Parish of Leatheread - Gloria the Minibus

February 2002

Gloria the Minibus took members of the Youth Group to Dorking for the evening earlier in January. Not too far for a first outing, but enough to whet the appetite!

The idea of having a minibus came when I spent a week in Gothenburg in Sweden last May with a group from Prideaux House in Hackney. We hired an eight-seater minibus, the driving of which was shared by John Hussey from Hackney, and Lasse Fryk, a Swedish professor who had stayed in Hackney 30 years ago and seemed to like them there.

It was such fun that on my return I decided we ought to have one, and what better way of spending some of Horace's money! After all, he did much the same 20 years ago when he bought a white van on the spur of the moment to take stuff to the charity shop in Hackney from affluent Surrey!

So I rang Rev. Gualter de Mello at Prideaux House, where the Southern Area Toc H minibus was housed, and asked his advice. He was full of enthusiasm, and told me all the pros and cons. An hour later he was on the phone again ­ John Burgess from Toc H was there, telling him that for one reason and another he felt they ought to sell their minibus. "God moves in very mysterious ways", said Gualter. "I wasn't thinking about minibuses when I woke up! So how would you like to buy a six-year-old 16-seater minibus for £4,000?"

How could I refuse! I felt I was acting under orders from above! Even when I found I wouldn't be allowed to drive it (ten years without a fit, ten years off the medication for epilepsy) I felt that perhaps God was protecting me from being overloaded. It has also meant lots of generous offers from people willing to drive her.

Some of these drivers and their families came on December 1st to welcome Gloria when John Burgess delivered her. We poured some champagne and Sister Maureen blessed her. She asked all present to say what they hoped to gain from Gloria. "Fun" "Fellowship" "Adventure" were some of the answers.

So how will Gloria be used? The simple answer is "In any way that promotes fun, fellowship and adventure." She already has bookings for outings for Pitstop, a trip to the Toc H headquarters in Poperinghe, Belgium (which I hope to join) and a Royal British Legion trip round the battlefields of Normandy.

Why not sample Gloria's delights on a St. David's Day Outing on the afternoon of Friday March 1st ? Please ring me for further details. A Wright (454426)