1534. 

In 1611 a huge Christmas card made 

a one-off appearance. It measured 

a whopping 33 inches by 24 inches, 

and was given to King James I of 

England — he was also King James VI 

of Scotland. It featured an illustration 

of a rose, four poems, a song, and a 

Christmas message for the king and 

his son. 

Then in 1843 came the creation of 

Christmas cards as we know them 

today. One enterprising man was 

responsible for this: Sir Henry Cole, 

a senior civil servant who had helped 

launch the Public Record Office, now 

called the Post Office. 

Sir Henry had helped to introduce 

the Penny Post. Until then, only rich 

people could afford the Post, but the 

building of the railways, which carried 

far more packages than a horse and 

cart, and went much faster, made the 

Penny Post possible. 

EMBLEMATICAL 

To encourage everyone to use the 

new service, Sir Henry came up with 

the bright idea of a creating a simple 

card that people could send each other 

for Christmas. 

His friend, John Horsley, an artist, 

designed a three-panel card for him. 

Two panels depicted people caring for 

the poor, and the centre panel showed 

a family enjoying a large Christmas 

dinner. 

They printed about 1,000 cards 

and advertised under the slogan: ‘Just 

published, a Christmas Congratulations 

Card; or picture emblematical of old 

English festivity to perpetuate kind 

recollections between dear friends!’ 

Sir Henry Cole's first Christmas Card produced in 1843. 

The cards sold for one shilling 

each — that's about £3.75 today — and 

could be posted to friends and family 

for one penny. 

ROBIN POSTMEN 

Printing methods improved, and by 

1860 Christmas cards were produced 

in large quantities. By 1870 the cost 

of posting one had dropped to half a 

penny, and the custom was rapidly 

gaining popularity. By the early 1900s, 

the custom had spread across Europe. 

The first cards usually included a 

Nativity scene, and in late Victorian 

times, robins and snow-scenes. 

Robins were chosen because the 

Victorian postmen were nick-named 

‘Robin Postmen’, because of their red 

uniforms. 

Christmas cards appeared in the 

USA in the late 1840s. They were mass 

produced from 1875, and in 1915 John 

C Hall and two of his brothers created 

Hallmark Cards, which today offers 

2,000 different designs of Christmas 

card. 

Charity Christmas cards began 

in Denmark in the early 1900s. They 

spread to Sweden and Norway, and 

then on throughout Europe and 

America. Last year the Royal Mail 

estimated that it had delivered 150 

million cards. 

LAST UK POSTING DATES FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS 

Royal Mail 2nd Class & 2nd Class Signed For: Monday 18 December 

Royal Mail 1st Class & 1st Class Signed For: Wednesday 20 December 

Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: Thursday 21 December 

For worldwide posting see: https://www.postoffice.co.uk/last-posting-dates 

Wikipedia: public domain 

FoSTAC Christmas 

cards available now at 

2013 prices! 

The Friends of St Andrew Church 

(FoStAC) are selling their 2023 

Christmas Cards for the same price 

they have been for the last 10 years 

— £5 for a pack of 10 cards and 

envelopes! 

This year’s design is a photograph 

taken by Keith Hawkins and features 

'The Advent wreath and Christmas tree at 

St Andrew’s Church'. 

Packs are available in the The 

Ark following the 10.30am Sunday 

services or by emailing Sally on 

mustangsallywilson@gmail.com 

Cash or contactless payments are 

accepted.

YOUR INVIT 

CELEBRAT 

AND CHRIST 

WITH 

Family Toy and Gift Service 

Sunday 3 December at 10.30am 

December's Family Service begins with the lighting of the second Advent Candle and includes a 

visit by Saint Nicholas who will witness the lighting of the Christmas tree and receive toys and 

gifts for the Reading Family Aid 'Toys and Teens' Christmas Appeal. There will also be a cash 

collection for the Appeal to purchase more toys. Last year, Reading Family Aid delivered 3,001 

toys and gifts to disadvantaged children in the Reading area. For more information about the 

appeal see: https://www.readingfamilyaid.org/toys--teens-appeal.html 

Midnight 

Christmas Eve Sunday 24 

Christmas 

Monday 25 December at 

Children are invited to b 



Advent Carol Service 

Sunday 3 December at 4pm 

Traditional Evensong service with Advent Carols followed by tea in The Ark. 

Rendezvous in The Ark Christmas Lunch 

Tuesday 12 December in The Ark, 12 noon 

The annual Christmas lunch for Rendezvous in The Ark is always the busiest one of the year 

so if you are planning on being there for a delicious traditional Christmas lunch prepared by 

Emma and her team and join in traditional Christmas entertainment, then book your seat as 

early as possible by contacting: office@sonningparish.org.uk or 0118 969 3298



ATION TO 

E ADVENT 

MAS 2023 

US! 

