A LYRICAL BICYCLE RIDE

Saturday 2nd March 2019

Their bicycles are the fastest the world's ever seen,
From Goosnargh to Chipping for coffee and cream.
They have supersonic engines fuelled by a brew,
Passing Beacon Fell Hill and admiring the view.

They ride their bicycles around and around           

       Down every hill and up every mound.                   

       With birds abounding they spot a partridge            

And look forward to coffee at The Gibbon Bridge.

 

The return trip is harder with stomachs part full,

They find even the flat bits a bit of a pull,

But leaving Parlick behind as Goosnargh appears

It's been worth all the (blood?), the sweat and the tears.

And now as the day comes to a close,

Our bravehearted cyclists can only suppose

With food time beckoning up there ahead,

They meet Richard, Tom & Mary at The Stags Head.

With apologies to too many poets to mention, one can only congratulate the Longridge Cycle Group who keep

 "MOVING ON"!!!

PRESTON CIRCLE 14 NEWS

Preston Circle 14 held its clergy night on Tuesday 26 February at Barton Grange Hotel. A good Circle turnout, 4 priests, 2 deacons and Brothers Liam and Cosmos from the Xaverian Brothers Spirituality Centre at Tabor enjoyed an excellent meal and each others' company.

Brother President Tom took the opportunity to thank the clergy for their continuing help and support - and in fact an offer of further help was received from Brother Liam, a competent piper, who kindly offered to pipe in the Brothers, ladies and guests at the traditional Circle dinner dance and ladies' evening the following Saturday.

The offer was gratefully accepted, and Brother Liam duly obliged as over 100 Brothers, ladies and guests sat down to dine on Saturday 2 March at Barton Grange Hotel. An excellent meal was followed by entertaining speeches - and then the legendary Preston Circle 14 raffle, organised by Brother Francis in his own inimitable style, helped by the ladies. The rest of the evening was given over to dancing to the music of DJ Chris, and passed all too quickly!

Brother President Tom and Gillian and Brother Vice President Richard and Jenny welcoming guests

Brother Director Mark and Maxine, MC Peter and Joan Western, Brother President Tom and Gillian, Brother Provincial President Jim and daughter Angela - and empty soup plates!

The dancing is about to start!

The next Preston Circle 14 social event is the President's charity night, which will take place at 8pm on Saturday 23 March at Preston Grasshoppers RFC. A live band - Contraband - will provide the entertainment, and a gourmet buffet meal will be served. Brother President Tom's charity is ACN - Aid to the Church in Need - and we hope to raise a substantial amount towards this worthy cause. Please come along and support the event if you can - contact any Preston Circle 14 Brother for further details.

LONGRIDGE WALKERS EXPLORE CROOKLANDS

This leisurely walk starts from Crooklands Hotel (map reference SD 535 836, postcode LA7 7NW) 

and goes alongside Peasey Beck to Endmoor. The distance was approximately 5 miles and the terrain was grassy footpaths with one short steep climb.

On Wednesday 27th February with glorious sunshine 

19 members of Longridge Walking Group, with George the labrador puppy, set out to explore this beautiful part of the world led by honorary Catenian Peter Russell.

Walking along Peasey Beck first stop was the remains of Low Gatebeck Gunpowder works and Peter explained that we were standing on the path of the former tram which took the gunpowder to Milnthorpe.

On then to the Millenium Clock in Endmoor

Then a walk by Saint Sunday’s Beck into Stainton village and a pause for a photograph on the old packhorse bridge (probably built in the 17th Century) beside Waybend Cottage.

A mention here must go to our intrepid photographer as one can see risked life and limb to produce the above:

Charles Maher, heroic photographer!!

Moving on to the canal with the towpath going over Stainton Aqueduct, George enjoyed himself in the canal but gave wide birth to the pair of swans, The Crooklands Hotel appeared on the left and all agreed this had been a super walk and looked forward to the bar with some tempting real ales.

A couple of non walkers joining us for lunch and 21 sat down to eat with the favourite of the day being the famous "Jumbo fish and chips":

Another successful walk enjoying the wonderful countryside, good food but most importantly excellent company. Who could ask for more?

Preston 144 Trainspotters - Kendal

Kendal was the chosen destination for the Preston 144's 'Trainspotters' February excursion.

Virgin Trains took us to Oxenholme then it was a quick change to get the Northern Rail, Windermere train, to Kendal.

They must have known we were coming!

The first stop was Brades Farm Cafe for a late-morning coffee..

....then....fish, chips, mushy peas and pints in the 'Miles Thompson' (Wetherspoons)......

............Then on to the

'Indie Craft Beer' for a further libation

A 'real ale' paradise!

LSA Circle goes to Blackpool

With the demise of the Blackpool & Fylde Circle, Lytham St Annes Circle chose to have their annual Mass for Vocations at St John Vianney's in Blackpool.  Co-incidentally the usual priest there is Fr Daniel Etienne the assistant to the Lancaster Diocesan Vocations Director and the Dioceses most recently ordained priest.  

The mass was advertised through all the bulletins in our usual eight parish churches in the Kirkham Deanery as well as the churches in the southern part of Blackpool.  There were more non Catenians attending than the twenty Catenians and they had come from parishes throughout the area. 

After the mass Fr Daniel joined us for an excellent meal at Dahlia's Kitchen which had opened specially for us.

LSA Dominoes championship

After the February circle meeting and 2-course buffet the annual dominoes championships, organised by PGP Bro. Mike O'Malley, were hotly contested by 16 men and 11 ladies including some visitors.  The men's final was between the Circle's Marshal Bro. Colin Reed and Registrar Bro. Drew Taylor with Drew taking the trophy.  The two ladies fighting it out for the Ladies trophy were Frances King, wife of VP Michael, and Rena Lee, wife of prospective member Brian.  And the winner was - Rena.  This might mean that Brian has to join us so that Rena can defend her trophy next year!

Bros Colin Reed, Circle President Robert Thompson and Drew Taylor [nice ties]

As I value their friendship I dare not publish the photographs of the ladies.

Broughton's January events

Piper Jason Fletcher

BURNS NIGHT CELEBRATIONS

On 26th January Broughton in Craven Circle celebrated their annual Burns Night Dinner at Colne Golf club. The evening consisted of the traditional piping in of the Haggis, a three course meal and lots of jokes and tall tales.

The Haggis and a couple of Drams

Thanks to Rob Greenwood for his one man 'stand up' routine and Bernard Swarbrick for his poetry to match the 'bard' himself. A special thanks to Michael McIlroy for organising the event.

MC Harry Binns keeping everyone in their place.

Robert Greenwood in full flow

CHILDREN IN NEPAL 

At their meeting on 31st January they were given a talk by Mr John Peet on educating children in Nepal. John is a representative of a charity which supports education for children in deprived areas of Nepal.  After his talk a collection was made towards the charity and President Michael Limb thanked him for an excellent talk. 

John Peet and President Michael Limb