WELCOME
We are delighted to welcome the Kirkham family: Claire, Kevin and Harry (aged 4), who have moved to 5 Brook Close. We hope you will be very happy living here!
IN MEMORIUM
Ed Horne
Cdr. Edgar Michael Horne (Ed) AFC RN passed away peacefully at his home in Winterbourne Stoke on January 14, 2021 aged 83. Born in Bedford to parents Theodore and Lilian (Curtis), Ed grew up in Bletchley, Bucks and attended primary school there, then attended the Cedars Grammar school in neighbouring Leighton Buzzard. Ed joined the Air Training Corps while at school and gained his pilot’s license at age 16. While still at school, Ed also learned to drive and earned extra spending money as the local bread and cakes delivery van driver. At age 18 Ed left home and started a degree in Aeronautical Engineering at Bristol University. After 2 years he decided that he didn’t want to design or build aeroplanes, he wanted to fly them, so he joined the Royal Navy as a Sub Lt. Trainee helicopter pilot in 1957. Not long after joining the Navy, Ed met Joyce Veronica Pughe and they married in March 1961. Edgar went to sea shortly after returning from their honeymoon and while he was serving on HMS Centaur in Asia and the east coast of Africa, Joy gave birth to Alison Wendy on Christmas Day, then almost 2 years later Adrian David was born. After spells at sea and land based in Cornwall, Boscombe Down and Portland as a helicopter test pilot Ed was offered an opportunity to spend 2 years at the US Test Pilot School in Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. Ed and Joy embraced the North American lifestyle and culture and travelled extensively making many long-lasting friends. After 30 years as a helicopter pilot, Ed spent his final 3 years in the Navy on special assignment at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. While Ed was working in Belgium and living with Rusty their lovable mongrel, Joy was assisting British Military families as an Educational Psychologist in Germany and they all met up at weekends and often explored Europe in their motor caravan. On their return to the UK they moved to Winterbourne Stoke and soon became active participants in village life. After a spell as a Wiltshire Educational Welfare Officer, Ed retired officially, while Joy continued her work in London, started her private practice and completed her PhD. Ed and Joy continued to enjoy frequent holidays all over the world, occasional sailing trips, plus regular windsurfing trips to Lanzarote well into their late 70s. Ed spent his spare time in retirement supporting the Freemasons, was a trustee of Jubilee Cottages, Church Warden, Church Organist and for many years an active participant in the Winterbourne Stoke Wine Club. Alison Sackley (daughter)
Ed and Joy made me feel so welcome at St Peter’s when I was new in my role as Lay Minister. Their dry sense of humour and no-nonsense directness helped quell my nervousness. When asked to take monthly All Age Worship services, I turned to them for advice. Joy was so good at understanding what might work well with children. And Ed was especially helpful in telling me which hymns he would really rather not play! He seemed to think I understood all about difficult key changes and would often berate me for seeming always to choose hymns that contained them. He was a fount of hymnal knowledge and clearly loved to play. In fact, he couldn’t be persuaded to stop until he fell off the organ stool. After Joy died, I spent time with Ed in their conservatory and enjoyed hearing tales from his helicopter flying days – what a fascinating life he led. He made me laugh, and his tender recollections of his dear Joy were often moving, but never pulled any punches! He was so strong in both mind and spirit, making the best of all the difficult circumstances that he faced in his last years. He was an example to us all. Yvonne Allen
Barry France
It was with great sadness that the village learnt that Barry had passed away in hospital from a heart condition on 14th January. Our thoughts are with his wife Sam and daughter Becky. Over the last seven years, Barry had different major health conditions which he fought very bravely. Barry and Sam moved to the village in April 2001 and shortly after their daughter Becky was born. Barry spent most of his life working in the building and construction industry and supervised many large projects around the area. Around the village, he helped with many community jobs and assisted the Events Committee with many schemes. Barry was a do-er and would never join the committee, his motto was “you supply the materials I will do the job free of charge: it is my contribution to the village,” which he did on many occasions. The container was bought, he made all the wooden shelving inside and supervised the preparation of the site ready for the installation. When the play park was refurbished, he offered to make the new picnic table. The materials were supplied and Barry did the rest. He will be very much missed by all who knew him. Ian West
CHURCH
Outdoor Church
Plans to introduce a new activity for young families – Outdoor Church – are on hold for the moment, until lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Candlemas
It was lovely to see photographs of the children’s completed Christingles. Well done everyone!
