Baildon, Yorkshire - Aug 2025

There has been a lot of unusual activity in our Burial ground recently! Part of our grounds, once known as the Minister's Garden, has been transformed into Wilder Wood Forest School! It is a wonderful setting for pre-schoolers and primary age alike to experience constructive outdoor play, getting back to nature with no electronic device in sight. As I live next door I can assure you that the looks on the children’s faces, plus those of the parents and leaders, is testament to how successful this new venture is and how much they all enjoy it.

It’s all change again here in terms of Ministers. We are saying goodbye to our minister Br James Woolford and his lovely family, Annette, Edward and Charlotte as they relocate over the Pennines to serve in Lancashire. We are so sorry to see them leave, one congregation member described him as ‘just the right fit for us’ and we have thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated his services. James’s last service with us will be in mid-July. Our new minister Sr Patsy Holdsworth will be making the reverse trip over the Pennines starting in August and we look forward to welcoming her to Baildon and her home county of Yorkshire!

I was one of the 300+ who attended the Alumni valedictory service of Fulneck School on Saturday 28th June. I have been a pupil, member of staff and parent of the school in its various guises and feel its closure, greatly. It was a hot sultry day, gaggles of year groups went on tours of our old stomping grounds and enjoyed afternoon tea (or strawberry mocktails) on the terrace before meeting in church for an emotional final service. Br Trevor Kernohan led proceedings, a difficult job for a Committee member, ex teacher and former principal of Fulneck, which he fulfilled excellently and then former pupils from year groups post 1940 spoke of their memories. Sr Beth McOwat began, I spoke about my memories of the 1970s, and later we heard from author Amit Dhand who spoke about what he owed Fulneck School. Br David Robbins did a marvellous job filling in for alumni who were due to attend but ill health prevented plus sharing his own memories with us. Then another alumus, Rt Rev John McOwat led us in special prayers of thanksgiving for Fulneck School.

It was a day we never wanted to happen or attend but thanks go to Marie Christopher Davey, chair of the alumni for giving us all an opportunity to say goodbye to such a very special place, Fulneck School.

Sr Ruth France