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DARRINGTON
On the
BBC
Did you know that our village is regularly discussed on National – International
-radio??
If you didn’t, then you can’t be one of the millions of ‘Archers
Addicts’ who listen to perhaps the longest running radio series in the world!
2pm or 7:02pm for 15 mins. Monday to Friday or from 10:00am on Sundays for the Omnibus
edition on Radio 4, many people would say you’re missing a treat!
…and Darrington regularly gets a mention, sometimes because of the
sporting prowess of its cricket team or perhaps because of events at
‘Darrington’s vicarage’.
I’m trying to log all the mentions and connections. Who knows… there could be a
opportunities for visits to our lovely village and business opportunities for some
entrepreneurs!!
Any Archers’ Addicts with more information or Ideas, please contact Andy Tagger -5
Park Avenue,
WF8 3AY andytag@hotmail.com
English villages, Like all English villages, sport has played an
important part in Ambridge. In previous centuries, Candlemas Day (2 Feb) would be a
traditional day for cockfighting. And in 2002, we were able to revive the traditional
football match which until the early 1800s (when it was abandoned after an unfortunate
fatality) was one of the ways in which Ambridge and nearby DARRINGTON exercised their
age-old rivalry. I can see no such revival in store for cockfighting, thank goodness
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Janet Fisher
The Vicarage, DARRINGTON
Formally a nurse, in 1995 Janet became vicar of the combined parishes of Darrington, Penny
Hassett, Edgeley and Ambridge. Some parishioners – notably Peggy Woolley –
couldn’t countenance a woman priest and left to worship elsewhere, but most accepted
Janet with open arms. And therein lay a problem, because one pair of arms belonged to the
local doctor Tim Hathaway. Janet fought temptation until it was clear that Tim’s
marriage was on the rocks anyway, and at last they could plan a new life together. But,
given the history, they realised that it would have to be well away from the village
gossips (yes, you, Susan Carter), so Janet started to look for a parish elsewhere,
planning to leave Ambridge early in 2003.
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Playing Suresh
4 April 2003
Ambridge is buzzing with reports of its temporary vicar, who has now arrived in
Borsetshire. Suresh Matai is taking time out from his British-based PHd studies to help
out the four parishes of DARRINGTON, Ambridge, Penny Hassett and Edgeley at their busiest
time of year.
New vicar in The Archers
BBC Radio 4's The Archers have two fresh faces in the village of Ambridge. The new vicar
of St Stephen's Church, Alan Franks, and his 14-year-old daughter Amy, are moving into the
vicarage in DARRINGTON today (Friday 1 August). Alan is the vicar of four parishes
including Ambridge. The vicar made his first appearance at the Village Fete on Sunday 20
July, where he presented a prize to Helen Archer and Greg Turner - the winners of the
wife-carrying contest. So he already has an interesting insight into life in Ambridge!
Alan Franks
The Vicarage, Ambridge
Born 1960
(John Telfer)
A former accountant who worked as a non-stipendiary minister in Nottingham, Alan was
appointed vicar of Ambridge, Penny Hassett, DARRINGTON and Edgeley in June 2003. Alan's
wife Catherine died of breast cancer in 1995, so his bonds with his daughter Amy are
immensely strong. Alan believes in living out his Christianity through his everyday
actions, and sometimes his passionate convictions can make him less than diplomatic. Many
parishioners thought him unwise when he took a heroin addict into his home, and there was
little support for his bid to set up a homeless hostel in the area. But, while Alan's
heart can rule his head, he is widely admired for his principles. He cuts an
unconventional figure zooming around the county on his motorbike, and has formed a strong
relationship with Usha Gupta
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