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Life Under Lockdown - Some Personal Reflections

BBC Countryfile at Greenwood Farm in Burton

The Parish MagazineSt Nicholas’ Church, Burton-in-Wirral

May 2020

www.burtonchurch.org.uk

The Trees

The trees are coming into leafLike something almost being said;The recent buds relax and spread,Their greenness is a kind of grief.

Is it that they are born againAnd we grow old? No, they die too,Their yearly trick of looking newIs written down in rings of grain.

Yet still the unresting castles threshIn full grown thickness every May.Last year is dead, they seem to say,Begin afresh, afresh, afresh

Philip Larkin.

We have just celebrated Easter in thebest way we could, not in church full ofbeautiful lilies and flowers and joyfulresurrection hymns but in our ownhomes either watching a service on TVor online, or quietly joining in with ourservices which are sent out every week.The joy of Easter morning can becelebrated wherever we are.

But perhaps this year, more than everbefore we felt closer to how thedisciples felt during that first Easter……confused, frightened for their safety,lonely, bereft of their friend, wonderingwhat the future would look like,questioning would it ever be the sameagain?

It was never ever going to be the sameagain for those friends of Jesus, as theydiscovered.

Though the doors werelocked, Jesus came andstood among them and said,“Peace be with you”John 20: 25

Isn’t that just what we need to knowtoo, that even in our isolation, our fear,however busy we try and keepourselves, however lonely we may feel,that we are not on our own. The doorsmay be shut, but that’s no barrier to therisen Lord Jesus. He will always enterwhere he is welcomed, where he knowsthere are those ready to receive him.

Rev Cathy Helm

It is so wonderful to see and hear ofthe many ways in which people rightacross our community and beyond areresponding to the lockdown.

We’ve heard about people picking upprescriptions and food, havingmeaningful rather than rushedconversations on the phone, cookingmeals, walking the dog, co-ordinatingthe volunteers, sending funny clips onTikTok or WhatsApp to cheersomeone up.

Others have been involved in havingstory time with grandchildren viaSkype, knitting hearts for those inhospital who cannot be visited by theirfamilies and then of course all thosewho turn out on a Thursday eveningat 8pm to clap, bang pans or evenhorns to thank all those key workersand NHS staff whoare so amazing.

We know weisolate to protect others as well asourselves but it feels counter intuitiveto not shake someone’s hand ingreeting or to hug a friend and so welet people know how much they meanto us and how thankful we are, usingthe best means we can.

Life won’t be the same again for useither, there will be the ‘do you rememberduring lockdown …’ stories and, ofcourse, for many thousands who havelost loved ones, life will always beheartbreakingly different. There hasbeen time spent reflecting on how wecan actually manage with less and thattime spent with loved ones is not to bewasted. As we have this time and spaceto reflect on our lives and how we havechosen to live them, let’s give space eachday to the risen Lord Jesus who bringsus his peace, his joy and his hope.

I am sending out our Sundayservices via email each weekand you can either email mec.helm@burtonchurch.org.ukto ask to be included or you canfind these and other resourceson the website.

Every Sunday evening since thelockdown, Christians acrossthe world have been lighting acandle at 8pm to put in awindow and to pray fortheir families, communitiesand our nations as we bring the light ofChrist into the darkness of our currentsituation. We may feel that the coldnessand darkness has extinguished our light.The light may be low, only a flicker, butit does not go out. Even the tiniest glowcan be fanned into flame. So we pray

‘Christ as a light, illume andguide me.’

A Prayer for These Times

Amen.

S o c i a lComment

HM The Queen

Manyreligions havefestivals whichcelebrate light overcoming darkness.Such occasions are often accompaniedby the lighting of candles. They seem tospeak to every culture, and appeal topeople of all faiths, and of none. Theyare lit on birthday cakes and to markfamily anniversaries, when we gatherhappily around a source of light. Itunites us.

As darkness falls on the Saturdaybefore Easter Day, many Christianswould normally light candles together.In church, one light would pass toanother, spreading slowly and thenmore rapidly as more candles are lit.It’s a way of showing how the goodnews of Christ’s resurrection has beenpassed on from the first Easter by everygeneration until now.

This year, Easter will be different formany of us, but by keeping apart wekeep others safe. But Easter isn’tcancelled; indeed, we need Easter asmuch as ever. The discovery of the risenChrist on the first Easter Day gave hisfollowers new hope and fresh purpose,and we can all take heart from this. Weknow that Coronavirus will notovercome us. As dark as death can be— particularly for those suffering withgrief — light and life are greater. Maythe living flame of the Easter hope be asteady guide as we face the future.

L i k e m a n y c h a r i t i e s , t h e f i n a n c e s o fS t N i c h o l a s ’ C h u r c h h a v e b e e na f f e c t e d b y t h e c u r r e n t l o c k d o w n a sa r e s u l t o f t h e C o r o n a v i r u sp a n d e m i c . C h a r i t i e s h a v e b e e nu n a b l e t o f u n d r a i s e , c h a r i t y s h o p sa r e u n a b l e t o o p e n a n d a n yc h a r i t a b l e o r g a n i s a t i o n s t h a t r e l yo n c a s h d o n a t i o n s o r p u r c h a s e s w i l lh a v e b e e n a f f e c t e d .

