We’ll Meet Again...

Littlebury Parish News – w/c 4th May 2020

VE Day Commemoration events

The UK may be in lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have a weekend of celebrations to mark this special moment in history. There are a number of special broadcasts that you can tune into throughout the day – as well as arts, crafts and baking ideas for VE Day celebrations in lockdown. On the official VE Day website, Pageant master Bruno Peek said that they are still encouraging people to raise a glass to the heroes of WW2 from inside their homes at 3pm on 8th May. He said, “Raise a glass of refreshment of their choice, and undertake the following ‘Toast’ :

‘To those who gave so much, we thank you,’ using this unique opportunity to pay tribute to the many millions at home and abroad that gave so much to ensure we all enjoy and share the freedom we have today.”

There will be dedicated programmes broadcast and the Queen herself will be giving a special address to the na- tion (her second during the coronavirus pandemic), at 9 pm on 8th May – which is the exact same time that her father, King George VI, spoke to the UK 75 years ago, on the actual VE Day. Viewers can also tune in to a special programme on VE Day on BBC One, which will see some of the UK’s biggest stars (Katherine Jenkins, Beverley Knight), sing a rendition of the iconic ‘We’ll Meet Again’, by Vera Lynn. People are also being encouraged to make their own bunting to display in their homes over VE Day weekend and host ‘stay at home street parties’ on VE Day.

Programme of events

• 11am — Two-minute national silence to remember the declaration of victory and the end of the Second World War in Europe.

• 11.45 am—VE day livestream bringing the World War Two generation together with today’s generation to chat about their shared experienc- es. https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/stories/ve-day-75-livestream

• 2pm - Littlebury Stay at Home Street party with a toast to the heroes of WW2 at 3pm

• 2.45pm - 3.45pm — The first of two special BBC One programmes to mark VE75, including extract from Sir Winston Churchill’s victory speech delivered at 3pm on VE Day.

• 8pm—An evening of memories and music on BBC One. • 9pm — Address by the Queen followed by national doorstep rendition of Dame Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again.

It would be wonderful to share photos of your celebrations in next week’s newsletter! Please send them to [email protected] or share them on the Littlebury News and Banter WhatsApp group

Online Resources for VE Day celebrations

Recipes and party playlist suggestions, bunting to print and make and posters to colour in https://ve-vjday75.gov.uk/plan-your-ve-day-party/ and https://ve-vjday75.gov.uk/toolkit/ A selection of tasty recipes, tips for dancing Lindy Hop style, a Spotify playlist and popular 1940s songs to sing with your family from English Heritage. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/ve-day Commemorative badges and memorabilia from the Royal British Legion https://www.poppyshop.org.uk/ve-day.html Full details of programming on BBC television and radio https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/75- anniversary-ve-day Parish of Littlebury in 2020 - Our Lockdown Album

Well! The millennium society has been delighted to receive several written pieces, and the photographs to accompany them, from various people in the parish. Thank you very much to those who sent them in. The project has shown that it certainly has legs and we do ask that as many of you and your families contribute to it. Please let us know about yourselves; your loved ones, what you do for a living (normally that is!) and how you are coping with the current unusual situation. It's raining - what a great time to get writing. We do need photos. Please go into your iCloud, Google drive, that box you keep near the tv and dig out some recent family photos to go with anything current and let us have them. 300 dpi please and landscape shape. That is: longer along the top and bottom than the sides. If you don’t have digital photographs and would like someone to pop by and snap you from a safe distance, or would prefer someone to take down your thoughts over the telephone, please call Jo on 01799 520469 and we will happily arrange this for you. Send your text and images to [email protected] and we will be thrilled to give you a place in Littlebury's history.

Jennifer Writes: “Thank you all for making Matilda’s birthday extra special, she’s had a great day.

Nice weather for ducks! A Littlebury family enjoying the wet weather outside Riverside Cottage. Thanks Scott for the great photo.

