Udimore

If your house is on the main road, between the top of Billingham Lane and Udimore Garage, or along Church Lane, you may have heard the sound of carol singers outside your door last Thursday evening. The singers, representing the PCC and Friends of St Mary’s Church, were very grateful for various appreciative comments, and for generous donations to the fund we were supporting, the children’s hospice, Demelza House. You’ll be interested to hear that these amounted to no less than £45.19, a cheque for which, plus some further donations, will be on its way to Demelza House shortly.

As usual, there will be a series of special Christmas services in St Mary’s Church this coming week. This Sunday the annual Service of Nine Lessons and Carols will start at 6pm. At 5pm next day, Christmas Eve, there will be a Children’s Crib Service. And at 11.15am on Christmas Morning there will be a Family Eucharist. The Midnight Mass in St George’s Church, Brede, will start at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve. There will be a warm welcome for everyone at all these services!

This correspondent would like to wish all readers of this column a joyful and memorable Christmas.