S t N i c h o l a s ’ C h u r c h r e c e i v e s i t si n c o m e f r o m r e g u l a r d o n a t i o n sm a d e b y c h u r c h m e m b e r s a n d t h eF r i e n d s o f S t N i c h o l a s ’ C h u r c h w h op a y b y r e g u l a r s t a n d i n g o r d e r f r o mt h e i r b a n k a c c o u n t s . H o w e v e r ,m o n e y t h a t w o u l d n o r m a l l y b er a i s e d t h r o u g h f u n d - r a i s i n g e v e n t s ,w e d d i n g s e t c . a n d m o n e y d o n a t e de a c h w e e k o n t h e o f f e r t o r y p l a t e a tc h u r c h s e r v i c e s , h a s d r i e d u p .

E s t i m a t e s v a r y , b u t t h e d e f i c i t t ot h e c h u r c h i n t h e c u r r e n t f i n a n c i a ly e a r a s a r e s u l t o f C o r o n a v i r u s i sl i k e l y t o b e b e t w e e n £ 5 , 0 0 0 a n d£ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , d e p e n d i n g o n h o w l o n gt h e l o c k d o w n l a s t s .

Church finances are always delicatelybalanced. The majority of church costsare ‘fixed costs’ which means that theydon’t vary depending on when the churchis open or on the number of services thattake place. As everyone will appreciate, ifthe church’s income is reduced but costsremain largely static, a shortfall can easilyarise.

Some church costs may reducemarginally over the next few months.Heating and lighting costs will decrease,but as far as the overall church budget isconcerned such costs would be expectedto reduce at this time of year in any case.Any small savings achieved will bedwarfed by the loss of significantrevenue.

Church members or supporters of theFriends of St Nicholas’ Church whonormally make cash donations are beingencouraged to set up a regular standingorder via their bank account.For more details please contact:

Income ofCharities isis being hitby Coronavirus

An Appeal for YourGenerosityThe wretched Coronavirus hasreminded us a l l that we are part ofthe whole wide wor ld and we a l ldepend on one other , both here andabroad. I t a lso hardly needs say ingthat Chr ist ian Aid i s being faced withhuge needs in developing countr iesar is ing f rom this pandemic, whichknows no boundar ies .

The consequences of the v i rus aredreadful here at home, and justimagine how much gr immer they wi l lbe in countr ies with so few resourcesthat can be of help.

In ear ly May we would normal ly havethe annual house-to-house co l lect ion,and people in the par ish are a lwaysgenerous; last year you gave awonderfu l tota l of over £1,300.Obvious ly the lockdown means that wecannot undertake the co l lect ion th isyear , at the very t ime when yourdonat ions wi l l be sorely needed bythose who have so l i t t le .

You can donate on l ine byfo l lowing the l ink here.

Scro l l down to ‘Neston andDistr ict Churches Together’ underTeams (and i f you canGift A idyour donat ionthat would helpeven more – the websi te makes i teasy to do so) or you can donateby phone on 0207 523 2269.

Thank You!

Bishop Wilson Church ofEngland Primary, Burton

During such unprecedented anduncertain times, schools are not'open' as normal but schools,including ours, do still remain opento children of key workers and tovulnerable children. Although thenormal day to day school routineand structure is no longerstatutory, such as teaching thenational curriculum, in our schoolwe have been exploring learning ina variety of creative ways.

For our children who are learningfrom home, we have beenuploading weekly learning packsfor each class to download andengage with. The children can thentake photos, videos, write journalsor send in pictures to theirteachers, via the Class Dojo app,in order to share what they havebeen up to and to keep in touchwith their class teacher. This hasproved to be an invaluableresource for allowing teachers tocheck in on their children andkeep in touch with all families,offer help and support where

needed and share fun. challengingactivities for everyone to try athome. The response from bothchildren and parents has beenincredibly positive and supportive andthe efforts of staff have beenfantastic. We have been verygrateful to our parents who havefollowed government guidelines andhave ensured their children stay athome, stay safe and help to protectthe NHS and themselves.

Some of our parents, who are keyworkers, have relied on school beingopen in order for them to be able togo to work and help make a positivedifference in the fight against thecurrent pandemic. As such, schoolhas been open to these children andlearning has taken a creative twist.

Children have enjoyed activities suchas baking, gardening, sportschallenges, and a variety of arts andcrafts. Some lovely muffins werebaked in our first week of closureand an amazing rainbow creation isstill being worked on!

A Message fromBishop Wilson PTAWe have some exciting news foryou all.

We finally hit our target of£5,500 and are thrilled to tell youthat while we have been away theplayground elves have been busyand built an amazing activity trailfor the children to find on theirreturn to school.

It makes the most wonderfuladdition to the playground andlooks amazing. We would like tosay thank you to all our BishopWilson family for all yourdonations over recent years. Wedid it, you did it, and the childrenof Bishop Wilson will benefit formany years to come. News fromthe school story time, click below:

https://www.facebook.com/BishopWilsonPrimary/

Bishop Wilson Church ofEngland Primary, Burton

Alongside these activities,children have sti l l beenfocusing on some key ski l ls inmaths and English, just l ikechildren learning at home are.

During such difficult times,mental health and well-beingare more important than ever.

In partnership withMyHappyMind, a pi lot schemethat we arecurrentlypart of thataims toteach children al l about theirbrain, their mind and theirown self, we have been able toprovide support to parents andchildren which can help themduring this complex time.

