The Parish Magazine February 2026

The

Parish

Magazine

The Parish Magazine — February 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

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

February 2026 — Candlemas and Lent

The church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY

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

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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

information — 1

Contents February 2026

THE VICAR'S Letter, 5

THE parish noticeboard

— Candlemas, 7

— How to make your Christingle, 7

— For your prayers, 7

— Lent 2026, 9

— Tempting thoughts, 9

— The Archbishop of Canterbury, 12

— The persecuted Church, 13

— Claude on the street, 15

— From the editor's desk, 15

— 2001 A Space Odyssey, 17

— Archbishop welcomes travellers,17

FEATURE

— Swimming round New York, 20-21

Around the Villages

— FoStAC Quiz night, 19

— The Scarecrows are coming, 19,

— Coffee and Chat,19

— Brambles animals, 19

— Sonning Glebe WI, 19

— Heart Month, 19

— RSPCA fund raiser, 19

— Sonning School celebrations, 23

— Phil Mason's animal world, 24

— FoStAC Bourne Again Shadows, 24

— STAY youth service, 24

HOME & GARDEN

— Afoot in the garden, 25

— Look out for thieves, 25

THE ARTS

— St John's Chapel Adel, 27

— Book Reviews, 27

HISTORY

— Was it really? 29

LANGUAGE

— Contonyms, 29

FASHION

— Fun and Romance, 31

This ISSUE's FRONT COVER

The

Parish

Magazine

February 2026 — Candlemas and Lent

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 March 2026

issue of The Parish Magazine is:

Friday 6 February 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

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 1 February

— 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)

— 10.30am Family Service

— 4.00pm Evensong

Sunday 8 February


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with

Sunday Club

— 6.00pm STAY Youth Service

Sunday 15 February


— 10.30am Parish Eucharist

— 3.00pm Messy Church in The Ark

Sunday 22 February


— 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.

HEALTH

— Men's health, 33

— 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 14 December, Phoebe Harvey, and Rosie Giles

— Sunday 4 January, Thomas James Mills

FUNERALS

— Monday 8 December, Lynda Jane Coldwell, Funeral service in

St Andrew's Church followed by Cremation at Reading Crematorium

— Tuesday 23 December, Frank Leighton Glasspool, Funeral service in

St Andrew's Church followed by Cremation at Reading Crematorium

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parish noticeboard — 1

The vicar's letter

DEAR FRIENDS,

St Paul had one goal in mind — and he was straining with all his might

to attain that goal — and that was to know Jesus Christ. No wonder

St Paul had such a lasting impact on the world because it makes a

real difference when you know what your goal in life is and then give

yourself unreservedly to that goal. We don’t always fulfil our dreams,

but having a compelling goal is surely a vital ingredient in an effective

and successful life.

In my experience, some Christians don’t have a clear understanding

of what God expects from them. Biblical scholar William Barclay told

of a dog he had once owned called Rusty, a bull terrier, who would

accompany him on walks through a meadow and beside a stream.

When they reached the stream Rusty had a passion for plunging into

the water, locating a rock on the bottom, getting it in his mouth, and

bringing it to the bank.

He would carefully deposit the stone some distance from the water’s

edge, and then go for another one. Time and again he would fetch his

treasured rock, repeating the process for hours, if so allowed.

Barclay asked this question: 'What is the point of retrieving rocks from

the bottom of a stream for this dog?' So far as he could determine, there

was none and the exercise served no discernible purpose at all. Barclay

then observed that this is the way many Christians are. They seem to

be going through the same monotonous routine every day, but without

a purpose; with no projected goal. They appear not to know what their

reason for existing actually is.

It was the Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, who wrote, 'Most of the people

I see suffer not from physical illness, but from spiritual aimlessness. They have

lost their aim. They have lost sight of who they really are and what is really

valuable'

ATTAINING THE PRIZE

If we recall St Paul’s Damascus Road experience, he was on a journey

to persecute Christians and as he neared Damascus, suddenly a light from

heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to

him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'

From that day forward, Paul was determined to do and to be what he

believed Christ had called him to do and to be. There was no turning back

once he had this vision of Christ.

Sir Thomas Lipton, founder of Lipton Tea was an accomplished racer of

yachts. He won many boating trophies, except the one he really wanted:

The America’s Cup. One day he was showing some friends all his trophies

in his home, and said, 'I’d give them all away to get the one I didn’t get!'

I don’t believe that St Paul fell short of his goal. I believe he came to

know Christ in both his death and resurrection. In fact, I believe that

everyone who seeks to know Christ will one day attain that prize; and it

will be the prize above all prize.

'I want to know Christ,' wrote St Paul, 'Yes, to know the power of his

resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.'

Warm wishes,

Jamie

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PARisH NOTICEBOARD — 2

Candlemas

The Presentation of Christ

In past centuries, the 40 days

of the Christmas season ended

on Candlemas which falls on the

second day of February.

In New Testament times 40 days

after the birth of a boy marked an

important day for the child.

It was when the baby made its

first ‘public appearance'.

Consequently, Mary, like all good

Jewish mothers, went to the Temple

with Jesus, her first male child in

order to ‘present him to the Lord’. At

the same time, as a new mother, she

would be ‘purified’.

THE LIGHT

Thus, this month the Christian

Church celebrates with the Festival

of the Presentation of Christ in the

Temple which in modern times is

known as Candlemas, a term which

gets its name because in the New

Testament Jesus is described as the

Light of the World.

At the early celebrations many

Christians developed a tradition of

marking the day by lighting large

numbers of candles.

The Church also fell into a

custom of blessing the year’s supply

of candles for the church on this

day, hence Candlemas.

NUNC DIMITTIS

The story of how Candlemas

began can be found in the Gospel of

Luke 2:22-40.

Simeon’s great declaration of

faith and recognition of who Jesus

was is of course found in the Nunc

Dimittis, which is embedded in the

Office of Evening Prayer in the West.

But in medieval times, Nunc

Dimittis was only used on this day

during the distribution of candles

before the Eucharist. Gradually it

became part of the daily prayer life

of the Church.

The Nunc Dimittis, which is also

known as the Song of Simeon, is a

canticle taken from the Gospel of

Luke, 2: 29-32.

Its Latin name came from the

opening words, of the Vulgate

translation of the passage, meaning

'Now you let depart'.


How to make your Christingle

You will need:

— a responsible adult to help you!

— one orange

— one candle

— four cocktail sticks

— red ribbon

— dried fruit or sweets

— a pin to hold the ribbon in place

— a small piece of aluminium foil

— scissors

Ask an adult to cut a thin slice off

the bottom of the orange so that it

stands firmly on a flat surface, and to

make a hole in the top of the orange

large enough for the candle, but don't

push the candle into the hole yet

Wrap the ribbon around the middle

of the orange and fix it in position

with the pin.

Cut the aluminium foil with

the scissors to cover the top of the

orange and press the foil into the

hole so that it makes a small saucer

to catch any candle wax that drips off

when the Christingle is lit.

Push the candle into the top of

the orange where the foil is and make

sure that it is held firmly in place.

DO NOT LIGHT THE CANDLE YET!

Put the dried fruit or your

favourite sweets on three of the

cocktail sticks and leave the fourth

one empty!

Push the cocktail sticks into the

orange so that your Christingle looks

like the one in the picture above but

DO NOT LIGHT THE CANDLE YET!

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

DURING FEBRUARY . . .

— The Children's Society

— The new Archbishop of Canterbury

— Plans for our new Youth Charity

— Christians in Iran

Bring your unlit Christingle to

the Family Service at St Andrew's

Church at 10.30am on Sunday

1 February and it will be lit for you.

After the service you can eat the

sweets and fruit!

This is what your Christingle means:

— The orange represents the world

that God created for us all to enjoy.

— The red ribbon indicates the love

and blood of Christ.

— The dried fruits and sweets are

symbols of the fruits of the earth

God created for us all.

— The four sticks represent all the

people of the earth

— The lit candle is Jesus, the light

of the world, who shines in even the

darkest corners of our lives.

