Caretaker

Of the churchyard is now Mr. E. Divers. Trevor Hutchinson has for several reasons felt obliged to resign. We are very grateful indeed to him for his conscientious work and some long hours put in; these have included some overhauling of the machinery, for part of which Trevor has given his services voluntarily.

Sunday School

Is in need of another teacher. Anne Williamson begins her teacher's training in September and we ask, therefore, for someone willing to take over her class of 4-6 year olds from that time.

Church and Churchyard Week

This produced quite a few people and a great deal of hard work and we seemed to achieve all that we set out to do. There were some encouraging features for me, including some very practical offers, which were accepted, and I am deeply grateful for all the goodwill and effort.

J.H.G-W.G.

A NATURALIST'S NOTE-BOOK

June, June, Glorious June - the month of high sun and haymaking. Fortunately this year it has lived up to its reputation, as apart from the very stormy last few days we have had a long spell of uninterrupted sunshine. On the farm this has been one of the earliest and best haymaking seasons since I started farming, with good heavy yields in excellent condition. Whilst cutting the hay I was very thrilled to see a Common Partridge with her family of seven baby chicks running away in front of the mower, across the swathes of cut grass to the safety of the adjoining field. Modern methods of haymaking with their power-driven machinery and new grass leys (which tend to mature much earlier than the old meadow grasses), although of great benefit to the farmer, have been very detrimental to our ground-nesting birds like the Partridge and its near relative the Corncrake. Unfortunately, rather than run, away from the approach of the oncoming mower they will tend to sit tight with their chicks and crouch in the grass, with obvious fatal results. For these, reasons the Corncrake is now a very rare visitor to our county and in fact is only regularly heard in the fields of Southern Ireland where the old-fashioned system of haymaking is adopted.

To conclude, Ladies, you may breathe gain. The Storks have now noved on and the bird reported at Rainham in our last issue has now probably moved over to Queenborough where it was seen at the beginning of the month, no doubt providing plenty of work for the local district nurse.

W.F.A.B.

STOP PRESS

On behalf of Churches in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, Christian Aid has immediately sent an initial contribution of £20,000 to the Middle East "for the relief of all war sufferers and for the resumption of compassionate work among the neediest people".

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

"When Jesus had left speaking unto the people, He said unto Simon, 'Launch out into the deep'." St. Luke 5:4.

Our Lord had to ask the loan of a fisherman's boat as a temporary pulpit because of the multitude that pressed about Him. When He had finished his sermon, His first act was to reward those who had kindly .... (cont.)