Messy Church Christmas Party 

Sunday 10 December in The Ark, 3-4.30pm 

Family fun for all ages with party food, Christmas craft activities, Christmas crackers, Carol 

singing and a visit from St Nicholas. 

Traditional Nine Lessons and Carols 

Sunday 17 December at 5pm 

The first Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was held at King's College, Cambridge on Christmas 

Eve in 1918. Today it is a 'traditional' Christmas service. 

At St Andrew's we worship in candlelight with the original King James Bible readings. In keeping 

with the spirit of the original idea of it being 'more imaginative worship' the choir often sings a 

modern carol or two. As the title of the service suggests, the story of Christmas is told from the 

Creation to the birth of Christ. 

Children's Christmas Crib Service 

Christmas Eve Sunday 24 December at 4pm 

In previous years this wonderful service has been the most popular of all our Christmastide acts 

of worship at St Andrew's, so give yourself plenty of time to get there, park and to be seated. The 

service revolves around children telling the Christmas story. All children are invited to come 

dressed as shepherds, angels, wise men, sheep, donkeys, and so on, to help to make it a memorable 

and spectacular event. 

Mass 

December at 11pm 

Day Parish Eucharist 

10.30 pm 

ring with them a Christmas toy or game to show the vicar.

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AROUND THE VILLAGES — 1 

For many, Christmas Day is a day 

for family, for getting together and 

celebrating with loved ones, but 

sadly, for some, it is a difficult day 

where isolation, loss and grief are 

even more keenly felt. 

With this in mind, for the past 11 

years, the Link Visiting Scheme has 

been changing this story for older 

people who are alone and will be 

doing so again this Christmas. 

If you think you would benefit 

from some company on the 25th, 

they would love to hear from you. 

But its not just for Christmas Day 

they offer friendship, it is what they 

do all year round by providing good 

company and warmth and making a 

world of difference. 

On Christmas Day Link Visiting 

friends provide delicious food, 

treats, and gifts! Marji Walker, CEO 

of the organisation, said, 'It’s not to 

The Scarecrows 

are coming again! 

The year of the Scarecrow is almost upon us— 

doesn’t time fly! The next Sonning Scarecrows 

weekend is on Sunday and Monday 26-27 May 

2024, so it is never too early to start thinking 

about your entry. 

It's two years since the last event attracted 

thousands of visitors to Sonning. Barbara 

Carr, one of the organisers, said: 'The funds 

raised have benefited the village in a huge 

variety of ways since the first event in 2002 

and it is hoped the 2024 Trail will be just as 

successful. 

If you are on the route from the bottom of 

Pound Lane by Ligugé Way, Pearson Road, 

High Street, Thames Street, bottom of 

Charvil Lane or even just over Sonning 

Bridge — it is never too early to register your 

scarecrow. If you are not on the route, fear 

not, a space can be found! 

The organisers will be asking for offers 

of help so watch this space for information 

regarding the first Scarecrow Open Evening. 

In the meantime, further information can be 

obtained from: Barbara.carr71@hotmail.co.uk 

Christmas friendship gifts 

from Link Visiting Scheme 

ALL YEAR ROUND 

be missed. We want to help those 

who are housebound or those who 

would like to be with others in a local 

venue.' If you would like a visit and 

lunch on Christmas Day, or would 

like to refer someone, or indeed, 

become a volunteer visitor or to 

donate to the cause, there is more 

information on 

https://www.linkvisiting.org/christmas 

or call: 0118 979 8019 


Guide dogs 

enjoy Hamper 

training 

Kathy, at The Village Hamper, opened 

up especially to host six Guide Dog 

puppies so they could practice their 

cage socialisation skills. 

Carmel Harmston, a guide dog 

volunteer and PTA member at 

Sonning CofE School, said, 'Kathy 

is such a generous person that she 

also refused to take any payment 

for the coffees and cakes from the 

volunteers. 

The session was also attended by 

volunteer coordinator, Hannah, from 

Guide Dogs and a guide dog owner, 

Stuart who explained how positively 

his life has changed since he was 

given his dog, Olivia, 8 years ago. She 

actually saved his life once by pulling 

him out of the path of a bus that had 

skipped a red light! 

Both Kathy and Guide Dogs will 

have stalls at the Sonning CofE 

Christmas Fayre on 2 December. For 

more about Guide Dogs go to: 

guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraiser 

Hamper Curry Night 

Friends of St Andrew's Church 

(FoStAC) invite you to a fund raising 

Curry Night at The Village Hamper 

on Friday 1 December at 7pm. 

