Our Church Family Events
Families and children are especially welcome at St. Mary's. We have close links with Great and Little Shelford CofE (A) Primary School, which is next door to the church. Every Sunday for the first part of the 10.00 service the children have their own activities in the Community Room, stories, games and crafts related to the Bible readings of the day and always enjoy telling us all what they have been doing. Once every month the 10.00 service is given specifically for the children, See the calendar for dates
Hospice Funding Crisis a letter from Bishop Dagmar
If you have been receiving my missives for a while, you will recall I have written about the Assisted Dying Bill. An important call in this debate was and remains the improvement of the provision and funding of hospice care. It is terrible news that many hospices are now experiencing a funding crisis. Hospices in our region include Arthur Rank, Milton, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall and Garden Hall. It appears Arthur Rank and Garden Hall are especially significantly affected, with Garden Hall seeing a £750,000 funding gap and Arthur Rank forecasting having to close 9 of their 21 Inpatient Unit beds if cuts go ahead. This is clearly deeply concerning and also very worrying for those who already know that they or their loved one will likely require and wish for a place in a hospice for the last phase of their lives in order to receive the best and most appropriate care supporting them and those who love them.
Arthur Rank Hospice has produced an easy guide on how to write to your MP which of course does not have to be only about Arthur Rank: Write to your MP - Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
There is also a petition by one of our MPs, Pippa Heylings, who has led a campaign on behalf of local LibDems to support Arthur Rank Hospice. You can find it here: Save palliative care beds at Arthur Rank Hospices - Pippa Heylings MP
See the BBC news story featuring Rick and Sue Nelms from our Diocese (Lordsbridge Team where Sue is an LLM).
It goes without saying that all hospices also welcome donations!
A news update on the FUNDING CRISIS for the Arthur Rank HOSPICE
It was terrible news that many hospices are now experiencing a funding crisis. Hospices in our region include Arthur Rank, Milton, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall and Garden Hall. It appears Arthur Rank would be significantly affected, having to close 9 of their 21 Inpatient Unit beds if the cuts went ahead.
There has been overwhelming public support, for Arthur Rank including 16,000+ signatures on the petition, handed in to Number 10, along with an impressive fundraising campaign run by the Hospice that has secured funding for the nine beds under threat of closure. Thanks to generous public donations, the Arthur Rank Hospice now has a 12 month reprieve and can maintain full capacity.
This 12 month period must be used to negotiate and come to an agreement between the Integrated Care Board and the Arthur Rank Hospice on longer-term funding. The goal for everyone is to ensure that fewer people die in a hospital setting, and Arthur Rank Hospice is a vital partner in achieving that goal.
COMING IN FEBRUARY - OUR BIG TABLE TOP SALE!!
Gt Shelford Memorial Hall
Saturday 21st February 2026 10 am - 1.00pm
Pop in for coffee, tea and cakes, and browse the stalls including guess the weight of the cake, books, plants, jewelry, soft toys, face paint for children, maybe a bit of brick-a-brack and fruit and veg.
Do come along and support the sale!