The Parish Magazine January 2026

The

Parish

Magazine

The Parish Magazine — January 2026 1

Magazine

Parish Te

1869

157

YEARS

Serving Charvil, Sonning and Sonning Eye

2026

The John King Trophy

and Gold Award

Best Magazine 2018

National Parish Magazine

Awards

Best Overall 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023

Best Content 2016, 2021

Best Editor 2019

Best Print 2018

January 2026 — HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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

2o26

Make it memorable

with us!

The church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY

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


Magazine

Parish Te

1869

2026

Serving Charvil, Sonning and Sonning Eye

The John King Trophy

and Gold Award

Best Magazine 2018

National Parish Magazine

Awards

Best Overall 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023

Best Content 2016, 2021

Best Editor 2019

Best Print 2018

2 The Parish Magazine — January 2026 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement

Selling the

finest homes

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information — 1

Contents January 2026

THE VICAR'S Letter, 5

THE parish noticeboard

— New Year contemplations, 7

— New Year prayer, 7

— The Persecuted Church, 9

— St Andrew's young people, 10-13

— The name of Jesus, 15

— From the editor's desk, 15

— For your prayers, 15

FEATURES

— Life as a choir boy, 17

— All creatures great and small, 19

— Australia's 150th birthday, 19

— Stained glass 20-23

Around the Villages

— Help for the homeless, 23

— Sonning Art Group, 23

— Eye and Dunsten plan, 23

— My Cancer Choices, 23

— FoSTAC Bourne Again, 23

HISTORY

— Was it really? 25

— Claude recalls WWII, 25

NEW YEAR CAPERS

— Phil Mason, New Year message, 27

— Feeding your soul, 27

FASHION

— Simple and comfy, 29

This ISSUE's FRONT COVER

The

Parish

Magazine

January 2026 — HAPPY NEW YEAR!

157

Image: Peter Rennie

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 February 2026

issue of The Parish Magazine is:

Tuesday 6 January at 12 noon

Recent issues of The Parish Magazine

can also be read online at

https://theparishmagazine.co.uk

For access to The Parish Magazine

archives which holds copies of the

magazine from 1869, please contact:

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk

YEARS

2o26?

Make it memorable

with us!

the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY


Services in

St Andrew's

Church Sonning

Sunday 4 January

— 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)

— 10.30am Family Service

— 4.00pm Evensong

Sunday 11 January


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with

Sunday Club

— 6.00pm STAY Youth Service

Sunday 18 January


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist

— 3.00pm Messy Church in The Ark

Sunday 25 January


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with

STAY and Sunday Club

— 5.45pm Sunday at Six in The Ark

OTHER REGULAR SERVICES

Mid-week Communion in The Ark is

held every Wednesday at 10.00am. Tea

and coffee follows the service.

Home Communion at Sonning

Gardens Care Home is held on the first

Monday of each month at 11.00am.

Book a consultation with our

Sonning property expert

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0118 960 1000

HEALTH

— Leprosy, 31

— Remembering names, 31

— Keeping healthier, 31

PUZZLE PAGE, 35

CHILDREN'S PAGE, 37

INFORMATION

— Church services, 3

— From the registers, 3

— Classified, 36

— Parish contacts, 38

— Advertisers' index, 38

From the Registers

BAPTISMS

— Sunday 12 October – Bonnie Cora Behan-Williams

— Sunday 9 November – Otto David Page

— Sunday 9 November – Lily Vanessa Dobson-Jones

FUNERALS

— Monday 24 November - Baby Daniel Lawrence, service in Church followed by

burial in the churchyard

4 The Parish Magazine — January 2026

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DEAR FRIENDS

In January 2009 a few of us met to formulate a list of priorities for

our church and parish. High up on that list was the need to develop

a ministry to children and young people and, looking back 17 years

later, we have much to be grateful for. In addition to all the activities

that are centered on the church, such as STAY on Monday, youth

communion, Messy Church, STAY on Sunday and Sunday Club, there

is also much good work out in our wider community.

GOOD NEWS STORY

In addition to providing chaplaincy at the Piggott School, both

our youth ministers provide mentoring for individual pupils who

are facing difficulties; currently some 40 young people across three

schools. In an average month, they together encounter around 3,000

pupils in the leading of collective worship. Our community youth

club, known as STAY on Friday, averages 60 young people, with

around 300 on the data base and it is good that quite a number of the

leaders are volunteers from the local community.

These developments have far surpassed what we had hoped for all

those years ago, and I feel that this has been ‘a good news story’ for

the Church of England.

I also recently learnt that our youth and children’s work (including

accommodation) is now our largest annual expense; just over

£100,000 in 2024. Every parish in the Church of England contributes

an annual sum to their diocese which pays for a vicar, training for the

ministry, safeguarding, central costs and supporting churches in areas

of deprivation. In 2025 we contributed some £97 000 to this ‘parish

share’. In addition, our PCC have many other costs relating to heating,

lighting, maintenance of an ancient building, insurance, salaries,

churchyard upkeep and much else besides.

MEETING A NEED

Considering all of this, the PCC is looking to start an independent

charity that will specifically assist with the costs relating to all our

work with children and young people. This will help safeguard the work

for the future, and we hope be an effective way of sharing the costs

with people of good will and those whose children and grandchildren

benefit. We hope to register this charity later this year and the

intention is that the trustees will be a mixture of people from the

community and from our church.

So often in Christian history it has been the church as a whole

body that has seen a need and acted to bring about solutions. Many

hospitals, hospices, schools, universities, food banks, almshouses,

welfare charities and much else have come into being because

Christians created the initial spark. In a similar way, I believe this

church has met a need through growing children and youth ministries

and we want to ensure that this is not only sustained, but God willing,

further developed. If not by us, then who else? May I wish you all a

Happy New Year! Warm wishes, Jamie


PARisH NOTICEBOARD — 1


As the Sun rises on another New Year two of our contributors

offer some thoughts to contemplate . . .

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Dr Ruth M Bancewicz, Church Engagement Director at The Faraday Institute

for Science and Religion in Cambridge, believes God works through us in all

that we do and say . . .

We live in a world where we can expect the sun to rise tomorrow and the

milk to pour out of the bottle when we tilt it over our cereal. But for God,

the properties of matter and the biological processes that we know and read

about in text-books are simply the usual ways He works. If He chooses to do

something unexpected to demonstrate something about His character, His

relationship with us, and His purposes, then He will.

A group of 14 UK-based science

Professors wrote to The Times in 1984,

saying: 'We gladly accept the Virgin Birth,

the gospel miracles, and the Resurrection

of Christ as historical events. We know

that we are representative of many other

scientists who are also Christians standing

in the historical tradition of the churches.'

For the non-believer, I would

suggest a thought experiment: if God

exists, why should he be bound by the

same laws of physics as us?

Professor Christine Done is an

Astrophysicist at the University of

Durham. In the book 'True Scientists,

True Faith’ (Monarch 2014) she wrote:

'Even when I was an atheist I used to

get cross at discussions…on how all Jesus’s

miracles could be physically explained.

To me, once you have believed in a God, a

supernatural being, then it’s obvious that

supernatural stuff could happen, since any

God who can make the physical universe

and its laws can presumably suspend those

laws in any time and way he chooses.'

There are also miracles which appear

to be a case of wonderful timing, for

example, 'The wind blew all night and

the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on

dry land.'

The Biblical writers don’t seem

especially interested in distinguishing

between wonders that seem to break

the usual rules of how things happen

and those that don’t.