Children wil l have a lot ofquestions during thisconfusing time andMyHappyMind can help parentsto look after their child'smental health and well-beingand staff are always on handto support famil ies in any waythey can.

Rev Cathy Helm sent out act iv it iesfor every day of the Easterweekend for the famil ies to do athome, which included the eggrol l ing on the Saturday. Everyonedid i t in their own way at home . . .and it looked amazing.

Saints Victor and Corona are twoChrist ian martyrs. Victor was aRoman soldier who was torturedand kil led; Corona was kil led forcomforting him.

Until recently, St Corona hadbecome nearly forgotten. Verylit t le is actually known about theyoung woman who was kil led forher Christ ian faith around thetime of the second century butthis latest Coronavirus pandemichas begun to shed l ight on whoSt Corona was.

The St Corona legends are bloodyand it is bel ieved that as a 16-year-old, she was forced to watchher husband, St Victor, beingmurdered because of his faith.

St Corona is not the namesake forthe virus. The Latin word ‘corona’means ‘crown’. As legend has i tthe name is an indication that theyoung saint had achieved the‘crown of eternal l i fe’ because ofthe steadfastness of her faith. Theconnection with the Coronavirus,named because of their crown-likestructure, is just a coincidence.

The rel ics of St Corona canbe found in the RomanCatholic cathedral in the spacity of Aachen, Germanynear the border withBelgium. It is is one ofEurope’s oldest cathedralsand historical ly was used forthe coronation of Germankings and queens.

There Really is a

St Corona

An Appeal by theCritical Care Unitat Arrowe ParkHospitalAll our poorly patients are unable to havevisitors at the moment. We are putting out aplea for any knitters or crocheters to pleasehelp us make this a tiny bit easier for them andtheir families at this really difficult time.We are asking for small knitted or crochetedhearts to be made, preferably a matching pair.One will go to the poorly patient and one willgo to the family.

It is important to use clean yarn and seal themin a taped bag, such as a freezer bag or binliner. Please also date the bags because 72hours must have elapsed before they are safeto use.

All of the hearts will get laundered beforebeing given to patients and their families. TheCritical Care Unit have their health and safetyand infection control procedures as highestpriority, even more so with our currentSituation.

Please send to:Critical Care Unit,Arrowe Park Hospital,Upton, Wirral, CH49 5PE

Thank you from the

bottom of our hearts.

The patterns for makingthe hearts can be found at:

Click here

Or at theRavelry website:

Click here

SEW SCRUBS FORHOSPITALS IN WIRRAL

AND CHESTER

I f you can sew, why not jo in

the Facebook group that sews

scrubs for loca l hospi ta ls? This

is part of a nat ional groupcal led

For the Love of Scrubs

For more informat ionc l ick here

The drop of f for scrubs is anyCo-op store.

Al ternat ive ly, Deborah whol ives at The Gal lery in BurtonVi l lage is the Community AreaManager for the Co-op and anysewn scrubs can be dropped at

her house.

Photography …The publishing team at the ParishMagazine is looking for good qualityoriginal photographs depicting localscenes and images of life in and aroundthe parish. This is not a competition,but we hope to use pictures submittedin future issues of the magazine.

The categories under which we wouldlike photographers to submit theircreative and artistic works are:

Photographs must be original andsubmitted digitally. By submitting apiece of work the photographer agreesto grant St Nicholas’ Church aroyalty-free licence to use the image.

Please submit your photographs to: burtonchurchcomms@btinternet.com

We would like to use as muchlocal photography as we areable in the production of theParish Magazine.

Primarily we are seeking villageand rural landscapephotographs. Images shouldavoid showing the faces ofindividuals. We will endeavourto acknowledge and credit thephotographer of images used.When submitting photographsvia email please confirm yourname together with a briefdescription of the subjectmatter. Thank you.

The team responsible forproducing the Parish Magazinerecently asked for your thoughtsand reflections on life underlockdown and how it may haveaffected people in different ways.

We received quite a number ofresponses and it has beeninteresting to learn about howsome of the enforced change oflifestyle has affected people, howthey have adjusted and how theyhave been using their time.

We also must remember that formany people, both locally andfarther afield, the lockdown hasundoubtedly been difficult.

C O R O N A V I R U S

Lockdown is providing me with a greatopportunity!

Our grandchildren are spread around thiscountry and in Connecticut, USA. Likeeveryone else they are confined to home,with their parents trying to work while theyentertain them. So ‘Granny Tme’ hasbecome a feature. I book a slot and havevideo time with them on WhatsApp orFacetime.

We are all watching our seeds propagateand grow; one household has a veritablevegetable garden in the making! I’m notdoing so well here but do have the biggestcourgette plant so far.

In Connecticut we are watching via a webcam a nest of bald eagles. Three eggshave hatched and the fledglings are beingsupplied with fish; we are now watchingthem being taught how to eat. Thecunning eagles have their very large nestnear a trout farm in Iowa.

Using old photos, pictures and objectsround the house I am telling them bits offamily history which is something we neverhad time to do before. The photos andfunny stories about their parents whenyoung, are the ones that go down best.

Tales about my childhood in Africa,Malta and Ireland and about the ways ofthe world at that time, are all news to them.

The ‘best seller’ is hearing about myfather taking off his wooden leg andhopping into the Maltese sea to swim!

