Katrina joyfully hands flowers to Major Woodman

Time was taken out to say thank you, with the cadets expressing their gratitude for the way they had been received at the corps. They presented Major Woodman, as CO representing the corps, with a bouquet of flowers. He admitted that this was not an experience he was used to! Major then presented each of the cadets with an envelope containing an Amazon gift voucher.  He said to them that whilst they each came from corps that will look on them as ‘their’ cadets, Hadleigh Temple will consider them ‘our’ cadets also.

Major thanks and farewells the cadets

The summer appointments are already known: Mark goes to Whitehaven in Cumbria, Katrina heads to Newquay in Cornwall and Shelley has been appointed to King’s Lynn, Norfolk. We must also remember the fourth member of the team, Joy, who in recent months has deferred her cadetship.

Pam Rhodes leads

But nobody was complaining that around 400 tongues came to sing God’s praise with BBC TV presenter Pam Rhodes, packing the hall to its gills. The sell-out Songs of Praise concert left some people disappointed as they could not get tickets.

Pam joins in congregational singing

The concert was to raise funds towards the building of a new church for St. Michael’s and All Angels in Daws Heath. Trombone player John Ashcroft tells how his golden retriever, Saffron, played a part in making the concert happen:

‘A neighbour of mine is Ken Jones who is a member of the church. We were dog walking and he told me about the project and I decided we should do something at The Salvation Army as a contribution to the appeal.”

The rousing accompaniment to the singing came from Hadleigh Temple Band with the Songsters and Timbrels adding to the occasion. The Singing Company took centre stage flanked by the choirs of Kingston Primary School and Thundersley Primary School.

Congregation singing song of praise

Pam Rhodes guided the concert through, giving information behind some of the songs and their writers. She also told some of her funny stories before interviewing members of St. Michael’s Church. They spoke about the way the community had rallied round the project to replace their worn-out church, how the congregation is growing and the excitement they feel in building a church for future generations.

Pam interviews church members

The target funding for the new church is £565,000. Ken Jones explained that they were getting close, having raised £555,000 so far. Ticket prices for the event were low and a collection was made after an appeal by the Ven. David Lowman, Archdeacon of Southend. That raised just under £1200. Even after expenses, the final figure is likely to be somewhat larger.

Andrew Merchant from BBC Essex’s ‘Faith and Fun’ Sunday Breakfast programme was there to report on the concert.

You can hear his report, which was broadcast the following morning, here: BBC Essex Report (by courtesy of the BBC).

After the concert, Pam’s husband Richard opened the bookstall and Pam signed copies of her work.

More Pictures:

BBC's Andrew Merchant interviews BBC's Pam Rhodes

Hadleigh Temple Timbrels

Robin Led the Singing

Ven. David Lowman, Archdeacon of Southend

The Songsters

Organiser John gives Zena opportunity to promote the next concert

Pam Rhodes with the band

Pam signed books afterwards

Firstly the 40 images were judged at Hadleigh on Tuesday 10th April by local judge Harry Tabeart ARPS CPAGB who is a highly qualified judge of the Photographic Society of Great Britain. Harry awarded a total of 339 marks to Hereford and 310 marks to Hadleigh making Hereford the winners of the first leg of the battle by 29 marks.

All the photographic images were sent to the Hereford club to be scrutinised by David Bennett who is Chaiman of the South Wales Photographic League and an official judge for the Welsh Photographic Federation which is also part of the Photographic Association of Great Britain. Judging for this stage of the battle took place on Monday 23rd April.  Marks for this 2nd leg of the battle were Hereford 311 and Hadleigh 294 making Hereford the winners of the second leg by 17 marks.

When the marks awarded by both judges were added together Hereford are the victors of the battle by 46 marks.  Hilary has transcribed both judges comments which are available at the Hadleigh Camera Club.

The top Hadleigh Photographs in joint 3rd place were Hilary Houlding (Loch Etive) and Brian Nichols (The Naked Piano)

"The Naked Piano" by Brian Nichols

"Loch Etive" by Hilary Houlding

Unfortunately the contingent that was due to come to Hadleigh from Hereford were prevented from doing so by ill health.  The Hadleigh Secretary, Pam Dalton, together with our Programme Secretaries, Hilary and John Houlding, travelled to Hereford where they were entertained by the members of the Hereford SA Photographic Club.

Both clubs learnt from this event and hope to repeat it at some time in the future.

Despite having had an exhibition in Benfleet Library for the whole of the month of February, also a competition / battle with Hereford SA Photographic Club in April, they have provided a unique set of photographs for this exhibition.

We would like visitors to record their thoughts about the exhibition in the Visitors Book that is on the table in front of the photographs.  There are also a few more photographs on the back of the screen (they can be seen from outside) and on the end of the display screen.  Bookmarks are also available on the table for your to take away.

