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Alphington Life
June 2020 Price : 80p
Alphington Life Your Local Parish Magazine
Lockdown photo competition winners
Tea parties for VE Day75
Stars in Our Community: Gareth at the Pharmacy
Updates from local organisations offering support during the current difficult situation
Online edition
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St Michael & All Angels Church, Alphington
Rectory Drive, Alphington, Exeter EX2 8XJ www.alphingtonstmichaels.org
Parish Directory Church Office for general enquiries 01392 662280
[ Please leave a message and we will reply as soon as possible ]
Rector Rev Mike Partridge (Day off: Thursday) 491476
Reader Lesley Phillips-Cannon (Day off: Friday) 823890
Children & Families Lead Worker Lucy Williams (Day off: Thurs ) 07432 254992
Youth Leader Danielle Compton McCulloch 07580 536211
Pastoral Care Leader Eira Rowe 256660
Bereavement Support Network c/o Julia Tooth 207266
Churchwardens Andi Linford & Roger Noden Andi: 833658 Roger 811905
Head Sidesman Marion Andrews 251925
Organist Sue Hutchings 07946 791277
PCC Secretary Deborah Leighton Plom 969159
PCC Offering Secretary Brian Willcocks 257839
Assistant PCC Treasurer Sue Western 275314
Electoral Roll Officer Alan Douglas 434176
Bell Tower Captain John Staddon 203772
Church Flowers Organiser Anne Bromwell & Mel Liversage Anne: 423780 Mel: 259024
Magazine Team Contact Church Admin 662280
How to contact us @ Alphington Life We welcome readers’ contributions so please send any articles, photos and diary dates of local interest for possi-
ble inclusion, as well as responses, comments or suggestions regarding previous magazine issues to the editorial
team at [email protected] To advertise in Alphington Life contact Juliet Meadowcroft at [email protected]
Reach a local audience at very reasonable rates for 12 months. We take adverts of various sizes and in either colour or black & white. Juliet will be able to give you an indication of
the cost depending upon your specific requirements. We are grateful to all our advertisers for their support. If you buy goods from them or use their services please
say that you saw their advert in Alphington Life. Thank you.
Enquiries for Baptisms (Christenings), Marriages & Banns of Marriage
[email protected] [email protected]
or phone 01392 662280 or 01392 491476
Alphington Life
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We’re now into our third month of Lockdown! We’re beginning to see a loosening of the controls which have been placed on us. There’s a great sense of relief that the daily toll of deaths is coming down. But across the world, dark foreboding suggests that places like Latin America may now be paying the highest toll. I can’t help thinking that just one death is too many! Each one who is lost is a bereavement which cuts deep in the lives of many.
And, although there is light on the horizon, it’s still a long way away. When we step into brighter times, the landscape will be different and we need to find new ways of inhabiting the place God has given us.
The route towards re-opening Church buildings will be quite a long one. Clergy are now allowed into buildings to pray or live-stream services. A single ringer is permitted to operate in the bell tower. Further steps for the church which lie before us look like this:
Being open for private prayer for others… as long as social distancing is observed Being open for small midweek services… again with social distancing in operation, and regular thorough
cleaning. Being open on Sundays, as above. Our first services are unlikely to involve Communion from a shared cup. Singing and wind-instruments won’t be allowed in the early days… they are activities which are more
likely to spread infection.
We don’t have a timetable for these gentle lifting of restrictions… but it’s clear that things are going to move slowly. St Michael’s won’t be able to hold its usual crowded congregation for quite a few months. Tea coffee and cake will only come back at a time when we are really sure it’s safe. Hygiene and cleanliness will be even higher up our list of priorities than it ever was before. I know there are some of us whose choice will be to stay safe and continue social distancing well beyond any lifting of restrictions which is announced from Number 10.
All in all, I’m painting a bleak picture. The steering group for Alphington, Shillingford and Ide PCCs will meet soon, and we’ll have a much clearer picture of what our plans are. But until then, we move slowly, prayerfully and cautiously.
In the meantime, a few positive reflections:
“Death and Resurrection” is at the heart of the Christian Gospel and Christian life. Resurrection brings new life, new hope, new power: a transformed way of doing things. God may well be using this pandemic to help us reimagine what it means to be His Church. Not only new ways of worshipping, but new ways of sharing minis-try and service. New ways of financing what is done. God may shake us into a fresh understanding of what it is to be “The Body of Christ”.
We’ve all discovered how flimsy our confidence is when we put our trust in man-made objects, human wisdom and our own strength. Our live-streamed worship each morning has been reading the psalms: again and again we discover that the ancient wisdom is as relevant now as it ever was.
Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call only on the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20 v7
The high speed life that people have been living in recent decades has loosened the ties of community, the bonds which join us together with one another. Strangely, social distancing has brought many people clos-er to their neighbours, and taught us to love and respect the little things of life.
With my love and prayers for all, trusting in Christ the Good Shepherd,
Mike
From the Registers:
Bill Tooth
Our love and prayers
to Julia & family
From The Rector
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Services and worship times whilst church is closed Day/time event How to participate
Everyday 8:55am –9:15am
Morning Prayer via Facebook., led by Mike or other members of the Lay Leadership team. A short time of music and prayer, with a Bible Reading for the day.
Streamed live via Facebook on the St Michaels’ Alphington page. Or viewed afterwards on the same page. Alternatively, visit the ‘A Church Near You’ website. Search for St Michaels Alphington & click on the date you want to view, on the left .
Wednes-day 7pm
Evening service (prayer meeting on 2nd Wed. of the month)
By Zoom. If you are not receiving the invitation for this and would like to participate, please contact [email protected] or 01392 491476
Fridays 2pm—4pm
‘Space with God’ via Zoom. A quiet time of bible study and reflection.