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PARisH NOTICEBOARD — 3


Ash Wednesday 18 February — Holy Saturday 2 April

LENT 2026

'A spoonful of 'strengthening medicine'

Remember the Winnie the Pooh stories? And Kanga’s insistence on

Baby Roo’s taking his Strengthening Medicine? It’s ‘really quite a

nice taste when you get used to it’, she explained, although I’m not

convinced Baby Roo always agreed, writes Rev Roy Shaw, a retired but

active priest in the diocese of York, where he is a spiritual director.

It can be helpful to think of Lent as

a sort of medicine; an opportunity

to strengthen us in the things that

are good, rein in other facets of our

personality, and reset the compass

to the true North of following Jesus

— Spring-clean of the soul, if you

like.

Baby Roo — and Piglet on the

one occasion he was subject to it —

found 'Strengthening Medicine' not

to their liking, and we may groan

inwardly at the thought of ‘giving up

something for Lent’.

Think of what lies behind this

‘giving up’.

It is so that we are strengthened,

our character refined, our prejudices

examined, our junk thrown

overboard, and we may come to

Passiontide and Easter more fit

to walk the way of the Cross, and

rise in new life with Jesus at his

resurrection.

CONSTRUCTIVE

Nor is Lent just a case of giving

up chocolate. One year I gave up

Facebook for Lent, having spent far

too much time scrolling through it

each day. It freed me to do other,

more constructive things.

And instead of giving up, why

not take up something you’ve

been meaning to do but never got

round to; something life-affirming,

something good for God.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday,

which this year falls on 18 February.

Many Christians go public with

their intention to keep a good Lent

by being ‘ashed’ — the sign of the

Cross made on the forehead in a

mixture of ash and holy oil at a

special service that day.

The ash is usually the burnt

remains of the palm crosses from

last year — if you would like to

experience this come along to any

of the Ash Wednesday services at

St Andrew's Church this year.

Having been 'ashed', the

intention of the 40 days of Lent is to

maintain a steady course closer to

God, symbolised by the giving up of

something — such as chocolate —

which has a hold on us.

And/or better still, make vow to

do something spiritual extra every

day such as spending more time in

prayer, or reading your Bible more

regularly.

Lent reminds us that we walk

with Jesus on the way to the Cross,

mindful of the ‘riches of God’s

kindness, forbearance and patience’

‘I can resist everything but temptation’ (Oscar Wilde).

Vetre Antanaviciute-meskauskiene, Dreamstime.com

as St Paul has it, and mindful too of

Jesus’ choice of the Cross as a way for

us to enter those riches more fully.

And it helps us to face the

immensity of that sacrifice, and the

immensity of God’s riches made

available to us in Jesus.

We need all the 'Strengthening

Medicine' we can get!

Some tempting thoughts . . .

Temptation is a test of whether we do things our way or God’s way. After 40

days of fasting Jesus was tired, hungry and vulnerable. Like him, the devil will

attack us at our most venerable moments, especially when we are stressed.

The first temptation was to turn stones into bread: Jesus’ ministry was not

about putting his own needs first, but being nourished by God’s word. ‘We

do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’

(Deuteronomy 8:3). Like Jesus, we need to make God our priority and trust him.

The second temptation was to put God to the test: Jumping off the temple

pinnacle would have been a dramatic way for Jesus to gain popularity, but this

was not God’s way! ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ (Deuteronomy 6:16).

We too need to learn this lesson!

The third temptation was to worship Satan: The devil took Jesus up a mountain

to offer him worldly power. In contrast, his calling as Messiah was to be marked

by suffering and honouring God. ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only’

(Deuteronomy 6:13). This is to be our experience of living for God.

Jesus stands with us in our temptations. As we claim the promises of scripture,

like him, we will find strength in the Spirit’s power and the victory of the cross.

‘If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be

depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest!’ (Corrie Ten Boom).



Westy

Carol singing outside The Bull Inn Sonning

STAY SKI TRIP

We headed to Milton Keynes for a second ski lesson

in early January to help get ready for the first ever

STAY ski trip with Oak Hall in February 2026! We

are off to the Black Forest, Feldberg in Germany. At

Milton Keynes we had six in a lesson and enjoyed a

two hour session on the real snow slope.

STAY ON FRIDAY

STAY youth club ran over December three times

with the Christmas glow party on the 19th. We had

glow sticks, glow face paint, glow balloons, glow

tape, glow volleyball and our very own leader, Ethan

Green, spinning the decks! The youth club runs

every Friday in term time from 6.45-8.15pm and

year 6 are welcome on the 4th Friday of each month.

STAY ON SUNDAY

The STAY on Sunday group is for all secondary

aged youth and meets every Sunday but at different

times: The first Sunday of each month is a Family

service at 10.30am in the main church.

The second Sunday of each month the STAY Youth

Service at 6pm in the main church with dinner

afterwards in The Ark.

The third Sunday of each month is youth led at

10.30am in The Ark.

The fourth Sunday of each month is 10.30am in the

upper room for Bible content and games.

The fifth Sunday of each month is a STAY Service at

10.30am. We meet at The Ark.

STAY ON MONDAY

Our weekly Monday group from 6-7.15pm meets

alternately in youths homes and one week in The

Ark. We have spent time getting to know our bibles

as well as have fun and drink hot chocolate on the

cold winter nights.

STAY YOUTH SERVICE

We started the brand new STAY Youth Service back in

late 2025 and we hope to continue in the same thread

of singing together, reading scripture aloud, praying

for the world and sharing Holy Communion around

the altar.

We then head to the ark for a meal afterwards. The

service starts in the church at 6pm and ends in The

Ark around 7.30pm.

The dates for 2026 are: 8 February, 8 March, 12

April, 10 May, 14 June and 12 July, before we break for

the summer.

STAY IN SCHOOLS

Our schools work continued throughout December and

the lunch clubs and CU ended with lots of Christmas

quizzes, Christmas games and tasty snacks.

I was also able to deliver the Piggott Christmas

assembly when I focussed on what the birth of Jesus

means to me.

I threw sweets out over all the year groups and

talked about the parable of the sower and how Jesus

being born is like his love being thrown over us all.

Plus I shared my favourite icon picture by Andrei

Rublev who painted the Trinity in the 15th Century.

The most amazing part being the invitation to join

the holy trinity at the table for food. An invitation

which is for every single person in the birth of Christ.

We also had the honour of joining Sonning for their

Christmas service in St Andrew's Church and give a

Christmas blessing over them all.

THANK YOU CORINNE

Finally I want to take this opportunity to say a

huge thanks to Corinne for all her hard work over the

past three years! We want to wish her and Matt all the

best for the safe arrival of their baby and a wonderful

maternity leave.

youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk


Corinne

SUNDAY CLUB

We spent December busily preparing for the annual crib

service and our efforts were rewarded with a massive

success! All the children were brave standing up and

speaking and singing well in front of the record number of

457 people who attended the service!

MESSY CHURCH

We celebrated Messy Christmas with a variety of

activities, including a giant colour-in tablecloth, pin the

nose on the snowman, filled our own Christmas crackers,

sang Christmas carols and rang jingle bells, and we even

had a visit from a very special visitor — St Nicholas!

SCHOOLS

Westy and I answered some of the 'Big Christmas

Questions' at one of the primary schools and enjoyed

the students' curiosity and sense of wonder. They asked

amazing questions about life, the Bible, and the Christian

Faith. It is lovely to be able to explore deeper life questions

with them.

We also enjoyed an advent carol service at one of the

secondary schools, and were amazed by how talented the

students were in the spoken word, instrument playing,

and singing.

It was also a joy to see some of the nativities that the

primary schools put on and to see what hard work the

students put into learning and presenting the Christmas

story in a fun and engaging way.

Special kudos to the staff and teachers who encourage

their students to grow in confidence and creativity

through these events.

THANK YOU!

We would like to extend a massive thank you to all the

adults who helped with any of the children's work last

year! It was a wonderfully successful year filled with

fun, games, crafts, singing, story-telling, and more, all

thanks to your support. We have a lovely, generous, and

selfless community and we are grateful that you, and your

children, are a special part of it!

corinne@sonningparish.org.uk



Twenty facts about

Bishop Sarah, Archbishop

of Canterbury

The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE officially became

Archbishop of Canterbury on 28 January 2026 when she was legally

confirmed at St Paul’s Cathedral. You may know that she had been Bishop

of London for several years, and that she is the first woman to ever become

Archbishop of Canterbury. But what else do you know about her?