Tickets cost £20 per person for a 

set curry meal including poppadoms 

and naan. 

There will be a bar for drinks and 

coffee etc which can be purchased 

separately — and make sure you take 

some cash for the raffle! To reserve 

your seat: 

mustangsallywilson@gmail.com 

Carmel Harmston


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around the villages — 2 

Canapés, cakes, café and . . . 


. . . elephants 

Ladies of the Inner Wheel Club of Reading Maiden Erlegh rose to the 

challenge of making and serving hundreds of canapés at the Preview Evening 

of the Rotary Charity Art & Craft Fair, held recently at Leighton Park School. 

Club members also ran a café at the fair to raise money for The Cowshed, a 

local charity which provides support to people of all backgrounds in a time of 

personal crisis. 

The Inner Wheel Club of Reading Maiden Erlegh meets at Sonning Golf Club 

on the third Thursday evening of the month and welcomes new members to 

join in the fun, take part in activities, raise funds for charity and support the 

local community. https://www.innerwheelrme.org or iwcrme@gmail.com 

Rotary donations for eradicating 

Polio worldwide reaches £200,000 

Since it was formed in 1991, Rotary Club of Reading Maiden Erlegh has 

donated over £200,000 from funds raised locally towards the Rotary 

International's Polio Global Eradication programme. 

Because the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation triples all Rotary donations, the 

actual money contributed is much more. Some of the local Rotarians have also 

travelled abroad to help administer the vaccine. In 1988, there were over 1,000 

cases a day in 125 countries of Polio. 350,000 children were left paralysed. Since 

then Rotary has donated over $2.1 

billion and formed a partnership with 

other organisations and together 

they are working towards totally 

eradicating Polio worldwide. 

The only outbreaks this year have 

been in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 

and these have been in low numbers. 

Africa is now free of Polio. 

Over 400,000 children a year now 

receive their polio vaccinations. 

Reading Maiden Erlegh president, 

Richard Nicholson said, ‘We are 

proud that Rotary International 

started the initiative and it has been 

so successful. My Rotary supports 

the initiative each year and we are 

delighted to have played a small part 

in its success’. 

Sonning Art Group was delighted to 

welcome back Jenny Whalley (above) 

to demonstrate 'Elephants on the 

move'. She brought many pictures 

from her native South Africa and, 

as always, gave a lively and fun 

demonstration using watercolours 

in a creative and loose way to create 

pictures full of character. You can 

find Jenny's work at jennysart.space 

or on facebook. 

The group usually meets in 

Pearson Hall on Friday afternoons 

from 12 .30 - 4pm although not 

during December. Their next meeting 

will be on 6 January. 

All is 'splendid' 

in the garden 

TRHA (Twyford and Ruscombe 

Horticultural Association) says it 

'has made a splendid comeback after 

a difficult couple of years.' 

Membership increased in 2023 and 

all activities, particularly the shows, 

were well supported. 

Planning for the 2024 shows is 

well advanced. They will have a new 

look but will still be 'Open' to all 

exhibitors. 

TRHA hopes that all gardeners 

will be planning for the new season 

with this in mind. 

The Store, which closed for 

the winter break, reopens on 4 

February for members to purchase 

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THE ARTS 

The Christmas light that can't 

be extinguished 

By Rev Canon Michael Burgess 

During this year we have explored 

how art can celebrate the wonder of 

the world. This month with our Lady 

and Jesus we stand above the world: 

high on the clouds with a glorious 

path of tall, elegant lilies that lead 

like a stairway to the earth beneath. 

This is ‘The Virgin of the Lilies’ by 

Carlos Schwabe. He was born in 

Germany and lived in Switzerland 

and France, painting this canvas in 

1899 when he was 33 years old. 

It is like a scene caught when we look 

out of the window in an aeroplane. 

We can see the earth beneath and 

spot hills and valleys, roads and 

settlements, and a river weaving its 

way through the countryside. 

RADIANCE 

Mary and Jesus are haloed in 

a lunar-like radiance. The lilies are 

symbols of purity and obedience, 

qualities that will take them to that 

scene at Bethlehem which we give 

thanks for at Christmas. 

The heavenly light shining out in 

the painting brings hope and joy to 

the world, transforming lives with the 

wonder of the Saviour’s birth. 

Jesus holds three nails in his hand 

as a sign that His life will be tempered 

by rejection, suffering and death. But 

the lilies growing tall and straight are 

signs of new life and resurrection. The 

Poetry Corner 

The Word was made flesh, among us did dwell, 

Glory beholden, they of it did tell 

Chorus: Light of the world, fullness of grace, truth unfurled 

Father’s glory by faith we do Him see 

2. John Baptist’s witness, saying, This is He, Of whom I spake, 

He be greater than me — Chorus 

3. He born after me, but higher than me, 

I a voice for Him, His messenger be – Chorus 

4. We of His fullness have all here received, 

It be His grace if we have sure believed – Chorus 

Wikipedia Public Domain 

light come down to earth at Christmas 

can never be extinguished. 

That light and love are expressed in 

this vivid, moving painting by Carlos 

Schwabe as they are caught up in the 

carol of Christina Rossetti who wrote: 

Love shall be our token, 

love be yours and love be mine, 

love to God and all men, 

love for plea and gift and sign. 

Incarnational Image by Steven Rolling 

John 1 v.14-18; Tune: London Calling (‘Born is a baby’ / ‘Past three o’clock’) 

5. The law was given by Moses, but grace, 

And truth came by Jesus Christ, see His face – Chorus 

6. No one has seen God at any time, 

though Son of the Father has shown Him, we know - Chorus 

Alphaspirit, dreamstime.com 


Christmas 

book list 

Stick with Love - Rejoicing in Every 

Tongue, Every Tribe, Every Nation 

The Archbishop of York's Advent Book 

2023 by Arun Arora, SPCK, £10.99 

Finding Hope Under Bethlehem 

Skies - 25 Daily Reflections from 

the Book of Ruth by Robin Ham, 

10Publishing, £4.99 

Bethlehem Bound - Journeying 

with the Characters of Christmas 

by Andrew Nunn, Canterbury Press, 

£12.99 

Journey to the Manger - Exploring 

the Birth of Jesus by Paula Gooder, 

Canterbury Press, £12.99 

Sharing the Christmas Story 

by Sally Welch, BRF, £8.99 

This year's BRF Advent book 

The Christmas Swallow by Ben 

Harris, SPCK, £9.99 

Light of the World - Short, 

evangelistic giveaway by Jonathan 

Griffiths, 10Publishing, £3.99 

The Night Before Christmas - A 

nativity spin on the classic poem 

By Oliver Lancaster, 10Publishing, 

£6.99 

Wow! Christmas – creatively explore 

stories in the Bible by Martha 

Shrimpton, SPCK, £10.99



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HEALTH 


Dr Simon Ruffle writes . . . Ageing 4 Pillars 

I completely and utterly fell down the internet 

wonderland/rabbit hole when researching this article. I 

thought of writing an article on the science and medicine 

of ageing. Probably in my wheelhouse and 

best not to stray. 

However, I hadn’t banked on framing the piece on the World 

Health Organisation's (WHO) four pillars of active ageing: 

Health, lifelong learning, participation and security. 

Cell death is caused by the nucleus of a cell running out 

of the telomere. The telomere (a special strand of DNA) 

allows the cell to repair and replicate. Each time that occurs 

this strand of DNA shortens until it cannot be used. 

One way human beings die is due to the loss of our 

ability to repair ourselves or we repair in a way that caused 

disease — cancers and degenerative disease but also ‘just’ 

old age. To write death certificates — MCCD Medical 

Certificate of Cause of Death — properly, we cannot write 

the mechanism of death but the cause. Over the last 15 years 

or so it is frowned upon to write ‘old age.’ 

Senescence is the more scientific word which means the 

failure of function in cells or the whole organism. 

BE HEALTHY 

Either way we are seeing many more people die because 

they are old. Other people will pass on due to diseases 

that they would have been able to fight off when they 

were younger or failures of organs due to environmental, 

occupational or personal factors. The smoker who dies from 

lung disease, the diabetic who suffers consequences due to 

their pancreas failing or a big killer, the brain, that fails due 

to Alzheimer’s disease. 

A study from Spain1 concludes that survival is affected 

only by the variables that are attributed to the health part of 

the 4 Pillars. That is not a surprise in terms of mortality but 

WHO is focussed here on active ageing. How dull would life 

be without the other pillars being fulfilled? 

Looking at ageing and learning, people with academic 

backgrounds have lower degeneration.2 

Married or separated couples live longer.3 

'Those countries with ageing populations that are more 

financially prepared for the future are likely to see improvements 

in their populations’ overall health and well-being, as well as 

reductions in poverty and other social and economic inequalities.' 4 

What does this really add? 

Be financially stable = be healthy 

Be educated = be healthy 

Be with others = be healthy 

Live in a stable country = be healthy 

IT'S CHRISTMAS 

Tomert, dreamstime.com 

Within the subject of physical health there was a nihilistic 

view in Geriatrics. During emergency admissions the 

inevitability of the old dying was more easily accepted than 

younger adults. Did this nihilism pass down to non urgent care? 

In many cases we over medicalise/medicate the elderly. 

Stopping medicines and treatment could be seen as giving 

up on patients, conversely it often improves things. One of 

the most contentious areas is the DNR - Do Not Resuscitate 

order. Resuscitation is a medical procedure that tries to 

restart a heart in acute arrest. Most older people, especially 

with cancer or other long term illnesses will not survive an 

arrest as there are too many causes of why the arrest occurs. 

We cannot halt the dying process, we only slow it down. 

Active or successful ageing seems to be linked to 

variables other than health or disease factors determined 

by our society: how we educate; how we deal with macroeconomics 

— living wage; move to universal basic income; or 

a secure safety net. More locally this means how we treat our 

neighbours or how we participate in parish/community life. 

The force for this lays within all of us. 

In Christianity, Jesus as a man was born, lived and died. 

This will happen to all of us. But the message of successful/ 

active ageing could be quoted as active or successful living. 

The message of Christmas is surely a message of 

successful living. 

Being with family, friends and community; sharing gifts 

or our wealth, our food, our homes or shelter; opening time 

discussing our knowledge or learning from others are all 

traditions of celebrations, Christian or not and thus, active 

living — year on year. 

From my family and I at ‘Bedside Manor' please accept our 

best wishes for this Christmas and New Year. 

Tempus fugit — S Ruffle 

References 

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ 

S0167494320301084#:~:text=The World Health Organization's 

active,in turn, may facilitate longevity. 

2. https://neurosciencenews.com/education-aging-brain- 

19858/#:~:text=Summary: Older adults with an,educated, a new 

study reports.&text=The benefits of good education and lifelong 

learning extend into old age. 

3. Wang, L., Yi, Z. Marital status and all-cause mortality rate in 

older adults: a population-based prospective cohort study. BMC 

Geriatr 23, 214 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-03880-8 

4. A Cross-Country Analysis of Population Aging and Financial 

Security, Angela C. Lyons, University of Illinois at Urbana- 

Champaign, John E. Grable, University of Georgia 

So-Hyun Joo, Ewha Womans University.



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HOME AND GARDEN 

Christmas Recipe 

Black Forest 

Christmas fool 

From BBC Good Food 

Ingredients 

— 500ml double cream 

— ½ tsp vanilla extract 

— 2 tbsp icing sugar 

— 250g Christmas/rich fruit cake 

— 390g jar of black cherries in 

kirsch, drained, reserving the 

liquid for drizzling 

— 50g dark chocolate, chopped 

Method 

Whisk the cream with the vanilla 

and icing sugar until it just holds 

its shape. Crumble the cake into six 

glasses, then top with a few cherries, 

a dollop of cream and a drizzle of 

the kirsch. Scatter over the chopped 

chocolate. 


Nelosa, dreamstime.com 

Try our family 'Nativity in 20 Questions Quiz' by Canon Paul Hardingham 

1. Where did Mary and Joseph live before Jesus was born? 

a) Nazareth b) Bethlehem c) Jerusalem 

2. What was the name of the angel who told Mary she would have a child? 

3. What did Joseph do for a living? 

4. Who was the Roman ruler when Jesus was born? 

5. Why did Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem? 

6. How did Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem? 

7. Why couldn’t Mary and Joseph find a place to stay? 

8. Where does the Bible say Jesus was born? 

a) In a stable b) In hay c) In a manger 

9. According to the Bible, which animals were specifically mentioned as being 

present in the stable when Jesus was born? 

a) sheep & donkey b) cattle & donkey c) donkey, sheep & cattle d) None 

10. What does the angel say to the shepherds when they tell them to go to 

Bethlehem? 

11. The wise men travelled …… to Jerusalem. 

a) northward b) southward c) eastward d) westward 

12. What did the Wise Men follow to find Jesus? 

13. How many Wise Men visited baby Jesus? 

14. What gifts did the wise men bring for Jesus? 

15. Who spread the news about baby Jesus throughout Bethlehem? 

16. What is the City of David also known as in the Bible? 

17. Which of the gospels tell the story of the Nativity? 

18. What does Jesus’ other name, 'Immanuel', mean? 

a) God with us b) Son of God c) He who is God d) Chosen One 

19. How many days after the birth of Christ did Joseph and Mary give him the 

name Jesus? 

20. Jesus was born on 25 December. True or false? 

NB: The answers to this Quiz can either be found in The Bible or on page 39! 

'Looks like rain dear!' 