By Zoom. If you are not receiving the invitation for this and would like to participate, please contact [email protected] or 01392 491476
Sundays 11am
Morning service 11.00am via Zoom
By Zoom. If you are not receiving the invitation for this and would like to participate, please contact [email protected] or 01392 491476
St Sofa’s We worship at St Sofa’s now Since Covid came to stay We don’t dress up or do our hair But still we come to pray! Our Vicar is a clever chap A Zoom with his IT And so we sit down ev’ry week And meet up virtually!
Our Parish Church stands empty With praise she does not ring; But still her people gather round To pray, and praise, and sing! The virus is a nasty thing Yet it has helped us see The church is NOT a building But folk like you and me!
By Nigel and Carol Beeton
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Have you noticed how many more benches and chairs are in people’s front gardens? Out of this dreadful mess it is lovely to witness positives. On our regular daily walk you can see neighbours speaking to each other (whilst socially distancing) and I suspect at times, neighbours have established a relationship that they never had before the lockdown - even down to finding out what their names are. (I have!). So this month, I thought I would share a muffin recipe which I thought could be eaten with a nice hot drink sitting on the aforementioned bench or chair.
Banana, sultana and cinnamon muffins. Makes 6 hunky dory muffins and will freeze. If you leave them in a tin overnight they go squidgy. Ingredients. 150 self - raising flour half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 generous teaspoon ground cinnamon half teaspoon mixed spice (optional) 25 gm porridge oats 50 gm caster sugar 1 very ripe banana (80 - 100gm peeled weight) 140ml milk 30ml vegetable oil 1 beaten egg 75 gm sultanas 1 teabag another teaspoon of caster sugar. Soak the sultanas in the tea an hour before making the muffins as this makes them plump and juicy. Don’t worry if you forget just go straight to Step 2 in the method. Fresh fruit can be used instead such as blueberries and raspberries but obviously no need to soak them in the tea! Method. 1) Steep 1 teabag in 50ml hot water. Then top up to 100m with cold water. Tip in the sultanas and leave to soak for an hour. Drain the sultanas and leave on kitchen towel to absorb the excess liquid. 2) Heat oven to 200 degrees / gas 6 and line a 6 hole muffin tray with paper muffin cases. 3) Tip the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and mixed spice through a sieve into a bowl. 4) In another bowl mash the banana and add the milk, egg, vegetable oil, sugar and porridge oats. Mix well. 5) Pour the banana mix into the flour mix. Stir quickly until the mixes are blended in. Not for too long though! 6) Add the sultanas and just stir no more than three times to get even distribution of the fruit. 7) Divide the mix into the muffin cases. 8) Sprinkle the tops with the teaspoon of sugar. 9) Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until golden and risen. The top should feel springy to touch. 10) Leave to cool in the tray for 10 minutes before putting on the cooling tray. Enjoy!! Can be served warm with vanilla ice cream. Did you know??? Peeled ripe bananas freeze really well and are ideal for baking and smoothies. Sultanas are made from green seedless grapes that have been dried. The cinnamon and mixed spice can be used in an apple pie and crumble. And finally, according to the Office of National Statistics, during the time period of 9th - 20th April cooking came third on the list (followed very closely with gardening), as a coping mechanism with the lockdown. So here’s to more baking! All the best and take care, Nila
Benches and Muffins….
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Titwillow (With apologies to WS Gilbert) On a tree by a river sat little Tom Tit Singing ‘willow, titwillow, titwillow’. His mate fluttered in and beside him did sit, Singing ‘willow, titwillow, titwillow’. “Oh, where are the people?” bewil-dered, he cried, “Tis many a day since a soul I have spied” “I think,” said his wife, “they’re all stay-ing inside!” “Oh willow, titwillow, titwillow”.
“I do like the quiet, I do like the peace! “Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow, “But find myself wondering why did they cease “Singing willow, titwillow, titwillow?” “The people in hundreds of cars they all came “Especially when there was no sign of much rain, “The weather’s so nice, it seems such a shame! “Oh willow, titwillow, titwillow!”
“I think I can tell you!” – she’d a smile on her beak, Singing willow, titwillow, titwillow, “For I saw some people last Saturday week, “Singing willow, titwillow, titwillow, “They stood in a group, they were flying a kite, “Along came a police car with lights flashing bright, “It seems the Old Bill gave those people a fright! “Oh willow, titwillow, titwillow!”
A buzzard, above them, then uttered his ‘mew’ Oh willow, titwillow, titwillow. As quick as they could off to safety they flew, Singing willow, titwillow, titwillow! Arrived at their nest then our avian pair Correctly concluded what caused hu-man scare: “They’re frightened of critters that fly in the air! “Oh willow, titwillow, titwillow!”
By Nigel Beeton
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Youth in Lockdown This is a challenging time for everyone including our youth. We are living in unprecedented times we did not really have time to prepare for. However, I am pleased to say we have still been able to have fun in the comfort of our own homes. We are very blessed to live in a time where technology like Zoom lets us see each other’s faces. This in turn has meant we are still able to meet up on Sundays and Tuesdays where we do a range of games, discussions, and crafts. On our Sunday sessions, we have been focusing on the Bible stories after Jesus’ death and resurrection. This is such an important event, so I am thankful we have had time to reflect on it since the “holiday” has finished. We have looked at the important interactions he had and characters like the disciples Thomas and Peter, as well as the Great Commission. We also looked at Easter around the world; it was so interesting seeing how different countries celebrate this important event. One of my favourite facts was that in the French town Haux, they make an omelette made of 4,500 eggs! It is slightly strange doing youth work online, but it gives us chances to be creative on how we deliver content. One way youth work is going on is through the church Instagram page. On Monday we post a story updating what we are doing. I am excited to see how this will grow in the coming weeks.
