SNews Oct v2 (PDF)

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class

Website: sprowston.org.uk
Telephone: 01603 411194
Facebook: @sprowstonchurch
Twitter: @sprowstonparish

Seasons Change
With the lovely summer heat behind us, I’m beginning to think about cooler
days and warming hot chocolates. I’m also excited to introduce to you
my good friend Kathryn who has agreed to write a regular book review
for this magazine. At tea with the Vicars earlier this year I received a lot
of really helpful feedback. I’ve been using this to improve our magazine
and Kathryn’s contribution is part of that work. So please check it out for
yourself on page 9. I hope you’re inspired as I have been to think about
change and what this new season might bring. God bless, Adam

Contents
4
6
8
10
15
16

Keynote
Vicar’s Voice
Cross Section
Scouts Scribble
Puzzle and Cartoons
Wildlife News

18
20
22
32

Worship in our Parish
View from the Doghouse
Advertisers
From the Registers
and Parish Contacts
34 Featured Letter

Sprowston News

Sprowston News

3

St Mary and St Margaret,
Church the
Lane Doghouse St Cuthbert’s, Wroxham Road
View from

Keynote - Listening to the Landscape
On a recent trip to my home country of Australia I enjoyed a bushwalk
to Sassafras Gully in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. I noticed tall,
smooth-barked eucalyptus trees growing along the creek bed. One of
the trunks appeared to have developed ‘ears’: with two strange, stumpy
growths emerging side by side, possibly a result of regrowth after the
damage of a lightning strike or bush fire. Before seeing this tree I had
observed the incredible quietness of the forest, yet knew there were many
creatures in the bush hidden from my sight who were sensing the noise
and vibration of my footfall. Seeing the ‘ears’ upon this tree helped me to
visualise the way in which all of creation is alive with God’s listening for us.
We all experience moments of wonder in our encounter with various
landscapes, whether this be in the green shadows and sunlight of a forest
in spring, the arid beauty of a vast desert, or in the never ending bluegreen rhythm of waves on the shores of a coastline.
However, to hear the voice of God the creator within a landscape requires
that we slow down and ‘have ears to hear’. Very often we are so busy with
our wordy, noisy agendas that we fail to notice the subtle and intricate
beauty of creation that is woven deep into the fabric of the natural order.
As we enter the season of harvest and watch the green of summer
give way to the gold, red and brown of autumn, so the slowly changing
landscape invites us to contemplate the continuous goodness of God
and hear the awesome voice that silently proclaims the work of his hands
(Psalm 19).
Rev Phil

4

Vicar’s Voice
As we approach this month of October, most of our media seems to be
taken up with BREXIT related topics!
I know many of us are bored to tears with this topic, but the problem is we,
as a society, seem to have crippled ourselves with this process. In Luke’s
Gospel chapter 13 there is an account of how Jesus heals a crippled
woman. The story relates how the lady has been bent over for 18 long
years, and if you have ever had a bad back or are unable to straighten up
for any reason you will know that on those occasions our horizons become
very limited and narrow. After receiving healing from Jesus, the woman
was able to stand upright and for the first time in many years see more
than her own feet, i.e. see beyond her own troubles. The result is that she
starts praising God.
What can we learn from this? With God’s help we can look outwards
and see more than our own needs and see the wider issues around.
Who, in our street or in our town, needs some help?
Can we volunteer for something?
Break free of Brexit and seek God’s way to help others.
Enjoy your freedom, Simon

