Early retirement for popular reverend

SARK'S popular Anglican minister, the Rev. Graham Leworthy, is to take early retirement because of ill health.

Graham suffered a stroke some time ago and since then has sadly been able to spend only a limited amount of time in Sark.

He will preach at a farewell service at St Peter's Church later this month and, to express thanks for his ministry in Sark, a picnic lunch in the front garden of the vicarage is being organised.

Both events take place on Sunday 19 June - the service at 11am and lunch directly afterwards - and will be attended by the Dean of Guernsey, the Very Rev. Canon Paul Mellor, who is also priest-in-charge of Sark.

On a personal note, I hope that Graham and I will continue to meet - as we have done for many years - on the incline from his home to The Avenue and continue also to joke about how many times both of us have to pause for a rest on that short stretch of road.

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Prescription charges increased on Monday of this week, going up from £5 by 50p an item.

As most people know, the cost of prescribed medication for Sark residents is subsidised by the island's principal domestic charity, the Professor Charles Saint Medical Trust, and the increase was announced by trust secretary Peter Cunneen.

The trust was started with a generous bequest by Professor Saint and year on year the carnival committee - with events such as the popular annual sheep racing meetings - has raised many tens of thousands of pounds to keep the scheme going.

But, as Peter told me, issues such as low interest rates mean that despite the great job done by medical officer Dr Peter Counsell in paring medication costs, a shortfall has to be met and raising the charge was inevitable.

He continued: 'Without the whole range of donations and the support of the carnival committee, the picture would be very different. We are keeping our noses above the water but the most critical element in helping the trust is the cheque from the carnival committee.'

The trust has also decided to communicate more with the resident population and letters to all Sark addresses are to be sent at intervals. As Peter told me: 'People need to see that we require their support and many new residents may not be aware that this benefit is self-supporting, raised as a result of community action and not from our taxes or Chief Pleas.'

To this end, the trust is looking for local businesses to sponsor the cost of the mail drops - an excellent idea in my view, if only because such letters may well serve to demonstrate that despite the terms of the bequest apparently prohibiting the disclosure of detailed financial information, the amount available does not come from a bottomless pit of cash.

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While on the subject of the trust, it's appropriate at this juncture to state that the winner of last weekend's scarecrow competition - held by the carnival committee in aid of trust funds - resulted in a win for the entry of the Sark Playschool. The theme was legends and the winning entry featured Bob the Builder - certainly a legend to the age group who helped make it.

There were also additional prizes for the monk at St Magloire - the best local theme - and Worzel Gummidge at La Seigneurie Gardens, described as the best traditional scarecrow. The competition was judged by a visiting family staying at one of the island's hotels.

* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.