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©Kirton News 2023
October 2022
The Editors Letter
My letter to you this month is a very different one. I am typing this the day before the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and it still feels very surreal indeed. After more than a week of 24 hour media coverage; stories about her life of service to our Country, the Commonwealth and about the Mother, Grandmother and Monarch that she was. The outpouring of grief has been unsurprising and we can see how much this has meant to the Royal Family. We thought she’d live forever, I know I did. She was part of the very fabric of our nation.
I can’t really begin to list the ways she impacted the world throughout her lifetime so I am just going to put some of Her Majesty’s words below (she was also known for her wicked sense of humour). Taken from an article by Kate Ng of The Independent.
In his 2011 biography titled Our Queen, royal biographer Robert Hardman revealed the reason behind Her Majesty’s eye-catching clothing choices. He wrote that the Queen once said: “I can never wear beige, because nobody will know who I am.”
The Queen’s 2008 Christmas Broadcast acknowledged the people’s fears over the financial crisis that took place that year. She issued words of encouragement, and said: “When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”
The 60s brought on a slew of changes for women across the Western world. The number of jobs available to young, single women surged and more girls went on to higher education institutions. Movements like Women’s Lib began campaigning for equal pay and opportunity, giving feminism a new, loud voice within society. The Queen recognised these achievements in her 1966 Christmas broadcast, when she said: “It is difficult to realise that it was less than 50 years ago that women in Britain were first given the vote, but Parliament was first asked to grant this 100 years ago,” she said. “Yet, in spite of these disabilities, it has been women who have breathed gentleness and care into the harsh progress of mankind.”
From her first televised Christmas broadcast in 1957, 'I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice. But I can do something else. I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations.'
She will be sorely missed.
God Save The King.
Rachael
Meet The Locals
I am retired and moved to Kirton with my late wife Pamela in September 2006, who sadly passed in April 2008. I since then have re married to my now wife Sally and live down Drainside South.
I have been keen on art all my life and tried many mediums, but being a bit of a perfectionist have found my niche in abstract art, using acrylic paints.
I have been fairly successful in selling some of my paintings and have undertaken some commissions. Having said that I mostly paint for my own pleasure. You can contact Mike on mike@rhodesfamily.co.uk.
Gardening Time with Tim Hewett
The jobs list in the garden at this time is reducing as we head into autumn and towards winter. Rain is falling, maybe too much for some but after this hot summer the garden needs it desperately. The average date for first frost in this area is at the end of the month, and by 1st December the cold nights will be upon us. Most frost effects can only be dealt with after they have arrived, but even at this stage it is a good idea to be prepared. Pots should be wrapped to protect the soil from freezing which will kill roots of less hardy plants. Where possible they should be moved under cover, polytunnel or greenhouse are perfect but a sunny internal corner of a wall will often provide enough warmth.
As the frosts arrive many tender plants in the ground, eg Dahlias as the foliage blackens, should be cut down. There are differing views as to whether they should be lifted and stored a dry frost-free environment, or whether they can be left in the ground with a protective mulch. Having lost all my dahlias one year by leaving them in the ground I tend to prefer lifting and storing in a garage or similar. Remember that the worst damage is caused by cold damp rather than just cold.
It is also time to decide whether to cut back the herbaceous plants at the end of October, although the autumn clean-up was believed to be the way forward many of the younger generation of professional gardeners now prefer to leave the cutback until Spring, the upstanding remnants of foliage providing shelter for many of the insects we now understand are important to our ecology.
Again we should be reaching the end of grass cutting, leave it slightly longer over winter, although again this may appear slightly unkempt it protects the finer grasses against frost damage. October is also the last month for laying turf for a new lawn or as repair to existing ones.
Hedges may be cut after the nesting season is over, and any fallen leaves can be collected and either composted, or stored in spate wire containers to create leaf mulch.
Finish bulb planting, and lift and divide any herbaceous plants that are outgrowing their space. Older plants may also be dying from the centre of large clumps, and these can be lifted, the edges cut away and replanted and the centre disposed of.
If you feel the garden has been short of colour in Spring, there are many early flowering shrubs which can still be planted and will provide regular colour without labour. Forsythia in yellow, many of the Viburnums will flower through late winter and Spring in white.
