Whatlington

This coming Sunday we have our usual 09.30 Holy Communion service for the 4th Sunday in Advent, then at 3.30pm there is the Whatlington Christmas Pageant, an event for children of all ages! This long standing traditional Nativity service begins in the church, before progressing around the immediate village area and in due course arriving for the Nativity tableau in the ‘stable’ at Leeford Oast, where light refreshments will be served afterwards. The Village Hall car park will as usual be open and we advise arriving in good time as the church is always packed. On Christmas Eve at 10pm there is a slightly early ‘Midnight’ service at Whatlington, followed by mince pies and a glass of wine (or a soft drink) and we warmly invite people to come and join us for this special service to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The church will be partly lit with candles, Christ being the Light of the World. Parking again will be available at the village hall nearby, as well as the usual limited parking close to the church.

The Royal Oak: Maria writes: On Christmas Eve we will have carol singing by our locals by candlelight in the pub - an annual event that is very popular. On Christmas Day we are open for pre-booked lunches but closed in the evening. We will also be closed on Boxing Day - it’s our family Christmas Day! We are also organising a very exciting New Year’s Eve party. The theme is Casino Royale and everything to do with James Bond and casinos. We will have casino games and other activities for both adults and children. There will be two separate discos till late, one for adults and one for children, with a member of staff supervising. So families are very welcome! A finger buffet will also be available for a small fee.

Patricia Begg

Riccards Spring