A SAD DAY FOR THE ORACLE

The Oracle is to close its doors after nearly six years of production. This is a sad day for the Oracle Team, and our readers who we know looked forward to receiving the Oracle each month.

At a recent meeting of the Oracle Team, our Editor, Alan Edwards announced his resignation from the Oracle. Alan said: "The Oracle takes roughly one half day per page of my time every three weeks, interspersed with meetings, interviews, taking photographs, writing stories, preparing adverts, scanning text, editing stories provided by other members of the team, designing the page layouts, sending out invoices and reminders to advertisers, arranging printing and distribution, etc "

He added: "Whilst I have enjoyed doing this, I am now finding that it is too demanding of my time and affecting my personal life - and I want some of that time back to pursue other personal interests." The remaining members of the Oracle team, David Burton, Lesley Pugh and Euan Stevenson, felt that they either had no time, or the IT facilities or the expertise to take on this role.

It was Alan's suggestion in 1999 that a Community Newspaper should be produced to replace the twice-yearly newsletter issued by the Overton Community Council. And so the monthly Oracle was born with an editorial team of six people. From its humble beginnings, as a four page issue, it soon grew rapidly to its present format. Good comments have always been received about the content and professional presentation, with other communities wishing their own publications were as good.

The team has enjoyed being part of the community and the Oracle, but there has been a noticeable decline in the amount of material being offered and increasingly the team has had to actively generate the content. They have busy lives too and have happily given their time voluntarily, but there are limits. Over the last few months the Oracle team has asked for extra help but not one person has come forward. Lesley Pugh said: "We would not wish the standard to be lowered and that is bound to happen without fresh input. The Overton community comprises some 1200 persons and It is rather sad to think such a useful and much acclaimed community newspaper is to close because nobody is willing to come forward."

No matter how much material the team has available the final production has relied heavily on our Editor-in-Chief, Alan Edwards to design, collate, edit and present it for publication. Unless somebody can step in immediately to replace Alan, the Oracle will cease production with this issue, which after six years of publication is very sad. Our apologies but you can only do so much! If you feel you could take on this and any supportive role to save the Oracle, do not hesitate to contact Alan Edwards. The remaining members of the team are still willing to contribute.

A very special thankyou must go to former team members Ken Farrell and Christine Stead, and to those who have contributed and offered support over the years. Our sincere thanks must also go to our volunteer distributors for their total support who braved all the elements to make sure you received your copy through the door. Also our thanks must go to Phil Humphreys of Design-n-Print, Ysgol-y-Grango, who has printed the Oracle even when the school was officially on holiday.

Goodbye and thank you all.

NO COMMUNITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

It is understood that as the number of nominations received by the Returning Officer for Wrexham County Borough Council is less than the number of seats available, there will be no elections for the Community Council on the 10th June 2004. Only nine nominations were received for 11 seats on the Community Council which means that all nine candidates have been returned unopposed.. They will become councillors for Overton once they have signed their Declarations of Acceptance of Office..

The following persons will therefore be serving as councillors for Overton Community Council after 10th June: Anthony David Burton, Susan Carole Glover, Philip George Humphreys, Howard Sidney Jones, Joanne Kember, Robert Anthony Lawrenson, Martin Clifford Lewis, Lesley Joan Pugh, and Eva Josephine Ralphs.

This therefore leaves two vacancies which the Council must fill by co-option

YOUR LETTERS

Dear Editor,

It was with great sorrow that I heard the news of the demise of the Oracle. As a regular contributor to our village newspaper since its inception in January 1999, I have watched it develop out of the old six monthly Community Council newsletter into something that everyone has thoroughly enjoyed reading over the past five and a half years.

At the same time I have always been very much aware of the considerable amount of preparation that was needed for each monthly issue, with the main and very time-consuming burden of setting out the paper falling upon yourself.

The total lack of response to your repeated requests for fresh, additional members of the Editorial Team must have been very discouraging to all those involved in writing and distribution of the paper over the past months and of course, particularly to yourself.

Is it really too late to save our well-loved Oracle from an untimely end? I genuinely hope not

Ken Farrell

COMMUNITY CHURCH NEWS

Our numbers have increased again, and we've had some extremely good meetings. We had a very enjoyable night out at Clwyd Theatre Cymru to see Noel Coward's 'Hay Fever'.

Unfortunately the event at Llandudno - the 'Night of 100 Drums' was cancelled apparently due to the lack of drums! However, instead, there was an incredible time of worship/prayer at Colwyn Bay Baptist Church with Godfrey Birthill who was awesome with his prophetic songs and music.

The backing musicians and worship group from Wrexham also gave an amazing performance. This was a great end to the national prayer week.

Programme and venues for June:

Tuesday 1 June - Eunice's - Praise & Worship with Arnold Black

Tuesday 8 June - Carol's - Bible Study lead by Steve Russell

Tuesday 15 June Eunice's - Prayer & Fasting - Sue Black

Saturday 19 June THE CALL CYMRU - Day of prayer & fasting for Wales. 11.00am - 8.00pm Royal International Pavilion, Llangollen. Everyone welcome

Tuesday 22 June - Carol's Bible Study / Discussion - Arnold Black

Tuesday 29 June Eunice's - Visiting Speaker

If you would like more information, or prayer for anything at all, please feel free to call Sue or Arnold Black

TWINNING ASSOCIATION AGM

Overton Twinning Association is to hold its Annual General Meeting on the 14th June in the Parish Room, Overton, commencing 7.30pm. All members of the community are welcome to attend.

