Catsfield

Candlemas: This Sunday, 3rd February is the Presentation of Christ in the Temple and the Family Communion and Procession will be at 9.15am. As it is Candlemas, the church will be decorated with lit candles and the choir will be singing a special anthem. Unusually, the Creed will also be sung and there will be the opportunity for a quick run through with the organ just before the start of the service. Refreshments will be served afterwards and all are welcome as always.

WI: The next meeting of the Catsfield WI is on Thursday 7th February at 2pm in the Village Hall when the speaker will be Ken Pollock giving us ‘A Tribute to Stanley Holloway’ whom many of us will remember for his performance in ‘My Fair Lady’ as Eliza Doolittle’s father and his monologues such as ‘The Lion and Albert’ and ‘Sam, Sam pick oop thy Muskett’.

Burns Night: As usual, congratulations and many thanks go to Sandra Shoobridge and all her helpers for a great evening celebrating Rabbie Burns in the Village Hall last Saturday. Father Michael read ‘The Selkirk Grace’ at the start of the meal. The haggis was piped in before John Overall read Rabbie Burns ‘Address to a Haggis’, in his best Scottish accent, wielding the knife with dramatic effect and looking positively dangerous as he stabbed the haggis. Then everyone rose to their feet to toast the haggis with ‘a wee dram’. Serving sixty-three hungry diners with a three-course dinner plus tea and coffee from the small kitchen in the hall was no mean feat, it was all hot and delicious and there were queues for ‘seconds’ too!

Everyone was intrigued to find a selection of coloured paper, scissors, glue, crayons and pencils on their table and Sandra challenged each table to produce a model of the Loch Ness monster which everyone would judge at the end. Between courses we all set to with great competitive spirit and spies could be seen checking out what other tables were doing as they nonchalantly wandered around. At the end of the meal the models were arranged on the judging table and everyone was invited to vote for the one they thought best by dropping coins in a cup next to their choice. The result was announced and although Table 4 had the most coins and was a clear winner with their model of ‘Jock-Ness’, the prize was awarded to Table 5 after exaggerated accusations of cheating. How this could possibly be the case with reputable people such as Father Michael, a Church Warden and the Chairman of the Parish Council on the team of Table 4, I’m not sure, but they conceded defeat, albeit begrudgingly! There was a raffle with some super Scottish-themed prizes and a rousing version of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ accompanied by David ‘McWilson’ on the piano brought the evening to a close. The incredible amount raised after expenses was £921 for church funds.

Sport: Football is going well with a 3 - 2 win away against Tackleway and we hope for another good match tomorrow away at Wittersham. We had one sin-binner and they had one sent off whilst in the sin bin right at the end! More work for the poor referee, who then has to do reports to the League and of course Tackleway have lost a player for the next fixture. The groundsman is feeling more optimistic that we will finish mid-table, but one mustn’t mention the England Test Team at the moment. His wife is treading on eggshells; hope the rugby goes well.