Reading stories works well too, especiallyfor the younger ones who like seeing thepictures.

It is so good to have time with them whenwe can’t get together - there is so muchmore time to chat at the moment in theabsence of other distractions.

The project is certainly keeping me on mytoes working out topics for the next chat!

Connecticut is the southernmost statein the New England region of

northeastern USA

The most interesting thing for me, as aformer teacher, has been to rather suddenlyhaving the time to really reflect on life, andwhat really matters.

I have been forced to consider how most ofus living in this parish are fortunate.Compared with many, we will get through, butwe may not have the lives we thought wewould have: that will take some getting usedto.

It also seems clear thatthe basics of human life, suchas loving thy neighbour,doing unto others, makingtime to help others, andappreciating generosity andkindness, have become morenecessary than ever before.I feel I have probably taken too much –including life itself - for granted, been toobusy focusing on stuff that really doesn’t

matter, and that I haven’t always appreciatedwhat is in front of me.

For all the worry, I have had time to think Ican be stronger and happier when friends,family and community are a more valued partof life.

In these difficult times I have never neededand appreciated my garden, PuddingtonVillage and the Village Green, the locality’sbeauty, more. A palpable sense ofcommunity has also arisen: we are all checkingon each other, seeing who needs what, in away not seen in my lifetime.

When this is all over, I hope that thesefeelings - a recognition of the stirring of agreater sense of collective communityresponsibility, a deeper appreciation for theNHS and other public and private socialcare services staff, can make people morewilling to think again about the sort of peoplewe really are. It feels as if perhaps a dormantbit of our humanity, not just nature, might becoming back to life, this Spring.

When wandering along Puddington Lane,starting from the Chester High Roadthrough Puddington Village and on towardsBurton, which we do most days, my husbandand I retrieve items which people havedecided they no longer want.

On average we usually find about 15Carling beer cans – usually three quartersfull - so why buy it if they don’tlike it? Sometimes, morethoughtful people bageverything up – saucecartons, chip wrappers,cigarette packets etc.before hurling the lot out ofthe car window.

There is often a pattern tothe littering – a vodka bottle is a regular –always in the same place – as is aChardonnay bottle a little further along.There is a regular area for green beerbottles too.

But sometimes the litter pickers locaterather strange items. Over the years wehave found;

1) a red lace thong (size 12 at a guess –anyone missing one?)

2) pregnancy testing kit

3) leopard skin thong (bit bigger thanthe other one)

4) pair of black tights

5) bra

6) pair of white stockings with pinkgarters

7) £30 cash (returned to owner)

Until four years ago there was a specialplace to find the covers of pornographicCDs. Each had a warning “This CDcontains graphic images not suitable forunder 18-year olds” Well, one glance atthe photo on the cover would tell youthat! However, we’ve found nothing forabsolutely ages. We can only concludethe person involved has either moved …or been locked up.

Shopping inBurton VillageCirca 1900

to 1970

John Roe

Many of today’s local residents will notremember when there were five shops inBurton village. To help matters, the1950 family name of each business isshown in brackets. Also, there weretravelling weekly vendors visiting andselling their goods.

The oldest shop was the Post Office[Howe] dating back to the 19th century.Post Office duties included selling savingstamps, dog licences, wireless licencesand stationery as well as fancy goods,and Gifts. In 1935 a new single-storyextension was added to the right handGable of the Post Office. (Editor’s note:Click here for this very interestinghistorical tour from Neston to Burtonand for more pictures.

Across the road was [Boyle] thenewsagent, confectioner, and grocer inthe White House. The bakery wasabove the shop on the first floor, andbread and cakes were made daily.In 1935 a butcher’s shop [Swift] wasmade from a barn at Elm Farm by JohnHulse and Amy, one of his daughters.This is now the garage inside the wall inPuddington Lane. Slaughtering tookplace further up the yard until

the early ‘50s. A new shop with livingaccommodation above was builtadjacent to the gateway into WhiteHouse Farm in about 1968.

Around 1928 a high-class grocer andconfectioner [Blythyn] built a doublefronted shop opposite the end ofVicarage Lane with car parking,telephone, a freezer for ice cream, andthey had a Saturday delivery boy.

This ‘new’ shop was patronised by ‘thenew rich residents’ who had builtproperties on Dunstan Lane andMudhouse Lanes, as well as on Nestonroad. Original villagers never used thisshop.

A fishmonger and greengrocery shop(Jackson) was built about 1934, andwhen ceasing to trade the buildingbecame ‘The Gallery’, the fourthbuilding down from the newsagent.

Weekly mobile vendors included Crimes(chandlery and paraffin), Hevysedge(bottled beers and minerals) and theCo-op van delivered bread and groceryparcels from Neston. Twice a yearHorrocks draper’s van called sellinghousehold linen, towels, and a limitedrange of dress-making materials.

So back in the ‘50s many of the originalvillagers never needed to leave thevillage, and a ‘lockdown’ would havemade no difference whatsoever!

Do you have memories of shopping inBurton? Drop us a line, we’d love tohear about them. Please send allsubmissions to sue@suebirch.com

Taking a Walk InBurtonResidents of Puddington and Burtonare very fortunate as most propertieshave gardens, and a nice environmentfor daily exercise. However, if anyoneis getting bored with their immediatesurroundings how about keeping tosocially safe distances and walking inthe Burton woods and revisiting someforgotten sights?

