SHAP (The Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership) collect candles and candle ends from people to send to those struggling without power in Ukraine. At their warehouse unit, close to Swindon Railway Station, they make trench candles to provide a heat source for cold Ukrainians - winter temperatures can dip to an alarming minus 29 C - as well as creating large blocks of wax from odd ends that are sent to volunteers in Ukraine who make huge numbers of candles for the local population. All in all they have probably sent around 30 tonnes of candles to Ukraine.Sadly the need is still there. The infrastructure in Ukraine is under immense pressure and huge areas of the country are regularly without electricity.A second collection of used or unwanted candles is being made in the VaCE. There is also a request for used clean 400g food tins, for example tins that have held pears or mixed beans. Please check that a tin does not have any white plastic lining inside (eg tinned tomatoes), as these are not able to be used. Boxes to leave donated items will be placed at the back of churches in Blockley, Ebrington, Bourton on the Hill and Chipping Campden this week. It is planned to take candles to Swindon in the middle of February. Please look out any candles you don't want any more and donate them and also keep back any suitable cans from your recycling bins and add them to the donation boxes. For further information or to arrange a drop off, contact Naomi Morris - email BOHChurch@Outlook.com
We were very excited about the special services on Sunday 18th May and Sunday22nd June. They were both occasions to celebrate the beauty of Dorsington and the natural world.As you may know the Parochial Church Council (PCC) has adopted a new management regime for the churchyard, one that should encourage and nurture biodiversity. After a short service in May, Paddy Sexton, who helped design the new regime, talked about the principles and hopes that underlie this fresh approach. Then in June we hosted a walk through the arboretum. We invited some people with a particular interest in birds to join us to help us compile a list of the birds we saw and heard.Look out for further events next year!
The Carol Service is always a highlight of the church calendar at St Peter’s in Dorsington. With no shop, pub or other community building, it is a rare and cherished opportunity for the village to gather to celebrate Christmas and socialise over a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie. For such a small community, we are disproportionately blessed with talent and were treated to a beautiful reading by Izzy, a saxophone solo by Otis and Mags’ accomplished organ playing. Everyone left with a warm, fuzzy, Christmassy feeling (and not just because of the mulled wine).
