Thursday 30 October 2008

What's on in November

Diary dates for November

Saturday 1 Autumn Sale, Methodist Chapel, from 11am
Sunday 2 Wargames club, Village Hall, 2.30pm to 6pm
Monday 3 Monday Mardle, Church Rooms, 2.15pm to 4.15pm Tuesday 4 Coffee and chat, Church Rooms, 10.30am to 12 noon
Wednesday 5 Flower Club outing, from Village hall car park, 9.15am
Wednesday 5 Women's Fellowship, Methodist Chapel, 2.30pm
Thursday 6 Parish Council, Village Hall, 7.30pm
Friday 7 Crib Drive, Village Hall, 7.30pm
Friday 7 Open meeting on village Green, Memorial Room, 7.30pm
Monday 10 Whist drive, Church Rooms, 2pm
Tuesday 11 Ladies Fellowship, Church Rooms, 2pm
Wednesday 12 Luncheon Club Village Hall, 10am to 2pm
Thursday 13 Breckland Flower and Garden Club, Village Hall, 2pm
Thursday 13 Social and Wine Circle, Church Rooms, 7.15pm
Friday 14 Netgamers computer games, Village Hall, 7pm to 9pm
Saturday 15 November Market, Church Rooms, 11am to 2pm
Sunday 16 Wargames club, Village Hall, 2.30pm to 6pm
Monday 17 Monday Mardle, Church Rooms, 2.15pm to 4.15pm
Wednesday 19 Request Songs of Praise, Methodist Chapel, 7.30pm
Friday 21 Mobile Police Station by Village Shop, 9am to 10.30am
Wednesday 26 Luncheon Club Christmas outing
Wednesday 26 Royal British Legion AGM, Church Rooms, 3pm
Thursday 27 Women's Institute, Village Hall, 7.30pm
Friday 28 Netgamers computer games, Village Hall, 7pm to 9pm
Saturday 29 Prize bingo, Church Rooms, 2.30pm
Saturday 29 Collection of goods for homeless, Church Rooms, all day
Sunday 30 Collection of goods for homeless, Church Rooms, all day

Tuesday 28 October 2008

It's out there now


The November issue of the Old Buckenham newsletter is now available. If you do not get a copy with your morning newspapers then there are copies in the village shop, All Saints Church, the two pubs in the village (The Gamekeeper and the Ox and Plough) and the Clinic on the Green.

Pick up your free copy now.

Saturday 25 October 2008

Fighting talk at WI

Women’s Institute
The October meeting had an historical theme provided by the speaker, Mike Wabe. He arrived with theatrical costume baskets in tow and then retired to change. He returned dressed in a long black woollen robe with a red cross. Mike had travelled back through time and emerged as a twelfth century sergeant templar, a fighting monk.
He regaled members with tales of his life including an explanation of the terrible scars on his body (too terrible to show) gained during battle in the Crusades. Mike came with his full body armour which included a padded stab jacket, chain mail and helmets. The audience were invited to lift the armour, which was surprisingly heavy, and everyone concluded that movement on the battlefield would have been extremely difficult.
Along with the armour came the weapons. Shields, spears, swords and the infamous long bow with its deadly arrows were also on display. The speaker explained their development, their manufacture and how armies were raised at the time.
Alongside tales of war and weaponry Mike explained what mediaeval life in England was like for the peasantry and the huge role the Church played at that time. He was then thanked for his amusing and informative talk by Doris Monkhouse.
During the tea break everyone enjoyed a 21st century birthday celebration for Old Buckenham WI, now 41 years old, with a glass of sherry and a slice of decorated cake (specially made for the occasion by one of the members).
Members were reminded of future events – a visit to Thursford to see the Christmas Show, a trip to the Theatre Royal to see West Side Story and a Christmas lunch in December. As next month’s meeting is the AGM, nominations were taken during the evening for the Committee for 2009. The November meeting will be on Thursday 27 November and the competition is for a decorated branch for Christmas.

Friday 24 October 2008

Friday nights out

What do you do Friday nights?
Did you know that every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month between 7pm and 9pm Old Buckenham Village Hall opens its doors to youths of the area?
With eats and cans of drink on sale and a selection of computer and board games - it's probably better than doing nought. So why not check it out, entrance is free (£3 for computers) - sorry over 12s only.
The next two evenings will be on Friday 14 and Friday 28 November.

