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RECTOR'S LETTER - FEBRUARY 2012
Dear Friends,
As I am writing in the gloom of January, by the fire with a cold, I thought I would make a link to summer in the hope of brightening you all up! The link is that on the 6th February, her Majesty will actually reach the 60th anniversary of her Accession, to be celebrated nationally on the first weekend in June. One often reflects how we lack an annual national day like Independence Day or Bastille Day; in part I suspect we think this is all British modesty. But it is good to be given an excuse, even if less than every year, to get together. And in part, it is a good opportunity precisely because it does not need to be really for anything, except to be glad that we are all here, on the whole undisturbed in our peaceful land.
My information is no doubt far from complete, but I am aware of prepara­tions around my six parishes of various sorts for the Jubilee weekend. There will be fetes in Linton and Weston. In Hope Mansel they have been fundraising for months already, although I am not sure that I yet know what or whom they are going to splurge it on. I hear murmurings in the Lea of an event at the Village Hall, details to be confirmed. Whatever your village is doing, it will be all the better if YOU get involved with enthusiasm. Let us hope and pray to bask in glorious June sun (or if we do not, that this letter has been forgotten by then!)
And there may be some permanent achievements as well, even if probably not as many as the memorials and buildings bearing the titles of Victoria's jubilees across the land. At Aston Ingham it is proposed to restore the ancient Churchyard Cross, last renovated in 1911 for George V's Coronation. At Weston we intend to gild the weathercock on the church tower - so if you see that it has vanished in the next couple of months, fear not, it will probably be in a workshop in Birmingham. Perhaps I am just jealous that I can see the sun catch the one on Ross spire as I ride around Bury Hill Lane, but I don't see why Weston's cannot gleam out the same.
And it is the mention of riding that brings me to my contribution to the weekend. It is my intention to ride Rhys on a route, yet to be worked out, on one of the days of the Jubilee weekend, all round the six parishes of Ariconium. I may wear a silly outfit or carry a flag. I may be able to persuade a few other local equestrians to accompany me. I shall certainly try to time it in order to make a nuisance of myself by arriving theatrically at some of the village events. Like the Jubilee itself, I do not intend it to be for anything, except to raise a cheer. We all need more of them.

     Neil