News

Reflections from the Rectory – Jul’19

It is a beautiful Summer day as I write this. The squirrels are very active. Mind you, they have not really been absent all winter.  It is wonderful to appreciate the changes in our rural landscape, in the trees and flowers.

Our church buildings are part of the landscape and history of our villages. Many of our church buildings have a long history. They were built to last, often during the Middle Ages.  They are still the focal point for many community and family celebrations, for baptisms, marriages and burials, for remembrance day and for Christmas celebrations. They are special places, associated with rich memories for all.

 We face the continual challenge of funding maintaining and repairing our ancient church buildings, paying for heating, electricity, gas, etc.

Of course, the church is composed of people, and should not be seen primarily in terms of buildings, but it is the buildings which are the visible focus of our presence in the community, representing the presence of God among us.

Please continue to support coffee mornings, soup lunches, spring teas and other occasions, which not only raise much-needed funds, but are a lot of fun and  build up our communities and our sense of belonging to one another.

Rev Linda Lubbe

Where love is there God is


Associate priest in the Mundford, Hilborough and Oxborough groups of churches. Rev. Zoe Ferguson is currently on long term sick leave.

Burglary in Brandon – Please Be Aware

Police are urging residents to be vigilant against cold calling rogue traders and to report any suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhood following an attempted distraction burglary in Brandon on Wednesday 26 June.
 
The incident took place between 11.35am and 4.10pm at a property in Saffron Close.

At approximately 2.40pm a male approached the door and asked the victim – a vulnerable woman aged her 70s – about carrying out some work to the trees but the male left.

Around an hour later, three males attended the address again and managed to gain access by either speaking to the victim at the door or by potentially damaging a garden gate.

One of the males then went upstairs to the property but nothing was taken.

The males then carried out some basic gardening work but they were disturbed when another person, who was known to the victim, turned up at the address. The males then ran off towards a nearby woodland at around 4pm.

The first male suspect is described as white, approximately aged in his early 20s, of a slim build, 5ft 7ins, with dark hair, a dark beard and he spoke with a foreign, possibly an Eastern European, accent. He was wearing a navy blue zip up sports jacket with a logo on and a black cap with the same. He was also wearing mid tone jeans and a burgundy t-shirt with a slogan relating to gardening services or similar on.

The second male suspect is described as white, aged his mid to late 20s, around 5ft 7ins, with a stocky build, fair hair and stubble. He was wearing a dark baseball cap turned backwards and wore a beige/sandy green t-shirt.

The third male suspect is described as white, around 25 to 30-years-old, 5ft 9ins, of a large build, with very short hair and a round face. He was a wearing a grey t-shirt

Police are urging members of the public to always ask for identification from any unexpected callers and not to let anyone in if you are not comfortable with who they are.  Genuine callers won’t mind waiting whilst you make the appropriate checks to ensure they are legitimate.

Residents are also urged to keep an eye on their neighbours’ homes, particularly elderly neighbours who may be vulnerable to bogus callers or rogue traders.

For more crime prevention advice regarding cold callers, visit: https://www.suffolk.police.uk/sites/suffolk/files/coldcallers.pdf

Suffolk Constabulary has also joined forces with a home security company to help make properties in the county more secure. Residents may want to consider installing a Ring Video Doorbell device which can, via a motion sensor, capture footage of activity outside their property. At present a discount of £40 applies if the discount code NBSNHW40 is used to buy the Video Doorbell 2. Please visit www.ring.com for more details.

If you believe you have been a victim to a rogue cold caller, or if you have any information regarding the above incident, please contact West CID at Suffolk police by visiting www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/existing-report-update quoting reference 37/37115/19 or call Suffolk police on 101. Witnesses can also contact Janet Harris by emailing Janet.harris@suffolk.pnn.police.uk

Reflections from the Rectory – Jun’19

We are enjoying beautiful Summer days. I am learning about local birds and wildlife, including otters which have decimated the inhabitants of my neighbour’s fish pond population in recent months!

During June, the Church celebrates the important festivals of Pentecost, on 9th and Trinity Sunday on the 16th.  Pentecost was the Jewish feast held fifty days after Passover, when they gave thanks for the wheat harvest. It was one of the important Jewish pilgrim feasts, when all adults who were able to would travel to Jerusalem for the festivities. This is why Jerusalem was filled with people of many nationalities when the Holy Spirit came on the first Christians, empowering them to proclaim Jesus’ resurrection to the crowds in the streets.