I have also been working with ICE who have produced resources for schools in the area. They create Thoughts for the Week, Think Big Thursday and more. If you want to check it out, they are all on Facebook and YouTube.
Our youth have been great in this time—they have still showed enthusiasm and positivity in these challenging weeks. This has also been a great oppor-tunity for them to show their creative skills. These have included drawing, crafts, baking and more. Below are some pictures of the amazing things the young people have been creating, some in Refresh and some in their own time.
The young people have really showed me that there is still a lot to be thank-ful for at the moment, even if we are in a period of unknown.
(If you know any young people aged 11+ who would like to know more details of what we are doing, please get in contact.)
Danielle Compton-McCulloch
Source: Remy Gabalda—AFP/Getty Images
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The Friends have been working alongside other local organisations to help and support Alphington people at this
challenging time. Alphington Covid 19 Community Respond and Organise Hub is the name of our local group.
With the support of our local councillor Yvonne Atkinson we meet ‘virtually’ every week to see how we can best
respond to the needs of local people. I am currently working from home. The surgery contact number is on
divert so you are able to still contact me via 01392 428902.
The Friends are supporting around 60 people with delivering medicines, shopping, telephone befriending, dog
walking and signposting useful information. Together with Claire Porter Alphington Community Builder, Friends
of Ide Lane Surgery are the contact for Exeter City Council Well Being Hotline and we receive referrals from
anyone who might need support.
We also coordinate volunteers who have been absolutely wonderful and without them it would not be possible
to support so many people. We would like to thank them so much for their efforts at this time and to celebrate
Volunteers Week in June we have organised a volunteer pack of goodies that support them to stay safe in their
community endeavours. Thank you to everyone J
On an unhappier note we were greatly saddened to hear of the recent passing of 2 wonderful Friends of Ide Lane
Surgery volunteers. Bill Tooth was a volunteer driver with The Friends for many years and Nigel Tanner was also
a volunteer driver who helped step in as coordinator when needed. They were both the kindest and most helpful
men you could wish to meet and we at the charity will miss them both so much. We would like to extend our
kind wishes and thoughts to both families at this very sad time. In addition we were sad to hear of Henry
Whetter passing who was a member of The Friends; we wish his family well and many thanks for their kind
donations.
This period has brought challenging times for so many but
in equal measure the local community spirit to help others
has been overwhelming. Whilst we cannot run a transport
service or face to face befriending service, volunteers
continue to adapt how we make connections and the use
of Zoom and FaceTime has enabled people to keep in
touch so effectively.
We have created a virtual book club for those in isolation
so please refer to our flyer and get in touch if you would
like a free book (which you can keep) or an Audio Book or
Jigsaw Puzzle (returnable). Sara (our Chair) and Dorothy
(FILS Volunteer) are only too pleased to drop them to your
door.
Our donations are no longer coming in and we are hoping
at some point to restart our transport service but there is
much to sort out before we can do this in a safe way. We
are happy to receive any donations through the Giving
Machine ‘DONATE’ Friends of Ide Lane Surgery page. We
will keep you posted. Stay well and take care.
Mandy Hendley
Volunteer Coordinator
Update from Friends of Ide Lane Surgery
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Our precious pharmacist by Juliet Meadowcroft Our pharmacist, Gareth Smith, is probably one of the best
known and hardest working people in our village, as he,
with his staff, not only provides all the medication
prescribed by our doctors, but also willingly gives medical
advice to anyone who needs it, takes their blood pressure
and even gives them ‘flu vaccinations when necessary. Yet
he is such a modest man, who is not always visible at the
back of the pharmacy in Ide Lane, usually only appearing
when a customer asks to see him. He is supported by a
maximum of ten staff, although at present the company,
George Wickham Ltd, is having to move staff around its
three branches to keep them all operating smoothly during the Covid-19 lockdown. Sometimes this involves staff
from other branches working at Alphington, and vice versa.
After spending his youth in Exmouth, Gareth studied at Nottingham University, where he stayed and worked for
Boots, moving back to Exeter with them. He later went on to work for Superdrug, the Heavitree health centre
pharmacy, followed by Lloyds Pharmacy. When he started work in Alphington with the George Wickham group,
the pharmacy was based in what is now called Tozers Cottage on the corner of Church Street and Dawlish Road,
but after one year it moved to the present site in Ide Lane. He met his wife Clare, also a pharmacist, in 1997,
when he was working at Boots in Exeter and they have two children, Jasmine (13) and Aidan (11).
During Gareth’s usual working week, he spends four and a half days in the pharmacy and the other half day
working at Ide Lane Surgery, ensuring a close working relationship between the two organisations. For
relaxation from work, he has recently become one of the coaches at Heavitree Youth Under 11’s football team,
where his son is one of the players.
The pharmacy is busier than ever during this time, partly due to increased volumes of prescriptions, but also
because of the new way of working with social distancing and having to deliver prescriptions to shielding
patients. The surgery has also increased the number of patients receiving Repeat Dispensing prescriptions
whereby the prescription is pre-authorised for up to six issues of one month each. This allows the pharmacy to
make them up in advance without patients having to visit the surgery to order them. Patients can receive a
text when their prescription is ready if they provide the pharmacy with a mobile phone number.
Gareth said: “I would like to ask our residents to stay safe and continue as they have been doing so far, entering
and exiting through different doors, standing two metres away from other customers and queueing outside if we
have more than the limit inside. The majority have been really cooperative and neighbours have even been
helping each other by collecting and delivering to those who are in isolation.”
