Category: Parishioner

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Christmas Foodbank and Toys Appeal 2025

Christmas Food Parcels 2025 – Can you help?

Our local Food Bank for Ash, Ash Vale, Tongham and Ash Green is appealing for Christmas Hamper items, toys and winter warmers for local families this Christmas. #AshVillagesFoodParcelsProject

Not everyone will be in a position to help this year, but if you can, we will be very thankful. Donations can be dropped off on or before Sunday 14th December at St Mary’s Church Vale Rd on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays 10:00-12:00 or at The Chapel on Wharf Rd on Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00-1400, or other times by arrangement (please contact 07730609446) THANK YOU!

Ideas for things to donate? Hot water bottles, warm socks, blankets, new or good as new childrens toys (no cuddly toys please), sweets and treats, cranberry sauce, mince pies, biscuits, Christmas cake, crackers, Christmas pudding, custard, chocolates, seasonal fruit and veg, gravy granules, christmas activity books, board games, festive toiletries… think about what makes your Christmas special – let’s share some of that Christmas joy! Thank you for your support.

If you prefer to donate funds towards Christmas Food, this is hugely welcomed towards Christmas meat and veg. https://givealittle.co/c/3ijYS6zC4gbOGqwer2tmdY 

^Donations Link. Thank you for your support for local people in need this Christmas.

The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project is a joint project between the Ash Villages Support Circle and St Mary’s Church in Ash Vale, hosted at The Chapel Project, Ash Vale. 

Website:  https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/


Thank you for sharing Christmas joy with local families in need. 

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Please Vote for us today!

Please vote for St Mary’s:

https://www.bridges.co.uk/bridges-big-christmas-give-away/vote-now/ 

Bridges are giving away funding to local charities, but we need your votes please! This will be a huge help with keeping all our projects going (We co-manage the local Food Parcels Project, Community Cafe, Chapel Cafe, 2 Toddler Groups and lots of community events at St Mary’s and The Chapel). Please everyone vote for St Mary’s, as we co-fund / co-run the Chapel Project as well, so a vote for St Mary’s is a vote for The Chapel Project too.

Thank you for your support!

Please vote today!

St Marys Church Ash Vale

Charity Number 1152717

Address is St Mary’s Church, Vale Road, Ash Vale, GU12 5JE.

Thank you for your support!

#CommunityAction #Bridges #PleaseVoteNow #ItTakesAVillage #Community #LoveWhereWeLive #AshVale

And big thanks to Bridges, what a wonderful Christmas Give Away!

https://www.bridges.co.uk/bridges-big-christmas-give-away/vote-now/ 

https://www.bridges.co.uk/bridges-big-christmas-give-away/vote-now

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Christmas Foodbank 2025… Can you help?

The local Food Parcels Project for Ash, Ash Vale, Tongham and Ash Green is appealing for Christmas Hamper items, toys and winter warmers for local families this Christmas.

Not everyone will be in a position to help this year, but if you can, we will be very thankful. Donations can be dropped off on or before Sunday 14th December at St Mary’s Church Vale Rd on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays 9:30-12:30 or at The Chapel Wharf Rd on Wednesdays 9:00-14:00 or at other times by arrangement (please text 07730609446) THANK YOU!

Ideas for things to donate? Hot water bottles, warm socks, fluffy scarves, childrens toys, sweets and treats, cranberry sauce, mince pies, festive biscuits, Christmas cake, crackers, Christmas pudding, custard, evaporated milk, stuffing mix, gravy granules,  chocolates, seasonal fruit and veg, tinned ham, christmas activity books, board games, crisps, festive toiletries… think about what makes your Christmas special – let’s share some of that Christmas joy!

The need is greater than ever this year, and we are likely to need parcels for over 100 families. We need your support please, to be able to help them all, and bring some wonderful festive cheer to every family in need.

If you like, you can download the ‘Bank the food’ App which lists suggestions and shows what items are most urgently needed. It’s a great way to keep in touch. You will find us listed as the Ash Villages Food Parcels Project.

Thank you everyone for your amazing help to make this happen. We can’t do it without you!

Thank you for your support, and may you be wonderfully blessed this Christmas.

More about the project on the foodbank blog here: https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/

Download the ‘bank the food’ app here:

https://www.bankthefood.com

Project Manager: 07730609446 projectmanager@ash-vale.org.uk

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Thank you Normandy Village School

Did somebody say Harvest? Look at this wonderful display! Congratulations to all involved at Normandy Village School with your Harvest decorations and foodbank collection. What a beautiful array of art work and brilliant donations for the local food parcels proect.

