April/May 2012

St. Martin’s Cloak

Covering the Whole Parish

St. Martin’s ParishChurch Directory

Les Camps MethodistChurch Directory

Minister Rev Luiz Cardoso 239144 Leadership Team Helen Lowe 236010 Martin Le Boutillier 257426 Richard Smith 231032 Angela Graham 237737 Sarah Hendry 728412 Jan Louis Raath 520680

Rector Revd Mike Keirle 238303Assistant Curate Rev Tracy Charmley 263045Honorary Assistant Curate Revd Richard Bellinger 263203Lay Reader in training Bev Hervé 730575Rector’s Warden David Hughes 236339People’s Warden Vic Martin 236673Hon Treasurer Neil de la Mare 237816Church Secretary Deborah Lawson 235470Organist & Choir Joan Le Flem 238218Music Group Emma Keirle 238303Women's Fellowship Sheila Wells 239086Mens’ Society David Hughes 236339Community Cloak Linda Brouard 245086Roundabout Emma Keirle 238303Community Centre Mr Brian Sarre (Manager) 231196 Mobile (07781 133012)

Welcome to the February/March edition of the Cloak magazine. As well as heralding in the

season of Lent, (see Mike's article)February is also the month that sees the actual anniversary date of the Diamond Jubilee of our Queen, as Her Majesty ascended the throne on 6th February, 1952.

Later in the year, there are many celebrations planned in the Parish but by the time you read this, a new Oak Tree will have been planted in the field next to the Community Centre to mark the occasion. His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor and the Bailiff will be present.

Please keep your eye on the Cloak for special events over the weekend of 2-3rd June and the following two days, where the main focus of events will be, including a service in the Community Centre on Sunday 3rd June, to which everyone is invited. Ed

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St. Martin’s CloakCovering the Whole Parish

School news................................p.4

Rector's letter..............................p.7

The sky at night..........................p.8

A model railway, not a train set!............................p.9

A cup of suffering.....................p.11

Parish matters...........................p.16

Watch the birdie.......................p.18

A wish come true.....................p.20

Chernobyl children...................p.22

Growing in Brazil......................p.25

The Editorial TeamSt. Martin’s Rectory

La Grande RueGY4 6RR

Tel: 238303 Fax: 237710E-mail: mrkeirle@cwgsy.net

Come and celebrate

EASTER SUNDAY

with us at

St. Martin's Parish Church

on

Sunday 8th April

at an All Age Family Service

Everyone welcome

Easter Eggs for everyone

afterwards!!

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School NewsSt Martin’s school brought a splash of colour to Beau Sejour when a group of year 6 pupils took on the personas of sea creatures to enact Valerie Bloom’s Al Caprawn in the under 11’s choral speaking class at the Eisteddfod.

They were wonderfully enthusiastic in telling their story about a king prawn (loosely based on Al Capone), who brings terror to the lives of oysters, a whimpy shrimp, moaning whale and pathetic walrus. All played their parts to the full and were awarded well deserved second place.

New teacher in Year 3We have a new member of the teaching team at St Martin’s Primary. Lynsey Strange has been appointed as a Year 3 teacher to cover Mrs de Sousa’s maternity

leave as she is expecting a baby in April. Miss Strange has taught previously as a teacher of a mixed Year 3 and 4 class in Ladywood Primary School in Derbyshire and has come to the Island to join her partner is already working in Guernsey. As she is a keen sports woman and qualified football coach, she is looking forward to helping Mr Hutchison with our busy sporting calendar. We welcome Lynsey to the school!

New School Telephone NumberOur current telephone system was rather out of date and in need of upgrading. Consequently we have had a new system installed which uses the internet to link up all states departments and schools and will eventually be deployed across all Island schools. This means that we have a new telephone number: Tel: 756026.

The cast of Al Caprawn

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Pre-School LibraryChildren registered to start school in September 2012 are welcome to attend our pre-school library. The children will have a chance to borrow books, meet teachers and teaching assistants and get to know their way about. Sessions will begin on Friday afternoons 1.30pm – 2.30pm from 20th April. If you have not yet registered your child – please call our school office on 756026 ASAP.

