Fond farewell to Rev Brian and Mary Banks

Abbotsbury

• WHITSUNDAY this year at St Nicholas Church was not only a celebration of the birth of the Christian Church but also a fond farewell to Rev Brian and Mary Banks.

Brian and Mary moved to the joint benefice in 2000 as they prepared for Brian’s retirement.

They were reverse weekenders for a while as Brian continued to minister on the Isle of Wight at Freshwater.

Here I will tread on the toes of the correspondent in Portesham as I mention that Brian and Mary moved into her village.

Some retirement it proved to be, as Brian continued to play an important part in the ministry of our four churches, joining a team of retired and lay ministers helping the incumbent with the services.

This particular Sunday was no different as Brian took his last service for us.

His sermons were always challenging, as one would expect from someone who had led a fulfilling career before ordination, as a journalist.

Brian had also been an Open University student and I fondly remember his encouragement as I plodded through my own degree.

How we loved Mary’s artwork, paintings and cards, she was such an artistic and welcome member of our community.

The congregations of our churches joined together on Whitsunday to wish them God speed for their relocation to Lancashire, near their family, in the coming days.

Brian and Mary were astonished as representatives of the churches presented them with gifts and had organised a bit of a do to follow.

We all wish them well; they will be very much missed.

• FOR some time now residents in Abbotsbury have been concerned about the children playing ball games on our postage stamp sized green in the centre of the village.

The ball goes flying over the railings endangering not only their lives as they chase it but is also a danger to the traffic that streams through the village.

Now the Chesil Bank Parish Council (CBPC) has placed a polite notice on the railings, to the children and their parents in Abbotsbury, banning ball games on the green.

Another thorny problem is skate boarding. This problem has been going on for many years with letters of protest being sent to the CBPC about skate boarding in Back Street.

Our son was once a culprit as he and friends, when our back was turned, used to skateboard down West Street rattling all the drain covers as they went.

I attended a CBPC meeting at Moonfleet many years ago when this topic was discussed after a resident in Back Street complained and one of our councillors considered it to be just a passing phase.

Our son was not a culprit then I hasten to add.

Since those days each succeeding group of village teenagers has enjoyed this pastime, and each year protests been have been made.

Hopefully, when our recreation ground is up and running, there will be a site for the skate boarders.

• ACCORDING to the draft minutes of the latest CBPC meeting, Lucy Bailey the chairperson of the Abbotsbury Playground Group reported that they had got through Stage 1 of the funding application and were in the final stages of Stage 2.

A facilitator is helping with this 30-page document. It is no easy task.

The group have great support from the community and intend to erect a purpose built and safe play area for the younger children on our large resurrected recreation ground.

• HAVE you bought your tickets for the Medieval Midsummer Merriment at the tithe Barn yet? Don’t miss out.

They are still available at £15 each and this includes a two-course supper. There will be feasting, wandering minstrels, displays by Dorchester Historic Dance, a medieval market and the cutest of medieval mice for sale and a raffle.

Henry the VIII’s double will be the master of ceremonies and Crack the party band will provide music for dancing. Gates open at 7.00pm.

Tickets can be purchased from Abbotsbury Heritage Fayre on 01305 871085 and 871183.

• GOOD NEWS reaches us from Peter Evans the Abbotsbury organiser of our Chesil Oil Buying Group(CBG).

The scheme began in 2008 and for the past three months Watson’s have consistently kept the rate below other suppliers and lower than their normal rate to customers.

Our Abbotsbury contacts are Peter Evans 01305 871527 and Malcom Pugh 871001.

• A FLOWER arranging competition for members of the Chesil Bank villages will take place on Friday, June 19 at the Subtropical gardens.

This will take place in the marquee and is open to all.

There are three classes, Ascot, The Coastal Path and The Jewellery Box and a novice class for those who have not won in previous years.

There is also a children’s class – An Alien to be made of natural materials.

There couldn’t be a more perfect setting for a flower arranging competition

Langton Herring

• MAYTIME Melodies. This was the title of the Barry Townsend and friends concert and supper that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago after a call from Ann Kerrins.

Sadly for us, but not for St Peters’ it was a sell out. We couldn’t get tickets.

We are told that it was a wonderful evening with Barry and friends singing and playing a wide range of music from classical to jazz.

Everyone had pulled together to make the venue look lovely and to provide a fantastic fork supper.

Judy Barrett reports that they raised £650 for the fabric fund of St Peter’s church in the village