This month I include some of the best wildlife images I have taken with my new camera and lens. The welcome warm sun that we experienced for most of the month brought some of the creatures at the Zoo to bask in its rays. The male adder and sand lizard are very good examples, and the red panda seems to be more active each time we visit. I also photographed the local kingfisher in the reflective light of the sun on the canal, and the Great crested grebe displayed beautifully at the end of the day.

The next section this month is all about Phil Hodges, one of the most popular teachers ever to teach at Christleton Secondary Modern, then High School. I worked with Phil for 60 years, as a colleague, fellow headteacher and friend. We first met in 1965 when we promoted Pottery Courses for teachers together. Then when visiting the school to see wonderful productions of Oliver & My Fair Lady with children from Oldfield School where I taught. These were incredible productions for any school, but Christleton wasn’t any old school. Phil was the planner, set builder, painter, the link (glue) between the different staff and student teams involved. The Art around the school inspired by Phil was of such a high standard, and later that spread through the village to the Christleton Players, the Local History Group, The Village Fete, The Village Show, St James’ Church and the Methodist Chapel. With his wife Pat, he was involved in the Fund Raising Christleton Wednesday Group, and if any design was needed, Phil always gave his time and expertise freely. He gave so much of himself to Christleton, and the reputation of the school was enhanced so much by his major contribution. I was with him when he met up with lots of former students on the 50th Anniversary Open Day, and he re-galed them with lots of stories and so many happy memories. Life was clearly never dull when Phil was around. Everyone just adored him.

He designed and built sets for all the shows at the school, but he was also encouraged by Peter Dornford May and Les George to create sets, and design props and programmes for Christleton Players productions at Eaton Hall, Chester Castle and Chester Cathedral. He also helped run annual courses for children at the Cathedral. For many years in our retirement we also carried out conducted tours of St James for students from Christleton High School. He loved that contact with the current students as much as I did. He was still a teacher at heart.

I want to end this short tribute by mentioning his life in Pepper Street, the home he created with his delightful wife Pat. They were a wonderful team, and it was so sad that Pat died so much before her time. Christleton will not be the same without them. Phil and Pat entertained so well, and they had created a beautiful home and superb garden. They very kindly hosted events there for the Wednesday Group, Village Garden Trails etc, and Phil’s design ideas clearly were visible in their garden. There is evidence of his skill everywhere you look in the Village, The High School Badge on the wall outside the building, his Christleton Village sign on the Green, sign boards he designed for afternoon teas at the Chapel, for the Fete etc. Also his cover design for the “Christleton 2000 years of History”, and his wonderful sketches for many of our village publications, including Parish Magazine covers, Christmas cards and more recently for the 2023 Coronation Heritage Trail.

Phil was a wonderful husband, father, colleague and friend. He has left a legacy in this village that no one can match. His superb creative work will live on and be visible to everyone who comes through the village. I will be giving a presentation in his memory in the Parish Hall on 11th October at 7.00pm. Following a short tribute to Phil I will be giving a presentation on the History, Wildlife and Scenery of the Isles of Scilly.

The 80th Anniversary of VE Day in early May was commemorated in the Village by the Primary School, who placed flowers and art work at the War Memorial on the Church Green. The Tower Bell Ringers at St James’ led by Nicky Dromgoole, pulled a series of commemorative changes on the Christleton tower Bells in the evening.

At the end of June, the Village Fete Committee will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first fete in 1875. Canon Garnett, with the support of Lucy Ann Ince from Christleton Hall, and by the Mayor of Chester and villagers, planned events to raise money for a new church building and village Boys School. As you can see from these early posters, these were amazing events put on by what was then a comparatively small village, and the money for both was raised very quickly, so that both the new Church and School Buildings were complete by 1880.

Please support the new Committee for 2025, who also advertise on Facebook and Instagram. The Parade through the Village led by the Wirral Pipe Band begins at 1.00pm, with the events on the Primary School field following at 1.30pm.

Work has now begun on the new children’s facilities at the King George VI field, together with a new paved footpath, which wends its way across the field through a newly planted avenue of trees. The playing field attracts families from a wide area, and these new facilities will make it even more popular. (Further updates and pictures next month)

Finally this month, I want to report on the excitement that takes place along the railway in Christleton, usually on Saturday afternoons, with restored steam engines pulling large excursion trains through to Chester. This month we saw restored GWR Castle Class, 7029 Clun Castle, followed by B.R. 70000 Britannia the following weekend. These events are best seen safely from the bridge on Old Woman’s Lane. These steam engines are greeted excitedly by our young children, as well as some of us older residents, who fondly remember then first time around!! Two years ago, I photographed 60103 Flying Scotsman at Rowton, and earlier still, the newly built 60103 Tornado coming out from Chester. Earlier this spring Beryl & I went on an excursion to Carlisle and the Lake District hauled by the famous 60532 Blue Peter. This particular engine was partly rescued by the enthusiasm of children and the Blue Peter BBC TV Programme. There were thousands of enthusiasts lining the stations and countryside along our route, as this brilliantly shining blue steam legend, raced through the countryside. This particular excursion was sadly halted in west Cumbria, as the lineside ahead had been allegedly set on fire, by sparks from an earlier steam excursion engine Tangmere. Unfortunately Blue Peter and all 12 carriages had to be diesel hauled back to Carlisle Station, where the restored diesel engine D213 which was planned to meet us at the end of the Lake District section, had travelled up from Carnforth to pull us back to Chester.