Many in Jesus’ audiences were

not won over by his wonders. Most of

the people in the crowds who ate the

food he produced out of nowhere were

quite happy to turn on him when the

religious authorities decided he was

dangerous.

We can only make sense of

something unexpected, such as an

answer to prayer for healing, in the

context of a growing relationship with

God.

The exciting task for a Christian

is to explain what this interaction

looks like, and to demonstrate what

‘your kingdom come’ looks like in our

communities.

God works through us in words,

works and wonders.

Following in his footsteps — a New Year’s Resolution

prayer attributed to St Francis of Assissi, 1182 – 1226

Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God, grant

us the desire to do only what pleases you, and the

strength to do only what you command. Cleanse

our souls, enlighten our minds, and inflame our

hearts with your Holy Spirit, that we may follow

in the footsteps of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

A Garden statue of St Francis Assisi, the patron saint of

birds and animals, by Rosemary Buffon, Dreamstime.com

Rev Michael Burgess invites us to

begin the New Year at the door . . .

George Herbert is a much-loved

Anglican poet, who died just 40

years old in 1633. His volume of

poems ‘The Temple’ was published

later that year. In it he leads us

through the church door to meditate

on all we see inside.

The procession through the church

is the theme of my articles this

coming year. We will visit a variety

of English churches making our way

from the font to the altar.

This month we are outside the

glorious Norman building of St

John’s Church, Adel, near Leeds in

West Yorkshire.

It has a very fine south doorway

with ornate carving. The oak door is

a Victorian copy of the original door;

the Sanctuary Ring is a replica of the

Norman ring/knocker.

On the door is a monster about to

swallow a man, but open it and there

is safety and protection from the

harmful world.

This is the theme in St John’s

Gospel of Jesus as being the door to

the sheepfold. Enter through Jesus

we are told to find the safety of the

flock, as well as nourishment and

renewal.

When we stand at the door our of

own church, it opens and welcomes

us to enjoy the friendship and

refreshment within.

Alternatively, a closed door

protects us from the storms of life

outside.

When our worship ends, the door

opens again to lead us out into that

world.

Within there is nourishment in

the sacrament, in the word of the

Bible and in the fellowship of the

flock.

We go out to share those gifts

with others as they may come to

know Jesus as the door that leads to

eternal life.

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PARisH NOTICEBOARD — 2

On 21 November, 21 gunmen

stormed a Christian boarding school

in Niger State, central Nigeria,

kidnapping 303 girl pupils and 12

teachers. It is not yet known what

percentage of those taken are

Christians. Fifty of those taken

have managed to escape. This is one

of the largest ever mass abductions

in the country. Since the early

2010s, about one million Christians

have been displaced by violence

The Observatory for Religious

Freedom in Africa reports that

between October 2019 and

September 2024 Christians in states

where attacks occur 'were murdered

at a rate 5.2 times higher than Muslims

relative to their population size.'

Michael Coren, in a Telegraph

article, says that the proponents of

anti-Christian violence in Nigeria

'are usually members of the Islamist

Boko Haram insurgency, many of whose

victims down the years have been other

Muslims.'

An Open Doors expert and

spokesperson on sub-Saharan Africa

says, 'It is immensely distressing to

witness this violence, but this is an

almost daily reality for Christians

in northern Nigeria, for nearly two

decades. We can’t look away, no matter

how difficult it is.'

In response to the latest

kidnapping, the government has

instructed the closure of nearly 50

federal colleges, and public schools in

some states have been closed.

A recent Reuters News report said

that, according to the head of the

Church of Nigeria, an Anglican priest

kidnapped in northwest Nigeria in

October has been killed in captivity.

ESCALATING

At an event in November hosted

by the United States Mission to the

United Nations (USUN), religious

freedom advocates and experts

convened to highlight the escalating

threats facing Christians in Nigeria.

It was emphasised that there was

a need for sustained US leadership

and international action to address

the crisis. Religious freedom experts

have long advocated that the US

government address the worsening

situation in Nigeria. On 31 October


THE PERSECUTED CHURCH BY COLIN BAILEY

Violence towards Nigerian Christians

2025, the Trump Administration

re-designated Nigeria as a country of

Particular Concern (CPC), marking

a major step forward for protecting

persecuted Christians in the country.

Open Doors has noted that

'finally, parts of the global community

are starting to wake up to what’s

happening to God’s people in Nigeria.'

According to its research, Nigeria

is the most violent place in the world

for followers of Jesus.

Open Doors asks us to please pray:

— For the families of the kidnapped

girls, that God will give them wisdom

as they navigate this awful situation

and determine the next steps in

ensuring their daughters’ freedom

— That the efforts of the police and

armed forces will be successful in

ensuring the safe and swift release of

those held captive, and for no further

kidnapping.

‐— For those taken, that their faith

will be strong and a testimony to

those around them.

PETITION

Open Doors also has an ongoing

petition, Arise Africa, which calls

upon the global community to ensure

that Christians and other vulnerable

individuals in sub-Saharan Africa

are treated with dignity and respect

through protection, justice, and

restoration. The petition is intended

to be presented to the African

Union, United Nations, EU, and local

governments around the world in

2026. Please go to this page to add

your voice: https://www.opendoorsuk.

org/act/arise-africa/africa-petition.

The Christian National Ecumenical centre in

Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Emcamposphoto2, Dreamstime.com

Nigeria's Coat of Arms

Digikhmer, Dreamstime.com

Ruslan Olinchuk, Dreamstime.com

Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/

news/2025/11/24/really-is-that-simple-christiansbeing-killed-for-beliefs/

Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa:

https://orfa.africa/how-fulani-militias-becamenigerias-deadliest-groupwhile-escaping-globalnotice/

Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/

opinion/2025/11/21/church-should-focus-savingpersecuted-christians-israel/

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CEMi/?igsh=cG45YmVncXNmYWU1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRZQ3EGi

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Open Doors: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/

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eid=e6e26f6e0f

Open Doors: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRmU

Q1MCL1R/?igsh=N3pzZTUxenI0a29n

ACLJ Petition: https://aclj.org/persecuted-church/

protect-nigerias-dying-christians-from-brutalpersecution?utm_medium=Social&utm_

source=Facebook&utm_campaign=d-11262025_segjayfb_top-PC_typ-PT_con-Nigeria_var-A&fbclid=IwY

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Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/

abductors-kill-priest-nigeria-after-month-captivitychurch-leader-says-2025-11-29/

Open Doors petition

Arise Africa: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/act/

arise-africa/africa-petition/




St Andrew's Younger Generation

Westy

READING YOUTH NIGHT

Following several successful Reading Youth Nights, we

went to the Kennet Valley Free Church where all the local

youth groups met for fun games, band led worship, a talk

about resilience, for the youth to pray for their schools

and to enjoy 150 Krispy Kreme Doughnuts for the 150

young people who came!

ADVENT PRAYERS FOR ST ANDREW'S

We gave everyone an opportunity to pray for all that we

do at St Andrew's during Advent by handing out prayer

sheets at a service in November. Hopefully many were

able to join us during Advent by using these prayers.

FELLOWSHIP WEEKEND

The youth team managed to get away for a weekend of

fellowship, training and worship at the National Youth

Ministry Weekend in Birmingham. We gathered with

1,000 other youth and children’s workers to learn new

ideas, hear great stories of hope, and worship God.

