I know many of you mark Pancake Day and look forward to your pancakes. This year Pancake day (Shrove Tuesday) falls on Tuesday 21st February and Ash Wednesday the following day.
Pancake Day is a traditional feast day before the start of lent on Ash Wednesday.
Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year and falls between February 3rd and March 9th.
Lent lasts for 40 days (not counting Sundays – fasting is not required on these days) marked by repentance, fasting, reflection and ultimately celebration. The 40 day period represents Christ’s tome of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and Satan tempted him. Lent asks believers to set aside a time each year for similar fasting, marking an intentional season of focus for Christ’s life, ministry, sacrifice and resurrection.
Ash Wednesday – officially known as the Day of Ashes – is a day of repentance, when Christians confess their sins and profess their devotion to God. A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today. Anglo Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved of their sins). During a Mass a priest places the ashes on the worshipper’s forehead in the shape of a cross.
But why do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?
Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fasts before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients. The pancake has a very long history and is featured in cookery books as far back as 1439 and the tradition of tossing or flipping them is almost as old.
A pancake is a thin, flat cake, made of batter and fried in a frying pan. A traditional English pancake is a thin, flat, round cake made from a mixture of flour, milk and egg, fried on both sides and is served immediately. Golden syrup or lemon juice and sugar are the usual toppings, but I prefer orange and sugar as do most people in our modern world.
In the UK, pancake races became an important part of Shrove Tuesday celebrations. As well as giving up “luxury” foods, the faithful were expected to forego fun pastimes such as dancing and playing games like football. Therefore Shrovetide (The four days preceding lent) was a time for merriment. A legacy of these festivities is the pancake race. Dating from around 1445, legend has it that local women heard about Shriving bell while making pancakes and ran to church in their aprons, still clutching her frying pan. This became the opportunity for large numbers of people, often in fancy dress, to race down the streets tossing pancakes. The object of the race is to get to the finishing line first, carrying a frying pan with a cooked pancake in it and flipping it as they run. Although like many traditions this has mostly died out, however tradition prevails as there is still a race every year in Olney.
So on Pancake Day – Tuesday 21st February 2023 – enjoy your pancakes, whether you prefer them sweet or savoury, and reflect on the past… maybe think about reviving the Pancake Race in your community??
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.
actually give and receive gifts on the 25th December. In many other European countries, it is custom to give gifts on the 24th and in Spanish speaking countries it is often custom to give presents after Christmas. The United Kingdom is one of the few countries where gifts are opened on Christmas Day itself.
On Christmas Eve, children around the UK hang stockings (a type of large sock) on their fireplaces (or wherever is convenient) so that Saint Nicholas (otherwise known as Santa Claus or Father Christmas) can fill their stockings with presents, fruit, candies or coins. In the Western tradition, it is believed that if children are badly behaved their stockings will be filled with a single lump of coal instead of presents.
We hope you can attend the short meeting. Join us to find out how we have managed the group over the past year, and have your say how we run the next year.
There are a few things that you need to be aware of for returning to face to face meetings.
It’s the 15th century and China is facing invasion from the Huns, a nomadic tribe keen to conquer the land. In an effort to gather defence, one man from every family is called to arms. But for the patriarch of the Fa family – a former warrior of great fame and respect – there are issues preventing him from fulfilling his duties. In old age, he cannot walk properly, and is certain to perish as soon as he steps into battle. That’s when his brave daughter, Mulan – tired of being mocked for being too ambitious and too tomboyish – decides to go on a secret mission to prove her worth in a society she feels is yet to acknowledge it. One dark and stormy night, she prays to her family’s ancestors for protection before fleeing into the heart of the conflict, dressed in her farther’s armour and disguised as a man. What follows is a classic Disney story of bravery, honour and a quest for love and truth – with a difference. Released at a time where the only other princesses on screen were mostly seen swanning around in big ball gowns and fainting
‘The whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right. If one piece busts, even the smallest piece, the entire universe will get busted.’ Set in the fictional landscape of the Bath Tub (often compared to areas of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina), this is the tale of Hushpuppy, a heroic six year old who – faced with a changing climate that threatens to flood what remains of her childhood home – decides to fight back. Along the the way, she must sail the seas, battle ancient creatures unleashed from the melting ice caps, and find her feet in an increasingly hostile world. It’s a fable that’s hard to describe, but don’t let the quirky appearance fool you. Beneath the whimsey is a film of lasting depth: a celebration of friendship forged across generations, the power of imagination and the importance of never giving up. It’s a tough watch in places, with moderate swearing and several harsh truth bombs that reveal the deep divide between the rich and the poor. But watch it with young people aged eight and above and it’s sure to become a firm favourite. 
It’s 2001 in Malawi and the Kamkwamba family, like many others in the region, are struggling to make ends meet. Despite the burdensome financial costs, parents Trywell and Agnes try to keep on top of their children’s education. But when 13 year old William is forced to leave school after they fall behind on his payments, he becomes determined to help not only his family but the whole community, who are all doing their best to deal with an escalating famine
In October 2012, 15 year old Malala Yousafzai was riding the bus when a member of the Taliban came on board,
Michael Bond – author of the original author of the original Padding books (later a TV series) – grew up in Britain during the second world war, and watched as his parents opened their home to evacuees fleeing persecution. 
Filmed in an orphanage in the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Liyana tells the story of five children who call it home and the paths that led them there. With the support of their teachers, they’re encouraged to work together to turn past trauma into an original folk tale about a brave young girl who embarks on a perilous quest to save her twin brothers from danger. Weaving together sublime 3D animation and behind the scens footage, the film is part documentary, part interactive storybook – seamlessly blending fact and fiction to offer a rare perspective, 
Welcome to 3rd Brampton lockdown virtual group camp.
The intention, we understand, is to avoid damage to the statue as the important debate continues around the role of historical figures, following Black Lives Matters protests across the world. This is a vital moment to have honest conversations, acknowledge the huge strength of feeling and renew our commitment to education and understanding with empathy and humility. 
bring skills, kindness and courage to millions around the world. It was here that Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouts by taking a small group of young people from diverse backgrounds to live and work together. Their aim was to learn about the great outdoors, work in teams, and show we had more in common than divides us. Since that first camp, Scouting has grown, year on year, to become today a worldwide family, some 54 million strong, in almost every nation on earth. It is, without doubt, one of the greatest youth movements in history.