Dear Friends, To my huge sadness, I’ve never really been able to sing. I love singing and music in general and will sing enthusiastically in the shower or when I’m doing the washing up. However, I just can’t keep in tune and hate to hear my own voice. I met a lady this week who can sing but she finds it hard to sing during our present crisis. She is a very proficient singer and is a member of a local choir. However, she told me that she really doesn’t like hearing her own voice at the moment. Not because she can’t hold a note like me but rather she misses hearing her voice blended with others. This lady was very aware that her voice sounded better when she sang with others I suspect many of us are currently feeling a bit like that at the moment. We are missing our interaction with others and feeling that we cannot reach our potential without others around us. I am certainly missing being able to physically be with my parishioners at this time and am feeling rather inadequate from time to time. It is areal challenge. Throughout the Scriptures when men and women of faith faced great challenges, God reminded them of his powerful presence, saying to them, "I am with you." They were afraid, anxious, doubtful, and bewildered, but the awareness of God's presence became their strength to deal with formidable odds. Lonely leaders were instilled with courage, lonely prophets with boldness, lonely apostles with hope. I take comfort in this, as should you. Remember, God is with us. The God who is able. The God who is kind. The God who is gentle. The God who knows all our needs. The God who is faithful. The God who works all things together for good. The God who loves us with an everlasting love. With love, Alex. Village Hall Quiz Night Alison Reed Fine Cakes is offering A huge thank you to Isabelle and Lawrence for these wonderful afternoon teas for running a brilliant virtual quiz night on Thursday. delivery in & As a result of the coronavirus lockdown the village hall Littlebury if there has been missing out on its regular hires and party fees is enough over the last few weeks. Obviously, this has an effect on demand. Why not income but the running costs remain. So if you are in a order for a loved position to do so please do consider making a donation. one or just treat You can do this online on justgiving https:// yourself? Gluten www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/littlebury-village-hall free options or by contacting one of the committee members. Any available too. Go to www.reedscakes.com or find amount, large or small, would be very much appreciated. her on facebook to get in contact—delicious!

Saffron Walden Museum is introducing a new project this weekend (1 to 4 May) - Wallace's Great Big Survey. The world around us is full of fascinating wildlife and objects from the past, and we want you to document them. Record what you find or see while working, playing or digging in your gardens, or what you can observe from your window or on your daily walk. Take a picture and fill out a form. Your finds and observations will be uploaded onto the blog to create a virtual museum of the archaeological, historical and natu- ral finds of . The museum team will also try to identify some of the objects too. Check out the blog page https://exploresaffronwaldenmuseum.blogspot.com/p/museums.html or email information to [email protected] with the subject line Wallace's Great Big Survey (named after the museum's mascot Wallace the Lion) and the best ones will be shared online. The museum is also continuing to encourage local people to submit their experiences of life during the outbreak for a project called CV Walden. If you are keeping a journal, taking photos, creating poems, songs or artwork and are happy to share them, they would like to hear from you. The intention is to create an online or physical exhibi- tion of the collected material in due course. If you are involved in a local club or organisation, why not encourage your members to get involved too? Digital files can be emailed to [email protected], putting CV Wal- den in the subject line. Paper-based material will be collected at a later date.

Littlebury Support Group

If you need help with shopping, posting of mail, prescription collections, dog walking or anything else, just call one of these numbers and they will put you in touch with a volunteer from our community. If you would like someone to call you every day or every few days to check if you need anything, or just for a chat, please let one of us know.To join the ‘News and Banter’ or ‘Littlebury999’ group, send a WhatsApp message to Keith Winter .

Paul Fennelly 07970 707978 Laura Webster 07863 204637 Tom Ewart 07810 207901 Lindsey Coyne 07764 301032 Andy Figge 07814 189916 Keith Winter 07980 210463 Jean Cowell 01799 524072 [email protected] Joanna Hancock 01799 520469 [email protected] Chelsea Flower Show to be held virtually for the first time The famous event has taken place at 's Royal Hospital Chelsea every year since 1913, apart from gaps during World War One and World War Two. It was called off in March due to lockdown but the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) will host free content including garden tours on its website. The charity said it hoped it would "inspire more people to get growing". Visitors can take behind-the-scenes tours of award-winning nurseries and listen to planting advice from top garden designers. Some will be recreating the plant displays that never got the chance to appear at Chelsea Flower Show 2020. If you’ve suddenly got into growing and panic-ordered a load of compost, you can join a daily interactive lunchtime Q&A session for inspiration. And parents grappling with a homeschool schedule can take part in a daily School Gardening Club, which will focus on connecting kids with nature. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is usually full of celebrities stop- ping to smell the roses (and pose for photo ops). The Queen attends most years. Although the virtual edition won’t be quite as spectacular, at least this way, everyone can (sort of) attend for free. The Virtual RHS Chelsea Flower Show will run from May 19-23 for the public (May 18 is ‘press day’). For more info visit rhs.org.uk/