STAY ON SKIS

In preparation for the first ever STAY ski trip in February

2026 we took the young people to Tamworth to learn how

to ski. Nine of us headed up and down the slope and had a

great time!

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

An awesome group of our young people went shopping for

another of our 'Give Back Days'. Working in teams they

bought items for the Reading Food Bank!

TOP GOLF

We also went to Top Golf in Surrey for another fabulous

day out whacking balls into huge holes to win points!

Some of the youth were sublime!

STAY ON FRIDAY

Our weekly Friday night youth club in The Ark remains

a constant space for young people to gather, play games,

make friends and feel safe. We have an amazing group

who come along and they are looked after by a wonderful

team of volunteers. We even put on a dodgeball night for

the youth to enjoy, and boy did they love it!

Continued on Page 12




Corinne

STAY ON SUNDAY

Our Sunday group met a few times in November to deepen our faith,

learn more about God and read the Bible.

The most memorable moment was when George volunteered to

be humanity and was covered in sins stuck to a bin bag. Then Nancy,

playing Jesus, came along with a clean bin bag on, took the sin covered

bin bag off George and put it on herself, leaving George free of sin!

This is what Jesus did on the cross for us, he took all our sin and

shame upon himself, died on the cross and said, 'It is finished.'

We can now live free from the guilt and shame of sin whenever we

repent and say sorry for what we’ve done wrong.

STAY ON MONDAY

Our Monday group is now weekly and we meet one week in the youths'

homes and one week in The Ark. It is always good to hear young people

lead the group as this shows us just how much they are learning

and growing in their faith. One week Will had us write things that

have been said about us that hurt us, on the sticky side of a 'Post-It

Note'. On the other side we wrote words from Psalm 139 about being

fearfully and wonderfully made. We then stuck them on the wall to

make the point that to know God we can believe what he says about us

and not what the world says. We are all made uniquely and beautifully

in the image of God.

STAY YOUTH AND SCHOOLS SERVICE

We met twice in 2025 for the New STAY Youth Service. We sang, read

scripture, prayed and took Holy Communion together.

It is always very special to be together in this way. Then we all ate

yummy food in The Ark round a huge table. Thanks to Ruth and Helen

for such amazing food!

As a team, we continued to be in the four local schools for

mentoring, assemblies, prayer meetings, governor meetings, lunch

clubs and the Christian Union at Piggott on Mondays from 3-4pm. We

meet in the reflection room. We love our local schools and ask that you

pray for the students, staff, teachers and parents.

SUNDAY CLUB

During Sunday Club towards the end of last year we were making

things for the Crib service held at 4.00pm on Christmas Eve.

The children and young people of Sunday Club, Messy Church,

and STAY worked hard, rehearsing their lines, writing prayers, and

decorating props to use during the service.

They were very much looking forward to helping the Christmas

story come to life through word, song, and action.

Everyone is very welcome to attend this all age service! Our last

Sunday Club gathering for 2025 was on Sunday 14 December at

10.30am in The Ark when we looked forward to one last time together

to run through the Crib Service details before the rehearsal and

performance on Christmas Eve.

MESSY CHURCH

At Messy Church we celebrated a theme of 'Light up the Darkness'

and had fun creating suns out of oranges, decorating house lanterns,

making Play-Doh creations, and even decorating some candles for the

Rendezvous Christmas lunch!

We talked about the joy that God can bring in our lives, especially

at this time of year when it starts to get very dark and cold.

We sang some songs, read a Bible story, and all joined in prayer,

with action and words lead by some of our young leaders.

The meal at the end for the children is always much enjoyed by the

children and very appreciated by the adults!

Thank you to all our amazing volunteers who put so much love

into this ministry.

At the time of writing, our next Messy Church gathering will be

the Christmas party on Sunday 21 December at 3pm in The Ark and we

are looking forward to enjoying party games, crafts, party food, and,

hopefully, even a special visit from St Nicholas!

SCHOOL WORK

Mentoring, assemblies, and lunch/after school clubs continue to

go well! One of the students that I mentor requested that I take a

photo of their Lego creation, hence the picture on the left! This was

an especially fun day, both for me and the students, as each student

requested that the next student build on the Lego creation.

By the end of my time in school, the Lego statue was huge and

the children all loved that they had worked together on something

without seeing one another.


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PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 5

What's in the

name of Jesus?

Jesus

© Akud, Dreamstime.com

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke

we are told how an angel instructed

that Mary’s baby was to be named

Jesus — a common name meaning

‘saviour’. The Church recalls the

naming of Jesus on 1 January –

eight days after 25 December, by the

Jewish way of reckoning days. In

Jewish tradition, the male babies

were circumcised and named on their

eighth day of life.

For the early Christians, the name

of Jesus held a special significance

because names were used to express

aspects of a person's personality.

Jesus’ name permeated his

ministry, and it still does today: we

are baptised in the name of Jesus

(Acts 2:38), we are justified through the

name of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:11); and

God the Father has given Jesus a name

above all others (Philippians 2:9).

All Christian prayer is through

‘Jesus Christ our Lord’, and it is ‘at

the name of Jesus’ that one day every

knee shall bow.

The word 'Jesus' is a transliteration

of a name that occurs in several

languages. It originated in Hebrew as

‘Yehosua’, or Joshua.

There is also a Hebrew-Aramaic

form, ‘Yesua’, while in Greek it became

Iēsoûs, and in Latin, ‘Iesus’.

The name means ‘Yahweh delivers’

or ‘Yahweh rescues’, or ‘Yahweh is

salvation’.

No wonder the angel Gabriel in

Luke (1:26-33) told Mary to name

her baby Jesus, because he delivers,

rescues and saves us from our sins.

From the

editor's desk


I deliberately started working on this

issue of The Parish Magazine much

earlier than usual, partly because of the

Christmas holidays which reduce the

number of working days in December, but also, because we are in the throes of

downsizing our home.

One of my downsizing tasks has been to donate my Bible collection to a charity

that ships them overseas to parts of the world where Christians don't have

access to it. Thus, I spent a whole morning sorting them and filling eight large

boxes ready to deliver them to a charity which fortunately only means taking

them to Wokingham.

I then sat down at my laptop to start planning this issue. As usual, this

began with some research into what topical events are coming up in January,

and, lo and behold, the first subject I came across was a Bible that I had not

heard of before, and its one that I would have loved to add to the collection if I

was not in the process of donating them to charity!

It is called 'The Brick Bible' by Brendon Powell Smith who illustrates Bible

stories using Lego! What a great idea I thought, but then I am biased because

as some of you know, I have been doing this for several years in the form of my

Lego Nativity scene.

If you are wondering what I am going to do about my 200 or so Nativity sets

when we downsize, the answer is, take them with me — and as I write this they

are the only things that are packed and ready to go!

For your prayers

in January 2026

— Plans for our new youth charity

— Westy as he continues training for the priesthood

— The Archbishop elect of Canterbury and her family

— For our new young Christians at St Andrew's

MutareHawk, Dreamstime.com



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FEATURE — 1

By Ian Clarke, a retired chorister, St Andrew's Church Sonning

How time flies? Three years ago,

patience with us, and I had a raging

I shared with other readers of

toothache and I just wanted the

'The Parish Magazine' some of

session to end, but we had to keep

my memories of life in the village

repeating the material until we got

as a young boy in the 1950's and

it right. It seemed to go on for ever

1960's. Recently, walking past the

and ever. It is amazing how these

old vestry door I was reminded of

painful experiences tend to stick in

doing this many times in the past.

the mind!

