Newsletter for King’s Thorn,The Birches & AconburyA newsletter for the villages of King’s Thorn, Little Birch, Much Birch & Aconbury December 2013. First published 1977

January NewsletterPlease send copy for the January

Newsletter tobirchesnews@gmail.com or written

contributions to John Bryant atBramley Bungalow, Aconbury Close

by 18th. December

Diary DatesNovember

22nd Village Market MBCH23rd Flicks in the Sticks

MBCH 2,30 & 7.30 pm.27th Gardening Club LBVH

December4th Gardening Club Social

LBVH5th Much Birch PC MBCH6th Bingo LBVH7th Book Exchange LBVH7th Social Evening & Silent

Auction MBCH11th Whist Drive LBVH14th Social Gathering Cherry

Tree Bungalow LB17th WI Christmas Celebration

MBCH18th Carol Singing

Meet LBVH20th Village market MBCH31st New Years Eve Party

LBVHJanuary

24th & 25th Pantomime LBVH29th Gardening Club LBVH

The BirchesNew Years Eve Party

Little Birch Village Hall7.30 pm.-LateLicenced BarLight refreshments Dancing toDJ WolfieTickets £7 each(£10 after 21st December)From: Di 540401Sue 540682Robyn 540264Jackie 541027

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Use of Green LanesIt's that time of year when problems arise from theuse of vehicles on green lanes because of the wetweather.Residents are reminded that most of the greenlanes in Little Birch are registered footpaths and itis therefore a civil offence to use them for horseand bicycle riding. It is also a criminal offence todrive vehicles on them without lawful authority orexcuse.Motorised vehicles with appropriate tax andinsurance are permitted to use Byways Open to AllTraffic (BOATS). The lane from CrosswaysCottage to Wallspool junction is the only BOAT inLittle Birch. Parish Lane, mainly in Much Birch, isalso one.Normally tolerance is shown to users of greenlanes despite their legal status. Howeverresidents are asked to be considerate toothers by avoiding damage to footpaths andby driving safely and not speeding on BOATs.It is usually quicker by road.

Local NewsA belated welcome to Margaret and John Fraserwho moved into Ravensworth, Church Road,Much Birch, in April. They came from West Walesto be nearer the motorway network to make iteasier to visit their children, also to be in a lowerrainfall area.! We hope to see them participatinginto village life in due course and wish them a longand happy stay in Much Birch. Last month, thegood news of Margaret Smithett’s donation of akidney to her husband, Robin, was reported. It isnow with the utmost sadness to report that Robindied suddenly at his desk on Friday, 15th.November after looking and feeling well andenjoying his daily walk to Aconbury Wood, usuallywith his friend and neighbour, Derek Nash. Hewas a very good and generous neighbour to manyin King’s Thorn and we send our sinceresympathies to Margaret and sons, David andStephen and their families. A fuller tribute to Robinwill be given next month. It is also very sad toreport the passing of Coral Gidley ofWrigglebrook, peacefully at home on 6th. October.She was born and grew up in Crawley, WestSussex and was a good student who also excelledin netball and hockey. Her further studies had to

be abandoned so that she could care for hermother who became seriously ill, but her caringnature led her to train as a nurse in Oxford. Afterliving on a Kibbutz in Israel and an introduction tofarming, Coral returned to the UK and decided totrain as a midwife and started a course in Yeovil in1985. She joined a local conservation group andfirst met her partner, Alan, who was teaching atYeovil College.When she completed her training, she worked fora while at St. George’s in Tooting but London didnot suit her. She then worked as an assistantwarden at Alfriston Youth Hostel in Sussex, beingjoined later by Alan, they then worked together ona small holding in southern France.In 1987, they returned to Somerset with Coralworking in midwifery at Yeovil Hospital. In 1988,they bought their first house in Wellington whereJoe was born followed 3 years later by Alfie. Corallearned about Steiner Education and a group ofparents set up a Steiner­ inspired playgroup,hoping to establish a Steiner school in Wellington.When it became clear that this wasn’t going tohappen, Coral and Alan looked for an establishedschool and chose to move to Herefordshire.Coral quickly became established in the SteinerSchool at Much Dewchurch and trained as aKindergarten teacher. She was fantastic with thechildren, being patient and encouraging and wasskilful in making beautiful craft items. As the boysgrew older, Coral worked for Tim Headley’s vegbox scheme and got to know many more people inthis community. She then worked at MerrivaleFarm for Bob and Sue Mason and also helpedKaren Tibbetts with her smallholding at LittleDewchurch. She loved working with animals andthey responded wonderfully to her.Coral was passionate about food and alwayscooked fresh raw ingredients whenever possibleand made sure Joe and Alfie had the best possiblehealthy diet. Wherever she worked, everyone wasimpressed with her energy and dedication, alwaysgiving 100%, was selfless and went out of her wayto help others. She was a very good neighbour tothe late Jack Cox and helped him no end when hebecame frail and didn’t look after himself.For 4 years after she was first diagnosed withcancer, Coral carried on with life as normal. Shewas determined not to give in, but 2 years ago,her health started to decline rapidly. She hadseveral spells in St. Michael’s Hospice where thestaff were fantastic. Coral would invariably go in

