roots down walls down
A huge thank you to everyone who sponsored trees in Uganda for Christmas. The seed beds have been prepared and the seedlings are growing beautifully. #AmhaWeUganda #HopeForUganda #Trees #NoPlanetB #TreeNurseriesProject
If you’d like to donate to the work of Amaha We Uganda please follow this link. Thank you! https://www.amahaweuganda.org
Revision of Church Electoral Roll: The current Electoral Roll is posted on the Noticeboard inside the front door of the Church (note the publicly displayed version includes names only, without addresses). Please have a look at this to check whether or not you are included. Application forms to apply to go on the Roll, or to have address or other details updated, can be obtained from Lesley Murphy in church on Sundays.
Please hand your completed Forms either to Lesley or to Jackie Scott in the Parish Office. Forms must be returned by 2nd April at the latest.
Ashes Good Neighbours Scheme
As we start 2023 we wanted to let you know how we are progressing with launching the Ashes Good Neighbour Scheme.
The Ashes is a group of local volunteers who will help older residents of Ash and Ash Vale get to their doctor or hospital appointments, or maybe take someone to the hairdressers or to the shops.
Over the last year we have been recruiting volunteers who are happy to be drivers or duty officers, who will take the phone requests for assistance. The number of volunteers is rising steadily, but we will need more volunteers before we are able to launch AGN again. Is this something you might be interested in? You can choose what requests you accept, so the commitment is entirely under your control.
Throughout last year we held regular coffee mornings to allow people to meet and discuss the scheme more.
Our next coffee morning is on Wednesday 8th February 2023 at the Ash Centre, Ash Hill Road, at 10.30am. Please come along and meet other volunteers, find out about the scheme and mention this to anyone who may be interested.
No obligation- just come and say hello. We look forward to seeing you,
The Ashes Good Neighbours Committee
We can be contacted on ashesgn@outlook.com
Mobile 07935 515221 www.theashesgn.wixsite.com/ashes
Did you know? There is a new app out there called “Bank the Food” which helps everyone to know just what to donate to their local food banks to help those in need in the community.
Our local Food Parcels Project started during Covid and feeds local people every week. Search for Ash Vale in the App and you will see we are on the list for donations. We would be very glad of your support. We are of course grateful for all donations, but if you use the app, the advantage is that you can see what we need most urgently,
The last step is getting the donations to us. If you shop in the village you can pop items in the collecting basket at Ash Vale Co-op (tap your membership card while you’re in there and collect point for the community fund please!). Wherever you shop, you can buy items to donate and drop them off at St Mary’s Church on Vale Road or The Chapel on Wharf Road whenever they are open. We do the rest, packing parcels and making sure they reach our neighbours in need in our local community of Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham.
Thank you for your support, it makes a huge difference. We would especially like to thank everyone who supported the Christmas food parcels last week. Over 130 local people were brought some Christmas cheer with food, treats, gifts and winter warmers. It makes a big difference to local people. Thank you!
Alex, Carla and all the team.
PS – if you are struggling to afford enough to eat you can be referred to us by Citizens Advice / Job Centre / local churches / health visitor / social services / Guildford borough wellbeing team.
** Coats ** if you need a coat please come down to the Community Cafe Warm Hub this Friday at St Mary’s 10:00-13:00 we have had lots donated as part of our ‘winter warmers’ appeal and they are free to whoever needs them. Lots of different sizes, mostly childrens but there are a few adults ones. We also have some blankets available. Tea and coffee available all morning, Soup lunch is served at 12:00 . No need to book just pop in.
Come on in and get warm!
Fridays 10:00-13:00
St Mary’s, Vale Rd, Ash Vale GU12 5JE
Join us for cuppa, biscuits and a chat.
We have free wifi for anyone needing to
get online and toys, books and
colouring to entertain the children.
Free Soup Lunch served at 12:00.
All free / by donation.
All welcome.
SCC is also sending us winter
essentials for those in need,
just ask for Alex or Nikki
Please support Amaha We Uganda’s tree planting projects this Christmas. Your gift of trees will reforest mountains, stop landslides and feed families.
Amaha We Uganda is one of St Mary’s chosen charities again this year and we are so excited to see that another 30,000 trees have been planted this season. You can read all about it on their website www.AmahaWeUganda.org.uk
Gift certificate cards are available for your family and friends. Email alex@amahaweuganda.org for your PDF certificate.
Donations link: https://givealittle.co/campaigns/ba64796b-7c63-4d16-944f-bacf9b8dc098
Join us for a lovely lantern walk starting from The Chapel garden on Wharf Rd and finishing at St Mary’s church garden on Vale Road with a bonfire, hot chocolate, food and the chance to meet St Nicholas (there will be sweets!) Start times are staggered from 4pm – 6pm and we need to know numbers for catering, so please text to book your start time. 07730 609446 we still have a few places, text us asap! (Free / by donation)
We do recommend that you dress for the cold weather, bring a torch and wear wellies or sturdy shoes. The canal walk is beautiful by lantern light but it can be muddy.