Currently Gareth has two hours in his busy day when he only allows emergency visits, 9-10 am and 5-6 pm when
the shelves are re-loaded with new deliveries and the whole shop is disinfected. The new Perspex screens,
which cost over £300, have to be cleaned throughout the day. Another job that takes extra time at the moment
is ordering new stock as there is a national shortage of some medicines and it can take up to an hour to track
them down, only to find they have often been hugely increased in price. Fortunately, the George Wickham group
is not tied to any one particular wholesaler as some pharmacies are, so they can try lots of different suppliers to
make sure they can get the necessary medication. They also have the invaluable support of the Numark buying
group which acts like a virtual head office providing both business and clinical advice.
Stars in our Community Here’s the next interview in our series celebrating
the ‘unsung heroes’ in our community
Photo of Gareth by Gwenllian Riall
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This was a photo taken on VE day with the Flag the children painted. We had a traditional sandwiches lunch with cream tea on the front lawn for everyone to watch, may locals walked past and commented. In the picture Alice is holding a phone with close friends of ours FaceTiming and talking to us.
Jane Ibbeson
The Rowdens on Zoom: Friday nights during lockdown are our family quiz nights and it’s been wonderful for us all to be together in one room, even though hundreds of miles separate us physically. As a family we’d never used video conferencing before but from our first get together, I have been overwhelmed by the feeling that we actually were in the same room! This photo was taken as one of my sisters did a round where she gave us step-by-step origami instructions: most of us did ok, but my brother-in-law struggled at each step and this resulted in the tears-down-cheeks giggles from the rest of us.
Kathy Rowden
Hi, here is my entry for the lockdown photo competition. It shows us riding on our bikes because we go for bike rides every day after school, so we thought it would portray our family in lockdown quite well. P.S. We normally wear helmets! Grace Williams
Winning Photo: Chosen by judges Sarah McCarthy & Gwenllian Riall (our regular feature writer and photogra-pher, respectively) We think 'The Rowdens in Lockdown' deserve first place as both the story given and the photos emphasise the message of 'Together Apart' which has come to the fore during Lockdown. It shows the organisation (of meeting on a specific night) and determination of families to embrace technology which they may not have used before to keep in touch. We also found the idea of doing Origami via video conferencing very funny and the people in the photos did too judging by their mirth on camera! For us, this indicates a kind of resolve to retain a vestige of 'how we were before Lockdown'. Well done!
Life in Lockdown Photo Competition
Runner-up
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The two people playing cards are Gail and Don Hayes, out in the conservatory. It can get quite warm so we sometimes need to draw the blinds. The conservatory gives us another room and a change of scenery. Both beneficial to our restricted life and outlook. We can get out for a daily walk together (usually) or do some work together at the allotment in Ide Lane, Alphington. We both need to see outside our four walls and our area has so many tracks and paths to utilize. When at home, we have things or projects to do, and we can make contact with family and friends by phone or Zoom. We try, usually in the afternoon,
Life in Lockdown Photo Competition
to set some time for card games or listening to the radio (enhanced by a blue tooth speaker). f it is suitable, we draw back the blinds and we have the added bonus of a view of the garden which is looking very colourful at the moment. So time passes and we consider that living in Alphington helps to make the situation more enjoyable. I think we all look forward to when, eventually, things get back to some sort of normality and we can meet up with friends and family and embrace them, and visit favourite haunts...Not having to keep everyone at a distance.
Don & Gail Hayes
This photo is taken as we took our neighbours dog for a walk, they were busy working at the hospital and so we did what we could to help, we were talking about helping others, staying positive and looking for the future, I think this picture sums it up.
Clare Palmer
Jean & Kathy Rowden – another jigsaw!
Mum always has a jigsaw on the go & when I visit, I often get distracted & end up spending an hour absorbed. Now that I’m staying with Mum, we’ve managed to get through 5 jigsaws since lockdown, including a tricky historical Devon map. Mum had a birthday recently and the fabulous sloping jigsaw table (lying flat when we’re both puzzling), is amazing – and great for the back!
The photos below didn’t fit the criteria for the competition but we want to include them somewhere, anyway! Clare Palmer’s laid-back and photogenic cat almost made the front cover!
Runner-up
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Woodville Road – where you didn’t know you wanted to live :) by Mia What a day we had on Friday 8th celebrating the VE day! I have to admit I will never forget the day and how
wonderful it was to see my neighbours and friends again. My street, Woodville Road, is a great place to live. There is a
good mix of children, teenagers, adults and seniors. Most of the people in the street are connected via WhatsApp
with our own group. During the lock down, lots of funny pictures and videos have been posted to cheer us up and
make us laugh whilst we are sitting in our houses not able to mingle and socialise. When there was no flour in the
shops, messages were posted on WhatsApp kindly asking if someone had some or knew where it was available :) It
didn`t take long before flour was located and delivered to the person in need.
Around the 13th of March it was suggested that a contact list be produced of volunteers who could help the
vulnerable people in our street with shopping or errands. When Ashwood Road and Coverdale Road heard of this
initiative they wanted to be included in the scheme. So for the duration of the lock down, people in these 3 roads can
contact the volunteer of the day and arrange for shopping or errands to be done. This system also works if someone
wants to get rid of something or exchange something – like plants or toys; a message is posted and both wanted and
unwanted items end up in somebody else`s house instead of the landfill.
As time goes on, more residents of Woodville Road have joined the group! We have generously shared happy
moments and had many a good laugh. We have clapped for NHS on Thursday night and taken the time to say hello to
each other. A birthday was another opportunity to share in the street with a drink in the front garden. We have
shared concerns when one resident ended in hospital with the virus and supported the family. It has knitted us
together and we have all promised to have a welcome home party when the resident is home and lock down is over!
8th of May was VE day and the residents gathered to
commemorate the end of the WW2 75 years ago. At 11 am
the residents gathered for 2 minutes silence in our front
gardens. Then from around 3pm people started to emerge
from their houses for a street party. Some houses were
decorated with balloons, flags and buntings. Children
enjoyed seeing other children and they managed to keep
some social distancing while running up and down the road.
