November 2011 - Congleton Team Parish

November 2011
1

3 Remember November
5 Pray for the Secret Children
6 Services in November
8 Services in December
8 From the Registers
9 Christmas Extravaganza
10 E100 Readings for November
12 Thanksgiving Sunday
13 Friendship, Faith and Fellowship
15 Hope Africa
16 What’s on in November
20 Children’s pages
22 Youth Programme
23 Children and Young Families
24 Toddlers
24 Team Activities
25 Who’s Who
26 Team parish walking group
Note from the Editor:
The deadline for contributions to the December / January magazine is
Sunday 13th November.
Please email to magazine@congletonteamparish.co.uk
(or mag.admin@congletonteamparish.co.uk).
If you don’t receive an acknowledgement please assume it has not
arrived, so contact me on 272637.
Many thanks, Paul Dentith
2

I realise I’m biased because my birthday’s this month, but I’ve always
thought November is one of the best months of the year. It’s a month of
change as autumn turns towards winter, and there are lots of things
happening too. When I consider all the events, they seem to have one
thing in common – remembering:-
November 1st – All Saints Day. This gets the month off to a good start
because we can think about all the saints who have gone before us. I don’t
just mean the famous ones that have made it into stained glass windows,
but saint in the sense of a follower of Jesus Christ. Every believer is on a
journey of faith and it’s a real encouragement to remember those who
journey with us and those who have gone before us.
November 5th – Bonfire Night.
“Remember, remember the 5th of November,
gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
should ever be forgot”.
Remember November
Apparently this nursery rhyme followed close on the heels of the 1605
plot to blow up parliament and has helped us remember this period in our
nation’s history. I love bonfires, fireworks and the food which goes with it
– jacket potatoes and bonfire toffee.
3
Submitted by Heather Kemball

November 11th - Remembrance Day and November 13th – Remembrance
Sunday. We wear red poppies to help us remember all who have given
their lives for the peace and freedom we enjoy today. People across the
nation keep two minutes’ silence to pause and reflect on the sacrifices
made on our behalf.
November 27th – Advent Sunday. This Sunday varies with its date, but is
always the fourth Sunday before Christmas and usually in November. For
most folk – especially children - Advent is about having a calendar with a
chocolate behind each little door helping to countdown until Christmas.
But Advent is really about remembering the most important person of all.
Advent is from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming" - which is itself
a translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to
the Second Coming of Jesus. Christians believe that the season of Advent
helps us to remember two things - the birth of our Saviour Jesus and His
promised return – His second coming.
November 30th – St. Andrew’s Day. Having Scottish ties in the family
helps to give this a higher profile. I’ve always had a soft spot for St.
Andrew – he was the one who met Jesus and then remembered to go and
find his brother, Peter, so he could meet Him too. He’s a good role for all
of us that, as we meet with Jesus, we should be thinking about how to
introduce Him to others.
So, November is a month of remembering – beginning with our journey of
faith on All Saints Day and ending with the focus on sharing our faith with
others on St. Andrew’s Day. November sees the beginning of our season
of Advent – preparing to celebrate the birth that marked His first coming
and looking for His second coming when His kingdom and reign will be
completed and never end.
Have a great November
Heather
4

Pray for the Secret Children
If you have 49 days ... pray for the Secret Children (the hidden victims of
the persecuted Church).
Pray once a day, seven days a week, for seven weeks.
Sunday, November 6th, is the International Day of Prayer for the
Persecuted Church.
Beginning on November 6th and going on until Christmas Eve, will you join
me and thousands of other Christians in praying for these children every
day? While everyone else is spending masses on presents for children, will
you spend a little time remembering the children who so need our
prayers? What better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who knew
first hand the realities of fleeing from persecution as a small child and
who, as an adult , paid the ultimate price.
Each person who receives the Open Doors magazine will receive a special
Secret Children publication with details of prayer requests. You can sign
up on-line if you prefer at www.opendoorsuk.org/secretchildren and
receive these daily requests by e-mail. If you are feeling creative,
download The Key Thing from the same website and make your own set of
mini prayer cards. Punch a hole in the corner and attach them to
something practical like your keyring, pram, dog lead or handbag or put
them in your pocket and use them as a reminder to pray each day.
Alternatively, you can phone 01993 885400 and sign up to receive the
prayer publication by post (if you don't wish to receive further
information or literature, just make that clear when you phone) or please
contact me on 273852 and I will obtain the material for you.
There is a saying, “Don't rage at the darkness, light a candle.” Our small
prayers put together can make a great difference and it's something we
can all do. Prayer does change things. Let's believe this and put it into
practice.
5
Submitted by Liz Lloyd

