Pack up your troubles in your old sandbag...

It seems forever ago now, but we had a concert at St Andrew's on Saturday 7 Feb! A lot of people weren't able to make it because the flood water was already rising rapidly that day, but others did and we had a lovely time - and raised nearly £1,000. There was a huge variety of items for every musical and poetical taste, thank you everyone who took part.

For those who couldn't make it, here was one of my own contributions. You know the tune...

Yesterday

all my troubles seemed so far away

now it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly

I hear there's tons of concrete on the way

Heathrow really want that third runway

There's too few planes in Wraysbury

Why don't they listen to Boris I don't know, they wouldn't say

Who cares if he's raving mad, wish he had just got his way

Suddenly

floods of water all come pouring through

no-one told me to bring a canoe

when I came up for interview.

Oh, suddenly
I'm not half the man I used to be
I've been shrinking in the wash you see
that's why I've gone all wrinkle-y

Why has it all gone wrong? Is it me? Am I to blame?

I should have warned them from the start, Jonah is my middle name!

But now today

St Andrew's is an awesome place to pray

You lot and Jesus really make my day

Oh, I believe in you today -

mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm

St Andrew's website

We are having trouble updating information on St Andrew's website, so I am using this blog for some items and putting others on the St Andrew's facebook pages. Items for Horton, including Dyer & Butler's memo, should appear in the normal way on St Michael's website.

Please see a memo from Dyer & Butler, one of the many agencies who have given us incredible support here in Wraysbury, a bit further down this post, which I was asked to put on the website by Cllr Colin Rayner. We know that a huge number of organisations of all kinds have contributed to rescuing us in our time of need. We would love to hear from any of you and would be delighted to post up your messages.

The past seven months since I arrived in Horton and Wraysbury have been the most eventful of my 25 years of ministry as a vicar! First they wanted to concrete Wraysbury over for a new runway, and no sooner do we beat that one off than two lots of floods arrive! Whatever next!

But the community spirit I have seen at work here has more than made up for all the pressures. When I see the awesome way people have come together and given everything to get each other through this emergency, I cannot help feeling that I have come to the right place! God bless Horton and Wraysbury.

Here's Dyer & Butler's thoughts:

A message from Dyer & Butler Heathrow Branch

Flood Relief Works in Wraysbury, Datchet, Windsor and Chertsey: Thursday 13/02/14 & Friday 14/02/2014

A six-man crew from The Dyer & Butler Heathrow Winter Resilience team recently supported the local councils of Wraysbury, Datchet and Windsor along with the Army to provide aid to the local communities who were severely affected by recent flooding. During the 13^th and 14^th February, Dyer & Butler employed two teams that contributed by supplying 7.5 tonne lorries, an inflatable boat, over 15 tons of sand and 1500 sand bags.

The Dyer & Butler team began on the 13^th of February in Wraysbury, supporting the local police and fire services as well as the Army by delivering 800 sand bags to remote residential properties at risk of flooding.  Throughout the day the team assisted relief efforts in Datchet, Eton and Windsor by providing and placing an additional 700 sand bags.

On the morning of 14^th the team again began in Wraysbury, but responded to an emergency call from nearby Chertsey as the water level was approaching critical levels and threatening the town centre. In response the team supplied 10 tons of sand bags to mitigate the risk posed to the historic area. The team was pleased to be able to be part of such a positive cause and was received warmly by the local communities.