Unitarian Experience Week — 2009
Sharing Love and Celebration at Hucklow
I arrived at the Nightingale Centre just after mid day having covered the forty-five miles or so from my home in North West Manchester in good time. On visits to Great Hucklow I always visit Casleton, Hope or Tideswell on the way, but a particular favourite of mine and a good place to re gather ones strength, after a hot road journey is Bradwell, which as regulars at Hucklow will know, is about two miles North of the beloved Centre.
Bradwell to me is a place of great interest and variety. Rural, when just out of town certainly, but it does still present a distinctly industrial face to the observer. There is evidence of quarrying, manufacturing and transportation all within reach of the main highway. Next to the main street the Lorry Park is open and unfenced with vehicles plainly visible. Bradwell has a post office, a Newspaper shop, bakers and fish fryers. It also has the renowned Bradwell Ice Cream shop and on a fine day the waters of Bradwell Brook flow clearly and rapidly through the centre of it all. To me the town has a working town aspect and is all the better for that I feel. I prefer it to Casleton its near neighbour, which is usually swarming with hikers and trippers.
On the Saturday afternoon the week’s events with the theme Golden Moments got off to a good start with an excellent high tea followed by the usual explanatory and introductory sessions aimed primarily at first-timers but also at old hands and regulars.
Sunday morning came and after breakfast the participants proceeded to the old Chapel for morning service conducted by Rev. David Shaw. The hymns readings and address all kept closely to the theme. Margaret Lord was excellent at the organ and played a piece by J. S. Bach as an interlude.
The post lunch session saw a hardy group walking the lanes to take in Grindlow, Foolow and Sillydale. Breezy and overcast but dry at first the weather turned bad and rainy over the last mile or so. This proved to be a portent for the days to come. Those who chose not to walk attended a talk and biology lesson entitled Young Darwin, delivered by Jenny Taylor and Caroline Coop. This talk, intended as a tribute to the great man, was well received. Later on two sessions one on Tai Chi led by David Talbot and one on aspects of colour delivered by John Harley were well attended.
The three main theme talks all strongly underpinned by the guiding theme were all of excellent quality and well supported. Mr. Aled Jones a retired histopathologist spoke in detail about his life and work in medical research laboratories. In his delivery he dealt with such topics as the introduction of the National Health Scheme in 1948, the eventual irradiation of smallpox, how high infant mortality rates were overcome, the investigations into AID syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, lumoral responses and lymphatic disorders. This talk was a tour-de-force, delivered by a man of immense knowledge and enthusiasm.
Alan Ruston, a great stalwart of our movement, gave us his views of some key golden moments in the rise and development of Unitarian practice and thought. Alan, taught us there were perhaps four main events, namely Theophlous Lindsey’s defection from the C of E at Catterick, the letter to the Unitarians in Transylvania, the Trinity Act of 1844 and the uniting of the two separate factions to form the present day General Assembly in 1928. Alan delivered his talk enthusiastically from a basis of profound knowledge. He was accorded a huge response from the floor.
On the afternoon of Tuesday, guided and informed by Julie Dadson, about twenty students walked the sloping field and lanes just to the North of the Centre. Here we learnt of the problems in maintaining a site of special botanical interest according to the policies of the European Union. Particularly problematic was the prevalence and control of the toxic plant Ragwort and the proper care of the many plants indigenous to limestone areas. The point of the walk was to identify as many as possible species and this aspect proved to be no problem at all to the naturalists in the party.
The choir enjoying some
Time together
Photo: David Milne
The evening of the same day saw a hardy band of eight persons take the walk, there and back, to the Tideswell Rake which is really an extended gash in the land from which, many years ago, lead ore was extracted. In the area around Windmill it was pleasing to see that some of the installation where the ore had been refined was undergoing restoration into a kind of outdoor museum. To this writer this sort of thing is most welcome. The party, well led by David Copley was delighted to observe some bird species not often seen, among which was a Meadow Pipit.
Wednesday 29th July 2009 was one of the wettest ever since records were started. Most people hung about waiting for conditions to improve but a sensible sub group took the service bus to Sheffield and there enjoyed a happy and dry time in the new modern leisure centres of that steel city.
Some of those who attended
Experience Week
Photo: David Milne
On Tuesday morning the business of the Annual General Meeting was completed without hitch or demur in about one hour. This was exactly as it should be since great care had been taken to iron out snags at a number of pre meetings. In the afternoon a walk to Bretton and the Barrel Inn was undertaken. We stayed on the narrow metalled road all the way once we had taken in how waterlogged the woodland paths had become. Thankfully the rain held off and once on the high ridge the sky remained reasonably clear and we were able to enjoy the glories on the North Derbyshire countryside. The post evening meal session was concerned with music. People brought along some of their favourite works on compact discs and played excerpts from them in turn. A small group of about ten people enjoyed this session in the comfortable armchairs of the lounge.
