The new season of Hillingdon Choral Society starts on Monday 11th September at 7.45 p.m. in the U.R.C. New members will be most welcome, so come along.

A new local Junior Badminton Club is starting in Ickenham from September. Lesley and Brian Lockie are running it. Both are experienced county players, and fully qualified badminton coaches. The club is for children aged between 8 and 13, and will be held at Vyners School Sports Hall on Tuesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost: £6 per 2 hour session.

Pat and Tony Caulkett, both qualified assistant coaches, will be helping - the Club has the full support of Badminton England.

“We want to encourage children in the local area into this great sport, learning through fun, fitness, and experienced coaching.” says Lesley

If you are interested, please call Lesley on 01895 635017

At the end of June, during St John’s Day, a group of members of the Spanish Episcopal Reformed Church (Anglican Communion) from Sabadell, and Barcelona, arrived with great expectation to spend a weekend in Ickenham – a weekend that we will never forget.

Montserrat Gil and Josefina Terribas were accommodated in the home of Don and Beryl Gwilt, while Juan Casacuberta and I stayed in the home of Brian and Jenny Reid. In both places we were received and welcomed splendidly.

We visited some very interesting places, such as the Cathedral of St Alban, the Natural History Museum, and St Paul’s Cathedral, London, as well as the city of Oxford.

Our main objective was the Parish of St Giles, Ickenham. We were really impressed by the singular setting of the XIV Century church building, the old cemetery, and the Church Hall. We admired the Church for its antiquity, architectural and artistic beauty, the cemetery for its evocative corners and beautiful vegetation, and the functionality of the Hall.

On Sunday 25th June, we attended the morning services, presided over by Revd. Adrian Guthrie, and the evening service in the Church Hall. During that service, the Sunday Special, we were able to share with those present our different experiences as Christians. There too we celebrated a fellowship party at which special Catalan sparkling wine and cakes were served.

Now we know what the word ‘hospitality’ actually means for the community of Ickenham. Also we are pleased to say that the experience of that weekend was for all of us full of insights and positive in every way.

That is why the happy memories of St Giles’ congregation will remain forever in our hearts.

God bless you!

Antonio Ibáñez

Christ Church, Sabadell

Young female teacher requires room in the Ickenham or Ruislip area from early September. TEL. 01895 672577

Receipt is acknowledged, with grateful thanks, of the following donations towards the cost of ICN:

Anonymous of Witney Close via Editor, Ickenham Arts Society, Anonymous of Copthall Road East via David Sexton, Janet Pasco of Milton Road, Ruislip Operatic Society, Anonymous of Thornhill Road via Lesley Francis, very large donation from the Festival of Ickenham Committee via David Millen, large anonymous donation via David Thorpe, Mrs Byrne of Burnham Avenue via Marion Smith.

Copy for the October edition should be with me by 13th September.