 If you have any immediate comments, please contact any of the Club Officials.

]]> http://www.hadleightemple.org.uk/CorpsNews/2012/04/hadleigh-library-exhibition/feed/ 0 http://www.hadleightemple.org.uk/CorpsNews/2012/03/major-geoffs-chuffed-about-his-article/ http://www.hadleightemple.org.uk/CorpsNews/2012/03/major-geoffs-chuffed-about-his-article/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:17:46 +0000 admin http://www.hadleightemple.org.uk/CorpsNews/?p=947 Continue reading →]]> Assistant Officer Major Geoff Ashdown is feeling a bit chuffed about a feature article he wrote that has appeared in a national magazine. The publication in question is the March 2012 edition of British Railway Modelling and it is a description of his own layout, called ‘Tower Pier’.

Geoff and his layout

Tower Pier Station

If at this point you are tempted to think words like ‘geek’ and ‘anorak’, please hold off until you have read his article.

Geoff’s hobby is a million miles from kids’ Hornby train sets. When I was a child I enjoyed watching ‘toy’ trains whizz around a loop and that was it. Geoff’s layout – and his approach to model railways – are on a different plane.

Sea boats on the Lindisfarne

Geoff has been interested in modelling all his life. As a child he started off with a Tri-ang train set. But it has not always been trains: he moved on to building his own models of different things with Airfix kits and graduated to building boats and ships from scratch from drawings and with raw materials.

All details are correct and in his model of the Lindisfarne fisheries protection vessel, you can even see the crew on the bridge and the fine detail of the inflatable boats on the aft deck.

Hand crafted signal levers

For the last 12 years or so Geoff has been concentrating on building his model railway. Although Tower Pier itself does not exist, the layout is quite feasible considering the track that exists in the east of the City of London and commuters will probably recognise the influence of Farringdon station on the design. Building much of the layout himself, Geoff is an engineer and a craftsman paying meticulous attention to minute detail. And in order to do that (his layout is set in the 1950’s) he has to be an historian as well.

In England, we have something to be proud of historically. Our English forefathers invented railways and those railways had a huge positive impact on the social and economic life of this country. Names such as George Stevenson who built the Rocket locomotive, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a great railway civil engineer, were among the great minds that laid the foundations for the railways in the mid 19^th century. Geoff’s not quite in the same league as these, but on a small scale, he is paying a lot of attention to detail as they did.

A Closer Look

Underground Train

In Geoff’s multi-platformed terminus, each platform has its own purpose and the spaghetti of tracks outside the station are authentically laid out and controlled by signals following the protocol of the day.

There is even a tunnel that can be revealed that shows a freight line going off to nearby St Katherine’s Dock. And if you look carefully you can see a District Line Underground train passing between Aldgate and Mark Lane (now Tower Hill).

Signal Box and Track

The trains are definitely not toys. Many were bought as kits or pre-made. However they invariably need altering, if not for historical accuracy to suit the line they are being used on, then for the gauge. Strangely the popular Hornby HO/OO track is out of proportion to the trains that run on it. Geoff uses the more accurate EM gauge and builds the track by hand, including the complex points system. He also makes the buildings and landscape. He won a trophy for the quality of his signal box.

There’s not much to crow about trains nowadays. Technology and the desire for profit seem to have really robbed railways of their glamour. Many people point to Dr. Beeching’s action in 1963 resulting in the axing of railway lines as a pivotal point in this change. Whether that’s true or not, railways before that date were more interesting. Hence Geoff’s selection of the 1950s for his layout.  Ah, it takes you back!

Read Geoff’s magazine article (reprinted by kind permission of British Railway Modelling)

John Willson in Team 2012 shirt

That honour comes in recognition of the part John plays at mainly local but also regional and national level to get young people involved in the sport of archery. Some of John’s pupils have gone on to represent their country in the sport.

John has a long track record in helping young people: Hadleigh Marching Militaire, SABAC (Salvation Army Boys’ Adventure Club and Archery as well as teaching percussion.

John’ peers wrote a citation that went through Essex and national sport committees and was eventually accepted by LOCOG. Here is  what they said:

John has worked with young people for over 50 years. He was the founder of The Hadleigh Marching Militaire. He did as much for them as he has for archery by making them known internationally. John has been associated with archery for over 25 years. His archery career began whilst running his SABAC group for junior boys in The Salvation Army where he not only introduced them to archery but many other sporting and adventure activities. John wanted to develop his own archery skills and joined Rayleigh Town Archery Club where he soon became Head Coach. Since then the club has gone from strength to strength; making it what it is today.

