A big "Thank You" to the staff of the Post Office and Spar shops for helping and caring for all our parishioners, especially the elderly, during the recent spell of icy weather.

Do you enjoy a stroll in the countryside?

Hemyock Parish Council regularly arranges for local footpaths to be surveyed to ensure that they are kept in good order and that there are no unauthorised diversions or blockages. A few more volunteers are needed to walk and survey the footpaths.

The organisers of the Pump are sorry to have postponed the 'Thank You Tea' on 16th January because of the uncertain weather. We hope to have another date in the spring to which all distributors and prospective helpers will be invited. We did try to contact everyone involved by telephone, e-mail or word of mouth, but many apologies if the message did not get through to everybody.

We have now retired from running the stall at the Saturday morning market for the Blackdown Support Group in Hemyock. We have done this for nine years including the odd Garage Sale and raised over £9,000.

"Why me?" was the question I asked when approached to open St Mary's Christmas Fair this year. I was told it was because I had attended a great many and perhaps would have some memories I would like to share. It was later suggested I should put some of the memories I mentioned into the Pump; hence this article.

The first fair I attended was in 1955, when of course everyone would have arrived smartly dressed and wearing hats. I was very excited as Father Christmas was coming, as he will be later today, and there would be lots of things to buy. But before anything like this happened we children had to stand and listen to a dignitary open the event. He, or she, would be on the stage, which used to be where the alcove is, along with the Rector and his wife, Churchwardens and Church Council officers. A formal vote of thanks would be given and later they would all return to the stage and be served tea at a laid table.

A musical evening of fun and variety...............

It's Music all the Way at St Mary's Summer Fayre so book the date now It's Saturday July 3rd at 11am - 4pm. Lots more details later, but any enquiries re stalls etc to David Bawler (01823 680352)