6

Non-sounding BRASS
(Or Bible Reflection and Short Silence)
In his great hymn to Love in Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, St Paul tells us:
‘Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.’
What St Paul meant by this, it seems to me, is that without Love, we are
simply passive reactors to the world – the brass does its task of making
a musical note, which may be very beautiful, and just right, but it only
‘speaks’ if struck, if acted upon. But we humans are called upon to be
more than reactors to the world: we are called upon by Christ to act on
behalf of his Creation and the people he created in His own image.
This is what we hope to achieve with B.R.A.S.S – Bible Reflection and
Short Silence. Following the pattern of a ‘Julian Gathering’, each monthly
session will be divided into roughly 4x15 minute slots. We start with a
social time, exchanging news with each other. Then we read together a
Bible passage, story, parable or even just a sentence or phrase (chosen
by a different person each month.) This is followed by discussion, and
finally around 15 minutes of silent meditation on what we have heard
and discussed.
Why the silence? In the words of the Sufi mystic Rumi (1207-1273),
‘Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation.’ It really is
possible, I believe, to encounter God, unmediated, in silence – something
I believe I have occasionally managed to do.
Now we want to reflect on the Bible, moving from theory to facts, to see
how we can apply it to reality. The actions needn’t be big - just small and
one-off, if that’s all we feel we can do. But we want to follow the PCA of
Jesus – Prayer before, Contemplation during and Action after - however
small.
So, our first meeting will be at St Cuthbert’s Church on Wroxham
Road from 2.45pm on October 5th and then first Saturday of the
month. Please join us.
Andrew Dickie – Reader (with permission to Officiate.)
7

Cross Section
There was no meeting for Cross Section in August.
Coming up we have Folk and Show songs from David and Anne in
September followed by a speaker from Kidney Care in October.
Cross Section meets on the third Tuesday of each month, except August,
in St Cuthbert’s Centre at 7.30pm and welcomes new members.
For more information please contact me on Norwich 484626 or come
along to a meeting.
Roz Taylor, Chairperson.
---

Diamond Centre Cinema listing for October

Taken from: http://www.sprowston-tc.gov.uk/community-post/
Monday 7th October 2019 | Red Joan Espionage Drama (12) 101 minutes
Joan Stanley is a widow living out a quiet retirement in the suburbs
when, shockingly, the British Secret Service places her under arrest. The
charge: providing classified scientific information – including details on the
building of the atomic bomb – to soviet government for decades. As the
interrogation gets underway, Joan relives the dramatic events that shaped
her life and her beliefs. A tense thriller, flipping back and forth between
Joan’s younger years as the mystery of her involvement in subterfuge
becomes apparent. Gripping from the off.

8

Reading Around with Kathryn: A Change of Climate
by Hilary Mantel (London: Fourth Estate, 1994)
Published in 1994, before her Booker Prize successes with Wolf Hall
in 2009 and Bring Up the Bodies in 2012, Hilary Mantel’s A Change of
Climate is described in its blurb as being a ‘literary family saga’. The
family in question are the Eldreds, husband and wife Ralph and Anna,
their four children, and Ralph’s sister Emma, whose story gradually
unfolds as the narrative shifts backwards and forwards from 1980s
Norfolk to 1950s Africa.
The story begins with a brief prologue in which the eldest Eldred child,
Kit, witnesses an upsetting scene in the family kitchen involving one of
the visitors her parents regularly invite into their home. They often come
from the hostel in London run by the charitable trust Ralph works for, a
revolving door of addicts, runaways and those suffering from psychiatric
disorders; the Eldreds believing that the world can be divided into ‘Good
Souls and Bad Cases’. This idea, of what it means to be good or do good
in the world, is a theme that runs throughout the book: ‘In choosing to do
good we show that we have free will… So I will be good,’ Ralph thought.
‘That is all I have to do’. However, as we learn of what happened to Ralph
and Emma during their time in Africa, first in South Africa and then in
Bechuanaland (now Botswana), we see how this goodness has been used
to repress memories of the past and how the events of the present come
to unravel them.
A Change of Climate deals with
big issues of good and evil,
family, forgiveness and faith, in an
engaging and thought-provoking
way. Mantel writes beautifully, able
to conjure up images with only a
few words; you can immediately
picture how the character ‘handed
himself to a sofa’. In addition to the
story, readers will, I’m sure, enjoy
the many local references, from
Jarrolds to the north Norfolk coast,
which bring an added interest to an
already enjoyable book.
9

