JUNIOR CHURCH CIRCLE THE CITY
‘Circle The City’ is an organised walk around the City of London which takes place each year at the end of Christian Aid Week. Ickenham URC Junior Church members and their parents have been involved over many years – inspired and encouraged by URC and Christian Aid stalwarts Bernard and Judy Pearce, who both died in 2011. Judy still did the walk up until a year or so before her death. This year, a happy band of 12 left Ickenham to take part, and thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship and fun it provided.
It’s a walk of around 5½ miles, taking in the sights and sounds of the city, with stopping off points to visit the many churches in the area – all very different, many with rather unusual names – St Andrews by the Wardrobe, St James Garlickhythe, St Mary Woolnoth, St Giles Cripplegate and St Margaret Lothbury to name a few.
 We learned that the last of these, St Margaret Lothbury, is the parish church of the Bank of England. The children were surprised to learn that the bank has the nickname ‘The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street’. The church was one of many built by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London, and it now serves a large daytime community of City workers, almost all of whom live elsewhere.
The walk began with registration and a short service at St Mary le Bow, another Wren Church, which carries the legendary Bow Bells. Then to St James Garlickhythe, and a stop for hospitality, face painting and creative balloon making. (So that’s what people get up to in the City...!)
With the sun shining and blue skies, the day continued in a happy vein. We visited 11 more churches, including a prayer stop at St Paul’s Cathedral, where we remembered how the Cathedral survived the bombing of the 2nd World War. It stands today as a testimony to those who continue to live in war zones around the world, and are longing for peace.
Finally, and importantly, a very big THANK YOU to everyone who kindly supported us with sponsorship. So far, we have raised (with Gift Aid) over £700 - a great end to Christian Aid Week! We are already looking forward to next year. Maybe you can join us then?
The Murray, Dungey, Psoinos and Bowen families
A THOUSAND MILES BY TAXI
Local fireman Andy Gaywood is more used to putting out fires than driving an old London taxi a thousand miles from France to Prague in three days. Nevertheless, that is what he plans to do this month in order to raise funds for two charities close to his heart.
 Andy, who lives in Ickenham’s Bellamy Close with his long-suffering wife Zoe and their two lovely children, Mia and Findley, has entered the International “Crumball Rally” - strictly for drivers of old bangers! The rules require the cars to be at least 15 years old and have a street value of no more than £200. Andy’s red taxi easily falls into that category: it was bought virtually for scrap, having been built in 1996, and having covered many thousands of miles since then, “So a few more won’t hurt”, he argues.
The rally starts in Reims, France on 19th July and finishes in Prague in the Czech Republic three days later. Prior to that Andy, accompanied by his brother-in-law James Lewis and friend Jack Syed, have to get their vehicle across to France on the ferry, ready to join the 80 other cars involved in the race. At the end of the event, they plan to sell the taxi, by which time they will probably be sorry to part with it. Or will they?
“One of the challenges”, Andy told ICN, “is that none of us are mechanics. Fortunately, Jack’s dad, who was a taxi mechanic, is giving us a master class in changing fan belts, and other useful tips.”
The team doesn’t expect to win the race but they do expect to finish and to have a good time on the way. The journey will take them through the Alps and much picturesque countryside.
According to Andy, their wives don’t share their enthusiasm, regarding the whole venture as “a jolly”. However, there is a serious motive and that is to raise £4,000 in aid of Cancer Research UK and the wonderful Michael Sobell House Hospice. Andy has a special reason for supporting these causes since seven years ago his father died of skin cancer and was cared for in a dignified manner by the hospice.
The team is called “rally4Life”, and now all it requires is plenty of sponsorship. If you would like to contribute to this deserving cause, you can contact Andy on 01895 625682 or visit his website at www.Ickenham.co.uk/rally4Life.
AFN
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