BEER HACKETT
St. Michael’s Church Fond memories at St. Michael’s On 30 January, a large congregation of 40 came to our Candlemas service, during which Revd. Tony Gilbert dedicated the votive candle stand designed and made by John Atyeo, one of our life-long Beer Hackett residents.
REP: John Parker johnwincanton@gmail.com DISTRIBUTOR: Susan Ferdinand
believed strongly during his long life of service, latterly to our local parishes. It will be there in years to come for anyone to light a candle and offer their own prayer. We were glad Michael’s widow, Alicia and her daughter Victoria, were able to be with us and share in the celebration. John Bingham
A Beer Hackett childhood
Candlemas, an ancient festival marking the midpoint of winter, is a traditional Christian festival when candles are lit to remind us of Jesus as ‘the light of the world’. When Revd. Michael Anderson died in April 2019, he left a legacy to St. Michael’s which was used to provide the candle stand. Tony wove a warm appreciation of Michael into his sermon on the importance and power of prayer, something which Michael had often personally experienced and in which he 6
Kathy Smyth doesn’t currently reside in Beer Hackett but is an active supporter of St. Michael’s PCC and the Church ‘Friends’. An accomplished vocalist, Kathy often performs in the Church. She spent a fond childhood in Beer Hackett and loves to be associated with our hamlet. Here she recounts some of her childhood memories of Beer Hackett. “Until I was four, I lived with my parents in the Salvation Army Caretaker’s house in Yeovil. The three of us moved to Beer Hackett (BH) in 1949. My Dad worked at Marks family farm, Knighton, two miles from BH and, prior to moving, used to cycle the 16 miles round trip from Yeovil to Knighton daily. Once we were at BH, Dad could just cycle to work up Knighton Hill. Our council house home had a paddock alongside. My father bought two
