YOU may remember from last week’s village notes that Julie Lippeatt was hoping to run a Macmillan charity stall at the Cafe @ The Foyer this morning.

Unfortunately, Julie has been extremely poorly and is unable to join us. We wish her a speedy recovery.

ALSO mentioned in previous village notes, you will remember I spoke about the launch date of Go Set the Watchman, Harper Lee’s parent book, as it was written before her first novel To Kill A Mockingbird.

Imagine my surprise last Wednesday as I drove along the A68 shortly after 5pm listening to Radio 2.

Simon Mayo interviewed six times world champion speed reader, our own Anne Jones, of whom we are so proud.

It was a lovely, chatty conversation and, rightly so, Simon was amazed that Anne had read the new novel in 25 minutes and 31 seconds.

Thanks for continually putting Riding Mill on the map Anne!

IT’S busy in the village tomorrow. At noon in St James’ Church, Marc Bryant will be performing the second of three summer organ recitals to raise money for a new mower and strimmer for the churchyards.

The staff at Wentworth Grange Residential Home would also like to invite you to enjoy A Blooming Great Garden Party in their grounds at 2pm tomorrow. Funds raised will be donated to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The Northumbria Healers are also available in the parish hall tomorrow, from 2pm until 4pm, for anyone seeking calm and comfort.

ST Andrew’s Church in Bywell was the parish church for Riding Mill until St James’ Church was built in 1858.

It is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, but each year St James’ Church hosts a service at St Andrew’s, which this year will be a choral evensong at 6pm on Sunday, July 26.

The service is preceded, at 5pm, by a showing of the dvd Bywell, the churches of a vanished town by Peter Ryder and John Grundy and followed by light refreshments.

The retiring collection will support the work of the Churches Conservation Trust.

PLEASE note that to allow our hard-working volunteers a well-deserved break, the Cafe @ The Foyer will not be open on Mondays until September.

The cafe will still be open every Friday as usual from 9.30am until 1pm.

TALKING about volunteers, have you seen the progress Elaine and Martin Raeburn, Val and Alan Thompson and their green-fingered helpers have made at the Mill Race Garden and the beautiful planting around the parish hall?

With gardens of their own, it is so generous of them to offer so much time and expertise for us all to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Thank you so much.

IF you have information for our village notes, please email pampryor@btinternet.com or telephone (01434) 682927.