Mr Mulkerrin VisitAs part of the review of the Island’s primary education, Mr. Mulkerrin spent two mornings at St Martin’s Primary School. He spoke to the headteacher, teachers and visited literacy and numeracy classes. He was highly complementary about what he saw, stating that he was very impressed by the excellent standard of teaching and the high level of engagement and motivation of our pupils.

Pool ProgressOur school pool area has been completely redecorated and we now have sparkling blue sliding doors and shiny white roof supports. Unfortunately as the interior of the pool was being re-tiled, the workmen discovered rotten plaster underneath. This means the whole pool will have to be relined and that our pool will not be usable until after Easter.

Visiting author Nick ToczekA best-selling author and full-time professional writer visited our school this week. Nick Toczek performed fantastic magic tricks, told stories, animated puppets and entertained the children with his funny poems. He kept the children fully engaged and many of our children are now big fans!

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Club Foot in KenyaWhen babies are born with disabilities, it doesn’t take long for the medical authorities to step in and provide whatever is needed to try to overcome the problems.

When serious disabilities are neglected, either through ignorance or lack of funds, then life can be very different for the child. Fortunately this seldom occurs in the Western world.

However, in many developing countries, disabilities can cause life-long handicaps. There is a crippling condition called club foot that affects a high proportion of babies in some developing nations and in Kenya, a team of people visiting from St Martin’s Church last year saw the disfigurement for themselves and decided to help.

Now the Parish Church – in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Guernsey – has already sent cash directly to the mission hospital in the remote town of Kimilili where just £40 a child will provide treatment to straighten turned in limbs.

The news that babies, often hidden away and thought to be cursed, can in fact have their tiny limbs straightened is gradually spreading by word of mouth and by education through outreach clinics.

Increased numbers of mothers have been arriving at the Kimilili clinic, often walking for miles from local villages with their infants. With the money provided from Guernsey, the prolonged treatment of placing tiny limbs in plaster casts begins.

Casts need to be replaced, often at ten-day intervals, each time with the leg gradually straightened until the child can progress to splints. Treatment may take up 6 to 9 months, by which time the infant should be able to stand normally, and hopefully be walking by the age of two.

The earlier the baby begins treatment the better. Older children, aged two or more, cannot benefit from the plaster cast methods and may need big operations to rectify their curved limbs, including Achilles Tendon releases. Local people are being trained to deal with all stages of the club foot treatment.

Sadly, there are many adults dragging themselves around with withered legs unable to support them, disabled for life and a burden on their families, whose lives could have been changed if they had been treated as infants.

Because the visiting team from St Martin’s Church made personal contact with the administrators at the Kimilili hospital, we know that every penny raised is used for the club foot programme. We hope to continue sending money on a regular basis.

For more information about the programme, or about the mission called IcFEM, look at the website www.icfem-mission.org or on St. Martin's Church website. Rev Mike Keirle would be delighted to receive any donations toward the fund.

Pauline Torode

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The Rector's letterBarriers can be very helpful things. They can hold back the tide, prevent natural disasters and keep people safe.

But some barriers can cause untold suffering and sadness, separate and divide families and cause terrible heartache and even death. Remember the Berlin Wall?

I was privileged to visit Israel in 1988, during the troubles (the first Intifada) between the Palestinians and Israelis. I visited a refugee camp called Jabalia in Gaza in a United Nations Bus, a day after a small child had been killed by Israeli soldiers.

The atmosphere was tense and we were advised not to get out of the bus or look people in the eye. The camp sits near the border with Israel and Egypt. The borders had been closed for some time and families and relatives could no longer see each other. In one case a husband had been separated from his wife as he had gone to work across the border, which had then closed.

So they resorted to standing by a large wall, some 20 feet high and shouting at each other and throwing pieces of paper over the wall, so they could read messages from their loved ones.

Today another barrier stands between Israel and the occupied territories and, once again families and communities are shattered. The wall (pictured below) has been driven between farmers and their land, through the middle of villages and stands between workers and their places of work. A sad indictment to the continuing conflict in that land.

Another barrier stood in that land two thousand years ago. The gospel writers tell us that when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that separated the people from the Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple, was torn in two from top to bottom.