FACT 1

Sarah Mullally he was born in Woking

in 1962, and is one of four children,

with two sisters and one brother.

FACT 2

She attended Winston Churchill

Comprehensive School and Woking

Sixth Form College. She went on to

South Bank Polytechnic and Heythrop

College, University of London

FACT 3

Sarah worked as a nurse in the National

Health Service, which she has described

as 'an opportunity to reflect the love

of God'. She specialised as a cancer

nurse and became a ward sister at

Westminster Hospital, before being

made Director of Nursing at Chelsea

and Westminster Hospital.

FACT 4

In 1999, aged 37, she was appointed the

Government’s Chief Nursing Officer for

England in the Department of Health.

Sarah was the youngest person ever to

be appointed to this post.

In 2005 Sarah was made a Dame

Commander of the British Empire

in recognition of her outstanding

contribution to nursing.

FACT 5

She had become a Christian at the

age of 16. While working as the

Chief Nursing Officer for England,

she discerned a call to ordination

and entered training ministry at the

South East Institute for Theological

Education.

FACT 6

Sarah was ordained in 2001 and

served her curacy in St Saviour’s

Battersea Fields, initially as a selfsupporting

minister, before leaving her

government post in 2004, which she

has described at the time as 'the biggest

decision I have ever made'.

FACT 7

In 2011 Sarah was installed as Canon

Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral

and three years later took the role as

Suffragan Bishop of Crediton in the

Diocese of Exeter, the fourth woman

to become a Church of England

Bishop.

FACT 8

On 12 May 2018, Bishop Sarah was

installed as the 133rd Bishop of London

at St Paul’s Cathedral, the first woman

to hold that role.

FACT 9

Bishop Sarah sits in the House of Lords

as one of the Lords Spirituals, having

been introduced on 24 May 2018. Her

maiden speech paid tribute to the NHS

on its 70th anniversary, telling the

Lords: 'I am the Bishop I am today because

of that first vocation to nursing, and

compassion and healing are constants at

the heart of who I am.'

FACT 10

Sarah was sworn in as a member of

the Privy Council in March 2018 and

became Dean of Her Majesty’s Chapels

Royal in July 2019.

FACT 11

As Bishop of London she led the CofE’s

Living in Love and Faith process from

2020 - 2023. This included the formative

stages of discernment and decisionmaking

that led to the Prayers of Love

and Faith for same-sex couples.

FACT 12

Sarah has served on the Church’s

National Safeguarding Steering Group

and is also Lead Bishop for Health and

Social Care issues.

FACT 13

As a Lord Spiritual, she has drawn from

both her pastoral experience and her

background in nursing and healthcare

and has played a key role in the ongoing

debates on assisted dying.

FACT 14

Recently, Sarah chaired the Triennium

Funding Working Group that developed

the CofE’s three-year spending plan that

led to significant investments in local

churches and parish clergy.

FACT 15

Archbishop Sarah is married to

Eamonn, an IT and enterprise

architect who enjoys beekeeping and

volunteering as a London travel guide,

FACT 16

The couple have two grown-up

children, Liam and Grace.

FACT 17

Archbishop Sarah has continued her

interest in the health service having

been a non-executive director at the

Royal Marsden NHS Foundation

Trust then at Salisbury NHS

Foundation Hospital.

FACT 18

She is Chair of Christian Aid.

FACT 19

Archbishop Sarah has spoken

about her dyslexia, describing her

difficulties with writing and reading.

FACT 20

Archbishop Sarah loves cooking,

walking and pottery.


The current protests in the streets

of Iran can be linked to the death

in police custody of Mahsa Amini

(illustrated right centre) in

September 2022

She had been arrested for allegedly

violating mandatory hijab law by

wearing her hijab 'improperly'.

Female protesters have played a

key role in the demonstrations.

Protests spread throughout Iran

and the government responded with

internet blackouts, restrictions on

social media usage, tear gas, and

gunfire.

At least 3,428 (as on 14 January)

people had been killed as a result

of the Iranian government’s

intervention, according to the NGO

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO).

In 2019 protests resulted in 1,500

being killed, and there had been

protests preceding these in 1999,

2009, and 2011-2012.

SAT-7 is a UK-based charity whose

vision is to see a growing Church in

the Middle East and North Africa.

At the time of the protests in the

aftermath of Amini’s death, SAT-7 in

its Persian TV channel reported the

comments of pastors in the Iranian

diaspora church.

They were tackling the question

of how should Iran’s Christians

respond?

Pastor Reza Sotoudeh said that

prayer is 'our foremost weapon, but

that was not a reason to be silent while

others cry out for change.'

He urged Christians to have

'proper care and attention' when they

read Biblical commands to obey state

authorities.

''We must not use Romans 13 to

create a licence to be silent before evil”,

he stressed.

Examining the teaching in this

chapter of Romans, he highlighted

verses 3 and 4:

'For rulers hold no terror for those

who do right but for those who do

wrong…Do what is right and you will be

commended.'

The pastor also gave examples of

God’s servants who chose to disobey

the authorities: Peter and John when

ordered not to teach in the name of

Jesus; Daniel refusing to obey the

pagan laws of Babylon; the Magi

ignoring Herod’s request to report

the whereabouts of the Messiah.

On the other hand, he added,

Christians should always follow the

way of Christ.

They are not to join in the cries of

'death to this or that person', he said,

alluding to the shouts being made on

the streets against Iran’s Ayatollah

Khameini.“

'As it says in Ephesians 6 verse 12,

our battle is not with human beings

who are flesh and blood; rather it is with

creatures that are invisible and rule the

invisible world', he explained.

He went on to say that we are

all encouraged to keep praying for

brothers and sisters in Iran which

is placed at number nine on Open

Doors’ World Watch List of the

countries where Christians are

persecuted the most.

Christians who have converted

from Islam are most vulnerable to

persecution and discrimination.

As well as the domestic unrest

described above, Iran’s ties with


Support and prayers asked for Iranian Christians

SAT-7

Mahsa Amini Tribute Mural By Lexi Bella,

NYC, NY, USA. Mural memorializing Mahsa

Amini located in the First Street Green

Cultural Park on Manhattan`s Lower East

Side.

The above photograph was taken in New

York City, New York, on 12 November 2022

by Erin Alexis Randolph, Dreamstime.com.

KEEP PRAYING

THE PERSECUTED CHURCH BY COLIN BAILEY

Cristian Valderas, Dreamstime.com

Hamas and Hezbollah have led to

ongoing tensions with Israel.

Israel and Iran continued to

exchange strikes in the conflict that

began in June 2025.

Despite the current events and

opposition, the church in Iran is

growing and the Gospel is spreading.

References and further reading

Wikipedia Mahsa Amini protests

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

SAT-7 !ran Protests: How Should

Iranian Christians Respond?:

https://www.sat7uk.org/iran-protestshow-should-iranian-christiansrespond/

BBC News article: Israel-Iran: How

did latest conflict start and where

could it lead?:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/

cdj9vj8glg2o

Open Doors World Watch List 2025:

Iran: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/

persecution/world-watch-list/iran/



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PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 7

Claude

writes

on 'the

street'

I was fortunate enough to be given tickets

to 'My Fair Lady' at Sonning Mill, over

the Christmas and New Year period. I was

delighted because it is one of my favourite

shows.

Originally, it was produced in Broadway in

1956.

Barbara’s cousin, who lived in Canada,

sent a vinyl copy to us as there was no

internet in those days.

The show didn’t come to London until

a couple of years later and there was a big

splash about it. By then, I knew all the

songs!

On the day that Barbara and I saw it in

London, the star didn’t seem to perform

very well — he was not as good as on the

record.

I noticed that he said, 'Damn, damn, damn'

rather pathetically and not as forcefully as

he should have.

The next day, it was pointed out that he

was an understudy.

Julie Andrews played Eliza Doolittle

in the original stage show but not in the

original film version when Eliza was played

by Audrey Hepburn. I remember there was a

bit of an argument going on at the time.

The film went on to win to win eight

Oscars.

I have always liked the music and

remember all the songs. My favourite is ‘On

the Street where you live’, which is probably

one of the best known. It even made the pop

charts for a little while.

