Whittington
Steve Barr whittingtonvoice@gmail.com
STICKERS: Residents should have received a 20mph sticker a couple of weeks ago. Please display this on your bin to discourage speeding motorists – one day a week is better than not at all! If your house is on the odd numbers side of the street, it should go on your blue bin, if you are on the even numbers side, it’s the black bin.
CHURCH: Easter Sunday saw two important events in St Giles Church. At the well-attended Easter service, an appeal was launched to support improvements soon to be made to the church building, and a new altar frontal and pulpit fall were dedicated. The altar frontal and pulpit fall have been designed and made by Megan Barr over the past nine months using a combination of satins and gold fabrics, with genuine gold threads and gold leatherwork. It replaces a very old frontal which had sadly completely rotted away and was unusable and it was dedicated during the service by Rev Brian Maguire. In the words of David Clarke, (Churchwarden), who introduced the fundraising appeal: “We are beginning a project to ease our building into the 21st century, without destroying its character and essential purpose as a place of worship, reflection and quiet. Our intention is to make our church more welcoming, accessible, and hospitable. We hope to offer the church to the community for children’s and small group activities, meetings, concerts and similar larger events, with up-to-date facilities and space to be both formal and informal. Many people have contributed their thoughts and views over many years. At last, we are doing it. Plans are approved, planning permission is granted, and Cooper-Whyte Conservation Ltd has been appointed to carry out work, starting in June. We have some funds available to pay part of the cost upfront, but will seek to raise a substantial element through fundraising. There will be plenty of opportunities for church members and the wider Whittington community to join in, take part in events, and thereby contribute financially. Please join us on this exciting journey.”
ST GILES: May is Celebrate Lives Lived month at the hospice – have you seen the smart new signs, by the way? - but you have just one week to help their fundraising by dedicating a Gerbera to a loved one. Your Gerbera peg will be placed in a Celebrate Lives Lived garden of your choice as well as in the hospice virtual garden, creating a wonderful display of celebration and remembrance. You will have to make your dedication through the website before noon on Friday, 19th April. Looking further ahead, the ever popular annual Solstice Walk is on Saturday, 22nd June - your opportunity to parade the city streets to raise vital funds, starting and ending at Lichfield Rugby Club. Dress up in your most dazzling circus-inspired attire and let your inner show person shine - a night of live music, showstopper circus acts, and family fun awaits.
MARKET: Spring has sprung and the village market returns. Winter is behind us at last, so the Whittington Village Market will be back in its customary slot on the morning of the third Saturday of the month on the Bell car park. It’s next week, Saturday, 20th, 9.30am – 1pm and you will be able to spend your hardearned pennies at the usual wide variety of stalls (including home baked Fairtrade goodies on the St Giles Church stall), with the possibility of some new faces appearing.
WFEG: Two dates for your diary.
Friday, 26th April – bat walk. A dusk walk, using bat detectors and learning about these marvellous mammals. Sunday, 28th April – Blossom picnic at Jubilee Community Orchard. Watch out for details.
RUGBY: Lichfield, whose ground is just within the parish boundary, finished second to Long Eaton in the league, but have a chance to even up honours when they play the Derbyshire club at home in the first stage of the Papa John’s cup this Saturday. Kick off is 3pm at Cooke Fields. The following day, Lichfield U13s play their much delayed County Cup Final against near neighbours and rivals Burton at Tamworth Rugby Club, kicking off at 11am.
LANDSCAPE: Michael Lote is a Whittington boy through and through. His parents still live here and his first professional commission on graduation 18 years ago was in the village. Mike is an award-winning landscape gardener, and recently received an Association of Professional Landscapers accolade, together with their Matthew Bradley Memorial Cup in recognition of a project in Swan Croft which presented him with the challenge of meeting a very difficult brief regarding use of land and making space useable. He will be exhibiting at the RHS Malvern Show, for the third time, next month, showcasing his sustainable construction methods and commitment to biodiversity.