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VILLAGE DIARY – FEBRUARY 2012
6	6pm	Brownies, Pettiward Hall
6	7.30pm	Parish Council Meeting, Pettiward Hall
9	4.30-6pm	Skylarks, Onehouse Church Room
9	7.30pm	Garden Club, Pettiward Hall upper room
11	8.00am	Men’s breakfast, Onehouse Church Room
20	6pm	Brownies, Pettiward Hall
20	7.30pm	Festival of Angels Meeting, St Andrews Church
21	6.00pm	Pancake party, Onehouse Church Room
23	4.30-6pm	Skylarks, Onehouse Church Room
27	6pm	Brownies, Pettiward Hall
VILLAGE DIARY – MARCH 2012
5	6pm	Brownies, Pettiward Hall
5	7.30pm	Parish Council, Pettiward Hall
6	10am-1pm	Flower arranging
8	7.30pm	Woodpecker Hill Group AGM, Pettiward Hall
12	6pm	Brownies, Pettiward Hall
24	7.30pm	Buxhall Fun Quiz Night

Church Services in the Benefice this month

Thursday	2 February	Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)
Benefice Communion		Buxhall	7.30pm
Sunday	5 February	3rd before Lent
Sung Eucharist		Buxhall	9.30am
Reflective Morning Prayer		Shelland	9.30am
Parish Communion		Finborough	11am
Matins		Harleston	11am
Sunday	12 February	3rd before Lent
Matins		Buxhall	9.30am
Holy Communion		Harleston	9.30am
Parish Communion		Shelland	9.30am
Family Service		Onehouse Church Room	11am
Sunday	19 February	Sunday next before Lent
Matins		Shelland	9.30am
Holy Communion		Buxhall	9.30am
Parish Communion		Finborough	11am
Family Communion		Onehouse Church Room	11am
Wednesday	22 February	Ash Wednesday
Holy Communion (with ashing)		Buxhall	7.30pm
Sunday	26 February	Lent 1
Family Service		Finborough Primary School	11am
Holy Communion		Harleston	9.30am
Parish Communion		Onehouse Church room	11am
Sunday	4 March	Lent
Sung Eucharist		Buxhall	9.30am
Reflective Morning Prayer		Shelland	9.30am
Family Communion & Baptism		Finborough	11am
Matins		Harleston	11am
Whether you are a regular worshipper or visiting this Sunday you will find a warm welcome at any of our services.
Holy Communion/Eucharists at Finborough and Onehouse follow the modern order, those at Harleston, Buxhall and Shelland follow the traditional, except any midweek services which follow the modern order.

To download the latest copy or any previous copies of the newsletter, please see our Newsletter Archive page.

The Pub, Clubs and Groups...

The Chestnut Horse pub was once the Chestnut Horse Farmhouse and part of the Pettiward Estate. The farmhouse was converted in the 1860s or '70s, when the White Horse Inn opposite was demolished and rebuilt to form the estate offices. Edward Fayer, the last butler for the Pettiward household at Finborough Hall, became landlord of the Chestnut Horse when the estate was broken up and sold in 1936. The original farmland remained with the pub freehold and it was farmed for the landlord by a William Castell. Some of it was used for housing where Middlefield Drive now stands.

The present Chestnut Horse is a traditional timber framed village pub, tenanted for Greene King by Leonel Girao. Leonel serves a full range of cask and bottled ales, wines and soft drinks at the bar and in the attractive beer garden round the back, where there is ample car parking. Food is available every lunchtime between 12 noon and 2pm and evening meals are served on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Darts (the Chestnut Horse has a cup-winning darts team), bar billiards and monthly pub quizzes provide the entertainment round an open fire in winter, though the welcome is warm at the Chestnut Horse, whatever the season.