COUNTRY BEAT
by Constable Darren King

There has always been a common misconception that any nuisance, vandalism or minor crime is caused by youths, which usually follows with the victims saying such things like, 'It was different in my day, we had respect', or,' I would never have done anything like this, if I had, my dad would have given me a clip around the ear'. Of course in the majority of cases this is true.

However, following recent events in the village, it is apparent that the old saying of 'boys will be boys' is correct, and that some adults who should know better still indulge in activities that would even make some of the more juvenile members of our society embarrassed.

My above comments refer to incidents where, fuelled by drink, items such as hanging baskets, and even a wheelie bin were stolen, admittedly not the crime of the century, but I can assure you that to the victims this was upsetting, and very annoying, probably more annoying due to the fact that the culprit was not a teenager overwhelmed by his first pint of beer. I can fully appreciate their feelings, especially at the astronomical price of hanging baskets these days, and in case you were not aware, the replacement cost of a wheelie bin is £25.00, quite a price to find yourself out of pocket at the hand of another.

So with this in mind, if you have not already done so, please place some identifying marks to your property, house number, post code etc, so that IF there are other people willing to spend a night in the cells for their drunken prank, your property can be returned a lot quicker.

Separately I would like to thank the very active members of the village who continue to report matters and suspicious activity to the police, by doing this you are ensuring that we remain a low crime area, (by the time of this article being submitted, only 4 crimes this month throughout the entire area). I would like to offer again my thanks to the person who, upon seeing 3 males in a white pick-up truck acting suspiciously around properties, approached the males to ask what they were doing. The males, without saying a word, got back into their van and drove off. As this vehicle was later identified as stolen from the Midlands, it goes without saying that if they had not been disturbed, then they would have committed crime here. Please continue this excellent work.

Thank you.

Darren King, Constable 1360.
The Police Station,
Station Road,
Overton, Wrexham. LL13 OEF.

STARGAZER

IT'S THE CHOP

As everyone must be aware I'm now out of a job. I've had the push and what is worse there is no Oracle Pension Scheme. So what am I to do, you may well be asking.

I'm thinking of applying to the Daily Mirror as their Middle East Correspondent. I understand the job involves some photographic assignments and so I've taken out my trusty old Kodak Brownie and given it a dusting down.

Alternatively I could offer my services as a Fund raiser for the St Mary's Organ Scheme. Now there's a job that could last quite a while.......

See you around.

Watch out, there's a thief about

A number of distraction burglaries have occurred in the Wrexham & Flintshire areas during recent weeks. The trick or distraction is used on an occupant of a dwelling to gain, or try to gain, access to the premises to commit burglary

Several of these type offences have taken place at various areas throughout the Wrexham & Flintshire areas - the majority of these incidents have occurred during the middle of the day, and at dwellings of elderly occupants.

We would like to remind you to keep an eye out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours. If you see anyone acting suspiciously in the area, please contact North Wales Police on 01978 290222

Death in the Belfry

AT MIDNIGHT

'Ye know not when the time is.
What ye therefore'.

It was New Year' s Eve and a bitter night,
The frost was keen, and the snow lay white.
Once more, to hallow, the passing year,
God's people met in the House of Prayer.
'Nineteen times,' the Rector said,
'In the year so nearly fled,
We have heard the heavy toll
Speak of a parted soul.
It has sounded for the aged,
And the baby of the day;
For the mother of little children,
And the strong man snatched away.
Friend - where will thy portion be,
When will the bell ring out for thee?'
So he spake - but he knew not then,
How soon the bell would toll again.

Now points the hand to the midnight hour,
The ringers come to the belfry tower,
For the bells must peal with a joyous din
The Old Year out the New Year in.
First each strong arm must strain,
Working with might and strain,
To raise the bells again;
And heavily swinging round,
Their brazen voices sound,
With a confused jangle,
All their music in a tangle -
Till each bell is lifted high,
Open throated to the sky.
While down below, the ringers stand,
Each in his place, with rope in hand,
Waiting the foreman's brief command.
The belfry's foreman - tall and grey;
He had led the peal for many a day.
A thousand times we heard the shout,
As his deep voice called the changes out.

Oh, what a blast of frozen air!
Close the door, neighbour. Who goes there?
Unheard, unseen; in the midnight hour,
Death has entered the belfry tower.
Through the ringers doth swiftly glide,
Takes his place at the foreman's side.
And each man shivers, he knows not why,
As that icy raiment sweepeth by.
One cold clasp of those fingers chill,
And the breath comes thick,
And the heart stands still.
One wild clang from the falling bell -
The ringer has tolled his own death knell,
Cold and still on the belfry floor;
Never to ring with his comrades more.
With the Old Year's parting sigh,
His spirit fled to Eternity.
And instead of melody bright and clear,
Joyously hailing the new-born year.
One deep bell, with mournful toll,
Rings its dirge for the ringer's soul.

This incident occurred as narrated, at the passing of the year 1894, in the belfry of St Mary's Church, Overton

IN BRIEF

NIGHTINGALE HOUSE