Kirton Church Fund
The October draw takes place on Sunday 30th with winning numbers printed in the December magazine.
Well done to the winners this month, both have been members since the very beginning joining in June 2012 and of course both have won before. You really do need to be in it to win it as I’ve said many times before and I’m sure these two members would agree.
We have a new member joining us for September but there is still plenty of room for more members and a really good chance of winning. How about joining us you could be lucky 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 the Kirton Church Fund. The more people that join the higher the prize fund and the more money we raise for the up keep of our beautiful church.
You can join at any time during the year at £5 ticket per month and therefore £60 annually, £30 for 6 months and £15 for 3 months. You can of course pay the £5 monthly if you wish. You can also have more than one number if you would like to double your chances.
Not already a member? Then why not come and join us?
Registration forms are available from Fay, please ring 01205 723529. Forms are also available from the church or from Paula’s Gifts at the bottom of Station Road.
Like more information about Kirton Church Fund? Then please give Fay a ring.
August 2022 Winners
1st PRIZE - £48.75 - TICKET NUMBER: 26
2nd PRIZE - £16.25 -
TICKET NUMBER: 20
Data protection. All information (name, address and phone number) of Kirton Church Fund members is held solely for the purpose of managing Kirton Church Fund and is not passed on to any other organisation or used for any other purpose.
Letters to the Editor
Response to Kirton Parish Council
statement in Kirton News
Not wishing to serialise the ongoing issues with Kirton Parish Council, however, I feel I must clarify some of the statements that were made, specifically aimed at, and inferred about myself.
It can be confirmed by both myself and the Councillors concerned, that it was not because of my leadership, behaviour or abilities as a Councillor as to why they resigned.
The Extraordinary meeting that is mentioned, was not, as was implied, called because of the events of the AGM, but was called myself, the Friday before the AGM, while I was still a Councillor, at the request of three Councillors to discuss staffing matters.
It is misleading to imply that Cllr Cole was voted in to replace me and take the Council forward. At the AGM (later, declared legally void) it was Cllr Peter Watson was voted in as Chairman.
I, and others believe that my removal as Chairman was political and not due to my abilities. With the events that occurred on that evening, the Council was becoming more political based, to which I was an obstacle. I think politics have no place in Parish or local Councils, their aim should be solely for the benefit of the community, and Politics of that nature should stay in Westminster.
Similarly, as with the Parish Council, I also respect the privacy of the Clerk and will not pass comment on that particular matter.
Finally, my 2½ years as a Councillor were great, and the best thing I found out about the Parish while a Councillor, was that it wants to engage with the Council, but you had to get out there and meet them, and by doing that, I met a whole new group of people, that, were just amazing.
Carl Sharp
Former Councillor, Vice Chair & Chair of Kirton Parish Council.
Kirton Kids Club
It has been lovely seeing the children come back to the club after the long summer holidays. We have quite a few reception children started too this year, they seem so tiny but it is a joy to watch them settle and enjoy their time with us at the Kids Club.
It has been wonderful also, to have such lovely weather to come back to and most of the session times so far have been spent outside, some years it has turned to ‘winter’ on the day we go back to school in September.
There are lots of great things planned for this term but obviously, lots of toys, games and fun to be had by all.
There are a few spaces left should you want to book them but you will need to phone 07583 762072 and ask about availability and days, as the spaces are dotted about a bit.
The run up to Halloween then Christmas is always exciting and busy with so much to do.
I hope too that the village roads will once again be open soon and we can all get back to ‘normal.
Throughout the work though, we have always had access to the kids club and for that we are very grateful, the last few years have been a struggle and one less worry is a bonus
If you wish to ask about place at breakfast or after school – please text or phone the above number and I will get back to you.
Young at Heart
Young at Heart is a group that is open to those who are “Young at Heart” of any age! We started to meet in October 2019. Originally the idea was for people to come together in friendly surroundings and perhaps play scrabble, card games or even dominoes. However, very quickly a different pattern emerged. It seemed that everyone enjoyed more communal activities such as quizzes, personality bingo and “Play your Cards Right”. Poems were shared, some written by our resident poet Carol Meads. We also developed a team of dedicated Jigsaw Puzzlers! They work heads down with great intensity to create wonderful masterpieces together!
