Week beginning November 11th 2002

A Giant Stride at the Town Hall : Last Friday afternoon, Moira Crees described some magic moments to guests at Hedon Town Hall, as she told how her first 'giant stride' had been a decision to learn scuba diving now that she had retired. The diving technique also required a 'giant stride' - off the side of the boat! She talked about the fascination of being so close to all the creatures of the deep, as turtles, sting rays, sharks and hundreds more swam around Moira during dives off Malta, in the Red Sea, the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. She described being nose to nose with a sting ray and watching in amazement as fifty or sixty sharks swam above her! Moira's talk was followed by afternoon tea and the Mayoress of Hedon, Mrs. Julie Marshall, would like to thank everyone for their support on the afternoon and for the generous donation of raffle prizes. A total of £176 was raised for the Mayor's Charity.

Hedon Friendship Circle : The next meeting of the Hedon Friendship Circle will be held on Wednesday November 13th at 7.45p.m. in the Methodist Church Hall, Church Lane, Hedon. The speaker will be Mr. Peter Key, who will be showing slides of "Cottage Gardens" and speaking about them.

Christmas Fayre in Hedon : Hedon Nursery School are holding a Christmas Fayre on Thursday November 14th between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the old school on Market Hill. Admission will cost just 10p and there will be all sorts of different stalls, including books, clothes, white elephant, Virgin Vie, Webb Ivory and a Tombola, and activities including a bouncy castle, face painting, a treasure hunt, hoopla, various games and much, much more. For all the good girls and boys there will even be an early visit from Father Christmas!

Christmas Bazaar : Paull Church Christmas Bazaar will be held on Friday November 15th in the Village Hall, at the junction of Main Street and Town End Road (right opposite the lighthouse), with the doors opening at 6.30 p.m. There will be a variety of stalls, including home-made cakes and crafts, and a raffle and a Tombola will be held. All proceeds will go to St. Andrew's Church.

Last showing at the Museum : the exhibition of Lace at the Hedon Museum, on display in the Upstairs Gallery, will be closing after Wednesday November 13th so if you have yet to see this wonderful display this is your last chance! The Museum, which is hidden away behind the shops on Watmough's Arcade and is reached from the alley behind the nail salon, is open every Wednesday and Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm, and admission to this exhibition and all others is free.

Visit to Harrogate : Hedon Social Stitching Club has organised a trip to the Harrogate Sewing Show on Friday November 22nd and still have some spare seats available on coach. If anyone would like to join them for the day they will be most welcome; alternatively if you do not want to go to the show you could have a day shopping - maybe even Christmas shopping? - in Harrogate. The bus is due to leave Hedon at 8.30 a.m. and set off back from Harrogate at 4.00 p.m; the cost of the full trip is £16, including entry to the show, or the coach trip only for £8.50. If you are interested, please ring 01482 896482, 01482 899478 or 01964 626468.

Is it me? Is it just me, or did somebody really change the calendar without letting me know? Last week, on the evening of October 30th, I was visited by a succession of small boys hammering on my front door and asking, "Trick or treat, missus?" When I pointed out the date I was met by blank looks, so I invited them to sling their respective hooks and return the following night, when it really WAS Hallowe'en. Needless to say, the following night, having stocked up with lots of sweets and chocolates to give to the expected hordes, not a single one turned up, although admittedly the helicopter hovering over the river bank on what turned out to be a fruitless search was probably a bigger attraction. The same applies to Bonfire Night : I always thought it was on November 5th. It has been on November 5th ever since 1606, when Parliament ORDERED the people to celebrate the anniversary of the failed Gunpowder Plot, so when did it become a month-long festival? We have had fireworks exploding all around us for weeks now, and although I don't begrudge the celebrations on the actual night (I went to a bonfire on the 5th and thoroughly enjoyed myself) and can keep the cat in and the dog sedated for one night, I am now thoroughly weary if it all, the dog is a gibbering wreck, and I am SO glad it's all over. Until New Year ….. so, as they've obviously altered the dates of Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night without telling me, please can anybody tell me when they've moved New Year's Eve to?

Church Services for Sunday November 17th 2002 :
Hedon : St Augustine's Parish Church : Sung Eucharist at 9.30 a.m.
Hedon Methodist Church : Holy Communion service at 9.30 a.m., All Age Worship at 10.30 a.m., Evening Service at 6.30 p.m.
St. Joseph and St. Mary's 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 10.30am in the Jubilee Room of the Alexandra Hall, St. Augustine's Gate; a Sunday School is also held at 10.30am every Sunday.
Paull : St. Andrew's Church : Holy Communion service at 11.00 a.m.
Paull Methodist Church, Main Street : no service this week (services alternate Sundays)
Preston : All Saint's Parish Church : Morning Worship 11.00 a.m.
Preston Methodist Church : Morning Service 10.30 a.m.