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ELSTEAD
AFTERNOON
WI MEETING
4th
January 2007
2007 got off to a bright
start with a packed Village Hall for the first meeting of
Elstead Afternoon WI. President Anne Moon wished everyone
a happy New Year and welcomed a number of new members. The
meeting discussed which charity to support during 2007,
and after considering a number of excellent local causes,
the largest vote went to the Springfield Surgery Patient
Support Group which, amongst other things, raises money
for equipment for the surgery. Members also discussed the
national competition for WI of the year, and decided to
enter. Our WI has such enthusiastic members, many excellent
activities and plays such a positive role in the community
that it would be good to celebrate these.
Members were then treated to a virtual visit to the Lake
District given by Mrs Rosemary Hunter, who not only showed
us lovely slides but also introduced music and poetry of
the area into her presentation. Betty Moxon gave the vote
of thanks. This was followed by the usual excellent tea.
Muriel Ragless won the competition of a New Year poem.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 1st
February 2007 at 2.15 pm when the subject will be "I'm
a patient get me out of here" by Dr D Samways, and
the competition a handmade Get Well card.
Betty Moxon
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" OUT
OF
AFRICA"
There was a good turnout
at the Village Hall just before Christmas to hear Ed Jowett
and John Preston give a fascinating talk on their experiences
in Kenya last summer.
The film "The Constant Gardener" had helped prepare
us for what a slum Kibera is. Ed and John really brought it
home with their descriptions of the place, its people and
the remarkable parishes with which we are linked through the
Church Mission Society and Colin and Anita Smith. It is hard
to imagine that over one million people live in a space of
2 square miles - considerably smaller than Elstead. How humbling
an experience it must be to receive such a warm welcome from
people who, despite living in poverty and desperately cramped
and awful conditions, uphold such strong Christian traditions..
It certainly underlined the truth of a "Church without
Walls".
A never-to-be-forgotten experience for Ed and John, and our
thanks to them for making sure that we targeted our financial
help to the benefit of the community in Kibera, and its "Homework
Club" in particular. Let us hope this is just the beginning
and a first step in being involved actively with our overseas
mission link. Thanks also to Colin and Anita for all their
support and help in making it possible.
Michael Clarkson Webb
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CHILDREN'S
SOCIETY
All the boxes were collected
during the Autumn as usual and counted. The total collected
was £315 which has been sent off to the Children's Society
towards their work with children and young people.
On Sunday 14th January the annual Christingle Service
was held in St James' church and Christingle oranges given
out. The collection, which came to £177.89, has also
been sent off to the Children's Society. As always, the
church looked beautiful with candles alight on the window
sills and we all admired the big floral Christingle which
had been made by Pat Pearce.
I'd like to thank all those involved for their help with
the service, and of course to the team of cheerful volunteers
who spent most of Friday morning decorating the oranges and
getting sticky with orange juice, cherries and sugary sweets.
Our apologies to those on the cleaning rota this week, as
I'm sure there will be some bits in the church.
Bridget
Carter-Mannning
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