THE HEACHAM NEWSLETTER February 2011 This newsletter reflects the views of its contributors, not necessarily those of the editors, any sponsoring body or advertiser. When contacting one of the advertisers please mention you saw their advert here first. Thank you. Heacham Station in the snow (3/12/10) [photograph by Roz Gauthier] Deadline for the next edition is 12 noon, Thursday 17th February PARISH COUNCIL WORK DAY AT THE SALTINGS Sunday February 13th, from 10:00am An exciting and eclectic programme of music given Something different this year - no brambles! by Trevor Hughes and friends, spanning the early 1600’s to 2008, including works by the Baroque We will be doing some spade work following on masters and the great romantics. from the dyke excavation done in the summer. In St. Mary’s Church, Heacham Spades and forks are the tools needed, or if Saturday 19th February at 7.00pm. anyone has a mattock that would be ideal. I need at least one person to come in wellies to join me Tickets £6, including refreshments, obtainable from the in the wet part of the job. Christian Bookshop, and Terry Clay (tel: 570712) (The evening will be dedicated to the memory of Trevor’s father, Maurice) THE HEACHAM NEWSLETTER c/o Heacham Parish Council Office, Pound Lane, Heacham, Norfolk PE31 7ET E-MAIL: [email protected] DIARY-WHAT’S ON: Derek ( 01485 579403 ADVERTISING: Moira Barnes ( 01485 570401 Adverts cost £15, £30 or £60 per month THE TEAM: David Barker - Moira Barnes - Pat Barrow - Derek Chester - Brian Faulkner Kerry Long - Dean Rawnsley - Robby Topliss THE HEACHAM NEWSLETTER is published THE FIRST SATURDAY of the MONTH A voluntary non-profit publication produced with financial assistance from Heacham Parish Council Dear Newsletter * Heacham Dear Newsletter, Dog Fouling Unfortunately I feel I must write to express my utter disgust at the way some local irresponsible people are leaving our village in a filthy state by not clearing up after their dogs. Since the beginning of November, from South Beach to North Beach, the beaches, the sand dunes, the sand lane behind the dunes and the approaches to both beaches have become increasingly contam- inated by dog fouling (Pound Lane and the High St are not much better either!) Now that the holidaymakers have mostly returned home they cannot be blamed. I think those responsible use the lack of people out and about to avoid clearing up after their dogs. Although there are signs put up by the Council, if there is no one to enforce action they are somewhat pointless. I am a dog owner myself so I do know what I am talking about. Some examples of irresponsible behaviour I have seen are the owners whose dogs are off the lead 100 metres in front or behind them who simply avoid looking in their dogs direction when they are fouling. Or the man who drives up to the gates at the top of South Beach who lets his labradors foul the beach and does not clean up after them. Or the older woman with 2 black labradors who watched one of her dogs fouling the beach and did not clean it up. When challenged she said she physically couldn't get down the beach to clean up. So why was she there in the first place! She was most indignant that I had even dared to mention it! There is the woman who lives at the bottom of the sea defence on the way to North Beach who lets her small dog foul the public footpath twice a day where people regularly walk. She doesn't clear up after her dog! I hope that you will print this letter and that it will shame those dog owners who get the rest of us a bad name. Unfortunately I fear that it will fall on their deaf ears! Name and address supplied **************** PLEASE NOTE: ALL ITEMS FOR PUBLICATION MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE WRITER’S FULL NAME AND ADDRESS details will be withheld if requested 2 * Heacham Dear Newsletter, Heacham Writing Group I made my first visit to Heacham Writing Group with trepidation; my son has been nagging me about stagnating! I thought anything for a quiet life! After looking through the Heacham Newsletter (which is very informative) I thought that this would be the least energy consuming pastime - no exercising! I rang Caroline on the number supplied and rolled up at the next meeting. I was made to feel very welcome - a very nice group of people. After a lot of encouragement from Caroline I was finally getting the hang of it. I had no aims to become a writer as such - I made a remark that I would never reach the standards of the Group and was immediately told in a Parking Outside Heacham Junior School very reassuring way that I didn’t have to. It wasn’t a competition, just write what I wanted. We have received a complaint from a local resident regarding the parking outside the junior school. I can truly say my decision to join the H.W.G. was one of the From the photos I saw vehicles were parked on kerbs blocking best things I’ve ever done. I really look forward to our the junction to the school and to the extent that they had even meetings. Why not give it a try? Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as parked on the large grass verge play area 200 metres away. much as I do. A friendly welcome is waiting for you. Grace Whilst I accept that this is a one off due to the nativity play at (Full name & address supplied) the school, not all residents appear to feel charitable due to this **************** being a ongoing problem. They express suffering over a long period of time and have also written to Henry Bellingham expressing their concern to him and asking what monitoring can * Sunnyside Close be done. Dear Newsletter, Please be considerate when parking, especially near schools, A Big Thank You From Sunnyside Close and ensure that you are not causing obstructions or hazards for I would like to say a big thank you on behalf of myself, our other road users and pedestrians. Scheme Manager, the Committee and all the other helpers. PCSO Mark Taylor **************** We would like to say what a great success our Christmas * Fair was. We raised £526.00 so everyone at Sunnyside Staithe Road Close had a Christmas lunch if they wanted one. Dear Newsletter, Also thanks to all the shops that gave a prize or donation Staithe Road Drainage for the raffle. Once again, thank you. I am hoping to do a Spring Fair and everyone is welcome. Flyers will be out May I, through the service of The Newsletter, compliment the soon. Council workers involved with the recent work on Staithe Road to improve the drainage system. It was completed ahead of time The shops who generously donated were the Post Office, and I have never witneessed such a neat and tidy job, not a speck Oliver’s Newsagents, The Card Shop, Joy’s Mugs & More, of mud to be seen throughout, well done! Cooks butchers, Rod’s fish shop, Wallis, Chop & Change, Boots, Rainbow Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. I have lived in this road for fifty years, with many flooded garden spells to within a couple of feet of my front door - now Janice Page awaiting the next Summer thunderstorms to test the success, Chairman of the Sunnyside Close Social Club hopefully, of this exercise!! **************** Marjorie Rudd **************** 3 * Collins Lane CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH AT Dear Newsletter, ST. MARY’S CHURCH HALL Halloween Fireworks Christmas Day lunch was a huge success thanks in part to several very generous donations and our team of volunteers. With the publication of Mr and Mrs Race’s letter in the Christmas Eve saw us busily preparing the hall and the December Newsletter, we now know who was responsible for vegetables. It seemed as if in no time at all a mountain of the explosion of fireworks on Halloween night. I assumed, vegetables had been prepared, into pots and fridges for the obviously wrongly, that some boisterous youths were following day. The tables were dressed and all the goody bags detonating an early Guy Fawkes Night. were filled. Collins Lane is in the direct path of Mr and Mrs Race’s Next morning, at about 7am, saw a flurry of activity in the Hall fireworks, and I had not received an explanatory note through kitchen, Christmas Day had arrived. the door prior to the blast off. I was targeted with rockets to my windows (thankfully not damaging them) but landing in the Lunch was served at 1pm with pre lunch drinks served on garden and one on the roof. The gun powder was falling all over arrival. Stuffing balls, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, turkey, the property, like the sound of very heavy hailstones landing. pork loin and all manner of goodies appeared on our plates! An Youngsters were still in the area ‘Trick or Treating’ excellent selection of puddings, fresh fruit salad, Christmas puddings and different varieties of trifles followed. We were Can I suggest that if Mr and Mrs Race wish to celebrate entertained by John Harris ably assisted by Andy and Halloween this year they celebrate with their fireworks in an Stephanie! All too soon it was time to go home. We hope that area which is not so closely residential. we will see you all again this year. Name supplied **************** Thanks must go to Fred and Mary Sanders who were the lynch * pin in the entire organisation.