Our Winter Coffee Morning on 24th January 2026 was a popular, happy event and it was well supported by both the congregation and the community. Stalls selling cakes and other home produce, books, attractive home crafted greetings cards, the refreshment area from where drifted the smell of warm cheese scones, the raffle and the lucky card game were all busy. Sales of Friends’ pens in advance and on the day contributed £33. Sincere thanks must be given to all those who came, who baked, donated, set up and cleared away, or helped in any way. No expenses were taken, so the proceeds of £600 on that day and the following morning at Parish Breakfast will enable us to contribute to future Church developments and maintenance, particularly a Friends of St Gabriel’s Bell if our project to install a peal of twelve bells in our magnificent tower goes ahead successfully.

At last, the large print edition of the Revised English Hymnal for use at Evensong was published and within a week, we received the 6 copies we had ordered. They all now bear book plates celebrating their donation to St Gabriel’s from the Friends, in gratitude to God for 125 years of St Gabriel’s Church, 1899 – 2024. So Friends have been able to buy all the Evensong hymn books for congregational use comprising 15 copies of the melody edition, 10 copies of the words only edition and 6 copies of the large print edition. A generous grant reduced the total cost of all these books to £430. Father Jonathan has blessed the books and they are now in regular use.

The Friends offered up to £500 to improve the Children’s Corner in church, used every week by littlies during the Parish Eucharist and often during the week by visitors who are spending time enjoying the beauty and peace within our Church. Much thought is being given to this project. A starting point was considering better storage so Friends have paid for a new pine storage unit and a children’s bookcase with toy box, a total of £144.95. They look very smart.