The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project would like to say a HUGE HARVEST THANK YOU to all the staff, students, parents and carers at Normandy Village School for this fantastic assembly of boxes, packets, jars and tins which will all go to local families in need in the local villages.

Your choice of items shows great care and thoughtfulness, as well as huge generosity. We received your gifts today and will be sending them out to families next week in their food parcels, to put food on their tables and smiles on their faces. Thank you from our team and from all the families whom this will feed.

Happy Harvest!

More about the school here on their website: https://www.normandyvillageschool.org

More about the foodbank here: https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/

#Harvest #Foodbank #HarvestDonations

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HARVEST THANKS

A huge HARVEST THANK YOU to all at St Mary’s Ash Vale, for the wonderful foodbank donations from the Harvest Festival on Sunday.

We collected your gifts on Tuesday and they went out in the food parcels today, with some items left for the parcels on Friday. The Wednesday team fed 22 families with your generous donations today, some large families, some single people in need, food for 61 people in total. And more parcels will go out on Friday to other families too.

Thank you for your support! #AshVillagesFoodParcelsProject


Our web page has more info here:
https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/

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Vivace Chorus news

The Creation by Haydn is an accessible, joyful work that is easily one of the favourite choral works of all time. Vivace Chorus are delighted to be performing this piece with the chamber orchestra of the National Symphony Orchestra and professional soloists. 
Saturday 15 November at 7.30pm,

Holy Trinity Church Guildford GU1 3RR. Tickets available at vivace.chorus.org

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Harvest Gifts from Northcamp Methodist Church

What a blessing this morning! The Ash Villages Food Parcels Team were delighted to receive Harvest donations today from Northcamp Methodist church. A lovely array of items, from tins to produce, and all just right for the food parcels that will be going out on Wednesday and Friday this week to local people in need.

Revd Anne personally delivered the donations to The Chapel, our wonderful local ecumenical project, jointly run by St Mary’s Church Ash Vale and the BlackwaterValley Methodist Circuit. The Chapel kindly hosts the Foodbank all year round, and allows us the space for our shelves, fridges and packing parcels. It is a huge blessing to people in urgent need locally in the villages of Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham.

A big harvest THANK YOU to Northcamp Methodist Church, your support is hugely appreciated! https://www.northcampmethodist.co.uk/welcome.htm

Image – Foodbank Team, and Monday Chapel Cafe members, receiving donations for the foodbank from Northcamp Methodist Church, special delivery by Revd Anne.

If you would like to read all about the foodbank… here is our page: https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/ We have been running for over 5 years now, and what started as the local covid support group now runs as a full-blown foodbank in partnership with Ash Villages Support Circle. There are lots of stories on our page, and details of how you can donate, or ask for a referral.

The Chapel Project is here to share Christ’s love with people of all faiths and none through Hospitality, Creativity and Worship. We are home to Monday Chapel Cafe (warm Welcome space), NWCLF church on Sundays, ChapelKids on Wednesdays, as well as the Foodbank mentioned above, also Musicians in Residence Matt and Dan Weeks, Artists in Residence Debi and Jono Retallick, plus seasonal events Picnic and Play, Light Party, Christmas Fair, and of course hall users from the local community. If you want to know more about The Chapel Project please contact Revd Neil Lambert, Revd Anne Day or our Project Manager Alex: projectmanager@ash-vale.org.uk or visit http://www.ashvalechapel.com

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Harvest Wrist Huggers (knitting pattern)

Harvest Wrist Huggers: Pattern by Rachel Watts
These fun wrist warmers are ideal for chilly autumn mornings. The aran weight yarn makes them quick to knit and perfect for gifting.

There are 2 versions of the pattern, the first is worked flat using straight needles and the second is worked in the round using double pointed needles. Choose the technique that suits you best – Happy Knittng!


Yarn: Aran weight yarn

Version 1: worked flat
Hayfield Bonus Aran: Fields of Gold 32g, 84m, 92yds approx

Version 2: knit in the round
Yarnsmiths Create Aran: Burnt Orange 32g, 64m, 69yds approx


Needles & other supplies
5mm needles (To work pattern flat)
5mm double pointed needles (To work in the round)
stitch markers x 2

Gauge: 28 stitches x 21 rows = 10cm in 2 x 2 rib pattern

Abbreviations
dpns = double pointed needles
K = knit
M1 = make one, (I used the backward loop method)
P = purl
PM = place marker
R/S = right side
SM = slip marker
Sts = stitches
W/S = wrong side

Techniques(You can find lots of videos and instructions for these techniques online)
Cast on: My preferred method is Long Tail Cast On, which is lovely and stretchy
Make one: I used a Backwards Loop method, but you could use Make One Left.

