Secretary’s Report to the APCM 2023
This year has marked the full return of normality post-covid to the life of St Andrew’s with the use of communion wine. Let us hope this is the last mention of that word ever required! The PCC has made energetic attempts this year to take advantage of this return to normality with initiatives to improve and develop the life of St Andrew’s in our village.
The Easter Day service had 64 people including a number of children from around the benefice. The new bible, thanks to a generous bequest from Mary Shirville, was dedicated and flowers were presented to Diana Hart for the lovely inscription. The new candle stand and the twenty new hymn books purchased this year were also put to good use. Cherrill Sands acted as Chalice Assistant and is one of a group of three kindly trained by Rev. Catharine Furlong on 9 March. This means going forward there should be a Chalice assistant at every service.
Other key services across the year also returned to normal. Harvest Festival and the auction of produce afterwards took place on Sunday 2 October with generous donations of food given by the village and delivered to the Oundle and Stamford food bank. Auctioneer Adrian Eldridge was back to his best and refreshments were enjoyed alongside the excellent bidding. The service followed the lovely harvest supper organised by the VHC on the previous Friday.
There was also the return of a much missed colour party at the Remembrance service on Sunday 13 November after a two year absence, thanks to the generosity of the Warmington British Legion. We were fortunate to have the Last Post played by a returning Oundle School cornet player. The St Andrew’s Day service on Sunday 27 November was another highlight with Rev. Dr Donald McFadyen in his clerical kilt and an Oundle School piper piping the congregation into church through the mist. At all of these services the catering happily returned to its former glory. The Christmas carol service and VHC organised village carol singing made for a wonderful weekend of carols in the village.
There were two notable and very special services this year outside of the normal church year. The outdoor Jubilee service and subsequent tree planting took place in the churchyard on Friday 3 June. The service was very well attended, the weather held and the Booker twins enjoyed planting the commemorative tree alongside Bob Richardson as the oldest and youngest villagers. Thanks are due to James Rowlett for organising the planting of the wild service tree, and to Monica Crosby for organising the attending plaque. The tree is now registered on the Queen’s Green Canopy website.
The service to mark the late Queen’s death took place in St Andrew’s on Sunday 22 September and was a memorable, sombre and reflective occasion for all who attended. Graham Sands delivered a moving contemplation on his memories of growing up in Royal Windsor. The collection was donated to Ride and Stride because the late Queen was the national patron of the Historic Churches Trust.
Bell ringing has continued before services and immense thanks are due to the Warmington Tower for their friendly and skilled ringing. Visiting bell ringing groups continue to be welcomed, and are now asked for a minimum donation of £10 towards the maintenance of the bells.
Improvements within the church include the return of the flower rota kindly organised by Mavis Rowlett, launched with a creative session by Robin Windsor and Karena Corkhill to improve the standard of St Andrew’s floristry! This was a great success and the standard of altar flowers over the year has indeed improved. There are 17 villagers on the flower rota, and thanks is due to everyone kindly donating their time and creative skills to such good effect. The Monumental Brass Society have advised that the notable brass of Robert Wyntryngham in the chancel floor should remain untouched. David Bond has kindly provided information to be placed alongside it for visitors.
Weekend opening is a new initiative this year. The church is open at weekends between April and October with smart new signs kindly organised by Roger Fitton who with Sue opens and closes the church for which many thanks are due. It has been agreed to keep the lights off to save electricity with a sign advising visitors accordingly. The benefice website has also been updated. A replacement cross was kindly sourced by the Treasurer to use when the church is open to visitors.
Nick Elks has kindly completed the outstanding electrical work inside St Andrew’s including new roof lights, reducing the floodlight timers and installation of a new double socket on the left hand side of the church for the television. This work also led to the realisation that work might be needed to address problems in the floor of the pews. Permission has now been granted by the Archdeacon to lift the floors so that the architect can inspect and advise on what works are needed. This may be rolled into the forthcoming quinquennial inspection later in the year.
The church was used for several superb events last year which greatly contributed to funds. The 150 years of Childhood exhibition, held over the May bank holiday in 2022, was an unqualified success with superb exhibitions, information and teas enjoyed by an enthusiastic and substantial crowd. We must reiterate the thanks recorded at last year’s APCM for the immensely hard work of the committee under the leadership of Dawn Davis along with so many villagers helping in a variety of ways.
The Midsummer concert by Robinson College Cambridge on Wednesday 22 June with refreshments in the churchyard during the interval was a lovely village occasion which drew in visitors from around the area. The music was wonderful, the weather fair, and both the bar and the canapes up to Cotterstock’s high standards.
Ride and Stride was held as planned on Saturday 10 September 2022 though the coffee morning was cancelled as a mark of respect for the late Queen. Georgie Bennett and Rowena Somerville-Cotton attended the NHCT annual celebration evening and thanked everyone for the St Andrew’s donation.
A talk on wedding dresses was held in the village hall on Friday 7 October with half of the funds raised going to St Andrew’s, David Bond delivered a further U3A talk and a Peterborough local history talk and tea also raised very valued funds. Sincere thanks to everyone involved.
The churchyard has continued to flourish and our aim continues of keeping it a well used and loved village outdoor space. Huge thanks are due to Roger and Sue for their tireless work, and for attending the churchyard conservation awards evening to collect the bronze award in the Northamptonshire Churchyard Conservation Award scheme. Particular thanks are due to James Rowlett for his work to remove the overgrown tree and ivy which has opened up the views from the churchyard and uncovered five graves. A small tree has now been put in its place.
In May Sue Fitton kindly agreed to be the Safeguarding Officer completing the basic safeguarding course and the Foundation Course 1. Safeguarding is a mandatory agenda item at PCC meetings.
Much work has been undertaken this year to develop benefice wide activity and St Andrew’s has provided support for this by participating in churchwarden meetings, the fundraising meeting, hosting Jeremy Hunter’s talk on Ukraine for Tansor church and facilitating the Benefice safeguarding training in the village hall on 27 March. We are also pleased to note more contact between the PCCs and more regular sightings of people from other benefice villages in our services. Finally, we note with much pleasure the return of Graham and Cherrill Sands to the PCC this year. We finish with our grateful thanks to Donald and Catharine for everything they do for St Andrew’s.