Category Archives: Social Events

Drive those beetles this spring

Spring is the time that beetles start to flourish so St George’s Church is holding a Beetle Drive social evening on Friday, March 6th, from 6pm.

A Beetle Drive involves tables with players, each of whom takes turns to roll a die to try to collect parts of a beetle, which are either pre-drawn or which players draw themselves. To start collecting each player must roll a six which represents the beetle’s body. After that they may start adding parts with each number on the die representing a part of the body. Once a player has a complete beetle they shout ‘beetle’ and the game stops. The person on each table with the most nearly complete beetle moves to a table clockwise round the room while the player who has collected the fewest parts moves anti-clockwise and the game begins again. It is suitable for all ages and is a good way to meet new people.

The Beetle Drive will be followed by supper which can be ordered ahead of time from a selection served by a fish and chip shop or you can bring their own.

Tickets (without food) are £5 or £2.50 for children. Orders and payment will be needed by March 1. Details are available from Kris Lawrence.

The poetry of peace

The Farnham Poetry Competition has returned and this year is calling for entries on the theme of ‘Peace’. The deadline is looming – it’s on Friday, February 20 at 5pm.

This year Farnham Lions rather than the parish are running the competition, but we are still involved and will be hosting the final at St Mark’s on March 14.

Poems are invited from all ages and can interpret the theme in any way. Examples might be what peace is, how humans can find peace, or experiences of war and peace.

The entries will be judged by age according to four different groups: Up to and including age seven, eight to 11 years, 12-17 years and 18 and older.

The competition is free to enter and there is no limit to the number of entries per person. All entrants will then be invited to the final where the winners and runners-up will be announced. This will be on March 14, at St Mark’s, starting at 5.30pm. Winners will be encouraged to read their poems, and this will be followed by an open mic session.

Poems can be sent to poetscomp@farnhamlions.org.uk or by post to Farnham Poetry Competition, Farnham Town Hall, South Street, Farnham, GU9 7RN. Names, contact details and age (if under-18) should be included but names should not be on the poems themselves as they will be anonymised before being sent to the judges.

The judges are Linda Daruvala for the adult category and Coral Rumble for all three under-18 categories.

This is the sixth year the poetry competition has been run; it started in 2021 as the Farnham Lockdown Poetry Festival and in 2022 became part of the inaugural Farnham Literary Festival where it has found its home ever since.

Pictured: Dolcie, one of last year’s winners, with her mother (left) and Coral Rumble.

Valentine’s party will be buzzing with fun

St Valentine’s Day is not just for romantic evenings out. Families with small children can celebrate too at a party at St George’s on February 14th between 1pm and 3pm.

The Little Bees Valentine’s Party will involve a disco, face-painting, crafts, a raffle and lots of cake and juice as well as tea or coffee for adults. Tickets cost £5 for adults, £3 for children, or £15 for a family of two adults and two children. All the money raised will go towards buying new equipment for the Little Bees toddler group which runs at St George’s every Friday morning during term time.

Volunteers are needed to help out at the party, including cake-bakers and people to serve in the café. The organisers also need disco lights to borrow or keep, red table cloths, raffle prizes and Valentine’s and bee-themed decorations.

To help, to book tickets or find out more, email Lexi or call her on 07792233477.

Friday Night Games is back

We have re-launched Friday Night Games at St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale, at the new time of 6pm to 8pm. There are more changes too as we are alternating the venue with the Hale Youth Centre. Last Friday (23rd) we were at St Mark’s so on January 30th we will be at Hale Youth Centre, then back at St Mark’s on February 6th, at the Youth Centre on 13th and so on.

All ages are welcome at the St Mark’s evenings but the Youth Centre is for ages 11-18.

There are board games, jigsaws, craft, table tennis and pool at St Mark’s plus a meal. At the Youth Centre there is a PlayStation, board games, craft, table tennis, pool and drinks and snacks.

Tea and Twelfth Night

Christmas isn’t over yet! Twelfth Night is coming up and we are celebrating with afternoon tea and entertainment on Saturday, January 3rd, 2-4pm at St John’s Church, Hale. It may be a day or two early but that won’t change the deliciousness of the homemade cake!

We invite anyone to recite poetry, sing, play a musical piece or do whatever you like to entertain us.

There will be a collection to help raise funds for the parish.

Parking is available in the layby just before St John’s when coming from the Six Bells roundabout.

For further information contact pcc.secretary@badshotleaandhale.org.

Sing carols under the stars

Come and sing favourite carols under the stars at Carols in the Chapels in Upper Hale on Friday, December 5th from 6pm. A live band will be on hand to accompany the carols at this annual event in Hale Chapels Garden in the cemetery in Alma Lane. Afterwards there will be hot chocolate and mulled wine in St Mark’s Church, across the road.

Wrap up warm, sing with gusto, enjoy the hot drinks!

Your December Magazine is here

Welcome to Advent – the beginning of the Church’s year and the last month of 2025.

And that means Christmas! Inside the magazine you will find news of all our Christmas services and other events, including our Christmas Tree Festival on December 5-7, and of course carol services and outdoor carol singing and Christmas services. It is a most wonderful time of the year, because it celebrates God in human form, God ever with us.

You’ll find other news such as the start of Bubble Church, and our regular contributors too – Hive Helpers, still busy in the winter months; The Badshot Leader with its eclectic and fascinating mix of current events and history; the Church Dog and the Church Cat. There’s prayer, reflection, news and plenty more.

Read on to find out more.

A forest of Christmas sparkle

Get lost in a forest of sparkling, colourful trees at the Christmas Tree Festival on December 5-7 at St George’s Church, Badshot Lea.

There will be 50 trees from individuals, charities, schools and other organisations, and not all the trees will be traditional. According to festival organiser Christine Brown, there will be a tree made entirely from copper pipe, and one constructed as a teepee so that children can go inside. Tice’s Meadow has promised a tree which “celebrates the beauty of nature and is crafted from materials gathered on site’”, while John Martin from the Badshot Lea Community Garden is planning one made of flowers. “I’ll have to construct it there on the day,” he said.

Everyone will be able to vote for their favourite tree by making a donation, and half of all the money given will go to Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice while the other half will go to support the work of church in the community.

Trees are not the only attractions that weekend. Father Christmas will be flying in for an hour at 10.30am on Saturday and children can tour the trees with him and bring their letters to be taken to the North Pole. His security will bring the Naughty and Nice lists and Father Christmas will review these with the children at the end of his visit.

On Saturday there will also be craft stalls and entertainment from Duke’s Uke’s, Jackstraw Morris Dancing, Brodie Mauluka, Cajun Boogaloo, Vivaldi Singers and the church choir. There will be café all weekend and a raffle with prizes including Christmas hampers.

The festival will close with a carol service at 6pm on Sunday at the end of which the public’s favourite tree will be announced and the raffle drawn.

The festival will run on Friday, 1-6pm; Saturday 10-6pm; Sunday 12-4pm.

Your September Magazine is here!

Autumn is, just about, here and so is our September magazine. Inside you can find news on upcoming events including our Pride services on September 7th, our Pet service, Craft Market, Harvest Festival, Harvest Supper, a concert from Out of the Shadows and Heritage Open Days. There is spiritual reflection and prayer, reports on events and the Church Cat and the Church Dog vying for your attention.

There are plenty of adverts too so please do use the companies who kindly advertise in our magazine. They enable us to keep going.

Download the magazine below: