©Kirton News 2023

The Editors Letter

I always like to have a good old clear out around the middle of the year. And what better month, then, to do it than flaming June?

The temperature rises (a cracking, hot, long Summer predicted) the foliage pregnant with greenery, the hay fever getting into full swing. Get yer clobber off, your shorts on and oil-up for a fabulous late afternoon barbecue on Tuesday the 21st. Between four thirty and seven pm.

What a cynical attitude to take, eh? But isn’t that what we British do best?

It’s easier to criticize than to praise. To go half empty rather than half full.

So I’m clearing out my negativity. I’m looking at what I have rather than what I have not or aspire to; and, with grateful thanks to A. Wilson Esq. who first ran this past me; before I open my eyes in the morning I’ll reach out to either side. And, if I don’t feel wood, I’ll get up and embrace another glorious day.

I can’t say I’m entirely happy with this month’s mag though. Contributions seem to be few and far between these days. I would appreciate a little more involvement from you folks out there because I’m sure.... I know.... you have plenty to say.

Kirton News seems to be becoming a bit lost in the wilderness. I seem to be making all the noise.

We like to think (as I believe I have said in the past) that our remit is to inform and entertain. But also to be something of a conduit between the Village(rs), the Parish, the Town Hall and associated clubs, committees and interested parties alike.

I’m thinking we should look to embrace the social media which so many out there seem to ingest and respire. So, how about a Facebook page for starters? Is that a good move/idea? Or a Twitter site.

Should we expand our website? I must admit that it was set up some time ago (in the computer version of the Dark Ages). If you think that would be the way to go, then let me know and we’ll have a crack.

And if anyone out there fancies putting their two pennyworth in to the project [because, believe me...I’ll need some assistance] then please get in touch.

Consider this a clear-out of the dark and cob-webby shed and a move to the brighter atrium of the future of - what should be considered as - your publication. Your monthly interaction with all that is good, vibrant, important and connected in Kirton.

And I guess that if we do go down the Social Media route it can be a minute-by-minute process of informing, interaction and connectivity.

Having used all the big words I can think of, I take leave to wish you all a Rewarding Referendum and a Jubillacious June.

And, in a week where a dustbin lorry has been taken off the road for having the union flag painted on the side of it which could be seen to endorse the campaign to leave the EU I leave you with this thought. Just take a minute, go out of your front door turn around and look at the door step. Then look up. Everything you see is the only 'real'.

As always;

Sam

In, Out, shake us all about
or Ruminations on a Referendum

So, what’ll it be then? In or out of Europe? Actually, of course, it is do we come in or out of the European Union. To actually be removed from the continent of Europe would be some feat but, if Cameron could achieve it I don’t think there would be many of us left to bother!

Much of the argument I’ve heard for staying in Europe is scaremongering, mostly concerning our personal or public safety. So; is Europe safe? Where innocent folks are slaughtered on a night out to a concert or sports match. Or haphazardly stabbed to death on provincial railway platforms.

Whilst in the EU we have managed to have tube stations attacked and London Buses blown up.

I am old enough to remember - as many of you are - the horrors of turning on the telly during the seventies and weekly, if not nightly hearing of the atrocities committed by the IRA. Both before and after Grocer Ted signed that fateful document.

I can’t see us being any less vulnerable outside of the “Federation” (for that’s what it will surely be!).

And what about the ‘migrants’?

I think that is probably the single biggest item on the general public’s agenda. Well; one might say migration has been a common theme, world wide, since Moses parted the Red Sea and before.

From Britain’s point of view “foreigners” have been both persecuted and absorbed into society over most of the last two millennia. The eighteenth century saw an influx of (Protestant) Huguenots from France, escaping persecution. Many settling in and around London (especially around Spitalfields), and Ireland. They brought with them skills in silk weaving - among other trades.

In the early part of the 20th century we had a massive migration from Belgium escaping (German) persecution [is this starting to sound familiar?] before the out break of the Great War.

In 1948 the”Windrush” brought hundreds of migrants from the Caribbean who did their bit helping the re-build of our country.

As a boy of thirteen or so in the seventies one of my jobs as errand boy for a local Delicatessen was to deliver hundred weight sacks of Patna rice (us Brits only used rice to make puddings in those days) to the old St. John’s workhouse on Skirbeck Road which was being used as a temporary transit camp to house Asians escaping from - you guessed it - persecution in Uganda at the hands of the ‘“Last King of Scotland” and terminal nutter Idi Amin. And, to put it very crudely, that migration could be said to have saved the Corner Shop at one end and, at the other, give us some great medics.

We are a world constantly on the move.

And, as far as trade goes, of course we can’t possibly trade outside the EU.

So, let’s go briefly back to the Middle Ages then.

Ever heard of the “Hanseatic League”? Take a look at the plaque on the key side in Boston down South Street. This confederation of Merchants traded from Boston to the Baltic for four hundred years or so. For a while it made the Town’s fortune (until they fell out).

I guess you could use that localized example as a counter argument also because, once the League dropped us the Town did go into decline. What the Merchants didn’t do, however, was try to over rule the way we made our laws and lived our daily lives as Brussels seems intent on doing.

I think that, for me, has always been the one that sticks in the craw.

We elect our Parliament to govern us and make the rules. We have no such control over Brussels or Strasbourg.

Or perhaps I’ve got it all wrong? It wouldn’t be the first time!

Whilst still on the subject of June 23rd I did receive a piece (and only this one, mind) from one of our local readers - Mr. Seward - giving his take on why we should leave the EU. Now I’m all for free speech and the right to say, within reason, what we think.

We don’t have the space to publish the entire letter but I’ll give you a couple of what I consider to be relevant paragraphs that illustrate Mr. Seward’s argument. “In February 1989 a prophecy was given to Paul Slennett of ‘Jesus is Alive Ministries’, concerning the moral condition of this country from God’s point of view. The prophecy tells Britain to COME OUT OF EUROPE for her own safety.

Amongst many things the Prophecy says is ”repent now before it is too late for already the day of my return draws near.”

In regard to Europe it says “she will align herself with the Beast and the False Prophet” and points out we have already made a covenant with God through the Coronation Oath (the monarch takes this on behalf of the whole country) and staying in will result in “spiritual adultery with the powers of Europe putting financial profit before spiritual salvation.” God is reminding Britain of “what it cost to hold on to her Reformation heritage, which she is giving up in this false alliance,... losing her ability to govern herself as an autonomous sovereign nation.”

If you want some biblical references as back up then try Matt 25: 1 - 12; Revelation 13; Matt 6:24; Amos 3:7 ; Psalm 33:12.

Mr. Seward, you have every right to your opinion. As do I.

By the time of our July/August edition it will all be over.... Perhaps!

The Kirton Church Fund

The May draw takes place on Sunday 22nd and the winning numbers will be printed in the July/August magazine.

The June draw takes place on Sunday 19th and the winning numbers will be printed in the September magazine.

Please note the earlier than usual date for the June draw – this is because of our Flower Festival the next weekend!

We have a first time winner and a second time winner this month. Congratulations both of you.

Could you be as lucky in our monthly draw? You won’t know unless you join in. Remember you have to be in it to win it!

You too could join the Kirton Church Fund (KCF) monthly draw and win! Anyone over 18 may take part.

The prize fund each month is 1/4 of the money taken each month. The rest of the money goes to Kirton Church. (Over £600 raised so far this year! Well done everyone.)

The more people that join the higher the prize fund and the more money we raise for the church. There is plenty of room for more members (and a very good chance of winning).

Registration forms are available from Fay, please ring 01205 723529, or for more information about Kirton Church Fund please give Fay a ring.

April 2016 Winners

1st PRIZE - £38.08 - TICKET NUMBER: 34
2nd PRIZE - £12.67 - TICKET NUMBER: 53

Letters to the Editor

The Battle of The Somme
July 1st to November 19th 1916

As the one hundredth anniversary looms of this, the bloodiest battle of World War One, a commemoration service has been planned by the local branch of the Royal British Legion.

The aims of the battle were to relieve the French Army fighting at Verdun and to weaken the German Army as a whole. However, the Allies were unable to break through German lines. In total, there were over one million dead and wounded on all sides. In 142 days the British advanced just seven miles and failed to break the German defence. The slaughter on an industrial scale. The Germans made a strategic retreat to the Hindenburg line and fought on for- almost exactly - another two years.

I have received a short message from Roland Reece of TRBL as follows:

“At last nights (May 10th) meeting of the Kirton and district branch of TRBL lt was decided to hold a short sunset service at the war memorial on the 30th June at 21:30hrs, at which we would hope to involve all of the village. Letters are going out to the youth organisations to invite them to take part. We would expect this service to take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Thank you all for your support

The Kirton & district branch committee TRBL
Lest we forget

Kirton Kids Club

Yay! Summer seems to be here early. The children just love being able to use the outside space in the way it should be used – sports, football, games and activities.

It does make everyone feel good to see the sun I am sure and the children can’t wait to get out once they see it too.

The children have access to climbing wall and tower, sand and water play, scooters, skate board, sports equipment and games and the younger one to a wonderful slide.

There is astro turf, picnic tables and benches as well as hard surface and a natural grassed area.

Breakfast club spaces are mostly taken at the moment but after school there are places left if you wish to book your child/children.

If you would like a look around please phone us or pop in and we will be only too pleased to show you around.

Prices are still the same at the moment: £3.50 per child per morning and £5.50 per child per afternoon session There is a 10% discount for related siblings booked in at the same session.

There will be places for breakfast club in September if you would like to book early and make sure you have the place. Telephone : 07583 762072 for more details.

Kirton Library extends it’s opening hours

We are now able to extend our opening hours to include the first Saturday of each month from 10am until 12 noon. Our first Saturday opening will be 4th June 2016.

The library will also be open from 10am until 1pm on Tuesdays and between 2pm and 6pm on Thursdays.

Call in and see us at The New Life Centre, The Junction, 1 Wash Road, Kirton PE20 1QJ.

Development Notice

July is your last chance to express your views on proposed development in the Kirton/Frampton area. 

There will be a meeting on July 20th (all afternoon) to be held at Kirton Town Hall.

Have your say on the impact to the already over stretched village facilities that the huge amounts of proposed new houses will have.

Frampton W.I.

By the time you read this it will be June, and we have two events planned for our WI members. At the next meeting on Thursday 9 June 2016 we are looking forward to meeting Mr Alan Gray OBE who will be telling us about his days as a Wimbledon umpire, in a talk entitled ‘You Cannot Be Serious’ which as the Wimbledon fortnight is fast approaching is quite handy. Val, Sarah and Jenny will be our hostesses for the evening, ( are we having strawberries?) there will be a competition, something beginning with N, all I can think of right now is Net.! Bring money for a raffle ticket or ten and make sure you buy the ones just before mine and after mine as I can almost guarantee they will be the winning tickets ..although I did actually get a prize last time!!

Our second event is the outing on 23 June 2016 we are off to East Ruston Old Vicarage Gardens, Ive seen the brochure its a dream of a garden I cant wait. If you still havnt signed up to go ring Carol(number below) there may be some seats left.
I must not go without telling you about our last meeting this May, just in case you missed it. Members voted on two National Resolutions, and discussed them thoroughly. One relating to carers of people with dementia being allowed to stay with the sufferer if they were admitted to hospital for any reason, and the second one asking for legislation to ensure supermarkets did not waste viable food. Results will be pooled and our delegate will vote as directed. Phew business over, we played card bingo and a very entertaining game ...it involved Carols tights, my balls and Di’s skittles.

On that note I will leave you and just say:
Why not come along and join us? Our next meeting is Thursday 9 June 2016, we start at 7:30pm and meet in the Village Hall, Middlegate Road, Frampton.

Ann (President) on 01205 366020 or Carol (Secretary) on 01205 722879 email: carolpattrick@gmail.com or Janice Cotgreave(new members)email: janice.cotgreave@btinternet.com

Frampton Gardening Club

Our February 25th meeting saw our popular plantsman Tom Holland giving a colourful display of perennial plants, shrubs and bulbs suitable for planting now to kick start our gardening year.

Tom has been a regular speaker at Frampton Gardening Club and continually raises a wide variety of garden-ready plants for showing at talks in February, March or April.

As many of these early flowerers needed ericaceous (acidic) compost Tom was happy to explain the pros and cons of the different types of compost and the pressing need to cut down on peat usage.

Many normal commercial composts comprise fifty percent or less of peat in the mix, and the balance is sometimes with very disappointing materials that lose their structure over time. Ericaceous plants such as Azaleas and Camellias will benefit from controlled-release fertilizer pellets or organic fertilizers such as fish, blood and bone.

Our NEXT meeting on Thursday March 31st will welcome back an excellent speaker of previous years, Stuart Dixon, who will be revealing the history of “Jersey Royals”, that famously early potato variety.

New members are always welcome to our meetings in Frampton Village Hall (free entry for first-timers) at 7-30pm, on the last Thursday of the month.

The Registers

Baptisms - We welcome into God’s family:

Autumn Marie Pelling

Weddings - We ask God's blessing on:

No Weddings this month

Funerals - We commend to God’s keeping:

Gertrude Grace Brotherton
Sheila May English