A Lovely Christmas Tradition

By Trish Steel

I've just been to a wonderful candlelit carol service at the Church of the Holy Jesus, Lydbrook, in Gloucestershire.  Over the past few years, the village has become famous for its Christmas Tree festival. People travel from all over the world to enjoy the spectacle, and it's definitely worth a visit. Among the many stunning displays this year there's a miniature automated alpine village complete with moving cable-cars and skiers zipping down the slopes, a Gruffalo hides in one of the trees, and you can write your own message on a white dove to add to a tree of memories. The festival was held on 13th, 14th and 15th December this year, although everything will be on view again during a mini-Christingle service at 3pm on Christmas Eve and again from 11:00pm that night, ahead of Midnight Mass. After that, there'll be another chance to see the wonderful array of decorated trees during the short, hugely enjoyable family service at 9:30am on Christmas morning.

You can see some pictures of The Orchard Trust hard at work decorating their tree here while Santa's enjoying a display straight from Narnia called Cold, Crisp, Frosty, Magic and Sparkle here!

The holiday season is all too often a time of stress, noise and bustle. It's lovely to take some time out to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas in the peace and serenity of a country church like this.  You don't need a star to guide you - just get up a bit earlier (!) on Christmas morning, set your sat.nav to GL17 9SH, and pop along to the 9:30am family service at the Church of the Holy Jesus, Lydbrook.

A Writer's Life - Our Local Heroine...

I’m celebrating a genuine local heroine today. Denise was born here in the village, and grew up to become an invaluable member of our local community. She left school at fifteen to start work as a shop assistant, and later became a professional child-minder. Everyone for miles around has been taken under Denise’s wing at some time or another. She is a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She has been a local councillor,  a central figure in  the local dramatic society, after-school and holiday clubs, monthly lunch sessions, and much more besides. Our friendship began when Denise took on the job of  looking after our daughter when DD was five months. Denise lavished as much care and attention on DD as we did! 

Denise and her family have always been great supporters of the local church. In 2009, after a lot of soul-searching, she took the first step on the long, hard road to becoming a licensed Reader in the Church of England. This has involved her in hours of study, she’s had to write dozens of essays, complete mountains of coursework and spend periods away from home on residential courses as she prepared to work for the church Gloucestershire. The work was hard and time-consuming, but with her determination fuelled by the support of her family, she refused to give up. 

Four years later, all her hard work and sleepless nights have resulted in well-deserved success. Last Saturday, practically our whole village descended on Gloucester cathedral to watch Denise (and seven other new Readers from other parishes around the diocese), receive official recognition by the Bishop of Gloucester.  Beforehand, I had the honour of witnessing the signing of her license in the cathedral's Regimental Chapel, which was a great experience. 

The cathedral was packed, the music and ceremony was amazing and afterwards, the sun shone for photographs. Nobody could ask for anything more...but then Denise treated us all to a magnificent feast back in the village club. The centrepiece was this cake, iced with The Lord’s Prayer. It tasted every bit as good as it looked.

Congratulations, Denise! We always knew you could do it - and now you have. Next stop, Lambeth Palace?

Focus On...Fiona Benson

Today's focus is on someone who really knows how to multi-task. Please welcome Fiona Benson, who is a writer, lecturer, mentor, fund raiser and...well, the list goes on and on! Here's her blog...

Passion is itself a beautiful thing. It is fabulous if you are able to share your passion with others.

Like Christina, I have a deep love of landscape. I was born and raised in Sunderland, on the north-east coast of England, so grew up surrounded by the massive natural 'landscape' of the sea. Beautiful. The beauty of natural surroundings has had a strong influence on my life as a playwright and poet and on my choice of settling in the stunning Forest of Dean, where I've lived for over twenty years.

A while ago I started writing prose pieces to perform at literary cabarets and found that my writings were a celebration of the Forest and my life within it - my day-to-day life in the present, but also revisiting scenes from previous years. I gathered the pieces together in an anthology and had a paperback published. I was thrilled when readers contacted me to say how much my tales had brought the Forest of Dean to life for them.

To share my passion more further afield I have recently epublished the collection under the title 'Hang On A Minute! Tales of a writer's life in the ancient Forest of Dean'. I have included here a short extract that I hope you enjoy. The collection can be found at:http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Hang+On+A+Minute&x=14&y=25

 'From Mireystock to Highnam'

            "I'm climbing into the car at not quite the crack of dawn but definitely among the splinters. I'm away up the lane through Camomile Green, left down Worral Hill, on past the narrow ribbon of the river Lyd and I'm heading for the Mireystock crossroads.

            I haven't turned on the radio yet, it's quiet in the car, just me catching my breath between the domestic landscape and the travelling one, just me indulging in an overture of anticipatory silence.

            It's early to be leaving the village, the cottage, the study that's my writing room, but today's one of those days when I turn back into an academic to go and do college work in Cheltenham.

            I'm turning left at Mireystock, and ... am I sitting comfortably, then let the radio begin ...

            I'm passing the island of shops with the crazy coloured lettering, passing the Cinderford lights, driving up the winding hill past the church, in reverse slalom towards the summit of the Plump.

            I'm greeting the Gorgon tree.

            Morning, lovely morning, how're ya hanging?

            The Gorgon, with its long, wild and straggly branches is one of a special collection. The collection that's called My Favourite Trees. These include the old bearded-man tree at Speculation, the Truncated-trunk Elephant tree at Sallow Vallets, the Gorgon tree just before the summit of the Plump.

            I'm up and over the top of Plump Hill, with that tricky contortion that involves an irresistible glancing over to the right to view the horseshoe-bend of the river Severn - while simultaneously turning the car to the left, trying not to slither over the middle white line into somebody else's lane. Oh, sorry mate, lovely view!

            Then down, down the other side into Mitcheldean ..."

Thanks Fiona, that's a terrific evocation of life in the Dean!