DOWN YOUR WAY
HOUGHTON
Ring Ron Young on 0191 584 2692 Clifford Gilpin and his wife Susan, from New England, USA, were welcome visitors to St Michael and All Angel’s Parish Church for research into the life of their ancestor Bernard Gilpin. They were overwhelmed to discover further aspects of Gilpin’s life and stand at the ancient font where he baptised many children and adults during his ministry in Houghton, now celebrating the 500th year of his own birth. On Remembrance Sunday Gilpin WI achieved the first stage of its aim to complete a worthy symbol of respect for all the servicemen killed in action and especially those from the area. Houghton Heritage Society displayed a wide collection of photographs. The focus of the poppy display was the bench on the Broadway, which is sponsored by Gilpin WI. The display has been a joint effort by members who have knitted and sewn hundreds of poppies over the past months and is an ongoing project. Gilpin took part in the very moving parade and church service which followed. At the cenotaph a wreath was laid on behalf of Gilpin WI.
Stuart Cameron and Paul Malcolm will provide the entertainment of music and humour at Houghton Older People’s Enterprise in the Methodist Church hall at 1pm on Thursday.
More than 700 poppies were knitted by the members and friends of the Chilton Moor WI and these were formatted into the shape of crosses, which decorated Dubmire British Legion Cenotaph. Volunteers from Chilton Moor WI cleaned the cenotaph and laid artificial grass before decorating with the poppies, ready for Remembrance Sunday.
The Christmas Fair at St
Michael and All Angel’s parish church is from 10am to 3pm on Saturday with the usual variety of seasonal stalls, attractions and refreshments. Santa will be there for the children, with free admission.
Shiney Row St Oswald’s Advent Fair will also be on Saturday from 11am.
Houghton and District Ramblers’ Club will be walking around Silksworth on Sunday. Details of time and meeting place from leader G Lindsley, on 0191 520 2152 or secretary John Conder on 0191 385 6551.
Instead of their regular meeting in St Michael’s Kepier Hall, members of the Mothers’ Unions will be visiting the Old Rectory at 2pm on Monday, November 27, courtesy of Acumen Buildings, who now occupy the ancient building and who would like to hear stories and see photographs of the previous life and activities in the building.
The Sunderland Group of the Ramblers’ Association will be walking the Beamish Circular, about eight miles, on Wednesday, November 29, meeting at 10.30am in the Eden Place car park off A693 near Beamish Museum entrance (DH9 0RE) with leader Mel Brown, phone 0191 4165560 for details.
The next surgery by Shiney Row councillors Anne Lawson, Mel Speding and Geoff Walker will be in Penshaw Community Centre from 1pm to 2pm on Wednesday, November 29.
Sunderland Historian Philip Curtis gave an illustrated talk about Life in the 1960s at Sunniside Methodist Women’s Fellowship meeting.
There will be a coffee morning and seasonal exhibition and garden at St Andrew’s Chilton Moor on Saturday from 10am. Admission is free.
Members of the Rotary Club were saddened to hear of the death of their former long serving colleague and current honorary member Frank Coulthard at the age of 88. Frank was well known for his service as treasurer of Houghton UDC and City of Sunderland after the local government re-organisation, and for his happy and friendly manner.
GRANGETOWN AND ASHBROOKE
Ring Chris Dixon on 0191 551 7090/07950828272 or email cmdixon@hotmail.co.uk Guests and speakers at the weekly meeting of the Rotary