Date/Time Venue Service
Weds 2nd
9.45am Holy Trinity*
Thurs 3rd
9.45am St. Stephen’s Holy Communion
Sun 6th 3rd Sunday before Advent
8.00am Holy Trinity* Holy Communion
10.00am St. Stephen’s Celebration Service
Speaker: Kym-Marie Cleasby
“Open Doors” supporting the persecuted Church
6.30pm St. Stephen’s “First Sunday”
“First Sunday” is a time set apart for prayer for the team parish in
the context of Sunday Evening Worship. We would like to encourage as
many church members as possible to join us as we set aside this time
to pray for our congregations, staff, parish events and outreach to the
community
Weds 9th
9.45am Holy Trinity*
Thurs 10th
9.45am St. Stephen’s Holy Communion
Sun 13th 2nd Sunday before Advent (Remembrance Sunday)
8.00am Holy Trinity* Holy Communion
All 10:00 am Morning Services to include an Act of Remembrance
10.00am Holy Trinity* All Age Service
St. John’ s Morning Worship
St. Stephen’s Morning Worship
10.45am St. Peter’s Act of Remembrance
11.00am Town War Memorial Civic Act of Remembrance
11.15am St. Peter’s Civic Remembrance Service
6.30pm St. Stephen’s T he Lord’s Supper
* see page 8
6

Date/Time Venue Service
Weds 16th
9.45am Holy Trinity*
Thurs 17th
9.45am St. Stephen’s Holy Communion
Sun 20th Christ the King (Sunday before Advent)
8.00am Holy Trinity* Holy Communion
10.00am Holy Trinity* Morning Worship
St. Stephen’s (joint with St. John’s) Holy Communion
St. Peter’s Holy Communion
630pm St. Stephen’s Word & Worship
Weds 23rd
9.45am Holy Trinity*
Thurs 24th
9.45am St. Stephen’s Holy Communion
Sun 27th Advent Sunday
8.00am Holy Trinity Holy Communion
10.00am Holy Trinity Morning Worship & Baptism
KIDS+ in Mossley Village Hall
St. John’ s Morning Worship & Baptism
St. Peter’s Morning Worship
St. Stephen’s Morning Worship
5.00pm St. John’s Christingle
Holy Trinity* Christingle
6.30pm No service at St. Stephen’s
Weds 30th
Churches Together ADVENT CAROL SERVICE
At St. James’, Congleton
St. Andrew’s Day
9.45am See weekly Notice Sheet during building period
* see page 8
7

Date/Time Venue Service
Thurs 1st
9.45am St. Stephen’s Holy Communion
Sun 4th 2nd Sunday of Advent
8.00am Holy Trinity* Holy Communion
10.00am St. Peter’s Celebration Service
including the Baptism of Bethany Bryson
6.30pm St. Stephen’s “First Sunday”
*Work to the west end of Holy Trinity will commence in late October and
there will be some disruption to services.
Sunday worship will transfer to the Mossley Village Hall with the
exception of ADVENT SUNDAY (November 27th).
There will be no Wednesday Communion at Holy Trinity on Wednesday
October 26th and throughout November.
Baptisms Date of Service Place
James Daniel Kiernander 25.09.11 Holy Trinity
Bethany Tyler Hulme 09.10.11 St. Stephen’s
Ruby Mai Carruthers 09.10.11 St. Stephen’s
Jasmine Jade Shrigley 09.10.11 St. Stephen’s
Libby Paige Shrigley 09.10.11 St. Stephen’s
Kai Christopher Barber 09.10.11 St. Stephen’s
Funerals Age
None
Weddings
None
8