Phil Mason 

'A fine time for reindeer to be ill' 

Phil Mason



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FASHION BY HARRIET NELSON 

What to wear on 

Christmas Day? 

It can be confusing and challenging 

to decide what to wear on 

Christmas day. The fashion world 

has many different suggestions on 

what the ideal Christmas outfit 

should be, and with Christmas 

being one day a year, having a whole 

year to decide and plan your outfit, 

you should look and feel great with 

whatever fashion style you choose 

to wear. 

However, with each household having 

its own traditions during the day and 

the weather forever changing, there is 

yet to be a guaranteed answer on what 

and what not to wear on this special 

day. 

While some readers will appreciate 

the formal side of Christmas fashions, 

others will spend the day in fabulous 

outdoor clothes, ready for the day 

ahead in the snow, if we're lucky, or the 

annual family Christmas dog walk. 

Some will wear classic Christmas 

jumpers, prepared for the usual 

Christmas day, roast dinner, and 

napping. While others will be ready for 

the partying in the evening, wearing 

the most sparkly sequin dresses they 

can find for the festivities ahead. 

The outfit that brings you the most 

joy and cheer this year should be worn 

again and again, year after year. 

STAPLES 

There are many different ideas and 

stereotypes in the fashion world about 

the perfect Christmas outfit. Here are 

some trends within Christmas fashion 

that have been a staple in my, and most 

people's, wardrobes over recent years. 

Firstly, I have seen online that 

wearing the classic Christmas colour 

'White' was trending last year. This 

is a timeless and chic Christmas look 

and would be great for lounging on the 

couch, opening presents and watching 

the Christmas specials. 

I have recently acquired a pair of 

white Christmas pyjamas, perfect 

for Christmas festivities. However, 

white may not be the most practical 

Christmas outfit. Especially for all the 

mums with kids running around the 

house and a family of foodies eating 

Christmas dinner! So, let's move on 

Christmas memories from Harriet's family 

album — she is one of the twins! 

to other suggested Christmas fashion 

trends that are family-friendly! 

In recent years, I've seen families 

mainly going down the comfort routine 

for Christmas day. To avoid wearing 

PJs most of the day, I've seen some 

online wearing the new winter season 

of lounge wear, which became a trend 

during Covid. 

I'll be honest with you, my typical 

Christmas day outfit every year usually 

consists of my day-to-day wardrobe. 

The winning combination remains true 

today: Levi jeans + woolly jumper + 

some comfy Uggs. But I have become 

accustomed to slipping into sweatpants 

or lounge wear later in the day, ready 

for the Christmas specials on TV. 

But as we're hosting Christmas 

this year for our extended family, I've 

decided to up my game and wear my 

new Christmas pyjamas! They are from 

Hollister and have tiny printed dogs 

in Christmas outfits on the pyjama 

bottoms, very Christmassy, if I say so 

myself! 

BRUSSEL SPROUT 

Traditional and smart Christmas 

outfits are still a staple for most people 

on Christmas day. The classic shirt and 

tie are still considered appropriate for 

the day. Some families will dress up, for 

example, going to church on Christmas 

day or kids dressing up for the nativity 

play each year. 

I always see a mixture of traditional 

and non-traditional fashions at church; 

my family has never really dressed up 

for church during Christmas. However, 

I always get a laugh seeing my mum 

bring out her annual brussel sprout 

Christmas jumper. I don't typically 


wear a Christmas jumper, but I enjoy 

wearing something festive to get me 

in the Christmassy mood, such as a 

particular Christmas colour, or getting 

my nails done in a Christmas theme. 

I remember Christmas at my 

grandparents was always exciting, as 

they were very traditional and stuck 

with the classic shirt and trousers or 

dress. 

The rest of us wore our usual 

everyday outfits, depending on the 

generation (picture above). Christmas 

lunch was always a massive spread, 

followed by the regular afternoon tea 

wheeled out on a trolley with a teapot 

and cakes. My grandad was an active 

gardener, and he would always go out 

into the garden wearing his smart 

shirt, trousers and shoes to pick the 

vegetables for our Christmas lunch. I 

still remember the day he learned that 

frozen peas existed; it forever changed 

his life! 

Whether it's opening presents from 

Santa, attending church or cooking 

Christmas dinner, whatever style you 

decide to wear this year, you should feel 

comfortable, happy and festive to enjoy 

your Christmas traditions! What will 

you wear for Christmas day this year?

36 The Parish Magazine - December 2023 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement 

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SIG_ADV_CAV_0523_SonningParishMag_02.indd 1


History PUZZLE PAGE — 1 

Was it really? . . . 

