Dear Friend

I hope you had a restful holiday break during the summer, an opportunity to recharge the batteries in readiness for the autumnal weather changes.   Our family and I had a mini holiday break in Llandudno, North Wales.  We also took the opportunity to do a mini walk around the Snowdonia National Park to appreciate its wonderful hills, mountains, waterfalls, lakes and breathtaking views.

I wanted to draw your attention to a number of events below during October:

We have now started a fundraising campaign for the roof replacement at St Mary’s, East Claydon following the sad theft of lead in May.  We’ll be announcing our fundraising target soon and where to send your donations but feel free to get in touch if you wish to make one now.

Olivia Riches has organised a Harvest Lunch at the Mushroom Village Hall, East Claydon, on 12th October.  The meal plan is great and I am very much looking forward to it and hope to see as many of you there.

We have been trialling a film club in the Mark Bulman Parish Room, St Michael’s Church, Steeple Claydon, for entertaining our children and adults now that we’ve got a film licence.  All are welcomed for our next films on 12th October and 9th November between 5pm and 7pm.

We have organised a Halloween Light event on 31 October at St Michael’s, Steeple Claydon.  Light Parties are a Christian alternative for Halloween and a great way for us to reach out to you with the good news of Jesus.   We have a few activities, crafts and games planned, and so all families, children and friends are invited.

All are invited to All Souls’ Day on 3 November.  This is an opportunity to remember our loved ones who have died.  Services will be held at St Mary’s Church, East Claydon at 1pm and St Michael’s, Steeple Claydon at 3pm.   If you would like a name to be remembered at our services, kindly contact Linda O’Dell, 738111, ode485@aol.com or myself on 706694, rev-rick@outlook.com.

Finally, please join me in welcoming into our Parish family, Rachel Seago, new Editor of “The Claydons Newsletter”.   Rachel is a multi-award winning professional graphic designer, who started learning her craft 30 years ago in design and advertising consultancies in London.  Rachel is married to Julian, a professional surveyor, with two daughters and is a resident of East Claydon.

Rachel runs her own graphic design business covering print work, websites, stationery, signage, logos to branding, including the recent logos and branding of East Claydon Church of England School and the Mushroom Village Bar and Hall.    She has won numerous awards for the Watermead Parish Magazine in Aylesbury.

Rachel’s arrival builds on the excellent work of Steve Hurst and we are eternally grateful for his contribution.  We look forward to working with Rachel building the newsletter profile with informative and relevant news items, stories of common interest to our villages and increasing our awareness of village events.   With effect from today’s newsletter, Rachel can be contacted on the following email:  theclaydonsmagazine@gmail.com.

With every blessings

 Reverend Rickey Simpson-Gray
Team Vicar for the Parish of the Claydons