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November 2021                                                                       November 2021

       gradually  became  a  changed  man.  Why

       shouldn't  ex-service  people  work  together  for                                  DATES FOR
       the good of all?
       Leonard found  out about a man  called Arthur,                                              YOUR DIARY
       who was  suffering from cancer,  and had  been
       discharged  from  hospital  with  no  relatives  or                                 2022
       money.  Having  failed  to  find  anyone  to  look
       after  Arthur,  Leonard  decided  to  do  it  himself.
       He cleaned and decorated a room in the large                                              Floral Group                Autumn Leaves                  Twinning
       but shabby house that he had, and took Arthur
       in.  He  had  to  borrow  a  bed  and  blankets  for                                      Women’s Institute       Pop in Place        Gardening Club
       Arthur. Soon they were joined by an old lady of ninety, who was also without other
       help.
                                                                                                        January
       Leonard did all the cooking and gardening, as well as nursing the patients in his
       care. Through the influence of Arthur, a Christian, Leonard began thinking about          11th   AGM
       God, and his faith grew.
       When  the  residents  numbered  thirty,  he  looked  around  for  another  refuge.  He      12th   Egyptian Dance
       and his ex-service friends partly rebuilt and repaired an old RAF station to suit the
       purpose. For a time, Leonard worked so hard he became ill, and had to take two
       years  off  for  rest  and  recovery.  While  still  in  bed  he  managed  to  obtain  some
       secondhand buses that his friends drove around, playing recordings of his voice                  February
       to  attract  people to enter his  'churches  on  wheels'. Although  he had gained  a
       great reputation for all his wartime achievements, his main aim now was, humbly,          8th    ‘On the Spot’  -  Elizabeth Whitcomb
       to show love and concern to poor, lonely and sick men and women.
       Together with his wife, Sue Ryder, he did a tremendous job in resettling refugees         9th    Communibus  -  Mystery Tour with lunch
       who had been displaced by the chaos of war. The number of Cheshire Homes, as
       they  came  to  be  called,  mounted  steadily,  not  only  in  Britain,  but  in  India,      16th   Joyce Grenfell
       Malaysia, and Africa, to name but a few. Leonard's vision for helping the ill and
       homeless  was  being  realised,  and  the  important  work  he  started  still  flourishes      23rd   Communibus  -  Bridport
       today.
                                                                                                        March
       You can find out more at http://www.leonard-cheshire.org/
       Leonard’s story reminds us of sacrifices made, not only during the World Wars, but        1st    Pancake Day
       also in other conflicts, but it also reminds us that we all have the capacity to do
       extraordinary things for our fellow human beings.  We have the greatest example           8th    Maia Nash
       of sacrifice in Jesus Christ, crucified for our wrong doings in the most painful and
       degrading way, so that we can have the hope of eternal life with him in heaven.           9th    Communibus  -  Haskins Garden Centre
       In this season of remembering, I pray that that may be an inspiration to you.
                                                                                                 16th   Jurassic Coast
       With blessings
       Sandra                                                                                    23rd   Communibus  - Groves Nursery


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