On Sunday October 28, the congregation of All Saints, Purleigh, was saddened to hear the Rev Elspeth Bland announce her retirement from parish ministry.

Her last service with us will be the Sung Eucharist on Sunday January 13.

She has ministered to the three parishes of Purleigh, Cold Norton and Stow Maries for eight years and also served as a governor of Cold Norton School. We shall miss her greatly.

GARDENERS' CLUB

On Wednesday October 24, chairman Lawrence Cooper welcomed members and visitors and said it was with regret that he had to announce the death of Edith Coote, a long-standing member of the Purleigh Gardeners' Club.

On sale were some chrysanthamums.

Don Nowell explained that they all originated from one cutting sent to Will Ingwerson in a matchbox from Japan, in 1950.

Eventually Don found a white sport on his specimen plant and had it verified and named Purleigh White. Others found different "sports" and they named them Bronze Elegance and Nantaderry Sunshine. Samples of all of these were sold to members to raise funds for the club.

The speaker, Tim Fuller, of the Plantsman's Preference nursery in Diss, gave a very colourful and informative illustrated talk on gardening with grasses. The slides were colourful - though grasses are not normally associated with colour, there are many reds, pinks and yellows among them.

Winners of the monthly competition were: 1 Kay Martin, purple dahlia; 2 Jessamina Davis, a spray of Purleigh White; 3 Joyce Bowyer with a purple Mei-Kyo chrysanth.

GREEN WASTE COLLECTION

The green waste lorry calls at The Glebe, Purleigh, on Saturdays from 1.15 pm until about 1.40pm.

The final collection for 2007 will be the last Saturday in November.

BUSY WEEKEND

A brief reminder that the quiz is being held on Friday evening at 7.30pm and the indoor market on Saturday at noon, both in the village hall.

LIBRARY VAN

The mobile library van, which now only visits once a fortnight, is due again on Wednesday November 7.

It will stop at Hazeleigh from 10.20am to 10.35am, at New Hall, Purleigh, from 10.55am to 11.20am and at Snow's Corner from 11.25am until noon as usual but now it will also stop at The Bell, Purleigh from noon until 12.10pm.

For queries, ring 0845 603 7628.