We are told that about 3,000 people responded and joined the believers, and the church was born. So, Pentecost is the birthday of the church. We give thanks for the presence of the Holy Spirit in us and among us, and celebrate his empowering and gifts, given so that we are able to serve one another and build one another up.

Trinity Sunday reminds us that God is beyond our understanding, and reveals Himself to us as three persons, who live together in perfect harmony and work together in creation and in our lives.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy month of June

Rev Linda Lubbe

Where love is there God is


Associate priest in the Mundford, Hilborough and Oxborough groups of churches. Rev. Zoe Ferguson is currently on long term sick leave.

Wilton Bridge Maintenance Works

The next road closure will be a 24 hour continuous weekend closure between 20:00 Friday 7th June 2019 and 05:00 Monday 10th June 2019.

The works are currently on programme and on course to be completed within the 14 week construction programme by 17th June 2019. This is subject to any unforeseen circumstances or engineering difficulties which may arise to affect the sequence of works and overall programme.

Any further closure or project updates will be communicated to you.

Become a Local Councillor: Make a Difference!

We have one vacancy to fill.

If you would like to make a difference and be involved in shaping the future of our community, please contact the Parish Clerk. You will be invited to attend our next Parish Council Meeting which is on June 6th at Mundford Cricket Club starting at 7.30 p.m. Note that the Parish Council meets on the first Thursday of every month.

Are you concerned about your local area?

Do you want to represent the views of local people?

Do you want to contribute your business or personal skills and expertise?

Are you passionate about services provided to your community? Then join the Parish Council.

Reflections from the Rectory – May’19

Signs of spring are everywhere. As a newcomer to England, I am particularly enjoying the snowdrops and daffodils sprouting in our gardens and along the roadside.

In the Church, the period of Lent began on the 6th March. It is a time of preparing ourselves for the celebration of Easter. In the early church, new Christians were baptized at Easter, and were given special teaching and preparation for a six week period beforehand. This is the origin of the tradition of keeping Lent.

Many of us remember being told to “give up” something for Lent, such as sugar in our tea. This is fine, but Lent could be more positively seen as a time to “take on” something of value, such as caring for a neighbor in times of illness or distress.

During Lent, many of us will be sharing a soup lunch on Saturdays at the Mundford Bowls Club and/or on Wednesdays at the Foulden Village Hall. This is a time for fellowship and sharing, and all are welcome.

Easter is a great celebration of life in Christ. Many special services are planned in the villages over this time, and all are welcome to participate.

The rejuvenation of nature around us after the winter reflects new life and hope for the future.

May I wish all of you a joyful Easter.

Rev Linda Lubbe

Where love is there God is


Associate priest in the Mundford, Hilborough and Oxborough groups of churches. Rev. Zoe Ferguson is currently on long term sick leave.

Reflections from the Rectory – Apr’19

Signs of spring are everywhere. As a newcomer to England, I am particularly enjoying the snowdrops and daffodils sprouting in our gardens and along the roadside.

In the Church, the period of Lent began on the 6th March. It is a time of preparing ourselves for the celebration of Easter. In the early church, new Christians were baptized at Easter, and were given special teaching and preparation for a six week period beforehand. This is the origin of the tradition of keeping Lent.

Many of us remember being told to “give up” something for Lent, such as sugar in our tea. This is fine, but Lent could be more positively seen as a time to “take on” something of value, such as caring for a neighbor in times of illness or distress.

During Lent, many of us will be sharing a soup lunch on Saturdays at the Mundford Bowls Club and/or on Wednesdays at the Foulden Village Hall. This is a time for fellowship and sharing, and all are welcome.

Easter is a great celebration of life in Christ. Many special services are planned in the villages over this time, and all are welcome to participate.

The rejuvenation of nature around us after the winter reflects new life and hope for the future.

May I wish all of you a joyful Easter.

Rev. Linda Lubbe

Where love is there God is


Associate priest in the Mundford, Hilborough and Oxborough groups of churches. Rev. Zoe Ferguson is currently on long term sick leave.