Friday November 25th
As I think through my “To Do” list for November, it has the usual things –
“Write Christmas cards, make Christmas cake, buy Advent calendars,
think about what to get people for Christmas”, but it also contains
something you may not associate with this season - POPCORN!
Why?...
Christmas Extravaganza
Once again this year Congleton will be having “Christmas Extravaganza”.
On Friday, November 25th, the Christmas lights will be turned on in the
town centre. There will be schoolchildren singing and a procession with
Santa in his sleigh. As in previous years, the town will gather – especially
the young families – and we have the opportunity to be with them in two
particular ways:-
� We will have a stall as part of the Charities Fayre, where we will hand
out popcorn, along with details of our services and events over
Christmas.
� Our young people will be performing a drama which reminds us of the
real meaning of Christmas.
We want to do both of these things really well, and that means we really
need lots of volunteers. What it boils down to is this:-
Please can you give us an hour of your time that day between 3.00pm
and 7.00pm.
There will be a rota at the back of each church – do sign up and help, the
more the merrier, no previous experience necessary.
(And you might get a free cup of popcorn, and the chance to see our young
people on stage – I can’t say fairer than that can I?)
Heather (278362) email: heather@kemball.com
9
Submitted by Heather Kemball

E100 Readings for November
Readings for: Old Testament New Testament
Sunday November 6th 1 Kings 16:29 - 19:18 2 Timothy 3:10 - 4:8
Sunday November 13th 2 Kings 25:1 - 25:30 Revelation 1:1 - 1:20
Sunday November 20th Isaiah 51:1 - 53:12 Revelation 2:1 - 3:22
Sunday November 27th Jeremiah 1:1 - 3:5 Revelation 4:1 - 7:17
Old Testament Theme: Decline and Conquest
In the Old Testament two great events lie at the heart of Israel’s story
of salvation.
The first is the Exodus - God’s dramatic rescue of His people from
slavery in Egypt, their wanderings in the desert and their arrival in the
Promised Land.
These experiences helped form the “covenant” relationship between God
and the Jewish people. We have been reading in recent months of the
glory days of the Jewish people under the kingship of David and Solomon.
The second event is known as the Exile and this is the background to our
readings to the end of the year. We shall hear the story of the decline of
God’s people under various kings, of the warnings of the prophets and
finally of the destruction of both Jerusalem and its temple
10
Submitted by David Taylor

The people are carried off into a foreign land for seventy or so years. As
the Psalmist writes: “How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a
foreign land? ” (Psalm 137 v 4).
Yet with God there is always hope and prophets of doom give way to
prophets of restoration. Perhaps as we read this story we might hear
words which challenge our own nation and culture.
And lest we give way to despair may we hear also the those words of hope
which for us find their fulfilment in the coming of Jesus at Christmas.
New Testament Theme: The Last Things
The Book of Revelation is perhaps the most glorious and also the most
bewildering of the new Testament writings. Scholars and cranks can have
a field day in its mysterious images, symbolic numbers and dreadful
curses. You only have to Google “Revelation” to enter a whole new world of
speculation and time charts that would send Dr Who reeling!
Like all “apocalyptic writing” (such as Ezekiel and Daniel in the Old
Testament), Revelation was written at a time of oppression and
persecution. Its author, John, writes from exile (there’s that word again!)
on the Greek Island of Patmos. Its words are meant to encourage and
strengthen a threatened Church and to assure those who are paying a
high price for their faith that there will come a time when God’s justice
will prevail.
Its opening chapters are addressed to the church of the 1st century and
may speak to the Church of our own day as well. Who cannot but wonder
about a church which has “lost its first love” or whose reputation is for
being “lively” but is in fact dead at the core? And who cannot be
challenged by the prospect of a church which is lukewarm and which God
spits it out of his mouth?
11