#StNicholasLanternWalk #StNicholasDay #StNicholasLanterns #MeetSaintNicholas #Community #FamilyFriendly #LanternWalk #BonfireParty #FollowTheStar
William is visiting us All the way from Uganda this year. Do please bring some pennies to support Amaha We Ugandas tree projects if you can. This is one of the St Mary’s chosen charities.Thank you! Xx
By Stephanie Farry
We have so many boxes and parcels arriving at this time of year with all sorts of deliveries – why not reuse them and create some beautiful seasonal decorations?
You will need:
– cardboard packaging
– scrap paper (we used plain white packing paper that came as padding inside a delivery, and scraps of leftover wrapping paper)
– glue
– scissors
– pen or pencil
– tape – recyclable, if possible!
– two short ribbons
– anything you like to decorate – ribbon, holly, glitter, pens, stickers
Step 1: draw your shape on cardboard, with a nice thick border, and cut out. We did a simple circle to make a wreath, but you could make stars, hearts, holly leaves – it’s up to you. Note: if you want to hang your decoration somewhere where the back can be seen, you might like to make two identical shapes, then secure them back-to-back before displaying!
Step 2: cut your paper into strips. Thinner strips work better as they are easier to position, but thicker strips might be quicker!
Step 3: decide which side of your shape is the front and which is the back. Spread glue over the front, then begin carefully wrapping the strips of paper around. Start each new strip at the back, and make sure they overlap to fix down the loose ends and neaten the edges.
Step 4: continue to wrap strips around until the card is fully covered. If you have different types of paper you can create a pattern as you go. We used two layers of white to create a solid look, then added on the other colours. Add more glue as needed.
Step 5: use small pieces of tape to secure any loose ends or edges on the back.
Step 6: tie one piece of ribbon around your shape at the top and secure loose ends at the back, and then tie the other piece of ribbon into the first to create a hanging loop.
Step 7: finish off your decoration with any embellishments you have to hand – we added a miniature bauble and some sparkly tape.
Step 8: hang your decoration and enjoy it all season! Then when it’s time to tidy away, you can recycle it – just remember to remove any non-recyclable parts, of course!
You are invited to celebrate Christmas 2022
Advent Evenings—Churches Together in Ash, Ash Vale & Tongham: Gather for reflections on Hope, Peace, Love and Joy with prayer, multimedia, and song. Dec 1st (St Mary’s), 7th (Holy Angels), 13th (St Peter’s), 19th (St Paul’s) 7-8pm followed by refreshments. Come to one or do them all.
26th Nov—Christmas at The Chapel on Wharf Rd: Join us 14:30-17:30 for festive fun, amazing raffle, lucky dip, free card making craft, second hand toys and more. Free admission.
10th Dec—St Nicholas Day Lantern Walk: An atmospheric lantern walk from The Chapel on Wharf Rd to St Mary’s on Vale Rd, finishing with a bonfire party, hot chocolate and sweets from St Nicholas! Text to book your staggered start time: 07730 609446 (free / donations)
11th Dec—Carols by Candlelight 6.30pm: Come and share the joy of singing our favourite Christmas Carols by candlelight at St Mary’s. Let’s rejoice! (free / donations)
24th Dec—Christingle Trail (time slots start from 3pm): Make Christingle, visit the Inn, see the Wise Men, stoke the shepherd’s bonfire, and get a selfie with baby Jesus! Not forgetting Revd Neil’s pizza! Text to book 07730 609446 (Children’s Society donations)
24th Dec—Christmas Communion 11.30pm: Come and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the first communion of Christmas. 11:30pm start.
25th Dec: Sunday Service 10am Join us to celebrate our Lord Jesus’s birth. Children, why not bring along your favourite present to show & tell?
Christmas Donations: This year we are asking for ‘winter warmer’ donations for local food parcels please, and fundraising for Amaha We Uganda tree planting. To donate items for any of our projects contact us, or you can donate online and select a project to support by donation. Thank you! https://givealittle.co/campaigns/e912dae4-3af1-4453-99dc-0330f32faf15
Keeping in touch: Text or call on 07730 609446 / follow on Facebook @StMarysAshVale / come along in person to our Warm Hub on Fridays 10:00-13:00 / email to parishoffice@ash-vale.org.uk / contact Revd Neil on revneil@me.com / Church Blog is here: www.ash-vale.org.uk including The Parishioner Magazine online. Happy Christmas!