Today the ancient door is rarely

Another uncomfortable

used. As I walked by, it sent shivers

experience was when I briefly lost

through me and evoked memories

focus on what were singing and I

of sneaking through it for the

suddenly heard 'Clarke!' and the

Sunday services after missing the

organ stopped. My 'favourite choir

Friday night choir practice. I found

master' then asked me if I wanted to

it very intimidating — not to say

sing the piece on my own!

scary. The choirmaster, who shall

I went many shades of red and

remain nameless, would have his

wanted the ground to open up and

eyes boring into the back of our

swallow me. I can't remember if I

heads should we sing a wrong note,

ever did, but the thought still makes

or in any way misbehave. He took

me go cold.

no prisoners if you missed choir

practice!

In contrast, I thought, how

impressive and professional that

today's choir is.

There is no fidgeting in the front

row of the choir stalls, or ill-fitting

cassocks or surplices. In those days

we did not have the comfortable

surroundings of the St Sarik Room

to change in and we had to compete

with each other to find something

that roughly fitted!

NO LOVE LOST

I don't remember there being

any girls in the choir, just older

men and ladies, and there were not

many village boys either. Our small

number was supplemented by boys

from the Reading Blue Coat School

who would process down Sonning

Lane to Church wearing blue, full

length coats that we disrespectfully

called 'dressing gowns'!

No love was ever lost between us

and the 'Blue Bellies' as we cheekily

called them. There was always

great rivalry between us. They were

boarders and made the choir stalls

very cramped, so we longed for the

holidays when they did not join us.

Choir practice on Friday evening

was always an ordeal.

At one practice, nothing seemed

to be going right and the choir

master was starting to lose his


Life as a choir boy in the 1960s

CONCENTRATION LOST

On another occasion that

went into choir folklore was that

as we sedately processed down

the aisle being led by David, the

head chorister, who carried the

processional cross — today it is

often carried by Caroline, Rev

Jamie's wife — there was suddenly

a loud crash and the large brass

chandelier above us could be seen

swinging violently. David had lost his

concentration and struck it with the

cross!

It is something that comes

into my mind every time the choir

processes in today.

An even more scary incident

was in the St Sarik Room itself.

Originally this room was where

deceased bodies were placed before

burial.

On practise nights we stored our

bikes in it for safety and some of the

older boys would hide in there to

make ghostly noises to scare us.

One night we opened the door to

be faced with a stone bust of Hugh

Pearson — after whom Sonning

Pearson Hall and Cottages are

named — hanging on a rope from

the rafters.

None of us put our bikes in there

again, and the door was kept locked.

The memory of that night still

haunts me!

Ian Clarke, then and now!

The only bone of contention I have

is the miniscule payment we received

every three months. Even so, it was

gratefully received.

Not long after I left the choir the

payment rates were considerably

increased!

When watching the choir process

into church and taking their seats

in the choir stalls for services today

I still think about the spirits of

the choir from over 60 years ago

and wonder where they are now

— and whether the ghost of our

old choirmaster still haunts them

through those choir stalls!


FEATURE — 2

All creatures are great

and small at Brambles!

Have you spotted small creatures when out for a stroll, digging

in the garden or sitting on a park bench? These smaller creatures

can often be overlooked. The earth is teeming with life that is

all connected and all have essential roles to play in maintaining

the world around us. Would you like to find out more about these

creatures? If so, then Jess Hayward from Brambles Animal

Encounters can help.

Jess will not only tell you about invertebrates,

reptiles, amphibians and small mammals, but let

you handle some of them.

You can be captivated by a tarantula and

dispel your phobias about spiders, be entranced

by snakes that cannot blink, watch a scorpion

turn turquoise under UV light, learn that frogs

use their eyes to swallow, cuddle a guinea pig and

stroke a Mongolian gerbil.

The focus of Brambles Animal Encounters is

education as Jess uses her extensive knowledge

about the natural world, particularly about her

animals, to answer your questions about all

small creatures.

She is a qualified zookeeper. After graduating

with a BSc Hons in Animal Behaviour and

Welfare she worked in zoos for 12 years followed

by a year as the farm supervisor at Wellington

Country Park.

Jess started her animal encounter business

in October 2024 as her personal collection of

animals had grown over the years and she

wanted to share them, and her extensive

knowledge and experience, with others

Jess Hayward 0195 825 1907

https://www.bramblesae.co.uk

Down under in January, Australians will be celebrating

the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901,

when the six British colonies of New South Wales,

Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia,

Victoria and Western Australia were federated.

However, a British presence in Australia began long before

1901. It was in 1788 that the First Fleet landed there and

the Union Flag of Great Britain was raised by Captain

Arthur Phillip.

Eleven ships had left England seven months previously

with convicts on board. Captain Phillips had the job of

establishing penal colonies in Australia to house them.

The First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay, but decided to

explore further, so a few days later, on 26 January 1788,

they arrived at Sydney Cove, a small bay on the southern

shore of Sydney harbour.

That was the day that British settlers arrived on

Australian shores for the first time and formally


Happy 125th Birthday to Australia!

established the Colony of New South Wales on 7 February.

20 years later, in 1808, the convicts, who had been

pardoned and were now emancipated convicts, heartily

celebrated the anniversary of their arrival with dinners,

drinking and toasts.

The first official celebration took place in 1818 on the

30th anniversary of their arrival, with Governor Lachlan

Macquarie naming the day a national holiday, he called

Foundation Day.

While Australians have celebrated the 26 January

as Australia Day ever since, the story is not all a happy

one. The indigenous Australians, who have been there

for thousands of years, faced persecution and massacres

during the 19th/early 20th centuries.

As one observer put it, 'Australia Day is when we reflect

on our nation’s past, which began more than 65,000 years ago,

and the impact of the European settlement on the original

Australians. It is a time, for inclusion and respect, as we work

towards reconciliation.'


FEATURE — 3

Stained glass windows in St Andrew's


Part Five by Christopher Bailey

The centre panel of the first South Aisle window (above left) depicts Jesus with Mary and Martha

of Bethany. Mary was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and was a devout follower of Jesus. She is

known for sitting at Jesus’ feet to listen to him, and for anointing his feet with expensive perfume

shortly before his crucifixion.

The left panel shows the resurrection with Mary Magdelen and Simon Peter. John 20:1-9. The right panel

is a charming domestic scene with the Virgin Mary teaching the boy Jesus at her knee.

In the second South Aisle window (above right), the left and centre panels feature the raising of

Lazarus from his death (John 11:38-44). His sisters had sent for Jesus but when he arrived at Bethany.

Lazarus had been entombed for four days. Jesus wept at the tomb, despite knowing that he would

resurrect Lazarus. He commanded the stone to be rolled away and shouted, 'Lazarus, come out!' and he

did with his hands, feet, and head bound with cloth. Jesus instructed the onlookers to 'Take off the grave

clothes and let him go.' It was one of the most significant acts of Jesus and was witnessed by many Jews

who began to believe in him. It was also his last miracle before his own crucifixion.

The right panel of the second South Aisle window depicts Christ declaring that he is 'the Good

Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep'. John 10:11-18.

High above the perpendicular arch as you look towards

the choir stalls from the north and south aisles is possibly

the most unusual and seldom viewed of our stained glass

windows. It is a trefoil window in the Nave, It is not Christ,

as many people (including the editor!) believe, but an angel

clutching a chain surmounted by a crown. It is particularly

pleasing when it catches the eye in the morning as the sun

rises in the East.