It was part of the temple that no one was allowed to visit, apart from a High Priest and even then, he was only allowed to go in once a year. That curtain stood as a symbol of the separation between people and God, caused by us humans by our determination to go our own way and ignore God's way. We put the barrier in the way. And that barrier has caused untold suffering, separation, misery and death.

Jesus' death destroyed that barrier, opened up the way for us to renew our friendship with God and to be saved from ourselves and the consequences of our mess, which the Bible calls sin. That is what we

celebrate this Easter - the breaking down of barriers and our salvation from the separation that we caused between us and God. Come and join us as we celebrate!

Mike Keirle

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The sky at nightThe planet Mars, with its distinctive reddish colour, is now beginning to move further away in its two year orbit a r o u n d the Sun, but can still be noticed quite easily for another month or so. At present Mars can be seen during the evening in a southerly direction, just to the east of the large sickle-shaped Lion's head in the constellation of Leo.

Also easily seen now is the planet Saturn, at its closest position to our own planet on April 16th. Lower in the sky than Mars and in a more southeasterly direction just above the bright star Spica, Saturn as in the case of Jupiter, has many moons orbiting around it. One of these moons is very large. It is named Titan, larger than the planet Mercury, and is the only moon in our solar system known to have a proper atmosphere. As a result of a spacecraft going there, Titan was found to have a dynamic atmosphere and a landscape with rivers and lakes of methane.

Another planet visible for a while and not long after sunset is Venus, very bright in recent months but now becoming lower in the northwest part of the sky by the end of April, and close to the Pleiades or 'seven sisters' star cluster.

Towards the end of April the Lyrid meteors should be favourable for seeing around the 22nd-23rd of the month, with little moonlight this year. These meteors come from a northeasterly direction during the evening, radiating from a position near the

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bright star Vega. This is low in the sky at present, but will later become the brightest star overhead in our summer evening sky.

Between April 12th and 24th there is also another opportunity to watch the International Space Station moving across the sky and staying in view for up to several minutes, coming from a westerly direction. If not seen before, it looks bright by reflecting light from the Sun quite a long time after sunset.

www.astronomy.org.ggGeoff Falla

On the right trackFleeing for one’s life from political wrangling, religious fervour or intimidation four centuries ago, local people stumbled along a small and ancient green lane from the church to the seashore. From there they would, if they were fortunate, sail away from the Island to safety elsewhere.

However heated current political and religious debate becomes, at least in the present day it is far removed from that which in past centuries led to people running from violent clashes, persecution and witch hunting, through the tree-lined paths to the coast and escape.

The green lanes are thought to have originated as paths between properties which led to what was, so legend has it, a pagan place of worship, (and the presence of our St Martin’s Church’s Gran’mere confirms this). Our Parish Church was built on a mound and the lanes would have led to the nearest beaches of Moulin Huet and Saints Bay. They were used by worshippers to wend their way to and from the Church and to bring their dead along

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He accepted Henry VIII’s rejection of papal authority and later changed from Protestant to extreme puritan. We know the eventual terrible result of this – the burning at the stake in 1556 of Catherine Cauches and her daughters on Tower Hill. The Calvinist regime coincided with witch-hunting going on throughout Europe and sadly it happened here. The Island’s history records much of it. The quiet lanes that we enjoy now became paths of sanctuary as people fled the violence and injustice.

The need for a place of sanctuary is for ever needed and our little green lanes once upon a time provided this, as does our Parish Church today, for anyone looking for a place of rest and solitude, where you can take a moment to thank God that we all live in more tolerant times.

JSS

the sacred way. There were sanctified stops where the bearers of the coffins could get their breath back as they made their way along.

Marauders during the Dark Ages and later, after the Channel Islands gave their allegiance to the English Crown in 1204, invaders from France, became an ever-increasing peril to the Islanders. The churches were used as places of sanctuary and suffered greatly from these attacks and their stone vaulted roofs were built at this time as the wooden rooves were burnt down.

The time of the Reformation saw the Island come under a Calvinist establishment and a specially ruthless religious leader’s attempt to add to his power.

Jacques Amy was born in Jersey in 1500 and was ordained as a Catholic priest.

One of the sanctuary paths in St. Martin'sbut can you guess where it is?

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April FoolThe first day of April is, of course, April Fool's Day but have you ever wondered about its origins?