Take a walk up the Rake and into theChurchyard. Take the path left of theChurch up into the woods and turn leftat the fork. You will come to the‘Quakers Graves' on the right.

Continue along the bottom of thewoods and pass the back of BishopWilson's original Burton School datingfrom 1724. When you reach Mill Lane,turn right. You will pass the remains ofthe peg mill on the left (in the gardensof Millwood and now covered in ivy)before entering Burton woods again.

Do you have a favourite Burton orPuddington walk? Let us know and wewill feature it in the next Magazine.

Please send any ideas to:sue@suebirch.com

St Nicholas’ ChurchBurton-in-Wirral

Message from Justin Madders, MPIf you are self-isolating and are unable to get tothe shops, and do not qualify for the Council HELPscheme, we can offer supplies delivered to your door.

Phone: 0151 357 2092

Email: EPorthelp@gmail.com

(https://twitter.com/justinmadders/status/1244384775726682116?s=09)

Coronavirus - Local Help & Information

You can also find up to date information and advice aboutsupport services, local deliveries etc. at the following website:www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/ch64, or by downloading the NestonLife mobile app, free of charge, from usual app stores.

Please keep checking our website https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/ness-gardens/ ,and social media channels for updates.

There has been a great deal of hedgehog-related activity over the last few months, and the biggestnews is that the University of Liverpool was awarded Bronze Accreditation in the national HedgehogFriendly Campus scheme, one of 23 UK universities to achieve the accolade. The award recognises thehard work involved in raising awareness and improving the local environment for our prickly pals. Theproject comprises staff, students and volunteers from across the university and the certificate isnow on display in the Visitor Centre at Ness. Work will now begin on planning the work necessary toachieve the Silver Accreditation in 2020-2021.

As part of the project, Ness hosted a Hedgehog Weekend in January, which included a range of eventsincluding a family-focused Helping Hedgehogs workshop, a First Aid for Hedgehogs session, aworkshop looking at how to build a simple hedgehog feeder and children’s crafts. Wirral AnimalSanctuary joined us across the weekend dispensing hedgehog advice and on Sunday afternoon theMembers Lecture was taken by Hugh Warwick, who spoke eloquently (and entertainingly!) to a full-to-bursting Lecture Theatre audience about the plight of the hedgehog and what we can do to helpthem. Please do keep a look out for more events over the coming months.

As hedgehogs rouse from their hibernation, now is an excellent time to get your garden ready forour prickly pals. Placing food and water out for them, ensuring your garden has ‘Hedgehog Highways’and leaving a wild area in your garden are all invaluable to hedgehogs.

To get involved in the project or to find out more, contact the University of Liverpool’s HedgehogChampion, Zoë Chapman by emailing ZChapman@liverpool.ac.uk

We are also on Twitter https://twitter.com/HogLiv

https://wirralanimalsanctuary.co.uk/wildlife

We would like to remind everyone that in line withclear instructions from the Government for us allto remain at home (apart from a limited numberof allowed activities), the reserve remains closedto visitors until further notice and our events arepostponed.

It is with great sadness that we ask people tocontinue to refrain from visiting us, but we mustplay our part to help restrict the spread ofCoronavirus.

We are continuing as much of our important workas we can under the current restrictions. We arealso doing our bit to try and lift the nation's spiritsthrough initiatives like #BreakfastBirdwatch andother daily communications, especially on oursocial channels.

For the millions of us now in lockdown, nature hasnever been more important - providing solaceand comfort in these challenging times. RSPB willcontinue to try and help you enjoy the birds yousee through your windows or on your dailyexercise, and the joys brought by the arrival ofspring. We believe the greatest thank you we canoffer to the natural environment that sustains usthrough these challenging times is to continue ourwork to protect it.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/RSPBBurtonMere/

https://twitter.com/RSPB_BurtonMere

Lots of great activities for kids:bit.ly/RSPBHomeActivities

Self Isolating &

Social Distancing

Ploughing a lone furrow

in the fields below

Puddington

Greenwood Farm, Burton

On Sunday 5 April BBC’s popular programme, COUNTRY featured extendedcoverage of life at Greenwood Farm in Burton, home of the Crossley family whofarm sheep on the salt marshes of the Dee Estuary.

Entitled the programme highlighted the trials andtribulations of managing sheep and caring for the ewes and new-born lambs. Theprogramme was presented by Adam Henson and Helen Skelton and featured AlexCrossley and other members of the Crossley farming family.

The programme is available on the BBC iPlayer. Click here.

COUNTRYFILE

24 Hours

in the

Lambing

Shed

Pictures used in this article weretaken before social distancing was

introduced

The BBC COUNTRY programmeshowed exactly what lambing time is reallylike on the Crossley family farm. It alsofeatured the surrounding wetlands of the

and thestaff explained the benefit the area offers,not only to nature and conservation, but tothe well-being of people who live and workon the salt marshes.

‘Our family has farmed at GreenwoodFarm in Burton for over 50 years andnothing like this has ever happened before.Having the BBC here was a marvellousopportunity for people to see what goes onat lambing time and for everyone to learna bit more about the area of the county inwhich we all live. It has also led to awelcome increase in lamb sales!’

As I write it is a beautiful day withbright blue skies and it’s very warm.

The lockdown has given me more time toreflect on the beauty of the garden. Thesilence was only interrupted by the soundof bees and lovely birdsong. Many prettybutterflies have also been spotted.

