On December 1st 2014, the High Barn window was the very first to feature in what has now become an established annual tradition.

See next page for detail of this year’s decorations.

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The idea of a Christingle service came originally from the Moravian Church in 1747 as a symbol of Christ’s light and love. The Children’s Society introduced it to the Church of England in 1968, and it has since become a popular service for all ages. It has featured as a Christmas Service in the Church of St James the Less, Sulgrave, for over thirty years.

More photographs on the next page.

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A novel use for the car boot, parked outside Lyndhurst.

Kym writes:

No 6 was off Little Street. A lovely window from Holly and Dean, and the house looked amazing. Well done to you both and Jackson for your part too. Great to hear that the kids have got involved. The back of the car looked great too, the hot chocolate station and warm sausage rolls definitely warmed us all up. Thank you.
The next 3 nights are non gathering. 7 being Christingle. 8 and 9 are non gatherings. Photos to follow. Please do go along and have a look. Our next gathering is 10th in Church Street. Hope to see you there.

Kym

See next page for photographs of the Lyndhurst party.

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Kym writes:

Window no 5 was at The Star. Shame about the weather, it was not a very nice night. But a lovely window all the same, mulled wine and sausages. Well done Mark and Yvonne. Thank you so much.

Kym

Photos of the rainy celebrations at the Star on the next page.

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Centre Pane of Little Tow Window.

Kym writes:

No 4 was at Little Tow, well I don’t really know where to start. The whole bungalow looked amazing but the window wow wow. So much to take in absolutely loved Well done and taking that you only moved here this year. thank you so much.

Kym

See here for the full window and pictures of the opening party.

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Centre Pane of Window No. 1 – Wykham House, Helmdon Road. December 1st.

It’s that time of the year again! A one off idea in 2014 is now a firmly established tradition. Each night during the 24 days of Advent sees a new and colourful addition to the village streets.

Kym Keatley writes:

Well what a great start to this years Advent windows.

No 1 and no 2 were the first of our non gathering night. Worth a walk out to have a look.
Our first gathering no 3 was at Rectory farm. What a lovely window. loved the dogs.
Kym

The full window at “Wykham”.

December 2nd. Window No. 2. Bentley’s Farm Bungalow, Helmdon Road. Photograph by Tony Keatley.

Detail from Window No. 2.

December 3rd. Window No. 3. Rectory Farm, Little Street.

See here for photographs of the window “unveiling party” at Rectory Farm.

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Telephone Pole Decoration December 2016

Volunteers have been making Christmas wreaths and fixing them at prominent points in the village for over 30 years. Click on the following links to see photos of those activities and how it all began.

Village Christmas Decorations 2007

Village Christmas Decorations 2008

Village Carol Singing and Decorations 2013

Ewes “in lamb” on the footpath to Stuchbury.                                                                                          Photograph: Colin Wootton

Richard Fonge writes:

What is so noticeable for this time of year is how green and healthy the countryside looks. Why? After our long hot summer, when the light rains came in early September they fell on a warm soil, resulting in rapid growth not only on the grass fields, but also when the oilseed rape and winter corn were planted the seeds germinated quickly and the new crops were soon established. This can be seen clearly from all footpaths and roads out of the village.

No better example of how these conditions have benefited a crop is the winter wheat direct drilled into the fields of wild flowers on the Stuchbury footpath. The old crop was sprayed out and with the manure which was spread will now rot down into the soil. A good farming practice, adding humous to the soil to produce a valuable crop.

A farmer has to take each season as it comes, taking the good with the bad, and this year has been a very challenging one, with a sodden start, followed by a dry spring and summer, resulting in a poor harvest and livestock being fed winter rations in July and August. However the silver lining is that it’s been a great autumn to establish crops and cattle have been able to stay out longer with the extra grass growth, as witnessed in the Manor field and up the Moreton road.

The sixty ewes on the Stuchbury path are now in lamb hopefully, as I see the two rams have been taken out. Two rams to sixty is a generous ratio,so when scanned for pregnancy at seventy five days or thereabouts all should be satisfactory.

I mentioned how challenging as a farmer it can be working along side the weather and therefore nature. This inevitably can cause severe stress, alongside the financial and at times loneliness of the occupation. The farming community are very good at supporting those with these difficulties through a number of voluntary and charitable organisations.

One of the first was Gloucestershire Farming Friends started by a generous and caring farmer called Malcolm Whittaker in the 1980s. An inspirational man.

I became involved in setting up a similar helpline in Warwickshire  some thirty years ago guiding people to the right sort of help. From these smaller helplines, Farm Crisis Network was born, a national organisation doing great work in the countryside but still with volunteers to help.

The philosophical attitude so typical of his type. A Dales farmer was asked how he was going to manage after losing sheep in a blizzard. ‘ Us’ll have to find another hole in the belt”!

Richard Fonge