Scouts Scribblings from June and July
Although we don’t meet during August we do have our SUMMER CAMP!
This is the most important event in the Scouting year and this year we held
it at our own site at Ingham Corner near Sea Palling. Twelve Scouts (with
Alistair and myself as the leaders) arrived on Sunday morning and the
first job was to put the Scouts into two Patrols and get them to pitch their
tents and their dining-shelters. It’s important we get this right as they will
be sleeping in them for the week and, as we found out, the weather can
sometimes be unkind! When all the Scout’s kit (especially their sleeping
bags and roll-mats – this always causes great excitement) was arranged
in the right places we began to think about cooking dinner. Firstly the
Patrols had to get an ‘altar-fire’ each then collect fire wood and, finally, we
did some training on fire-lighting (it’s much harder than you’d think). When
the fires were alight (pictured) everyone was ready for food!
Scouts normally use the ‘Patrol System’. This is a group of about six (as
at this camp) with a Leader and Assistant Leader. They are responsible
for their tents and all their cooking including (especially!) their washing up
and nobody goes anywhere until everything has been inspected and found
satisfactory. People seem to think young people today don’t know how to
look after themselves – well the 45th Scouts do!
We finished off the day with a local hike, followed by hot drinks around the
camp fire (pictured).The idea is to get everyone really tired so they sleep
but nobody does on the first night and they were all awake by six.
We spent our first day at the Museum of the Broads in Stalham. If you’re
a Norfolk lad or lass and you haven’t been there you should be ashamed
of yourself! It has got just about everything to do with our beautiful and
internationally important Broads, well laid out and very interesting. We
came back from there very hot indeed so had a massive water-fight
(pictured) where everyone got very wet. When it cooled down we did
some air rifle shooting at our range before we fell into our sleeping bags
– exhausted.
We were off early the next morning to Sheringham to ride on the steam
train. We went to Holt to look at the fascinating railway museum and to be
given a chance to stand on the footplate of the huge steam engine that
had brought us there (pictured); then back to Weybourne for a guided tour
10

of the restoration sheds there. Our very well informed guide was – Alistair!
He’s not only our Assistant Scout Leader but also a volunteer on the
Poppy Line and very much involved in their restoration work, so we got the
best tour possible! (pictured). We finished off our visit with swimming at
‘Splash’ (which also got the Scouts a bit cleaner!) followed by Fish & Chips
on the Front.
On Wednesday we went to Cromer. We were going to climb the church
tower but it was closed and for a very good reason – there were Peregrine
Falcons nesting there! So we talked to the ornithologists and they let us
all look through their telescopes at the parents and their three young who
were just learning to fly (pictured). On to the pier and Lifeboat Station,
followed by the highlight – the Amusement Arcades! On the way home we
stopped at Morrison’s and each Patrol was given £18 with which they had
to buy everything for their meal that evening which included a dessert and
a drink and it had to be nutritionally acceptable.
The next day we went to Sea Palling where some swam and then we all
had a good walk along the beach (what a beautiful spot it is!) followed by
a session in their Arcades (which, very conveniently, has a cafe that does
excellent tea!). Here James and Alfie won thousands of tokens.
Friday was our last full day and we had to spend quite a bit of it taking
down and packing away everything we didn’t need. We also built a
camp-fire and got the Camp-Fire circle ready. We had time for campsports (mallet and wellie-wanging etc.) before our guests arrived for our
barbeque. These included Christine and Simon (he’s never one to miss
out on good food!). After this some parents arrived and we had our CampFire sing-song which included several ‘stunts’ (short sketches) that the
Scouts performed. These were exceptionally well done and very funny.
The last day is always rather sad, packing up the last things, but we had
a fun Shooting Competition. In pairs the Scouts had five shots each at an
old tin and the ones who got their tin the furthest got a sweet. We’re lucky
that we have enough room to do this safely. Finally, we gathered round the
flagpole and talked about the great things we’d done and learnt over the
week and then ceremoniously brought the flag down for the last time. The
end of another wonderful Summer Camp.
Skip
11

12

13

Sprowston Day Centre
Sprowston
Day Centre
Friendly atmosphere,

Friendly
Friendly atmosphere,
atmosphere,
great entertainment
and a hot meal.
great
great entertainment
entertainment and
and a
a hot
hot meal.
meal.

