Powick

Powick Youth Club is going from strength to strength, averaging 28 young people each Friday night. Last Friday, it held its first outdoor event - a village search (quiz) followed by a barbecue on Powick Playing Field. Nine teams took part in collecting answers based on places around Powick and the winning team was Danny Witts, James Cullen and Christian Brown, collecting a cinema pass each. Thanks are expressed to Jim and Meg Allsopp for setting clues, to Julia and Nick Sandy for preparing the barbecue and George Brookes for securing the prizes.

A first for Powick - but certainly not the last - was an Old Tyme Music Hall at Powick Parish Hall on Saturday night. The wealth of local talent left the capacity audience breathless.

The evening opened with the company of at least 12 leading a melody of music hall favourites. Acts flowed thick and fast with Nicola Sandy singing Daddy Wouldn't by me a Bow-wow, Derek Stokes Come to the Ball and Because, Nick Sandy and Rob Richards appearing as Spud and Chav (alias Flanagan and Allen) Underneath the Arches, Dave Smedley alias Marie Lloyd singing The Boy I Love.

There were monologues by wordsmith Bill Bowen, a story of love by Kris Quatermass, harmonies by six men in the style of barbershop and the well-known song from Gilbert and Sullivan, Three Little Maids from School (Sue Irwin, Mary Stafford and Jenny Taylor). The strong man act by muscle man Ian Dyson brought gasps from the audience, while the magician The Duke tried out his tricks and attempted to saw off the head of petrified Julia Sandy. Pammy Douglas sang and David Pardon led the community singing of old favourites.

Musical director Stephen Watkins provided the musical accompaniment throughout and also played Rustle of Spring to the delight of the audience. The evening ended with the company Down at the Old Bull and Bush which followed an energetic Can Can (hot from Paris) performed by Louisa and Nicola Sandy and Gay Boswell. Master of ceremonies Andy Lamb held all together with his numerous jokes, based on events around Powick.

Profits are for St Richard's Hospice (figure to be announced).

On Wednesday, Powick Parish Ramblers meet at the second car park on the Old Hills for a three-and-a half-mile evening walk around the area. Meet at 6.30pm, leader David Allen 01905 831988. There will be another walk on Monday, May 21 at 10am. Meet at the Farmers Arms, Wellington Heath for a five mile walk through Coddington, over Oyster Hill. The leaders are Joy and Phil Bunyan 01886 832774.

St Peter's Church, Powick was full for the benefice service of confirmation on Sunday morning. The Bishop of Dudley, the Rt Rev. David Walker conducted the service and confirmed adults Jennifer Clinton-Watkins, Jayne Lloyd, Kay Shuard, Pamela Wall and Paul Whitmarsh and young people Adam Birch, Hayley and Lindsey Brassington, Bethany-May Curtis, Glenn Colton, Sally Green, Joseph Lippitt, Nicola Sandy, Christopher Shuard, Kersten Smith-Cooper, Abigail Thompson and Hannah Whittal-Williams. Their families and friends joined in this special occasion and Nicolas Sandy (clarinet), Louisa Sandy (violin), Sally Green and Abigail Thompson (flute), Joe Lippitt (piano) and others on percussion accompanied the hymn Bind us Together.

The combined choir from Powick and Madresfield led the singing and sang Howard Goodall's The Lord's My Shepherd, soloist Nicola Sandy, accompanied on organ by Peter Wilson, conducted by Lyndall Brown (organist from Powick). The Vicar, The Rev. Sue Irwin had arranged the service assisted by The Rev. Biddi Kings. Following the service, coffee and biscuits were served.

Congratulations to Nicola Sandy, who not only sang in the Old Tyme Music Hall and at the church service last weekend, but has recently passed her Grade Six with distinction in Jazz Clarinet. She began playing whilst a pupil at Powick Primary School and is now at St Mary's Convent, Worcester.

Christian Aid Week is marked from May 13-19, 50 years after its foundation in 1957. Volunteers in 200 towns and villages in the UK collected £26,000. Today Christian Aid has 300,000 volunteers raising £15.5 million during its week of fundraising. This year's theme is Grow a Better Future and one project being supported is in northern Senegal where drought and deforestation have turned fertile land into desert. Planting trees will restore arid land and fruit trees, including mangos, are being provided by Christian Aid. Please support our volunteers in their door to door collections or leave your donation in envelopes provided at the back of St Peter's or St James's Churches.