On the Friday morning the whole forty or so participants assembled in the recently refurbished Charles Peach room to hear an excellent lecture from the Rev. Vernon Marshall who elucidated “The Golden Essence of Religion”. This took in such aspects as Devotion to the Natural World:
Openness to other beliefs: recognition of the spiritual world: social responsibility and others. His Golden Rule, as promulgated by eight separate religions, maybe summarised as "do unto others as you would be done by".
For organising an outstanding week, thanks are due to Kathy Beckett, Margery Mackay, Lesley P. Harris, Marjorie Walker and Helen Copley.
Ross EckersIey - Stand Chapel
Unitarian Experience Week — 2009
Sharing Love and Celebration at Hucklow
On the 25th of July 2009, Unitarians from England, Scotland and Wales gathered at the Nightingale Centre, Great Hucklow, Derbyshire. The purpose of this week long gathering was to celebrate the 50th anniversary year of what used to be called the ‘The Family Holiday Conference’, which began in 1959 and which became the Unitarian Experience Week in 1998.
The theme for this years ‘Unitarian Experience Week’ had the title of ‘Searching For Gold-And Celebrating Golden Moments’. The word golden relates to gold, a colour of richness, a period of creativity and prosperity, times when people are at their best, things that endure and are of value, the inherent worth and dignity of all people.
From Monday to Friday the day started with a morning meditation, followed by an act of morning worship and fellowship. These were led by different individuals, giving that individual the opportunity to share their own Unitarian beliefs and ideals with others. Each day ended with an epilogue, also led by a different individual.
On Sunday morning, we attended the Unitarian chapel in the village. The local minister David Shaw warmly welcomed us to the service, and then gave his address based on the fable of King Midas. The gold of king Midas is in stark contrast to the gold of love, compassion and the fellowship of community which cannot be bought or sold. Instead-it is given and received in love and friendship.
During the day there were a number of themed talks, workshops and discussion groups and more informal chats over meals. There were three speakers for the themed talks. First we had Aled Jones-Golden Moments in a Golden Era of Medicine 1959-2009. The second themed talk was given by Alan Ruston-Golden Moments in Unitarianism and their Influence Today. Thirdly, the Rev. Dr Vernon Marshall delivered a talk on the theme of ‘The Golden Essence in Religions’.
There were workshops and discussion groups which covered a myriad of different topics. Jenni Taylor and a friend led a workshop on the theme of ‘Young Darwin’, Lesley Harris lead a workshop on poetry and prose, in which people were invited to share their favourite poem or prose. David Talbot led a group in the study and practise of Tai Chi. There was also a workshop called the ‘Golden Age?’ in which Kath Riley led an exploration of the idea of a past or future golden age. Some of us braved the elements to do some walking, under the expert eye of David Copley.
One of the highlights of the Unitarian Experience Week (U.E.W) 50th anniversary celebrations was the ‘Golden Moments Film Show’ produced and hosted by David Milne.
The other workshops and discussion groups where lead or facilitated by the following people David Allison, John Harley, David Dawson, Julie Dadson, Dawn Buckle, Derek McAuley, Gillian Peel, Kathy Beckett and Jill Allen.
On Thursday morning, a well attended A.G.M. took place. After several years of dedicated service Margaret Mc Kay stepped down from the committee. We would all like to thank her for her many years of hard work for the U.E.W. This is a good place to say thank you to the other committee members, for their dedication and hard work over the last twelve months. Without their efforts this week of celebration of the 50th anniversary at the U.E.W would not have taken place. And we should not forget to say thank you to the staff at the Nightingale Centre, who made our stay such a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
There was plenty of opportunity to socialise and chill out over the course of the U.E.W week. Chatting over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee provided a relaxed and informal opportunity, for conversation and informal debate. This was especially true of the social time before dinner, a chance to exchange ideas and thoughts about the day’s activities. The folk and social evenings provided the more formal side of the week’s social calendar. Music and singing were provided by the band who had been practising during the week. These musicians and singers were drawn from people taking part in U.E.W; others performed a party piece during the evening. Music for hymn and communal singing was played by Sheila Jones.
Many of the ladies donned their evening best for the Golden Social Evening, adding an elegant and glamorous touch to the final social event of the week.
All too soon this week of loving fellowship and celebration came to an end. Then it was time to reflect on a week of fellowship and spiritual exploration; the opportunity to enjoy some of the natural beauty of the Peak District National Park. The socialising, friendships renewed or hopefully new ones started. This years Unitarian Experience Week celebrated 50 years of Unitarian fellowship and witness at Great Hucklow. Hopefully these celebrations will inspire Unitarians of what ever persuasion; to strive, to seek and find a truly golden future for Unitarians everywhere.
Stephen Gutteridge
Bayshill Church Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
U.E.W. committee member
1st September 2009 |