Every year at Easter, the Chestnut Horse hosts the famous Finborough Race of the Boggmen - here's a short history for anyone interested. While having roof repairs carried out on Boyton Hall in the summer of 1975, local farmer Trevor Waspe discovered a contract of employment written, signed and stamped for the year 1897. On closer examination of the document, and through further investigation, the following facts emerged. As it was traditional for sowing to start around the Easter period, each farmer hired a team of six 'min'. The team that Joseph John Hatton hired for Boyton Hall fell out of favour after a drunken brawl on Good Friday 1897. The men were sacked. Word soon got around that another team was needed and on Easter Monday a team from the nearby village of Haughley set out for Boyton Hall. Meanwhile Joseph John Hutton, worried about the situation, had re-employed the 'min'. Both teams appeared, ready for work. To resolve the problem an idea from one James Boggis of Oulton, who was staying at the Hall, was to throw the contract of employment in the air and the first team to get it over the threshold of the pub in the village of Great Finborough won the job. This event was carried on as an annual tradition and as an excuse to relax before the hard work on the land began. However, it fell into disuse in 1915, when so many Suffolk lads were taken for the fields of Flanders during the first world war. The Race of the Boggmen was revived in 1976 and the rest, as they say, is history...

	Local History Group meets once a month in the Pettiward Hall; contact Mary Williams on (01449) 612822 for more information.
	Badminton Club meets in the Pettiward Hall on Tuesday evenings between 7.30 and 9.30pm, though the times are flexible depending on the number of players. The club is run for exercise and fun, catering for all abilities and ages from sixteen upwards. A fee of £2.00 per session is payable. All equipment is provided and new members are welcome. Contact Graham Burchell, telephone (01449) 677798.
	1st Great Finborough and Buxhall Brownies - contact Gloria Firman on (01449) 672729 for further details.
	Garden Club. The Great Finborough and District Garden Club meets six times a year in the Pettiward Hall or on organised visits to garden sites in the area. Additionally the Club organizes an Open Gardens Day in the village in support of the Clubs nominated Charity. Membership fees for 2008 are £10.00 per household; meetings are open to non-members at a charge of £1.50 per session. The club aims to promote gardening and encourage good cultivation through talks, discussion, demonstrations and social events; by visits to local gardens and other venues of horticultural interest; and by maintaining information on topics of interest to local gardeners. The Club Secretary is Judith Cameron, (01449) 672978, or ianandjudy@beeb.net.
	Art Club. The Finborough and District Art Club holds a tutored meeting on the first Monday of each month from 7 to 9pm at the Pettiward Hall. An occasional, untutored session is notified to members individually, the object of this being to practice communally what has been learned in the tutorials. The cost of tutored meetings is £4.00 and untutored sessions, £1.00. Teaching is concentrated on techniques, though members are free to pursue their own interests if they wish to do so. Further information is available from Sue Marks, telephone (01449) 612816.
	Women's Institute. The Great Finborough and District Women's Institute was founded in 1919, meeting regularly ever since with members still meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at different venues. The varied programme aims to stimulate and entertain members and visitors, who are welcome at any meeting. The Treasurer is Lesley Cass on (01449) 675970 or e-mail valleyfarm@netscapeonline.co.uk
	Great Finborough and Buxhall Under-Fives. This pre-school for children meets Monday to Friday in the Pettiward Hall between 9.15 and 11.45 am. The charge is £7.00 per child per session, with the option of lunch club between 11.45am and 12.30pm for an extra £1.50. There are also afternoon sessions available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 12.30pm to 3.00pm, the charge is also £7.00 per child per session. The Under-Fives are Ofsted inspected and meet in a fully equipped and heated suite of rooms, including kitchen and toilet facilities. The pre-school group functions in a learning environment based on a national curriculum aimed at preparing children for full-time education with qualified, caring and experienced staff. For further information about the pre-school group contact them during pre-school hours on 07708 362697 or Helen Winter on (01449) 615060. For more information, please visit their website: www.under5sgfb.co.uk.
	Candlestick Club. This is a club for the over 60's from the villages of Great Finborough and Buxhall. A variety of activities is provided throughout the year. For further details contact Keith Proctor on (01449) 736598.
	Haughley Hoofers. Haughley Hoofers is a local group of North West Clog dancers. Click here to find out more and how to join, or visit our website