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feeling completely desperate and with in a fewdays would be complaining that she ought to gohome because she felt too well to be taking up abed!At home, the MacMillan nurses were wonderfullysupportive and Dr. Vanessa England wasabsolutely marvellous throughout.Coral had very strong views about how to live butshe never preached or tried to persuade others.Instead, like all great teachers, she led by exampleand with great humility. She touched the lives ofmany people.She died peacefully at home on 6th. October andwas buried at Humber Woodland of Remembranceon 18th. October following a beautiful and wellattended service at Risbury Court.We send our deepest sympathy to Alan and sons,Joe and Alfie and the very many friends who havebeen part of her life.It is also sad to report the death of Colin Andersonerstwhile of Parish Lane, King’s Thorn. He wasborn in 1937 to Rose and George Anderson inBirmingham and had 2 older sisters, Rose andSally. The 3 siblings all attended St. Patrick’sSchool in Earlswood and Colin went on toSharmans Cross Boys School in Shirley, where heachieved surprisingly high grades in theexaminations. He later went to work at BrownsFarm in Earlswood which was followed by tendingthe local parks and gardens with the SolihullCouncil.His main love as a young man was steam enginesand aeroplanes and his room was filled to capacitywith model aeroplanes and magazines.In 1966, while living with his mother in Shirley,Colin grew fruit and vegetables in the large garden.Colin met Alison at Umberslade stables where sherode horses. The story goes that one of her friendsbet Alison that she wouldn’t ask him out. Alisontook the challenge and they dated. In 1967, theybought their first Manchester terrier aptly named‘Angus Prune’, after a character in the radio series– I’m sorry, I’ll Read that Again. This had takenover by then the Goon Show as one of Colin’sfavourite programmes and both were the mainsource of his humour. In 1968, they were marriedat Lechlade Church and set up home with Colin’smother at Windswept Cottage in Parish Lane. Thelarge garden here could accommodate Colin’s fruitand veg patches with Alison’s horse along withcountless Manchester Terriers, whippets, cats andgoats and on the odd occasion, sheep.

After discovering they were unable to havechildren, they adopted Dominic in 1973 and Tonyin 1974 and were shocked and surprised whenSimon was born in 1979.While Alison worked as a theatre nurse in theCounty Hospital and cared for her mother in law,Rose, Colin worked as a storeman and deliverydriver for Franklin Barnes in Hereford beforeleaving to follow his love of gardening and farming.However, his main love was always steam trainsand throughout the 1980’s and 90’s, he was akeen member of the Deane Forest Railway andtrained to be a locomotive fireman.As Alison and Colin aged, she sadly succumbed toillness due to her long term battle with diabetes,which was first diagnosed at the age of eight. Colinbecame her full time carer, a job which he lovinglydid for over 10 years before Alison sadly died in2009.When Colin fell ill at the beginning of this year, hemoved to the Forebury Nursing Home inLeominster where he lived his last days in comfort,often proclaiming to anyone who would listen –“Would you believe I get three square meals a dayhere !!!” Colin’s funeral service was held atHereford Crematorium on Wed. 6th. Novemberand we send our condolences to Dominic, Tonyand Simon and their families.The death is also announced of Mr. GeofferyTownsend of Ruff Orchard Bungalow at theeasterly end of Little Birch parish. Geoff was 92years of age, the eldest remaining brother of Victorand Albert Townsend, to whom we send ourcondolences. A further tribute will be given nextmonth.Mr. John Brookes of Sellack has died at the age of

90. John was well known over a wide area ofSouth Herefordshire and we send our sincerecondolences to his nephew, Adrian Hodges andhis family.It is good to report that Maldwyn Wylor­Owen isnow out of hospital following a heart attack andfitting of a stent. He looks much better but isstaying with his daughter, Virginia, as he is not yetallowed to drive.A belated warm welcome is given to Margaret andJohn Fraser who moved into ‘Ravensworth’, MuchBirch some months ago. We hope to see themparticipate in village life in due course and wishthem a long and happy stay in Much Birch.

