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GET READY FOR 2011
Sheena Rosser has produced a calendar of Ickenham pictures by local photographers. This slimline appointment calendar has 12 detachable postcards and is on sale for £4.00 each from the Library, Mace or direct from Sheena. She can be contacted on 01895 233499 / 635714 or at photosonthings@gmail.com.
Profits from calendar sales will be shared between the Ickenham Festival and the Paul Strickland Scanner Centre.
YOUNG VOICES IN HARMONY
During this school term, local professional musician and ex-St Giles’ chorister Paul Ayres is working with the children of Holy Trinity Northwood Primary School to prepare for a family Christmas concert. The project, organised by Ickenham-based choir the Walbrook Singers, is funded by a grant from Hillingdon Borough’s Young People’s Fund. Paul visits the school each week and works with classes aged 8-11 years, to provide free professional music workshops.
 The finale to the project is a family Christmas concert “Gloria in Excelsis Deo”, to be held at Emmanuel Church Northwood, at 5pm on Saturday 11th December. The concert will feature children from the school together with the Walbrook Singers, who are busy rehearsing on Sunday afternoons. The two choirs will join together for a final rehearsal on the afternoon of the concert.
Pupils have also been designing artwork to be displayed at the concert. One design will feature on the concert poster and leaflets so Kitty, the proud young artist, will see her artwork in full printed form (as previewed here.)
For the children, this is a chance to work with a professional choir trainer and to sing some challenging music with a full harmony choir. And the Walbrook Singers can hopefully recruit some new youngsters to join their ‘top-line’ of boys and girls. They hope to repeat the project with another school in January and any children who subsequently join the Walbrook Singers will be invited to join their trip to sing at Lichfield and Derby cathedrals next summer.
If you know any musical children who would like to join this choir of children and adults then Paul would be delighted to hear from you (020 8632 1854 or paulayres@clara.net).
Tickets for the concert are £6 for adults but free to children under 12 years. They are available at the door or from Andrew Browning at St Giles’; email him at walbrookmail-info@yahoo.co.uk, or see the website at www.walbrooksingers.co.uk.
On Sunday 31st October, over 70 people gathered in St Giles’ Church Hall to mark All Hallows Eve. This is the day before All Souls Day - a Christian festival when we remember and give thanks for those who have gone before us. Instead of the modern interpretation of Halloween which concentrates on fear and darkness, ‘Bright Sparks’ gave us an afternoon of fun and laughter celebrating God’s light and love. With games, crafts and delicious food as well as a quiet area for those who wanted to reflect and pray, it was a memorable event.
SOME MORE BRIGHT SPARKS
The Ickenham Festival Quiz in the Village Hall on 19th November attracted its usual full house. After a tie breaker, the two teams in first place remained level, so their cash prizes were shared between their designated charities: Ickenham Library staff donated their prize to Children in Need, and Sonia Fullerton’s Team gave theirs to Harefield Hospital. Ickenham Residents’ Association came third, to the benefit of Cancer Research UK. Well done and thanks to all of them.
WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP REVIVAL
Numbers attending the Women’s Fellowship meetings had been in decline, and it was with sadness that the group decided to close in July, after 65 years of meeting weekly at the URC. But a small hard core of attendees were disappointed with its demise, so from September meetings were reinstated, but on a monthly basis.
Now meeting on the 4th Wednesday of the month (except in July, August and December), the Fellowship no longer invites paid speakers, but relies on people from our own churches, or just entertains themselves. Where relevant, there is a seasonal theme to the meetings, which all take place in the Hardwick Room and usually begin at 2.45pm. But in January and February, an earlier start time of 2pm allows the ladies to get home again before it is dark. Meetings start with a short prayer, and always finish with tea or coffee and biscuits, with time for a chat with friends. There is no membership fee; they just ask for a donation of 50p per meeting towards refreshments.
Any lady would be welcome to attend. Why not consider coming to the next meeting, on Wed 26th January, with that earlier 2pm start? Celia Miller will be leading a Devotion for the New Year. More information about the Fellowship can be obtained from Ann Day (01895 634986) or from Dorothy Vickery (01895 674223).
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