Sunday November 20th
Thanksgiving Sunday
“You should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” 2
Corinthians 9:7
Our annual Thanksgiving Sunday falls this year on the last Sunday of the
Church’s year – designated as Christ the King. As the Church year comes
to a close and we look forward to 2012, you are invited to renew your
giving to the team parish and its member churches.
This year we are appealing for support not only for the ongoing work of
our churches and their ministry but also for our continuing ministry to
young people through our youth worker. This is not an either/or situation.
Both these areas of our church life need financial support if we are to
continue to support our churches and to look to the future.
Information about our church finances will be handed out on Sunday
November 20th, along with giving renewal forms. All church members are
asked to complete a form even if they are making no change to their
giving. Those who pay income tax are also encouraged to complete the Gift
Aid declaration so that we can reclaim the tax on each gift. Pledges
should be returned as soon as possible after that date so that church
treasurers are able to anticipate their income from January 2012
onwards.
If you support the work of our churches financially but do not give
through the planned giving scheme, we invite you to do so. We fully
understand that circumstances change and that sometimes people are not
able to meet the pledge they make. However, knowing what income has
been pledged helps us to make plans for the future in the knowledge that
the finance needed to meet our commitments has been promised to us.
12
Submitted by David Taylor

Information about planned giving will be given to all current members of
the scheme, to those on the electoral roll and to those who regularly
attend worship in our churches.
People are often surprised to discover that our churches receive no
support from the State. Nor do we receive funds from the church
commissioners; their funds are used mainly to support the pensions of
retired clergy and for national church costs. These days, parishes are
largely self funding and so are entirely dependent upon income from the
fees we receive for wedding and funerals, donations and fundraising.
Most of all we rely on the committed and regular giving of church
members and those who worship with us.
For more information, please speak to the church treasurers:
Holy Trinity Geoffrey Scott
St. John’s Viv Glarvey
St. Peter’s Jane Crowther & Sarah Terry
St. Stephen’s Claudette Tilley
Friendship, Faith and Fellowship
13
Submitted by Sylvia Craddock
The ladies of the Team Parish Ladies' Fellowship held their 10th
Anniversary Celebration Party in St. Stephen's pillar room on Monday
evening on September 26th.
The ladies were delighted to welcome back to Congleton, among the
invited guests, Canon Michael and Irene Walters.
Irene was the inspiration and first leader of the fellowship when it was
formed in 2001.

Rev. Michael Burgess, diocesan chaplain to the Mothers' Union, gave an
entertaining and hilarious talk about some of the unusual and funny things
he has come across in his various ministries over the years, both in this
country and abroad.
Canon Michael and Irene cut the delicious celebration cake (pictured
below). This was accompanied by a glass of wine and a toast to the future.
Each lady was then presented with a pink carnation buttonhole.
Many thanks go to Paul Robinson, for the beautiful cake, and Ann
Davenport and Ann Hough for the gorgeous buttonholes.
The new programme for 2012 is now completed and hopefully will be a
good start for the next 10 years.
Anyone wanting more information about our meetings please contact
Sylvia Craddock on 278648.
14

Hope Africa is an international Christian
charity which was registered with the UK
Charity Commission in 2004.
Its vision is to bring hope to people in Africa. This hope may come in the
form of food to eat, safe water to drink, help for families infected and
affected by HIV/AIDS or by empowering people to set up small
businesses which will enable them to change their futures.
Hope Africa has a clear mandate to empower people in Africa and put an
end to systemic poverty.
In many poor communities, parents have little to leave their children
except, perhaps, memories of the time they have shared. By partnering
with Hope Africa people can help bring an end to the life of poverty that
is passed from one generation to the next.
What it does
Hope Africa
Although there are lots of charities in Africa, the poorest of the poor are
not spotted. Hope Africa identifies the villages which are off the beaten
track and finds the poorest people who have no food, no water and no
hope. These people take each day as it comes without knowing where food
will come from. Hospital facilities are mostly found in big cities. Those
people in the remote villages, in most cases, do not have access to
hospitals. As a result people in these villages die of diseases and illnesses
that otherwise could have been prevented.
Through Hope Africa's local church committee, it can identify the
poorest people in the villages. This brings hope and a future to people who
otherwise are forgotten.
This is the 2011 charity supported by the Team Parish Ladies’ Fellowship.
15
Submitted by Paul Dentith

