At the end of this month of November, the period of Advent begins. For many of us in the benefice from 2007 to 2020 we have met in Christ Church Centre to celebrate the onset of this wonderful season with a very enjoyable evening of shared food and songs, music, poems and readings relevant to this special time of year. Sadly, the onset of Covid 19 and all its implications, meant that we weren’t able to get together in 2020 and due to continuing uncertainty, added to the fact that I’m 2 years older, I’m afraid I won’t be organising another such evening.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who made the evenings such a success. Special thanks to Roger for his amazing instrumental contributions and his and Sally’s unfailing support from the start. Roger, alone at first and a few years later with Dave Beauchamp on his clarinet, kept us entertained throughout the evening, thanks Dave. Thanks to Arthur and Tricia’s help with setting up, and to those who worked so hard setting out the food and keeping the food tables topped up and doing lots of washing up afterwards. We were privileged over the years to enjoy a great variety of talent, instrumental, spoken and sung. I’m sure many of you have fond memories of some of the ‘turns’ whether serious or funny. There have been so many wonderful performances over the years. Each time Phil and I thought the next year couldn’t possibly be as good….but it always was!! 

The evenings always started with food (of course!!) and much socialising (those were the days!!!) The entertainment would finally get underway and often a craft item signalled the interval with more enjoyable items to follow. I’d like to thank Paul who brought the evening to a close with a talk reminding us of the meaning of Advent.

Last but not least my grateful thanks to my dear husband Phil for his support over the years making this event the success it was.

No……that’s not the last thank you. That goes to all of you who came to these fabulous evenings, bringing food in abundance and variety and making each evening such a happy and joyful occasion.

Numbers varied over the years and we averaged 56 overall but in 2014 we had over 80!! That was a bit of a squeeze. Poor Phil was hard put to get everybody seated at a table!!! Happy memories of those special times. Happy Advent everybody.

Diana Tunstall