In previous articles reference has been made to the

removal of the William Wailes window originally occupying

the reredos prior to 1869, the year this magazine was first

published. It was removed and refixed in the east window

wall adjacent to it in favour of the present one by Hardman &

Company. Parts were used to make this window. It is a clever

reconstruction of parts, maybe shards! The angel’s right

wing and triangular surround pieces illustrate this, and the

angels right hand has a rather awkward shape. Regardless of

its ingenious manufacture it is an intriguing addition to the

stained glass windows at St Andrew’s Church.

The third South Aisle window (above) dates

from 1869, the year that the first issue of this

magazine was first published.

The left panel shows King David from the Old

Testament books of Samuel and Kings. According

to Matthew 1:1-17, Jesus is David's descendant, 'the

son of David, the son of Abraham'.

David was the second king of Israel and Judah

and is known for defeating the giant Goliath and

for his accomplishments as a leader who united

the kingdom. Among his many feats, he conquered

Jerusalem, and expanded the empire. Over half of

the 150 Psalms in the Old Testament are attributed

to David.

The South Aisle centre window panel depicts

Jairus’ daughter. Jairus was a synagogue ruler who

pleaded with Jesus to heal his daughter when she

was near to death. Mark 5-22. When Jesus went to

Jairus’ house, he told the mourners not to weep,

saying the girl was 'not dead but sleeping.' Part of

this account is under the window.

Jesus told those present not to tell anyone

about this miracle, but news of it inevitably spread.

The right window panel is of Miriam who

according to the Book of Exodus was a prophetess.

Miriam originally emerges in the Old Testament

Book of Exodus 2.4.

The Tower Room window (above) in the centre

of the West Wall is one of our most beautiful

stained glass windows, but it is sadly almost

hidden. The scene is Christ’s presentation in the

Temple, Luke, 2:22-40. It depicts Saint Simeon

in the centre and St Anna, the prophetess, in the

left panel with the Virgin Mary and Joseph in

the right panel.

As Mary and Joseph took Jesus into the temple,

they encountered Simeon who promised that 'He

should not see death before he had seen the Lord'.

It is rare to see so many figures in such a

window, some of whom appear to be carrying

shields.

The window was installed in 1882 by Hardman

& Company, but, ironically, the room is also

occupied by the much-maligned memorial to Sir

Thomas Rich, described by Rev Samuel Lysons

in his 1806 Magna Britannia, as it being 'really

difficult to conceive of anything in more deplorable

taste than this monument'.

Anna, the prophetess, never left the temple

but worshipped night and day, fasting and

praying. When she saw Jesus, she recognised him

as the Messiah, gave thanks to God and spoke

about the child to all who were awaiting the

redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36–38


North Aisle West Wall. This window depicts Saint Andrew. According to the gospels of Matthew and

Mark, Andrew and Simon Peter were called to be disciples of Jesus and 'fishers of men'. St Andrew

is depicted holding diagonally crossed staves or cross, or in heraldry a 'saltire'. This is thought to be

a reference to Saint Andrew’s crucifixion where, unlike Jesus, he was bound to the cross.


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FEATURE — 4

From Page 21

Stained Glass

Last, but not least, on a stained glass

window in the west wall of the South

Aisle of St Andrew's Church Sonning

you will see John the Baptist (above).

This window matches in size the one

on the West Wall in the North Aisle

and it is interesting to note that

the decoration that surrounds the

character in both is of similar profile.

They were probably installed at the

same time, it is thought that both

were manufactured by Hardman &

Company manufacture.

Previous articles in this series can be found

in our July/August, September, October and

November 2025 issues. The last in the series

will be next month.

around the villages — 1


Help the homeless?

Faith Christian Group is a charity

working among the poor, homeless

and those in greatest need in

Reading. Their aim to demonstrate

Jesus by practical service and

support and are seeking new trustees

who are willing to get involved. If

interested, please contact:

ceo@fcg.org.uk

Eye & Dunsden Plan?

Eye and Dunsden Parish Council is

working on a Neighbourhood Plan

which has recently been submitted to

South Oxfordshire District Council.

The closing date for comments on

the plan is 11.59pm on Thursday 15

January 2026. More details at:

https://eyedunsden.org/plan/


Sonning Art Group's last Chairman's

Cup of 2025 was awarded to Sue

Bourne

Sheppard

Again

for her excellent acrylic

horse racing painting pictured above.

The group's next session is Pearson

Hall on Friday 9 January.

Shadows

surrounding areas, is supported by donations

My Cancer My Choices, the Charvil-based

charity that offers free complementary therapies

for those living with cancer in Berkshire and

to provide vital services to needy local people

living with cancer. On Friday 20 March they will

be holding a fund raising auction evening at the

Relive the Hits

Coppid Beach Hotel Bracknell. For more details:

https://mycancermychoices.org

FOSTAC PRESENTS THE

BOURNE AGAIN SHADOWS

£22 per ticket

There will be a bar to purchase drinks

Friday 20 February at 7.30pm

Reading Hockey & Cricket Club

Sonning Lane, Sonning RG4 6ST

t h

Friday 20 For tickets February contact Sally Wilson on: 202

0787 689 9513 or mustangsallywilson@gmailcom

7.30pm




Reading Maiden Erlegh Inner Wheel Ann's Way

Reading Maiden Erlegh Inner Wheel

held a successful, fund raising

Bridge Drive evening at Charvil

Village Hall with raffle prizes

donated by its members (pictured

right with Ann Way, the current

president of the group).

Ann said, 'I joined Reading Maiden

Erlegh Inner Wheel in 2014 after one of

the members told me that you no longer

needed to have a Rotary connection

to join, and it's a decision I have never

regretted.

'I have enjoyed the fellowship, social

events, and raising money for good

causes. I have made some good friends

and we enjoy outings, our bridge club and

book club, and much more.

'I was International lead for two

years, and then became Senior Vice

President. In my current year as

President, my chosen charity is the

Royal Berkshire Hospital Radiotherapy

Department.'

Reading Maiden Erlegh Inner

Wheel was founded in 2002 and now

has 40 members who pay a yearly

subscription, currently £72 payable in

July. They meet at Sonning Golf Club

on the third Thursday of the month

FOSTAC AGM

FOLLOWED BY

TICKET PRICE £20 PP

Event in aid of FoStAC fund raising for future repairs to St. Andrew’s Church.

Quiz teams will be in tables of 4 and payment to be made in advance.

Closing date is Monday, 23rd March 2026 @ 10am

Bring your own bottle.

To book your place please email Sally Wilson on

mustangsallywilson@gmail.com or 0118 9793328

and welcome new members from all

walks of life.

Meetings start with a chat and a

drink at 7.00 for 7.30pm followed by a

two-course meal. Usually, the meal is

followed with a guest speaker.

There is more about Inner Wheel

and it's social and fund raising activities

at: www.innerwheelrme.org or contact

iwcrme@gmail.com

Ann Way laying a wreath of Remembrance

in Woodley last year.

HISTORY

Was it really...?

. . . 250 YEARS AGO on 1 January 1776 that, according to tradition,

George Washington raised the first American flag, the Grand Union Flag.

. . . ALSO 250 YEARS AGO, on 24 January 1776 that E T A Hoffmann,

German fantasy/Gothic horror writer, composer, artist and judge was born.

Offenbach’s opera The Tales of Hoffman is based on his stories. Tchaikovsky’s

ballet The Nutcracker is also based on one of his stories.