Date What Where
1st 2.00pm Mossley Fellowship Mossley
Village Hall
7.30pm - 9.30pm Team Song Loretta Grace’s
House
2nd 2.15pm Service Heliosa
Nursing Home
2.30pm Service The Laurels
Residential Home
2.30pm Service Chapel Brook
House
3rd 12.30pm - 1.45pm Open Doors Prayer Meeting.
Bring a packed lunch
5th 8.30am Parish Breakfast - speaker Mick
Johnson from Open Doors
10.00am - 1.00pm Coffee Morning in aid of
Daven School Nurture Group
7th 7.30pm St. John’s Congregational Committee
Meeting
8th 7.30pm Holy Trinity Congregational
Committee Meeting
16
Liz and Dave
Lloyd’s House
St. John’s
Church Hall
St. Stephen’s
Pillar Room
St. John’s
Church Hall
Mossley Vicarage
9th 2.30pm “Come Together” St. John’s
Church Hall
15th 7.30pm - 9.30pm Team Song Loretta Grace’s
House
16th 2.30pm Service The Laurels
Residential Home

Date What Where
2.30pm Service Chapel Brook
House
7.30pm St. Stephen’s Congregational
Committee Meeting
17
St. Stephen’s
Pillar Room
19th 7.30pm Family Fun Quiz - see page 18 Mossley
Village Hall
21st 10.00am - 11.00am CTC Prayer Meeting New Life Church
7.30pm Team Parish Ladies’ Fellowship. “Mrs
Gaskell and Cranford” - speaker Thessalie
Robinson
St. Stephen’s
Pillar Room
23rd 2.00pm - 3.30pm CAMEO St. Stephen’s
Pillar Room
2.30pm Service Astbury Mere
Nursing Home
26th 10.00am Team Hikers. Local Walk (5 miles).
Leader Kathy Slater (277432)
7.30pm Biddulph Male Voice Choir - see
page 18
28th 2.00pm Mossley Mothers’ Union is attending
the Mothers’ Union Advent Service
St. John’s
Church
St. John’s
Church
All Saints’
Odd Rode
29th 7.30pm - 9.30pm Team Song Loretta Grace’s
House
30th 7.30pm St. Stephen’s Congregational
Committee Meeting
Dec
1st
St. Peter’s
Parish Rooms
7.30pm PCC Committee Meeting St. Peter’s
Parish Rooms

Biddulph
Male Voice Choir
are in concert
at St. John’s Church
on Saturday November 26th at 7.30pm
Tickets £7
includes light refreshment during the interval
In aid of church funds
For tickets please contact:
Roy Houldsworth (274847)
Come to a
Family Fun Quiz
at Mossley Village Hall
on Saturday November 19th at 7.30pm
Tickets - adults £5, children £2
(includes light refreshments - bring your own drink)
Proceeds to Holy Trinity church funds and charities
For tickets contact
Helen Davies 271069
18

Made me laugh
A friend of mine went to Copenhagen and saw this sign.
19
Submitted by Paul Dentith
To explain - the Danish for goods is Gods, the Danish for God being Gud.

Missing Words
Twelve words are missing from the story of Jesus’ first disciples (Luke
5: 1 - 11). They are listed on the right in alphabetical order. Can you put
them in the right position?
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,
the people were crowding around him and _______ to the
word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left
there by the _______, who were washing their nets. He got
into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked
him to put out a little from the _______. Then he sat down
and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out
into deep water, and let down the nets for a _______.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve _______ hard all night and
haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let
down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of
fish that their _______ began to break. So they signalled
their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and
they came and filled both _______ so full that they began
to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ _______ and
said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a _______ man!” For he
and all his _______ were astonished at the catch of fish
they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of
Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then _______ said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on
you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on
shore, left everything and _______ Him.
20
boats
catch
companions
fishermen
followed
Jesus
knees
listening
nets
shore
sinful
worked

