Faldingworth, Toft, Newton, Barkwith, South Willingham and parish communities linked with Middle Rasen

We are having a charity auction event on 19 th November in aid of Alzheimer's Research UK. So please have a scour through your drawers and cupboards for any unwanted items that can be auctioned.

Often, when in the countryside and if you're vigilant, something can surprise you. In mid-October I was walking around Covenham Reservoir (looking for and finding an uncommon Slavonian Grebe), when I spotted something peculiarly white in some trees close to the reservoir. Looking through my binoculars I could see it was a rare albino squirrel, amazingly after a couple of minutes I spotted another one close by!

Albino squirrels are incredibly rare, with estimates suggesting that there is only one albino squirrel for every 100,000 regular squirrels or just 50 in the UK. They have white fur with red eyes because they lack melanin (the pigment that gives your hair and skin colour). Albinism is an inherited genetic mutation, so it's clear that the two I saw must be siblings. They should be able to live the normal 3-5 years for a squirrel, although their brightness does make them more visible to predators!

When I was a very young man I remember my dad took me to a slideshow about the birds of the Highlands and the expert speaker showed some footage of an Osprey diving into a loch and catching a fish. I was mesmerised by what I saw and I vowed there and then that one day I would see an Osprey in the wild. I even hoped that I might one day be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to see the holy grail….an Osprey hunting!

Fast forward 45 years and I have achieved that ambition multiple times. The last time was on 7th September when an Osprey showed the fishermen at Toft Newton Reservoir (TNR) how to do it, after it emerged from a plunge into the cold water with a sizeable trout (see picture). I now know that the bird in question was a 5-year-old ringed in the nest in the Scottish Highlands and a bird which this year bred in the Tweed valley. It was migrating from there to West Africa, obviously using TNR to refuel. It will take 20 flying days to get to its winter destination.

Strangely I saw an Osprey at TNR in 1994, 95 and 96 and then there was a 25 year gap before my next one, on 2nd Sept 2021 and then I saw one last year and again this year! I wonder when the next one will be!?

I have been asked to follow up my article last month with some further musings about my wildlife experiences. The request came the day after a very exciting encounter with a rare bird, so there was no need to think about what to write about!

I have been going to my local patch, on and off, since my first visit on 15 th November 1992. The concrete bowl which is Toft Newton Reservoir doesn't immediately strike you as a productive place for birds, but when you watch the same place time and again, you get lucky and see interesting birds passing through regularly. In the past three years (semi-retirement has wonderfully given me more time), I have visited at least 150 times each year. On 31 st July I was present on the patch, nice and early, and had walked more than halfway round without anything of note to see. Then out of nowhere, under the gathering grey skies, a Gull appeared, but it looked a bit strange. I lifted my binoculars to my eyes and immediately saw that the Gull was actually a large Tern, with a prominent red bill, a rare Caspian Tern. The British Birds Rarities Committee have already asked for photographs and a description, something in a lifetime of birding I've never been asked for before !

This morning I found the impressive Privet Hawk-moth (picture attached), with a wingspan of up to 12cm, which I caught in my moth trap (all moths are released unharmed!). The picture doesn't really give justice to what is a fearsome looking moth! (The moth is on an egg box because that's what I put on the bottom of the trap).I started mothing, to add to my birding and butterflying, only in April this year and I have seen 69 species of moth in that time. It's amazing to discover what's lurking in our gardens at night, you can attract in a trap tiny micro-moths, beetles and macro moths in an amazing array of shapes, sizes and colours.

The Privet Hawk-moth generally flies in just June and July and is Britain's largest breeding moth. In the north of Lincolnshire, we are towards the northern limit of its range. They feed on, wild and garden Privet ( Ligustrum ), Holly, Honeysuckle, Snowberry, Vibernum tinus, Forsythia and a few other plants. Who knows what I might find next time!

Faldingworth Scarecrows' show is always a weekend in July. – Visit Tracy Mildson's photo montage in the year when the theme was holidays and lookout for sunbathers, skiers, canal boats, pony trekking and more!

Find us on Facebook for updates - Faldingworth Community Primary School or Faldingworth School and Community Scarecrow Festival.

Coffee mornings take place at Faldingworth village hall every Wednesday from 10am – 11.30am in aid of All Saints Church, Faldingworth. We always follow Covid-19 protocol.

Friends of Faldingworth School are excited to announce the date and theme for the community scarecrow festival this summer - weekend 1 st & 2 nd July 2023. The coronation of King Charles will be a significant event this summer. As the King is an enthusiastic environmentalist, we thought that ‘Planet Earth' would be a powerful theme. We hope many of you will share an interest in or knowledge of the natural environment. There are also many curriculum links we can make at school to help educate our pupils. Hopefully this will bring everyone together with a common interest in preserving and protecting planet Earth.