In 16th Century France, the end of the year took place on March 25th. People celebrated with a week long holiday which ended on April 1st and so the new year's holiday ended on that day But in 1562, a new calendar was introduced by the Pope of the Day, Gregory (hence the Gregorian calendar) and the new year was changed to what we now celebrate, the 1st January.

However, news did not always travel fast and it has been suggested that those who failed to recognise the new start of a year and who still celebrated it on April 1st, were April Fools.

One of the most celebrated April Fool's jokes took place on 1st April 1957 when the respected BBC programme "Panorama"announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop.

It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers

of viewers were taken in. Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this the BBC diplomatically replied, "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."

On 1 April 2008, the BBC also announced that camera crews filming near the Antarctic for its natural history series "Miracles of Evolution" had captured footage of Adélie penguins taking to the air. It even offered a video clip of these flying penguins, which became one of the most viewed videos on the internet.

Presenter Terry Jones (of Monty Python, so that should have given it away!) explained that, instead of huddling together to endure the Antarctic winter, these penguins took to the air and flew thousands of miles to the rainforests of South America where they "spend the winter basking in the tropical sun." A follow-up video explained how the BBC created the special effects of the flying penguins.

For the link on the internet, go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dfWzp7rYR4

All booked upHaving had excellent coverage in the Press about the new parish library with lots of donations, now comes the part where you use it!

Take advantage of the new parish Library! Books can be borrowed without charge from the Parish Hall on Monday and Wednesday mornings between 10am and noon. Donations of books in good condition are also welcome. For more details, contact the Constables' Office on 238363.

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Fish and Chip babies!Anyone who enjoys knitting and especially using up odd quantities of wool, will surely find the idea of knitting vests and jumpers for African children appealing.

These babies, often HIV positive and from extremely deprived families, have become known worldwide as ‘fish and chip babies’, because the only way to keep them warm when there are no suitable clothes available is to wrap them in newspaper. Children often come out of hospital after being born wrapped in newspaper as families do not have enough clothes for their newborn infants.

The appeal for vests for these infants is thought to have started some years ago in New Zealand but it was during a family visit to Stockport that Rose Marquand first

heard about them and decided to start an appeal in St Martin. The vests – and small beanie hats too – are simple to make in double knitting wool, and Rose has made copies of the pattern available at the back of St Martin’s Church, near the box where completed items can be left for eventual shipping to Africa.

There are patterns and a collecting box near the coat rail at the Community Centre too. For more details, try www.knitasquare.com or www.fishandchipbabies.com. *It is suggested that pastel shades are not practical, and darker shades are preferred.

Mrs Marquand is still sorting out the costly problem of getting the clothing to Africa, and would welcome ideas and donations. Cheques could be made payable to her and sent to her home, Le Catillon, Clos des Ruettes, St Martin GY4 6QF.

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Easter Wordsearch

There are 24 words associated with Easter in this wordsearch. Can you find them all?

Les Camps Methodist Sundays: Worship at 10.30am and 6.00pm. At 10.30am the young people have their own time of worship in the hall, 'Toddlers' crèche have their own room, and the 'older youngsters' enjoy YAC (Youth after Church) at 8.00pmMondays: Afternoon & evening home groups fortnightly. Details: Paul 239144, or Helen 236010Tuesdays: Mums and Toddlers 9.30 - 11.15am Details: Joan 257426.Ladies Club alternate Tuesdays 7.30pm. An informal two hours, usually with a visiting speaker. Details: 257426.Evening Home Groups fortnightly, second Tuesday of the month 7.30pm. Wednesdays:Senior Citizens Luncheon. Last Wednesday of each month. £5.00. All welcome. Details 238865 or 237930FridaysHalf an hour with Jesus. 12.15 - 12.45 in the Church. Songs, a short message and a chance to meet together. Why not bring a friend?Saturdays Come and chat, relax, in a friendly atmosphere over a hot bacon roll, home made cakes etc and/or free cup of tea or coffee. Join us between 10am - 1pm.

The views expressed by contributors to this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor, Rector or Churchwardens of St. Martin’s Parish Church.

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The lane with no nameRoger Berry continues in his series on names around the Parish.

