Ten days in Madeira in May were refreshing except for the daily anxiety of checking up on Warwick. All the same we did lots of walking, eating good food and chilling in the sun.

We spent many happy days in Chelmsford with Alex and Emily. This year they moved into Junior and Infant School respectively.

Alex and Emily at Fountains Abbey

They both came to stay with us again in the summer and we did a round of adventure playgrounds at Fountains Abbey, Lotherton Hall Bird Sanctuary and the National Railway Museum. There may have been ornamental gardens, ornithological rarities and ancient locomotives too, but they all took second place to zip wires, swings and forts!

Picnic in the Valley Gardens on a typical August Bank Holiday

It was a typically English Summer when the rain rained and the sun  hid itself away. So out came the winter coats when we visited the Valley Gardens in Harrogate.

Back to Claremont News 2014 

Back further to Claremont News 2013

Funchal Botanical Gardens, Funchal

To celebrate Joan entering her sixth decade we took a trip to Madeira in early March. Whilst it’s a beautiful place the holiday wasn’t straightforward – uncharacteristic winds and rain and a tragic event in which an elderly lady fell to her death left us a bit subdued at the end of the week. So we went back there in June for a lovely week during the island’s firework festival. Lots of walking; exploring the spectacular mountains and ‘levada’ walks left us refreshed and convinced we would return there many times.

Next Story: Over the Hill

Warwick reached that pinnacle of life – his 40th birthday – in July. He had a great party with lots of friends from all era of his life. He had a thoroughly good time and so did everyone else. Warwick has had a really settled year. He’s a joy to have around our house at weekends and everyone who supports him in his busy schedule of activities loves him too. He’s very popular. He came home with a beaming face from his holiday in Blackpool – an ABBA themed week of tribute bands and sunshine.

Warwick with Matthew and Barrie

Next Story: Restore News

Barrie has been heavily involved in the housing charity he helped to found called Restore. Three more houses have been acquired this year bringing the total number of bed spaces to twenty six. The latest house is pictured above – it should be open for new tenants early in 2014. Interviews for the third support worker will be complete by the end of the year.

Official figures in the city show the positive impact this housing project for homeless people is having – God has been very faithful (what more would expect from him!). The charity will feature in a new book being written by the Archbishop of York entitled Stories of Hope. It’s hard to believe it was only founded three years ago.

Next Story: Lady of Many Roles

Joan continues to lead workshops for school parties at York’s two main museums. One day she’s a Victorian school mistress and the next a Roman. Sometimes she is simply herself with a group of thirty 7 year olds learning about some facet of the city’s history.

Much of her other time, Joan is leading a Pastoral Visiting team at St Michael le Belfrey that calls in on elderly, housebound and sick people in the church. The people she visits are very appreciative of her – she’s made lots of friends, but often comes face to face with infirmity and bereavement.

Next Story: Grandchildren