. . . 200 YEARS AGO on 30 January 1826 that the Menai Suspension

Bridge was opened. The world’s first major suspension bridge, it links the island

of Anglesey to mainland Wales.

. . . 175 YEARS AGO on 7 January 1851 that French physicist Leon

Foucault set up the first Foucault pendulum in the cellar of his home to

demonstrate the rotation of the earth. He went on to created his most famous

pendulum, hanging a 28 kilogram lead weight from a 220 foot wire in the dome

of the Pantheon in Paris.

. . . 125 YEARS AGO on 1 January 1901 that the Commonwealth of

Australia was established when the British colonies of New South Wales,

Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western

Australia were federated.

. . . ALSO 125 YEARS AGO on 22 January 1901 that Queen Victoria died.

She was succeeded by her son, Edward VII.

. . . 100 YEARS AGO on 13 January 1926 that Michael Bond, children’s

writer, was born. He created Paddington Bear and Monsieur Pamplemousse.

. . . ALSO 100 YEARS AGO on 26 January 1926 that Scottish engineer

and inventor John Logie Baird demonstrated the first television to members of

the Royal Institution.

. . . 90 YEARS AGO on 18 January 1936 that Rudyard Kipling, writer and

poet, died. He is best remembered for The Jungle Book, Kim, If, and many more.

In 1907 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

. . . ALSO 90 YEARS AGO on 20 January 1936 that King Geoge V died.

He was succeeded by his son Edward VIII, who abdicated that December.

. . . 80 YEARS AGO on 3 January 1946 that Willam Joyce, alias, Lord

Haw-Haw, and a British fascist politician, died. He had broadcast Nazi

propaganda from Germany during WW11 and was hanged for treason.

. . . ALSO 80 YEARS AGO on 8 January 1946 that Elvis Presley received

his first guitar on his 11th birthday — he would have preferred a bicycle!

. . . ALSO 80 YEARS AGO, on 10 January 1946 that the United Nations

General Assembly convened for the first time. It met in Westminster Central

Hall, London

. . . 75 YEARS AGO on 9 January 1951 that the UN headquarters in New

York was officially opened.

. . . 30 YEARS AGO on 27 January 1996 that the first Holocaust

Remembrance Day was observed in Germany. The International Holocaust

Remembrance Day was adopted by the United Nations and marks the day that

the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration/death camp was liberated during WWII.


Claude

recalls

WWII

During the Second World War, the

German Nazi U-boats were trying

to starve us out by sinking all our

supply ships. So the government

encouraged everybody to dig for

victory and grow their own food.

Posters were put up about it on

billboards. It meant converting

children’s parks into allotments.

My father had three allotments

even though he worked long hours.

The milkman came round to every

house in a horse and cart. What the

horses deposited didn’t stay on the

road for long as people used it for

manure for their gardens!

I remember having school lunches

with meat and two veg for the main

course, and often for dessert there

was Tapioca which I didn’t like very

much!

In the school hall, we sat on the

same tables and benches every day.

We always ate everything on our

plates! Each table took it in turns for

seconds. When you were on the first

table you were lucky but there wasn’t

much left if you were the last!!

My mother bought coupons from

the shop to pay for my school dinner

and I brought them into school.

FLOODS

In secondary school, after lunch,

one of the teachers often asked me

to go round to pick up films which he

showed to his class on a screen.

On one occasion, I was late

getting to afternoon classes and my

teacher was moaning as to why. I told

him about my mission and he had a

row with the other teacher!

I also remember that we listened

to the radio sometimes, for lessons,

but can’t remember what the

programmes were about now!

Six weeks of my education were

lost because of flooding. One time

when the floods came up in the

garden the water was six inches high

and it looked like little fountains

coming up. The ground couldn’t cope,

I suppose, but I have never seen it

happen since!


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NEW YEAR CAPERS

Phil Mason's

New Year

Message . . .

Raise a little wine . . .

Enjoying a little whine!


Feed your soul this New Year

with something different!

Authentic Soul Cakes are small, spiced cakes that have deep roots in medieval

Europe, particularly in England and Ireland, where they were originally

made for All Souls’ Day and All Hallows’ Eve. Soul cakes were given to

'soulers,' typically children and the poor, who would go door-to-door singing

and praying for the souls of the departed.

INGREDIENTS

— 200g all-purpose flour

— ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

— ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

— ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

— ½ teaspoon salt

— 155g unsalted butter, softened

— 100g granulated sugar

— 2 large egg yolks

— 2 tablespoons milk (more if needed)

— 100g cup currants or raisins

Sphynxcat, Dreamstime.com

Blue Moose Graphics

. . . make a toast . . .

. . . but put a handle on it . . .

. . . otherwise the ball could end

up in your court!

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line a baking tray or lightly grease it with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg,

allspice, and salt. Set aside the dry ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated

sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, until fully incorporated.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, stirring

gently until the dough begins to come together.

Stir in the 2 tablespoons of milk to moisten the dough. If the dough seems

too dry, you can add an additional tablespoon of milk.

Fold in the currants (or raisins) until evenly distributed throughout the

dough.

Lightly flour your hands and scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough at a

time. Roll the dough into small balls and flatten them slightly into rounds,

about ½ inch thick.

Arrange the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space

between each one.

Traditionally, soul cakes were marked with a cross on the top.

Place the soul cakes in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or

until the edges are lightly golden

Remove the soul cakes from the oven and allow them to cool on the

baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool

completely.



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January often feels like the start of

a brand-new chapter. It's a time to

reset and re-imagine who you want

to become in the months ahead.

Just as goals and intentions begin to

take shape, your wardrobe naturally

follows, becoming a blank page ready

to be rewritten with fresh ideas, new

silhouettes, and thoughtful pieces

that reflect the energy of the new

year.

As the sparkle of the holidays

fades, the desire for a new look

emerges. Whether you're making

subtle updates to your wardrobe or

stepping boldly into a completely

new aesthetic, these are the defining

New Year fashion trends shaping

January's style landscape.

TRENDING COLOURS

To get your new wardrobe ready

for the new year, the trending colours

have been predicted, creating a

palette that feels both expressive and

wearable.

Teal leads the way with its calm,

modern blue-green tone, while

Electric Fuchsia brings bold energy

and individuality to statement looks.

Soft creamy neutrals like Butter

Cream balance these brighter shades,

offering a clean, minimal base for

layering.

Jewel tones, vibrant Emerald

Green and citrine-inspired yellows

add luxury and depth to outfits

throughout the year. For softer

styling, Lavender introduces a gentle,

fresh feel perfect for spring and

summer.

Meanwhile, Chocolate Brown

and other warm earthy tones

remain timeless staples, anchoring

wardrobes with quiet-luxury

sophistication, especially in autumn

and winter.

While January's colours are

often described with winter colours

and deeper tones, 2025's palette

introduces lighter neutrals that

brighten even the chilliest of days.

Winter whites, creamy ivories, and

soft beiges are trending everywhere.

These tones create a luxurious look

that feels both timeless and modern.

Layering these colours is key.

Try pairing a vanilla-toned coat

over a cream knit with beige trousers

to create depth without sacrificing

the minimalist appeal.

For those who prefer a bit more

contrast, subtle accents of graphite

or chestnut keep the look grounded

while maintaining a fresh aesthetic.

Outerwear is the centrepiece of

January dressing, and this year's

standout is the bold, textured coat.

Shearling, faux fur, quilted puffer

jackets, and wool-blend wrap coats

dominate the scene.

