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Category: Events

Liddington 100 Club

The 100 Club is up and running. Last month’s winner is Adrian Moore. -Caroline Tams  

Defibrillator Awareness Training

Community Heartbeat Trust will be holding a training session for all who wish to know about how to use the defibrillators which we have installed at the old telephone box, and at the village hall The training will be held at the village hall at 6PM on May 18th. Everyone is welcome.

Joel Joffee Memorial

The Lord Joffe Memorial The Lord Joffe Memorial Tableau has been installed in Liddington Village Hall to commemorate the life of our inspiring Liddington Manor resident for 41 years who died at home on 18th June 2017 at the age of 85. Although it has taken the Parish Council some time organising this permanent memorial I think you will agree that the result is a fitting tribute.  It details Joel Joffe’s life and his world renowned achievements, internationally, nationally and those for Swindon and Liddington, from before he was the instructing solicitor for Nelson Mandela’s defence team at the Rivonia Trial in South Africa in 1963 through to June 2017. The opening ceremony was attended by many of his friends, relatives, former colleagues and local residents.  It was a moving event and a welcome opportunity to exchange memories with old friends and acquaintances David Lomax, chairman of Liddington Parish Council, spoke about Joel’s modesty, warmth, friendliness and inspiration shown through his many connections and of the support he and Vanetta gave to the village. After thanking the PC for creating this tableau in memory of her husband and also for formally naming the public footpath through the Manor grounds from ‘The Street’ to ‘Ham Road’ to be ‘Joel Joffe Way’ , Lady Vanetta Joffe unveiled the tableau. Special thanks go to Ruth Moore for her creative art and all the hard work that went into planning and designing the tableau and also for providing, with others, the light refreshments. To Joel Goodman Joffe, a ‘truly GOOD MAN’, thankyou.

Liddington Christmas Concert

2016 Liddington Christmas Concert This enchanting event, held on 9th December 2016, featured the Madrigal Ensemble from Bristol University, who treated us with their wonderful singing. We also enjoyed a visit from Father Christmas, and a poetry reading by our village poet Maurice Spillane. Mince pies and seasonal Gemütlichkeit!

The Elephant!

The Elephant On Dec 4th 2016 a truly wonderful addition to our village was unveiled, to a crowd of villagers, friends, family and helpers.  Local Artist David Lomax created this plaster sculpture from the original casts which he used to make bronze statues of the Hoarsib bull elephant in 1992.   Lord Joffe of Liddington Manor made a place for the elephant on his land adjoining the Coombe.  Our bull elephant seems to be just stepping out for a stroll in his new home.  We hope his stay in Liddington will be long and happy.

New Liddington Bells Dedication Service

New Liddington Bells Dedication Service The Dedication of the new bells took place on Saturday 29 October 2016. The choral service was conducted by the Rt Revd Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol with the choir of Christ Church, Old Town, Swindon. The guest organist was Peter Eyles.

New Bells Cast

Wanborough and Liddington Bell Ringers 35 people comprising donors, representatives from church, village, and local bell ringers travelled to the John Taylor Bell Foundry in Loughborough to witness the casting of the six new bells for Liddington. This was preceded by a very informative history of the company and an explanation of how and with what the bell moulds and bells are made, as we toured the tuning workshop, ropewalk, carpenters workshop and the museum. The casting was viewed from the purpose built gallery overlooking the busy foundry floor. The bell moulds had earlier been lowered into the sand filled casting pit. The furnace was roaring away heating the bronze to 1100⁰C, and creating a haze that enveloped the foundry, and at 3.30 pm, the master founder started proceedings. The treble bell was cast first followed by the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and tenor. Some 20 minutes later, it was all over and our guide led us down onto the foundry floor to take close up pictures. The ringers amongst the group, some 14 of us, headed to the Bell Foundry tower where we rang for 30 minutes on the delightful peal of 12 bells. For some, this was the first ring on 12 bells and the first on such a light and easy going peal of bells. Well done. The bell castings were left to cool down for about a week, and then the moulds were broken open and the bells moved to the tuning shop. Ropes, wheels, clappers, and other bell parts were manufactured over the next 6 weeks before they were all delivered to Liddington on Friday 1 July.