Elisa Bistocchi, dreamstime.com 

A Nativity scene at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi 

. . . 800 YEARS AGO on 25 December 1223 that St Francis 

of Assisi created the first nativity scene, in Greccio, Italy, 

after visiting Jesus’ birthplace in the Holy Land. It proved 

enormously popular and inspired other communities to 

stage their own nativity scenes. 

. . . 250 YEARS AGO on 16 December 1773 that the Boston 

Tea Party took place in Massachusetts. American patriots 

boarded ships and threw chests of tea belonging to the 

British East India Company into Boston Harbour, as a 

protest against the British tax on tea. 

. . . 200 YEARS AGO on 23 December 1823 that the poem 

The Night Before Christmas was first published in the 

Sentinel newspapers in Troy, New York. It was written by 

Clement Clarke Moore. 

. . . 175 YEARS AGO on 19 December 1848 that Emily 

Bronte, British novelist and poet, died of tuberculosis, 

aged 30. She is best known for Wuthering Heights. 

. . . 100 YEARS AGO on 31 December 1923 that the BBC 

broadcast the chimes of Big Ben to welcome in the New 

Year for the first time, The tradition continues to this day. 

. . . 80 YEARS AGO on 22 December 1943 that Beatrix 

Potter, children’s writer and illustrator, died. She created 

animal characters such as Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, 

Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, and Jemima Puddle-Duck. 

Footbal Verse Search by Ralph 

S 

B 

U 

R 

N 

L 

E 

Y 

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R 

C 

A 

D 

E 

O 

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N 

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S 

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Y 

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U 

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 28 football teams. They all have five letters or more in 

their name. Their initial letters are: 2A; 4B; 3C; D, H, J, 4L. 

2M,3N, 3R, S, W, 2Y. See if you can find them! If you find all 

28 teams you will find that the unused letters spell out a 

relevant verse from the Good News Bible. You might even 

manage to identify the verse. Answers next month. Good 

luck and God Bless! 

Write your answers here . . . 

L 

R 

O 

C 

W 

J 

T 

V 

A 

O 

D 

D 

U 

H 

D 

L 

Y 

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Y 

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F 

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R 

U 

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S 

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U 

S 

A 

G 

I 

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D 

O 

W 

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N 

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Y 

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A 

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L 

. . . 75 YEARS AGO years ago, on 10 December 1948 that 

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted 

by the United Nations General Assembly. 

. . . ALSO 75 YEARS AGO on 24 December 1948 that the 

first Midnight Mass to be televised was broadcast from St 

Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. 

. . . 65 YEARS AGO , on 5 December 1958 that Britain’s first 

motorway, the Preston By-pass, was officially opened. It is 

now part of the M6 and M55. 

. . . 25 YEARS AGO on 10 December 1998 that the UN 

listed anti-Semitism as a form of racism. 

. . . 20 YEARS AGO on 1 December 2003 that using a handheld 

mobile phone while driving became illegal in the UK. 

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH'S COUNTRY VERSE SEARCH 

LIECHTENSTEIN 

LITHUANIA 

ETHIOPIA 

GHANA 

HONDURAS 

BELGIUM 

GUATEMALA 

ENGLAND 

EGYPT 

AFGHANISTAN 

ANDORRA 

ARMENIA 

AUSTRALIA 

AUSTRIA 

BHUTAN 

SPAIN 

HERZEGOVINA 

COLOMBIA 

CYPRUS 

BOLIVIA 

YEMEN 

GUADELOUPE 

GERMANY 

ANGOLA 

The hidden Bible verse was from JONAH 4:2 (KJV 

Was this not my saying when 

I was yet in my country

38 The Parish Magazine - December 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 

SUDOKU 


answers in the next issue 

November 

Solutions 

CROSSWORD 

S O F A R U T H L E S S 

H I M N O N E 

O P E R A T E P E R I L 

R R N V E O F 

T R Y U E L I B R A 

T F E N C E E W 

E C A S D A 

M H C O P E S R 

P R I N T A N R Y E 

E F U Y E A N 

R E F E R O S S I C L E 

E O E F S E S 

D A N D R U F F E R R S 

15 16 

17 18 

19 20 

21 22 

Across 

Across 

- or intervals (4) 

1 - Spaces or intervals (4) 

- (8) 

3 - Wonderful (8) 

9 

- 

- Burdensome 

(7) 

(7) 

10 - - Heavy iron tool iron (5) tool (5) 

11 -- Frozen water water (3) (3) 

12 -- Out Out of fashion of fashion (5) (5) 

13 -- Should Should (5) (5) 

15 15 -- Eg Eg Pacific Pacific or Atlantic or (5) Atlantic (5) 