This time we are going to look at a lane that does not have a name, or not that I know of but perhaps someone out there does know?

The lane is that piece of road that encircles the Doyle monument at Jerbourg. The road starts as La Route des Blanches, and then becomes La Route de Jerbourg until it meets La Moye Lane after the Jerbourg car park. The little diversion around the monument appears not to have a name, although an inspection of old field documents may show a reference to one.

Originally (Iron Age) the western part of the lane was the path around the outer part of the Iron Age defensive ditch system.

The banks of which fall into the garden of the restaurant and are still visible. The monument itself is a post war replacement of the one built to celebrate Lieutenant General Sir John Doyle, Baronet,G.C.B., K.C. who was appointed Governor in 1803.

This illustrious gentleman changed the face of much of Guernsey and parts of St Martin. He changed the shape of Guernsey by organising the draining of the Braye du Valle and joining the northern Vale to the rest of Guernsey - a scheme carried out to prevent the French trying to occupy it.

In 1812 he also created other military roads to speed the movement of troops, one from town to Vazon and another from town to l’Eree. He also built innumerable forts and coastal batteries, including several in St Martin. Perhaps the most notable constructions undertaken by him in our

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Parish were the beach defences. We take for granted the high walls and slip ways at the top of Fermain Bay, Saints Bay and Petit Bot Bay but these were all built under his command to prevent French landings on the south coast. They were specifically designed to be at least twelve feet high with gates that could be closed in case of attack. Each bay was also provided with gun emplacements with canon and defensive ditches. Lookout posts were also created down the south coast to give early warning of French ships.

All of this clearly cost a lot of money and the cash was raised by selling off all the reclaimed land in the Braye du Valle.

It is therefore a great shame that the original monument to Sir John Doyle, which was large enough to have an internal stairway and viewing platform at the top, finished up as a heap of rubble, blown to pieces by the occupying German forces.

The reason was twofold, it presented a major obstruction to their new gun emplacements and also it gave the allies a reference point for air or naval raids. It is for the same reason that the Germans removed many ordinance survey stones from cliff areas. Around Jerbourg car park at least ten of these markers were removed. It is possible that the commando landings at Petit Port and other St Martin bays prompted this action.

Roger Berry.

Flower power!It is easy to take for granted the lovely displays of flowers breathing life from their containers from the South Esplanade to the Salerie corner, in St Peter Port and St Sampson's and the Roundabout so neatly

planted out. Where do they come from and who is responsible?

Halfway along the Longue Rue which runs between Rue des Coutures and Rue Maze there is an office and a very large greenhouse standing back from the road. This is the Parks and Gardens section of the States Works Department.

The benches in the heated greenhouse are covered with plants and there is also a large propagating unit with heated benches in which plants are produced from cuttings as well as from seed. Besides the annual bedding plants of pansies, marigolds, and zinnias many perennial plants such as lupins, delphiniums and echivaria are also grown from seed.

Beyond the greenhouse are poly-tunnels and a large composting area where green waste is recycled and Christmas trees are dealt with. The excellent compost is readily available for sale. This site was established in 1999, moving from the original home in the walled garden at Saumarez Park and has steadily improved its services.

Phil Merrien is the manager with 30 years experience of horticultural work and planning, ably assisted by Bob Carre the General Foreman who has been there for 26 years. Between them the design, colour schemes and logistics are arranged to give the pleasing effect that we all enjoy.

Apart from the floral arrangements this department is responsible for Sausmarez Park and Candie Gardens which means planning, replanting, pruning, mowing and weeding. Altogether a dedicated team of 33 horticulturists and a further 10 helpers, some with learning difficulties, get a lot of satisfaction from their work enhancing the environment.

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Across the road near the Commerce and Employment offices is an area for soft fruit and vegetables. This is also a training ground for students wishing to take the City and Guilds horticultural exam. In 2010 Centre approval was obtained from City and Guilds to offer apprenticeships and courses within horticulture in conjunction with the College of Further Education and Phil Merrien is a qualified examiner in this field. The staff facilities can also double up as a lecture centre.

Private garden work is also undertaken on a commercial basis for the public. Private gardens can be designed, landscaping undertaken and low walls, fences and patios can all be established. Within the heated greenhouse is an area devoted to evergreen plants up to 6 ft tall, which can be taken out for functions for a day or a week as required.