Garden Centres and Nurseries delivering plants and seeds

Springwell Nursery—We have produced all our summer bedding, patio plants, and famous hanging baskets mixed and specimen baskets as normal, that will be ready for sale, when all risk of frost has past. We have plenty of compost in stock small/ large bags and growbags available plus perennials, vegetables and herbs now available on our pay and collect service. We also have over 40 bottles of gas now in stock, including patio gas for barbeque, butane, propane and forklift gas. Call 01799 530959 https://www.facebook.com/SpringwellNursery/

Wimbish Nursery and garden centre - Summer bedding and other plants, edible plants and a variety of fabu- lous franchi seeds in stock, including the NEW Eden projects seeds . Please email your order through for a local no contact delivery next week. Please add your phone number and address. [email protected] Minimum order of £30 please. https://www.facebook.com/Wimbish-Nursery- Garden-Centre-202143316610189/

Sutton View Nursery perennials, bedding plants and limited fruit and vegetable plant stock. For availability please see facebook page. £20 minimum order to villages outside of Saffron Walden. To place an order please email us on [email protected] stating your order as well as your name and delivery address. https:// www.facebook.com/suttonviewnursery/

Saggers, Newport - Trees, plants and compost for sale. Please phone (01799 540858/543588) or email ([email protected]) to order and arrange payment and collection. Pay by card online or by phone & collect from a trolley by their gate. https://www.facebook.com/randrsaggers/

GWB Horticulture—Trees, Shrubs, Hedges, Plants, compost and grow bags delivered . For latest stock list see face- book https://www.facebook.com/gwbhorticulture/ or call 01799 543483 or 07866 752713 https:// www.gwbhorticulture.co.uk/

Squires of Stansted—Plants, Pots, Hanging Baskets, Compost and much more. Free delivery within a 7 mile radius including Stortford, Stansted and surrounding villages. https://www.squiresofstansted.com/

Hardy Plants online—PERENNIAL PLANTS, GERANIUMS, HANGING BASKETS AND MORE.. We are offering free delivery within 15 mile radius of Steeple Bumpstead, minimum order £30.00. BACS payment. No contact delivery! http://www.hardyplantsonline.co.uk/ Full price list on facebook 07754 096262

Top Quality Manure Any gardeners out there who would like some free to a good home-well rotted chicken/donkey poo? You’ll need to bag it yourselves of course. Watch your garden grow! Collect from Jan Menell in The BFI National Archive holds the UK’s collection of film, television and moving image; we are now on the hunt for the best and most representative examples of online video that capture our national response to and ex- perience of Coronavirus, to preserve for posterity. And we need your help to do it! From YouTube to Facebook, Twitter to TikTok, professional or amateur, long or short, there is so much brilliant video out there. What’s really encapsulated these remarkable times for you? Whether the video entertained, informed, challenged, or simply made you laugh, we want to hear about it – just click on the link below to complete the form, suggesting up to three videos. Our only criterion is that any video you suggest must be British – either set in the UK or made by people or organisations currently living in the UK. Thank you and we look forward to seeing your suggestions. For more information go to https://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/archive-projects/britain-on-lockdown

