Hi Everyone,
 
Please find latest church website updates. Hopefully I have captured most of the current events over the next few months. Please let me know of any omissions, mistakes ( I do occasionally make them!) or additions that you may wish me to add.
 
Please distribute this to other parishioners who I have missed off the distribution list and who have a broadband connection!
 
Many Thanks.
 
http://www.stbarbarasearlsdon.org.uk/index.htm

Provided by Glen Till, Manager Mobility Care Store Limited, Ullesthorpe

This event, which will feature a scooter and an electric riser chair as well as walkers, rollators and a host of daily living aids, will provide a golden opportunity to people with mobility problems or their carers to test, try out and ask about what might suit them.

Anyone with an interest in mobility aids is welcome.

Admission of £2.50 includes refreshments.

Although there is no on street parking outside St John's, public car parks are nearby and there is disabled parking in nearby Hill Street.

Many bus services, including Park and Ride North and South, stop within yards of the venue.

Contact Lynne Adams on 024 7667 6683 for more information.

Sean, the actor that originally played Martin Platt in the popular soap has had a bit of a career change and is now very busy producing award-winning cheeses.

Sean recently set up the Saddleworth Cheese Company creating four new cheeses, three of which have already won awards at the British Cheese Awards this year.

They are Muldoon's Picnic, a Lancashire crumbly; Shanks Pony, a Lancashire creamy;

How's Yer Father, a Lancashire Tasty and Smelly Apeth, a specially formulated medium soft blue.

Theresa Kendall, owner of the Kendall's of Earlsdon Delicatessen, said: "Since the recent publicity about Sean's new venture, we have been asked by lots of customers who are curious about his cheese making skills and absolutely loved the names he has given them.

We like to be very responsive to our customers' needs - so we thought we'd give these new cheeses a try!"

These guest cheeses will be available in the Deli from Wednesday 9 September onwards.

IT was a real family treat for Gladys Gascoigne when she celebrated her 100th birthday with a special performance by her great-grandchildren.

The children sang "Nana We Love You" and gave their great grandmother a pink rose each at a party at the Elsie Jones House, in Earlsdon Avenue South, where she has lived for two years.

Lord Mayor Jack Harrison dropped in to wish the birthday girl many happy returns and she also enjoyed a performance by the Wyken Male Voice Choir, who sang songs from the war period.

Gladys has lived in Coventry all her life and married Herbert in Coventry Cathedral. The couple went on to have two children, Jeanne and Derek.

She also has three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Gladys said the secret of living a long life is to love one another and make others happy. She has spent much of her life looking after others, including her older sister who brought her up after her mum died. During the war she and her husband also took people into their home.

Her daughter, Jeanne Simmons, 73, of Styvechale, said her mum used to be delighted to send and receive greetings from the Queen Mother every year because she shared her birthday. This year she received a greeting from Prince Charles and a card from the Queen.

Gladys enjoys attending the Friday Teapot group at St Mary Magdalen Church, in Chapelfields, and is able to go thanks to the city's Ring and Ride service.

A group of energetic volunteers from E.ON's Coventry HQ has transformed an outdoor area at Hereward College into a vegetable patch.

The 13-strong team, including two teachers and students from the College, donned wellies and spent a day digging, planting and clearing overgrown shrubs to help bring the outdoor area to life.

Now complete, the allotment will provide the College canteen with fresh, healthy, home-grown produce, including potatoes, peas, beans, cabbages and herbs.

Julie Andrews, a part-time lecturer at the College, said: "Thanks to the E.ON team and funding from Business in the Community, we've now got a completely new allotment which will provide us with lots of lovely produce.

"We've never done anything on this scale before and couldn't have done it without such fantastic support. We're absolutely delighted with the results."

By Jamie Clubb

Clubb Chimera Martial Arts Coventry club was represented by regular student, Roger Marshall, at a mixed martial arts event held at Kyushinkai Martial Arts Centre, Telfordon 1st August.

Roger had to step in when a novice fighter's opponent didn't show up and then had to fight his own normal scheduled fight.

Roger won both bouts inside the first round by way of submission. Mixed martial arts matches are full contact bouts and permit both strikes and grappling - the type made famous by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Clubb Chimera Martial Arts founder and head coach, Jamie Clubb, said "CCMA are very proud of Roger and deserves the victories due to the hard work he has put in.

He has been through some gruelling training, but has always had our club students' support.

We look forward to entering more students in these bouts. It really fires up inspiration and gives them an opportunity to find out how they respond under pressure.

These are essential internal skills not just for self defence or martial arts, but for life in general".   

CCMA classes offer training in realistic self defence and use MMA (mixed martial arts) as a form of attribute training.

A reduced contact version is used for the children's classes.

Classes are held every Wednesday 5:30-6:30pm for juniors (6-14 year olds) and 6:30-8:00pm for seniors (15 years+) at the WoodlandsSchooland SportsCollege, Broad Lane, CV5.

Please contact jamie@clubbchimera.com or visit our website www.clubbchimera.com for more information.

MOLLY Spicer was tickled pink after Ken Dodd sent her a beautiful bouquet on her 100th birthday.

The pair have been good friends since the comedian, famous for his buck teeth and tickling stick, performed alongside her ventriloquist son Dennis on stage and screen in the 1950s and early 1960s.