We are very lucky to have such a great

little theatre on the street where we live!

From the

editor's

desk


With help of some friends . . .

Whenever I am asked how I manage to find, edit and write articles for

this magazine I am always reminded of a lesson my first newspaper

editor taught me on the day I told him that there was no news.

He sent me out to walk around the streets of London. I was not

to speak to anyone, but keep my eyes and ears open, and not to come

back until I had a story.

The result of my walk produced my first front page, story! And this

is almost still the case today when I sit down to produce The Parish

Magazine — the only addition is that I find praying also helps!

This issue has been no exception, except that it has reminded me

that producing this magazine would not be possible without the help

of our Ministry Team and other regular contributors who I have met

through St Andrew's Church, people such as Claude, whose lighthearted

stories I know are enjoyed by many readers, Colin Bailey, who

regularly updates us from around the world about the continuing

persecution of Christians because of their faith, Anne Elgeti who keeps

us informed about improvements and changes in the NHS, Harriet

Nelson who advises us on the ever changing fashion world, and Phil

Mason, who attends Church occasionally with his brother-in-law —

who is a regular. Phil is a graphic designer as well as being a talented

musician and cartoonist.

He is one of our contributors that I have known the longest — I

worked with him many years ago when I led a team of press officers and

he worked in an adjacent office.

There are many others, of course, and they all demonstrate just how

talented a congregation we have with many different interests and

some fascinating hobbies.

Take James, for example, who is pictured below with one of his

remarkable models that he makes from discarded packaging. This one is

very topical as it is of a village bedecked with snow. Once he has created

it, he usually dismantles it and builds something different.

If you have a hobby or interest or club activities that you would like

to share with us, please let me know — it will help to keep The Parish

Magazine fresh and interesting. We all have a story to tell!

MutareHawk, Dreamstime.com


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PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 8


By Rev Roy Shaw, a retired, active priest in the Diocese of York where he is a spiritual director

I recently saw an excerpt from the

film ‘2001 A Space Odyssey’, and had

to remind myself that it was released

in the early summer of 1968.

I was so enthralled and mystified

by the film that I saw it twice that

year, and it’s still staggering in its

realisation.

No computer-generated imagery

back then; it was all shot with realistic

models of spaceships, slow-spinning

space-stations, lunar bases and starscapes

against the blackness of space.

PAINSTAKING

It recreated all the stuff needed to

make people believe that what they

saw on the screen was credible as a

vision of what, in 1968, lay 30 years

ahead. Painstaking, detailed and exact

camera work obviously played a big

part as well.

One critic has even said that the

scenes in the space station and the

space ships, especially of the humans

piloting or guiding those machines,

The Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, who was Bishop of Reading

from 2004 - 2010, and is now the Archbishop of York, has

again called for the Church of England to provide more

pastoral care and compassion for the estimated 200,000

Gypsies, Travellers and Roma living in the UK.

Seven years have passed since Stephen Cottrell first

introduced a debate calling for more pastoral care and

compassion for the estimated 200,000 Gypsies, Travellers

and Roma living in the UK when he encouraged churches

across the country to 'act positively in support of Gypsies

Travellers and Roma.'

On that day, General Synod passed a resolution which

included asking all the dioceses to appoint chaplains for

the people concerned.

look more credible than anything

NASA put out.

‘2001’ still takes my breath away

nearly 60 years later. It looks so

convincing!

Now, here’s the confession bit; I

haven’t really grasped the ending,

when Dave — the astronaut we have

followed throughout the film —

reaches out to embrace the future as a

star-child.

At least, I think that’s what the

ending is about, but I still have

questions.

STAGGERING

All this has parallels with our

faith, at least for some of us.

Christian faith offers us a vision,

and a staggering one at that.

We can embrace the future with

hope, even though we have no clear

sense of the ending beyond our

earthly pilgrimage.

We are given some clues in the

Scriptures and the words of Jesus,

Ozgur Guvenc, Dreamstime.com

but much of it is hidden from us.

As we live out our faith,

committing our ways to God each

day, I trust we have discovered it is a

credible faith that keeps us keeping

on through the yearly cycle of

Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, Easter,

Pentecost, and Advent.

‘God is with us’, ‘God is for us’, ‘God

is in us’, ‘God is near us’.

All these truths, experienced day

by day, are staggering, and take a

lifetime to digest.

We don’t know all the answers,

but we have enough to go on to trust

God in the here and now.

Are there films, tv series, books,

maybe a magazine article, which

have cast some light on your pilgrim

path?

Which of them has helped

you follow God with more

understanding?

What comes to mind?

Give thanks for all the ways God

leads you on the daily path.

Archbishop of York calls for a travellers welcome

So far 12 of the 42 dioceses have appointed chaplains,

although more dioceses are said to be looking to appoint

them, and in 2023 GRTFC (Gypsy, Roma and Traveller

Friendly Churches) initiative was launched to support

churches that are willing to build bridges, provide

hospitality and to include travellers in the regular life of

their church.

The Archbishop of York has become one of their patrons.

He says: 'I’m excited to see the developing work of Gypsy Roma

Traveller Friendly Churches. My prayer is that every Church

becomes a place where people from these communities are

welcomed.'

For information about GRTFC can be found at:

https://sanctuaryplaces.co.uk/friendly-churches/


around the villages — 1 around the villages — 1

Friends of St Andrew’s Church


The Scarecrows are coming!

QUIZ NIGHT

FoStAC AGM followed by

Quiz with Fish & Chip Supper

Thursday

26th March

2026

7.30pm till

10.30pm

The Ark, St

Andrew’s

Church, Sonning

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.

£20 PER PERSON

To book your place please email Sally Wilson on

mustangsallywilson@gmail.com or 07876 899513

www.fostac.org

EVENT IN AID OF FUNDRAISING FOR FUTURE REPAIRS TO ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH.

Coffee, Cake

and Chat!

4 February 2026

Pearson Hall Sonning

10.30am — 12noon

All welcome !

Yes, it really is two years since we last saw the

scarecrows in Sonning! They are returning on

Sunday - Monday 24-25 May this year, so it is now

time to start thinking about your entry.

Look out for a flyer that will arrive through your

door this month and spread the word!

For more information

c.carr71@hotmail.co.uk

Sonning Glebe WI

Sonning Glebe WI has been has busy as ever as including

visiting the Mill at Sonning Theatre, taking a pleasant

village walks on a balmy August evening, serving hundreds

of cups of tea at village events, as well as enjoying their

annual BBQ and a harvest supper.

If you would like to give WI a try, they meet on the

third Monday in the month, 7.30pm at Pearson Hall when

you can be sure of a warm welcome.

Heart Month

According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) every

3 minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular

disease and it has declared February as 'Heart Month' when

you can walk 28, 50, or 100 miles in the month, to raise

funds for vital research. You can take part fund raising on

your own or with friends. To find out more how every step

you take helps keep a heart beating go to:

https://www.bhf.org.uk/.

Need a charity fund raiser challenge?

A good starting place is the RSPCA Challenge website

where there are plenty of ideas and they will even help you

create a challenge that suits you or your group. You can

find it at: https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/fundraise

TWENTY IS NOT A BRIDG


FEATURE

FOR MARATHON SWIMM

In early January 2025, writes Stuart Bowman, I was

notified that my application to attempt the Twenty Bridges

swim in New York City had been accepted and that I had

beeen allocated the 19 July.

I had applied with two other English Channel swimmer

friends, one of whom I swam Robben Island to Cape Town

with in April 2024, and both of whom I regularly train with.

We were delighted to find that we would all swim within 24

hours of each other, meaning we could be there not only to

support one another, but also enjoy and spend time together

in NYC afterwards.

The 20 Bridges swim is a complete 28.5 mile loop of

Manhattan and the name comes from the fact that you swim

under the 20 bridges that link Manhattan with Brooklyn, Ward

Island, The Bronx and New Jersey.. The deal was struck that

Debs, my wife, would be my support crew for the swim as long

there was a family holiday in New York and Connecticut, and

so we flew out with another swimmer on Tuesday 15 July, closely

followed by the third swimmer and his family.

A QUICK SWIM

We spent a few days enjoying the city, including a quick

swim at Coney Island — before the Friday briefing with

our kayakers who would escort us the following day on our

circumnavigation of the Big Apple. Debs would be on a RIB —

a Rigid Inflatable Boat.

