Week beginning March 8th 2004

Hedon Women’s Institute : This month’s meeting of the Hedon Women’s Institute is being held on Monday March 8th in the usual venue of the Alison Hall when the theme will be “Dotty Ditties – or ‘Verse or Worse’!” The meeting will start at 7.30 p.m. and the competition will be for a WI “Dotty Ditty.”
There will also be a collection of gifts for our soldiers in Iraq. Particularly needed are toothpaste, soap, toilet rolls, roll-on deodorants, sweets in packets, packet soups and writing paper and envelopes, and all donations will be most gratefully accepted.

Hedon Mayor-elect : the name of the new Mayor-elect for Hedon has recently been announced after being decided at the last meeting of Hedon Town Council. Councillor Mrs. Irene Robinson will take over the post by being installed at the Council’s Annual Meeting on May 20th with Councillor John Ledger taking up the post of Deputy Mayor, and the Mayoral Civic Service will be held on June 13th.

Hedon Pop-In Club : the regular pop-in club in Hedon is closed on Wednesday March 10th so that the volunteer helpers can take a well-earned break. In order for continuity to be maintained, however, the Hedon Friendship Circle will hold a pop-in on that Wednesday in the Methodist Hall, Church Lane, in aid of the Marie Curie Cancer Appeal, between 9.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon. Coffee and biscuits will cost 50p and everyone will be made most welcome.

Footpath at Paull : last week I wrote about the temporary footpath closure order for part of the river-front footpath at Paull. I now need to update that information – the closure is still in effect but the footpath is now far more dangerous and I would advise anyone walking in the vicinity of the old slipway to take extreme care. Until recently the unsafe part of the path and slipway was fenced off with substantial and secure barriers and anyone heeding them was in no danger. Now, however, the barrier to the north of the slipway (nearest the village) is severely damaged and it is perfectly possible to walk on along the path to where it now terminates in a sheer drop where the steps previously were. So please watch where you are walking on your visits to Paull, and take particular care to supervise your children and dogs.

Speed limits in Hedon : driving into Hedon the other day I became aware of some new speed limit signs. These may well have been there before and I might just have missed them, but if I can drive into Hedon and not notice them, so can you! The centre of Hedon is now subject to a 20mph speed limit in the area bounded by St. Augustine’s Gate, Souttergate, Baxtergate, Magdalen Lane, Iveson Close, George Street and Church Gate and all the intersecting streets in that area. Please observe the new speed limits on these particularly narrow and congested streets and as always, drive with caution through the town.

The following church services will take place on Sunday March 14th 2004
Hedon : St. Augustine’s Parish Church : sung Eucharist at 9.30 a.m.
Hedon Methodist Church, Church Lane : chapel anniversary - morning service at 10.30 a.m., evening service at 6.30 p.m.
Saints Mary & Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Baxtergate, Hedon : Daily Mass times : Sunday 10.30 a.m., Monday 9.15 a.m., Tuesday 9.15 a.m., Wednesday 7.30 p.m., Thursday 9.15 a.m., Friday 7.30 p.m., Saturday 6 p.m.
Hedon Pentecostal Church meets every Sunday at 10.30 a.m. in the Jubilee Room of the Alexandra Hall, St. Augustine’s Gate; a Sunday School is also held at 10.30 a.m. every Sunday.
Paull : St Andrew’s Parish Church : evensong at 3.00 p.m.
Paull Methodist Church, Main Street : afternoon service at 3.00 p.m.
Preston: All Saint’s Parish Church : nothing for Preston in this month’s Deanery magazine but on past patterns, this being the second Sunday in the month it should be a 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion service.
Preston Methodist Church : morning service at 10.30 a.m.