STALHAM NEWS Issue 78: May/June 2016 Editor: Ray Woolston Published by The Poppy Centre Trust, [email protected] 76-82 High Street, Stalham, NR12 9AS Reg. Charity No: 1108151 Tel: 01692 581775 WALCOTT INDOOR COLLECTORS FLEAMARKETS 2016 For the fourth year running the Poppy Centre Trust has been invited as the local charity to benefit from these collectors fairs. The dates are as follows: Sunday 15 May 2016 Sunday 19 June 2016 Sunday 17 July 2016 Sunday 21 August 2016 At The Lighthouse Inn, Coast Road, Walcott, NR12 0PE 9.30 a.m. – 3.30 p.m. Admission money to the Poppy Centre Trust, Stalham. If you would like further information please contact DK Fairs on 01933 311313 CHARITY SHOP The shop has now raised in excess of £255,000 toward the Poppy Centre building project and as advised in earlier editions of Stalham News, this money is continuing with the completion of the building itself. Once done, then the money will start to be saved towards the £80,000 that is still required for the ground source heat pump and bore holes. The building will not be opened without the heating system in place. POLITE NOTICE Please do not leave donated items outside the shop when it is closed. If it rains they get damaged and we have to put them in our bins, we have also been made aware of items being left but taken by people who might be passing the shop. Please note our opening hours are 0900 – 1600 Monday to Saturday. If you wish to contribute to our newsletter please write to: Stalham News c/o Poppy Centre Charity Shop, 76-78 High Street, Stalham, Norfolk, NR12 9AS or telephone 01692 581775 or email the editor [email protected]. Copy deadline for the next issue is 25th April. Car Link Volunteer Drivers needed in your area Car Link is a partnership between ERS Medical and Voluntary Norfolk, providing non emergency patient transport throughout the majority of the county. Our volunteer drivers provide an essential service, transporting up to one hundred patients to their destination each day. We are looking to recruit new volunteer drivers to join our busy team, and would love to hear from caring, calm and reliable individuals with their own car. As well as drivers to do journeys to hospitals in Norfolk and East Anglia, we are also looking to find volunteers happy to go above and beyond the usual, by taking on early morning appointments, and appointments in London. All expenses are reimbursed, and training is provided. Please call Jules on 01603 883860 or email: [email protected]. If however you would like to book transport for a medical appointment, please call 0333 240 4100 for further information. We are particularly short of drivers in your area, so any support you may be able to give, would be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions about the service, please do not hesitate to contact me, either by email, or by calling 01603 883860. CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU & FOOD BANK I have been asked to remind anyone who is finding things difficult just now (and it happens to everyone at some time) there is a lady from the Citizens Advice Bureau ready to help or answer questions, at the Stables at the Baptist Chapel in Stalham on FRIDAYS at 1.30 until 3p.m. in the room beside the C.A.B. You will also find our area FOOD BANK which can give up to five bags of food free, on production of a food voucher . These vouchers can be obtained from the Rev. Simon Lawrence at the Rectory on Campingfield Lane, Stalham or from Rev. R. Skivington, 56 Brumstead Rd. Stalham and Stalham Academy. M.S. STALHAM CARPETS PIANO,Carpets, VIOLINVinyls and & KEYBOARDAll Types of Floor LESSONS Covering Supplied and Fitted. Samples and Free Estimates Local Delivery 01692 582951 stalhamcarpets.co.uk Ringword Competition for THE SWAN INN a £15 Tesco Voucher 90, High Street, Stalham Tel: 01692 582829 Serving Enjoy a drink or traditional meal in the bars or dining area. Extensive all day Menu including Home-made Specials. Traditional Sunday Lunch 12 – 3 p.m. (Subject to availability) Senior Citizen Menu served All Day - Every Day Children Welcome Friday Night Special: 10ozs Cod, Chips & Peas – 2 for £15 Free wi-fi connection Find and ring the following words in grid above and the www.stalhamswan.co.uk missing word and drop in an envelope with your name and address to the Poppy Shop. 1st correct out of the hat wins. WANTED FOR THE POPPY SHOP Second hand furniture (upholstered must be after 1988 and have safety labels) Good working order electrical items, including fridges, freezers, etc. Clothes (any condition) • Books (any condition) • Bric a brac Basically anything you no longer need, which may be of use to someone else but please good condition – we are not a substitute for the local dump! Even though we are nearer! Sorry, we do not take Small Electrical Items, Computer Printers or Video Tapes. To arrange collection of larger pieces please call the