The briefing was fairly straight forward, with the key

objective of swimming hard at the start to make Hells Gate

— where the East River meets the Harlem River — before the

tide turned.

The waters around Manhattan are complex due to the

tidal flows and there was real pressure to ensure we hit

Hells Gate at the correct time otherwise the swim would be

impossible to complete. Perhaps more worryingly was in the

briefing that the support crew could only get into the water

to cool off when told that the water was safe. There then

followed stories about what had been seen in the Harlem

river over recent days, including, rats, various dead animals

and syringes being the more printable of the items listed!

CHOPPY?

Saturday arrived and our start time was a civilised 2.30pm

so we met an hour or so before at North Cove Marina on the

Hudson under the shadow of the One World Trade Centre.

Once swim ready I with Sami, and two American

swimmers jumped on to our respective ribs for the short trip

to Pier A where the swim would start.

Pier A is at the southern end of Manhattan on the Hudson

side and is just around the corner from the Staten Island

ferry terminal.

We were soon given the nod to jump into the water, wait

for the horn to sound and then start swimming.

To say it was choppy is an understatement, and after the

horn sounded off I went, quickly passing the ferry terminal

hoping that the swell would die down once I entered the East

River but sadly it didn’t and I struggled to find a rhythm in

the early part of the swim.

It wasn’t long before the first bridge — the impressive

Brooklyn Bridge — was in sight and as I passed underneath

the water started to settle and I too started to settle into the

swim.

Despite being conscious of needing to make good progress

I could not stop myself making sure I was taking in the

amazing skyline of lower Manhattan. It is very special to see

the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings from water level mid

river. There was a lot of activity in the East River in terms of

boat traffic and it wasn’t too long before I was swimming past

the UN building which again is amazing from the water. The


E TOO FAR

ER STUART!

next sight was Roosevelt Island and the Queensboro Bridge

aka ‘Spiderman Bridge’, here I stopped for a quick feed and

was told we were well on target to hit Hells Gate — or Mill

Rock — which was almost in sight.

The top of Roosevelt Island was where I could really feel

the differing movement of the water, and, as I was swimming

well, my kayaker took a fairly direct line across Hells Gate as

we entered Harlem River. This was really cool. I could feel the

strength of the current and eddies as we swam across.

We had beaten the tide and were swimming against

the flow for the first hour or so in the Harlem which had a

completely different feel. The narrow and flat water, with

bridges being ticked off fairly quickly also gave a completely

different landscape. It was now a more industrial and less

glamourous one as the river intersects Harlem in Manhattan

on one side and The Bronx on the other.

FAMILY INSPIRATION

Family friends on land were looking after my 13 year old

son and it was great to see and hear them shouting support

from the bridges in The Bronx, using the film The Warriors

as their inspiration hopping from one subway station to

another!

The upper part of the Harlem became more scenic as

it stretches towards the top. It was like swimming in the

countryside after I had passed the huge, 100 foot high 'C' for

Columbia University.

The penultimate bridge was Spuyten Duyvil railroad swing

bridge, and once through this creek, I swam round a corner at

the northern tip of Manhattan to enter the Hudson.

There was only a 20 kilometre home straight left. Once

through Hells Gate I had been following my usual half hourly

feeds of 300ml of pure maltodextrin to keep me fuelled and

was feeling OK as I entered the mighty Hudson.

The huge George Washington Bridge was in sight and it

was twilight by the time I got there. It was magical to swim

under this monster, double decker, suspension bridge nearly

a mile long. As darkness fell, the next couple of hours were a

slog. The twinkling lights of downtown never seemed to get

closer and the stretch of Washington Heights followed by

Central Park — I could tell where I was by the dip in building

heights —seemed to go on forever.

THE LAST FEED

Head down, however, paid dividends. At last I was

swimming with the skyscrapers in my eye line with every

breath I took. Not long after, in the shadow of the One World

Trade Centre, my kayaker told me it was my last feed and to

pause and take in my surroundings.

To my left the buildings felt to envelop me, and ahead

the illuminated Statute of Liberty was such a privilege to see

from the water.

Another 15 minutes or so and Pier A came into sight. As I

swam passed a whistle was blown to confirm I had completed

my loop — 9 hours and 33 minutes after setting off.

THE NEXT TIME?

After a New York style breakfast the next morning, I

felt sprightly enough to cheer on the third of our party to

complete their swim.

I then kept my side of the deal and we had an amazing

family holiday enjoying New York and Connecticut.

Twenty Bridges is part of the Triple Crown of marathon

swimming, along with the English Channel and the Catalina

Channel— a 23 mile stretch of water between Catalina Island

and Los Angeles (LA). I am hoping to coincide another family

holiday in 2028 to do this swim and take in the LA Olympics

— who said marathon swimming was dull?



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around the villages — 2 around the villages — 1

Sonning School celebrate Christmas

into the

New Year!

Christmas is always a special time

for us at Sonning Primary, writes

Phil Sherwood, head teacher

Earlier in the term, our pupils in

Year 5 (Maple class) visited The Mill

at Sonning, where they heard about

life in theatre, and then they were

able to perform their own poetry on

stage.

This was an incredible experience

for our pupils, and as someone who

visited The Mill over Christmas

for their excellent performance

of White Christmas, the chance

to stand on the same stage as

such talented actors and expert

production teams was inspiring.

Thank you, as always, to Sally

Hughes and The Mill team for

providing such a wonderful theatre

house in our village and for always

supporting our school.

As always, we held our annual

nativity and carol service at

St Andrew's Church, when the

entire school came together for

a wonderful performance by the

pupils.

Mrs Walton, the chair of

governors, then joined me to

talk about the school's successes

in 2025, including our best ever

Year 6 assessment results and our

Outstanding Ofsted report.

Bob Peters writes: In January, I had the

privilege again to visit Sonning School

on Epiphany to share some of my large

collection of Nativity sets with all the

pupils.

It is always a pleasure to make this

annual visit as the children are keen

to learn about my collection that dates

from 1982 when, during a pilgrimage

to Israel, I bought my first set in

Bethlehem. It had been hand-carved

from local olive wood. When I returned,

I took it to a school assembly to talk

about it. The children's interest inspired

me to buy other sets to show them how

in different parts of the world we tell

the same Christmas story differently!

Above: Pupils in The Mill at Sonning

Above: Pupils in St Andrew's Church for the annual carol service and below, back in School at

Epiphany they enjoyed Bob Peters' annual visit to learn about his Nativity set collection.


around AROUND the THE villages VILLAGES —– 13

Phil Mason's animal world

Catapillar!

Cowboys!

Dog collar!

Pigswill!

BOURNE AGAIN

SHADOWS

RELIVE THE HITS

th

FRIDAY 20 February 2026

7.30pm

@

Reading Hockey & Cricket Club

Sonning Lane, Sonning, RG4 6ST

£22 per ticket

(There is a bar to purchase drinks at the Club

To purchase tickets please contact

Sally Wilson on 07876 899513 or

mustangsallywilson@gmail.com

HOME & GARDEN

AFOOT IN THE GARDEN

The promise of sunny

days to come

By Ray Puddefoot

February brings that uplifting moment when we know

that warmer days are on their way and our gardens'

transformation from winter browns and greys gathers a

pace.

The promise of warming sunny days grows and grows

until the day we all notice the world is green and lush

again.

A promise that starts with the Snowdrops, crocus,

winter eaconites, dwarf narcissus, primroses, hellebores

and friends.

While the deciduous trees and shrubs are still leafless,

take a moment to assess the structure of your garden and

plan any changes. Look to achieve a natural balance of

shape and form. If you want to colour theme your borders,

I would recommend getting a copy of the RHS

Encyclopaedia Of Plants And Flowers.

Visiting gardens and concentrating on structural

features, especially in February, can be very inspirational.

I have a project to make a wild, tangled, rustic trellis

inspired by a visit to Puzzle Wood in the Forest of Dean.

It is a magical place used in tv programmes and films

including ‘Dr Who’, ‘Merlin’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘Harry Potter’ and

‘The Secret Garden’.

Nearer to home many a Botanic Gardens has exciting,

small intimate gardens that are full of structural and

planting ideas.

