Cruise to the Norwegian Fjords

In May we set sail across the North Sea on a short cruise to Norway with our friends Richard and Jenny. Norway is beautiful, as are the fjords. We spent one day on Sonjefjord and another in the rainy city of Bergen. But as for cruising, I don’t think any of us became fans of the big ship on the high seas. Others may return time and again, but not us.

Cotswolds

We waited until October for our next holiday, staying in a cottage in Stow-on-the-Wold. Strangely all the eating places in the small town were shut for most of the week because there was a horse fair nearby. To deal with the potential influx of hard drinking travellers they all agreed to shut up shop. So for meals we travelled to Bourton-on-the-Water about 4 miles away. We enjoyed some good walks and discovered Sezincote House and Gardens and almost next door, Batsford Arboretum.

Ambleside

It was the year for the Stephenson cousins to meet up in the Lakes. Sadly there are fewer each time we gather. We made it into a long weekend, staying in Windermere with my siblings Mark and Ruth. Janice was enjoying a more exotic holiday somewhere hot.

Ramsgate

In the summer we visited Joan’s brother, Maurice, in Ramsgate on the coast in Kent. It’s a fascinating and busy port from where the French coast cab be seen. One of the surprises was a visit to tunnels, dug beneath the town as refuge for the people of Ramsgate before the start of World War 2. They are now preserved as a museum which tells the amazing story of the tenacity and foresight of the Mayor and Chief Engineer. The tunnels were being dug before the war started and saved the lives of thousands of local inhabitants when the enemy planes dropped their payload after crossing the channel. Ramsgate was the first port encountered on their raids and an obvious target.

London

While Wesley and his family were in France we borrowed their house in Chelmsford and spent three days travelling to London. We visited the Tower, a gallery, Frameless, and the Science Museum. London is so tiring we only managed one venue each day.

The Essex’s

Alex (18) and Emily (16) both left school this year with an exemplary handful of exam results. Alex is now studying Biomedical Science at University College London and Emily is following her passion at the Adagio School of Dance in Brentwood. She is living at home and travelling each day. We’re very proud of them both. Before uni Alex went interailing through Europe with five friends, finishing in Spain and joining the rest of his family for a holiday in France.

The Cambridge’s

Anna (8) and Rowan (5), who, it seems, love modes of transport, have both grown much taller this year. Hardly surprising as their parents are both quite tall. They visited York and the National Railway Museum, finding their name, Stephenson, on a replica of the famous Rocket locomotive. They both attend a forest school in Cambridge, transported there daily in the family electric box bike; ubiquitous in Cambridge. We have done some child care in Cambridge during school holidays, to keep these two occupied while busy parents are working.

January 2015 – Warwick left us aged 41. Wesley and Matthew came to York to mark the tenth anniversary of his death. We took our annual pilgrimage to Fountain’s Abbey and Studley Park where his ashes are scattered and spent a few poignant minutes in the small space given over to a book of remembrance opened at Warwick’s page. Always fond memories of our eldest son who shone so much light during his short life.

by Barrie

The housing charity started in the autumn of 2010. So this year we marked the 15th anniversary with a church service, expansion of our service and more success stories of people who were experiencing homelessness who are now enjoying living in their own home.

Our MP, Local Authority, and numerous funders have shown their support for the service we provide. I lose count of how many properties we are providing. I think it’s about 16 as I write with others in the pipeline.

An exciting development is the success of our hubs. Launched as an experiment, we now employ a permanent member of staff to run them, in collaboration with local churches, as places where our residents old and new can find community and engage in various activities. As a result residents held an art exhibition in a food hall in York called Spark. I addition to displaying some excellent work, one of the food outlets raised about four hundred pounds for the charity.

Another fundraising event was the York 10k Run. At short notice I came out of retirement to run the streets of the city and managed to personally raise over £500. No ill effects afterwards and a lot of fun. I am still running regularly – usually run 5k a week but before the York Run I had valiantly increased my distance (just in case I was needed!). Joan did warn me not to run the distance, given my history of knee injuries. Thankfully the knees held up.

In the new year I will be hanging up my Chair of Trustees hat. I took on this voluntary role again temporarily at the start of 2024 and it seems right to pass it on to someone younger who can steer the charity through changes and new ventures in the future. I’m delighted to have found a replacement who will be introduced in the new year. I will remain a trustee for as long as I am needed.