Shrove Tuesday
The village is to hold a Pancake Flipping Challenge, with videos uploaded onto the Facebook page of attempts to flip a pancake as many times as possible within a minute! Golden frying pans will be awarded and the winners announced in next month’s Parish Magazine!
Mothering Sunday
There will be a workshop on Saturday 13th March at 2.30pm for the children to make posies and cards to give to their mothers. It will be held at the Old Rectory and led by Angie and Olivia. Children who are old enough to be left can be dropped off and collected again at 3.30pm. Refreshments will be provided. Please let Olivia or Angie know if your children would like to come so we have an idea of numbers for materials and refreshments. There will be no charge.
Easter
“Lent in a Bag” is available for those who would like to follow the Lenten Journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Please let Olivia know if you would like a bag – we have materials for children and teenagers as well.
A large wooden cross is going up in the churchyard ready to be decorated (flowers, drawings, home-made hanging decorations – eggs, chicks, rabbits…) to celebrate Easter. There will also be on workshop at the end of March to make an Easter Garden at the back of the church – more details in next month’s Magazine and on Facebook.
VILLAGE NEWS
Village Bunting
The Village bunting is coming along nicely and is constantly being added to. It’s developing to reflect the different skills and personalities within the village and looks wonderful. It is hung at St Peter’s Church where it is accessible to all to contribute and to admire. If you’d like to add to it, all you have to do is create a triangle of bunting (or however many you like) whether standard fabric triangle, drawn/painted on paper, cross-stitched/appliquéd, or even a photo printed and cut to shape. Finished triangles can be pinned up on the string with the pegs provided at the church. Templates are available on the Facebook group, Parish Council website or hard copies are available in the church. It would be nice to be able to create something which we will be able to use in our future village events and for all to have their handiwork up for everyone to admire.
The Village Telephone Box Book Swap
The book swap seems to have been very popular over the past few weeks and has had a steady turnover of Books, CDs, and DVDs and for both Children and Adults. Please feel free to come and browse, donate or take away books.
Facebook Page: Winterbourne Stoke Notifications Group
The Facebook page has had a few changes to make it easier for you to find certain relevant posts. Take a browse round the page where you will find the village events listed or into the topics section where you can find posts on various subjects such as: Things to do; Reducing waste about the home; the A303 Bypass etc. Please feel free to join the village Facebook group, many people find it an invaluable and fast way of connecting with other people in the village.
Village Preservation Society (VPS)
The Village Preservation Society (VPS) is made up of all the villagers and was set up for the village to preserve village life, its heritage and make it a great place to live. We are currently looking at Easter and spring activities, if that’s something that you’d like to be involved in or have any ideas, please let us know. Additionally, if you have any other ideas, if there is something you might like to see, if you might like to take a more active role or even help to organise something. Please get in touch via email to winterbournestokevps@gmail.com
VILLAGE MEMORIES
This is a new feature which we hope to continue each month. We’d love to hear from you if you’ve been part of the village for some time – it’s always fascinating to find out about the history of our village! If you have any old photographs of the village, which you’d be happy to share, please get in touch with Andy, Teresa or Olivia – it would be lovely to see these on the Facebook page.
Winterbourne Stoke entries
Olivia Dutton collates the news from Winterbourne Stoke to submit to the Parish Magazine. Please contact her on 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.