I have to say it was a delight to see and hear children playing
and laughing after weeks of lockdown:). People chatted to neighbours they had not seen for a while and some they
had not met before. Cakes were devoured and drinks enjoyed. It felt like a garden party but without the sitting down
at a table together! Everybody seemed to enjoy to seeing people other than their own household and even getting to
know some of their neighbours. The chatting went on till late at night. The social distancing kept us apart but seeing
each other melted our hearts! Smiles and “Hello, How are you?”, were passed from one side of the street to the
other. Sitting in my chair in front of my house and observing the residents in Woodville Road, made me realise that I
am so happy that I live in this street.
VE day brought us together in remembering the end of the war, but is also felt like an end being apart. It felt
like a promise for another great street party coming later this year when the lock down is over and I am definitely
looking forward to that! Due to work early next morning, I did not join the rest of the residents in the singing of ‘We`ll
Meet Again’ at the junction of Woodville
Road, Ashwood Road and Coverdale Road at
9 pm, where one of the residents had
written the words on the fence, but I went
into my own house being grateful that I live
in Woodville Road and for the great
neighbours I have here! I hope none of
them will catch the Corona Virus as we do
not have anybody to lose in our street!
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Coronavirus is affecting all our lives now and many people feel alone, isolated and lonely. For many of us, especially those in later life, loneliness and isolation can have a significant impact on our
health and wellbeing. It can also define our life. But we can help you to feel less alone! Devon Highlights is a community project led by Devon Communities Together, funded by National Lottery’s Community Fund and HM Government that supports people in later life (aged 55+) living in Devon, who may be at risk of loneliness and isolation. Every Tuesday we run weekly, hour long, virtual coffee meetings via Zoom for people living in Devon. The sessions are very simple, friendly and easy going, with a mixture of chat and activities like quizzes, chair yoga, virtual museum visits and tours or a drawing practice. Last week, for example, we had a shiatsu and mindfulness session with Sandhya who is a shiatsu practitioner. She taught us breathing exercises and simple self-care methods to relax and to relieve pain and anxiety and everyone really enjoyed it! After the session, people were saying they felt very relaxed and calm, we all noticed that even our faces changed and we looked happier. It was a great outcome! Through our virtual coffee meetings, we provide an opportunity for people to meet online, make new friends, try out new activities and build informal support networks.
It is very easy to join us, if you feel this is something you would like to try to get involved with, just follow the invitation with details of the meetings below or if you feel you need support to get you on Zoom on your home device please contact us and we will guide you through. Once we are in touch, every week we will let you know the activities that we will be looking at for the following week and forward to you the online link or resources, so that everyone is able to participate with a common theme and have a chat and coffee time together. Please find more information about the project call us on 01392 248919. We hope you, or someone you know, can join us every Tuesday to connect with others.
Harry & Aggie
You do not have to feel isolated and lonely! Join our Devon Highlights Virtual coffee meet
ups every Tuesday!
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I have now been working in my post as Alphington Community Builder for the past 4 months and I have been
overwhelmed by the community spirit that exists in Alphington and this has been even more evident during the
current Covid 19 crisis. It started with the little acts of kindness, people reaching out to their neighbours and
connecting with one another through Whatsapp groups, Next Door and Facebook and over the fence. The kind-
ness is spreading through the community and I wanted to share with you some of the acts of kindness that I
have noticed.
Neighbours have been coming together for the weekly Clap for our carers on Thursday and you can hear the
clapping and banging of saucepans all over Alphington. During the recent VE day celebrations, neighbours were
working together and decorating their streets and hosting social distancing street party from their front gardens.
There have been an overwhelming number of volunteers who have reached out to support others in our
community and registered with Exeter Community Wellbeing. There are those volunteers in our community
that work within our community groups, churches and organisations, that have been coming together to
organise support for people during the Covid crisis and continue to provide support.
There have been individuals who put their ideas into action. The residents of Raglans decorated their street and
collected donations that were passed on to Endeavour Nursing home who spoiled the residents with cake and
treats and a VE Party. What a wonderful gesture for those who are forced to remain at home and in isolation.
An 11 year old girl stepped forward and offered to make masks for the staff working in the residential homes in
Alphington on her sewing machine. The community rallied around her providing materials to support her in
making them. These are just some of the small acts of kindness are making a difference to our community and
there are many more stories to share.
The community are supporting one another
sharing resources, whether it be tomato plants
they no longer need or toys and games they no
longer want.
There is such a culture of kindness erupting in
Alphington, that I am proud to live here and to be
able to support the area in my role as community
builder.
The community will now be starting to shift
towards a new normal as we come out of lock-
down and in to a time of social distancing. Let this
be the time, that we remember those connections
we have made with our neighbours, the hidden
places we discovered in our community and lets
put our new ideas in to action. Most of all, let’s
keep this culture of kindness and build on to keep
our community strong. Be Proud of yourself Al-
phington, I am.