10am - 2pm
10am-2:30pm
10am-2:30pm
Wednesday and Fridays
Tuesday,
Tuesday, Wednesday
Wednesday and
and Friday
Friday
A: St Cuthbert’s Church,
Sprowston Day Centre
Sprowston
Day Centre
Wroxham
Road, Norwich
NR7 8TZ
St Cuthbert’s Church, Wroxham Road,
St Cuthbert’s
Church,
Wroxham Road,
T: 01603
419682
Norwich NR7 8TZ
W: www.sprowstondaycentre.co.uk
Norwich
8TZ
Tel:
01603NR7
419682
Tel: 01603 419682

Puzzle. Your challenge with the Sudoku puzzles is to fill each empty

square. Each row, column and 3 by 3 box must all contain the numbers
from 1 to 9 only once. The solution will are published next month.

Last issue’s solution.

15

Wildlife News
Communication and cooperation,
surely the cornerstone of a
successful society? Our whole
lives are governed by the ability
to exchange information and
work together; think news in all its
forms, mobile phones, face to face
conversation, road signs, books,
TV and movies, social media and of
course the internet. How would the
modern world function without these
things? How would we discover
what’s happening around us, how
would we get things done? We
humans have a very sophisticated
social structure and information
sharing network, but we are not the
only species that communicates and
cooperates with one another, far
from it.
We regard the trills, squeaks and
squawks of birds as nothing more
than background noise. We know
they sing in spring to proclaim
territory and make a bit of a racket
when a cat creeps close, but do
they actually talk to one another? I
think they do. Logically they must.
After all they have been around
much longer than Homo sapiens
so it seems reasonable to suppose
they have developed a form of
communication that enables them to
work as a team. An example of this
was demonstrated to me a couple
of winters ago at the RSPB reserve
at Strumpshaw Fen. A starling

roost had built up reaching a peak
of several thousand birds. This
impressive gathering would delight
people sitting in the hide as they
murmurated around the pink sky of
a January dusk before plunging into
the reeds to spent the cold hours
of darkness. Once hidden from
sight it was still possible to listen
to the babble of voices pleasantly
chuntering away from their chosen
roost site. The chortles went on
for some time. I was present one
evening when an impressive swarm
of these birds performed a graceful
aerial ballet, some were picked off
by ever watchful sparrow-hawks,
and the over wintering marsh
harriers would try their luck as well,
but the vast majority survived to
see another dawn. The following
evening people gathered to watch
the spectacle and not a single
bird turned up; nothing, not one.
Now hitherto these birds would
congregate over a period of perhaps
an hour and would arrive from every
point of the compass having spent
their day foraging in fields and
gardens over a wide area.
So how come they all abandoned
the roost at the same time? How
did they all know that their brethren
would seek sanctuary elsewhere?
The only conclusion I can reach
is that they talked to one another,

16

deciding in their own way that
Strumpshaw was getting a little
too dangerous and that it was
time to move on. Interesting don’t
you think?

methods unappreciated by us. There
are many other examples from
the wider natural world. We’re all
familiar with the hunting techniques
of lions and the waggle dance of
bees; the chemically controlled
logistics of foraging ants and inter
dependent relationships between
flowers and their pollinators. But
it’s instructive sometimes to look
around and recognise that all
animals communicate; some in a
rudimentary way, others with quite
complex methods. It’s all basically
about survival, finding food and
avoiding danger. And isn’t that
essentially why we communicate?
We’re not so very different, we
just have Facebook and Twitter to
contend with!

