WOODBURY NEWS

‘Spring is sprung’, or should be by the time this issue of Woodbury News reaches you. Gardens in our villages are bursting with daffodils, tulips, primroses, dandelions, celandine and all manner of wildflowers and grasses. Lawnmowers are being activated after a long winter hibernation, and there’s a welcome return of warmth and light. Rooks are disturbing our peace with their incessant and raucous cacophony, fledglings are trying out their wings, and the occasional hedgehog has been spotted. Trees are unfurling, and blossom is burgeoning. It’s no surprise that Easter, with its celebration of life over death and light over darkness, is such a joyous season in the yearly turning of the earth.

To judge by the reports in this issue, our village societies are turning their thoughts and activities to preparing for summer – a plethora of sports, plant sales, outings and entertainments. And then, of course, there’s the holiday weekend to celebrate the coronation (see page 11 for a full listing of all the events taking place in our parish). Some of us will have recollections of huddling en masse 70 years ago in the front room of the only family in the street to have a tiny black and white ‘gogglebox’, and goggling at the grainy images on the screen as our 39th sovereign to be crowned in Westminster Abbey was annointed Queen. How different in so many ways will be the crowning of the 40th, though the pageantry will doubtless be as impressive as ever.

Our cover picture, courtesy of Wild-Woodbury, shows a hungry young sparrow fledgling being fed by its parent, and the accompanying article (see page 20) advises what we should do if we come across young birds unfortunate enough to have fallen out of their nests, or to have been ‘catted’.

Woodbury News is a Private Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5263356

Secretary: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. 233299

Registered Office: Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299

Chairman: Jeremy Boyden, Rosemary, Broadway, Woodbury EX5 1NR. Tel: 233072

Editor: Sue Bury, Mayflower Cottage, 37 Greenway, Woodbury EX5 1LU. Tel: 233753

Deputy Editor: Val Arndt, Castlehaye, Castle Lane, Woodbury. Tel: 233175

Subscriptions: Jeremy Boyden, Rosemary, Broadway, Woodbury EX5 1NR. Tel: 233072

Deliveries: Chris Bowers, chrisbowers88@yahoo.co.uk or 01395 239338

ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH, WOODBURY

Vicar: Reverend Bill Lemmey 01395 232161 revbillwhitecross@gmail.com

Administrator: Jill Dupain dupain@hotmail.co.uk

Church Services

30 April - Easter 4. Mission Community Breakfast ‘Creation Service’ at Woodbury Salterton at 09.30.

7 May - Coronation Service with Christ Church in the marquee on the village green, 10.30.

Evening Worship at Exton, 18.00.

14 May - Easter 6 / Rogation Day. Holy Communion at Exton, 09.30. Holy Communion at St Swithun’s, 11.15.

21 May - Easter 7 / Sunday after Ascension. Morning Worship at Exton, 09.30.

Evensong at St Swithun’s, 18.30.

28 May - Pentecost. Café Service at St Swithun’s, 10.30.

Further information will be available on the church noticeboard and in the monthly Digest. To receive this by email please send your email address to st.swithuns.digest@gmail.com.

FLOODLIGHTING ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH

For your special event, contact Mike Jeans on 01395 232544. Floodlight dedications are displayed on the church noticeboard at the lych gate.

CHURCH ALTAR FLOWERS - MAY

7 - Coronation. 14 & 21 - Mrs S Huish. 28 (Whit Sunday) - Mrs D Radford. Many thanks to everyone who helped to decorate church for Easter. Please note, we will decorate church for the Coronation during the week commencing Monday 1 May. Barbara Hill

FRIENDS OF ST SWITHUN’S (FoSS)

Details of the Spring Concert on Saturday 29 April can be found on page 6 in April’s Woodbury News and also in the box on page 15. There will be an autumn gathering with cream tea on Sunday 10 September from 15.00 at 5 Escott cottages. This is a thankyou to members for their support, but is also open to guests and supporters who wish to get together for a social occasion.

Funds raised by FoSS provide for the maintenance of the fabric of St Swithun’s Church, the only Grade I listed building in the community, which must be preserved for future generations.

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Pat Browne