Newsline Spring 2004

We hope you all had a very happy Christmas and enjoyed the Lights display that we put on for you. We hope that you liked the two new displays erected above the Chemists.
At one stage we wondered if we were going to get the lights erected in time for the scheduled switch on because of the lack of volunteers. However, when the word got out that we were in real difficulties, instead of the usual five or six people turning up we had fourteen volunteers, including some excellent lady workers, on one Sunday morning! This meant that we finished the erection of the lights a week early!
Many people think that once the lights are erected and switched on we can sit back and relax until after Christmas. This does not happen. Lights are usually checked daily and various problems rectified in order to keep the lights lit up during darkness. This year we also had a problem when one of the display masts was reversed into by a vehicle and damaged to the extent that it had to be removed. The driver did what most drivers appear to do these days - he drove off without leaving any details. There are, however, some good citizens about and we have received sufficient details of the event to follow it up. We now have to sort the mast out and decoration by either repairing or replacing - not a cheap job. We would like to thank all those volunteers, companies, Councils and the Robert Lucas Trust who have helped us this year by way of sponsorship, donations and grants. We particularly would like to thank Mary Fraser, of the White Hart Hotel, who, whenever we have been working on the lights, has provided the teams with tea, coffee and biscuits. As Mary is now retiring we shall greatly miss her and her interest in the lights. However, we might be able to persuade her to join us as a volunteer! We would also like to thank Ed and Kevin who always assist us by providing the high lift vehicle.
Those of you who are of the older generation may remember when some small electrical appliances could be plugged into an electric light socket, either in place of the bulb or in an adaptor which allowed the bulb and the appliance to be switched on together. We are desperately in need of that type of plug. The pins protrude. If anybody has any of these plugs, which have not been manufactured for several years because of home safety regulations, please contact Lewis Bitt on 811689. We use these plugs for connecting the displays to the lights cable by removing a bulb and inserting the plug. Unless we can obtain further supplies of these plugs it may delay the purchase of more displays.
Our next Fund Raising event will be a Race Night in the Community Hall, Ampthill Road, Shefford, on Friday, 19th March at 7.30pm. Please note this in your diary so you can come along and support us. It really is a good evening’s fun!

Andrew Boatwright - Committee Member

Shefford Christmas Lights Committee
We hope you all had a very happy Christmas and enjoyed the Lights display that we put on for you. We hope that you liked the two new displays erected above the Chemists. At one stage we wondered if we were going to get the lights erected in time for the scheduled switch on because of the lack of volunteers. However, when the word got out that we were in real difficulties, instead of the usual five or six people turning up we had fourteen volunteers, including some excellent lady workers, on one Sunday morning! This meant that we finished the erection of the lights a week early! Many people think that once the lights are erected and switched on we can sit back and relax until after Christmas. This does not happen. Lights are usually checked daily and various problems rectified in order to keep the lights lit up during darkness. This year we also had a problem when one of the display masts was reversed into by a vehicle and damaged to the extent that it had to be removed. The driver did what most drivers appear to do these days - he drove off without leaving any details. There are, however, some good citizens about and we have received sufficient details of the event to follow it up. We now have to sort the mast out and decoration by either repairing or replacing - not a cheap job. We would like to thank all those volunteers, companies, Councils and the Robert Lucas Trust who have helped us this year by way of sponsorship, donations and grants. We particularly would like to thank Mary Fraser, of the White Hart Hotel, who, whenever we have been working on the lights, has provided the teams with tea, coffee and biscuits. As Mary is now retiring we shall greatly miss her and her interest in the lights. However, we might be able to persuade her to join us as a volunteer! We would also like to thank Ed and Kevin who always assist us by providing the high lift vehicle. Those of you who are of the older generation may remember when some small electrical appliances could be plugged into an electric light socket, either in place of the bulb or in an adaptor which allowed the bulb and the appliance to be switched on together. We are desperately in need of that type of plug. The pins protrude. If anybody has any of these plugs, which have not been manufactured for several years because of home safety regulations, please contact Lewis Bitt on 811689. We use these plugs for connecting the displays to the lights cable by removing a bulb and inserting the plug. Unless we can obtain further supplies of these plugs it may delay the purchase of more displays. Our next Fund Raising event will be a Race Night in the Community Hall, Ampthill Road, Shefford, on Friday, 19th March at 7.30pm. Please note this in your diary so you can come along and support us. It really is a good evening’s fun! Andrew Boatwright - Committee Member

Shefford Youth Group (YNU) Starving for a Cause....
...Following last year’s successful 24 hour fast by YNU (the joint Shefford Baptist and Methodist Youth Group) we are doing it again this year!!! The weekend of 14th February is the set date. This year the focus is on the hope for clean water for everyone. By the time this Newsline is published we will be around collecting sponsor money.. ..but it is not too late to give. Every penny counts (just visit St. Michaels’ web site and see last year’s coin line pictures) A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who supported us last year. Our final total was just over £1,000 .. brilliant. The famine was organised by World Vision and youth groups throughout the UK collected over £1/4 million. For more details of the famine or YNU call Jenny Vass on 626101.