On Wednesday afternoon, in memory of Harold Jenkins, our church bells rang 🙂
Here is a 45 minute recording by Jamie Dawson of the Quarter Peal performed by an experienced band of the West Dorset Branch of SDGR (Salisbury Diocese Guild of Ringers)…
On Wednesday afternoon, in memory of Harold Jenkins, our church bells rang 🙂
Here is a 45 minute recording by Jamie Dawson of the Quarter Peal performed by an experienced band of the West Dorset Branch of SDGR (Salisbury Diocese Guild of Ringers)…
Broadwindsor’s War Memorial, inspired by village resident Adrian Gray and led by Councillor Andrew Frampton is almost complete…The main photo shows the final draft and the printers need 3 weeks to complete it.
There will be a QR code on the memorial which will enable people to find relations of fallen soldiers so we can then tell their stories on the parish council designated web page.
Broadwindsor Fun Group and village allotment champion, Bob Link will be planting many poppy seeds around the stone.
The official opening will be in June. A short ceremony will be held involving the three Armed Forces, the children from the primary school who will read the names of the fallen out loud before a bugler will play the last post and a 2 minute silence observed lead by Rev David Baldwin from 11 am on June 6th (D day).
Councillor Frampton stated “A generous donation of £250 from the Decloedt family in Belgium (the family of the spitfire pilot killed at Lewesdon hill) and £100 from the Broadwindsor Fun Group goes to funding 3/4 of the project.
“Villagers, relatives and locals are most welcome to attend the opening. The eagle eyed amongst you will notice a QR code on the memorial board. This will take you to a page on the Broadwindsor Parish council website and contain pictures,stories and backgrounds of some of the fallen soldiers . If you or any villagers have relations or indeed info on any soldiers on the memorial please send your info in so it can be stored on the web page for future generations to read about.
The year sixes at Broadwindsor Primary school will be using this story and the soldiers for a project next term and researching some of the men who are remembered .
Any questions or observations are most welcome through your parish councillors to the Parish council: hello@broadwindsorgroup.gov.uk.”
More details will be published when confirmed.
Wisley has a large number of features, including the following: RHS Hilltop – The home of Gardening Science. Wildlife Garden, Wellbeing Garden & World Food Garden. Glasshouse with desert, tropical and temperate climates, and with special topical displays.
Broadwindsor & District’s Horticultural Society have arranged an outing by coach with free entry to Wisley gardens on Thursday, 18th May – all for just £20!
The coach departs from The Comrades Hall promptly at 9am.
Departing Wisley at approximately 4pm, it is estimated to be back in the village at 6-6.30pm… just in time for the White Lion opening 🙂
Broadwindsor Fun Group need the village’s help and support…
Invitations have already been emailed to the Chairs of various local groups and individuals who expressed an interest of involvement via the questionnaires sent out in January.
There will be a Helper’s meeting from 3-5pm this Sunday, 16th in the Lewesdon room at the Comrades Hall. Teas/coffees will be available.
The Fun Day is a village wide initiative, and only with your help and/or support, there will be the favourite games and stalls, music is already booked for the afternoon and evening.
The Core committee are four and would welcome a couple of more members to join us but Sunday’s meeting is for the Fun Day plans and what we can all do working together and supporting each other. They do need your help to make it a successful village event.
This Sunday, 16th April at 3-5pm
The bells at St. John the Baptist church have not been heard for some considerable time. There are not enough ringers who are able to commit regularly, no tower captain or tower secretary and the bells themselves need some maintenance. However…
At approximately 3.30pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, 12th April (tomorrow) there will be a Quarter Peal in memory of Harold Jenkins who died peacefully on 14th January this year.
Harold was pivotal in keeping the bells of St John the Baptist Church, Broadwindsor, ringing for many years and the village owes him a great debt of gratitude. This Quarter Peal rung by an experienced band of the West Dorset Branch of SDGR (Salisbury Diocese Guild of Ringers) will take about 45 minutes and involves at least 1,250 changes (a ‘change’ is when two bells swap places in the order of ringing).
Harold was a very private man and we thank his widow, Margaret Jenkins for sharing this personal tribute:
Born Harold Thomas Fricker Jenkins on 16th January 1940 in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
An extremely shy and private person, typical Capricorn:slow to anger but really mad if he was upset.
We met when we were 16, then married at 22 and immediately went on a posting with Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service, to Brussels, at the Common Market Delegation, until four month’s later General De Gaulle said “Non” to UK entry and the Delegation closed.
Then came four years in Rangoon, Burma where Elizabeth and Nicholas were born. Following that came a two and a half year posting to New York at the British Delegation to the United Nations.
After a three year home posting, the children went to boarding school and we went to Bombay, India.
The next move was another visit to the USA. This time to Washington D.C. This was our favourite posting.
A four year home posting came next with Harold rising to the head of the East Africa Department. A part of this entailed visiting the refugee camps in Ethiopia. He was very glad to return home!
Dar es Salaam in Tanzania was the next post – not a favourite but it had its moments.
The last accompanied posting was to Kathmandu, Nepal, where he was Vice Consul and Head of Management with a staff of 50. Harold was involved with the aftermath of two air crashes that happened within six weeks of each other. It was a harrowing experience for both the Embassy staff and their wives.
Returning to the UK in 1994, we returned to Surrey before finding our present house. After a spell of immigration officer duties at Heathrow airport, Harold was asked to go to Kiev (as it was then), to Bucharest and then to Paris, each on special assignments. These three month assignments left Margaret at home to run the B&B, tend the garden and the allotment. A complaint about weeds was not well received!
Harold lived happily in Broadwindsor for twenty six and a half years, where he spent many hours ringing the church bells.
Please enjoy the bells!
A recording may be heard HERE.
On St. George’s Day, in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, citizens will receive the following alert:
This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.
This is a test. You do not need to take any action.
Wales will receive the alert in Welsh as well as English.
All information taken from Gov.UK.
Showcasing the talent that lies within our village, as the programme is filling up and coming together, this is the last call to anyone who would like to take part but hasn’t contacted the Fun Group yet.
The event takes place 5 – 7pm on Sunday, 11th June at The Comrades Hall with a rehearsal planned for Sunday, 21st May at 12.30pm.
Talent is not restricted to performances of song, music and comedy – visual artists are also invited to be included in a display of their artwork.
Please email: bwfunday20@gmail.com.
This month’s Full Moon is at 05.35hrs. on Thursday, 6th April and is known as the ‘Pink Moon‘. This is also the Paschal Moon, from which the date of Easter is calculated. Generally, the Christian holiday of Easter, also called Pascha, is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full Moon of spring.
The name ‘Pink Moon’ is not because the Moon will be pink in colour. It comes from the pink moss, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the Spring in North America. Other names for this month’s Full Moon, all of which indicate the season, include:
At the same time, April is a time when rivers and streams begin to fully thaw. Accordingly, April’s Full Moon was:
In Islamic communities around the world, April’s Full Moon is celebrated as Bara’at Night, also known as the Night of Innocence. Muslims offer up prayers, asking their God to absolve dead ancestors of their sins. They also prepare sweet desserts such as halva or zarda and give it out to children, the needy, and other members of their community.
Towards the end of the month we can look forward to the Lyrids – one of the oldest Meteor showers to be observed by Man. The Lyrids can produce up to 18 meteors per hour at the peak, with occasional fireballs, producing up to 100 shooting stars an hour. Hopefully, we have a clear sky to observe them… look Northeast 🙂
The evenings are lighter and Easter is almost upon us…The Comrades Hall holds its A.G.M. and desperately need new committee members/Trustees… Our community pub, The White Lion celebrates one year being open…
There is a lot happening! Click HERE and get the dates in your calendar 🙂
Derek Bond was welcomed and kept busy at the beginning of the month when he visited The Comrades Hall.
Intended to be on the first Friday of each month, next Friday is Good Friday and there will be no Post Office services so Derek is coming in on Tuesday morning instead at 10am.
Bring along your watches that have been lying in drawers for years or that old clock that stopped working… how long ago? Derek also offers replacement batteries or watch straps.
Customers will need to pay for any replacement parts used but Derek is only requesting a small donation for his services to go to the Post Office Users Group fund 🙂