When my mother-in-law Hilda was diagnosed with Dementia I knew very little about it. I decided to go along to Dementia Conversations at Bowdon Vale to learn more. I soon found that there was so much more I hadn’t known particularly about how to live well with Dementia. I found myself volunteering to open up the Cornerstone Room at Timperley once a week as a Dementia Drop In. The idea being that anyone could come for a drink and chat and pick up information. I have collected leaflets from many sources over the last couple of years. I could also recommend the Dementia Conversations where this had all started. I think it is far better to talk to someone going through the same experience than be given a handful of leaflets.

Music has come up in our conversations so many times. Some have benefited greatly from Vibrant Voices in Bowdon. There was a father and son doing a karaoke car share on T.V. Apart from singing being very uplifting the fact that we can remember all the words is a good confidence boost .

The next significant step came when Peter volunteered to bring his guitar along. We could now sing our favourite songs and hymns. As we met on Thursday afternoon we found that some of the congregation from the Shoppers Service could stay for a light lunch and join us. We then decided to find a new name and became known as the ‘Musical Memories Cafe’. We now have more regular musicians including Tim on guitar,Ted on harmonica and Peter on piano accordion .

We occasionally have musicians who kindly volunteer to perform for us. Heather has brought her Ukulele group a couple of times. They came recently dressed in their Christmas outfits including at least one elf. Peter has also performed with his band ‘Flotsam’. Last year a group of children came from Heyes Lane school to play their guitars. We always have the opportunity to singalong which is great fun.

Every week is different as we usually don’t plan what we will sing but instead are open to requests. The music ranges from classical, pop, hymns, folk etc. I also have my crayons and card making at hand if they are requested. My box of leaflets is also still at hand if needed .

I have so many people to thank for their music, friendship, care and support.

However none of this would have begun if Prof. David Jolley and Rev. Ros Watson had not started their Dementia Conversations. They are very much appreciated by so many. I have learned so much but there is always more to learn.

Diane Robinson

With January behind us, and maybe the snow, we start to look forward to spring and the new life that brings.  In the Church, we also begin to think of Lent, which this year starts on Wednesday 6^th March.  After the indulgencies of Christmas, many will think about giving something up for Lent as we remember the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted. Shrove Tuesday (pancake day) is the day before Lent, and I for one will be having pancakes.  Did you know that Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday? Traditionally this is the time to use up the fat in your house before Lent begins.  The churches in Timperley will be sharing lunches each Friday at Timperley Methodist at 12.30pm from 15th March. The churches will also be taking part in discussions based around the film "I, Daniel Blake" each Sunday evening at Holy Cross, Timperley from 10th March leading up to Easter.

Before that however, on Tuesday 19th February, we have the visit of a former minister of Timperley, Revd Bruce Thompson, to discuss his new book, "Echoes of Contempt", and for a long overdue catch up. Come along to see him at 7:30pm in the Cornerstone Room. Refreshments will be served from 7pm.

Did you know that Timperley Methodist Church (TMC) is one of South Trafford Foodbank centres?  

Trafford South Foodbank has five centre's across Trafford.

TMC currently stocks approximately 23787.14 Kg of food to supply stocks to the centres which see on average 15 clients a week per centre. This means we are providing over 70 emergency three day food supplies to local people at crisis point every week.

TMC have supported this charity for over five years, providing a free warehousing facility where over 100 volunteer staff are working with them.

Since April 2018, we have provided over 4,500 emergency food parcels locally.

For more information please visit their website:

www.traffordsouth.foodbank.org.uk

There are various local donation points if you would like to contribute to their cause - one of which is at the front of TMC'S popular cafe area.

It’s been an exciting time recently in the worship life of Timperley Methodist Church. Over the last 12 months or so, we’ve been thinking about how to introduce new styles of worship to our programme. We want to worship God in all sorts of ways and welcome all kinds of people along the way. With this in mind, throughout the last year, we’ve been adding some fresh new services into the life of our church community.

One of these new services, Live Lounge, was started in October. Live Lounge is a fantastic, low key worship time headed up by Fiona Simpson, an incredibly gifted musician and singer as well as being a member of one of our sister churches, Altrincham Methodist Church. Fiona is also supported by a number of other very talented local musicians, all of whom have brought something different and personal to the table.

Live Lounge brings together anyone who wants to sing something that has been a meaningful part of their journey with God and telling the story of why they’ve chosen that particular song, along with anyone who wants to hear some wonderful music from local musicians in a comfortable cosy atmosphere.

Live Lounge offers a warm welcome, a hot cup of coffee, some cake and an hour of fantastic acoustic music. It aims to give musicians, no matter how accomplished, the opportunity to contribute a song or two and be a part of the worship.

Anyone is welcome to come along and listen to our performers, soak up the atmosphere or even bring along their instrument and offer a song or poem or, if you’re not a musician, share some of your story.

The next Live Lounge will be at 7pm on Sunday 24th February, followed by another on 19th May, in the Cornerstone room at Timperley Methodist Church.

This is just a small amount of information about myself and my family, by way of an introduction.

I have a husband, Malc (who you will be getting to know more of), 3 married children and 3 grandchildren. 

As a child, I lived in Pickering, North Yorkshire and have also lived in Luton, Mobberley (Cheshire), Preston, Wigan, North Manchester, Radcliffe and Ipstones (not far from Alton Towers), the latter three as a Methodist Minister.  I have always been a part of the Methodist Church and made a commitment to follow Jesus when I was 15, and it was only 2 years later when I felt that God was calling me to be a preacher.  I have had various jobs – starting out as a bank clerk, running my own secretarial business, teaching IT in Further Education, child-minding and school administrator (dealing particularly with finance).  I became a Methodist Minister in 2001 and, for the 5 years before coming here, was Superintendent of a circuit with 23 churches in it, most of which were rural – rather a contrast to being here.

I enjoy most forms of music, and play the piano, sing and occasionally play the guitar.  I recently bought a clarinet, an instrument I used to play as a teenager, but I’m very rusty – it may be sometime before I allow anyone to hear!!  I also enjoy photography, mainly landscape, though don’t get as much time to take photographs as I would like.

I love worship and also love helping other people to discover their gifts and how they might best use them.  I’m also passionate about helping people to understand just how much God loves them and that following Jesus, whilst sometimes challenging, is also a huge amount of fun.

I’m looking forward to getting to know people in Timperley better, so please say hello and tell me your name if you bump into me.