Last Two Weekends Coming Up

September & October

Many thanks to all those who participated in our seed, plant, and produce swaps at both St Dunstan’s and St Hugh’s churches last weekend. The events were a great success, with seeds, bulbs, house plants, garden plants, herbs, potatoes, rhubarb, onions, and tomatoes all finding new homes. Apart from sharing our surplus and generating much enthusiastic discussion, the swaps raised money for our overseas sustainable farming project in Ikutha, Kenya. Thank you for your generous donations. The next seed, plant, and produce swaps will be at all Masses at both churches over the weekend of 20th/21st September and then the final one for the year will be 18th/19th October. We will be back in the Spring!

We now have a recycling box at both churches for used ballpoint pens, felt tips, and marker pens. Please collect your empties and put them in the boxes, as they can be used to create new pens. At St Hugh’s, please place them in the plastic basket on the lower shelf in the narthex. At St Dunstan’s, please use the special “Edding” collection box on the table in the narthex. Please do not use the boxes for non plastic items, such as pencils, which cannot be recycled in this way. If you have colouring pencils or crayons that you no longer need, but which can still be used, (including felt tip pens), please consider donating them to St Dunstan’s children’s liturgy and toddler prayers. Dominique would love to hear from you - click the button below to email.

Save The Date: Thursday 25th September 7pm at St Dunstan's

2025 marks the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, a transformative call to “care for our common home”.

Addressed to all people of goodwill, Laudato Si’ urged global action on climate change as a moral and social justice issue, highlighting the interconnected ‘cry of the earth’ and ‘the cry of the poor’.

CAFOD’s Live Simply Award has inspired our Parish (St Dunstan’s and St Hugh’s) to support Pope Francis’ plea in Laudato Si’ to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor. This has resulted in, amongst other things, the formation of our Live Simply website, the opportunity for parishioners and other’s from the Woking community to attend various talks on sustainability and the start of our project to support sustainable farming for women in Ikutha, Kenya (in partnership with The Poor servants of the Mother of God, Roehampton).

Following the Mass, you are welcome to join us in the hall for refreshments and the chance to find out more about our LiveSimply Parish journey. 

22nd September - 5th October

Fairtrade Fortnight is taking place between 22nd September and 5th October and this year’s theme is “Do It Fair”, which particularly focuses on the 100 million cups of tea that we in Britain are said to drink every day. From organising tea parties to reflections and craft activities, there are plenty of ideas and resources available to mark this event Fairtrade Fortnight 2025. We are also invited to campaign to ensure that our tea workers do not face poverty and unsafe working conditions, but instead can plan for their futures and protect themselves from the impacts of climate change. Please consider signing the “Brew it Fair” petition Sign | Fairtrade Foundation and using this link to contact our MP Email your MP | Fairtrade Foundation. How appropriate that this Fairtrade Fortnight falls within the month long ecumenical Season of Creation (from 1st September to 4th October), which highlights that there can be no peace with creation (which includes our brothers and sisters around the world) without justice. Similarly, our Jubilee Year’s themes also revolve around fairness and justice. Truly an opportunity for us to stand in solidarity with our tea workers and to continue to choose Fairtrade.

The Fairtrade buying guide for 2025 is out. It’s an essential directory for buying Fairtrade, listing all the Fairtrade products and companies and an online shop.

Recording available

A very special combined event was hosted by the Southern Dioceses Environment Network and the Northern Dioceses Environment Group on 4th June 2025 to mark the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis Papal Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ – On the Care of Our Common Home (2015).

Austen Ivereigh, the guest speaker helped us reflect on the last 10 years of Laudato Si’ and where we are called in the next 10. He deepened a reflection on the method that Pope Francis adopts to respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, using a broad SEE-JUDGE-ACT model. The first stage is to enter the crisis and open our eyes to places where there is pain and suffering. What is happening to our Earth? The second task is discernment: finding where God’s action can be seen and what frustrates God’s action. The third was to move to proposals for action in line with the Kingdom, confident that what is aligned with the arc of the Kingdom is never wasted.

He suggested that the Laudato Si’ apostolate can be considered as enabling these three tasks: (a) helping people to see what is happening to our Earth and to help people experience grief and the desire to repent; (b) helping people enter into an understanding of what is happening (as does Laudato Si’ in chapters three and four); and (c) enabling processes of synodal discernment that move through these two stages into concrete actions.

Woking Environment Action (“WEAct”) is working to find out where hedgehogs are living in our area (in order to help them survive). To this end, it has a number of night vision wildlife cameras that are free to borrow. WEAct is happy for locals to borrow the cameras, even if they are unsure what wildlife visits their garden at night. If you would like to see what goes on in your garden, when you are asleep, (and amuse your children in the holidays), use this link to find out more:-Woking Hedgehogs. There is a simple form to complete and you will need to provide proof of your address and pay a £20 returnable deposit. Have fun (and let us know what you discover)!

This project connects those with surplus garden/allotment produce and community groups such as foodbanks and community fridges to share the surplus and avoid it going to waste. Last year's highlights included 110 pumpkins and 4 crates of apples. So far this year, we have helped redistribute over 50kg of greengages, gooseberries and mirabelle plums.

Read more about the project by clicking the link below and also about urban gleaning, using the free Mundraub Navigator app to find what fruit/nut trees/bushes are growing in your area and to map your own foraging finds.

If pollinators designed gardens, what would humans see? Anyone from beginner to experienced gardener can use our algorithmic tool to create unique gardens for endangered bees, butterflies, and other essential pollinators to flourish in. Transform your garden into a living artwork for other species to enjoy. As planbting season is upon us, why not check this out and see what you could create in your own garden.

The next draw will be held in September 2025.

The Parish Ikutha Project is going well and we have had several draws for the Jackpot. We encourage you to take part this year and have the chance to win prizes and contribute to the Parish project - all at the same time! You can read more about the project here and fill out the form to join the Jackpot Club by clicking the link below. Or contact Sarah on the LiveSimply team at livesimply@st-dunstans.org

Monthly all Year

Knpahill Methodist Church have a dedicated team of volunteers who welcome families and individuals, offering them time to look for suitable clothes for their needs. They run a monthly clothes bank and there is a wonderful atmosphere of chatting and laughing to which all are welcome. If you, or you know of anyone who, could benefit from this service, please find out more on their website by clicking the link below.  They have a HUGE amount of clothing available FREE for babies, children, teenagers and adults. 

The Home Energy Advice Taskforce is back, with an expanded team covering (almost) every corner of Surrey! If you’ve not heard about HEAT, they can provide free home energy visits, including a thermal imaging survey, bespoke advice, and referrals to grants and funding you may be eligible for. Click through to book a survey.

Every Month 2025

Woking Repair Cafe volunteers can help with free repairs to small electricals, garden tools, furniture and clothes and textiles. These events run regularly so check their website.