0590 Loddon Reach June 20 64pp Interactive) - Flipbook - Page 37
ALL SAINTS’ UPDATE
A
ll Saints’ has been surprisingly active
during the lockdown. It is odd, but in fact,
many of us are enjoying more contact than
previously and it has expanded or deepened
some of our relationships. Main features are a
very active WhatsApp group, volunteering, an
informative weekly newsletter, daily prayers
and evening compline and a reflective Sunday
worship followed by ‘virtual coffee’. In addition
to the regular congregation, it has been good to
welcome additional friends who couldn’t join us
in person, for a variety of reasons such as infirmity
or distance. Thank you to Clare and Revd Paul and
to Brad for keeping an eye on the church building.
The churchyard has been the focus of many
people’s ‘permitted exercise’, as April and May
are prime months for its wildflowers and the
combination of early
rain and warm spring
seem to have made it
particularly spectacular
this year – or is it our
Bethlehem. Now
the gravestonefree area we think
is the old paupers’
burial ground is a
waist-high sea of
red campion.
procession, as many people came out to show
them how much we cared about them. Sadly, we
had another opportunity to show our respects in
Swallowfield’s new tradition for Tony’s funeral ten
days later. But, again, we know that it mattered to
his brother and family.
With the church
building closed,
the church porch
was the location
for our Easter
lily display this Above: What better flower
year. Thank you for a churchyard – Star of
to Mags, Sue and Bethlehem
Terry for organising
this poignant reminder of loved ones no longer
with us.
In loving memory, Easter
Lilies in the church porch
Swallowfield funerals, lockdown style
anniversary of VE Day in much
a lower key way than had been
expected. I am told that the
street dancing in Riseley and the
afternoon tea table competition
in School Road, Riseley, took some
beating, but the Curly’s Way quiz
and our war memorial gathering
hit the spot too, as throughout
the date we ate scones, toasted in
bubbly and sang along to Vera Lynn.
It would be nice to think that we could add
to village life by holding the postponed
fete later in the year, but that is yet to be
decided as we see how easing of lockdown
progresses. For now, normal life remains
on-hold but the Swallowfield community
has shown its strength, as usual, and All
Saints’ is proud to be a part of this.
Cowslips
increased awareness
of the value of nature
and the outdoors this
year? The primroses
gave way to violets,
Barbara Stanley
Above: Forget-menots and many
shades of bluebells
forget-me-nots
and bluebells, with
some cowslips and
the appropriately
named Star of
Left: Primroses in
early April
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It was good to
be back on the
streets for happier
socially distanced
events as we
marked the 75th
Above: A
socially
distanced toast
Above: Red campion carpet in mid-May
In this vein, we were very sad to lose Timmy and
not to be able to attend his funeral. However, his
family were touched to find a socially distanced
‘guard of honour’ lining The Street, for his funeral
Above: VE Day 1940s style
Varied faces of the Union Jack
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