Claire Porter Community Builder
FB: Claire Porter Alphington CB 07739 406869
Creating a Culture of Kindness in Our Community
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Alphington Life
21
Silverlands
I have been told the following about Silverlands on the Chud-leigh Road. The house was built by Frederick Loram in 1882 as his retire-ment home after farming at Alden’s Farm. The position of the house was selected so Frederick could look over the village and onto Exeter. Frederick died in 1888. In 1919 Arthur Frederick Loram retired from farming and moved into Silverlands. Arthur trained horses and kept a small herd of Jersey cows at Silverlands. Gordon Loram retired from farming at Alden’s aged 62. He bought Silverlands from his sisters at auction. The house eventually passed onto his son also called Gordon. I have found many records for Silverlands and it is always interesting to see how memories and records tie up. Before the residence Silverlands was built the Alphington Tithe Map records the land as arable and named Late Jack-sons. The land owner was recorded as Charles Chown and the occupier was Thomas Langsford. The Law Times and Journal of Property dated 1888 confirmed Frederick Loram at Silverlands. A record dated 1893 showed the Hon. Mrs Boscawan possibly at Silverlands. Records for 1901 show James M. Wilcocks living in the house with his wife, two children and two step daughters. Sev-eral records dated 28th September 1900, 21st June 1911 and 1913 confirm that James and his family continued to reside there. There was also another recorded dated 25th March 1920 showing James at Silverlands which does not quite fit in with the Loram family moving to the house in 1919. A marriage record from the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette dated 6th May 1927 records Cyril E. Loram the fourth son of Mr and Mrs Loram of Silverlands marrying Violet Cornish. In 1934 Mr and Mrs A. F. Loram are confirmed to be living at Silverlands. A burial record dated 3rd December 1938 shows Arthur F. Loram was buried aged 83. A marriage record shows Gordon H. C. Loram of Silverlands marrying Edna Mary Hudson at Alphington Church. Final records for 1946 and 1949 show A. F. Loram at Silverlands.
Rowena Web site: www.alphington.org.uk Tel: 216251 E-mail: [email protected]
From the Alphington Archives
VE Day 75
@ Gail &
Don’s
If you’re walking through St Michael’s churchyard,
you can’t fail to miss these spectacular giants!
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Alphington Life
23
All those involved with Lunchbox continue to think of you
all as we have now completed 2 months of living in unique
and quite strange times due to the Covid-19 virus. We
send our very best wishes to all of you who join us at our
Monthly Lunch . We hope you are finding the love and
concern of your neighbours to helping to support you in
so many ways: from a friendly wave from a distance to
perhaps shopping for you. We hope any of you who are
or have been unwell, recover soon.
We know a lot of you will have heard that dear Bill Tooth
died on VE Day and this little article had to share some memories of Bill but firstly, we all send our love to dear
Julia. They had recently celebrated a wedding anniversary. They were such a close couple and had such a strong
faith and also both were, and Julia still is, involved in so many Village and Church Activities. I know we will all try
and support Julia at this sad time. We are so pleased that her parents Don and Anne now live nearby.
I remember when we were just thinking of setting up Lunchbox that an informal ‘interview panel’ of Julia, Bill,
Carolyn and Dave wanted to know our thoughts but also pray that this venture, to carry on a monthly Church
lunch, was the right thing to do. So it was prayerfully considered. Bill was also one of our Christmas ‘Meal
Potato Fairies’, preparing wonderful roasties along with 3 others to feed the 80 expectant diners. Bill always
had time to listen, he had a wonderful sense of humour, energy for so many family, Church and Village
activities and a great recipe for Mushroom soup that we serve at Lunchbox.
So, in a very small tribute to Bill, Jill has this recipe to share with you:
This recipe is originally from The Cottage Café Super Soups but given to Bill Tooth by Jean Hodgkiss for a Lent Lunch. We liked it so much we asked Bill for the recipe to serve at Lunchbox.
CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
Ingredients:
1 lbs Mushrooms – chopped (I use the chestnut mushrooms, the choice is yours)
(Slice some extra mushrooms to float on top of soup when serving) 2 Onions (approx. 8 oz) - chopped 2 cloves Garlic – finely chopped 1 Green or red pepper (deseeded and chopped) 2 large Potatoes – chopped (approx. 12 oz) 2 pints Chicken stock (if you want purely vegetarian soup use a vegetable stock) 1 pint Milk with a little cream if desired 2 oz Butter Salt and Pepper Method:
1. Melt the butter, soften the onion (do not brown); add garlic and green or red pepper and sauté gently, then add chopped potatoes.
2. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for five minutes.
3. Add the stock and seasoning. Simmer gently for twenty minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the milk and the cream (or if you wish to drizzle the cream in when serving) Liquidize until fairly smooth. If not added previously, drizzle a swirl of cream now and garnish with some
sautéed sliced mushrooms.
24
Blacksmithing & Welding
Repairs and alterations
to gates, furniture and fittings,
railings and any other exterior
or interior metal work.
Quotes and enquiries welcomed.
Telephone: 01392 860241
Mobile: 07892700558
St Thomas
Library 35 Church Road, Exeter EX2 9AZ
Tel. no. 01392 252783
Lee Rawlings – Supervisor.
Opening Times Monday 9—5
Tuesday 9—5
Wednesday—closed
Thursday 9—6
Friday 9—6
I’ve been talking to Alf who seemed to be coping well despite the Corvid 19 crisis although he was missing
personal contact with his family and friends. He was pleased that the government has now realised that
provided we maintain social distancing we are safer outdoors than inside. As many of his current interests are to
be found out of doors and especially in his garden he seems to be getting on as well as most people.
It is a strange coincidence that once the original lockdown was imposed in the U.K. the weather took an
immediate turn for the better which enabled Alf and many of his fellow gardeners to get most of the ground-
work done in preparation for the new gardening year. Of course, nothing on this earth is ever perfect but
despite the best or should that be worst efforts of pigeons, the devil and slugs and snails I got the impression
from Alf that things were moving in the right direction and that in June his garden should be looking good.
Before telling you about what he is looking forward to in mid-summer I thought he should explain the reference
to pigeons, the devil etc. He begun by saying that as he had more time than he usually has he had grown various
cabbage plants from seed and wanting to give the plants the long growing season they desire he had planted
them out in early May and although he had watered them in he had not given them any protection (netting or
objects that move with the wind like old C.D.’s on string). Continued on next page…
THE GARDEN IN JUNE
Alphington Life
25
He did not go back to his allotment for a couple of days and when he
did return, he found not flourishing plants but just their skeletons;
pigeons had stripped off their leaves and eaten them. In all his years
of gardening this had not happened before although he had cabbages
damaged in the winter time when pigeons were very hungry.
