Page 8 - link magazine

LETTER ROM WES MINS'I}:
8
Christ Church with St Mary Humility and thinking of others at Christmas time
Coffee & Mince Pie Morning
Saturday 12 December, In the 1970s there was a joke about American president Richard Nixon, his Secretary of State, Henry
lOam to 12 noon Kissinger, the Dalai Lama and a hippy, writes North Swindon MP Michael Wills.
The Church Hall, Devizes Road, They were all in a plane which in the eternal world hereafter so but also because three of my chil-
Including Book & Bric-A-Brac Sale suddenly started to crash. They you take the last parachute my dren were born in the middle of
In aid of Church Funds discovered that there were only son.,, December. It is a time to be grate-
For details telephone 490863 three parachutes. Richard Nixon The hippy says "that's okay man. ful for the blessings we have re-
said, "I am the leader of the free It's cool. There's enough to go ceived. But, for the same reason, it
Christmas Fare world so clearly I should be saved" round. The cleverest man in the is also a time to remember those
Concert by the and took a parachute and jumped. world just jumped out of the plane who have not been so blessed and
Henry Kissinger said 'I am the with my backpack." to reach out to them.
Bristol Bach choir
cleverest man in the world so This is why I have been so
St Mary's Church Purton clearly I should be saved" and took pleased to see the emphasis this
Saturday 12 December, 730pm a parachute and jumped. The Dalai government has placed on help-
£5, concessions £4, family ticket £15 Lama then said to the hippy "1 am ing those excluded from the re-
Tickets from 770525 or at the door an old man and I have confidence wards of mainstream society, with
its Health Action Zones and Edu-
cation Action Zones, and the Sure
Start programme for young chil-
Win ton dren and all the welfare-to-work
New Deal measures.
Raynes & Co. And its efforts have not been
confined to this country: this gov-
SOLICITORS ernment has led the efforts to re-
lieve the crushing burden of debt
on the world's poorest countries.
And when a humanitarian catas-
Anglia House, 115/118 Commercial Road, Swindon trophe hit Central America in No-
Tel: (01793) 522688 vember, again the Government led
the way in proposing a morato-
Peter Winton • John Wilding I think the point of the joke is rium on debt repayments and pro-
Helen Raynes that humility is often not just a viding immediate disaster relief.
•? moral virtue but also practically Governments should never close
A Partnership Working for You useful - especially for politicians. their eyes to what is happening
Also at High Street, Wroughton We need to listen to people and be around them. They need to be
sensitive to their needs. sensitive to the needs of their peo-
This is a good time of the year to ple. Otherwise they could find
be receiving such messages. themselves hurtling towards the
Christmas is always a time of spe- ground clutching a battered old
cial celebration in our family - not rucksack instead of floating to earth
only because of Christmas itself, with a parachute.

Greetings from South Swindon MP
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry
Christmas and a happy and successful 1999, writes Julia Drown.
Blind for Blind It has been a busy
ing translated into ac-
year for me and, per-
tion-withmoremoney
NO-ONE BEATS OUR PRICES sonally, a sad one with
being given to health
the death of my baby
and education in Swin-
daughter Ruby.
don and help being
Butlampleasedthat ,
given to unemployed
I have been able tohelp
local people through
'
many constituents dur-
the New Deal to help
ing the year and have
them into work.
influenced Govern-
There is still much
ment policy in areas
more to do and I am
sure 1999 will bring
that I know are a prior-
ity in Swindon - in
further good news for
health and housing
Swindon.
policies for example. It
But for now I just
Call us NOW anytime gam - 9pm 7 days
FREE MEASURING has also been great to see the Gov- want to wish you Season's Greet-
AND FITTING ernment's manifesto promises be- ings.
Swindon 874655
CONSERVATORY
BLIND SPECIALIST 692688 MPs Open Meeting
INTEREST FREE CREDIT 640237 Julia Drown will report on the current session of
Phone now for the Parliament at Freshbrook Community. Centre,
best Blind value If no reply call 0800 181958 Worsley Road, Freshbrook
OFF CURRENT PRICES ON SHEETED FERNERS
Friday 4 December, 7.30pm
HILLARYS All are welcome to attend and put questions