You can get involved by making a scarecrow or alternatively by creating a garden display. Either exhibit can be included on the village scarecrow trail. If you don't live in the village of Faldingworth, you can still get involved by making a scarecrow. There are many prominent places in the village where your scarecrow can be displayed, and your family will get a credit on the trail. See the poster for contact details - please let us know if you want to include an exhibit this year. Beekeepers, bees, scientists, explorers, farmers, butterflies, gardeners, deep sea divers, refuge collectors, weather forecasters, campaigners, protected species - the list is endless. We can't wait to see the village come to life with all things ‘green'!

If your children are in need of a primary school place, please contact our schools. We can arrange a visit. Both schools have onsite preschools. At Normanby, we have Busy Bees Preschool and at Faldingworth we can put you in touch with Little Jesters Pre School. Faldingworth Primary School 01673 885366, Normanby School 01673 878216

We came to live in Faldingworth in February 1970, prior to that we had lived in Bishopbridge. We arrived on a snowy morning with two small children and 43 years on we still live here. What first attracted us to the village was the village school, it was within walking distance of our home. The village shop and the Post Office were also on the High Street, the Church and Chapel were within walking distance with the two pubs close by. Even then there were lots of things going on and we were asked to join the Guild, the Village Hall, the Chapel, Church and the WI. We wanted to Christen our son who had arrived on the previous Christmas morning! I still belonged to The Middle Rasen Young Wives Group and thoroughly enjoyed all the activities they provided. Luckily there were several young children in the village and they all went to the local primary school. They attended Sunday School and went swimming together at Scampton and joined the local Youth Club. We were able to join in lots of the activities as the children grew up. Now, we are very fortunate in that we have a bus service to Grimsby and Lincoln, the bus pass is a real boon. The bowls and short tennis clubs are thriving. A craft club and book club, Women's Institute and Friendship Club meet regularly and sometimes we have a real treat as we did recently when Malcolm Forrest brought his “Wurlitzer” to the village hall and we were able to enjoy an afternoon of proper dancing! It was fantastic! We are blessed with so many talented and friendly people in Faldingworth . Shirley and Laurie Oxborrow

Bee Crafty is a newly formed craft group where people can go along and learn new crafting skills. The group is well attended and they have already made some very interesting boxes, crafted cards and started learning how to crotchet. Their intention is to develop a range of crafting skills suitable for a range of age groups and already have plans in place to make hand crafted wall hangings, cushions, fabric or floral door wreaths and sugar craft cake decorations. Isn't it lovely that children are encouraged to learn traditional crafts? All this takes place at the Memorial Hall in Faldingworth the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month from 7 pm to 9 pm and costs £2 for adults and £1 for children

Newtoft Village Hall welcomes Faldingworth & District WI ....... see above for details

Join us at one of the Toft Newton village hall Bingo's on 13 th May. (Then 10th June, 22nd July, 19th August) A fun night out – do join us, everyone is always welcome.

Residents are keeping busy doing some urban gardening in what were pieces of waste ground around the village. It's all starting to look great with the various flowers and shrubs.

The craft club is looking for new members to go along and spend an evening crafting and having a catch up. Tea/coffee and biscuits are included in a small fee on the night. The club usually meets twice monthly. If you're interested, please contact Brigette Carpenter for more information.

NEWTON CHURCHYARD Over the years and well before my time, I have been told that there was a hedge in front of our church, apparently, behind the hedge there was a wilderness of long grass and blackberry briers when the grounds were unattended. Since those days someone in their turns, and not always someone who lived in the village, has maintained the church grounds as it is today.

There are always nice comments of how well the church and grounds look in the centre of the village, which is now open for all to see. The very healthy church grounds donation tin has been going now for two years, this being the third and all donations are kept and recorded. The funds go towards maintenance of the mower and is being saved for the day when the village lawn mower needs replacing! The donation tin originally started when I began cutting the grass after Charlie Mallinson regretfully became unwell and was unable to cut it. I, like many others before me, who have cut the grass, take nothing out of the tin.

I personally would like to thank all of you who have put your donations in an envelope and marked it with your name and address, and delivered it to me, so that the records and yearly accounts can be updated. Finally, for those of you who are unsure, the Churchyard donation tin is totally independent from Church funds. With the Church being in the middle of the village, with your kind donations, I can keep the village looking tidy, so thank you all.
Charlie Albone

Children's Football – Fridays, 6-7pm, Newtoft Community Centre, Trainers / Footie Boots needed, Outside Play!

