A thriving Suffolk village
Almost 10,000 knitted and crocheted poppies decorate the inside and outside of St Mary’s Church in Walsham-le-Willows (Suffolk) in an act of remembrance of those who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars. Come along and take a look.
Tea/coffee and cake will be served in the church from 10 o’clock until 4 o’clock.
Take a look at a slide-show of images from this year’s display and watch a video commemoration for soldiers who fell.
The nationally renowned Wallingford Parish Church Choir regularly stand in at St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and St Georges Chapel, Windsor. We are excited to offer you a unique opportunity to hear them in the intimate setting of St. Mary’s Church Walsham-le-Willows.
The concert will be on Saturday April 7th at 7.30pm. Entrance is free. There will be a retiring collection with all profits to St Mary’s Church.
There will also be a Sung Eucharist on Sunday April 8th 11.00am.
If you did not know, Walsham now has a new mobile mast on St. Mary’s Church tower.
It was originally suggested that the mast would be an Orange installation.
Latterly is has been suggested the mast is a Vodafone installation.
What seems to work best are the Vodafone and Orange networks which now give a 4G data network signal and 3-4 bars Cellular mobile phone signal indoors in the majority of locations along The Street. Out at the end of the Ixworth Road 4G and 2 bars have been reported.
Obviously there will always be variability but the information on the best Network Providers for this area is anecdotal until confirmed by the Parochial Church Council but it appears that Walsham now has 4G data speeds and a decent cellular mobile signal !
Saturday 6th January 2018 7.30 p.m.
St Mary’s Church, Walsham le Willows
Conductor: Simon Carrington – Yale Professor emeritus
Organist: David Hill – Conductor, London Bach Choir
For many years Walsham has been privileged to have this very talented group of people come and sing in our church. They arrive from all over the country and abroad, many of international fame.
This is a very special evening. You don’t have to be a church-goer, just someone who enjoys beautiful music and the most wonderful singing. Some of the pieces you may recognise, others will be new, but all will be memorable.
Tickets are not required but there will be a retiring collection.
The Garden Weekebds Committee will be lighting the Christmas Tree outside St. Mary’s Church on Sunday 3rd December at 4pm.
Do come along and enjoy the start of the Christmas celebrations.
Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the Priory Room afterwards.
St. Mary’s church, Walsham-le-Willows, has been ‘yarn bombed’ overnight in the run up to Remembrance Day, with over 5000 hand-crafted red poppies now to be seen cascading from the bell tower and over the walls .
There are also 40 poppies on display inside the church commemorating the 40 men from Walsham who died in the First and Second World Wars and whose names are listed on the War Memorial in the churchyard.
Jan Hall, who led the project with the village British Legion representative Fiona Glover, has been overwhelmed by the response to their appeal to local, talented crafters to make the profusion of poppies that have been knitted and crocheted by more than 75 individuals to mark Armistice Day and raise funds for the British Legion Poppy Appeal. Continue reading “St. Mary’s church ‘yarn bombed’”
Come and meet Ian ‘Red Sox’ Toulson at Waterstones, Bury St.Edmunds on Saturday 28th October between 10 am and 1 pm.
See the pictures of his latest ride, have a chat, and maybe, even buy a copy of his latest illustrated diary, ‘An Organised Cycle Ride (With The Kindness of Strangers)’.
Proceeds go to the Walsham-le-Willows St. Mary’s Fabric and Organ Fund.
[thermometer raised=30000 target=35000 align=left height=400]
With a new vicar at the helm, and a (nearly) watertight church, we have news for all our generous supporters. A Porritt Organ, beautiful and perfectly sized to replace our much-loved instrument, is available and, equally important, affordable. This organ has the approval of our team of organ experts, including David Hill, of the Epiphany Singers. It will have more variety of sound, and an electrified action. It should last for at least 50 years and probably many more.
There are still many formalities we must complete before we can embark on the actual work of organ transplant, but we are very hopeful that mid 2018 will see the new Porritt organ in place.
Once the project is up and running, we hope to involve supporters with activities such as a trip to the organ workshop, and a talk about church organs.
On behalf of Rev. Merry and the PCC, many thanks to all who have supported this aspect of the church’s future, and we shall keep you updated as the project becomes reality.
Ron and Ella Higginson had the idea and the drive to make this happen. They would like to thank Mark himself and everyone who came to the talk. A total of £746.30 was raised towards St Mary’s Church fabric fund, £114.30 of that was from the sale of tea and cakes. Special thanks go to the bakers who excelled as they usually do! Joan, Angela and Debbie were also our amazing tea ladies on the day.
Ron and Ella would also like to note that this event could not have got off the ground without the help and organisation of Maggie Barber, Judith Harlow and Ian Bartholomew.
The diary of Ian Toulson’s Organised 2604 mile Cycle Ride over seven weeks in April and May this year has been published.
Suggested minimum donation is £7.50 with all proceeds going to St Mary’s Church for the Fabric and Organ Funds.
Contact Ian for a copy on 01359 259 646 or see him in the Coffee Shop in Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Our very own Janet Kerridge was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to her community. Janet has worked through St. Mary The Virgin Church since she was a child and had, until this year, been Church Secretary since 1973,
She said: “I was very surprised and have been congratulated by my friends. Twelve people wrote letters to help recommend me for this award and that was the most surprising thing. I am most proud of organising the children’s praise and Christmas praise.”