Of course, many tasks in the garden mustbe completed. It was a mass of colour –the camellias were so lovely, and thetulips are currently in full bloom. A potcontaining Black Pansies and TulipShirley look lovely. The twisted hazel(Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick) hadmasses of catkins and is now in full leaf.

Three new dahlias, Star Surprise, remainin pots and will only be planted out whenthere is no danger of frost. A hybrid tearose is also in alarge pot. This isRose Gaujardwhich has cherryred blooms withsilver backs. Twoclematis –Montana Rubens and Pamela Jackmanare in full bloom.

Twenty gladioli have been planted i.e.Paloma Blanca (white) and Donatella(peach).

The greenhouse is currently full ofseedlings which appear to be growingon well – Cosmos, Larkspur,Cornflower, Sea of Pink and mixedannuals. Some of these seedlings are‘hardening off’, but as it is cold atnight, they are covered over withnewspaper or net curtain.

The garden was full of Celandines. Whylet these flowers grow in your garden?So that I can press these lovely bloomswithout picking them in the wild.Currently the flower presses andvarious books are full.

Many birds continue to visit thegarden. Jenny Wren is very often heardand occasionally seen. Our two boxesdo not have any tenants at the moment.Blackbirds are always seen as well asgreen/goldfinches and a Greater SpottedWoodpecker visits. Two robins are, ofcourse, frequent visitors.

Jobs to be getting on with …

● Plant out annuals according to theweather

● Continue weeding

● Remember to water not only newplants, but also tubs.

Enjoy the garden!

Supporting the Local Community

DovecoteNurseriesStation RoadBurton

Stock Available for Home Delivery

Hardy Bedding Plants- Pansies Sold Out!- Violas Sold Out !- Stocks- Gazanias- Antirrhinums- Mimulus£2.99 per trayAll ready for planting

Sweet Peas- Single Colour or Mixed Colours£2 per pot

For Baskets & Containers- 9 cm pots at £1.50 per pot

Coming Soon- Half hardy plants- Geraniums- Pelargoniums- Osteospermums- Argyranthemums£2.99 per pot or 4 pots for £10- Ivy-leaf geraniums£1.80 per pot

Other Items- Evergreens & Deciduous Shrubs- Climbers- Herbaceous Plants

Vegetable Plants- Leeks- Broccoli- Swiss Chard- Peas- Broad BeansAll ready for planting

Vegetables for LaterPlanting

- Dwarf & Climbing FrenchBeans

- Runner Beans- Sweetcorn- Cabbage£2.50 per pack

Tomatoes, Courgettes, &Cucumbers

£1.20 per plantCompost- Multi-Purpose- Ericaceous- Grow Bags- Farmyard Manure- John Innes No.2 & No.3- Bark ChipsSeeds- Johnsons Flower & Veg Seeds

Terracotta Pots - Ceramic Pots - Wooden Barrels

No, not the adventures of Hammy and her friends asthey investigate a well-known peninsula, but a quicktrip through the changes that the trustees, staff andvolunteers at the Wirral Foodbank have made recentlyin order to continue to provide food to those indesperate need. The good news is, despite everything,that’s still happening. You can still help even though it’shard to donate food now that the church building isclosed. Many donors are giving money instead nowand the Foodbank can use this to buy what’s needed.You can donate athttps://wirral.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-Money/ Please note that postal deliveries to businessesare disrupted much more than those to homes, soonline donations are preferred over cheques.

Back to early March and we’re almost business as usualin the 13 distribution centres. There’s hand sanitiser thatvolunteers and clients are using between interviews andclients who are coughing or sneezing are being asked towait outside away from everyone else while we bringfood to them. Donations from churches andsupermarkets are at normal levels and the warehouse isalso working through sorting and putting away thesurge of donations that starts in Advent and continuesto the new year.

By mid-March the government’s recommendationsfor those over 69 and those who are vulnerable have hitthe volunteer roster hard.

Pictures used in this article weretaken before social distancing was

introduced

It comes as something of a surprise that all thoseenthusiastic and active people are actually over 70(even though it’s the new 50 …).

The Foodbank's trustees are actively discouraging thoseat risk from coming in. There’s a new scheme fordistributing food – just one distribution centre incentral Birkenhead that’s open every day versus the 13centres that were open one or two times a week. Foodparcels are being put together at the warehouse ratherthan at each distribution centre so that it’s quick andeasy to provide food to clients. Food in thedistribution centres’ pantries is being collected andrepatriated to the central warehouse.

The next week the nation has been told to stay athome. Foodbanks are classified as essential work (likesupermarkets). The remaining volunteers are askedagain if they are prepared to work, and the rosters cutback so that we can stay more than 2 metres apartwhile we work. The teams in the vans who collectsupermarket donations and bring food back from thedistribution centres are now restricted to people fromthe same household. Food parcels are still flowing out.

Food donations from churches have all but stopped,but money is coming instead. Donations fromsupermarkets are down, perhaps because shelves of thestaples are now looking pretty empty.

In early April the main Foodbanks and Wirral Councilstart to pool their efforts to feed the hungry by settingup a single Emergency Food Hub.

