You would have seen from the piece in the August Parish magazine that we were looking at a way to safely reintroduce our book re-cycling and exchange with a view to books being delivered to the requesting household and being placed in quarantine on return. We have identified a small storage area that can be used and indexing has commenced.

So far, the following are available:

BOOKS!

• Alan Coren’s “The Sanity Inspector” – 1970’s collection of amusing pieces, some having stood the test of time, especially the take on traditional Christmas games. Not PC.
• Gerald Durrell’s “The Corfu Trilogy” – if you have missed your summer holiday what better way to evoke memories of thyme-scented hillsides, cloudless skies and blue seas. Well worth a re-read.
• Alec Guinness’s “Blessings in Disguise” – a memoir of theatre and film with delightful pen portraits of famous actors. Modestly written with a mixture of humour and humanity. Enormously enjoyable.
• Guiseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa’s “The Leopard” – a celebrated Italian novel, beautifully written and translated. A novel that takes place in history rather than an historical novel.
• Bel Mooney’s “Small Dogs Can Save Your Life” – the journalist recognises that it is the rescue dog who has rescued her through the heartbreak of a broken marriage.
• James Pope-Hennessy’s “The Quest for Queen Mary” – not a biography of George V’s widow but interview notes made by the author when meeting royalty, courtiers and retainers which were kept secret for 50 years. Sharp wit and detailed observation and, not too far from home, a lovely chapter about a weekend stay at Barnwell, near Oundle, the then home of Henry, Duke of Gloucester.
• Ruth Rendell’s “Make Death Love Me” – a fast paced novel full of suspense written by the award winning crime fiction writer. Some parts of the novel are dated (written in the late 70’s) but enjoyable nevertheless.
• Joyce Stranger’s “Kym” – a “biography” of a much-loved accident-prone Siamese cat written in the 1970’s by his observant owner, a novelist. Amusing, charming but rather dated.
• Brian Viner’s “Cream Teas, Traffic Jams and Sunburn” – narrative travel book of the year in 2011 – a well observed and entertaining social history of British holiday makers’ trips to the seaside and more exotic destinations.

JIGSAW’s

• London Underground Map – 1000 pieces – how well do you know the London underground? We discovered stations unknown to us – Beckton, Colliers Wood and Anerley. We gave up on the white surround to the map…but great fun to do.
• The First Kiss by Bouguereau – 1000 pieces – Difficult and not for the faint hearted due to the limited colour palette depicting Cupid and Psyche as children.

Contact Debra Thatcher if you would like a delivery – 01572 823910 or debrathatcher@hotmail.com

With high numbers of people losing their jobs and many still on furlough there continues to be a huge demand for support from Rutland Food Bank. Our donations in the church porch are collected on alternate Wednesdays and for the collection on 26^th August we have been advised that the following are in short supply:

• Hand soap;
• Shampoo;
• Cereal bars;
• Cream crackers; and
• Pringles

Thanks are due to everyone in the village who have supported the collections to date and for the continued generosity.

If you think you are in need of some help, or know of someone who does, please call the Citizens Advice Bureau on 01572 723494.

MESSAGE FROM RPCC

Thank you to Ridlington residents who already support the church throughout the year. This generosity is hugely appreciated, enabling the church to be a living community asset – not just for Sunday services and major gatherings, festivals and celebrations, but also a hub for the Foodbank, Choir, Community Orchard and Wildflower Garden…

However, as a result of Covid 19 and the inability of the church to hold services, gatherings and fund-raising events, we are now struggling to pay routine bills and meet other financial obligations.

Recently, you will have received a leaflet titled ‘Coffee Break’ from all the members of the PCC. If you feel you can help in this way i.e. dedicating the cost of your ‘coffee break’ to aid church funds – or even consider making a one-off payment – we would be immensely grateful.

Thank you for your consideration.

Louise Fox; Anne and David Harvey; Bart Hellyer; Andy Hoult; Maggie Mortell; Richard Thatcher; Margie Wall.