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ROYAL BRITISH LEGION FRESHFORD BRANCH HAVING celebrated the Branch’s 80th anniversary in July the 80th Annual General Meeting was held at the Inn on 9th October. The Chairman Peter Hills welcomed members to the well attended meeting with a resume of British Legion events Nationally, at County level, at Group level and at Branch level. Somerset has a very strong membership, but at local level the Branch is just about holding its own. The results contained in the Treasurer’s report showed a slight increase in the amounts donated to Somerset Legion House and to the Poppy Appeal and a big “thank you” here to all our many supporters in the area of Freshford, Limpley Stoke and Monkton Combe. This year Armistice Day falls on Monday 11th November and Acts of Remembrance will be held at 11a.m. at both the village War Memorials to which everyone is welcome.

BRITAIN TO BECOME ISLAMIC BRITAIN is set to become an Islamic country, according to Baptist theologian, the Rev David Pawson. Mr Pawson believes that Britons will increasingly turn to Islam in a backlash against the immorality of society. He also lashes out at 'Churchianity' for giving people an impression of an old-fashioned Church out of touch with modern reality. The 72-year-old Baptist preacher told the Baptist Times that he hoped it was a 'false prophecy', but that he now believed there was a spiritual vacuum in Britain that Islam would fill. He said that he told other Christian leaders about his views; and while he expected them to dismiss his thoughts, they all believed him and urged him to spread his message wider. There are currently 2.1 million Muslims in Britain, equal to the number of practising Anglican, Roman Catholic and Free Church members: Muslims also claimed over 25,000 conversions of English people last year, but this number is augmented by Muslim men who marry English women.

-SPIRE TO GREAT THINGS CHURCH spires have always stood out against the skyline but a vicar in Clevedon has decided to use the spire at Christ Church for a modern use. Mounted on the top of the tower is a small aerial to enable high-speed microwave bands to be relayed between a technology company, efar, and its clients. Broadband internet access will arrive earlier in the town as a result. "A thriving local community depends on thriving local business," commented the Rev Terry Baillie, who has been vicar of Christ Church, Clevedon, for six years. "Local businesses are taking advantage of the new technology and modern communications that efar is offering, enabling small town firms to compete with those in the big city."

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