It has been evident for many years that the fabric of St Giles Church is in need of substantial investment to keep it watertight and structurally sound, and which the diocese is unable to provide. It has been proposed and generally agreed that the best way of raising funds for St Giles, and keeping them ring-fenced, is establishing a separate charity, the Friends of St Giles, which has been researched over the last year and more.

Many churches in the diocese have already gone down this route; Buckland for example has raised considerable sums for its roof, and Aldbourne Friends in addition to maintaining the fabric of St Michaels, have provided improved storage, lighting and heating in an even older church than St Giles.

Once established, this will likely be a long-term feature of the village as we need to fund-raise both for the immediate call on replacing the Nave roof, some £40,000, and for future repairs to porch and chancel roofs – and other issues which seem far in the future.

Setting up a modern charity (a CIO) is a relatively straightforward process, and needs in addition to the two or 3 main officers (Chair, treasurer and secretary) a group of enthusiastic volunteers who have skills in administration, fundraising and communication. Colin Hamling (Toban) has had past experience at chairing charities, including establishment of CIO’s, and has offered to chair, and to steer the proposal through at least set-up. If you feel that you can contribute, and have any of these skills, please put your name forward to Rev. Maureen Turner or to Pat Cook. The trustees will form a sub-committee of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and comply with all Charity Commission regulations.

Contacts are:
Rev Maureen Turner  - revmaureen1@gmail.com – 01367 249875
Pat Cook – phemes43@gmail.com – 01367 241632
Colin Hamling- chtrainmaster22@gmail.com

The Annual Meeting of Parishioners (MoP), at which the Churchwarden will be elected, and The Annual Parish Council Meeting (APCM) will take place next Tuesday in the Reading Room at 7.30 pm.  The audited annual accounts for 2022 will be presented along with the Financial Report and the Annual Report of the church’s activities last year, and will include the election of the members of the PCC.

Coffee will be served before the meeting.  All are welcome.
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We're still rather short of our target of 100 members - and the draw for January, February and March will be taking place soon.
If we can encourage you to be a member this year, all the details are on the letter recently delivered to you and you still have time to get your Membership details and subscription in to Biddy at Glebe House - cheque £20 per member (payable to Great Coxwell PCC) or cash - or you can pay on line:
Direct payment of £20 per member to Great Coxwell Parochial Church Council, Barclays Bank Sort Code 20-90-91,
Account No 30425265 (with your surname and initials as reference).


We do hope you'll have time to sign up for this year or please contact Sylvia on 07923 563662 for further information.

I am told that some of you will remember Bob Miles who used to farm pigs at the top of Puddleduck Lane.  Bob passed away on 7th March and is to be buried with his late wife in our churchyard on Maundy Thursday, 6th April at 12 noon.
 
His daughter, who grew up in the village, and her family would welcome anyone from the village who remembers Bob to join them at his funeral. 
 
Pat
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Here is the latest news of events in the Badbury Group of Churches. Paper copies of the newsletter are available in the church.  If you would like to receive a paper copy regularly, please contact Pat Cook to arrange it.  (phemes43@gmail.com or 241632.
 
Related information can be found on this page.

Although we have no services at our church over the Christmas period, the church will be open every day.  As in other years, we have very generously been donated a Christmas tree which will be lit every day until 12th night.

We hope you will go into the church to say a prayer, spend a few quiet minutes in its atmosphere or simply to see the tree.

There will be services on Christmas Day at Coleshill and Eaton Hastings as advertised in the Badbury Parish News and in the church porch.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas.
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St Giles Church Service

On Sunday, 11th, at 10.30 am, we will be welcoming the Revd Chris Etherton, a retired priest who lives in Faringdon, to take our Holy Communion service and preach.  As this is the last service in our church before Christmas, we shall be singing carols instead of hymns.  There will be coffee and cake in the Vicarage afterwards.

We hope as many people as possible will come to welcome Chris.

Evening of Music and Bubbles

The members of the PCC would like to add their thanks to all those who worked so hard to make this evening so successful, to Pam, Pauline and Mandy for their superb organisation and to Lynette and all the other musicians who gave us such a wonderful concert - not forgetting the chefs of the lovely canapés that just seemed to keep coming and coming!!

The amount raised will be very gratefully received.  It is planned to put it towards a roof repair fund, as the south side of the nave in particular is going to be in need of serious restoration before much longer.

Thanks to everyone again.

Pat
Churchwarden on behalf of the members of the PCC
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We would just like to Thank everyone who attended our Fundraiser for the Church on the 7th October in our Beautiful Church followed by Canapes & Fizz in the Reading Room afterwards.
 
A total of £503.78 was raised for the Church.
 
Special Thanks to our talented Musicians in the Village, Lynette, Katherine, Oliver, Russ, Anna, Joanna, Glyn & Nick. You all entertained us with such a professional standard of delightful & varied music.
 
The Church looked beautiful and we thank Mandy and her team for making it look so welcoming with all the hedgerow flowers & greenery along with the lights both inside and out. Thanks also to Melissa who helped with the canapes and our able Barmen Robbie & Mike.
 
Thank you again to everyone who helped us make it such a splendid evening for our Village.
A True Community Event.
 
Pam & Pauline
 
The Community Fund supported this event by contributing to some of its cost. If you or anyone you know would like to organize an event the Community Fund can help fund it. It could be anything: a sporting club, a film night or a celebration. We are here as a group to enable fun things to happen in our Village. If you have children who would like to start a group we would be happy to help fund its start up.
 
If you need our help contact one of our members.
Sylvia Athawes, Pauline Durham, Steve McNally, Pam Smith, Annabelle Zinovieff. 
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The latest edition of Badbury Parish News has been added to the website,