Sunday night:
TYG (Team Youth Group)
School Years: 7 - 11
Time: 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Entry: Free
What is it? Chill out and interactive Bible study with games and friends.
Wednesday after school:
Youth Café
School Years: 7 - 13
Time: 3.30pm - 5.30pm
Entry: £1
What is it? A time to chill out with friends after school and get some
homework done! Tuck shop, free toast, hot choccy and table tennis.
Thursday night (2nd and 4th Thursday of the month):
STYG (Senior Team Youth Group)
School Years: Sixth Form
Time: 7.30pm - 9.30pm
Entry: Free
What is it? Bible study and chill out. A chance to explore the bigger
questions / issues / topics.
TYG and STYG are term time only.
The Youth Café still runs through half term.
Please contact our youth worker, Aimée Farlam, to find out where the
clubs will be held:
aimee-teamyouthleader@hotmail.co.uk or 07411 446116.
22

For St. John’s and St. Stephen’s:
KFCC (Kids for Christ Club) meets on Sunday morning during the
Services at St. Stephen’s and St. John’s.
Contact: Janet Casey (271283) for St. Stephen’s
For St. Peter’s:
Christine Thompson (278460) for St. John’s
JAFFA (Jesus a Friend For All) for 5-11 year olds:
2nd Sunday All Age Worship (St. Peter’s church) at 10.00am
On all other Sundays, JAFFA leaves during the service and goes to its
own activities in the Parish Rooms. We all get together again after the
service for drinks (tea, coffee and juice) and biscuits.
Contact :Anne Downes-Ward (271774)
“See and Know” on Sundays
Our “See and Know” singing time is a fun way of helping young
children explore the wonders of God’s love and His wonderful world. It
is especially for little ones from tiny babies to 4-5 year olds. Parents:
you don’t need to stay unless it helps your child to have you with you.
We use the vestry so children are not far away if they need you.
Contact: Georgina Withington (278288)
For Holy Trinity:
Together For Worship is an informal service for “all ages” on the 2nd
Sunday of each month at 10.00am. The service lasts about 45 minutes
and is followed by refreshments and a chance to chat. Crèche facilities
and toy bags are available during other services at Holy Trinity.
Contact: David Taylor (273182)
23

KIDS+ takes place in Mossley Village Hall on the 4th
Sunday of each month. It is shared time for kids aged 3-
7 years PLUS PARENTS. Story time, crafts, games
lasting about an hour followed by drinks and “treats”.
Contact: Anne Taylor (273182) or Rosie Bryson (291196)
Tuesday “See and Know” Baby and Toddler Group
For babies and toddlers, mums and minders. Baby corner, toy time, craft
activity and refreshments. Join us on Tuesday mornings for friendship,
fun and refreshments.
10.30am to 12.00am in St. Peter's Parish Rooms, Chapel Street (follow the
path round the church and up to the white building). £1.20 / family.
Contact : Georgina Withington (278288)for more details
Mossley Toddlers
Wednesdays in Mossley Village Hall from 1.15pm to 3.15pm
Fridays in Mossley Village Hall from 9.45am to 11.45am
Contact: Heather Kemball (278362)
Family Activities
As part of our follow-up programmes with young families
the team organises a number of events throughout the
year. These include a Teddy Bears’ Picnic in Congleton
Park and a trip to the Wacky Warehouse. See church
notices for details The events are published in the
magazine and weekly notice sheet.
24

