Web Archive 2003

Reverse Gear final gig Saturday, 8th November, 2003

Reverse Gear (Peter, Phil, Lenny and Richard) - the self-styled "band that takes you back ­ music for dancing from the 60s, 70s and 80s" played into oblivion at their very last performance, 7.30 pm ­ midnight, at the Memorial Hall.

Tickets priced at £10 included a two course supper and free entry to one of the prize draws. Every penny raised went to the sole benefit of CLIC - Cancer and Leukemia in Children. Pictures courtesy of David Dunning

Christmas Lights 2003

School Road

Lawrence Road

Broad Street

Triangle

Silver Street

South Meadows

Orchard Close

School Christmas Fair Friday, 12th December, 2003

Visitors to the Christmas Fair packed every room from 5.30pm until 7.15pm ....

... and 7.15pm was the time for a parade down to The Plough to join the Victorian Christmas evening. However, it was raining ....

Yes, it was indeed raining, but nothing daunted, everyone made for The Plough, with some very necessary traffic control ....

.... and although the foul weather won out in the end, at least it couldn't erase two crucial symbols of the time of year ...

An unusual opportunity for local singers came about when John Rowlands Pritchard, Director of Wells-based music group Opus Anglicanum led a one-day workshop introducing Gregorian chant. He traced the history of this earliest form of written music in the European tradition, and showed how it developed.

He showed how to interpret the notation, which you need to understand in order to sing in the appropriate manner. His easy manner soon encouraged the local singers, mainly from Wrington Choral Society and All Saints' choir, to feel reasonably confident in rehearsing a couple of pieces.

Fortunately, the intensive day's work, preparing the items to be sung with Opus Anglicanum in the evening, was broken up by coffee- and tea-breaks in the Reading Room when both teacher and taught could relax in each other's company !

The rehearsals produced a sufficient degree of confidence that, come the evening, despite the extremely high level of professionalism displayed by Opus Anglicanum , the novices were able both to feel their contribution was worthwhile, and join with the rest of the audience in enjoying a feast of music and readings, superbly presented.

Sunday, 9th November, 2003

The choir, churchwardens and clergy lead the procession after the service to the war memorial for the wreath laying

With the congregation gathered, and the final prayer of commendation, the parade, led by Royal British Legion Wrington branch president, Tony Vaughan, place their individual poppies by the wreath at the foot of the war memorial.

Friday, 7th - Sunday, 16th November, 2003

Miche Dunstone

Ann Carpenter

Liz Avery

Peggy Chen

Monica Duthie

Jennifer Davidson

Sheila Holness

Julie Kingcott

Paul & Renate O'Donnell

Friday, 10th October, 2003

Among the activities for National Book Week, children and staff brought their favourite stories to school and shared them. On National Poetry Day children were treated to a selection of the favourite poems from teaching and non-teaching staff, ranging from 'The Highwayman' to 'The Baboon's Bottom'.

But they weren't the only ones

And still there were the Potter people ...

Two Josephs visit from Luhimba

Wrington's association with the village of Luhimba in southern Tanzania stems from the work there of Michael Carey, and is vigorously maintained now by the school's former Head, Paul Temple. He visits Luhimba at least twice a year at his own expense, and this year ran with his daughter in the London Marathon to raise funds to bring two key people in the life of Luhimba to Weston super Mare where he now lives.

At a reception at Michael's house, Joseph Simsokwe described something of what the project means in the life of his village. His companion, Joseph Tago, is building the village secondary school with funds raised by the Luhimba Project

Most of the twenty or so people who came to meet the two Josephs, sponsor children to attend the school.

Joseph Simsokwe attended government agricultural college for two years and then returned to Luhimba as Agricultural Extension Officer for the Luhimba Ward. He has been the driving force behind much of the development which has taken place. He lives, with his wife and four children, on a smallholding about a mile out of Luhimba village and is a member of the village council.