shop on 01692 581775 Sometimes we have to decline because of lack of space and it can take up to two weeks as our collectors are all volunteers ST. MARY’S CHURCH MURRELL CORK FUNERALS OF STALHAM FISH & CHIPS QUIZ NIGHT 34 High Street, Stalham, NR12 9AN Question Master R.H.Jackson An Independent Family Business Saturday May 21st 7 p.m. Sharp since 1850 upholding traditional CAN YOUR TEAM (of 6) BEAT LAST YEARS? values of respect and dignity £7.50 (VEGGIE OPTION) Tea Coffee The Independent Way (Bring your own Drinks!) – RAFFLE Pre-paid Funeral Plan RING EMMA 580250 for Tickets Tel: 01692 583392 STREET EVENTS COMMITTEE After successfully decorating the High Street in time for the Queen’s Birthday, Shakespeare's Anniversary AND St. George's Day, the Street Events Committee has been planning this Summer’s Street Fair. This will take place on SUNDAY MAY 29th from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. and this year as well as favourite regulars, plus Star Wars, The Darlek and the Morris Dancers will be taking part (look out carefully for a very LOCAL personality amongst them). Anyone wishing to have a stall or take part, please contact Esther on 581622. QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY ST. MARY’S CHURCH CELEBRATIONS TUESDAY STALL Well, the day has come and gone, and Don’t forget the annual stalls outside St. Mary’s Church start on some members of the community were to rd be seen stalking the streets of Stalham Tuesday May 3 with the with their cameras. Surprising how much Mothers’ Union Fundraising stall. goes on early in the morning in Stalham! This will be followed a week later on Tuesday10th May Why not come along to St. Mary's by the weekly stall of cakes, Church on June 11th – 14th and see for savouries, plants, books, yourself (some of) what WAS going on in knick-knacks, fruit and vegetables Stalham, on the Queen’s Birthday! PLUS refreshments of course! EFJ 9.30 a.m. – 11.30 p.m. THOMAS FORD MEMORIAL CONCERT On Friday April 22nd St. Mary’s Church was privileged to play host to a variety of talented musicians in a fundraising concert in memory of three year old Thomas Ford. The concert was well attended by our local community and attracted supporters across the whole age range from toddlers to grannies and grandpas. It helped raise funds for the East Anglia Air Ambulance and the Ford family. The evening was a feast of different musical styles from raunchy hard rock to classical guitar and simple folk songs. Those attending were also able to enjoy a very spirited and well executed performance from some of Stalham’s youngest talented musicians. With refreshments provided by the community and served by Church volunteers this was an evening to remember – an opportunity to witness our community at its best. The evening in Church concluded with a demonstration by personnel from the East Anglia Air Ambulance on how to help youngsters who were choking. After the concert there was an opportunity to partake in further dancing at the Sutton Staithe Hotel. Our thanks to the organisers, the refreshment providers and the talented musicians for giving us all a night to remember. Message from County Councillor Nigel Dixon Devolution (Devolving Central Government Responsibilities to Local Government) Devolution is about transferring important powers and decisions about housing, health, transport infrastructure, economic development and other key functions from Central Government to a more local level to help reflect local needs and constraints. You will be aware of media announcements that agreement has been reached to form a new Combined Authority, led by an elected Mayor, covering Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Actually, the only agreement reached so far is for the 20+ Councils of the 3 Counties to continue negotiating a Devolution deal at the request of Central Government. There are several major concerns to be resolved, for example: If this would add another layer of ‘regional’ government then this would add significant cost which would be reflected in higher Council Tax – in my view, another layer wouldn’t be acceptable and is totally unnecessary. A Mayor as the leader would vest too much power and influence in one person, unless there were other constraints in place. Cambridgeshire is a major economic growth area and would have far more influence on spending priorities than Norfolk or Suffolk and could tend to isolate or ignore remote rural areas like North Norfolk. Currently, there’s no clarity over what’s on offer and will the Combined Authority be expected to solve serious problems without the resources and freedom to choose the best solutions? Across the 3 counties there’s great contrast between the prosperous urban and city areas of Cambridge and Peterborough and the relatively deprived rural areas of Norfolk and Suffolk; they have different problems and thus need different remedies.