Fitness by Dance ~ A class every Tuesday 6.30-7.30 at the New Toft Village Hall .... £ 2. New dancers always welcome. Contact is Steph Orr 01673 885573

Isobelle Burnett of Oakleigh Decorating & Property Maintenance based in West Torrington has won through to the National finals of The Painting and Decorating Associations Apprentice Premier Trophy Award competition. Isobelle has competed in the competition twice now, this year reaching the final after winning the Midlands Regional competition. The finals take place in Milton Keynes in November.

Skillbuild is the largest and longest running multi-trade competition in the U.K. for construction apprentices. Regional competitions are held for each trade and the top 8-point scorers for each trade across the regional competitions go through to the National final. The winner of the National final may go on to compete in the Euroskills competition, which is taking place in Gdansk this year.

There is also a World skills competition which will take place in Lyon in 2024. The World skills final features over 1000 competitors from 63 countries in 56 different trades. Isobelle is in her final year as an apprentice.

Oakleigh Decorating & Property Maintenance. www.oakleigh-ps.co.uk (Tel 07909726585)

Congratulations Isobelle on getting to the final. Please let us know how you get on in the final – we will all keep our fingers crossed for you – Good luck! From us all at the Community Spirit.

The annual Heneage Arms Sleigh Race will take place on Sunday 17th December. Starting from Sixhills at 11.00am, the event is held every year in support of The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance. Teams are invited to take part. The course runs from Sixhills to The Heneage Arms in Hainton, approximately 2 miles. There will be prizes for the fastest time and the best dressed sleigh and runners. Fancy dress is optional. The cost of entry is £10 per team.

Sleigh entries must be non-mechanised or geared. Competitors may be in fancy dress with a theme - usually Christmas, but not essentially so.

They must be manned by a Santa who must ride the sleigh, and four Reindeer for pulling / pushing.

All funds raised will be donated to The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.

This event has now been running for approximately 23 years and has raised substantial amounts over that period. So even if you cannot compete, please join us and enjoy a great day of fun. Seasonal fayre will be available on the day.

If you would like more information, please contact Wayne Radley on 07909726585 or email wayneradley69@gmail.com

On October 1st the Heneage Arms held its annual “Lincolnshire Evening”. Performing were Kate Whitney and Tom Lane, to whom we offer our sincere thanks. Lincolnshire fayre was supplied, courtesy of Ricky & Sammy at Whisby's of Wragby, Cote Hill Cheese, Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese and Starbucks bakery.

The proceeds were in aid of the “Lincolnshire Air Ambulance” for which £55 was raised. Our thanks go to Matt of The Heneage Arms who handed the pub over to us for the evening and supplied some of the fayre on offer.

If you would be interested in attending next year's event, please contact Wayne on 07909726585 email wayneradley69@gmail.com or Sue on 07702048967. Booking is essential for catering purposes and numbers are limited.

Tuesday 12 th - Reel Issues film night 7pm for 7:15 start (call Roland 07946259053)

DATES OF SOUTH WILLINGHAM FUTURE EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARIES:
January 19 th 2024 - QUIZ and sausage & mash supper

March 8 th 2024 - FREE admission - 1970's themed evening: bring a dish of 70's popular style food to share, 70's disco (70's fashion clothes optional)!

Please note changes from October's edition!
January 19 th 2024 - QUIZ and sausage & mash supper

March 8 th 2024 - FREE admission - 1970's themed evening: bring a dish of 70's popular style food to share, 70's disco (70's fashion clothes optional)!

The main fund-raiser of the year is our annual Harvest Supper and Produce Auction. Held in October it was a great success. In now time-honoured tradition, our recent village resident Auctioneer Mike Perkins with his very able Assistant Kev did a terrific job sweet-talking attendees to bid for items. Sincere thanks to all who generously contributed in various ways to make it such an enjoyable evening, with good company and a splendid 3 course meal. Special thanks to Doreen and Mandy for all their work in the very warm kitchen, and to Virginia for being the mainstay of the event.

Also in October the Hall was the venue for a “Sunday Bacon Bap” morning. Those who attended enjoyed the food and company and were very generous in their voluntary donations of cash. It was organised by Lesley and Gabby and ably assisted by their spouses. Lesley and Mark had the idea as way of thanking the villagers for making them so welcome especially via the Hall's 'coffee and chat' mornings. Another is planned soon so please look out for posters and flyers.

