A big Harvest Thank You to the 1st Ash Vale Beavers!

The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project team would like to say a big THANK YOU to the lovely 1st Ash Vale Beavers! We are super grateful for all your wonderful donations, which filled up the donation boxes at St Mary’s on Tuesday.

All these things that you donated will go out in the Food Bank parcels next week, and make a big difference to local families in need of a bit of help at this time.

It was great fun visiting you too, and we discovered that you are all very good at Kims Game! You remembered lots of the things we had in the food parcel box. I wonder if your friends in the Monday group will enjoy this game too?

Thank you too for the beautiful Harvest pictures. We will be sure to display them as part of the Harvest decorations at St Mary’s. The church is celebrating Harvest Festival on Sunday 6th Otober this year, all welcome at the 10:30 service, and we will have refreshments afterwards. Those of you who like to get creative are welcome to come and help decorate the church on the Saturday morning too, it’s lots of fun! See you there.

Macmillan Coffee Morning 27th Sept 10-1

Join us for some delicious cakes and fabulous fundraising at the St Mary’s Community Cafe this Friday 27th September 2024 10am-1pm. There will be cakes, treats, jam, raffle, plants and a bring and buy stall. Sue has been baking some wonderful treats and we have a yummy minestrone for lunch courtesy of Carolina. See you there, we look forward to catching up!

All donations on the day will go to Macmillan

If you can’t make it but would like to donate online our donations page is here, thank you! https://cm24.macmillan.org.uk/fundraising/CM24019727

Bring a bottle! (for the foodbank tombola)

Dear friends and neighbours… We are hoping to run a bottle tombola in aid of the foodbank #AshVillagesFoodParcelsProject at our St Mary’s Summer Fair, which takes place on Saturday 7th September 12-3pm. If anyone has any odd bottles at home, or can donate some, or could appeal for some donations from your friends and family, we would be super grateful thank you!

We take anything in a bottle – ketchup, shower gel, squash, wine, sherry, cola, tabasco sauce, aftershave, syrup, hand soap… anything that is in date and unopened. It makes for a fun and varied tombola, always a super stall and for a great cause! 😊

Most importantly of all, please come and see us on the day! We would love to meet you all and catch up, and of course we would like to sell you a tombola ticket for a very good cause!

Thank you for your wonderful support!

More Foodbank news and information is available here: https://ash-vale.org.uk/foodparcels-2/

Book today for Picnic and Play 2024

#PicnicAndPlay takes place again this year at Ash Vale Chapel and we can’t wait to welcome you, for lots of family friendly fun in the sunshine. We have plenty of fun on offer, DJ Martin is doing the disco & games, Revd Neil is planning his legendary pancakes, and we have arts and crafts, games and activities each week from printing to clay, sand and water play, and more in between.

DATES: It’s on the 4 middle Wednesdays in the holidays: 31 July, 7th August, 14th August, 21st August from 11:30am until 3pm (slightly longer this year so it’s easier to work around naps for our littlest customers!)

BOOKING ESSENTIAL text phone or whatsapp to 07730 609446 please so we know you are coming and can cater for the right numbers. (All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult please.)

FOOD: Let us know your choice of sandwich filling for each person when you book (or let us know now if you already booked and we dont have your lunch choice yet). We can offer cheese, ham, vegan humus, cream cheese, jimjam chocolate spread, or jam. Let us know your preference and we will order in accordingly, so there is no waste. Any allergies eg gluten free please let us know before you get here so we can be prepared.

COST: We don’t set a fixed fee, so that all families who want to can join us. We do have a donations link, and we do need donations to help cover our costs, so please if you can bring a cash donation on the day or pop a contiribution on the Give A Little link if possible. The amount you give is up to you, THANK YOU! . https://givealittle.co/c/4BYNqSiaQc0wz1KTSgzKPz

VOLUNTEERS: We are always in need of more helping hands, setting up the gazebos, making the picnics, serving the drinks, leading the crafts, clearing down and cleaning, theres a job for everyone! If you would like to pitch in please get in touch thank you!

Love to all and see you soon at #PicnicAndPlay!

#PicnicAndPlay#Community#FunInTheHolidays#AllWelcome

Notice of APCM

We have published the notice of this year’s annual meeting recently. Here it is for anyone who has not been in the building lately and may have missed it. See you on Sunday 28th April 6.30pm. If you would like a copy of the annual report please contact the Parish Office parishoffice@ash-vale.org.uk or pop in on Sunday or at our community cafe and ask for one.

Get involved with the Community Street Team!

by Pat Scott

We all say “what a lovely community Ash & Ash Vale are” – very true! Would you like to help our wonderful community?  Just an hour or so when needed, helping at community events in Ash and Ash Vale such as the Village Fete in June, the Youth Centre (hopefully opening soon), Lakeside Nature Fun Day, Remembrance Day and Fantasia.

For 12 years the Community Street Team have concentrated on engaging with local youngsters between 10 – 16 years to address local anti-social issues.  We have engaged with the youth, listen to them and try to suggest alternative routes for their lifestyle.

As a result of Anti Social Behaviour having been reduced successfully, we are now planning to “morph” into a more community-focussed group with some volunteers continuing “Outings” but now some members also giving greater assistance at local events i.e Village Fete, Lakeside Nature Reserve Event, Remembrance Day Parades and Christmas Fantasia.

If you would like to help please contact Pat Scott scott.lpd@outlook.com or (01252) 324941.  I look hearing from you.

Vivace Chorus – Verdi’s Requiem 18 May 2024

Here is the latest information about Vivace Chorus’s upcoming concert at GLive, which promises to be an extraordinary evening.

Verdi’s Requiem

GLive, London Rd, Guildford GU1 2AA

18 May 2024, 19.30

Tickets £12.50-£35

Tickets and information: 0343 310 0055

GLive.co.uk (click on the link for more information)

Vivace Chorus will perform this awe-inspiring piece alongside the Liverpool Welsh Choral Union and the National Symphony Orchestra at GLive. With 200 singers, a huge orchestra, four soloists and eight off-stage trumpets, it promises to be a night full of drama and beauty.

Easter Events this week!

Special events this week for Easter 2024:
Wednesday 7:30pm at St Mary’s: Neil’s talk – Reflection on the way of tea – “why I do what I do”

Thursday 6pm at st Mary’s: Maundy Thursday bring and share meal

Good Friday:
10:00 walk of witness sets off from st Mary’s
10:30 service with Churches Together at Ash Wharf outside by the canal bridge
11:30 hot cross buns at the Chapel on wharf rd, all welcome
Afternoon – st Mary’s open for prayer, craft and meditation

Saturday: st Mary’s open all day, come and help with church decoration, flowers team will be in 10:00-12:00 come and join in!

Easter Sunday: special Easter celebration service 10:30am at St Mary’s
(Remember the clock go forward!)

On as usual this week:
Chapel cafe 9:30-12:30
Little lambs 10:00-11:30
Chapelkids 11:00-14:00
(Friday cafe will be at chapel this week, not at st Mary’s)

All free to attend, all welcome, see you there!

Chapel Kids and friends will be going to visit Forest Kids Ash on 10th April. Text for more info! 07730609446

Easter Treats for our Food Parcels

Local Easter Appeal: Would you like to add something special to our food parcels next week? We would welcome donations of Easter treats for the #AshVillagesFoodParcelsProject any time before 28th March. Thank you for your support!
You can donate at St Mary’s or at The Chapel when we are open, or message us to arrange a time with our project team. 07730609446

Happy Easter!