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: Canterbury (10.30 am)
Finish: Rochester (6.30 pm)
Distance: 46.8 miles
Bike Time: 5h 08min
Ave Speed: 9.1 mph
Max Speed: 22.9 mph
Total Distance: 2432.5 miles
Total Time: 231h 22min
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Cathedrals Ride Day 44 Friday 26th MayStart: Winchelsea (8.20 am)
Finish: Canterbury (4.40 pm)
Distance: 48.8 miles
Bike Time: 5h 03min
Ave Speed: 9.6 mph
Max Speed: 22.8 mph
Total Distance: 2385.7 miles
Total Time: 226h 14min
Breakfast, collect laundry, pack up and remember to hand over the key as I pay my bill. Then the first cycling was uphill, but afterwards I was rewarded with a compensating downhill and then for the rest of the morning it was basically on the level. Continue reading “Ian’s Cathedral Ride – Update – Day 44”
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Cathedrals Ride Day 41 Tuesday 23rd May
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: Ottery St Mary (9.20am)
Finish: Kilmingon Common (7.35 pm)
Distance: 71.0 miles
Bike Time: 6h 59min
Ave Speed: 10.1 mph
Max Speed: 28.8 mph
Total Distance: 2129.0 miles
Total Time: 201h 15min
Breakfast later than usual so departure was a little later. Left shoe in danger of falling apart. Met two cyclists early on who tell me that there is a severe hill coming soon. Continue reading “Ian’s Cathedral Ride – Update – Day 39”
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: West Monkton (9.15am)
Finish: Ottery St Mary (6.40 pm)
Distance: 53.7 miles
Bike Time: 5h 22min
Ave Speed: 10.0 mph
Max Speed: 25.2 mph
Total Distance: 2058.0 miles
Total Time: 194h 16min
A slight re-route was planned over the phone with one of Tiggie’s sons. As I left there was a slight clicking, which turned out to be a drawing pin just slightly sticking into the tyre. Upon removing it there appeared to be no damage, but twelve miles later I could feel the lack of pressure and needed to change the inner-tube. It was then that I discovered that some member of the ‘pond-life’ brigade had removed the tool kit from under the saddle. Continue reading “Ian’s Cathedral Ride – Update – Day 38”
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: Long Ashton (9.15am)
Finish: West Monkton (6.45 pm)
Distance: 56.5 miles
Bike Time: 5h 17min
Ave Speed: 10.6 mph
Max Speed: 26.5 mph
Total Distance: 2004.3 miles
Total Time: 188h 54min
Photo of leaving is a must before setting off for Wells. Chew up the road with Chew Magna, Stoke Chew and Chew Lake, before having a break at Harptree. Then a hard climb up to the top of the Mendips, along with a number on a charity ride. Continue reading “Ian’s Cathedrals Ride – Update – Day 37”
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: Kington (8.50am)
Distance: 62.9 miles
Ave Speed: 10.7 mph
Total Distance: 1863.8 miles
Finish: Malvern (6.30 pm)
Bike Time: 5h 59min
Max Speed: 26.3 mph
Total Time: 175h 25min
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: Brecon (9.15am)
Distance: 40.0 miles
Ave Speed: 10.7 mph Max
Total Distance: 1800.9 miles
Finish: Kington (6.45 pm)
Bike Time: 3h 44min
Speed: 28.0 mph
Total Time: 169h 26min
The first chore, after breakfast was to take the bike to the bike shop to get the brakes seen to, then visit the cathedral and then rather than later to set off for the day’s ride. Continue reading “Ian’s Cathedrals Ride – Update- Day 33”
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: Llandysul (9.15am)
Distance: 64.5 miles
Ave Speed: 9.9 mph
Total Distance: 1760.9 miles
Finish: Brecon (6.45 pm)
Bike Time: 6h 45min
Max Speed: 31.3 mph
Total Time: 165h 42min
Mapped from what ‘claimed’ to be Llandysul to Pontwelly worked fine, and the further ride to Llangadog was also without mishap. There was a constant flow of Classic Cars on some sort of Jolly Rally, but was never in the right place at the right time for the most retro conveyances.
Continue reading “Ian’s Cathedrals Ride – Update – Day 32”
[easy_media_download url=”https://www.walsham-le-willows.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CycleRideSponsorForm.pdf” text=”Download sponsor form.pdf” force_dl=”1″]
Start: St David’s (9.20am)
Distance: 62.7 miles
Ave Speed: 10.5 mph
Total Distance: 1696.4 miles
Finish: Llandysul (6.05 pm)
Bike Time: 5h 57min
Max Speed: 30.5 mph
Total Time: 158h 57min
Quick re-route so as to follow the coast road to Newgale and then head inland to Haycastle. Unfortunately this new route took me, in the end over the Preseli Mountains, but the view was great, the wind blew hard – in the right direction – and the descent was long and fast.
Continue reading “Ian’s Cathedrals Ride – Update – Day 31”
Find out more about 
Ian’s his sponsored cycle ride for St Mary’s here and download a sponsor form. He leaves on Thursday 13th April. He will be at the coffee shop from 10am departing from St Mary’s Church at 10:30.
Come along to wish him well in his endeavours to raise more money for the St. Mary’s Organ and Fabric funds.
Keep an eye out here for regular posts as to his progress.