| The Tuckwell Family |
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St. Luke's, March 2011 Dear friends, After an overdose of snow and then rather too many cloudy damp days, it at last feels like spring and the daffodils are just coming out. It is amazing to realise we have been back at St Luke’s for three and a half years, with us planning to leave in September next year. 2010 has been an eventful year for all the family. The high point was having Deborah, Justin, Caleb and Bethanie safely back from South Sudan last November. Soon after they arrived, we all went to the Welsh cottages for a lovely break, allowing them space to acclimatise to the UK again. We had the fun of them staying with us on and off until they went to All Nations Christian College after Christmas, where they are studying for a further two terms before probably returning to South Sudan (peace there permitting). This lovely spacious home is at its best when filled with family! We were 13 staying here for some of the Christmas break and up to 20 at meal times! We then went off to the Welsh cottages with our home group from church so they were at capacity too! After all the snow early in 2010 we went off to Morocco and had a glorious week in the sun. In fact we were spoilt for holidays during the year with Mary’s parents taking us on a memorable holiday at Limone, Lake Garda, with our bedroom right on the lake. In September we went to Madeira with close friends and walked in the hills whilst staying at one of the loveliest hotels we have ever been to. 2010 was also a year of celebration with Mary’s Mum reaching 80, Tracy 30 and the two of us having met 40 years ago! For the big 80 Sue, Mary’s Mum, took all the family, including Mary’s sisters, foster-sister and their families to a glorious complex in the Cotswolds where we could swim, play tennis, have a bar-b-q and have a fun time. Tracy chose to celebrate with a bungee jump from beside Tower Bridge, raising £850 for Burrswood. The low point of the year was saying ‘goodbye’ to Toby, our Golden Retriever, who had been a wonderful friend for 15½ years. The home seems so empty to come back to without his energetic welcome as we walked in! Another loss in 2010 was the death of Barbara, Gareth’s step-mother. She was 91 and although Gareth could not get to her funeral, the rest of the family were there and he had a good time with her just a week before she died. For news of all the family, do click on their photos which will take you to their sites but for the headlines: Caleb and Bethanie have settled into school and pre-school so very well. Jon will be ordained as Deacon in Ely Cathedral on July 2nd and they will then all live in their Cambridge home, Jon having been appointed Curate at Christchurch, Cambridge, the church they used to belong to. Paul loves his Leamington Spa flat, and his job with Global Connections as Communications and Marketing Manager has become more demanding following a merger with Christian Vocations. Alex is excelling at Hastings branch of Brighton University and gaining great marks in her Media Broadcasting Foundation degree. Tracy has a lovely close friend, Luke, who is great with her children. Tina, Tracy’s sister, is coming back into the family with her adorable three children. They live near Alex in Hastings. Gareth continues to have a faith-stretching and demanding time as CEO at Burrswood (www.burrswood.org.uk). Plans have been greatly aggravated by consequences of the economic downturn, but there have also been many encouragements along the way. Gareth’s heart-longing is to see the hospital beds here open to all on the basis of a patient’s need rather than their ability to pay. Gareth continues as a Trustee of Macmillan Cancer Support (www.macmillan.org.uk) and also serves as an elder in our steadily growing and very exciting Church (www.twcf.org). The extension and refurbishment of our church has proved a wonderful success and week by week we are seeing new families join us and foresee the time when we will outgrow our building again. Mary is involved in many areas of church life and leads our Homegroup of around 20 of all ages. She has joined a local choir and loves being part of that, which often includes a drink in the pub next door to refresh throats after singing! Alongside her very busy times at an increasingly busy GP surgery, her next challenge is likely to be helping her parents to move into a new house, at present under construction, in the neighbouring village of Rusthall…serious downsizing going on! We hope to buy a place in Tunbridge Wells in a year’s time. Mary enjoys being a Director of Crossways (www.crosswayscommunity.org.uk) and getting to know some of the Residents. This is a Christian charity caring for people with mental health difficulties. Founded in 1967, it has steadily grown and developed and is doing a fantastic job in providing support, care and purpose to a large number of people. We look forward to all God has for us as a family in the year ahead and do hope there is an opportunity to catch up with more friends. This year we have particularly realised how important it is not to postpone meeting up, with the early death of a number of close friends. We have plenty of space to welcome you and Burrswood is a glorious place to visit any time of year. With our love to you all Mary and Gareth |