The range of all the horticultural work is quite remarkable. To service the hanging baskets, troughs and shrubs up to 200,000 plants are needed in the summer and up to 160,000 plants in the winter and the team is up to it. The aim of this department is to have a horticultural centre of excellence and it certainly looks like it. Everyone involved should be proud!

Henry Goodeve

ParishMattersThe first thing you must have noticed about this issue of “The Cloak” is the fact that the cover is white. Probably the second thing would

Phil and Bob in one of the greenhouses

have been the invitation which forms the back cover. This is your personal invitation to the Diamond Jubilee Garden Party. This has been organised specifically for residents of our Parish and is completely free of charge. The Garden Party will be held on the lawns of Sausmarez Manor by kind permission of the seigneur, Peter de Sausmarez.

The most important thing that I must emphasise is that numbers are limited. The Manor grounds are extensive and we have a willing band of volunteers organising food......but...we cannot accommodate more than 1,000 people and there are nearly 7,000 in our Parish. So get in quick and accept this invitation by applying for your tickets from the Constables Office. The Office is open from 10.00 until noon Monday to Friday

and on Friday afternoons between 2.00. And 5.00. Admission will be strictly by ticket only. May we also ask you to help us make this day very special by dressing up for it. Nothing too formal but no shorts and “T” shirts please!

So what is going on at the Garden Party? The Guernsey Concert Band will be playing for your enjoyment and for the children there will be races, games, bouncy castle etc. We are hoping the Manor train will be running all afternoon giving free rides and of course, tea will be served to everyone. Finally we are trying very hard to persuade His Excellency the Lt. Governor and/or our Bailiff to come along and help us give three rousing cheers for Her Majesty.

What else are we doing in St. Martin for the Jubilee? In April, shortly after you receive this copy of your Parish magazine,

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we will be building a raised flower bed in front of the Iceland store, thanks to the generosity of Sandpiper CI Ltd. who have kindly allowed us the use of the land. They have also been extremely generous with food and drink for a number of our functions. The flower bed will be planted with flowers spelling out the 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign i.e. 1952 – 2012.

In early May our “Arch” will be built across the road from the Croix Guerin Cafe across to the Community Centre. This will be decked out with bunting and greenery and will be proudly topped with the Union Flag, the Guernsey Flag and of course our own Parish Flag. The “Arch” will remain in place until August.

Sunday 3rd JuneOn the morning of Sunday June 3rd. There will be an ecumenical service in the Community Centre. Everybody, whatever their faith is invited and the service will be followed by refreshments. The service starts at 10.30. a.m. and no tickets are required, just turn up. We will be inviting the children from St. Martin’s School, as well as the children from uniformed organisations.

Monday 4th JuneOn the evening of the 4th June we are having a Concert in the Parish Hall. This is a traditional Concert and is very much aimed at our more mature Parishioners. This will start at 7.00.p.m and refreshments will be provided. Tickets for this event are available from the Constables Office.

After the Concert at about 10.15.p.m. we will be lighting our “Beacon” in Jerbourg car park. Everybody is invited to this event which will form part of a chain of

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Tuesday 5th JuneThat then neatly brings us to June 5th and the Garden Party which I have talked about at the beginning of the article.

That sounds fine, I hear you say but don’t the Schoolchildren normally get a commemorative mug or something on these occasions? Yes indeed and on this, Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee we will be presenting the children with a souvenir book tracing the 60 years of the Queens reign.

Do join us, enjoy the various activities and remember that thanks to the generosity of a number of local businesses, everything is FREE. Finally and still on the theme of Diamond Jubilee, by the time you get this

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magazine through your letter box, we will have a gate to the Jubilee Garden installed as well as a seat around the Oak tree. Please remember, the gate is not there to keep anybody out, more to be opened to welcome you in. It is and I hope will be for a very long time, a corner of the Parish where people can sit and watch the world go by. It is your garden. Enjoy it.

Gerry Tattersall

Mind your own businessOn a damp misty day in February I've been on one of my favourite walks. The plants are full of promise. Tufts of healthy looking leaves are ready to produce an abundance of blooms in April and May.