John helping youngsters learn archery

In September, John arranged for Rayleigh Town to host the impressive Regional Southern Counties Championships, as he does every year, with over 110 archers.  There was a grand opening ceremony combining 3 different celebrations. Firstly, the opening of Rayleigh Town’s newly improved outdoor facilities; where John’s first stage of planning became a reality – with running water, electricity and a separate toilet block for men and women. Unable to secure funding, John and one of the other club members had to put their hands in their own pockets to ensure that he project took place. John co-ordinated the digging of a long trench, for pipe work to be laid and connected into the main sewer as well the partitioning for walls within the toilet block. There is also 60ft of decking and railings connecting the toilet block and Club House together making easy access. For John’s second stage he wants to be able to install matching disabled toilet, provide ground matting and shades for wheelchairs and disabled access. The second celebration was in recognition of the 150^th Anniversary for Archery GB. John arranged happy birthday music and purchased a huge rocket and arranged a speech to be read from Archery GB. As a final celebration, John had organised flags and banners that were raised; along with Legacy 2012 oaths to be read while ‘Space Odyssey’ music played in the background. With a lot of thought, effort and time John made this a special event for everyone.

John will ‘bend over backwards’ to help anyone, especially those in need. He manages to fund the purchase of club archery equipment in order to help juniors participate in the sport. He provides opportunities for the family to be involved within archery. He is always there, ready to listen and help out wherever possible; trying to solve problems and be around to cheer people up.

As a previous employee of Archery GB, John travelled around the country helping to set up archery clubs within sports colleges. He was able to help them by obtaining grants and training them in the player pathway. In practising this method John has provided many young people with the opportunity of archery. The Deanes School where he also coaches, he encourages juniors to join Rayleigh Town Archery Club which allows them to enter different archery competitions around the country. For the past 10 years he has hosted an Archery Festival for primary schools. A great morning is had by all followed by a fantastic awards ceremony. John also has been responsible for writing the GCSE Archery syllabus for schools and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for Archery, and the Club Mark Programme; He is actively involved in all of them.

John has travelled the world giving his support to the Archery GB Junior Squad. He is involved in the Junior Archery GB Talent Identity Development Team helping to select juniors from across the country; giving them the opportunity to become part of the GB junior training squad. He is currently the chairman of the National Junior Committee; also chairman of the Essex Archery Guild he is responsible for coach renewals, as well as a County Coach. He is a Child Protection Officer for Essex and SCAS. He only shoots now days on rare occasions due to time spent helping others. John also does a lot behind the scenes raising funds and answering the 150 emails that he regularly receives, sorting out problems or answering questions. Most of them related to Archery!

John is also a music teacher and runs 3 evening music schools with the other 2 evenings taken up doing archery and squeezing in meetings connected to these which leaves him with 1 evening for himself to perform playing percussion. As you can see John has a lot of strings to his bow. John is the back bone to his club and many others. His ideas, organisational skills and just getting people together, is second to none. He listens, is kind, caring, understanding, helpful, supportive and will always offer advice to anyone. What a remarkable man he is for all has achieved anddone and the opportunities he has given to others.

He really is: Mr 100% ArcheryGB is our John Willson

Olympic torch

John will be carrying the torch in Hatfield Peverel between 08:40 and 09:00 on Friday July 6th.

Later that day the torch comes to Hadleigh. It is due to arrive at 13:48 and will come from Southend along the A13 and pass the Temple, turning left into Chapel Lane to visit the site of the Mountain Biking Event.

Details: BBC Website

Under the More Than Gold motto

‘ARISE, SHINE for your Light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you’

the short prayer meeting was focussed on church unity.

Downloads:

The Trekkers prayer written by Avril

Prayer Trek Spring 2012 – other prayers and Bible passages

‘It was party for all the children linked to the Salvation Army in Hadleigh.’

Magician Steve Price and one of the young people

Special guest for the day was Christian magician Steve Price who, as well as adding comedy and wit to his captivating act, he presented a spiritual link to each element of it. The party was rounded off with food and games and visit from Snowball, the pet hedgehog of one of the older children.

The prizegiving took place in worship meetings either side of the party which were led by cadets.

1. Our existing small groups – are these groups holistic by nature, or do we need to review the effectiveness of the groups?
2. Need for new holistic small groups? – are our existing small groups catering for the needs for everyone within our fellowship?

He is calling for all members of the fellowship to pray for this initiative, whether in private devotions or regular weekly group meetings.

In addition, three weekly breakfast prayer meetings are being arranged at the hall on a Thursday morning starting on 15^th March. They start at 7.30am and take 30 minutes. Tea or coffee will be provided .

Here’s a prayer than can be used in private devotions:

Lord as we continue to define, plan, and prepare action steps for the vision and values you have for our corps, we pray that you will be our strength in all these endeavours.  We acknowledge there will be no growth of spiritual experience if you are not the centre of our plans.  You are the one who makes our growth possible and we proclaim you as the source of all we hope to experience.   As you continue your plans for us in these days, we pray that you will help us to give you our whole hearts, that we too may represent who you are in our fellowship and to the community we serve.

Amen