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Barbara Laird
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A very pleasant half hour’s drive, meandering along narrow, winding roads into the hidden depths of scenic Surrey will bring you to Barbara’s delightful Elizabethan cottage.
Set at the edge of an ancient wood, it is now made complete by a replica of an old stew pond, created by Barbara, herself.
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While we were there, a wild duck obligingly splashed down into it as if to display to us its natural attraction. She describes her cottage, and its adjacent workshop as a ‘discovered dream’ and there is nothing that detracts from this description.
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With the graciousness, for which we all remember her, Barbara took us on a tour of her secluded ‘domain’, as warden of Okewood church, which dates back to 1220 and was enlarged in the 15th century by the de la Hale family.
The church, a hundred and fifty or so yards from her cottage down the road, is set in a truly idyllic woodland dell of truly magnificent trees, a perfect complement to tales of mystery and romance, where, at this time of the year, a carpet of bluebells surrounding the church completes the picture.
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While conscious of the beauty of the place, Barbara’s main concern is about her responsibilities to the church, which serves a congregation of around seventy-five. Many will remember her similar devotion to work in our own parish office, as administrator and editor of the magazine of the day.
She fondly remembers her co-workers, Barbara Leighton and Roger Ball, and thinks of those days in St. George’s as an exciting time under Chris Hughes’ rectorship.
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As many will know, Barbara’s husband, Graham, did not live long enough to fulfil his dream of using the workshop to continue creating his superbly crafted furniture, but it still stands as a memorial to his wonderful artistic ability, exemplified in St. George’s by the superb communion table, lectern and choir chairs.
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With the kind of resourcefulness and tenacity that is characteristic of her, she continues to run her one woman travel business from home, specialising at present, as she tells us, in devising detailed tours to such places as South Africa, working through accredited tour operators.
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Apart from this and her responsibility as Warden of Okewood church, she sings in the choir, takes part in the leadership team, and is responsible for taking bookings for “The Ark”, the name given, with a nod to the biblical story, to the church hall complex.
As we left the church behind us at the top of the hill, she remarked on the need for more gravel to be sprinkled at the gates. “I’ll get round to that, soon”, she said.
Barbara is happy to work in her natural scenic environment, but admits that, occasionally, she feels a bit isolated. She is always delighted to receive visits from her numerous old friends, and to serve a cup of tea on her garden terrace. It is, without question, a privileged pleasure to visit such a lovely Christian in her wonderful haven.
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