PALM Sunday was a very busy events day in Portesham!

Firstly, meeting up on the green at 9am were participants setting off on a sponsored walk to raise money for the Chesil Bank Pre-School that included young mums, friends and other walkers just there to enjoy the scenery and exercise on such a lovely sunny morning.

Following a route from the green to Hardy’s Monument via Portesham Farm and across the Ridgeway along the top of Ashley Chase and down to Bexington, the walk was successfully completed by all the party and money raised for the pre-school made it worth the effort.

  • NEXT, the coach arrived promptly at 9.20am to pick a group of Royal British Legion members and friends from Portesham for a trip to Totnes in Devon with an organised boat trip down the River Dart to Dartmouth followed by a pre-booked lunch in the National Trust’s restaurant, quick look around and then back on the coach for the return journey back home.

What a superb day for a boat trip on such a beautiful river and as one member remarked: “The best day out we have enjoyed for a long time and we couldn’t have picked a better day for weather, all the scenery on the journey and the boat trip looked breathtaking in such lovely sunshine!”

  • AT 10.20am yet another large crowd gathered, this one for the Palm Sunday walk around the village before finishing with a joint benefice service at St Peters Church.

The procession was led by Beejay, a patient and very gentle donkey that all the children fell in love with and everyone held palm crosses and branches of laurel and other greenery to wave as they walked.

Before setting off the Rev Ada Whittock welcomed everyone and there followed a reading and hymn and there were two further stops around the village, the square and then by the pond for a re-enactment of the Passion readings plus a hymn before arriving back at St Peter’s to continue the service in the church and join the congregation already gathered there.

Again we were blessed with such a beautiful morning with the birds singing merrily and the blossom out on all the trees as we walked round.

  • A VILLAGE Café was held the previous Saturday with a large attendance of people popping in to enjoy a coffee and bacon buttie.

These cafés have become a wonderful occasion for meeting with neighbours and friends for a chat and exchanging news of what is happening around the village, updates of residents unwell or in need of some help, with all monies raised going to the club or group organising the morning (or a charity if wished).

This café’s proceeds were for the funds of the church and the next café is to be held this Saturday, April 25 when the Bridge Club will be in charge – see you there!

  • THE other evening I was invited to join a rehearsal of the Shooting Stars young members.

They are a very enthusiastic bunch of youngsters who obviously love playing their various instruments, two percussionists, flute, cello, violin and guitar with three adults playing violin, guitar and viola.

They also love to ‘act out’ biblical scenes and it was a joy to see them enjoying the evening so much and watching some of the others busy in the other room colouring and creating Easter cards and posters for the church. Anne and Jack Elwin kindly open their home most Monday evenings for this little gathering where there are loads of pens, paints, stickers and paper or card for them to create some artistic item followed by a drink and biscuit to keep them all going.

At the Easter morning service, their music with everyone singing along and all their rehearsing and hard work were well received and their posters and cards really brightened up the church as did the wonderful floral displays produced by the dedicated flower ladies who regularly produce some very creative and beautiful arrangements for our benefit with little thanks for their eye-catching and cheering presentations.