Oversized silhouettes continue

to dominate, offering both style and

utility.

A trending favourite is the belted

maxi coat, perfect for elongating the

silhouette and defining the waist,

even over chunky layers. Meanwhile,

cropped shearling jackets and teddy

textures bring a playful energy to

an otherwise minimalist winter

wardrobe.

LAYERS

Layering is a major part of New

Year's fashion. Think structured

knitwear, clean-line wool trousers,

and matching sets that bring

more to minimal silhouettes.

Oversized turtlenecks remain a

staple, but they're being paired with

more tailored components to add

definition.

Ribbed sweaters in earthy tones,

moss green, create a calming yet

refined look ideal for both work and

off-duty outings.

The style of relaxed wide-leg pants

also continues.

They offer warmth, movement,

and a flattering drape that

transitions effortlessly from day to

night. Layered with an oversized

jumper and coat makes for the

perfect warm but stylish outfit, which

adds warmth without bulk.

Many designers are also

pairing them with form-fitting

tops or cropped jackets to balance



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FASHION

Continued from Page 29

proportions and add dimension to

winter layering.

Because the Christmas holidays

are over does not mean the shine has

to disappear.

Metallics, particularly silver, have

carried into January as subtle accent

pieces. Instead of complete sequined

looks, the New Year encourages

quieter sparkle, such as a metallic

handbag, chrome-finished boots, or

a shimmering rib-knit top layered

under a blazer. These add interest

without overpowering an outfit,

giving the wardrobe a sense of

celebration that still feels seasonally

appropriate.

BOOTS AND LOAFERS

Footwear this January blend

weather-proofing with elevated style.

Knee-high boots remain dominant,

particularly in soft leather and suede.

Chunky-soled Chelsea boots and

lug-sole loafers continue to trend,

offering traction and style on icy

days.

For evenings, pointed-toe boots

in patent leather or metallic finishes

create a bold contrast to winter

layers. I'm still obsessed with my

grey Ugg boots, which I've had for

years. They keep my feet warm and

stylish and go with lots of outfits!

MINIMALIST

Accessories remain essential to

January styling, helping transition

your wardrobe into the New Year

with ease. Minimalist gold jewellery,

sculptural earrings, and structured

handbags return as dependable

staples. Meanwhile, knitted beanies

and scarves in neutral tones offer

warmth while adding a playful,

casual finish.

RESET YOUR STYLE

January 2026 is about updating

your personal style with the

latest trends, balancing comfort

and practicality with elegance,

sufficiency, and expression. It is

the perfect time to reset your style,

experiment with new silhouettes,

and embrace the cosy elegance of

winter dressing. So step into the New

Year feeling refreshed, confident,

and stylishly aligned with the season

ahead. What will you wear in 2026?

HEALTH

We read about leprosy in the Bible

and assume it is a disease of the past.

But leprosy is very much a disease

of today, with more than 200,000

newly diagnosed cases every year.

That means that every two minutes,

someone hears the words ‘you have

leprosy’. Three short words, but they

carry thousands of years’ worth of

fear, stigma and shame.

Leprosy thrives in areas where

poor nutrition, overcrowding, shared

washing facilities and low standards

of living naturally lower people’s

immune systems.

Lepers will suffer growing

numbness and worsening nerve

damage, ulcers and finally even

amputations.

They will also suffer the hurt and

shame of being an outcast, often

abandoned by their own families.

And this is where The Leprosy

Mission steps in, and with the support

of Christian Churches in the UK,

works to help the sufferers of leperosy

around the world.

The Leprosy Mission is a medical

Christian mission which helps


Every 2 minutes someone

in the world is diagnosed

with Leprosy

HURT AND SHAME

Tawatchai Khid-arn, Dreamstime.com

people with leprosy both medically,

spiritually, and practically to give

sufferers a chance to learn a skill and

gain a qualification.

In Mark 1, the leper said to Jesus,

‘If you are willing, you can heal me.’ If we

are willing, we can help The Leprosy

Mission to do Christ’s work of healing

and rehabilitation today.

https://www.leprosymission.org.uk

What was that person's name?

Do your New Year Resolutions include the forlorn hope that you will be better

at remembering people’s names in 2026?

Many of us, and not only those of the older generation,

have difficulty remembering names. It’s not just TV

personalities and so on, but people we meet in church

street or the street, or wherever we ma be.

We know exactly who they are, we see them every

week in church or the supermarket, we know what

job they do and which school their children go to. But

as for their name? It’s a blank!

Help is at hand, however. Not to solve the

problem, but at least to name it. ‘Anomic aphasia’

is the clinical name for the inability to remember a

name, even when we can remember everything else

about someone.

There is also the strange truth that the cure for

anomic aphasia comes spontaneously, often in the

middle of the night, when that elusive identity pops

unbidden into our memory.

Mentat, Dreamstime.com


Planning Your

Traditional Wedding?

Then you might like to

discuss the possibility of

marriage in our ancient and

beautiful parish church.

If so, call the vicar, Jamie

0118 969 3298

He will be pleased to help!

In addition to the stunning and historic location in Sonning,

we will work hard to provide you with a memorable and

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

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

ornate Victorian chandeliers and the use of our beautiful

churchyard as a backdrop for your photographs.

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Serving Sonning, Charvil & Sonning Eye

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SONNING & sonning eye since the 7 th century

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business that has been serving the local community

since 1968. Proudly supporting people to continue

to enjoy living independent lives in their own homes

for as long as possible.

Our team of experienced care workers can provide

help with personal care, medication, overnight stays,

housework, companionship and much more. You will be

assigned your own Care Manager who will work closely

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HEALTH — 2

Keeping healthier with Jess and Martha

Many of you will have made New

Year resolutions, some maybe

pertaining to getting fitter and

keeping healthier. Prevention is

at the heart of NHS planning, so I

thought that a handy guide for 2026

might be helpful to understand some

of the things available to you, writes

Anne Elgeti who works for NHS

England SE Region and has over 20

years’ experience leading service

transformation and improvement

in the NHS and is currently

Deputy Director for the Regional

Transformation Programme.

2025 saw the introduction of Jess’s

Rule, named in memory of Jessica

Brady who died of cancer in December

2022 at the age of 27.

The rule is to help avoid tragic,

preventable deaths, supporting GPs

to catch potentially deadly illnesses

sooner.

In the five months leading to

her death, Jessica had more than 20

appointments with her GP practice

but eventually had to seek private

healthcare.

She was later diagnosed with Stage

4 adenocarcinoma. There was no

treatment for such advanced disease

and Jessica sadly died three weeks

later.

SUBSTANTIATED

Jess’s rule asks GPs to think again

if, after three appointments, they have

been unable to offer a substantiated

diagnosis, or the patient’s symptoms

have escalated.

The rule has been designed in

collaboration with the chair of the

Royal College of General Practitioners

(RCGP) and NHS England.

It will help to catch serious

conditions earlier and support GPs

with guidelines that bolster their

clinical judgement, encouraging

them to reflect, review and rethink if

they are uncertain about a patient's

condition.

Many GPs already use similar

approaches in complex cases, Jess’s

Rule will make this standard practice

across the country.

It aims to reduce inequalities in

health by ensuring everyone, whatever

their age or background, to receive the

same high standard of care.

PATIENT SAFETY

Martha’s Rule is a patient

safety initiative to support the

early detection of deterioration by

ensuring the concerns of patients,

families, carers and staff are listened

to and acted upon.