Mattress stitch
Cast off in pattern as follows
1. K2, pull the first stitch over stitch the second stitch
2. P1, pull previous stitch over the one you have just worked
3. P1, pull previous stitch over the one you have just worked
4. K1, pull previous stitch over the one you have just worked
5. K1, pull previous stitch over the one you have just worked
6. Continue round until all stitches have been cast off

Harvest Wrist Huggers: Version 1 worked flat

Begin Pattern
Using 5mm straight needles, cast on 34 Stitches
Row 1: R/S, (K2, P2) x 8 K2
Row 2: W/S, (P2, K2) x 8 P2
Work rows 1 and 2 nine more times

Thumb shaping
Row 21: R/S (K2, P2) x 3, K2, PM, (M1 P1)x 2,PM (K2, P2) x 4 K2 (36 sts)
Row 22: W/S (P2, K2) x 4 P2, SM, (K1, P1) x 2, SM, (P2, K2) x 3 P2
Row 23: (K2, P2) x 3, K2, SM, M1, (K1, P1)x 2, SM, (K2, P2) x 4 K2 (37 Sts)
Row 24: (P2, K2) x 4 P2, SM, (K1, P1) x 2, K1, SM, (P2, K2) x 3 P2
Row 25: (K2, P2) x 3, K2, SM, P1, M1, K1, P1, M1, K1, P1, SM, (K2, P2) x 4 K2 (39 Sts)
Row 26: (P2, K2,) x 4, P2, SM, (K1, P2) x 2 K1, SM, (P2, K2) x 3 P2
Row 27: (K2, P2) x 3 K2 SM, (M1, P1, K2) x 2 M1 P1, SM, (K2 P2) x 4 K2 (42 sts) Row
Row 28: (P2, K2) x 10 P2
Row 29: R/S (K2, P2) x 10 K2
Row 30: W/S (P2, K2) x 10 P2
Work rows 28 and 29 seven more times
Row 45: R/S Cast off in pattern
Finishing
Holding long edges beside each other and using mattress stitch sew seam together.
Weave in ends.

Harvest Wrist Huggers: Version 2: Worked in the round

Begin Pattern
Using 5mm dpns, cast on 32 stitches
Arrange stitches as follows; Needle 1: 8 sts, Needle 2: 12 sts, Needle 3: 12 sts
Join work to knit in the round making sure the stitches are not twisted.
Round 1: (K2, P2) x 8
Repeat round 1 nineteen more times

Thumb shaping (the increase stitches are worked on needle 1 only)
Round 21: K2, M1, P1, M1, P1, (K2, P2) x 7 (34 sts)
Round 22: K3, P1, k1, P1, (K2, P2) x 7
Round 23: K2, M1, K1, P1, K1, P1, (K2, P2) x 7 (35 sts)
Round 24: K2, (P1 K1) x 2, P1, (K2, P2) x7
Round 25: K2, (P1, M1, K1, P1, M1, K1, P1, (K2, P2) x 7 (37 sts)
Round 26: (K2 P1) x 3, (K2, P2) x 7
Round 27: (K2, M1, P1) x 3, (K2, P2) x 7 (40 sts)
Round 28: (K2, P2) x 10
Work round 28 sixteen more times
Round 45: Cast off in pattern and weave in ends.

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MacMillan list 2025

Sues MacMillan Sales List 2025

Dear all, 

This year’s offerings are all homemade and I have created a more varied Gluten Free and Vegan selection too. Last year I raised just under £1000, I would love to beat that this year!

If you would to order please tick the item and note how many then return to me at Chapel Cafe or St Mary’s Cafe (or to Alex) and we will arrange to collect your donations and deliver your items.

Thank you in advance 

Suz

Your name and contact number: 

JAM          Strawberry          Apricot          Damson

JELLY          BlackBerry & apple         Crab apple           

MARMALADE         Orange & Whisky           Lemon marmalade

PRESERVE           Tangerine preserve           Rhubarb 

CRUMBLE           apple or plum also in GF and vegan

Fruit cake also in GF

Date and walnut loaves

Protein bars also in GF

Flapjack also GF

Coconut macaroons

Peanut brittle

Rocky road

Stuffed marzipan dates

Chocolate dates

Large rocky road bars

Apple Turnovers also in GF & vegan

See you on Friday 26th 10:00-13:00 for the Coffee Morning including raffle, cakes, jams, treats, all in aid of MacMillan.

(Friday Cafe usual offerings will be on as well – the usual Friday cuppa and soup or toastie lunch free / by donation).

See you all soon!