Another prime example of
cooperative tactics in birds can be
observed regularly and closely at
Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s reserve at
Ranworth Broad. Here cormorants
have established a large roost and
during late summer and autumn
take to herding fish around the
broad. It’s fascinating to watch up
to 100 birds swimming together
in a loose semi-circular formation
pushing frightened fish before
them. On cue the whole group will
plunge under the water with some
emerging victorious, large bream or
Barry Madden
perch firmly grasped in their long,
purposely designed bills. The fishing
Check out my blog at:
party will move around the broad
www.easternbushchat.blogspot.co.uk
until all are sated, then without
obvious signs of communication lift
off from the water and fly to their
roost to digest their catch. It’s a
worthwhile tactic because a single
bird would perhaps struggle to find
prey or at least would use a lot of
energy in doing so. By working as a
team all can save energy and reap
the benefits of a collective assault. A
real Attenborough scene played out
in a humble Norfolk backwater.
These are just a couple of instances
where local animals obviously
cooperate and communicate by
17

Sprowston N
St. Mary & St Margaret’s and St. Cuthbert’s

Revd Canon Simon Stokes
Address: The Vicarage, 2 Wroxham
Road, Sprowston, Norwich NR7 8TZ
Telephone:
01603
426492
Serving the
Parish
and the Commun
Email: vicar@sprowston.org.uk

Sunday 6th October - Trinity 16
St Cuthbert’s:
8.00am Holy Communion
9.30am All Age Worship

Sunday 20th October - Trinity 18
St Cuthbert’s:
9.30am Family Communion
with children’s activities

St Mary & St Margaret’s:
10.30am Holy Communion
with healing

St Mary & St Margaret’s:
10.30am Holy Communion

Sunday 13th October - Trinity 17
St Cuthbert’s:
9.30am Holy Communion
with children’s activities

Sunday 27th October - Last
Sunday after Trinity
St Cuthbert’s:
9.30am Holy Communion
with children’s activities

St Mary & St Margaret’s:
10.30am Morning Prayer

St Mary & St Margaret’s:
10.30am Morning Prayer

You can find out more information about our parish by
visiting our website: sprowston.org.uk
or by calling our church office on: 01603 411194
18

Sprowston Methodist,
Cozens-Hardy Road NR7 8AD
Sunday Services
10.30am with Junior Church groups
and crèche for under 5’s.
7pm contemporary celebration
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
is celebrated every month on
second Sunday mornings and fourth
Sunday evenings.
Website: sprowstonmethodist.org.uk
Old Catton Methodist,
White Woman Lane School NR6 7AJ
Sunday Service from 10.00am
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
is celebrated each month.
Website: oldcattonmethodist.org.uk

Gage Road Chapel,
34 Gage Road NR7 8BN
Sunday Activities
10.00am Prayer Meeting
11:00am Morning Worship
On the 2nd and 4th Sundays
Morning Worship includes Sunday
School. Communion is celebrated
on the 2nd Sunday of the month at
a 7:00pm service.
Website: gageroadchapel.org.uk
19

View from the Doghouse
I hope you have had a good summer. By the time you read this we don’t
know what the weather will be doing but at the moment I am a very hot
dog! I have had a great summer despite being a little put out when the
boss and family decided to go on holiday without me – what kind of loyalty
is that?
Anyway I went to stay with Julie
and David in a great house with
fantastic animals and humans to
play with. In fact, I didn’t miss the
boss at all! While there I had the
chance to go to their dog show and
you’ll never believe it… I came first!
Well, to be honest I came first for
the dog with waggiest tail, but only
3rd in the pedigree class. Anyway,
I was quite happy coming first for
anything, I can feel your admiration
already! Being in a competition
can be a little bit stressful but it
reminded me of how Jesus said that
we shouldn’t worry about things and
how worrying doesn’t add anything
to our lives. So why not try taking
one day at a time and not worrying.
You may not have a tail to wag, but
you can show your happiness in lots
of other ways. So however difficult
today might be, relax and try doing it
Jesus’ way, Mayne

To get in touch with the editor, Adam Moore,
please email: sprowstonnews@gmail.com

The deadline for the November
issue is the 26th September.
20

Those who advertise with Sprowston News help us a great deal.
Through the advertisement fees they pay, the costs of producing our
magazine are reduced, enabling us to offer a low cost subscription
rate. Although we cannot specifically endorse any advertiser in this
magazine, please support them.
Index of Advertisers
Building Services
Connect Construction
John Russen
Mick Butler & Son Ltd

28
28
26

Handyman
Flatpack Wizards
Richard Thompson

26
22

Locksmiths
Linacre Locksmiths

26

Clubs and Societies
Broadland District
Liberal Democrats

23

Computer Services
LINC Computers

26

Personal Services
Hair by Alison
Maureen Skouros
Foot Health Practitioner

22

Pest Control
Platten Pest Control

22

Plumbing and Heating
James Secker Ltd
M. Rush
Totally Assured Plumbing

28
28
27

Scaffolding
Easten Counties
Access Solutions

24

Tree Surgeons
M. G. D. Tree and
Conifer Surgery

27

Windows
Norfolk & Norwich Windows
Oasis (Norwich)

24
22

Decorators
D. B. Decor Ltd

Drains and Gutter
Blockbusters 25
Electrical Services
Righ Connections
24
Sprowston Electrical Services 23
Exercise
Body Conditioning Class
Exercise with Sally
Pilates Classes
Funeral Services
Funeral Services from
East of England Co-Op
John Brown
Shayne Stork

24
27
28

27
25
29

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You can stay informed about
all that is happening in
our parish by visiting our
Facebook page search:

@ Sprowston Church

St Cuthbert’s Church Centre Coffee Morning
Saturday 10.00am - 12.00noon
Sale Table with many items £1.00 and under.
In aid of Church funds.

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To find out more about
advertising rates please
contact Keith by emailing:

advertising.
sprowstonnews
@gmail.com
28

Shayne Stork
Independent Family Funeral Services
We understand that organising a funeral can be very stressful, and will do
all we can to help you realise a fitting tribute for your loved one. Being an
independent funeral director enables us to supply a first class personal
service at competitive rates.
If you would like to ease the
financial pressure on your loved
ones by arranging a funeral plan,
we can help with that too.
Call us anytime to discuss your
requirements - we’re here to help

“We are a family-run business, have been arranging
funerals since 2000, and pride ourselves on our
empathetic approach and attention to detail.”
Shayne Stork

Telephone: 01603 702702

Mobile: 07484 626128

104 - 106 Sprowston Road, Norwich, NR3 4QW

29

Our churches
Visit our updated website, now with a short and simple section on faith and
prayer at: sprowston.org.uk

Find out more about what is happening in
our diocese by visiting: dioceseofnorwich.org

30

Help Needed!
We need your help to deliver 9 magazines
in the area between and including
Inman Road and Hornbeam Close.
For more information please contact Roz Taylor
on Norwich 484626

St Gregory’s Orchestra Concert at St Cuthbert’s
Church, 3pm on Sunday 24th November
Leader: Pat Plumstead, Conductor: Martin Wyatt
Programme: Swan Lake Suite by Tchaikovsky, Serenade
for Strings by Elgar, Symphony no 5 by Tchaikovsky.
In aid of Church Funds
Tickets £8, children £5 available from the church
office 411194, Sheila 419896, or at the door.

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From the Parish Registers
for June and July 2019
Funerals
1st August ~ Kelvin Newitt
5th August ~ Reginald Watts
5th August ~ Sybil Tooke
6th August ~ Dennis Osborne
16th August ~ Beryl Rust
22nd August ~ Althea Warne
22nd August ~ Thelma Gladwell
22nd August ~ Pauline Taylor
28th August ~ Edna Bullinger
29th August ~ Kevin Southgate
30th August ~ Alan Applegate

Parish Contacts

Baptisms
4th August ~ Ava Walker
11th August ~ Aubree Woodcock
18th August ~ Marley Nunn
25th August ~ Eryn Moloney
25th August ~ Ettie Davidson
Weddings
1st August ~ Thomas Weavers

& Kerry Jones
3rd August ~ Ian Bloomfield

& Kerry Chapman
31st August ~ Ryan Hughes

& Rebecca Mison

(all dialling codes 01603 unless stated)

Reader - Andy Hudson,
12 Blithemeadow Drive NR7 8PY
• 400866

Associate Vicar with responsibility
for performing arts - Revd Dean
Akrill, 15 Blue Boar Lane NR7 8RX
• 482360

