2:59pm Thursday 1st October 2009
AS THE editor of the community newsletter for Burley .Gate and the surrounding parishes, I have received the following letter from Mr and Mrs Roy Cotterill of Ashford in Kent.
“Can I, through the medium of your magazine, thank the congregation of St Mary’s at Much Cowarne for the way they looked after my wife and myself on Sunday, August 9.
“My wife, formerly Mary Gibbs, is quite disabled and uses a fourwheeled walker to get around. She lived in Much Cowarne for her first 12 years as a child and wished to hear the bells ring after such a long time and also, if possible to attend a service there.
“She has an affinity with the church in that her father lies just inside the gate, her brother in the cremation area, and her great grandfather and grandmother lie under the tree just down the slope.
“Everything possible was done by Don Smith, his wife and others to ensure that her wish was realised.
“We entered the church through the vestry door so as to avoid the steps, the service was conducted in the choir stalls, the preacher brought Communion to us where we sat, and at the end we were provided with coffee and biscuits whilst we remained in our seats.
“My wife was greeted by all but of course she tended to know more members of the earlier generation than those attending the service.
“We found that one lady plays whist with one of Mary’s cousins regularly, proving that we do live in a small world. We were even invited to collect a millennium booklet on the history of the church from the home of one parishioner, and once again we were made most welcome.
“We are both nearly 80 and thus found the reception very emotional.
Living in a large town one does not find such friendship and solace, but the visit did Mary as much good as anything I have managed to get her to during the last four to five years and we are both very grateful to all of those who helped to make it such an event for us.
“Finally, when Mary rang her mother, Gladys Gibbs nee Morris, who is 102, she too was very surprised at what we had done, but not so at the reception we had received saying: ‘They are like that down there aren’t they’.”
MARTIN FIELD, Burley Gate, Herefordshire
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.herefordtimes.com