FINISH WINTER PRUNING

Mild February days are a great opportunity to complete

the winter pruning and give the garden a tidy.

Direct spring seed sowing of half-hardy annuals and

perennials is a great budget friendly way of adding colour

to your borders.

It always amazes me how spring edging lawns makes a

garden look so neat and tidy.

Repair bare patches in lawns by lightly forking the soil

and sowing fresh lawn seed mixed with compost.

It’s a rewarding time to plant as the moist soils and

warming weather helps plants to establish quickly.

Many ‘summer impact’ bulbs and corms can be planted

from February onwards.

These include Lillies (I love the giants), gladioli,

sparaxis, nerine, cyclamen and crocosmia.

Always water well and mulch after planting to settle

plants in and reduce competition from weeds.

FEBRUARY TOP TIPS

PRUNE AND TIDY

PLANTING

SOWING

MULCHING BORDERS

SERVICE LAWNMOWERS


February images by Ray Puddefoot

Look out! Thieves about!

Keep a close eye on your belongings because, sadly, no

one else seems to be able to do so. Recent figures have

revealed that more than 121,000 car theft offences in

the UK were not solved in 2024-25.

Several police forces reported that more than 80% of car

thefts were unsolved with 35 of the 44 police forces in

England and Wales having a total rate of 6o% of all cases

going unsolved. Some critics even said that the dismal

figures shows that car theft has been decriminalised!

In the Reading area there was over 8,900 thefts from a

vehicle' while in the Thames Valley area only 58 thefts led

to the offender being charged.

Theft has been around for a long time. Jesus warned us

not to over-value the things that we own. He said:

'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where thieves break in and steal.' (Matthew 6:19)


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THE ARTS — 1

Rev Michael Burgess writes . . . George Herbert is a

much-loved Anglican poet, who died aged 40 years in

1633. His volume of poems ‘The Temple’ was published

later that year. In it the poet leads the reader through

the church door into the building to meditate on all that

is seen inside. That procession through the church is the

theme of this monthly series of articles during which

we will visit a variety of English churches as we make

our way from the font to the altar. We begin outside a

glorious Norman building of St John’s Church, Adel, near

Leeds in West Yorkshire, pictured below . . ..

St John's Church Adel 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.

It shows a monster about to

swallow a man, but open the

Tim Green, Wikimedia

door and there is safety and

protection away from the harms of the world.

It is the theme in St John’s Gospel of Jesus as the door to

the sheepfold. Enter through Jesus, we are told, to find

the safety of the flock, and also to find nourishment and

renewal.

We can stand at the door of this beautiful church or at

the door of our own churches. It opens and welcomes us to

enjoy the friendship and refreshment within.

INTO THE WORLD

The door could stay closed, protecting us from the

storms of life without that threaten us like the dark

creature in the Norman sanctuary ring of Adel church.

But we know that in the church building we have no

abiding city.

Our worship ends and the door will open once again to

lead us out into that world.

Within we have found nourishment in the sacrament

of the altar, in the word of scripture, and in the fellowship

of the flock.

We go out to share those gifts with the world that

others may come to know Jesus as the door that leads to

life eternal.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's

Lent Book 2026, SPCK, £11.99


Book Reviews

Dancing to the Heartbeat of God

With a foreword and an afterword

by the Archbishop of Canterbury

designate, an introduction by the

Archbishop of York, and chapters

by around 30 authors drawn from

across the globe, the volume creates

a sense of excitement, dynamism

and faithful witness in its gloriously

diverse writers and readers alike. Its

testimonies and stories encourage people in the Church of

England to share their faith with others.

Draw Near – Life-Giving Habits for Lent

Kate Bruce, Michael Leyden and Jessica

Martin, CHP, £22.99

This is the official Church of England booklet

for Lent 2026. It invites you to develop a

rhythm of life that will help you grow as a

disciple of Christ day by day, especially as

we prepare to celebrate the mystery of God’s

saving love at Easter.

Each week a different contributor explores

an activity central to Christian discipleship:

worship, prayer, Scripture, communion, service to others and

sharing the good news. For each day of Lent, it offers daily

Bible readings, images, short reflections, prayers and practical

responses to help you draw near to God this Lent and beyond.

Meeting God in John – a Companion for

Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Beyond

David F. Ford, SPCK, £10.99

Whether you are completely new to

John's Gospel or have read it many

times before, this book offers an

accessible and absorbing introduction

to the main message of John's Gospel,

packed with compelling observations

into the personality and impact of

Jesus, both in the first century and

today. It will leave you with a renewed

appreciation of and enthusiasm for John's writing. Each

chapter includes questions for reflection or discussion.

Reflections for Lent for Lent Holy Week

and Easter

Isabelle Hamlet, Ben Quash, and

Carlton Turner, CHP, £5.99

This book could enhance your spiritual

journey through Lent. It offers reflections

from respected Christian authors on daily

readings from the Common Worship

Weekday Lectionary. It is aimed at both

individuals and groups and provides a

simple, but profound, daily prayer companion throughout

Lent. There is also a guide to building your daily prayer into

your daily life by Bishop Rachel Treweek.


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THE ARTS — 2


The bleak life of the matchstick painter

The. Lowry Stamp. August 2015

Fifty years ago, on 23 February

1976, the artist L S Lowry died of

pneumonia.

He was known primarily for his

bleak industrial landscapes of

north-west England, populated

with matchstick men, but he also

painted original and striking

seascapes and impressive portraits.

Laurence Stephen Lowry was

born on 1 November 1887 in

Stretford.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

His father worked for an

estate agent and his mother was

an organist, playing at the local

church.

Laurence went to Sunday

school, but as life later turned

difficult, his faith became shadowy.

After leaving school he became

a rent collector for the Pall Mall

Property Company and stayed

there until his retirement in 1952.

This led to some dismissing him as

a ‘Sunday painter’.

TRIED HARD

Lowry’s life was restricted by his

family debts and his mother, for

whom he took responsibility after

his father died.

He tried hard to please her, but

she showed no appreciation for the

quality of his art, looking instead

for a middle-class respectable life.

He became a solitary figure and

never married.

Lowry remains popular as an

artist, with many imitators, but he

never formally taught or gathered

Gors4730, Dreamstime.com

a group of followers around him.

He holds the record for rejecting

British honours —five, including a

knighthood (1968).

A collection of his work is

on display at The Lowry, an

impressive purpose-built art

gallery on Salford Quays.

During his life he made about

1,000 paintings and over 8,000

drawings. His works often sell for

millions of pounds.

BURIED

Buried in Manchester next to

his parents, he left an estate valued

at £298,459, plus artwork, to Carol

Ann Lowry (no relation), whose

family he befriended when she was

13, after she asked for help with

her own development as an artist.


HISTORY

Was it really...?

. . . 200 YEARS AGO on 4 February 1826 that James Fenimore Cooper’s

historical romance novel The Last of the Mohicans was published.

. . . 175 YEARS AGO on 1 February 1851 that novelist Mary Shelley died,

aged 53. She is best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein.

. . . 125 YEARS AGO on 2 February 1901 that the funeral of Queen

Victoria took place.

. . . 80 YEARS AGO on 11 February 1946, that the Revised Standard

Version of the New Testament was published. It was the first major Englishlanguage

update of the Bible since the 1611 King James version.

. . . ALSO 80 YEARS AGO on 4 February 1946 that the Bank of England

was nationalised.

. . . ALSO 80 YEARS AGO on 19 February 1946 that mathematician

and cryptanalyst Alan Turing presented a detailed paper for the national

Physical Laboratory that gave he first reasonably complete design of a storedprogramme

computer.

. . . 70 YEARS AGO on 11 February 1956 that two members of the

Cambridge spy ring, British diplomats Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean,

announced that they had defected to the Soviet Union. They had vanished in

mysterious circumstances in 1951.

. . . 65 YEARS AGO on 9 February 1961 that the Beatles played at the

Cavern Club in Liverpool for the first time.

. . . 50 YEARS AGO on 11 Feb 1976 that John Curry won Britain’s first

Olympic gold medal in figure skating on ice.

. . . ALSO 50 YEARS AGO 3 February 1976 that artist the L S Lowry

died. He is known for his bleak industrial landscapes of north-west England,

populated with matchstick men.

