Harvington

A lengthsman has been appointed, Mr Allen Farnsworth, who is already acting in this capacity for a number of other local villages and who hopes to begin work in Harvington within the next few weeks;

The parish council has been told that Harvington has been put in category one at the top of the priorities list for urgent flood alleviation work and it is anticipated that this will start on an extensive scale in and around the village during the 2006-7 period.

Mr Peter Oliver, husband of the parish clerk Linda Oliver, has volunteered to act as chairman to a proposed committee to produce a parish plan during the course of the few years in readiness for proposed changes in planning.

SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING: St James' Church celebrated the end of its Building for the Future crusade on Sunday evening with a service of thanksgiving for the support which has been received. Envelopes containing promises of regular giving made by members and friends of the church were presented at the altar and, in giving thanks for the invaluable boost which their contents will give to the church's yearly income, the Rector also thanked all who had contributed their effort and their support to this latest project in a variety of other ways. He spoke enthusiastically about his view of the future and of ways in which the church is seeking to be of even greater presence in the village, and he promised that the enthusiasm which has been generated by this latest project will not be allowed to fade away. The service ended promptly at 7.20pm, the Rector having recognised that there were people present (including himself and his wife) who had promised to attend the concert which was being held in the village hall. This latest fund-raising effort on behalf of the appeal fund was devised and produced by Phil Bawn who, as master of ceremonies, delayed the start until the church group arrived taking up the last few remaining seats and filling the hall to capacity. There followed a first-class entertainment, all (with the exception of Phil's professional group of jazz musicians) amateur performers who had responded to Phil's appeal and offered their services for the cause. There were solo artistes, some singing to their own accompaniment, a short humorous sketch by two members of Hats, a group of songsters recruited from the Harvington Singers and a small orchestra formed in recent months by members and friends of St James' Church. The jazz group, Dukes Jazz, opened and closed the concert. The concert raised £550.

POPPIES APPEAL: Mr David Graham who, year by year, handles the sale of poppies in Harvington is appealing for help. More door-to-door collectors are urgently needed if the annual sale is to reach its usual figure. Last year, sales were down because there were too few people willing to lend a hand. Anyone who can help should ring 871825.