Start the walk at the top of Calais where Calais Road joins Calais Lane. Go down the road marked Calais. In the first patch of greenery on your right you'll see two invasive plants. At the base of the wall where it joins a gutter is a mat forming plant with tiny leaves called Mind Your Own Business. It's a good name. It can't mind its own business and creeps everywhere. Its a pest in my garden along with the block of Stinking Onions next to it.

Further along on your right is Calais Abreveur. There are two more plants with tiny leaves here, Duckweed and Starwort. The first floats freely on the surface of the water. The second invades the stony area. If the leaves are joined together with stalks it's the latter. These small leaved plants have very tiny flowers.

When you get to Le Montfrie listen to the stream running over its stony bed then go up the drive between the white

posts. Its a drive that's asking for a horse drawn carriage. Leave your conveyance at the top of the drive and turn right. As you go along this path admire all the ferny looking moss between the stones on your right. Look too at the Pennywort on the wall. The leaves are completely round with the stalk in the middle. The flowers are little creamy coloured bells in a spire about 15 cms high.

Not so long ago the leaves were used as an anti-sceptic dressing. The skin was peeled off the back and the leaf then placed on the wound. At least the dressing was sterile and harmless. The plant's alternative name is Navelwort and its Latin name Umbilicus. Walk over the Pine needles where nothing grows and soon after admire the Celandines. These are the low growing shiny bright yellow flowers

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like little cups of sunshine. There are a few steps down with prickly Butchers Broom on the left and later another flight of steps. Turn left at the top of the steps. The path takes you to a secret clearing with a wonderful view. You will be surrounded by gorse; the prickly stuff with yellow pea flowers, carpeted by Daisies, the little short white flowers with many petals. There is a stalwart Holly tree in the middle holding up invading Ivy. The area is a paradise of Bluebells, Red Campion (Soldiers Fleas) and Sorrel (Sour Dock) that's the edible plant with brownish spires of tiny flowers about 50 cms tall.

This is the best time of year to be out and about with a wonderful display of wild flowers.

Rachel Rabey

Called to serveTo start by becoming a Brownie as a child (and also having your mother a Brown Owl of the Brownie Pack) is a good beginning for someone who has wider concerns than only their own lives, family and career.

This was Carolyn Elmy’s early background at her family home in St Sampson’s. Her father and her mother became Douzainiers and served the Parish in different capacities for many years. Carolyn's father’s name is carved on the Millennium Seat at L’Ancresse which is a source of pride for her.

Carolyn and her 2 older brothers were brought up in St Sampson’s and all still live in the Island. Carolyn moved to Jerbourg when she and her engineer partner Christophe Fierdepied bought their house together 8 years ago.

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Our Dean of the Douzaine, Barbara Hervé, knew Carol’s mother through her connections as a Senior Guide and encouraged Carolyn to put her name forward to St Martin’s Douzaine - and she was duly elected.

The term of office for a Douzainier is for 4 years and there are 12 parishioners who serve at any one time. Each has an area of interest and responsibility and Carolyn’s is Environment, which means she is involved in caring for parish land and buildings and their preservation and development.

Douzainiers are represented at the election of Jurats, and Carolyn is a member of the Guernsey Douzaine Council and of the Deputy Liason Group. This means that the Billets have to be read and understood so that our Deputies can be

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asked questions about their meaning and the content discussed.

Collection of rubbish, recycling, clearing of streams and abreveurs are among the many questions she must be able to answer or to reassure that the query will be answered by other members of the Douzaine.

The beautiful sight of the paths and woods in Moulin Huet Valley is one of the achievements of the Douzaine. They also have to try to deal with is the proliferation (madly spreading) Japanese Knotweed which they are doing themselves, but have also asked for help from the States Environment.

Carolyn left St Sampson’s School to take up a post at States Income Tax in the Department which deals with the employer’s tax instalment scheme. She then worked in the finance sector including

22

Barings, when Nick Leeson brought about its downfall and Barings was sold to ING for £1 – no one here lost their job as a result of that negotiation. She joined Investec 10 years ago and insists that she works in the “back office”!

Carolyn works hard in her job and for the Parish, and she enjoys making desserts and puddings and baking, but is lucky to have Christophe, a true Frenchman from Tours in the Loire, in charge of the main cooking.

