Our Harvest Festival celebration takes place this Sunday 4th September.
The Harvest Thanksgiving Service takes place in St Michael’s Church, starting at 11.30am.
After the service, there will be a light buffet lunch at Churchside House (by kind invitation of John De Val).
There will be no charge for the lunch, and all are very welcome, whether attending the service or not. However, if you wish to come to the lunch, it would help with the catering arrangements if you could please let John De Val know. Likewise, if you have any questions, then please speak to John
The Winwick annual fete returns next Sunday, July 3, after a two year absence …and the village invites everyone in The Giddings to come and join them for the afternoon.
Entry is free, and this will be a traditional village fete, with cake and plant stalls, raffle, easy and fun games for all ages from bowling to guess the weight.
Beer, teas and cakes
There will also be a bar with Barnwell Bitter in the barrel, plus wine and soft drinks, as well as teas and cakes.
BBQ
And there will be the famous Winwick bbq, complete with homemade desserts at pre covid prices…£10 for adults, £6 for children under 12.
Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine on arrival and taste an additional 5 wines from India, Austria and Portugal. There will also be a wine quiz with prizes plus some delicious Indian street food to nibble on.
Sample some amazing wines with Andrea Hargrave – Great Gidding’s very own Master of Wine! Andrea has over 25 years of experience and is one of only 419 Masters of Wine scattered over 30 countries and 6 continents.
If you like a particular wine you will be able to purchase a bottle to take home.
What do you remember? Were you there for any of the many events that took place?
Did you know about the pig club, the dinner dances, the football club, the music society, the sports days, the village plan (the original one), the jazz club, the fruit and veg shows, the celebrations for the Queen’s silver jubilee, and of course the pantomimes (‘Oh yes I did,… Oh no you didn’t!’), to name just a few of the many community events that have taken place over the years.
Perhaps you were there, or would just like to know more about the history of the village if you’ve just moved in. If so, this display in the village hall will inform and bring back the memories through photographs, books and newspaper cuttings, programmes and original drafts of pantomimes, the fascinating photos of which must NOT be missed… (Oh yes they should, …Oh no they shouldn’t!)* and many other bits of memorabilia.
On both afternoons of Friday 3rd June and Saturday 4th from 2pm until 5pm, the village hall will be open for you to come and have a look. Enjoy a cup of tea and a cake as you walk around and reminisce…even if you weren’t in the village at the time it might bring back other memories of the reign of our queen for you.
We look forward to seeing you there and perhaps you can help us fill in any gaps in the history of the Giddings… This is not ‘just’ an exhibition, this is a part of the Giddings colourful history, and we hope you’ll come along and enjoy it.
*Apologies for the script writer getting carried away but that’s what reading too many pantomime scripts does to you………….’Oh no it doesn’t…!!’
The weekend of 11th & 12th June sees two musical events in St Michael’s Church.
‘Summer Music’ Firstly, on Saturday 11th June, there is a concert called ‘Summer Music’. We welcome back the St Peter’s Singers from Peterborough, who will be singing beautiful choral music from Handel, via folk songs, to Cole Porter. Their musical director, Jeremy Jepson, will also play a couple of organ pieces, The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 (purchased in advance) and £12 (available at the church door on the night). To purchase your tickets in advance, contact Sue Shepherd (tel: 293479) or email her (shepnsue@btinternet.com). Your ticket price includes a glass of wine and nibbles in the interval.
Please make sure you tell your friends!
‘Songs of Praise’ Then the next day (Sunday 12th), there is a ‘Songs of Praise’, starting at 4pm. This is the opportunity to sing your favourite hymns. and to learn something about the people who wrote these hymns.
If you have a favourite hymn you would like sung, then please contact Michael Keck (tel: 293357) or email (mpk357@hotmail.co.uk).
The Parish Council has received notification today of the closure of the B660, between the crossroads junction with the Bullock Road, through the village to just beyond the crossroads (Luddington Road and Chapel End). This is for resurfacing of the road and will take place at some time after 1st August 2022 (no specific dates and time are given). A map of the diversion route can be found on the Village Hall noticeboard.
Advisory signs will be erected by Cambridgeshire County Council nearer the date of the works taking place. If any further information is received by the Parish Council, further updates will be posted on this website.
There will be a service of Choral Evensong in St Michael’s Church on Sunday 15th May, starting at 4pm. The singing will be led by the Peterborough Chamber Choir; the service will be conducted by the Benefice Rector, Revd Mandy Flaherty.
All are very welcome. There will be wine and nibbles after the service.
It is hoped that the bells will be rung for the first time for nearly two years.
Come along for a fun afternoon on Sunday 5th June as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Great Gidding.
The play is open to Giddings teams of two, aged 12 or over. Alternative games for the under 12s.
Bring a picnic, play pétanque, or just relax and spectate. A tasty barbecue and local beer will be available for a non-profit contribution and there’ll be prizes and a coveted trophy for the winning team!
Where: Petanque Court, next to the allotments in the Jubilee Wood, Great Gidding
When: Sunday 5th June 2022
What time: You are welcome to set up your chair/gazebo/picnic spot from 1pm. Play will start at 2pm (weather permitting).
So bring your family and friends, a picnic, and your boules sets if you have them and are happy to share with others (wipes will be available).
Everybody is very welcome as either player or spectator. If you’d like to play please let Paul or Krystyna know by 15th May.
Community Coffee and Cake Sale In aid of Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (Disasters Emergency Committee) Saturday 23 rd April 10am – midday Village Hall Upton
Following Palm Sunday, this week is Holy Week, leading up to Easter Sunday (17th April).
Compline
On Maundy Thursday (14th), there will be a service of COMPLINE in St Michael’s starting at 9pm; the service will be led by John DeVal. Pre-COVID, there was a tradition of holding such a service in the church during Holy Week. This short 20 minutes or so service provides the opportunity for a quiet period of reflection and prayer, prior to the events of Good Friday and Easter.
Good Friday Walk
The Good Friday Walk (15th) around the Benefice, calls into St Michael’s at 1.20pm for a fifteen minute period of reflection, reading and prayer. Please feel free to join the walkers at that time as they do like to meet people as they visit the various churches in the Benefice. If you would like to take part in the walk (you don’t have to walk the whole distance), then please contact Revd Mandy Flaherty (tel: 01480/896541).
St Michael’s restoration
Delighted to report the restoration work in St Michael’s is complete. Next Tuesday the church will be thoroughly cleaned, and the following day the organ builders pay a visit to tune the organ.
Easter Day Holy Communion
So, St Michael’s should sparkle visually and sonically as we celebrate the completion of the work, and what better occasion could there be than Easter Day (17th). Our service of Holy Communion is at 4pm.