Molly, who also received a card from the Queen, was joined by three generations of family and numerous friends for her big day at the Elsie Jones residential home, in Earlsdon, Coventry.

She said: "It's very exciting, I never dreamt that I'd have a party this lovely; I was expecting a quiet afternoon.

"I've had some beautiful flowers and a cake. I'm very pleased with the card from the Queen, I've been waiting for that!"

Molly said the key to a long life was "working hard and never slowing down".

She was born in the East End of London as one of 24 children, but moved to the Stoke area of Coventry around 60 years ago after meeting Morris factory worker Bill, who died in 1979.

In a varied career, she worked as an auxiliary nurse at Gulson Road Hospital, as a home help, at GEC in Coventry and in the café at a Butlin's holiday camp.

The couple had three children, Dennis, who was tragically killed in a car crash in 1964 after appearing at the Royal Variety Performance, and daughters June, now aged 72, and Rosemary, now aged 63. Molly also has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Rosemary said: "Mum is a very giving person. She would still be going shopping and pushing people around in their wheelchairs if she could. She does not consider herself old."

DEDICATED pupil Kiaya Lyons, aged 11, is finishing primary school with marks of 100 per cent - after not missing a single day of classes.

The Whoberley Hall Primary School pupil, right, has notched up her perfect attendance record since joining the school, in Overdale Road, Coventry, in the reception class.

Kiaya said: "I have been ill but only at the weekends. Sometimes on school days my mum and dad would give me medicine and I would feel better and be able to go to school.

"I like school because I like seeing my head teacher."

Head Nicky Simmons said: "It's very unusual and a tremendous achievement. She has always wanted to come to school."

In September Kiaya is due to move to The Westwood School in Mitchell Avenue, Canley.

MORE than 100 young footballers walked through picturesque fields on the outskirts of Coventry in aid of charity.

Six to 16-year-old members of Firefighters Junior FC walked nearly seven miles to raise funds for their sponsor, the fast food chain McDonalds.

Their coaches and parents also pounded the route of the sponsored walk, which took them from their base at Eastern Green Social Club in Church Lane, Eastern Green, through Meriden and Berkswell before they made the return trip.

As a reward for their efforts, organisers put on a welcome party complete with a barbecue and six-a-six football tournament to celebrate their return.

It was the first time the youth teams had come together to generate money and organisers hope it will be the first of many fundraising events.

Harry Robinson, coach, said: "Firefighters Junior FC was set up seven years ago and our policy is football for all. This was a great opportunity to bring everyone together and put something back into the community."

All money raised will help the Ronald McDonald House charity, which helps parents whose children are being treated away from the home a way to stay together.

THE 21st Eastern Green Scout Group held its' annual Spring fund raising event on the local green in Sutton Avenue today.

When I arrived at 11 a.m it was well underway, and if the weather was anything to go by they were in for a good turnout.

I spoke to the organiser and he told me that the funds raised all go towards the equipment at their headquarters in Kenthurst Close.

The group is always looking forward to welcoming new members and you can reach him on 07801 033 585, or at the H.Q in Kenthurst Close.

A FORMER teacher who says writing helped him recover from work-related stress will be signing copies of his new children's novel in Coventry.

Ian Mallon, aged 48, spent just three months writing his third book, called Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which tells a story of best friends in their final year of primary school. He decided to pursue writing as a full-time job after 13 years of teaching.

The father-of-two, who lives with wife Kim in Hartington Crescent, Earlsdon, will be signing the books in Borders, Arena Retail Park, on Saturday between 11am and 2pm. The novel is published by Cov Books.

Under the banner "Home and Away", the Scireborne Tavern, Alspath Lane, Eastern Green, is calling for people to give school supplies and arts and crafts materials.

Half of the goods will stay in the UK going to children's charity, Kids Out. The charity runs a Toy Box Scheme providing essential items to children across the UK when they are re-housed in a refuge after fleeing abuse, violence or neglect.

The other half will be taken to four Save the Children schools and orphanages in the poorest parts of Romania.

Romania is one of Europe's poorest countries where 44 per cent of people live in poverty.

If you can to contribute in any way, we would be very grateful, but we particularly need fruit and veg, good quality bric-a-brac, tombola prizes, plants and gardening equipment, and cakes for our tea tent and cake stall.

Most important of all, turn up on the day to support us and enjoy a fabulous day out.

And don't forget it's our Coventry Sunflower Walk on Sunday. If you haven't registered, just turn up on the day.

Wanted - shop volunteers. We are currently recruiting for our Myton shops. For details, ask at one of our shops, call Pinky on 01926 838836 or e-mail pinky.sidhu@mytonhospice.org

CHILDREN were transformed into mini firefighters with a special visit to their school.

A crew from Radford Road Fire Station dropped in to Davenport Lodge Pre-Preparatory School, Earlsdon, to talk to six and seven-year-olds about their jobs.

They also explained the dangers of fire and how children should respond in an emergency before letting them try out the hose and explore the fire engine.

Earlier this year the children were visited by officers from West Midlands Police.

NEWLY retired Coventry fireman Nobby Clarke has revealed a burning ambition - to spark some heated debates in the House of Commons.

Nobby, who's just left the service after 30 years and is one of the city's best known firemen, plans to stand for Parliament at the next general election.