Royal Mail has scrapped Saturday letter deliveries across Saffron Walden Tourist Information the UK until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic. The delivery giant said it will “temporarily” halt the deliveries Just because the Tourist Information Centre is on Saturdays from this weekend. closed due to COVID-19, doesn’t mean that the It said it will continue to provide its letter delivery service staff are twiddling their thumbs at home! Quite from Monday to Friday as normal and said customers the opposite in fact! We launched our brand new “should continue to post both letters and parcels as usual on tourism website on the 1st April. This was built Saturday”. Royal Mail will continue to collect all mail from for us by local digital design agency, Tela, follow- businesses, post offices and post boxes. ing an introduction from Fiona Tait of Saffron Walden Business Improvement District. We have all been learning how to operate the new web- Home work outs with Active site, adding content, imagery and news items. Are you looking for work-out videos to do at home or in the Few of us have used Wordpress before, so lock- garden? You can now work out live with Active Essex. Their down has been a good opportunity to learn. Do trainers are running sessions throughout the week live on have a look at our new website and let us know YouTube helping you stay fit and healthy while staying at what you think: www.visitsaffronwalden.gov.uk home. The timetable will be updated every Sunday morning. For more information and a link to the YouTube channel go to Adult Community Learning Essex https://www.activeessex.org/keep-essex-active-youtube/ or has launched a range of free interactive courses to follow Active Essex on Facebook help you negotiate these tricky times. These range from craft ideas and how to make playdough to- Stop, listen and be a part of history! gether (if you can spare the flour!), to understand- Explore Essex and Essex Record Office are launching a ing emotional wellbeing, and online safety– and 'Sounds of Silence' campaign to encourage Essex residents to include short courses on survival tips for home record this historic moment in time. How have the sounds schooling and support for Year 6 children who are around you changed during the lockdown? What sounds are going into Year 7 in September. you noticing now that you are working from home, the traffic You can also develop your knowledge and skills in and airplanes have halted, and children are home from free hour-long sessions in subjects including: school? From loud birdsong when you open the window to Philosophy, Photography, Textiles and Mindful- the normal items around your home you might never pay ness – with more added soon. For more infor- attention to, what does your ‘isolation’ sound like? Share the sounds of your Essex Lockdown with us. For more infor- mation and to enroll go tohttps://aclessex.com/ mation go to https://www.explore-essex.com/whats-on/the community-family-learning-online/ -sounds-of-silence

Ancestry is offering free access to its entire UK records collection from 4 to 10 May as part of the 75th anniver- sary celebrations of VE Day. The family history website’s millions of UK records include census and parish records, military records, and the 1939 Register, which records the civilian population of and Wales on the eve of the Second World War. A UK and Ireland membership usually costs £13.99 per month, or £69.99 per year. https:// www.ancestry.co.uk

If you have news, information or photographs to share in a future newsletter, or know of anyone who would like to receive a copy, please email [email protected] Make sure you are protecting yourself and your family from criminals trying to take advantage of the Coronavirus situation Action Fraud, Citizens Advice, Ofcom, Which and the BBC have highlighted a number of scams to look out for; many of these relate to fears or concerns that about Coronavirus or the supply of things like masks and hand sanitizer that are difficult to get. Look out for • Official looking emails that imitate organisations like Ofcom or HMRC, which ask you to click on a link with the aim of uploading malicious malware onto your computer • Official looking emails offering tax relief that send you to fake websites imitating HMRC, where the aim is to get you to provide bank details • Phone calls where scammers pretend to be from organisations offering assistance and asking for your bank details or for you to transfer money • Criminals knocking on front doors offering to go shopping for people who are self-isolating at home • Online shopping scams involving sought-after items like face masks and hand sanitizer For more information go to https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/article/6649/Scams-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak

Homebase, Saffron Walden is now open from 10 am to 5 pm daily, offering a collection and counter service. 1. Simply choose what you want online and make a note of the product number (SKU) 2. One of our team will select your items and bring them to a collection point where you can pay by card only 3. Alternatively, visit the store where our team members will help you find what you want Creating a safe shopping environment remains our number one priority, and we have strict social distancing measures in place at all stores.

Calling All Kids! Message from John Lewis and Waitrose... We need your help designing a superhero-themed bear to grace our shelves this Christmas. All proceeds will go to the NHS in support of all their incredible work. To enter simply draw, sketch and design your Super- Bear using the template which is available to down- load here: https://jland.partners/FeelGoodFriday. Be as creative as you like. Share your designs by email to [email protected] by 5pm on Friday 8th May 2020. Full details: https://jland.partners/FeelGoodFriday

Masks4Frontliners UK We are looking for more volunteers across the UK who can help with either one, two or three different jobs, to help keep our front line workers safe. Our aim is to help ALL front line workers across the UK by providing them with face masks/covering's and/or face visors. Front line workers we are helping include care staff at care homes, mobile carers, pharmacy staff, bus drivers etc. The three jobs are summarised below: (1) Helping to source materials for the masks. This Involves donating Good quality clean old cotton or cotton mix sheets, pillow cases, curtains, shirts etc, and/or asking friends, local communities to do the same. (2) Helping to prepare the fabric ready for stitching. This involves drawing around the 6 small templates and cutting out the fabric. (3) Stitching the fabric and assembling the masks. This can be done by hand with a needle and thread but is obvi- ously much quicker with a sewing machine. We are also inviting front line workers to join the group if they are interested in receiving some samples. We are sending out starter kits to get you started if you want to be involved in making them. For further info please join our facebook group http://www.facebook.com/groups/Masks4FrontlinersUK THANK YOU