. . . 40 YEARS AGO on 12 February 1986 that the Treaty of Canterbury

was signed by Britain and France to construct the Channel Tunnel linking the

two countries. The tunnel opened in 1994.

. . . 30 YEARS AGO on 1 February 1996 that US President Bill Clinton met

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams at the White House, to discuss the Northern

Ireland Peace Process.

. . . ALSO YEARS AGO on 15 February 1996 that the oil tanker Sea

Empress ran aground near Milford Haven in Wales. It caused a major oil spill

along the coastlines of Wales and Ireland.

. . . 25 YEARS AGO on 12 February 2001 that the Human Genome Project

announced the publication of the first complete working draft of the human

genome.

. . . ALSO 25 YEARS AGO on 19 February 2001 that the first case of footand-mouth

disease in the 2001 UK outbreak was detected at an Essex abattoir.

. . . 20 YEARS AGO on 18 February 2006 that the Rolling Stones played

the world’s largest free rock concert on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro when

an estimated 2 million people attended.

LANGUAGE

Contronyms

Words in the English language that

can mean the opposite of each other

are called Contronyms. Here are

some examples:

Sanctioned: He sanctioned the project.

He was sanctioned for breaking the

rules.

Oversight: Oversight of a department.

It was an oversight on my part.

Dusted: She dusted the shelves.

She dusted sugar on the cake.

Left: He left the party.

There are three cookies left.

Seeded: He seeded a field with corn.

She seeded the watermelon.

Fast: She runs fast.

The boat was held fast with a rope.

Weathered: Weathered the storm.

The rocks were weathered.

Cleaved

He cleaved the wood in half.

She cleaved to her beliefs.

Screened

They screened the movie last night.

Trees screened the house from view.

Clipped

She clipped the papers together.

He clipped the hedge.

Bolted

The door was closed and bolted.

The horse bolted from the stable.

Stoned

The enemy stoned the wall.

The cook stoned the cherries.

Bound

The bus is bound for London.

He was bound with ropes.

Trimmed

The tree was trimmed with lights.

He trimmed his nails.

With

Alongside

Against

FASHION

February is the month of love,

overflowing with pinks, reds, and

hearts at every turn.

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s

Day with someone special, enjoying

a night out with friends, or simply

indulging in some self-love, this

month’s fashion trends are about

romance, warmth, and personal

expression.

From striking reds to soft pastels

and fabrics that make you have that

cosy, lovely feeling, February is the

perfect time to refresh your wardrobe

with style, confidence, and love.

Valentine’s Day brings colour

inspiration to the forefront. Reds and

pinks dominate and create a palette

that ranges from the darkest reds to

the lightest pinks.

Scarlet and crimson are perfect for

making a bold statement to find that

special someone.

Think about pairing a red satin

midi dress with classic nude heels

for a romantic dinner, or a red fitted

blazer over a daring black outfit for an

elegant, romantic look.

Meanwhile, softer pinks, such

as blush, pastel, or rose tones add

femininity to your outfit.

Pair a blush cashmere sweater

with tailored trousers for a polished

office look, or layer a soft pink blouse

under a slip dress for a delicate, layered

effect that feels perfect for Valentine

celebrations.

For romantic elegance, satin and

silk dominate by adding a touch of

luxury to both casual and evening

wear.

Slip dresses, silk blouses, and flowy

skirts are ideal for date nights or

special events. For a modern twist, look

for items with subtle ruching, slits, or

draped silhouettes.

These fabrics catch the light

beautifully, creating movement and

offering a romantic yet sophisticated

vibe.

Pair a silk slip dress with a chunky

knit cardigan for a mix of cosy and

glamorous, or add strappy heels and a

metallic clutch for a classic Valentine’s

night out.

As winter is in full swing make

outerwear both functional and fashionforward.

Statement coats are key:

think oversized faux fur in bold hues,

tailored trenches in pastel shades, or

patterned blazers with playful prints.

A coat can transform a simple

outfit into a polished ensemble,

making it ideal for winter date nights

or outings with friends.

Pair a bold coat with neutral layers

underneath, or match your coat

to your Valentine’s Day dress for a

cohesive, attention-grabbing look.

Fashion is fun and flirty in

February, thanks to playful patterns.

Heart motifs, florals, and whimsical

patterns are everywhere.

A heart-printed sweater paired

with jeans and ankle boots adds

charm to a casual look, while a floral

mini dress with layered jewellery

can make a statement at a brunch or

Valentine’s celebration.

Prints are a creative way to express

personality without going overboard.

Mix and match with solids or

accessories to keep the outfit balanced

and on trend.

No Valentine’s outfit is complete

without the right accessories. This

month, pearls, gemstone rings,

delicate layered necklaces, and subtle

chokers are trending.

Shoes and handbags can also make

a statement: metallic heels, comfy


BY HARRIET NELSON

Fun, romantic, friendly, February fashion

ELEGANCE

SUBTLE

UGGs, embellished flats, and eyecatching

red bags add sophistication

and flair.

Don’t forget scarves and gloves in

cosy fabrics such as cashmere or silk

to complete a winter romantic look.

LAYERING

Layering is your best friend this

time of year, especially if you’re

planning a relaxed night at home in

front of the TV with a takeaway.

Comfort is key, but that doesn’t

mean sacrificing style.

Try pairing a soft, cosy pyjama set

with a chic pair of slip-on UGGs, or

opt for your favourite matching jogger

set for the perfect balance of warmth,

comfort, and effortless elegance.

STYLISH

February fashion is all about

celebrating love in its many forms:

romantic, friendly, and self-love.

Whether you are dressing for a

Valentine date, a night out with

friends, or simply enjoying your

own style, this month’s trends make

it easy to look polished, chic, and

playful

February offers countless ways to

refresh your wardrobe and embrace

the season of love. With these trends

in mind, let your outfits speak for

you and make this month your most

stylish yet.



Rendezvous in

The Ark

TUESDAY 10 & 24 February

Now in our 8th successful year, Rendezvous in

the Ark continues to welcome everyone from

12 noon to meet for lunch followed by tea and

coffee on the second and fourth Tuesday of

every month.

For more details or to reserve your seat call:

0118 969 3298

office@sonningparish.org

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!

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HEALTH BY ANNE ELGETI

Stronger, healthier, longer:

England’s Men’s Health Strategy

England's Men Heath Strategy was published at the end of

November. It focuses on six key areas:

— improving access to care

— supporting behaviour change

— creating healthier workplaces

— boosting mental health support

— enhancing cancer screening

— funding research.

Practical measures include workplace health checks,

community outreach, and digital services tailored to men’s needs.

Mental health is a priority, with £3.6 million earmarked for

suicide prevention and expanded school-based support reaching

nearly a million pupils by 2026.

Prostate cancer screening will also become easier, with athome

PSA tests available via the NHS App from 2027.

HELPING MEN LIVE LONGER

Crucially, the strategy addresses stigma and low help-seeking

behaviours through partnerships with trusted voices, including

sport organisations. By combining cultural change with targeted

investment, the initiative promises to help men live longer,

healthier, and happier lives.

Key themes identified include high rates of cancer, especially

prostate, testicular and penile , heart disease, mental health, low

help-seeking behaviours, suicide, and inequalities in access to

screening.

CULTURALLY SENSITIVE

Men in deprived areas live up to a decade less in good health

and are significantly less likely to seek timely care.

To tackle this issue, the strategy outlines:

— Improving access to healthcare: funding community

programmes, digital services and healthcare professionals trained

in men’s needs.

— Supporting behaviour change: Investing in stop-smoking,

reducing alcohol, gambling and drug harms. — Creating healthy

living and working environments: Launching workplace health

pilots, NHS Health Checks in male-dominated jobs, and resilience

campaigns.

— Mental health and suicide prevention: Allocating £3.6 million

over three years for suicide prevention in middle-aged men and

expanding school-based mental health support to reach over

900,000 pupils by April 2026.

— Cancer and screening: Introducing at-home PSA testing from

2027 via the NHS App.

— Research and communications: Funding research into maledominant

conditions and simplifying health messaging with

easy-read formats.

The strategy calls for culturally sensitive outreach through

partnerships such as with the Premier League to dismantle

stigma and drive uptake of health care services.