Thursday 23 October 2008

Have you strong Green views?



Village Green meeting
There will be a public meeting in the Memorial Room at the Village Hall on Friday 7 November starting at 7.30pm. The meeting, which has been arranged by Colin Phillips, will be a chance for everyone interested in the way that the Green is managed to hear what can, and cannot, be done. It will also be a chance to put your views to those involved.

Friday 17 October 2008

Thursday 16 October 2008

What went on at the parish council

October Parish Council
These notes of the parish council meetings are prepared by the editor of the village newsletter from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is corrected later at the next month's meeting.

Norman Cawston (Chairman) opened the October meeting of the parish council and welcomed 15 members of the public. Apologies for absence were received from two councillors, Becca Frank and Kerry Talbot.
Matters arising from minutes. Haymaking on the Green was well on the way to being completed although the weather has not helped.
The Clerk is having problems getting a quote for making the car parking signs to use outside the village shop and there are doubts on how effective they will be without being able to be backed up in law.
A temporary gulley for drainage in Church Lane has been dug. A proper drain is scheduled with the safe route to school work. Other drainage issues are being addressed when the County Council Highways inspection takes place.
Although flooding at The Cottage, Attleborough Road, is not a parish council issue, the Clerk has arranged to have the landowners clear their ditches and Breckland Environment Department (Angela Masterson) is looking into possible drain irregularities behind the Gamekeeper public house. The Clerk has also received answers and details of remedial work from relevant landowners, Dennis Burton and John Alston.
Village Hall kitchen. The Clerk referred to messages from Joan Jenkins and from Harold Yates (from the original Village Action Plan Committee) concerning the request for grant funding. He also referred to an endorsement from architect Martin Hall that improvements were called for.
Adrian Joel asked to have a budget plan made out. Tim Ing, Denise Ziman and Gerry Norton supported the Village Hall’s request and want to encourage the Parish Council to support the hall. Carol Marshall had reservations, wondering if the improvements were necessary to keep the activities legal and whether there were not other priorities.
The Chairman recommended that a financial commitment of a minimum of £1000 be made and this was unanimously agreed.
Children’s Play Area. Mike Craven-Romain said a generous donation has been received from the Ox & Plough. Grant funding application is in progress and swing repairs are in hand.
Settlement Boundary Review. Adrian Joel reported that there had been a mixed reception to the proposals at the recent public consultation. The figures in support or against various proposals varied. However it was agreed that the expansion of the industrial resources of the Attleborough area should be exploited. The area to the south of Attleborough is a particularly contentious issue and must be considered carefully in due course. Infrastructure, such as roads, must be implemented first before anything else.
The Chairman said that it was a disappointment that decisions hadn’t yet been firmly decided. This made it difficult to form an opinion and make any suggestions. Further shop developments might work against our local shop.
Current views from the parish council members will be sent by the councillors to the Clerk.
Recreation Area behind the Village Hall. The area is under cultivation. The existing broken down fence should now be removed. Help to do this is invited once the lease is signed.
The Green. Clarification of the situation regarding the footpaths and any proposal for the management of the Green for next year will be required in good time before the Green Rights Proprietors’ AGM in February 2009.
Planning applications. B M Developers, Stone Cottage, Fen Street. Construction of two-bedroom cottage. Not supported on the grounds that a new cottage has been started and the entrance is on a narrow lane.
M Foulger, Lodge Farm, Sandy Lane. Extension to rear of property. No objection.
Mr and Mrs Hughes, East View, Fen Street. Application to modify or discharge application already granted. Majority decision to let this proceed.
J A Becker, Old Dairy Barns, Fen Street. Conversion of former workshop to dwelling with new garage. Resubmission. No objection but checking with neighbours.
Planning decisions by Breckland. Chris Noller, Dairy Farm, Cake Street. Installation of flue, wood burning stove and replacement windows. Both approved by Council.
Tom Crawford, Hill Farm, Leys Lane. Steel-framed building for grain storage. No prior approval is required. Passed.
District Councillor’s report. Adrian Joel reported that fly tipping and similar “grot spots” remain a problem. Photographic evidence does make the authorities move into action and he reported that he had been provided with a suitable camera to help provide the necessary evidence.
Councillors’ reports. A challenge has been made to the amount of mileage allowance for community cars. The payment over 40p per mile should not be considered “profit” for taxation purposes.
The Clerk is currently awaiting a reply concerning the extent of insurance cover in place for items such as the new village sign
Trevor Crook and Tim Ing will form the working party for the village hall project.
Signs concerning parking outside the shop have been investigated and the Clerk is awaiting a price.
The speed camera scheme is thought to be a good idea and Becca Frank will be consulted.
It was suggested that the parish council updates its training for councillors.
The parish council was asked to make a further contribution to the Scouts in respect of litter picking activities. This will be discussed at the November meeting.
Clerk’s report. The audit for 2007/8 has been successfully completed. The situation of the parish council as custodian trustee of the Village Hall has been clarified.
A final decision on the precept requirement must be made at the November meeting.
The parish council needs to prepare an asset register with valuations for this year’s accounts for audit.
The money received from the Eleemosynary Charity should be ring-fenced in a separate account and an account opened with the sum of £740 (the last 2 years’ receipts).
The Clerk asked the secretary of Green Rights Proprietors (Rosemary West) to look up the latest Tree Preservation Order (TPO) following on from a letter received from Breckland Council and amend in the records accordingly. Provisionally, the secretary has advised the Clerk that the documentation about the TPO is not correct and she has undertaken to look into this on everyone’s behalf.
The Clerk said he has copies of letters from Mike Bartlett (Village Action Plan) to Dorian Avellino of Mott MacDonald regarding the selection of Route 1 for the safe route to school. They ask for clarification of the criteria that makes this, rather than Route 4, the preferred route.
The Clerk has received some promotional leaflets and timetable concerning ‘Sustainable Communities Team Surgeries’. These were distributed.
The Clerk was asked to write concerning an old house on Hargham Road and the old Eagling’s property in Fen Street. These properties are unoccupied and steadily deteriorating.