Probably closing the stable door after the horse had bolted, he set
about putting up some protection; some of the plants may re-grow
their leaves but he will probably have to grow new ones from seed.
Regarding his reference to the devil prior knowledge is needed of
previous epistles from Alf who on at least a couple of occasions had
told us about the Franklin nights which are unexpected (that is unexpected if you are not a meteorologist, not a
regular reader of Alf’s column or have forgotten what he told us anyway) cold nights which often occur some-
time around the 11th to 15th May. To cut a long story short someone from the Tiverton area made a pact with
the devil to bring devastation on his rivals’ crops in return for selling his soul to the evil one and receiving prior
knowledge of a late and devastating frost. You will remember the blast of Arctic air we had in the week begin-
ning 10th May and lo and behold on 12th May Alf discovered that the newly emerged tops of his potatoes had
been damaged by frost the previous night – how silly is that? They will recover and to avoid further damage he
put covering over them (closing the stable door…….?). Finally slugs and snails take up more column inches in
gardening publications and articles in gardening columns in newspapers than almost any other topic; it does not
take long in conversations with other gardeners before tales of woe or miraculous ways of preventing damage
from these creatures comes up. Alf recently read something realistic on the subject of damage done by them
which is that nothing will stop a determined hungry slug or snail from causing damage to your plants which I
think is some consolation to him when such damage occurs. Gradually it has dawned on Alf that he must garden
with nature and not rely on control methods which damage our garden friends as well as our enemies. For slugs
and snails, we must take away their potential dark and damp hidey-holes, we must encourage more birds to our
gardens to eat them when they are small and we must encourage healthy plants to grow quickly so that damage
done to them is minimal.
So, what is Alf looking forward to as the garden comes to its summer climax? In the flower garden roses, and
many annual and perennial flowers should be approaching their best. Amongst the annuals Alf’s current
favourites are poppies, pelargoniums (especially red ones), zinnias, cosmos and cornflowers. His favourite
perennials are delphiniums, Canterbury bells and Sweet Williams (although the latter two are strictly biennials –
plants which are sown one year to flower the following year and then either decline or die). A quick word here
on the wild life garden in the churchyard which has been weeded, planted with some new perennials and had
some new annual seeds sown. Recently I received an e mail asking what on earth were the two huge triffid
plants in the wildlife garden. If you did not see them the taller one was easily 15ft tall with lots of little blue
flowers which attracted dozens of bees; they are Echiums and are usually regarded as biennials so we are
unlikely to see them just as good again. ( See photos page 21 )
Alf told me about a recent study reported in a newspaper he had read which stated that people are never too
old (and presumably not too set in their ways) to acquire new skills and vocabulary. As a result Alf had decided
that it was a good time to try to persuade non gardeners that it was high time for them to consider learning
some of the necessary skills and vocabulary associated with gardening so that they may also come to enjoy
growing their own vegetables, fruit and flowers. Surely there will never be a better time than at present!
Whatever your level of skill or interest do some gardening (despite the occasional setbacks) and find time to
enjoy the garden in June. R. Williams.
The Garden in June, continued from previous page.
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Alphington Life
27
The Summer Solstice is on 20 June at 21:44. On 21 June there is an annular solar eclipse but it is not visible from
here.
The Moon: The Moon is at Perigee (nearest to the Earth) on 3 June (226428 miles); Full Moon is on 5 June @
09:12; Last Quarter is on 13 June @ 06:24; Apogee (furthest from the Earth) is on 15 June (251404 miles); New
Moon is on 21 @ 06:41. First Quarter is on 28 June @ 08:16; The Moon is at Perigee again on 30 June (229286
miles).
The Planets: Mercury may be glimpsed low down in the west in the evening twilight between the beginning and
the middle of June. Venus is at inferior conjunction (between Earth and the Sun) on 3 June and is not visible this
month. Mars moves from Aquarius to Pisces and brightens from mag 0.0 to magnitude -0.5. Jupiter is in
Sagittarius and brightens slightly from -2.6 to -2.7 in the morning sky and continues to retrograde*. Saturn is in
Capricornus and brightens slightly from mag 0.4 to 0.2. It is also retrograding*. Uranus and Neptune – No
change.
Meteor showers. There are no significant meteor showers in June.
A Bit More About 3 Lesser Known Constellations
Last month we ventured south and looked at the Southern Hemisphere skies. This month we return to the UK to
look at 3 constellations that may have escaped your notice. They will be high in the south this month. The
trouble with June is that it doesn’t really get properly dark; we don’t get darker than astronomical twilight in
Exeter so faint stars are more difficult to see.
First, Corona Borealis. The name means
“Northern Crown” and in classic mythology it
represents the crown given by the god
Dionysus to the Cretan princess Ariadne. It is
nothing to do with viruses! The brightest stars
in the constellation form a semi circular arc. It
is a pretty constellation when viewed through
binoculars. It can be found between the con-
stellations of Hercules to the east and Boötes
to the west. This is a very small constellation
and is easily missed but worth the search.
The brightest star is Alpha Coronae Borealis
also known as Alphecca. This is a true eclipsing
binary*** system with the two component
stars orbiting each other in a period of just
over 17 days. The eclipsing bit means that the
stars pass in front of each other as they orbit
causing a slight dip in brightness. The primary component is a white star about 2.6 times the mass of the Sun
while its companion is a yellow about 0.92 times the mass of the Sun. The pair lie around 75 light years from the
Sun. The other stars that make up the crown are all 4th magnitude. Corona Borealis is worth a look. It is quite
pretty.
