The Holy Trinity Eco Church Community Blanket project continues to create knitted and crocheted blankets to send to Ukraine via the Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership. The project has been making and sending blankets to Ukraine since to the crisis started.At the beginning of March another 52 adult blankets were collected as well as cot blankets, bringing the total sent to over 200. The blankets are made from squares created by ladies from the community and further afield and are very welcome in the cold winter months. There are already more squares being made and waiting to make more blankets. For anyone interested in joining the project or learning more about it e mail vercoelynne@gmail.com or come and see Penny Hill, who heads the project, at the Woolly Wednesdays group who meet at 2pm at Weavers pub, in Dilton Marsh on Wednesday afternoon
On Saturday 7 March the tenth Sewing Day was held at Dilton Marsh Memorial Hall. The Pachamama Project was started in 2020 and Holy Trinity Eco Church started holding Sewing Days in October 2021 to make pads for them. Since then the charity has distributed more than 240,000 pads, taking more than 22,500 women and girls out of period poverty. The Holy Trinity Eco Church Group have made and sent over 4,000 pads during that time.It was a fantastic day, 25 ladies came and 17 machines were soon whirling away. We were joined on the day by three young people and four men whose help was invaluable. One helped with towel trimming [a thankless task] and the other three started adding the poppers to the finished pads. Pads were also received from some of the ladies who make them at home. I am delighted to say that I have now packed 618 pads to ship to the charityThe pads being made at present are going to Uganda, to Arimumikonoye Dick, a teacher who is on a mission to end school girl drop outs in his region. He was buying all the girls in his school reusable pads and seeing incredible results on their attendance, he reached out to Pachamama and the rest is history. Arimumokonoye who, after renting a van and driving eight hours to Kampala to pick up the shipment, went school to school delivering menstrual health education and our reusable pads, including to schools that can't even be reached by car. All in all he delivered 12,000 pads to 1,500 students in 12 schools, two orphanages and a girls' sports academy. This will help de-stigmatise menstruation for girls and give them access to all the opportunities that come with being able to stay in school.The need for pads continues as the work of the charity continues to expand. They are now supporting groups in Lebanon, Pakistan, Uganda, USA, Greece, Syria, Ukraine, Italy and the UK. If you would like to get involved in the project you would be made very welcome.The next sewing day, on Saturday July 11 will be making drawstring bags for the pads to go in. There will be another pad making day on the Saturday 12 September. We also have volunteers who make them at home between sewing days. We welcome donations of fabric and materials. Please get in touch with Lynne Vercoe for more details. E mail vercoelynne@gmail.comThanks must go to the Dilton Memorial Hall, who so kindly provide the venue free of charge. Without their support we would have great difficulty in continuing our support of this essential project.
The Electoral Roll for both the Parishes of Westbury and Dilton Marsh are open for revision from 29 March - 12 April 2026. Everyone should register so that they can play a full part in the life of the Parish. Please download a form here or pick up a form at church and return it to the Electoral Roll Officer for your parish or bring to church. Electoral Roll Officer Westbury - Debbie McEnteeElectoral Roll Officer Dilton Marsh - Chris HillPlease make sure that you return it by 12 April 2026 to be sure that you can take part in the APCM on either 10 or 17 May!
The Bishop of Ramsbury is delighted to announce that, subject to the usual processes, he has offered the post of Pioneer Team Vicar in the White Horse Team Ministry to the Revd Tracey Hallett who has accepted the post. Please pray for Tracey as she prepares for this new season of ministry. Further details of Tracey's arrival and licensing service will be shared once we have agreed these. My grateful thanks to all who took part in this successful process. Thanks be to God.Rt Revd Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of RamsburyWe look forward to welcoming Revd Tracey to our Team Ministry in due course. She will be a great asset to our Team. She clearly felt called to this role and closely matches the criteria we set out in the profile. She has lots of skills and experience in pioneering amongst children of all ages and families. We hope to hear soon about a date for her licensing so that we can prepare for her arrival.Thank you.Revd Rebecca
