We are a Good Community for Looking After Each Other - it's official

South Lakeland might have the oldest and frailest population in Cumbria but we have looked after each other during the COVID pandemic. Requests from South Lakeland residents for statutory support have been the lowest of any of the districts. Data from the Cumbria Multi Agency Intelligence Cell (MAIC) suggests that the community infrastructure in South Lakeland may have had a considerable impact in mitigating demand for statutory support. Click here for the full report.

Parish Council meeting by Zoom

The Parish Council will be meeting on Monday the 25th January at 7pm by Zoom.  Agenda.  Cash Statement

Books and Jigsaws Available!

 

200 Club - January 2021 Prizewinners

Winning numbers in the January draw of the village hall's 200 Club are: 1st - 21, 2nd - 68, 3rd - 98.

The Church will be Closed again for a while

It has been decided that it is too risky to meet together in St. Mark's Church, so there will be no service on Sundays and the church won't be open on Wednesday either. Keep an eye on the St. Mark's Church webpage, above, which is updated regularly.

Latest Lockdown Leaves Crazy Craigs Charity Climb in Limbo

The story so far...... What seems like long long ago our intrepid hero Revd. Craig Bentley boldly (or somewhat foolishly?) offered to climb St Mark's church tower 500 times to match the height of Mt. Everest. The charity chosen to share with St Mark's in the proceeds of the climb is the International Nepal Fellowship.

His mid November climbing window was stymied by Lockdown 2 and he had to put his plans on hold and concentrate on his spiritual, clerical and familial duties.

A new date was fixed for January but now Lockdown 3 means Craig is frustrated yet again. All this disappointment for him just as Cumbria had begun to resemble the Himalaya with snow and ice all around us.

And now...... A new date must  be fixed for this epic challenge, but when? When will Craig be freed by Boris and the Bishop  to ascend and descend that tower? Should it be Lent, a time of penitence, or 25th April to celebrate St Mark's day or, as one clerical wag irreverently suggested Ascension Day? Rather than fix a new date and be disappointed yet again there will be a review of the situation at the end of February and a decision taken as to whether Craig will make a summit dash before his Easter duties renders this impossible or wait until spring makes conditions easier in April. One thing remains however is his determination to complete the challenge.

The good news.... In a very seasonal way just before Christmas there were “Glad tidings of great joy.” Without even eating a single bar of Kendal Mint Cake Craig had already raised over £2,500.00. Just think what he might achieve if he ever got started! Thank you to everyone who has donated so generously. Collin Mansfield.

The Weather in December 2020

December	2020	Dec. average
Temperature at 8 a.m.	4.6° C	3.4° C
Minimum Temperature (Ave)	3.0° C	2.8° C
Maximum Temperature (Ave)	6.7° C	6.6° C
Rainfall	144.5 mm 5.8"	166 mm 6.6"

 We had rain most days but not much except on 14 and 27 December. There was a sprinkling of snow on the last day of the year.

Despite April and May being very dry, annual rainfall was 72.7 inches. This is way above the average of 58 inches and only surpassed by December 2015 (distorted by Storm Desmond) in the last 17 years. John Dobson.

Parish News for January 2021

 Here we are in 2021 and still printed copies of the Parish News can't be delivered house to house. You can read the extended edition for the New Year online though, by clicking here.

The Tier 4 rules have led to alterations in church services again, though we can still worship together.

On Sundays there will be a Holy Communion Service at 10am (except for the 17th January when the 10am Service will take the form of Morning Prayer.)

On Wednesdays there will be -       9-9.30 - Morning Prayer.

                                                        10-10.30 -Holy Communion

                                                       2.30-3pm. Silent Prayer, concluding with led/spoken prayers at 2.45pm.

Christmas in Natland.

Here is a link to a Nativity Service that involved people from all seven churches in the Helm Group, including ours, and here is a link to our Carol Service.

On Christmas Eve there will be a Communion Service at 11.30pm and the Communion Service on Christmas Day will be at 9am followed by Morning Worship at 10.15am. The Church will be warm and decorated with flowers, and candles will be lit. We can’t sing, but there will be music.

Links to recordings of services at St. Mark's are available a couple of hours afterwards on the St. Mark's Church page above.

At the Parochial Church Council we regretted having to decide against carol singing on the Green. People getting together and having a good time is a Coronavirus risk. 

Wishing you all a happy Christmas whatever your situation, and a Merry Christmas from Bob on Longmeadow Lane.

 

200 Club. December Prizewinners

The winning numbers in the December draw of the village hall's 200 Club are: 1st - 60, 2nd - 100, 3rd - 73.  Here is a link to the form to join the club.