He now performs most of the duties elsewhere associated with an agricultural vet, but also fulfils wider roles. He advises the local population on all matters agricultural - primarily cattle, crops and fertilisers. He has plans for the diversification of local agriculture into poultry, bee-keeping and the farming of fish.

As well as giving him a chance to catch up with his old friend and mentor,

he evening was also an opportunity to meet someone newly becoming involved with the Luhimba project, Patricia Gaya, a PhD student from Bath University, a specialist in community development matters.

But Thursday evening in Wrington also means bellringing practice, so, at the kind invitation of John Dunstone, the two Josephs next took the spiral staircase up the church tower

and into the ringing room where they were initiated into the mysteries of change ringing

After Wrington, their schedule includes a day at Cannington agricultural college, and an address to the British-Tanzania Society in London.

Saturday - Sunday, 20th -21st September, 2003

A high standard of work delighted visitors to the Arts & Crafts exhibition held in Redhill village hall over the weekend of 20th-21st September.

The nominal charge of 70p (proceeds towards skittle alley fund) included a welcome cuppa.

Jed Franklin Miss E

Cheeky

Steffi

Henry Finch Woodcarving

Ann Dale

Dandelion clock

Pheasant feathers

Gordon Ellis Rainburst

Pam Cockram Winter scene

Still life

Margaret Gibbins St Bennet Abbey, Norfolk

Constance Durie Winter soup

Pumpkin boat

J. Chamberlain Snow at Kingdown

Mendip farm

Ernie Abrey Woodland pond

Trudi Day Ubley church and memorial Lake View

Helen Riches Cushions

Liz Johnson Venetian glass

Jane Geeson Evening at the lake Burrington woods Palma

Pat Bidder Harvest home

Greek Village

Helen Goodchild Dancing line

Irises

Hazel Hillman Flute - portrait

Josephine Standen Summer flowers

Jane Summers Sunflower

Shirley Gill Beach girls

Joe Dolphin Tintinhull garden

Coreopsys

Chris Miles Ladram Bay

J. Shaw Thursday's child

Christchurch Priory

C. Marsden-Smedley A churchyard

Kathleen Tremlin Banwell Castle

Jeanette Thompson Bonjour, ça va

Robin Milford concert Wednesday, 9th July, 2003

On a glorious summer evening, a good number of people filled All Saints' church to hear a concert to mark the centenary of the one-time Butcombe composer, Robin Milford

The event had been arranged by Rachel Bowers of Butcombe and the performers included Philip Lancaster, bass ...

Philip Lancaster, bass ...

MichaelSmythe, tenor,

Elizabeth Harvey, treble recorder

Jennifer Willy, flute,

Jennifer Willy, flute,

nd, performing the evening's main work, Milford's cantata The Passing Year , the Wessex Eight

In the interval there was a small exhibition to see, including a photo of Milford

... as well as a photocopy of a signed programme of the original performance by Wrigton Choral Society, conducted by the composer ...

... and since there were three Choral Society members of the time present this evening, it was possible to see an original

Click on Image for more info about Robin Milford

All the performers take a final, well-earned bow

BBC Radio 4 talks to John Graham Thursday, 10th July, 2003

BBC Radio 4 Home Truths reporter Philippa Stevenson was in school at lunchtime to talk to John Graham ... and some of the other dinner-ladies ... about being a 'dinner-lady' ...

... because, it seems, there aren't many of them about ...

... and what, she wanted to know, did the children think about all this ...

... there certainly wasn't any shortage of eager speakers keen to get in on the act ...

Primary Colours' is the name of a company run by Neil Taylor, based in Yatton, which enables schools to have pupils' paintings presented professionally, and sold to raise funds for a cause the school nominates - in Wrington's case, on the kitchen.

The school also sets the theme/s to which the pupils work, and 'Primary Colours' supply a standard size paper to permit rapid mounting in glass-fronted frames.

The glass, while adding a professional touch, does mean the shadowy presence of the photographer can be detected here and there !

Despite this, the imagination and skill of the work on display is clear in the following selection of individual pieces.