News from First Church

O, Wind,
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
From Shelley’s Ode to the West Wind

Our (9th) annual Mid-Winter Book Fair took place on the 24th and 25th of June, and was again a great success. It’s clear that book lovers are not put off by chilly wet weather, and many found their way to the old Kingsley Agvet building on Jellicoe Street to browse and buy from the quantities of donated books of all kinds.

Weeks of work had gone into sorting books, and the experiment of displaying all the fiction alphabetically in boxes was appreciated.

We have many people to thank for making this fundraising event work – truly a team effort, and many people from all parts of our community played a part. Planning and publicity, the venue (thank you Mr Wells) and the logistics of shifting hundreds of books all had to be organised. Then books came in, hours of sorting took place, strong chaps (thank you Martinborough Transport) moved boxes and boxes and trestles to the Agvet building, hours were spent setting up, and a team of people took turns to run the Fair on the Saturday and Sunday. And we don’t forget to acknowledge the gallant crew who cleared up afterwards!

The First Church team is grateful to all in the community who supported and assisted – the Library, Pain & Kershaw Ltd, Martinborough Transport and all the readers local and visiting, who came and bought books. Such an event is a buzz! and we are pleased to have kept this event going. And we have proved that people still enjoy and will buy books!

During the Winter months of July and August all Sunday services will be held in our hall on Weld Street – a cafe style setting making for a relaxed and cosier opportunity for all to participate, ask questions and share ideas.