MINIATURE RAILWAY FIRST OUTING OF 2007

All Aboard the Trains on Saturday 7^th April from Noon

 

CHRISTIANS HAVE A MORAL IMPERATIVE TO LEAD ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is the most serious threat facing humanity.

Climate change may increase the frequency of flooding in the vulnerable areas of Ickenham such as Ickenham Marsh and those adjacent to the River Pinn, also low-lying places where drainage is inadequate during heavy storms.  In times of drought hosepipe bans will be more likely as will be the inconvenience of using standpipes for drinking water. But drastic life threatening and life taking “human induced climate change” will hit poor communities the hardest.  It will bring more frequent and intense heat waves, floods and droughts leading to poor harvests, malnutrition, increases in disease and much loss of life.  The Bible says ' Love does no harm to its neighbour' (Romans 13, 10).  But climate change shows us that our own energy hungry life styles are harming our poorer neighbours across the world, now.  The moral imperative for us is to act is unquestionable and inescapable.

Diseases including malaria and diarrhoea will increase - 185 million people in Africa could die as a direct result of climate change by 2100.

Droughts will worsen, increasing the frequency and intensity of famines.

Flooding, from sea rise, will threaten 300 million people within decades.

But poor countries that are least prepared will suffer most, yet are least to blame.  Rich countries are responsible for 80% of the man-made increase in CO2.

The average UK citizen produces as much CO2 in two and a half days as a Malawian citizen does in a year.
Caring for God's creation is to care for people who are poor.  Christian Aid, Tearfund and Friends of the Earth are campaigning on Climate Change, working to ensure communities that will be most affected are able to adapt to the changes to their environment and where this is possible, are better prepared for natural disasters.
The Bishop of Liverpool says  ".... tragically when we in the richer countries feel the real force of climate change it will be too late to reverse the inevitable".

We in Ickenham could act now by walking or cycling instead of driving - not leaving household appliances on standby - shopping locally for local, seasonal produce and buying produce from overseas if it is Fairtrade, so the growers are paid a fair price - using buses and trains when possible - driving less and at reduced speed - using energy saving light bulbs - turning down the heating thermostat a little and most importantly supporting the campaigns soon to be announced by Christian Aid, Tearfund, Friends of the Earth, and the World Development Movement, Greenpeace and WWF.
Bernard Pearce and Rose Bennett.

 

Wanted – New members for our small, friendly club of mature persons. We are situated next to Swakeleys House and play three or four times a week throughout the year.

For Further details please ring Pam Currin on 01895 677149 or Ed Brennan on 01895 635568.

 

There will be a special Memorial Service at St. Giles’ Church on Sunday 13th May at 3 p.m. for those who are bereaved.  The name of the departed, whose funeral was conducted at the United Reformed Church or by St. Giles' Church staff between the beginning of March 2006 and the end of February 2007, will be read out during the service.

The Reverend Bill White, Chaplain of Hillingdon Hospital, will give a talk.

Members of the churches' Pastoral Support Group will be present.  After the service, the congregation will be invited to have refreshments in St. Giles' Church Hall.

Anyone who would find this service helpful is welcome to come. 

As another successful course year comes to an end for the Ruislip and Uxbridge Branch of the W.E.A. (Workers’ Educational Association), it seems an opportune moment to update you with plans for events later in the year.

The following series of Summer Literary Guided Lecture Walks have been arranged to occupy some of the summer months after the present courses have finished and prior to the new course year (which starts in September).

Saturday 21^st April – ‘Literary Portraits’. Meet – National Portrait Gallery Foyer at 11 a.m.

Saturday 19^th May – ‘George Orwell’s London’. Meet – Goodge Street Station at 11 a.m.

Saturday 16^th June - ‘Literary Bloomsbury’. Meet – Russell Square Station at 11a.m.

The W.E.A. Lecturer, Michael King, will be the guide for these walks. Tickets are £5 each and will be limited to 20 persons per lecture. Please ring 01895 811764 to reserve your tickets, which will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

The Annual Lecture Supper Evening has been arranged this year for Saturday 17^th November in the Village Hall at 6.30 p.m. The guest speaker is Gordon Ogbourne, who is a respected expert on the subject of ‘Film’, and has a reputation as a particularly entertaining after dinner speaker. Tickets are £8 each including supper.

Full details of the September courses will be announced in a future edition of ICN prior to the W.E.A. brochures being available in all local libraries from July.

Jim O’Connor

 

Dear Editor,

Thank you for running our advert. 

You might like to let your readers know about the power of advertising as we have had a positive response to finding a new secretary to replace Ruth Gear who retired recently. Beryl Upton kindly agreed to undertake this role with effect from our Annual General Meeting that took place on 19^th March.

Regards,

Derek Hughes.

 

(A donation supporter of ICN)

 

Saturday 14^th April in Ickenham Village Hall.

Doors are open to the public at 2.30 p.m.

and admission is Free.

 

Tom Ridler in winning pose

 

Would you like to have tea and cakes served to you?   If so, come to the St Giles' Church Hall (in the High Road) on Saturday 21^st April between 2.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. when tea will be provided by the children of the Junior Church.   You will have the opportunity to look at the crafts created by the children during Lent.   Plants and cakes will be on sale (all contributions welcome!).  All money raised during the afternoon will be given to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Jenny Reid

 

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

Swakeleys Tennis Club, Ickenham and Swakeleys Horticultural Society (a very generous donation), Mrs Byrne of Burnham Avenue via Marion Smith, Anonymous via Beryl Gwilt, Ickenham Churches’ Women’s Group (a very generous donation), Mrs Niznik from Hillingdon.

Copy for the May edition should be with the new editor by 13^thApril.

Apologies. In the March edition the birth year for Daphne Kissane was inadvertently shown as 1943 instead of 1934. In the same edition our snow was said to have fallen on 8^th March instead of 8^th February.

 

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