Churchwarden - Sue Ellingham,
20 St Clements Hill NR3 4BQ • 416144

Vicar - Revd Canon Simon Stokes,
2 Wroxham Rd NR7 8TZ • 426492

Assistant Priest - Revd Melanie
Hider, 10 Brian Avenue NR1 2PH
• 622373
Curate - Revd Philip Harvey,
62 Avocet Rise NR7 8ES • 948222
Curate - Revd Andy Bunter,
4 Mallard Way, NR7 8DD • 440751
Reader - Stephanie Grand,
4 Blakes Court NR3 4DS • 488985

Churchwarden and Transport Officer
- Shelia Tuffield, 25 Allens Avenue
NR7 8EP • 419896
PCC Secretary - Mary Carpenter,
89 Romany Road NR3 4RF • 462694
Parish Administrator
- Julie Hagan-Palmer, 411194 •
office@sprowston.org.uk
Planned Giving Officer
- Robert Huntly, 7 Clabon First
Close NR3 4HE • 400902
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Parish Contacts

(all dialling codes 01603 unless stated)

Sprowston News Magazine
Secretary and Cross Section
Chairperson - Roz Taylor
10 Cere Road NR7 8JU • 484626

Beavers - Denise Maddon,
73 Blackwell Ave • 402708

Sprowston Library - Recreation
Ground NR7 8EW (Closed Sun &
Mon) • 408426

Berties’ Babes - Claire Akrill,
15 Blue Boar Lane NR7 8RX
• 482360

Brownies (Wednesday) and Guides
(Wednesday). Please register your
interest via the Guiding website www.girlguiding.org.uk

Sprowston Day Centre
- Open Weds and Fri mornings only
• 419682

45th Norwich Scouts - Colin Clarke, Sprowston History - Val Kibble,
8 Blue Boar Lane NR7 8RS • 460451
7 Magnay Rd, Drayton NR8 6BT
• 400501
Meals on Wheels - Good
30th Norwich Scouts - Alan Bedder, Wholesome Food, Norwich • 465717
21 Tills Close NR6 7QS • 424589
Archant (local press) - Luke Powell,
luke.powell@archant.co.uk • 772684
Hellesdon and Sprowston Brass
Band - Tracy Gonzales,
Member of Parliament
52 Jewson Road NR3 3RQ
- Chloe Smith,
• 079614 20895
chloe@chloesmith.org.uk • 414756
Sprowston Parish Players
Norfolk Councillors:
- Toni Morina, 40 Alford Grove
John Ward, 431146 •
NR7 8XB • 484554
john.ward@norfolk.gov.uk
Sprowston Town Council
- Guy Ranaweera, Diamond Centre, Karen Vincent, 07881 365238 •
karen.vincent2.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk
School Lane, Sprowston, Norwich
NR7 8TR • 408063
Broadland Councillors:
Judy Leggett, 429986 •
cllr.judy.leggett@broadland.gov.uk
Ian Moncur, 427420 •
cllr.ian.moncur@broadland.gov.uk
33

Featured letter ~ Innocents in Arabia
The sun came up over the mountains, just like any day in the Middle East.
No need to worry about rain. It only rained once a year for a few minutes
and came all at once, flooding the earth and making the beautiful vine
spread their luxurious purple flowers. Today we are going to the dessert,
then on to an oasis. We set out, making sure we had enough petrol and
then topped up at the last petrol station on the edge of the desert. There
was sand as far as the eye could see but we travelled on and soon our
wheels began to sink into the sand and we came to a stop: luckily for us,
we were just outside a village. The native women knew just what to do
as they had seen it all before. They brought out bits of carpets and mats,
which they placed beneath our wheels and we were soon on our way
again. We had noticed that the village was surrounded by date palms
which were fully laden.
When we arrived at the oasis, we found a group of Nomads had got there
before us and their camels were resting in the shade having been well
fed and watered. The Nomads were washing their feet round a natural
spring which sang as it bubbled up. Some of the Nomads were dressed in
flowing white robes with red and white turbans and round their waists they
wore pretty embroidered belts with bright, shining stones inset in them.
From these belts hung some frightening looking knives which glinted in
the sunlight and these too were very highly decorated. They made us
welcome and gave us tea which was very hot and sweet and served in
glasses. I had taken my camera but they resented it so I didn’t use it but it
was a shame not to have a photo of them. All too soon they were packing
up ready to depart but first they put my children on the camels’ backs and
they were frightened at first as the camels were really grumpy and noisy.
The Nomads were soon off with the camels packed high with the highly
decorated bright saddles. It was quite a sight. Although there were some
wicked looking knives, we were not afraid that anything would happen. It
just didn’t dawn on us. Now, I would have had second thoughts.
Nora Atkinson.