The second constellation we are going to look at is Hercules. As you can see in the diagram above, Hercules lies
next to Corona Borealis but is much bigger. This constellation is named after the Roman mythological hero who
in turn was adapted from the Greek hero Heracles.
Hercules is the fifth largest constellation by area of the 88 officially recognised constellations. It has no first or
second magnitude stars but there are several brighter than magnitude 4.
Alpha Herculis is a triple star system lying around 359 light years from Earth. It is traditionally called Rasalgethi
Heavens Above June 2020
Continued on next page
28
(star names are general taken from the Arabic; this one means “the kneeler’s head”!). The primary star is a huge
giant of a star with a diameter 400 times the diameter of the Sun and is variable in brightness. The secondary is a
blue/green binary*** star that orbits the primary every 3600
years.
Beta Herculis, common name Kornephoros meaning “clubearer”,
is the brightest star in Hercules. This is a yellow giant star with a
magnitude of 2.8 lying at a distance of 148 light years from Earth.
Many of the other stars in Hercules are binary or multiple star
systems.
We know of 15 stars in Hercules that have planets orbiting them.
It is more difficult for planets to form around binary or triple stars
because the complicated gravitational fields tend to disrupt
planet formation.
The most easily recognised asterism in Hercules is the group of 4
stars known as the Keystone; this is around the word HERCULES
in the diagram on the right.
If you can locate the Keystone then you may also be able to
locate the brightest globular cluster in the northern hemisphere,
M13. In theory this is just visible to the naked eye given perfect
seeing and no streetlights. However, I have found that I can just
see it with binoculars but not with the naked eye. A pair of 10x50
binoculars should show it fairly clearly as a fuzzy patch about half the size of the full Moon. M13 contains over
300,000 stars and lies at a distance of 25,200 light years.
M92 is another globular cluster that is slightly less bright than M13; it lies at
a distance of 26,000 light years.
The final constellation that we will look at this month is Lyra. In the diagram
above you can see Lyra just to the east of Hercules. In Greek mythology Lyra
represents the Lyre of Orpheus that was used by Jason and the Argonauts to
quell the voices of the tempting Sirens. Lyra is a small constellation, ranking
52nd for size out of the 88 official constellations.
Vega is the brightest star in Lyra and the second brightest star in the north-
ern hemisphere after Arcturus in Boötes and the 5th brightest star overall.
Vega is only 25ly** from Earth and is a variable star that fluctuates quite
rapidly between magnitudes -0.02 and +0.07 in a period of 0.2 days. It was
the northern pole star around 12,000 years ago and will be again in around 14,000 years.
Lyra is the home to M57, the Ring Nebula, shown on the left. This is known as a planetary nebula and comprises a
ring of gas thrown off by a dying star thousands of years ago. The Hubble Space Telescope took this image. This ob-
ject is about 1 light year in diameter and lies at a distance of 2000 light years.
Enjoy God’s wonderful creation in June! RN
* Retrograde: the superior planets i.e. from Mars outwards, go through a time period when they appear to move in the
wrong direction, backwards, in their orbits relative to the background stars. This is called retrograde motion.
** A light year or ly is the distance light travels in a year in the vacuum of space. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second
or 300,000 kilometres per second.
*** A binary star comprises two stars orbiting each other around a common centre known as the barycentre.
Continued from previous page
Alphington Life
29
Help protect your local cancer charity To protect FORCE beyond the Coronavirus pandemic, chief executive Meriel Fishwick has called on communities that the charity serves for their support. This is her message to everyone who cares about FORCE: “We are thankful for the Government’s announcement of support for charities, particularly those like FORCE who are still providing services during the Coronavirus pandemic. However, we will have to put a really strong case to try to get a share of these funds and that’s where you can help. “Quite simply we are asking people to write a paragraph on why Devon and its communities need FORCE Cancer Charity. “We must send the decision-makers a clear message about just how important FORCE is to so many people. “Help us fight for our survival by joining this campaign. Please encourage everyone you can to get involved and give us the people-power we need to fight for FORCE. You can email us at [email protected] or contact via Face-book or other social media channels. Send your messages, spread the word and help save FORCE. THANK YOU.” The charity’s income streams have almost entirely dried up but the Government has promised £370 million for small and medium sized organisations at the heart of local communities which are making a big difference during the COVID-19 outbreak. With its support centres in Exeter, Okehampton, Tiverton and Honiton temporarily closed, FORCE has redesigned its services to
offer ongoing help and advice cancer patients and their families. Patients are continuing to receive chemotherapy in Okehampton and Honiton – FORCE pays for the nurses who deliver treatment. Information, including benefits advice, and counselling appointments are happening via phone and video calls. If you or someone you know is affected by cancer and needs support, please call: 01392 406151 for cancer support and information, including benefits advice 01392 406168/406169 for psychological and emotional support
Over 6,000 calls in first 48 hours to Daily Hope A free phone line offering hymns, prayers, and reflections 24 hours a day while church buildings are closed because of the coronavirus received more than 6,000 calls in the first 48 hours. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, recently launched ‘Daily Hope’ as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes, during the lockdown period. The line – which is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 – has been set up particu-larly with those unable to join online church services in mind. The service is supported by the Church of England nationally as well as through the Connections group based at Ho-ly Trinity Claygate in Surrey and the Christian charity Faith in Later Life. Within 48 hours the line had received more than 6,000 calls from across the country, with many being referred by friends, family or members. Calls have so far spanned more than 50,000 minutes, with some of those accessing the service listening to the music, prayers and reflections for up to 50 minutes at a time. Callers to the line hear a short greeting from the Archbishop before being able to choose from a range of options, including hymns, prayers, reflections and advice on COVID-19. Options available include materials also made available digitally by the Church of England’s Communications team such as Prayer During the Day and Night Prayer, updated daily, from Common Worship, and a recording of the Church of England weekly national online service.