It was developed in response to

the death of Martha Mills and other

cases related to the management of

deterioration.

Central to Martha’s Rule is the

right for patients, families and carers

to request a rapid review if they

are worried that their loved one’s

condition is getting worse and their

concerns are not being responded to.

When a patient is deteriorating

but no one is listening, Martha’s Rule

will guarantee a second opinion.

EARLY SIGNS

Martha Mills died in 2021 after

developing sepsis in hospital, where

she had been admitted for pancreatic

injury after falling off her bike.

Her family’s concerns about her

deteriorating condition were not

responded to, and in 2023 a coroner

ruled that Martha, aged 13, would

probably have survived had she been

moved to intensive care earlier.

Tinnitus is unique to the person

experiencing it. But ultimately it is

the sensation of hearing a sound when

there is no external source for that

sound.

Someone with tinnitus may hear

ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling or

other noises.

Tinnitus can be there all the time or

come and go. The volume of someone’s

tinnitus can vary from one episode to

the next. It comes in many types, but

Tinnitus UK is here for everyone living

with tinnitus.

Find out more at:

https://tinnitus.org.uk/


Anne Elgeti

Martha’s rule recognises that

those who know the patient best,

may be the first to notice changes

that could be an early sign of

deterioration, and the importance

of listening to and acting on the

concerns of patients, families, and

carers. It has been implemented

in adult and children’s in patient

settings in England.

The three core components of

Martha’s Rule are:

— Patients will be asked, at least

daily, about how they are feeling, and

if they are getting better or worse,

and this information will be acted on

in a structured way.

— All staff will be able, at any time,

to ask for a review from a different

team if they are concerned that a

patient is deteriorating, and they are

not being responded to.

— This escalation route will also

always be available to patients

themselves, their families and carers

and advertised across the hospital.

TINNITUS AWARENESS WEEK 3-8 FEBRUARY

Are you living

with tinnitus?

Continued on page 33

Dmitrii Melnikov, Dreamstime.com



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RALPH'S 'WAY TO TRAVEL' VERSE SEARCH

A

BIBLE CROSSWORD

O


With the wise mens' journey in mind, this

month's puzzle contains 38 words associated

with travelling. The initial letters are: A, 2C,

2D, F, 3G, 4H, J, 2M, 5P, 2R, 9S, 5T and W, The

unused letters will spell out a verse from The

Good News Bible. Can you also find the verse?

ANSWERS FOR RALPH'S DECEMBER

'WISE' VERSE SEARCH

ACADEMIC

ACUPUNCTURIST

ASTRONOMER

CHEMIST

CHIROPRACTOR

COUNSELOR

DENTIST

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LAWYER

LIBRARIAN

Ralph's December hidden verse was

Proverbs 7:9 in the Good News Bible:

ANYTHING YOU SAY TO A WISE MAN

WILL MAKE HIM WISER

SUDOKU

MATHEMATICIAN

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December

Bible

Crossword

Solution

ACROSS

8 How the Abyss (NIV) is described in the Authorized Version

(Revelation 9:1) (10,3)

9 Frozen water (Ezekiel 1:22) (3)

10 The Ten Commandments (9)

11 In Roman Catholic theology, neither heaven nor hell (5)

13 Des cons (anag.) (7)

16 ‘Though [your sins] are red as — , they shall be like wool’ (Isaiah 1:18) (7)

19 Keen (Romans 1:15) (5)

22 Repugnant, loathsome (Jeremiah 24:9) (9)

24 Drink like an animal (Judges 7:5) (3)

25 First and last (Revelation 22:13) (5,3,5)

DOWN

1 Father of Ahi, a Gadite (1 Chronicles 5:15) (6)

2 Where David found the stone with which he killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:40) (6)

3 ‘Hour by hour fresh lips are making thy — doings heard on high’ (8)

4 ‘And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping

watch over their — at night’ (Luke 2:8) (6)

5 United Society for Christian Literature (1,1,1,1)

6 ‘If he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would

— — or a tax collector’ (Matthew 18:17) (1,5)

7 Where Paul was taken when things became difficult for him in

Berea (Acts 17:15) (6)

12 Istituto per le Opere di Religione (Vatican Bank) (1,1,1)

14 ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new — ; the old has gone, the

new has come!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17) (8)

15 Used to colour ram skins red for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:5) (3)

16 Vat car (anag) (6)

17 ‘Be joyful — — , patient in affliction, faithful in prayer’ (Romans 12:12) (6)

18 ‘The parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,

while our presentable parts — — special treatment’ (1 Cor 12:23) (4,2)

20 Ancient rowing boat (Isaiah 33:21) (6)

21 Say again (2 Corinthians 11:16) (6)

23 What Jesus did in the synagogue after he stood up (Luke 4:16) (4)

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To advertise in The Parish Magazine

Contact: Ian McCann

ianmacpne@outlook.com

38 The Parish Magazine — January 2026 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

— Youth and Children'666s Minister: Corinne

corinne@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298

— Pastoral Assistant/Verger: Richard Hogg, 0118 969 3298

Churchwardens

— Liz Nelson, liz.nelson1@ntlworld.com / 0779 194 4270

— Ruth Jeffery, ruth@jefferyfamily.net / 0797 101 8730

Deputy Churchwardens

— Kevin Wilson, kevinmichaelwilson@gmail.com / 0118 969 3298

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

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 Meehan MA ARCO

music@sonningparish.org.uk

Safeguarding Officer

— Nicola Riley: nic.nige@sky.com / 0742 517 3359

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

St Andrew's Church Parish Website

https://www.sonningparish.org.uk

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

— Editor: Bob Peters

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0118 377 5887

— Advertising: Ian and Lauren McCann

ianmacpne@outlook.com / 0776 815 1100

— Print and Distribution: Gordon Nutbrown

gordon@caxtonhouse.co.uk / 0118 969 3282

Advertisers' index

Abbeyfield Care 36

Abbey School 39

AB Walker Funeral Directors 8

ACG Services Locksmith 36

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Barn Store Henley 22

Berkshire Stump Removals 36

BHR Maintenance 30

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Blandy & Blandy Solicitors 12

Blue Moose Quality Graphics 24

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Crosfields School 8

Drone House Surveys 36

Gardiner’s Homecare 32

Good Oaks Home Care 24

Haslams Estate Agents 2

Hicks MOT and Service 16

Home Stairlifts 22

I Plumber 8

Kingfisher Bathrooms and Kitchens 34

Lock Fit 22

MC Cleaning 36

Mossinator Roof Cleaning Systems 6

Muck and Mulch Garden Supplies 30

Reading Blue Coat School 14

Richfield Flooring 8

Right at Home 18

Shiplake College 22

Smallwood Landscaping 36

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Thames Chimney Sweeps 36

Thames Valley Water Softeners 18

The Bull Inn Sonning 28

The Great House Coppa Club 28

The Mill at Sonning 40

The Window Cleaner 30

Tomalin & Son Funeral Directors 14

Tudor Chimney Sweeps 6

Venues with Views 6

Villars Hayward Chartered Accountant 39

Watchmaker 36

Water Softener Salt 22

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

Sarum Graphics Ltd, Old Sarum, Salisbury SP4 6QX.

The Parish Magazine template was designed in 2012 by

Roger Swindale rogerswindale@hotmail.co.uk

and David Woodward david@designforprint.org


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20 NOV 2025 - 17 JAN 2026

The Parish Magazine January 2026

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