What a lovely harvest supper on the 13 th October, hearty casseroles & veg supper plus delicious desserts to follow were served. A Richard Stamp "review" to chuckle at and fabulous support for a true community event, thank you. Special thanks must go to all that helped prepare all elements of the evening, a delightful evening was had by all that attended.

If you find you have nothing left to read or are in need of another puzzle to ponder over on these autumn/winter evenings, call in at St Mary's Church, East Barkwith and swap your book or puzzle for another. Donations to stock are always welcome and visitors to the church too.

This popular event will be held on Friday 8 th December, f rom 6.00pm, at East Barkwith Village Hall. Festive stalls, Games, Cakes, Raffle, Tombola, Hot food & mince pies and much more. Come and join our social evening. We hope that Father Christmas will have time to call and see us too!

Donations of cakes, raffle & tombola prizes would be greatly appreciated & can be left with your churchwardens or brought along on the day.

If you would like to book a stall, please contact Veronica 01673 838446, and leave a message. Thank you.

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day, the nursery rhyme we all knew from being young. Add to that, it never rains but it pours, literally, and on Friday 13 th last month, it rained all day and poured through our roof! However, the scaffolding appeared within the week, and the roofers will be here soon, so all being well, I won't have to keep visiting the loft to check on my "water catchers". I've also added a wonderful app regarding the weather, which will definitely come in handy for grass cutting, I can see the rain before it gets here, (she says)! It's quite surprising how having to continually know what the weather will be doing has such an effect on daily life. I'm not ungrateful however for the weather we do have in this country.
The continuous rain has swamped some of my pots, so they are now laying on their sides by the garden fence, where they will dry off, and probably like me, heave a sigh of relief to be in the dry.
Our meeting last month was very well attended, and with our speaker, Dave Newman, we had a pleasant evening. The theme for the evening's talk was "Waterwise" and served to remind us what exactly plants need and what they don't need, which is too much water without air around their roots. Roll on a few days of dry weather to give them and us a break.
We have a full programme for 2024, and welcome anyone who wants to join us. With an afternoon tea planned, our usual two shows, the Annual Plant Sale, and somewhere in there a garden visit and the Annual Meal, it's going to be a busy year. Those members who continue to support the Gardening Club, it is your support throughout the year which keeps us operating as a successful group and keeps us going as a club. You are all very much appreciated.
It's almost the year end, so I wish everyone a Peaceful Christmas and happy new year.

Today, for the second time this week, I set out for an afternoon stroll. Unusually, I ‘bumped' into two village personalities out walking their four legged friends, braving the weather which was overcast, mizzerly and damp, but on the plus side it was sharp with the cold so I found it quite pleasant! At one point, I thought where are you sun, just to see your brightness and warmth and send the gloom away, but then, I rounded a bend and there it was! The sun - NO - but a sight to cheer me up, so with a little more lightness in my step I continued a little further! On my way back I rested by the bridge to relax, watching the gentle flow of the water. It was a lovely 5 mins and in the afternoon quiet, I could hear the sound of the flowing water like a babbling brook, so, feeling at peace, I finished my walk. No sun or blue sky, but everything was ok in my world!

It is over forty years since I came to East Barkwith, and there have been many changes in the village since then. One of the shops became a cafe, then a private house. The chapel ceased to be used for worship, and joined its two predecessors in private use. The YMCA hut was taken down just before it fell down, and was replaced by the Village Hall, which has itself been extended and modified. The reading room, where the Scouts paraded for Baden-Powell, was used as the school dining room, and has gone, replaced by the Play Area. The school and school house, where I kept a bucket on the stairs to catch the rain leaking through the roof, has been converted to a house on sale for over half a million pounds. The pub has gone up-market. The doctor's surgery moved from one bungalow to another, and eventually went to Wragby. The garage has disappeared. The seed store has been converted into a desirable residence, and the fertiliser factory has been demolished and replaced with another large house. New houses have been built on fields and former gardens - some shoe-horned into spaces which seem impossibly small. Hedges have been grubbed out, then replanted. Farming practices have changed, the machinery has got larger, and tourists have become one of the crops.

However, some things don't change. The people in the village have inevitably changed over forty years, but the present inhabitants are as neighbourly and generous as their predecessors. The Post Office is still there, as is the church. The response to the restoration appeal shows how much the church is valued by the people of the village - valued for what it represents, and as the village's outstanding building.