The next meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council will be at 7.30pm on Thursday 6 November 2008 in the village hall.

Monday 13 October 2008

Herring history


Social and Wine Circle
More details of Norfolk history were dispensed at the October meeting of the village Social and Wine Circle. Mary Fewster was the speaker and she gave a fulsome history of the Yarmouth herring industry. She started by explaining how the herring shoals came down the English Channel, arriving off the Norfolk coast for the last three months of the year. They were caught in drift nets, sometimes as much as 2 miles long, with as many as 600 boats fishing out of Yarmouth at the peak of its popularity around 1900.
The ‘gutting lassies’ followed the fleet of boats as it travelled down the east coast from Scotland during the year and were famous for working out of doors in the cold winter days. The original drifters were sailing boats but eventually they became steam powered which enabled them to get back to port with their valuable cargo as quickly as possible.
The herring around Yarmouth became more and more scarce throughout the last century so the industry slowly faded away. The speaker had started her interest in the subject in the 1980s and had taken photographs of several of the buildings involved in the herring industry which had since been demolished. Much is now recorded at the popular ‘Time and Tide Museum’ in Yarmouth to educate people on what life must have been like for all those involved.
Next month there will be a talk on Morris dancing by Jonathan Dutton starting at 7.45pm in the Church Rooms on Thursday 13 November. This will be preceded by a short AGM so members are asked to arrive earlier at 7.15pm.

Friday 10 October 2008

Flower Club news


Breckland Flower and Garden Club

Adele Kent from Hethersett gave a 'Blooming Marvellous' demonstration at the October meeting in Old Buckenham village hall. Using a great variety of foliage her designs included white and yellow carnations, proteas, lilies and lisianthus, and were much admired by members and visitors alike.

The competition for three blooms and foliage was won by Shirley Penfield (Old Hands) and Margaret Smith (New Hands). Shirley was awarded the Barbara Fisher trophy for the best modern exhibit.

The Club’s outing to Bury St Edmunds will take place on Wednesday 5 November leaving Old Buckenham Village Hall at 9.15am.

The next meeting will be held at Old Buckenham Village Hall of Thursday 13 November starting at 2pm when David Boulton will be giving an illustrated talk on butterflies. The competition title will be Misty Nights and the Joan Barry Trophy will be awarded for the best use of garden material.

The meeting on Thursday 11 December will be a teach-in commencing at 10.30am followed by lunch and then a demonstration at 2pm. If you wish to make the door-ring please inform a member of the committee.