Shoe Box Appeal

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Betty Bryant would like to thank all those whohave kindly filled shoeboxes for the ‘ Operation­Christmas Child Appeal.’ Twenty six boxes weredelivered to the warehouse in Rotherwas wherethey are checked before being transported bylorry. Much Birch School and the WI also respondto this appeal.Due to the difficulty of obtaining shoe boxes, it islikely that covered boxes will be available for anominal charge of 30 or 40p next year. The boxesare normally filled with simple gifts such as aflannel, toothbrush and a tube of paste, a bar ofsoap, a small colouring book or puzzle book,colouring crayons, a small toy and a tube ofindividually wrapped sweets. Yo­yos and smallmouth organs are also permissible. These boxesmake so many children happy as most of themhave never ever received a gift in their lives.

Some Local historyJohn Kinross of Much Birch poses the question,‘Who is the man with the long nose ? St. Junabiusis the patron saint of Llandinabo Church in whichthe screen, according to Pevsner dates from 1520,has in the centre a cut out profile of a man with along nose, supported by 2 mermen with strange‘Mexican’ moustaches. What is the meaning of thiscentral arch in the screen??It may date back to 1872, when the Rector wasHenry Lloyd Oswell who decided that the buildingneeded re­structuring. He called in a relation, A.E.Lloyd Oswell, a Shrewsbury architect, who wasknowledgable about churches.A few weeks ago, I was in Shrewsbury and went tosee the Bishop’s Palace near the castle. Thegateway has the same strange carvings ofmermen with Mexican moustaches on it. Was thescreen at Llandinabo altered to include the twomermen? If so, the man with the long nose is theRev. Lloyd Oswell himself as drawn by his relation.I think this is highly possible.Also of note is that on 10th. June 1883, a servicehere was interrupted by a bolt of lightning. Severalof the 40 members of the congregation wereknocked down and a young boy was unconsciousfor several hours. No one was killed however soSt. Junabius was watching over them. He was aBishop of Llandaff and owned the land on whichthe church was built; this church of Dinabo beingpart of Wales or the welsh speaking area ofArchenfield. In the Cantilupe Register, the first

recorded Rector mentioned is Robert Corbet, whowas made Rector on the day after Ash Wed. 1279by the Patron, Lady Celia de Beresford. TheCorbets are a Shropshire family and we went tolunch with Christopher Corbet last year. He wasnot alone as his tame parrot sat on his shoulderthroughout the meal and joined in theconversation. One wasn’t always sure whether itwas Corbet or the parrot speaking but it didn’tmatter fortunately as it was a very polite parrot.

Police ReportMuch DewchurchBetween 20:00 on the 24th of October and 08:00on the 25th of October a caravan was stolen froma driveway in the Much Dewchurch area.Much BirchSometime after 17:00 on the 25th of Octoberoutbuildings were broken into in the Much Bircharea. Power tools, a generator and a tractorbattery were taken.AllensmoreOvernight between the 30th and 31st of October abarn door has been forced open and 4 motorcross bikes were stolen.DidleyOvernight 31st of October to the 1st of Novemberan outbuilding was broken into. The offendersbroke the lock and stole drills and a gas cylinder.The items had been left nearby undamaged.KentchurchOn Saturday the 2nd of November a member ofthe public caught an offender trying to make offwith tools from a site at which he was working.The offender was restrained and Police arrestedthe male. The Offender also had a vehicle nearbywhich was later seized and an accomplice locatednearby was also arrested.

Much Birch WIMuch Birch WI hold meetings on the third Tuesdayof each month, at 7.30pm in Much BirchCommunity Hall.December 17th is the member’s ChristmasCelebrations evening.Visitors and potential new members are alwayswelcome.

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Much Birch Village MarketMBVM takes place on the 4th Friday of the month(except December, when it is the 3rd Friday), inMuch Birch Community Hall, between 2.30pm and4.30pmThe December market takes place on 20th. Stallswill include;The Squeaky Pig, award winning suppliers oflocally reared rare breed pork, sausage, includingGluten free (to order) and bacon. Moor Meals,award winning, local suppliers of Dexter beef,ready meals and pies. Llandinabo Farm shop,Castle Cheese, and Mr.G’s chutney andpreserves. Hopefully, Sarah will bring fruit juicesand fruit.There is a Fair Trade stand and craft stands.Dan will be back to sharpen your knives and tools.Refreshments and ‘take home cakes’, theproceeds of which go to MacMillan CancerSupport, are supplied by Chris and Peter.Please support our producers who bring local foodalmost ‘to our door’.If you would like to have a stall, or to find out moreabout the market, please contact Mark on 01432

