Harvington

FIRST SCHOOL: Harvington First School is having, as always, a very busy time with many exciting developments taking place and numerous activities to challenge the energies of all concerned. In September the headmistress Marcia Palmer took part in a day's seminar at Highgrove, the home of HRH Prince Charles, who is president of a group called Business in the Community and at whose instigation the meeting took place. Under the title of Leadership in the 21st century, the conference brought together 40 headteachers drawn from all over the country and business partners with whom they have been working over the past 12 months, together with other interested parties, making a study group some 120 strong. After a working morning, with talks and discussions about shared problems and solutions, the guests were entertained to lunch and then given a comprehensive tour of the gardens, during which time they met several of the gardening staff and heard at first hand about Prince Charles' love of the environment. They had all previously had conversation with HRH who had impressed them all with his sincerity. It had been a memorable day and one in which Mrs Palmer felt delighted to have taken part. School itself has much to show for the last few months: the adventure area is progressing splendidly and, even during its period of construction, is giving tremendous pleasure to the children. They have been actively involved in the planning of more than £1,500 worth of trees, shrubs and plants working to the design of Guy Redman who was responsible for the overall plan and in this they have been helped by parents and a number of other well-wishers, one of whom was Edith Cappell, secretary of the Horticultural Society. It will be remembered that the late Eric Newing left a legacy to be used by the society for the benefit of the school and it is felt that he would be delighted to see what good use is being made of the money. Storage sheds, structures for walking and scrambling over and through, or for sitting under and on, are all in situ now, with numerous massive logs for active and adventurous play. There is to be a fragrance garden and a lavender maze and a tunnel made of interwoven hazel - all designed to satisfy children's curiosity and sense of adventure. How it makes some of us long to be children again. Meanwhile, the new hall is well on its way to completion and next May is being looked at as the possible opening - an event for which Mrs Palmer and her staff and governors can hardly wait. The school entrance hall was piled with Christmas boxes donated by supportive parents and their children and all awaiting collection by a representative of the Bob James Appeal. A notice announces that almost £100 was raised for Children in Need (kind-hearted anonymous donors made it up to the full amount) and vegetables seeds appealed for some time ago for by Clive Guest are to be collected by him within the next few days in readiness for his visit to the Gambia. In that connection, it is planned to raise £80 next year - the amount of money needed to educate one child in the Gambia for a period of a year. All this, plus the routine work of the school leaves one breathless...and then there is Christmas. On Wednesday, December 12 at 6pm, there is to be a Christingle Service in St James' church to which members of the public are invited and, in speaking about it, Mrs Palmer looked enthusiastically to next year when this service, together with many others of its kind, will be taking place in the New Hall. Her enthusiasm for this is infectious. She has always seen the building of a new hall as a village asset, a facility available to a wider range of users than just the children of the school, and she looks forward to seeing this accomplished. She carries the good wishes of the community with her. Harvington Singers winter concert will be given in St James' church on Friday evening, December 14 starting at 7.30pm. The programme of seasonal music will be supplemented by items performed by several visiting artistes and, during the interval, mulled wine and mince pies will be served as has become traditional at this annual event. Tickets, priced at £4 can be bought from Linda Attwood or any member of The Singers. A Fashion Show by Nightingales of Winchcombe, organised and presented by the WI will take the place of their usual monthly meeting in the village hall on Wednesday, December 5, starting at 7.30pm. This event is being widely advertised as it is not to be exclusive to members of the WI; indeed, they wish to make it clear that they would welcome allcomers. Clothes, reasonable priced, to suit women of all ages and sizes will be on show, and the event is designed to appeal to a wide cross-section of the village. Tickets at £3 (which will include mulled wine and mince pies) can be obtained from Mrs Sally Bacon.