CHURCHYARD
Thank you to all those who turned up with rakes to clear the leaves and help clear the wood from the large beech tree (one of a stand of four – probably 150+ years old) which fell during storm Arwen. Gwen’s delicious cakes and steaming mugs of tea and coffee rounded off an excellent morning’s work. We are especially grateful to Jeff Thomas and Roger Palmer whose chainsaws have been going almost non-stop as they’ve been working their way up the trunk during the past fortnight. There may be some wood to spare. If you’d be interested, please contact Jeff or Olivia – donations towards the repairs to the church.
CHRISTMAS WREATH WORKSHOP
Two workshops were held at the beginning of December and more beautiful wreaths were created. Photographs of these can be seen on the Village Facebook page. It’s lovely to walk round the Village and see them looking so festive and welcoming on people’s doors.
CHRISTMAS TASTY TREATS WORKSHOP
A really happy afternoon was spent making reindeer and snowmen from teacakes (ingenious!), decorating cupcakes and gingerbread shapes, making Rice Krispie cake Christmas puddings and getting very sticky with marshmallows! Lots of photographs on the Facebook page. This was organised by Angie – a big thank you! – and enjoyed by everyone (including mums and dads!) who took part.
VILLAGE CAROLS
Our annual Carols Round the Village was again a great success. Despite several shepherds and angels succumbing to COVID and having to self-isolate, we had a great turn-out and another very happy evening, rounded off with Mince Pies and Mulled Wine at the Church. There was also a visit from Father Christmas with presents for every child.
CHRISTMAS CRAFT PACKS
The VPS have been busy putting together packs of craft activities for children. These were really popular last year and sold out very quickly. They are filled with a wonderful variety of things to keep children busy over the holidays and, at £5 each, are incredibly good value. See the Facebook page for what’s included. They are available from Angie or you can contact the VPS winterbournestokevps@gmail.com
CHRISTINGLE
Christingle is a joyful celebration that brings families and communities together to share the light of Jesus and spread a message of hope and involves oranges, ribbon, candles and sweets! Come and find out how this all works, what it means and how many sweets we can eat!! Sunday 16th January at 3.30pm for all the children in Winterbourne Stoke and the surrounding villages (and their parents).
VILLAGE HUB
The “Village Hub” provides a place for the whole community to meet and a place where everyone in the village is welcome.
The Book Club meets once a month;
Meet Make and Mend meets on the last Tuesday of each month;
Parish Council and VPS meetings are held here;
There will be a Coffee Morning on Friday 28th January at 10.00am
We will be buying a projector, screen and speakers with the Lottery funding and plans are in progress for
Film Nights (please let us have your suggestions)
If anyone has any further ideas on events which might be hosted at the Village Hub, do please contact Olivia or Teresa. Bookings can be made by contacting winterbournestokevps@gmail.com
MEET, MAKE & MEND
We will be making Christmas cards and gift tags for next year from our used Christmas Cards, Christmas Cracker embellishments and any other bits and bobs we have. If you’d like to join in, bring along your glue and anything you’d like to include in your creations. Blank cards will be provided on the day to purchase at a small cost if you need them. We will be meeting on the last Tuesday of the month: January 25th at 7.30pm in the Snug.
CHRISTMAS CARD BOX
Don’t chuck out your Christmas Cards. Help the environment and your local community by recycling them. This year a box will be placed in the church for used Christmas cards, we will be up-cycling them in our Make and Mend group and any that aren’t used will be recycled.
VILLAGE PANTRY
The VPS in conjunction with the Church will be launching a new initiative: the “Village Pantry”. There will be a dedicated area at the back of the church set aside for this. Please feel free to donate any tinned or dried food stuffs. If you’re short of something, please feel free to help yourself, swap for something else (non-perishable)
or make a donation in the honesty box. At the end of the month everything that is left over will be donated to the local food bank and be replenished for the following month. All donations will go to replenishing the pantry.
TELEPHONE BOX BOOK SWAP
Look out for new Christmas-related books, CDs, and DVDs and for both children and adults to get you in the festive mood and enjoy on the colder days. Please feel free to come and browse, donate or take away books.
VILLAGE HISTORY
Thank you, again to Andy Shuttleworth for providing this month’s Village History
LIVER CHILL—A DANGEROUS AILMENT. HOW BILE BEANS EXPEL IT. STRONG WILTS. TESTIMONY. Liver chill is a common ailment at this time of year. It may be brought on by getting one’s feet wet, by going out insufficiently clad, by living in a damp house, or even by sleeping in a damp bed. From whatever cause arising, liver chill is most dangerous, for many serious complaints arise from it. Bile Beans banish liver chill by giving tone to the liver and nourishing it by so assisting digestion that the food taken is turned into rich, red blood. The experience of Miss Fanny Adlam, of New Street, Winterbourne, Stoke, Wilts, proves this.
“Some years ago,” she said to a Wiltshire Chronicle reporter, “I slept in a damp bed. In the morning I was wet through, and later in the day my face began to swell. As I found I had developed a chill, I stayed in bed for a few days. I gradually got worse, and my breathing became very difficult. I lost all my colour I was weak and listless and could take no interest in anything. I consulted a doctor, who said I was suffering from a chill on the liver. He prescribed for me, but his medicines did me no good. I then went into hospital, where I was treated as an out- patient for three months, but got no better. If I even stooped down I felt sick, and my head seemed fit to split open. For months I was like this and had to take to my bed. The neighbours all said I was “going home” (set to die!)’ and I certainly looked like it. I tried almost every medicine I heard of, but all to no purpose. One day a friend sent me a box of Bile Beans. I commenced to take them, and soon I began to enjoy my food my breath got better, and, in fact, I felt stronger altogether. I continued with Bile Beans, and they have now completely cured me.” Bile Beans cure indigestion, biliousness, head-ache, weakness, liver disorders, liver chill, colds, neuralgia, pains in the side, loins, and back, constipation, piles, dizziness, sleeplessness, nervousness, anosmia, female ailments, Iumbago, and rheumatism. Bile Beans may be had of all chemists, or post free from the Bile Bean Manufacturing Co., Red Cross Street, London, E.C., on receipt of prices, Is lid or 2s 9d (2s 9d box contains three times Is lid size). Fanny Adlam was born in the village in 1883 and this article appeared in many newspapers in 1905 when she was living in the old New Street (now demolished.). Today she would be known as an influencer and be using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
I was fascinated by the story of Fanny Adlam and the Bile Beans and wondered what had become of her. Part of this interest was due to a tragic event in the village sometime earlier, which I will write about next month, which also involved the Adlam/Adlem family.
Winterbourne Stoke entries
Olivia Dutton collates the news from Winterbourne Stoke to submit to the Parish Magazine. Please contact her on 01980 621247/07760 618078 or olivia.dutton@outlook.com. The deadline for going to print is noon of 16th of the month, so please make sure to send it to her by 14th of each month.