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
Thanks to donations left in churches at Ebrington, Chipping Campden, Blockley and Bourton on the Hill, I was able to take several bags and boxes of candles and tins down to Swindon this month. While there she was shown around the small warehouse unit that the Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership operates from and met two of the volunteers, Carol from Swindon and Svitlana from Ukraine. Svitlana said that it helps her to feel she is doing something for her country. The candles are a small part of what is loaded into empty trucks returning to Ukraine. I saw a couple of mobility scooters, first aid equipment, medicines, nappies, boxes of clothes and donated gifts for children. They had wrapped well over a thousand Christmas presents that week. The most moving thing was the huge pile of walking frames, drawing attention to the cost of the war to so many people who have been injured in the fighting and bombing. Our candles are but a drop in the ocean but every bit helps bring a little relief. We will do another collection in the new year.
We couldn't join in the national Ride and Stride day this year but we were able to hold our own Ride and Stride event on Saturday October 11th.Dana had challenged us to do last year's route in reverse so nine walkers from Blockley and Bourton and two dogs gathered at St. Lawrence Church, Bourton on the Hill at 11:30am, ready to walk to Blockley for a lunch stop before an afternoon walk to Ebrington.The weather was good for walking with very little wind and a comfortable temperature as we made our way out to the edge of the Batsford Arboretum and up the footpath over the hill towards Blockley. We enjoyed the woods and were careful crossing the road! Soon Blockley came into view across the fields and we walked down the hill watched by a few curious cows.Once at St.Peter & St. Paul’s church, Blockley we posed for our group photograph, kindly taken by a visiting Father Brown fan, before taking a break for lunch which included delicious pears from Nick and Ginny’s pear tree. At 1:30, having recharged the batteries, seven of us continued onward toward Ebrington. We walked uphill to the top of Park Road before taking the footpath past the large herd of deer who moved together with thundering steps but kept their distance. Our way continued on footpaths and quiet country lanes, past a rippling stream, skirting Draycott, all the time crossing or walking on the edge of a mix of fields, some with grass, some with recently turned soil, some with sheep and some with horses, two of which became very interested in us! Eventually we walked down into Paxford.In Paxford we paused to look at two chapels that are now converted into holiday homes, one we had noticed last year, the other, an old Bethel baptist chapel, we had not noticed before. This year has been a bumper year for apples and several villagers had kindly left containers of fruit for people to help themselves at their gates. Needless to say, they made a welcome, tasty and refreshing snack.Leaving Paxford we passed the road turn to Ebrington and found our next footpath where there were a few blackberies still ripe for picking. We came to a lane which we crossed only to be faced with a field of cows and a bull. For some of us this was something of a challenge but the dogs were well behaved and we trod cautiously but firmly through as the cows and bull did not show much interest in us. After that the only obstacles were an airstrip, some lively sheep and a few distant cows. Just before 4pm we walked into Ebrington with a sense of achievement to find a warm welcome in St. Eadburgha’s church from members Sheila and Margot who provided tea and coffee, along with delicious banana cake and shortbread.It was a great walk for a good cause and we knew others were thinking of and praying for us during the day. It was an opportunity to get to know each other a little better and to support the work of the Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust and our own village churches. We are grateful to all who sponsored and supported us, including Derek and Sarah who were on call with their car for any emergency. We hope to take part again next year…….Donations can still be made for the next week or so through JustGiving; each church has its own page. - click on the links below.www.justgiving.com/page/ebrington-church-2www.justgiving.com/page/blockley-church-2www.justgiving.com/page/bourton-on-the-hill-church-5
Blockley Summer Music FestivalFriday 18 - Sunday 20 July 2025Blockley Church, GL56 9ES Friday 18 July, 7:30 – 9:15pmBlockley Chamber Concert – The Tedesca QuartetMusic by Haydn, Ravel and MendelssohnTickets £20 including drinks, from lgpacker123@gmail.com, 01386 700579, or on the door.Saturday 19 July, 7:30The Blockley Ladies Choir, with Esther Bersweden and Terry Rodbard‘Birds and Beasts’ Tickets £10 in aid of Jecca’s House, Chipping Campden Refreshments availableSunday 20 July, 2:30 to 3:30 pmNaomi Morris and Sophie Wilson with Roger Morris‘An afternoon in New Orleans’An hour of music inspired by jazz, blues and ragtime, for violin, piano, clarinet and tromboneFollowed by cookies, cake and tea Tickets £10 including tea, from 07538 126610, or on door. Proceeds to Bourton on the Hill Church. Further Information about the weekend from lgpacker123@gmail.com, or 01386 700579