During the Covid 19 pandemic we were not able to meet in person so we met via Zoom. As a group, we all tried to keep in touch with each other as much as possible by phone.
Now we are back in the Methodist Church on London Road. We meet on Tuesday afternoons at 1.30pm. Our hall, toilets and vestibule have all been newly renovated which has added to the general atmosphere of the group. If you want to join with a friendly and happy group of people you would be very welcome at Young at Heart!
News from St Barnabas
This year St Barnabas celebrates our 40th Anniversary of caring and supporting thousands of patients, their families and carers throughout Lincolnshire living with life limiting or terminal illness. Our aim is to enable people to live as fully as they are able for however many days, weeks, or months remain
The services and expertise we offer, for people from the age of 18 years and upwards is available from the point of diagnosis and provided in a variety of care settings to support a wide, range of needs from controlling pain and other distressing symptoms to, accessing welfare benefits advice.
To find out more go www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk. Self-refer call 0300 0200694
Get Involved
40 fundraising ideas for 40 years – This year, join St Barnabas Hospice to celebrate its 40th birthday in style! The 40 for 40 challenge is a great way for supporters from all demographics to say ‘happy birthday’ whilst raising money or donating to the Hospice.
Pub Quiz
Calling all pubs and social clubs in Lincolnshire; Could you host a St Barnabas Pub Quiz? St Barnabas is looking for Lincolnshire pubs and social clubs to sign up now and host a Pub Quiz in support of the Hospice. Signing up is free and includes a Pub Quiz pack to make hosting the quiz stress free and easy!
Go on an Adventure – Lincoln 10k October 30th, 2022
Care for a Cuppa – St Barnabas invites you to put the kettle on and join in ‘Care for a Cuppa’. We have everything you need to make it happen from printable invites, special napkins, and cake toppers to recipes from renowned Lincolnshire chef and baker, Rachel Green.
Go Yellow
Go Yellow this June and spread a little sunshine across Lincolnshire! Go Yellow is a fun and easy way to get involved. Pick any day in June and do something yellow as a way of showing your support for hospice care. It’s completely up to you how yellow you go – perhaps you could dress in yellow for the day, hold a yellow party or host a yellow bake sale. There are endless opportunities to incorporate the colour yellow to your fundraiser.
Rudy’s Run – Calling all Schools, children’s groups, and childminders!
If you are looking for a way to have some festive fun whilst making a difference to those in your local community this Christmas, why not support your local Hospice by taking part in Rudy’s Run. Rudy’s run is a very special Festive Fundraiser brought to you by St Barnabas; you can pick a date of your choice and your pupils can run, dance or prance as they take part in your very own Rudy’s Run whilst raising vital funds for Hospice care in Lincolnshire.
Find out more about these and our other events/activities at https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events/ or contact me.
Paisley Paddison
Paisley.paddison@stbarnabashospice.co.uk
Tel: 07468 715788
Bats aren’t keen on the rain!
A group of 10 keen and intrepid bat enthusiasts braved the rain on Monday 12th September to listen to the 2nd very interesting presentation on bats in Kirton church. Sally, curate at the Stump, gave an excellent, well - illustrated talk. She provided the equipment for us to listen to the 3 species of bat that we have here in Kirton church. Each species of bat has a different pitch of chatter and has a different call. Then we each, armed with the equipment provided, headed out into the wet to look out for the bats flying by listening to their distinctive calls. However, although we could hear them, we sadly didn’t see them. It appears bats aren’t keen on the rain and who can blame them! We did however see them in church very sensibly keeping dry.
If the weather remains warm it is hoped that we may have another successful Bat Watch in October before the bats settle down to hibernate for the winter.
The Registers
Baptisms - We welcome them all into the family of the church:
21st August Dannie William Thorn-Redshaw
21st August Lexi Mai Bennett
Weddings - We offer our congratulations to:
28th August Caoimhe Ruby King
Benjamin George Howsam
Funerals - May they all rest in peace:
none this month