Saints Alive: Stanhoe and Barwick Newsletter

August 2010

July 21st – WI summer walk:-

The WI summer walk for July will take place on Wednesday 21st July – local start point to be arranged.  Everyone in Stanhoe is welcome to join us.  We meet at the Reading Room at 1.30. Please bring a car if you are prepared to give lifts.  The walk will be about 3 to 3.5 miles, and we aim to finish with refreshments in a local cafe.  Members’ note; this will count towards the triathlon!

August 5th – The August WI meeting:-

This meeting is a quiz and ploughman’s supper at the village hall, starting at 7 pm sharp on the 5th.

Any non members interested in finding out about the WI would be welcome – please phone Geraldine on 518025 as numbers are needed for catering.

August 7th – The Flower Show:-

Our 25th Flower Show will take place in the Reading Room on Saturday 7th August. We are looking forward to the usual wonderful displays of vegetables, cookery, flowers, flower arranging, crafts and art from talented members of the village.

Please give in your entry lists before Wednesday 4th August.

Exhibitors are requested to come and place their exhibits between 9am and 10am on Saturday 7th August.

Everyone is welcome to come along to the show which opens at 2pm. Prizes will be awarded at 4:30pm and an auction will follow.

If you have mislaid your schedule then please contact Rosemary Brown, the show secretary for another copy.

We look forward to seeing you there!

August 18th – WI August summer walk:-

This walk will be up to 4.5 miles around Stiffkey, followed by lunch at the Red Lion for those who wish.

Start time to be arranged, for information phone Pamela (518033) during the week before the walk.

Cutlery required:-

Last year, 48 sets of cutlery (knife, fork, spoon) owned by the WI went missing from the Reading Room.  This cutlery was only three years old, and was used at our parties and fund raising events.  We are now faced with having to replace it and are seeking a supplier, but if anyone has any cutlery which is no longer required, or is aware of a business which may be replacing or upgrading theirs, and may be willing to donate the old items to us, please inform Geraldine (518025)

Access4Life:-

The Project manager of this scheme has made two presentations in Stanhoe and wants the scheme to have the widest possible publicity.  This is a Norfolk County Council funded project, carried out by Norfolk Rural Community Council.  Stanhoe is identified as one area with gaps in key local service provision and Access4Life uses local businesses and other organisations to help to identify gaps and provide solutions.  Some examples of initiatives which have been introduced in other villages are provision of a footpath, arranging an affordable voluntary car scheme to enable people to access a shop in the next village (this could also include doctors’ surgeries, NHS dentists, hospitals and banks) and enabling people to find out what Adult Education has to offer and how it can readily be accessed.

In a couple of months’ time a survey will be distributed to every household in the village which everyone is strongly encouraged to complete with information on any area in which ‘access’ is a problem – so please start thinking about it now!

New Village Hall sign:-

The most observant among you will have noticed the very smart new village hall sign which has been erected. This has been kindly donated by Mower Signs of Norwich to whom we are very grateful.

Stanhoe’s first UFO?

Did anyone else see a very bright completely round ball of light in the sky about the size of a full moon on Tuesday night 6th July at 10:45pm? It travelled at a steady speed about half a mile up coming from the direction of Brancaster and travelling towards Fakenham. There was no sound at all, no trailing light, just a steady bright light. It was watched for about five minutes before it disappeared from view. Any ideas?

Councillors’ Village Inspection – 26th June 2010

Verges: Verges on several roads required cutting.  This is the responsibility of Norfolk County Council, Highways Department, which has already made a start.  Verges yet to be cut were Cross Lane, Bircham Road and Docking Road by the junction with Bircham Road.

Hedges: In several places garden hedges and trees were growing over footpaths and the highways.  This is the responsibility of residents and has been the subject of a complaint to the parish council.  Where hedges are growing across footpaths, it is a road safety hazard as pedestrians are forced to step into the road.  This was most noticeable in Station Road and Docking Road.

Refuse Bins: Residents are reminded that under borough council byelaws, bins should only be left out for collection from the evening on the day before collection until the day of collection itself.  Some bins are left out for periods in excess of a week, which is not only unsightly, but makes it obvious that the property is unoccupied.

Pond at The Green: The shoreline of the pond requires strimming throughout its length.  Trees at the back of the pond may benefit from thinning/trimming.  The seat in memory of Mrs Symington of High Barn is probably beyond economic repair.  At some stage the irises in the pond will require thinning to prevent them spreading across the pond.  Grass and bulbs planted on the front edge of the pond would make the area more attractive.  The stockade on the Docking Road by the Bircham Road junction was damaged by road accident(s) during the winter snows.  Norfolk County Council, Highways Department has its repair in hand.

Bus Timetable/Bus Stop: The timetable by the pond is for services in 2005!  The bus no longer stops at or even passes by this location.  It should be updated and relocated to the junction of Docking/Bircham Roads.  Traveline at Norfolk County Council (0870 608 2608) is the responsible authority.

War Memorial: It is suggested that a length of fine wire should be incorporated into the base of the war memorial to secure the wreath, rather than the large stone that is used at present.  The lettering was repainted and the stonework cleaned a few years ago, but the stonework may require cleaning in a year or two.

Notice Board (by pond): The woodwork would benefit from cleaning/oil treatment – appropriate advice should be obtained before attempting this.

Phone Box: This is in a poor state of repair and it has deteriorated further since the door was removed over a year ago.  BT, who informed the parish council that the phone box will be removed, should be contacted to find out the current status of the removal programme.  In its current state, people would have to be desperate to use it.

Cross in Cross Lane: Plans are in hand to renovate the flint base which was affected by the winter weather.

John Wright’s Grave: His grave in All Saints Churchyard is covered in brambles and is no longer visible.

Blacksmith’s Workshop, Bircham Road: The condition of this building is deteriorating and without maintenance in the very near future may become totally derelict and somewhat of an eyesore on the approach to the village.

Children’s Play Area: The wooden fence to the children’s play area has been damaged by a combination of the ravages of time and vandalism.  The gate requires replacement as an absolute minimum.  Parish councillors will consider replacement of the whole fence and should research what grants may be available.

Other Matters: Remarks were made about the 40 mph speed limit in Church Lane, suggesting that it encouraged motorists to drive at inappropriate speeds in this narrow lane.  The police view was that it should be set at the national speed limit, i.e. 60 mph!  Given the Highways Department’s attitude to reducing the 40 mph limit in Bircham Road, it is unlikely to be persuaded to reduce the limit in Church Lane.

It was encouraging to find very little evidence of dog fouling and litter on the day in question, the latter due very much to the non-stop perseverance and dedication of John Seedhouse who gathers up litter almost every day.

And finally:-

Did you know that August was originally named ‘Sextilis’ in Latin, because it was the sixth month in the original ten-month Roman calendar when March was the first month of the year?

Did you also know that, in the United States, August is National Goat Cheese month