34

View from the Doghouse

Contents - November
2016 is
I know that remembering
Sprowston News

Cover photo: Im
F

St Cuthbert’simportant,
Church Centre
but it doesn’t do much for my
Wroxham
confidence when everywhere
I go I hear
Keynote
articleRoad
5 Parish
Registers

for A
Tigger
Vicar’s
Voice people talking about how wonderful
7 Parish &
Local Conta
SPROWSTON
was! I know, I know! Any way I have
Hope’s View from
the Dog
House
9 the
Advertisers’
Index
begun
to feel
a little better as
wonderful
YOUTH
CAFE
Sprowston Women’s
Institute
10 Advertisers’
vet has
given me some tablets
that help mySection
to 18 YEARS
allergies and seem to give 11
me Cross
more energy.
WWI13
Centenary
Section
EVERY TUESDAY
7.00PM
TO
9.00PM
I’m beginning13toPuzzles
understand
Mothers’
Union Also, I think
For more information
contact
Rev
Simon
this job. However, the other day, just as I
Scoutson-01603
Scribblings
Wordsearch
426492 by Chip
was 15
beginning
to feel
Wildlife Notes
16 Crossword
comfortable
about & Sudoku
myself,
I heard
A few words from the Editor
17 Crossword
answers
someone
saying how
Local Church Service listings
18-19 W’ds’ch/Sudoku
answ
wonderful Tigger was
All opinions expressed in
the articles
those
ofquite
the author.
we
After
Schoolare
Club
and
I felt
crushed.WeSurp
advertisements,
articles
and Centre,
letters for inclusion
butof
reserve
the right
St Cuthbert’s
Church
to be aware
my crushed
lo
amend
any
material
submitted.
Running
every
week.
Wroxham Road
problem
was. He
then
explained to me that each o
Fun crafts,loved
games,by
andGod
discovery!
For Children
7-11. in our own
and each
ofpostal
us aged
is special
Email address is is
editor@sprowston.org.uk;
or delivery
addres
DEFENDERS
AFTER
St Cuthbert’s
Centre,
every Wednesday
during
term died
time. for us. He
way
–
so
special
in
fact
that
Jesus
St Cuthbert’s Parish Office, Wroxham Road, Norwich NR7 8TZ.
pointed
outandthat
is important
as we
Each session
costs £1
runsremembering
from the end of school
to 5pm.
SCHOOL
CLUB
celebrate
what via
went
before
Contributions
be placed
on the
postboard
the back
ofand
St
Formay
more also
information
please contact
Philip
or Melanie at
that
if
we
allow
it,
the
memorie
the
church
office
on
01603
411194
addressed to ‘The Editor’. The church is open from 8 am to 10 pm
For children aged 7 to 11
will strengthen
us today
and gi
usually
at the Coffee Morning at St Cuthberts,
10 to 12
First Saturda
EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY DURING TERM TIME
tomorrow. So next time I hear
These
are
alsogames,
the means
by which
youmore
can...enter
the new mon
Fun
crafts,
art, adventure
and much
including
was
I
won’t
feel
judged, but wi
'discover and
explore'ofArts
Awardare on the editor’s page.
competition,
details
which
and remember that I, like you,
Each session £1 and runs from 3.15 pm to 4.45 pm
celebrate.
For more information
contact Rev2016
Dean on
*** Deadline
for December
edition is Mon 7th No
482360
Enjoy
remembering
****01603
Deadline
for January
2017 edition is Mon 28th No
3
2