278026King’s Thorn and Little Birch Gardening Club

On Nov. 27th., Gail Plant will give an interactive,hands on talk entitled‘The Scented Garden Year’. She will be bringingmany scented plants for members to handle andappreciate the different scents.On Wed. Dec 4th. at 7.30pm, the Annual Socialget together will be held in Little Birch Village Hall.Tickets are now available from CommitteeMembers for an evening of feasting and fun.The New Year kicks off on Jan. 29th. when RogerUmpleby will discuss ‘Friends and Foes in theGarden’. Roger is a passionate plant and naturelover, a professional entomologist and an excellentspeaker.

John Bryant 01981 540316Little Birch Village Hall Committee

Community Book Exchange/Lending LibraryNovember brought to a close the second year of

the Book Exchange. It started as an experiment tosee if it would work and the resulting attendancewas very good. So, the third year will begin onSaturday 7 December at 10.am. (As usual) and acelebratory mince pie will be on offer. Allwelcome and we look forward to seeing you there.Christmas BingoThere will be a Special Christmas Bingo at LittleBirch Village hall on Thursday 6th December.“Eyes down at 8.pm. There will be “Good prizes”and refreshments will be served.Whist DriveOur next Whist Drive will be on Tuesday 11December in Little Birch Village Hall. We shall startat 7.30.p.m.The entrance fee is £ 2.00. Excellentprizes and refreshments will be available. Newplayers are always welcome.

Much Birch Church Social EveningCome and join us at a Social evening with a glassof wine or soft drink, refreshments and a SilentAuction. It is an opportunity to get together for funand a chat before the Christmas rush starts. It willbe in Much Birch Community Hall on Saturday, 7thDecember 2013 at 7pm. Tickets £4.00 each fromBarbara Wilson Tel: 01432840559 or Sylvia JonesTel: 01981 540980. Donations for the Auctionwould also be gratefully received. Proceeds forMuch Birch ChurchMuch Birch Community Hall 100 club for 2014

The Management Committee would like toexpress their thanks to the members of the 100Club for their interest in the monthly lottery duringthe past year which provides valuable funds tomaintain and develop the hall for the benefit of theresidents of Much Birch and surrounding areas.We would like to invite both our present membersand any new members to contribute to the 100Club for the coming year of 2014. As in previousyears £12.00 will purchase a single entry into thedraw each month. Entries for more than one permonth requires a further £12.00 for each entry.For application forms please contact John Jones:Tel 01981 540980 or write to Chelston Grange,Much Birch, HR2 8HR. Application forms need tobe returned by the end of December whennumbers will be allocated and participants notified.

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Best wishes to everyone for Christmas and thecoming New Year.

Much Birch 100 Club DrawThe recent draws took place as follows, both inMuch Birch Community Hall.The October draw took place on 13th October2013 and the winners were: 1st prize: No 85 ­ Mrs.Peggy Lyke ­ Longhope, Gloucestershire2nd prize: No 13 ­ Mr. & Mrs H.Potts ­ MonmouthThe November draw took place on 10th November2013 and the winners were: 1 st prize: No 8 ­ MrsB. Wilson, Little Dewchurch2nd prize: No 23 ­ Mr. & Mrs. R. Brimacombe,Much BirchThe December Draw will take place on 8thDecember 2013 in Much Birch Community Hall at11am

Little Birch ChurchSocial GatheringOn Sat. 14th. December from 1pm to 4pm. at thehome of Jenny and John Caton,‘Cherry Tree Bungalow’, Little Birch Road, King’sThorn in aid of Little Birch Church with MulledWine and Mince Pies. Donations for the CakeStall, Raffle and Tombola would be very muchappreciated.Carol SingingJoin us for Carol Singing around Little Birch onWed. 18th Dec starting from Little Birch Village Hallat 6.30pm ( Should take about 1 hour).

James Gould.

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Church Services in DecemberLittle Birch Much Birch

1st 9.15am Holy Communion 6.30pm Archenfield GroupService at M. Dewchurch

8th 11am. Morning Worship 9.15am Holy Communion15th 10.30am Benifice Service

at M. Dewchurch22nd 4pm Carols & Christingles 6.30pm Carols for MB & MD

at Much Dewchurch24th 3.30pm Carols & Crib Service

11.30pm Midnight Communion25th 11am Christmas Day

Communion29th 10.30am benefice Service

at Much Birch