Following a recent meeting of the Civic Fund trustees, which includes clergy from our local churches and parish councillors, a decision has been taken to reinstate the Civic Service in the village calendar.
The service, last held in 2003, is scheduled to take place on Sunday May 15th 2011 and the intention is to hold the service at St. Philip and St James Church. A decision as to whether subsequent annual services will be alternated between the three village churches, as used to be the case, has yet to be made.
The Civic Service provides an opportunity for the Parish Council to invite all the local dignitaries, including MPs, senior police officers, members of other neighbouring town and parish councils and representatives of all the various local voluntary groups and churches to the service
Councillor Mike Williamson said "The details and content of the service are to be decided later, but the date appeared appropriate as the council is scheduled for re-election next May and so a new council will have been formed just prior to the service being held."
A collection taken during the service has traditionally been the main source of income for the Civic Fund and will provide a boost to the current balance of £738 - though there has been no call on the monies for some time with the last disbursement being more than 10 years ago.
The Civic Fund is a hardship fund which aims to assist, on a one-off basis, anyone living in exceptional hardship in the parish who has a need for money for a particular purpose. In the past money has been granted to provide a cooker to a local resident in need, buy musical instruments for children otherwise unable to afford them, pay for the funeral of a disabled child where the family were not earning because they also had another severely-disabled child to care for and to pay for a short holiday for a single mother and her child. The recipients remain anonymous, except to the trustees.
Councillor Mike Williamson explained "The Institute Trust is available to consider larger funding needs, but for small amounts that could make a difference, then this fund should be considered. We have made several attempts over the last 5 years to raise the profile, with little effect."
