29 Holmewood Ridge

Langton Green

Tunbridge Wells

Kent

TN3 0ED

hughandsue@sansom-family.co.uk

Jan 2011

As you looked through all the Christmas letters you received, you may have wondered why there was nothing from the Sansoms this year. Are they still alive? Yes we are – and apologies for being late. The main news to share with you is that we are downsizing and will be moving to a smaller new house and much smaller garden in March or April. The house is still being built on a new development on the edge of Langton Green, and is scheduled for completion in April. Our new address will be:

10 Colbran Way, Langton Green, Tunbridge Wells TN4 8DB. Unfortunately we will probably not be able to retain our existing telephone number, but our email address (and mobile number 07941 546860) should be unchanged!

Although he gave up skiing 2 years ago, Hugh continues to play tennis (only doubles) twice a week all through the year until the snow put a temporary stop to it. He still preaches and takes church services at least once a month, and is convenor of a prayer group supporting the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship, receiving regular email news from MAF folk around the world. Sue is still Chairman of a Residential Care Home with 17 residents, most of them over 90 years old. She celebrated her own 80^th birthday in February with a lunch for a group of family and friends at Wisley. She continues to cope very well with her restricted vision, doing all the household chores, and even supermarket shopping, but she cannot get away from the house on her own. When we move she should be able to walk into our neighbouring village of Rusthall, which has good shops and an excellent bus service into Tunbridge Wells. This should give her much more freedom.

In January 2010, we went on an enjoyable cruise from Barcelona to Madeira and the Canary Islands Other holidays included a lovely week in Limone on Lake Garda (Mary and Gareth joined us for that), and 10 days in the Lake District in October, with beautiful weather enabling Hugh to do some fell walks. We also had a very enjoyable family weekend in the Cotswolds, to celebrate several family anniversaries, with over 30 of us covering 4 generations and an age range 3 to 86. The only family members missing were Deborah & Justin and their 2 children who were completing their two years stint in Sudan.

Our family are all well:

Helen has been doing some invigilating, coaching, supply teaching and marking of overseas exam papers, but when not otherwise occupied manages to get to quite a few horse race meetings. She and our other daughters all keep a close check on their elderly parents by phone, text message, e-mail and also by visiting us.

Mary has a part time job at a medical practise in Tunbridge Wells, as well as supporting Gareth who is CEO at Burrswood (which has been having a rather difficult time financially). Their eldest daughter, Deborah, and her family are now back in England, and it has been lovely to see them again. They hope to be able to return to Sudan later in 2011 after a spell at All Nations College. Jonathan will be ordained next July and will be starting a curacy in Cambridge. He and Ruth now have 3 children. Paul (unmarried) lives in Leamington and works for Global Connections; and Alex (also unmarried) lives in Hastings and is doing a course in Media Studies.

Ann works in Child Protection in Gloucestershire, but Richard has been out of work for much of the year.

Joy leads a busy life as a School Governor, working at a school, and also working with a charity in Bristol. She will be running in this year’s London Marathon in aid of a Bristol charity. Richard has left Shelter after many years and has just started working for another organisation in Bristol. Their eldest daughter Maria has now left school, and is going to India for part of her gap year before going to Aston University. Anna (15. and very tall) and Zoe (10) are both thriving.

With our love and best wishes for 2011

Hugh and Sue