17 - Use to advantage (5) 

17 - Use to one's advantage (5) 

18 - Research place (3) 

18 - Research place (abbrev.) (3) 

19 - Gold block (5) 

19 - Gold block (5) 

20 - Related to parsley (7) 

20 - Herb related to parsley (7) 

21 - Propose for an office (8) 

21 - Propose a candidate for office (8) 

22 - Spur on (4) 

22 - Spur on (4) 

CODEWORD 

Down 

Down 

1 - Exaltation (13) 

1 - Exaltation (13) 

2 - Part of (5) 

2 - Part of (5) 

4 - Pondering (6) 

4 - Pondering (6) 

5 - Having 5 an - Having acrid an acrid wit wit (5-7) 

6 - Money put in a venture (7) 

7 - 50 years of an event (6,7) 

8 - Worldly 8 -(12) 

Worldly (12) 

14 - Mercury 14 - Mercury alloy (7) alloy (7) 

16 - Evoke 

16 

(6) 

- Evoke (6) 

18 - Intimate companion (5) 

6 - Puts money into a venture (7) 

7 - 50th anniversary of a major event (6,7) 

18 - Intimate companion (5) 

9 12 8 23 12 4 4 5 17 23 9 8 

23 15 9 18 7 26 13 

8 11 3 23 23 2 23 17 18 23 13 9 

5 9 25 23 12 9 5 

22 23 7 12 3 7 17 23 16 23 7 26 

5 20 23 15 13 6 

7 23 9 20 23 8 14 23 13 18 26 14 

10 3 7 16 26 5 

13 24 9 13 8 5 20 23 7 23 8 8 

15 24 26 17 7 19 26 

13 18 5 24 5 9 23 17 5 26 13 18 

18 8 7 12 1 12 23 

16 13 14 12 10 13 7 1 23 18 21 8 

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 

U I A 

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

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 SILENT NIGHT 

The story of ‘Silent Night’ 

This much-loved carol comes from 

Austria, where it was first sung as Stille 

Nacht, heilige Nacht on Christmas Eve, 

1818. 

It was written by Father Joseph Mohr, 

a young priest at St Nicholas parish 

church, in the village of Oberndorf bei 

Salzburg. 

As Christmas 1818 approached, he 

asked the local schoolmaster, Franz 

Xaver Gruber, to compose a melody for 

his carol. 

Gruber was organist in the nearby 

village of Arnsdorf, and so was happy to 

oblige. 

On Christmas Eve they presented the 

carol to the church during the midnight 

mass. 

The carol went on to become loved 

world-wide; and the version sung by Bing 

Crosby is the third best-selling single of 

all time. 

SILENT 

NIGHT 

LOVED 

CAROL 

AUSTRIA 

FIRST 

SUNG 

STILLE 

NACHT 

HEILIGE 

EVE 

FATHER 

JOSEPH 

MOHR 

YOUNG 

PRIEST 

CHRISTMAS 

ORGANIST 

MIDNIGHT 

MASS 

MELODY 

SINGLE 

BING 

VERSION 

THIRD 

CODEWORD 

A S S O C I A T I V E 

O E P C H O E 

R R U N I F Y W A X 

N A V A L C M E O 

I I E L E L D E R 

T A L E N T E D B 

H E T L J I 

O K I L O W A T T 

L E M M A N U Z A 

O E D P D O Z E N 

G E L I N U R E I C 

Y O E T S E E 

I N Q U I S I T O R S 

SUDOKU 

WORDSEARCH ANGELS 

PAGE 33 QUIZ ANSWERS 

1. Nazareth 

2. Gabriel 

3. Carpenter 

4. Caesar Augustus 

5. To register for the census 

6. We are not told in the Bible 

7. There was no room at the 

inn 

8. c) In a manger 

9. d) None 

10. ‘Glory to God in the 

highest, and on earth 

peace, good will to all 

people’ 

11. d) westward 

12. A star 

13. The Bible doesn’t say 

14. Gold, Frankincense and 

Myrrh 

15. The shepherds 

16. Bethlehem 

17. Matthew and Luke 

18. a) God with us 

19. 8 according to the law 

20. False; we don’t know.


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 

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 empathic space 

https//:www.chloelefroycounselling.com / 0758 731 0902 

Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements

CHILDREN'S PAGE 

The Parish Magazine - December 2023 41

42 The Parish Magazine - December 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 

— 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 

— Richard Meenan MA ARCO 

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 / 0770 707 7773 

advertising@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 

— 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 

Healthium 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 

Physiocare 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



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 - December Please mention 2023The 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

The Parish Magazine December 2023

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