This August we have lost two of our village’s real characters: Muriel Bell and Lilly Noble.

Muriel was well known for her involvement in the community over the years and for supporting the family business of funeral directors.  The family were very involved in supporting the Scouts and Muriel was a founding member of the Parents’ Committee.  She was a governor at St Peter’s school and of course did an amazing amount to support the church.  In her younger days she helped doing flowers and polishing the brasses.  Her home was a venue for jumble sales when the garage was cleared and all family were involved in helping.  Muriel organised coffee mornings with cakes and people would be waiting for grandma Bell’s cakes to appear on the stall.  Her bedroom cupboard was full of jars of homemade jam to sell for the church.  Even in her last weeks, her one outing was to support the Church Gala.

Lilly was a sickly child and was rather amused in her latter years that she had lived so long.  She lived life to the full and was always  determined to do as much as she could.  Lilly had real concern for the community and was willing to get involved and help. She has been  indefatigable in the work on the Moorhouse estate being a founder member of the Action Group and always willing to speak up for and work for the improvement of the community.  She was someone who was willing to give her time to making sure things happened and so was, for example, active in keeping the Monday bingo group going.

I have been inspired by the example of these two stalwarts, and it is true to say if more people could follow their example and give time to working for our village, it would be a better place.  So we remember them with affection and gratitude and see how they reflected their faith and the example of Jesus.  It challenges us to look at each other as brothers and sisters with love; to want the best for our neighbour and be willing to listen and understand each other, and to build significant relationships.

Rev Bill Henderson