Tuesday 7 October 2008

Everyone is a winner

Village Hall Numbers Club
The October numbers club winners were drawn at the monthly crib drive at the village hall. As a result £5 each went to Gordon Bertram, Geoff Scott, Tommy Mack, Anna Waller, Julian Goodey and Alan Soanes. The £10 prizes went to Mike Read and Bill Cheesley.
The crib drive winners were Joyce Goodey, Mary Parker, Matthew Thomas, Julian Goodey, Bev MacAnulty and Bill Cheesley.

Monday 6 October 2008

Local playtime



“Two plays and a song”
Old Buckenham Players
Old Buckenham Village Hall, Friday 26 and Saturday 27 September

It must be difficult for local amateur dramatic groups to think up something just a bit different for their productions. Old Buckenham Players livened up their two one-act plays by having live music from a local group during the interval and providing “nibbles” that turned out to be much more than crisps and peanuts.
The opening play, Green Favours, was a bitter-sweet story set in an allotment shed. The duet of Tom and Valerie (Richard Crawley and Jeanette Cruickshank) both had their own secret feelings about each other and romance so nearly blossomed amongst the garden forks and damp gardening clothes. Both actors coped well with the understated dialogue and you felt really sorry for both characters when the story didn’t end as both of them probably hoped.
After this relatively short play (under half an hour) the audience enjoyed some pleasant and tasty refreshments while being entertained by a local trio of young people who perform as Smallprint. Their confidence and ability went down well with those present as did the food.


Out for the Count was the second play – much more in the style of a short pantomime. It had plenty of awful puns and plays on words while some of the characters were really out of this world. Set in a lunatic asylum (where else?), it provided the opportunity for all the cast to overact and get away with it.
The Count Nolyard* (ably portrayed by Al Frank) comes visiting from Transylvania ready to seduce the two young ladies in the house but his evil ways were fraught with difficulties. An unlikely professor Hertz Van Hyer (Laurence Barnett) provides everyone with large crosses to protect themselves while the housekeeper Bridget (an ideal part for Joan Beales) just tells the Count what he can do with his evil schemes.
Everyone in the cast of nine obviously enjoyed doing this play and that enjoyment spilled over into the audience.
As usual the sets were excellent with much effort put in for just two evening performances. Now we have to wait until January next year to see what the Players will get up to in their pantomime ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’.


* This is Draylon spelt backwards which gave the opportunity for comments about it being a “fabric-ation” and the name “wouldn’t wash”.






Sunday 5 October 2008


Look what's coming up on the village green.

What's on this month

Diary dates for October

Wednesday 1 Luncheon Club, Village Hall, 10am to 2pm
Wednesday 1 Women's Fellowship, Methodist Chapel, 2.30pm
Thursday 2 Parish Council, Village Hall, 7.30pm
Friday 3 Crib Drive, Village Hall, 7.30pm
Saturday 4 Roadside textile collection, from 9am
Sunday 5 Wargames club, Village Hall, 2.30pm to 6pm
Tuesday 7 Coffee and chat, Church Rooms, 10.30am to 12 noon
Thursday 9 Breckland Flower and Garden Club, Village Hall, 2pm
Thursday 9 Social and Wine Circle, Church Rooms, 7.45pm
Friday 10 Netgamers computer games, Village Hall, 7pm to 9pm
Monday 13 Whist drive, Church Rooms, 2pm
Tuesday 14 Ladies Fellowship, Church Rooms, 2pm
Wednesday 15 Luncheon Club Village Hall, 10am to 2pm
Wednesday 15 Request Songs of Praise, Methodist Chapel, 7.30pm
Sunday 18 Wargames club, Village Hall, 2.30pm to 6pm
Thursday 23 Women's Institute, Village Hall, 7.30pm
Friday 24 Netgamers computer games, Village Hall, 7pm to 9pm
Thursday 25 Women's Institute group meeting, Village Hall, 7.30pm
Friday 24 Mobile Police Station by Village Shop, 9am to 10.30am
Saturday 25 Garage sale, Holly Cottage, Ragmere Road, 10am to 2pm
Sunday 26 Garage sale, Holly Cottage, Ragmere Road, 10am to 2pm
Wednesday 29 Luncheon Club Village Hall, 10am to 2pm