In late 2009 the parapet and pinnacles of the tower of St Mary's Church were found to be unsafe and had to be removed. The cost of doing this swallowed up the church's entire fabric fund. On the advice of the church architect the committee applied to English Heritage for a grant towards the cost of restoring the tower and renewing the leaking roof and the inadequate drainage system which had allowed water incursion to damage interior plaster work. One year later we were told that the application had been successful and so began the formidable task of raising £38,000, this being 20% of the costs estimated by English Heritage. It was a condition of the grant that the village should do this. A fund raising campaign began in April 2011, initiated by an inspiring document entitled Olympics Restoration Project 2012 which was the brainchild of Martyn Chambers and distributed to every house in the village by Martyn and his family. Over 80% of the village residents and some former residents too responded most generously to the appeal in a number of ways. Many fund raising events were held and applications made to a large number of grant giving organisations and charities. By the autumn of 2011 Martyn was able to tell the village in another moving document that we were well on track to meeting the target. Then came a setback. Six contractors had been invited to tender for the work, but all the tenders came in well above the estimate supplied by English Heritage. In response to a plea for more financial assistance English Heritage granted a further sum, but at the same time, cut some of the intended work, in particular the internal plaster work and subsequent redecoration. In addition to this blow we were devastated to learn that the wiring to the heating system and the organ was unsafe and would have to be disconnected. It looked very much as if we could be left with a building which was structurally sound whilst inside a freezing church plaster would continue to fall from the walls. Next for the good news!

YOU HAVE DONE IT!

In a final update entitled” You have done it!” Martyn was able to tell the residents and friends of St Mary's that they had excelled themselves by donating a staggering £29,000. Events had raised £7,000, twice what we'd aimed for and other grant giving bodies, so impressed by the efforts of this small community had donated a total of £46,000. Where, you may want to know, will all this “extra” money go? The answer is that everything will be spent on the church. The cost of plasterwork and redecoration has been estimated in excess of £10,000, the wiring to the organ alone will be around £600 and as for the cost of a new heating system, it will run into tens of thousands. If there happened to be any left in the kitty we would very much like to install a toilet and servery, making St Mary's fit for purpose in the 21 st century. It is fitting that this project was entitled Olympic Restoration 2012. Now with the Olympics upon us, those of us who have seen it through from 2009 are ready to pass on the baton to others who we hope will take it forward. Centuries ago the people of East Barkwith gave us our beautiful church. Over the years, others have carried the baton onwards and now in 2012 the people of the village have saved it for generations to come. Thanks to those who responded so magnificently to the appeal, work will shortly begin on our church. As the latest document said “YOU have done it!”

Please click to Services page for up to date information on the Church and services in this month.

Comprising the Churchyards of: East Barkwith, East Torrington, Hainton, Sixhills, South Willingham, West Barkwith and West Torrington .

The Chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln, His Honour Judge Mark Bishop QC, issued regulations as to the control and use of churchyards in the Diocese of Lincoln in 2008 updated in 2012. These regulations are legally binding and differ from cemetery regulations, which are made by local Authorities.

The regulations are available to read in full via the Diocese of Lincoln website.

Parishioners, and those who die in the parish, have a right to be buried, or have their ashes interred in a churchyard in the parish. Other people may be buried there at the discretion of the Parish Priest, providing there is room. Once buried, there is to be no disturbance of the remains except for exceptional and legally authorised reasons. Burial is a symbol for our entrusting of the person to the eternal love of God. The burial fee does NOT buy the burial plot, it pays towards the general maintenance of the churchyard.

Anyone wishing to erect a memorial stone should consult the Parish Priest as soon as possible, to ensure that the memorial conforms to the regulations. If the memorial does not conform to the regulations, or the Parish Priest refuses consent, an application for a faculty to the Chancellor of the Diocese is required.

Headstones should be between 2'6” and 4' high, 1'8” and 3” wide, 3” and 6” thick. They may be of natural stones, teak or oak, cast or wrought iron. Some stones such as black or grey granite, marble, synthetic stone or plastic are not normally permitted. The base of the stone may include a flower holder, but should enable ease of mowing. Monumental masons have full copies of these regulations, and will give advice on what is permitted.

Designs containing open books, hearts, figure statuary and photographic representations are not permitted. Neither are kerbs, chippings or glass shards. Any application for these must be by faculty application to the Chancellor of the Diocese.

Inscriptions should contain only the name of the deceased, dates of birth and death or age and date of death. Epitaphs must be simple and reverent, preferably from the Bible, Book of Common Prayer or Common Worship

It is preferred that ashes are placed in the ground without a container, but if a container is used, it must be of a perishable nature.

No artificial flowers should be placed in a churchyard except Remembrance day poppies, traditional Christmas wreaths, and good quality seasonal silk flowers. All should be removed within 3 months. The Christmas wreaths are to be removed by January 31 st of the following year.