Take action today: book your NHS Health Check, talk openly

about mental health, visit: nhs.uk/mens health for tips and support.

Your health matters — don’t wait!

The full strategy can be found at gov.uk/publications.


BLADDER CANCER

WHO'S AT RISK?

Anne Elgeti

More than a thousand patients living with bladder cancer

every year can now receive a breakthrough treatment that can

double survival rates from the disease. This treatment was

approved for use on the NHS from August 2025 and is ‘one of the

most hopeful advances in decades for people with bladder cancer.’

The combination treatment works by using a powerful

two-pronged attack, with enfortumab vedotin directly targeting

the cancer cells and killing them, while pembrolizumab, an

immunotherapy drug, helps the immune system recognise and

fight the remaining cancer cells. It is given via an IV infusion

to people whose bladder cancer has spread to other parts of he

body or cannot be surgically removed. Clinical trials of the drug

demonstrated the following results.

— People with bladder cancer that had spread (metastasised) lived

up to twice as long when given this treatment compared to those

given normal chemotherapy.

— Survival rates increased from around 1.5 years with

chemotherapy to more than 2.5 years.

— the length of time the treatment kept the cancer at bay more

than doubled – from just over 6 months to 1.5 years.

— Nearly 30% of patients had no detectable traces of cancer in

their body following treatment with enfortumab vedotin and

pembrolizumab, compared with 12.5% with chemotherapy.

— Patients also experienced fewer harmful side effects with the

combination treatment, thanks to its selective targeting.

Bladder cancer is more common in men and people over 60.

It’s not always known what causes bladder cancer, but you may be

more likely to get it if you:

— Smoke or use chew tobacco.

— Have had a urinary catheter in for a long time.

— Have had radiotherapy for cancer before

— Are overweight.

— Have a close relative who has had bladder cancer.

— You have worked with chemicals, such as those used in textile

industry or handing carbon or crude oil.

— You have had an infection called schistosomiasis (bilharzia)

an infection caused by tiny worms that live in ponds, lakes, and

rivers. These worms live in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the

world including Africa, the Middle East, southern and southeast

Asia, parts of South America and the Caribbean.

Bladder cancer symptoms can include:

— Blood in your urine

— Pain burning stinging or itching when you pass urine.

— Multiple urinary tract infections

— Needing to pee more often

— Suddenly losing your appetite and losing weight

— Pain in your back and lower abdomen

— Aching pain or tenderness in your bones

— Feeling very tired for no reason and unwell

Always seek medical advice!



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PUZZLE PAGE

RALPH'S 'STONES' BIBLE VERSE SEARCH


Stones are a feature of Israel's landscape and are

often mentioned in the Bible. Ralph's grid this

month has 28 different 'stones' with initial letters

of: 3A, 3C, D, E, F, 4G, L, 2M, 5O, 3P, 2S, and 2T.

The unused letters will spell out a verse from The

Good News Bible. Can you also find the verse?

A

FEBRUARY BIBLE CROSSWORD

O

ANSWERS FOR RALPH'S JANUARY

'WAY TO TRAVEL' VERSE SEARCH

AMBLE

CANTER

CAVORT

DANCE

DAWDLE

FROLIC

GAVOTTE

GALLOP

GLIDE

HIKE

HOP

HURRY

JAUNT

MEANDER

MARCH

PACE

PROCEDE

RACE

RUN

SASHAY

SAUNTER

SHAMBLE

SHUFFLE

SIDLE

STAMPEDE

STRIDE

STRUT

TIPTOE

TRAVEL

TRAIPSE

TROT

WANDER

PROMENADE

Ralph's January hidden verse was

Matthew 11:5: ... the lame walk ...

SUDOKU

January Bible

Crossword

Solution

ACROSS

1 ‘If you love those who love you, what — is that to you?’ (Luke 6:32) (6)

4 ‘They threw the ship’s — overboard’ (Acts 27:19) (6)

7 The first murderer (Genesis 4:8) (4)

8 He was the head Levite in charge of the singing when the ark of God

was brought back to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:22) (8)

9 Samson was noted for this (Judges 16:6) (8)

13 Solicit money or food from passers by (Acts 3:2) (3)

16 What William Booth’s Christian Mission became in 1878 (9,4)

17 Alliance of Religions and Conservation (1,1,1)

19 ‘I will praise your name for ever and ever. — — I will praise you’

(Psalm 145:1–2) (5,3)

24 Simon had (anagram) (8)

25 Desperate (Deuteronomy 28:48) (4)

26 Elisha witnessed the boy he was seeking to resuscitate do this seven

times before opening his eyes (2 Kings 4:35) (6)

27 The belly and thighs of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream were

made of this (Daniel 2:32) (6)

DOWN

1 ‘Before the — crows, you will disown me three times’ (Matthew 26:75) (4)

2 Relating to the books of the Bible between Acts and Revelation (9)

3 ‘They have — the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where

they have put him!’ (John 20:2) (5)

4 Belief (5)

5 ‘Take the following fine spices: ... 250 shekels of fragrant — ’

(Exodus 30:23) (4)

6 ‘Do not — Jerusalem, but wait for the gift’ (Acts 1:4) (5)

10 A seer (anagram) (5)

11 ‘Even there your hand will — me’ (Psalm 139:10) (5)

12 The wild variety was part of John the Baptist’s diet (Mark 1:6) (5)

13 A non-Greek speaker who was looked down on by civilized people

(Colossians 3:11) (9)

14 Famous 1950s musical whose characters included members of

16 Across, — and Dolls (4)

15 The province from which Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 16:19) (4)

18 ‘He was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring — —

his hand’ (Ezekiel 40:3) (3,2)

20 ‘Today, if you hear his — , do not harden your hearts as you did in the

rebellion’ (Hebrews 3:15) (5)

21 The Jericho prostitute who hid two Israelite spies on the roof of her house

(Hebrews 11:31) (5)

22 ‘And now these three remain: faith, — and love. But the greatest of these is

love’ (1 Corinthians 13:13) (4)

23 ‘God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end’ (Daniel 5:26) (4)

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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BIG HEART TREE CARE

Reliable and friendly service for all tree care

NPTC qualified — Public Liability of £10 million

0118 937 1929 0786 172 4071

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

To advertise in The Parish Magazine

Contact: Ian McCann

ianmacpne@outlook.com

CHILDREN'S PAGE


38 The Parish Magazine — February 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

Active Security 34

All Aerials 36

All Digital TV 39

AMS Water Softeners 14

Avery Collection Care Home 4

Barn Store Henley 22

Berkshire Stump Removals 36

BHR Maintenance 6

Big Heart Tree Care 36

Blandy & Blandy Solicitors 14

Blue Moose Quality Graphics 26

Bridges Meals on Wheels 22

Canon Tree Care 34

Clark Bicknell Plumbing and Heating 36

Crosfields School 8

Drone House Surveys 36

Gardiner’s Homecare 22

Good Oaks Home Care 26

Haslams Estate Agents 2

Hicks MOT and Service 16

Home Stairlifts 22

I Plumber 8

Kingfisher Bathrooms and Kitchens 34

Lock Fit 32

MC Cleaning 36

Mossinator Roof Cleaning Systems 6

Muck and Mulch Garden Supplies 6

Reading Blue Coat School 4

Richfield Flooring 8

Right at Home 18

Shiplake College 22

Smallwood Landscaping 36

Smoove Ride 30

Sonning Golf Club 16

Sonning Scouts 28

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 6

Tomalin & Son Funeral Directors 14

Venues with Views 6

Watchmaker 36

Water Softener Salt 32

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

Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement


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Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement

A NEW SEASON.

A NEW WAY TO ENJOY YOUR LOCAL THEATRE

Friends and neighbours are warmly invited to enjoy live theatre

just along the river. As we begin a new season, we’re pleased to

offer a new way to book, giving our local community more choice

than ever before.

You can now choose between our full Mill experience, including

dining, or simply come along and enjoy the show. Show-only

tickets are now available, making it easier for local residents to

enjoy an evening of live entertainment close to home.

Scan the QR code below to visit our website and book your

tickets for our brand-new season of plays, musicals, concerts,

children’s shows, special events and much more. We look forward

to welcoming you!

The Parish Magazine February 2026

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