Canon David Taylor Holy Trinity & St. Stephen’s 01260 273182
(Team Rector)
Revd. Paul Withington St. Peter’s & St. John’s 01260 278288
(Team Vicar)
Sister Heather Kemball Team Evangelist 01260 278362
Aimée Farlam Team Youth Worker 07411 446116
Church Office:
Parish Administrator: David Aston 01260 273212
Office Hours: Mon, Weds, Thu, Fri 9.30am – 12.30pm
email: admin@congletonteamparish.co.uk
Churchwardens:
Dick Drew St. Peter’s 01260 272315
Felicity Laurence St. Peter’s 01260 274239
Joan Proctor St. Stephen’s 01260 273509
Gerry Tickner St. Stephen’s 01260 274673
Mike Hampton Holy Trinity 01260 273066
Fraser Anderson Holy Trinity 01260 280009
Jim Walker St. John’s 01260 275028
Eileen Walker St. John’s 01260 275028
Licensed Readers: Robert Hollinshead 01260 273593
John Millington 01260 277460
Eileen Walker 01260 275028
Geoffrey Scott 01260 291061
Parish Evangelist: Joan Proctor 01260 273509
PCC Secretary: Richard Snook 01260 281271
PCC Treasurer: Peter Houldsworth 01260 271103
25

Team parish walking group
Holiday 2011
On September 7th, eight members of the walking group set out for their
annual holiday, this year to the Yorkshire Dales.
We arrived at our hotel in Bramhope, north of Leeds, before lunch. After
some refreshment, most set off for a walk across the local escarpment to
stretch their legs. I waited for my friend to arrive from Scotland and
then went shopping to replace the forgotten swimsuit, as the use of the
hotel pool was definitely an added bonus to the week.
On the Thursday we planned a walk around Malham. However, the wet
weather meant that our footpath up Gordale Scar was now a waterfall and
an alternative route to the top of Malham cove was taken. We had a lunch
break in the shelter of the rocks before traversing the slippery limestone
pavement and descending back down the valley. A marvellous sight,
despite the rain. We still had time to drive over the hills and explore the
quaint village of Grassington in the afternoon sunshine.
The following day our leader encouraged us to tackle Pen-y-ghent. We left
the hotel in promising sunshine but by the time we reached Horton in
Ribblesdale we could not see the hill in the low cloud and rain. Again, Plan
B was instigated and we descended to Ingleton to explore the waterfalls.
These were in full spate and a spectacular sight. The rain cleared and we
had time to meander through the lovely village.
26
Submitted by Kathy Slater

The sun was shining again on Saturday morning so we decided to stay
local to beat the impending rain. We had a lovely walk across Ilkley
Moor, affording us extensive views over Wharfedale. We descended into
the town and the ladies meandered around the stylish shops and enjoyed
tea at Betty’s.
On the Sunday we drove across to Arncliffe and walked over the hill to
Kettlewell and back by a slightly lower route. This was another sunny
day, affording us stunning views along two dales. We returned to the
hotel in time for our regular afternoon swim and met up later to go to
Evensong at Bramhope Church before finding dinner in Otley.
We again aimed for Pen-y-ghent on the Monday but the increasing winds
of Hurricaine Katia forced us off the hill before we reached the summit.
It was very frightening at times as the wind threatened to knock us off
our feet. The ladies had to link arms to gain some stability, but Ian and
Alan kept close and ensured our safe return. We then retired to the
pretty village of Settle for a cup of tea.
Tuesday’s forecast was very poor but resourceful Ian swung into action
with Plan B again. He booked us a trip around the Black Sheep Brewery
at Masham. Time was allowed after to explore the village square, but the
ladies only managed one side. There were just too many unique local
shops selling food and crafts! We drove across the hills to have an
afternoon walk, hopefully, in some fine weather. But as we got out the
car we had a heavy downpour, a walk in which to get dry then the
heavens opened again as we returned to the cars. Wet again!
However, we are a hardy group and thoroughly enjoyed the week with its
Yorkshire weather, beautiful hills, quaint villages, good food and beer.
Not forgetting the convivial company. We may not have walked as many
miles as planned, but the adverse weather gave us time to explore the
unique character of some of the villages of the Dales.
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Many thanks to Ian Tucker for organising this superb holiday, as well as
keeping us together on the roads, hills and in the pubs. Not forgetting his
ready supply of Plan Bs. We look forward to the next holiday.
The group usually meets on the last Saturday of each month to walk
distances of five to eight miles, within one hour from home.
For further information, please contact Roy Houldsworth on 284847.
The group crossing a footbridge during the Ingleton waterfalls walk
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