She cycles in all weathers to the office of the International Finance Company Investec in St Peter Port every day. I think we are fortunate to have such a person serving on the Douzaine as indeed we are to have all of our present Parish representatives..

JSS

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PARISH INFORMATION 2012

The Constables’ Office is open from 10am until 12 Noon Monday to FridayIf you would like to speak to the Constables, they can be contacted

through the numbers below.

Constables’ Office 238363Parish Hall Caretaker 230827Fax Number 238252E-mail stmartinsconstables@cwgsy.net

Cemetery Enquiries Mrs B Hervé 236645

Constables Mr R. Strappini 236685 Mr Graham Smale

Procureur Mr P. Steer 236963 Douzaine Mrs B Hervé (Dean) 236645 Mr G Tattersall 236200Members Mr B E Gregg 237000 Miss Carolyn Elmy 239145 Mr R Strappini 236685 Mr A Corbin 238446 Mr P. Steer 236963 Mr K Brehaut 236887 Mr C. Pickard 237389 Mrs C Pickard 237389 Mr S J Morris 237403 Mr R Clark

Blooming Good EveningDon't forget another blooming evening coming up. The floral team of St. Martin's Parish have worked really hard this last year and have been entered in the "International

Communities in Bloom Challenge" for 2012, following their success in Britain Bloom "Small Towns" category. We wish them every success, so come and support them on this fabulous fund raising evening.

John Nicolle

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Laughter and tearsI was standing in line at the bank when there was a commotion at the counter. A woman was very distressed, exclaiming, "Where will I put my money?! I have all my money and my mortgage here!! What will happen to my mortgage?! You can’t do this to us!" It turned out that she had misunderstood a small sign on the counter. The sign read: WE WILL BE CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY.

***

A man walked into a church and approached the minister. “I need help. I think I’m addicted to Twitter.” The minister looked at him and said gently, “I’m so sorry, I don’t follow you."

***

At my age I get my daily paper, look at the obituaries page and if I'm not there, I

carry on as usual. (Patrick Moore)

***

People are forever calling me a hypochondriac, and, let me tell you, that makes me sick!

***

The refusal to forgive and be forgiven lies at the root of a great deal of sickness.

***

Here's one for the forthcoming elections!! Why do people who know the least, know it the loudest?

***

Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position!

***

Eggs-traordinaryWant to see a giant Easter Egg this Easter? Then come to St. Martin's Church on Easter Day this year where Mike, our Rector, will be smashing one of the biggest chocolate eggs you will ever see as he (and anyone else who wants to join him), will end his Lenten fast of chocolate and join in celebration of Easter Day. Mike is renowned for eating chocolate and occasionally sharing it too!

There will, of course, be a serious point to this as we eggs-plore the Easter message but if you want to know more you will have to come along. Eggs-iting isn't it?

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Services for Apr/May at St. Martin’s Parish Church8am Holy Communion (BCP) 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th Apr 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th May10am Parish Communion (CW) 1st, 22nd, 29th Apr 13th, 27th May10am All Age Family Service 6th May10am Morning Worship 15th Apr 20th May6.30pm Sung Evensong (BCP) 1st, 8th, 22nd, 29th Apr 6th, 13th, 27th May6.30pm Service of Healing and Peace of mind 15th Apr 20th MayHoly Week7.30pm Service of Compline 2nd, 3rd, 4th Apr6.30pm Maundy Thursday Passover Meal 5th April2pm Good Friday meditations on the cross 6th April6pm Service of light and the new fire 7th April10am Easter Festival All Age Family Service 8th April

www.stmartinschurchguernsey.org

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The Constables and Douzaine of St Martin cordially invite parishioners to a

Garden Party to celebrate H M The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

at

Sausmarez Manor (by kind permission of the Seigneur Peter de Sausmarez Esq.)

Tuesday 5th June 2012 (2.30pm until 4.30pm)

Afternoon tea will be provided for all guests.

There will be games for the children and music will be provided courtesy of the Guernsey Concert Band.

Dress smart casual.

Please call at the Constables Office in La Grande Rue to collect

your tickets as entrance will be restricted to ticket holders