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Reports
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Those leaving to go on to secondary education each read out a description of their friend in the group so that we got to know something about their personality, and there was a series of projected pictures showing the Leavers at different times in their life from a baby to current time. Finally the Leavers were presented with a 'hoody' in their favourite colour and a booklet from the church about moving on to secondary education. (Return to top)
The hymns ranged from the traditional 'Eternal Father, Strong to Save' and 'Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer', to the more recent 'Tell Out My Soul', and 'Abba Father' and included the children's hymn popular at Ann Cam School 'If I Was A Wiggly Worm' - with actions! (Return to top)
Bob May, our Musical Director, as well as accompanying on the organ, spoke twice to give an interesting explanation about each hymn - it's author and/or composer (Return to top)
The children waited at table to serve the food and copious cups of tea and coffee prepared in the school kitchen by our Rector, Tony Lomas, assisted by one of our Readers, David Clowes, whilst the other Reader, Roger Parker, kept an eye what the children were doing 'front of house'. (Return to top)
After everyone had had their fill, the Rector showed a 5 minute video he had managed to edit from nearly an hour's worth of video shot by the children when they went to the vets the week before (see report below) and the children told the guests what they'd done on that visit. (Return to top)
After thinly cut sandwiches with a variety of fillings and delicious homemade cakes, including some topped with a fresh strawberry, Tony Denby joined our organist, Bob May who was acting as compere, to play the 8 records that reminded him of a long and varied life. Tony said he was born in the same house that goes back to the English King Henry VII at the end of the 15th century and told us something of the chequered history that brought it into the possession of his father and now him. Although it was only close by, he was sent to Boarding School in Kempley, tales of which he recounted, along with his early career moves before he settled down in the wood trade, becoming known as 'King Charcoal'. (Return to top)
His records included several romantic ballads that reminded him of events down the decades, including meeting his wife of 60 years, Beryl, plus 'Mars, the Bringer of War', and the Karelia Suite by Sibelius after a trip to Norway. (Return to top)
After the usual full English Breakfast with bacon, eggs and all the trimmings, Robbie gave a talk illustrated with slides that began with one of his first disposal items - an old World War Two bomb inside a gasometer in the east-end of London. He explained that he was involved because he had an interest in diving and the bomb was under 40ft (12m) of water. At the start, he ingested a lung-full of polluted, oily water and thought he was going to die - it was then he became a Christian! (Return to top)
He went on to describe his own experience in growing his faith and his experiences in bomb disposal in the Falkland Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan as well as his setting up the common EOD Training establishment. He showed us a small personal mine from Afghanistan that he said the local children liked throwing against the wall to see how many times they could do it before it went off! He then took questions, altogether one of our most interesting meetings. Return to top)
Then came the interesting bit! A surgeon and nurse took over and showed them the preparation area where they examined a Labrador dog and explained what they were looking for and let them listen to the dog's heartbeat with a stethoscope before they went into the recovery room and saw several cats and dogs that had had operations that day and were waiting to go home again, except for one cat that had had a leg amputate so would not be going home for a few days. Finally they looked at X-ray pictures of various animals, including any of their own pets that had been treated on previous occasions, and had the problems explained. (Return to top)
As they left, they were each presented with a 'goody bag' with items relating to their own pet animal, either cat or dog. The next week they will be holding a Tea Party for the 'old folks' of Dymock (they defined that as anyone over 40) when they will tell them what they learnt during this visit (see 'Old Folks' Tea Party above) . (Return to top)