At the warehouse we’ve stopped packing food parcelsto be handed out directly and have started packingfood boxes that will go to the hub and besupplemented with donations from food

manufacturers and supermarkets. Donations fromsupermarkets have picked up now that shelves aregetting re-stocked. Still no toilet paper,although oneperson donated two 24 roll packs at the warehouse afterguiltily looking at them stacked at home for a couple ofweeks.

By mid-April the Emergency Food Hub is humming.With so many people not at work the demand is muchbigger than it ever was. The Foodbank is shipping itsnon-perishable stock in bulk to the hub where it’sbeing merged with fresh food from supermarkets andbulk food from manufacturers. Deliveries of foodparcels are being made to those who are unable to getout, and supermarket vouchers provided to those whocould get out and shop if they had the money.

At the Foodbank the rate of food going out is muchhigher than that of it coming in. The Advent andChristmas surge is coming into its own so we still have ahealthy supply.

The trustees are looking ahead to what comes next. Itseems likely that we’ll start to go shopping tosupplement the stock using the financial donations weget. This was always a feature of the Foodbank – evenin the good old days there were never enough toiletrolls or bags of sugar donated, so we shopped for these.Now we’ll add whatever is needed to the shopping list.It will be quite a while before those now not able towork will receive the income support that’s promised sothe elevated demand on Foodbanks, and your supportfor them, will continue to be needed.

To Donate Money to Wirral Foodbank

ht tps : / /w i r ra l . f oodbank .o rg .uk /g i ve -he lp /dona te -money /

Burton & Puddington’s

GLADSTONE VILLAGE HALL

HOME COOKED MEALS

With support from Gladstone Village Hall, retiredcaterer Mary Walton is cooking delicious meals delivered to your door. This is anoffer aimed at older members of our community. The price, to cover the cost of herquality ingredients,will be £5 per meal.Call the Burton Community Help hotline on 0151 665 0867,leave a message and we’ll get back to you. We need orders inby Sunday each week. Meals will be delivered on a Wednesday.

GLADSTONE RADIODon’t forget! Gladstone Radio with brilliant Burton DJ Steve Lord. He’s live everyThursday at 8pm following the NHS clap, via Facebook. He’s taking requests, givingshout-outs and talking community news. It’s all about bringingthe community together and lifting spirits. If you’re not a Facebookmember you can still listen.https://www.facebook.com/gladstonevillagehall/

LEARN SPANISH DURING LOCKDOWNSarah, who usually teaches Italian at The Hall, is starting a newonline ‘lingochat’. Adult beginners Spanish.Mondays 8.00 to 8.45pm at £5 per household.Chester@lingotot.com

RECIPESLocal resident Louise Lord, from Can Do Cupcakes, has started posting a weeklyrecipe on our Facebook page, perfect for keeping families entertainedand fed! Join in and send us a picture of your creations.https://www.facebook.com/gladstonevillagehall/

CHAIR YOGATo keep his class limber, Andrew Collin has posted a chair yoga session on YouTube,search ‘Chair Yoga with Andrew 1’. Of course, any moves followed are at your ownrisk. If you enjoy the session, why not consider signing up oncethe class is up and running again.Classes are Monday & Thursday at 9.30am.Contact Andrew on 07802 737258

The Society started as theBurton and District LocalHistory Society on 21 Apri l1975 at Burton ManorCollege. It grew out of alocal history course thereled by Paul Booth fromLiverpool University . PaulBooth became President in1999.

Its prime purpose is to studyand research local history ,and it published Burton inWirral in 1984 and in 1996,Neston 1840-1940. Bothbooks are now out of print,but are in Neston Library .

In 1999 it fol lowed these upwith Neston at War 1939-45and in 2014 with NestonStone Age to Steam Age.

These books, as well asbeing well researched and toa high scholastic standard,are also good to read.

The May meeting of the Society has been

cancelled, but here are some resources to keep

you going!

Two recently published articles by Anthony

Annakin-Smith:

https://www.nestonpast.com/learning-the-ropes-

parkgate-rope-making-and-the-ropewalk/

https://www.nestonpast.com/anglican-smelting-

reduction-and-coal-company-ltd/

There is also a website to complement Anthony's

book The Neston Collieries, 1759 - 1855 which

includes a database of the miners who worked in

the early collieries and their

families.https://www.nestoncollieries.org/

You can also access the History Society's April

newsletter which has many links to interesting

history related articles and other web content,

some of it local.

For the direct link to the pdf file Click here.

Newsletters from the past three years are also

available to read. Click here:

There is also a page on the Society’s website with

all previous bulletins published between 1978 and

2009. Click here.

Happy reading!

From the

Par ish

Registers

Interment

18 March

- William David Steepe

Tel: Vivienne 336 7435Tel: Linda 336 5017

Holy CommunionSoup & Sandwich Lunch

For the last 9 years we have been holding aninformal Holy Communion service once amonth for those who find getting up the

steps to church a bit of a challenge.

Initially we started in the Burton café andthen moved to the Glass House at BurtonManor for a while until we settled in the

Sports and Social Club where the facilitiesmake it a perfect venue.

Several of the volunteers who have helpedmaking the soup and sandwiches and

hosting the lunch over the years have nowstepped down….so a big Thank You to allthose who have helped so faithfully and also

to the new volunteers who have made upthe teams so that we can continue to provide

this very special service.

Many thanks fromCathy and those who enjoy coming along

each month.