If you would like to help with making scrubs or masks but are without a sewing machine, Sheila Thomas has a Singer Electric Sewing Machine which she would gladly give to anyone who could make use of it. If you are interested in taking up her kind offer, please call Sheila on 01799 521158. A Message from our District Councillors THE PLAN IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE PLAN! The draft Local Plan has been withdrawn and Uttlesford now has an opportunity to forge a new plan that better reflects the district’s needs and aspirations. Work will start immediately. It is likely to take at least 3 years to sub- mit a new plan and cost up to £4million. The council has a major challenge on its hands but UDC is not alone. Other councils are finding it impossible to meet Govt housing targets. There are massive challenges in building so many new houses while also complying with obligations to protect the district’s countryside, history, archaeology and our peoples’ well-being. But we do at least have a clean sheet start that will enable Uttlesford to take a positive view of its future. A lot has changed since the old plan was started in 2012. The nation has woken up to the massive risk of damaging our envi- ronment beyond repair. Govt has belatedly woken up to the damage its economic policies are doing by skewing development towards the south . And post Coronavirus, aviation is likely to have a constrained fu- ture making Stansted airport a poor bet for the district’s future economic growth. Instead we need to be looking to high value industries and especially the pioneer businesses and research institutes of life sciences and AI that are burgeoning just north of here. To read more go to http://proudlyindependent.uk/2020/05/01/new-horizons/

Since you can't come to us at the moment, we're coming to you! Our newsletter is the best place to keep up to date with what we're up to, but we'll also be sharing a selection of things to read, listen to and learn about here https://saffronhall.com/participate/saffron-hall-online/

Lockdown Lingo Are you fully conversant with the new terminology? If not then READ ON Coronacoaster - The ups and downs of your mood during the pandemic. You’re loving lockdown one minute but suddenly weepy with anxiety the next. It truly is “an emotional coronacoaster”. Quarantinis - Experimental cocktails mixed from whatever random ingredients you have left in the house. The boozy equivalent of a store cupboard supper. Southern Comfort and Ribena quarantini with a glacé cherry garnish, anyone? These are sipped at “locktail hour”, ie. wine o’clock during lockdown, which seems to be creeping earlier with each passing week. Le Creuset wrist - It’s the new “avocado hand” - an aching arm after taking one’s best saucepan outside to bang during the weekly ‘Clap For Carers.’ It might be heavy but you’re keen to impress the neighbours with your high-quality kitchenware. Coronials - As opposed to millennials, this refers to the future generation of babies conceived or born during coronavirus quarantine. They might also become known as “Generation ”C or, more spookily, “Children of the Quarn”. Furlough Merlot - Wine consumed in an attempt to relieve the frustration of not working. Also known as “bored-eaux” or “cabernet tedium”. Coronadose -An overdose of bad news from consuming too much media during a time of crisis. Can result in a panicdemic. The elephant in the Zoom - The glaring issue during a videoconferencing call that nobody feels able to mention. E.g. one participant has dramatically put on weight, suddenly sprouted terrible facial hair or has a worryingly messy house visible in the background. Quentin Quarantino -An attention-seeker using their time in lockdown to make amateur films which they’re convinced are funnier and cleverer than they actually are. Covidiot or Wuhan-ker -One who ignores public health advice or behaves with reckless disregard for the safety of others can be said to display “covidiocy” or be “covidiotic”. Also called a “lockclown” or even a “Wuhan-ker”. Goutbreak -The sudden fear that you’ve consumed so much wine, cheese, home-made cake and Easter chocolate in lockdown that your ankles are swelling up like a medieval king’s. Antisocial distancing—Using health precautions as an excuse for snubbing neighbours and generally ignoring people you find irritating. Mask-ara -Extra make-up applied to "make one's eyes pop" before venturing out in public wearing a face mask. Covid-10 -The 10lbs in weight that we’re all gaining from comfort-eating and comfort-drinking. Also known as “fattening the curve.