To sign up to our Newsletter it’s www.gladstonevillagehall.org

To join our bar team call us on 0151 665 0875

To follow us and keep in touch

Burton and Puddington Sports and Social Club

Welcomes New Members

With active social calendars and great facilities, why not join?

For Social Club membership or Cricket, Tennis, Bowls, Snookeror the Walking Club call us on 0151 665 0875

Gladstone Village Hall, Sports Pavilion, & Grounds

Activities suspended due

to government

Coronavirus regulations

Open 7 Days a WeekBreakfasts - T oasted Ciabattas & T oasties - Hot Drinks -

Homemade SoupSandwiches - Cakes - Ice Cream

Chapel House Lodge, Chapel House Lane, Puddingtonwww.giftcafe.co.uk

Activities suspended due to

government Coronavirus

regulations

Our professional staff have a wealth of experience arranging funerals for bereavedfamilies, serving Wirral and Merseyside.

At Charles Stephens our aim is to ensure that you have the minimum of worry andinconvenience at a time of bereavement. We are keen to offer advice and supportwherever necessary to help with your funeral arrangements.

Our six funeral homes, situated across Wirral, are specifically designed to cater for allyour needs with comfort, dignity and respect. Each and every member of our team istrained to the highest level and we support the attainment of relevant professionalqualifications at all levels.

An Independent Family BusinessEstablished 1896

Fully Qualified Staff24 Hours, 7 Days a WeekPre-paid Funeral Plans

Clifton House, 215, Bebington Road,Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH42 4QA

Tel: 0151 645 4396reception@charles-stephens.com

We Only Sell Seasoned LogsExcellent Quality for Fires, Stoves, Outside Fire Baskets & Chimineas

Locally Sourced - Barn Dried - Sustainable MaterialHardwood & Softwood Logs Available

Big Bulk Bag - Delivered & Stacked from £65Small nets of logs £5 - minimum 6 nets

Tree Surgery & HedgesFelling, Reducing, Pruning, Hedge Cutting, Chipping,

Grass Strimming, Ground Clearing, Mini-DiggerProfessionally Qualified & Fully Insured

J o e l B l a k e m a nT e l : 0 7 8 8 0 5 5 3 7 7 5 T e l : 0 1 5 1 3 3 6 7 4 3 5

m a r e s f i e l d f a r m @ b t i n t e r n e t . c o mPleased to Support St Nicholas’ Church

YOGA CLASSESClasses are held on Tuesdays atGladstone Village Hall, Burton7.00pm to 8.30pm. - Hatha Yoga

Also on Mondays & Thursdaysat the Burton Sports and SocialClub - Chair Yoga9.30 am to 10:30am

Beginners andreturners areall welcome andequipment can beprovided

Contact Andrew CollinTel: 07802 73 258

andrewcollin@btinternet.com

WIRRAL & CHESTERCHIMNEY CLEANING

Call Mr WalkerB i r d G u a r d s

C h i m n e y C o w l s F i t t e d

S a m e D a y C l e a n i n g S e r v i c e A v a i l a b l e

C l e a n l i n e s s G u a r a n t e e d

B r u s h & V a c u u m

T e l : 0 1 5 1 3 3 6 7 2 7 4

Coronavirus Epidemic

During these Difficult

times please continue to

support local

businesses and advertisers

wherever possible …

Thank You!

Activities suspended dueto government’s

Coronavirus regulations

Meetings in the Gladstone Village Hall at 8.00pmContact Janey Griffiths 0151 336 3621

For more information about eventsContact Hazel Huxley on 0151 336 2288

For more information about eventsContact Robert Thrift on 0151 336 1771

New members always welcome - for more information about activitiesContact John Nuttall on 0151 336 7178

For further information about future meetingsContact Hazel Huxley 0151 336 2288.

For membership information and events:Contact 0151 336 6154 or email, burtonmanorgardens@gmail.com

Next issue deadline for copy and advertisers 8 MayMagazine Administrator - sue@suebirch.com

You can contact Linda by emailing linda.conway@cheshire.pnn.police.uk or by calling herPolice Mobile Number 07824 609048.

You can also reach Linda at: www.cheshire.police.uk/little-neston-and-burtonFacebook: Little Neston and Burton Police

Twitter: LilNestonBurPol In an emergency, dial 999.For general enquires and non-urgent assistance, dial 101.

Membership is open to all residents of BurtonAn annual charge of £5 per household is payable from April

burtonresidentsassociation.co.uk

The Parish Magazine is published by the PCC ofSt Nicholas’ Church, Burton-in-Wirral.

Publication is made possible through the contributions anddonations of church members, Friends of St Nicholas’ Church,

residents, advertisers and other members of the public.The PCC is not responsible for the content or claims of

advertisers nor does it warrant or endorse any such content.Consequently no warranties or endorsements should be inferred.

The PCC and editorial team retain the right to edit itemssubmitted for publication. The editorial team’s decision is final.

Copies of this magazine can be found atwww.burtonchurch.org.uk

This magazine is published bi-monthly, six times a year.It is normally distributed to nearly every home in the villages of Burton and Puddington as well as to

people attending church and visitors from around the area.In addition it is available on the church website and

emailed to around 200 addresses

To discuss opportunities to advertise here contact

0151 271 4278 or 07507 051 048burtonchurchcomms@btinternet.com

All proceeds in aid of St Nicholas’ Church, Burton-in-WirralRegistered Charity No. 118483