The Signpost The Signpost Signpost - Issue 64 Village Contacts Editorial Team: Cockley Cley Editor: Jim Mullenger David Hotchkin [email protected] [email protected] 01760 722 849 Sub Editor & Invoicing: David Stancombe Foulden Next copy date: David Stancombe 14th of May 2021 [email protected] 01366 328 153 Website: fouldennorfolk.org/signpost/ Great Cressingham Hannah Scott I think that most of us would [email protected] care to forget the last year 07900 265 493 / 01760 440439 since Lockdown against COVID began. At least most of our Gooderstone and Didlington readers will have had one Kate Faro-Wood vaccination by now and the [email protected] “Roadmap” out of the current 01366 328441 condition has begun. (I had to go to Bury St. Edmunds to get Fiona Gilbert mine - a 60 mile round trip in [email protected] wet and draughty conditions). So, I really do hope that the Hilborough & Bodney next edition will be on paper Keith & Linda Thomas again… Fingers crossed. [email protected] I would like to thank Hannah 01760 756 455 Keeler and Cathy Mumford for their articles from The Oxborough Churchside Federation of David Hotchkin (The Editor) Schools and Citizen Science, Email: See above left. respectively. 01366 328 442 Again, I will be saving some articles for future editions… In Little Cressingham & Threxton the meantime: “Happy Easter!” Chris Cannon [email protected] Ed. 2 The Signpost CONTENTS Page Signpost contact details ........................................................... 2 Contents ................................................................................... 3 Parish Councils ................................................................... 4-6 Village News Village News ....................................................................... 7-12 Churchside Federation ........................................................... 13 Church News Church Services ................................................................ 14-16 From the Vicar ....................................................................... 17 Articles From our MP .................................................................... 18-19 Citizen Science ...................................................................... 20 Wildlife at Beck Springs .................................................... 21-22 Healthwatch Norfolk ............................................................... 23 Classified Adverts ........................................................... 24-52 For Advertisements Charges Per Issue: Whole page £14, back cover £16, 1/2 page (landscape) £7. Copy should be in MS Word or JPEG formats, please. Contact: [email protected] Please note that all ads. in this issue are ‘free’ because it is not a paper copy distribution. The‘copy count’ will restart when our distributors can go door-to-door again. 3 The Signpost OXBOROUGH PARISH COUNCIL Chair: Simon Willies Vice Chair: Linda Buckingham Members: Ian Monson, Bernie Chapman Clerk: Susan Hernandez 07900 587825 Website: oxborough-pc.wixsite.com/website Next meeting: 12 May 2021 (to include AGM) start at 7.00pm The Village Green is available for hire (terms & conditions apply). Please contact the Parish Clerk for details and fees. COCKLEY CLEY PARISH COUNCIL Chair: Sir Samuel Roberts Bt. Vice Chair: Mr Jim Mullenger. Members: Mr Steve Mumford, Ms Karina Eagle. Mr David Johnson. Ms Donna Smith Parish Clerk: Sir Samuel Roberts Bt. Cockley Cley Hall, Cockley Cley, Swaffham, PE37 8AG Tel.01760 721 308 Next meeting: Date: TBA, 7.00pm, subject to COVID-19 restrictions. Website: cockleycleyparishcouncil.wordpress.com GREAT CRESSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL Chair: Michael Halls Vice-Chair: Marcus Rutterford Members: Victoria Rutterford, Kate Forsythe, Peter Heath, Ed Kittell, Sally Blundell Clerk Hannah Scott Homestead, Farm Common Road ,Ashill IP25 7BA 07900 265 493 / 01760 440439 Website: www.impulse-music.co.uk/great Cressingham Next meetings: TBA, (March meeting postponed). 4 The Signpost FOULDEN PARISH COUNCIL Chair: Stephen Parker. Vice Chair: Jayne Winterbone Members: Stephen (Billy) Pye, Neil West, Richard Cooper, Marianne Christian. There is 1 casual vacancy: please contact the Clerk, if you would like to be co-opted. Parish Clerk: Claire Prentice, Tel: 07591 220390 Email: [email protected] Next meeting: Monday 10th May 2021 at 7.00pm, Check for confirmation of the details! Website: www.fouldennorfolk.org GOODERSTONE PARISH COUNCIL Chair: Andrew Boughen Vice Chair: Ann Melhuish Members: Martin Belton, Judy Chandler, Kate Faro Wood, Lucy Mason Closs, Vince Martin. Clerk: Judith Taylor. Tel: 01366 500722. email: [email protected] Website: gooderstonepc.wixsite.com/gooderstonepc Next meeting: Normally: second Monday every two months: Tuesday 4th May, virtual, Annual Parish Council meeting. Monday 24th May, physical if possible, Annual Parish meeting. Monday 12th July (back to physical presumably) Monday 13th September Monday 8th November. Gooderstone Community Facebook Page: search for Gooderstone Community Group. 5 The Signpost HILBOROUGH PARISH COUNCIL Chair: Andrew Steward. Tel: 01760 756247 Members: Mrs. Sharan Newnham, Ms. Sarah Mennell. Carol Cox, Claire Bowes, Henry Sands, Steve Gornall Clerk: Melanie Cousins. Tel: 07840 814417. [email protected] Next Meetings: From 2021 the Council will meet 4 times during the year at 7.00 pm on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Mills Memorial Hall, Westgate Street, Hilborough. The next meeting is to be: 18th May 2021 – AGM, Annual Parish Meeting & Parish Council. Other Parish Council meetings for 2021 are 21st September and 16th November. All to be subject to Covid-19 advice. Website: hilboroughpc.wixsite.com/hilboroughpc/hilborough-parish-council LITTLE CRESSINGHAM & THREXTON PARISH COUNCIL Chair: Tony Abel. Mob: 07836 338100 Email: [email protected] Vice Chair: Tim Leonard Tel: 01953 882739 Members: Ashton Austin, Martin Kay, Chris Cannon. Clerk: Melanie Cousins. Tel: 07840 814417. [email protected] Website: lcparishclerk.wixsite.com/lcressinghamthrexton Next Meeting: Thursday 13th May 2021 at 7.30pm Venue, time and date to be confirmed. STANTA (Training Area): Details of military training activities are available from the Parish Council website quoted above. New information is now available for February. 6 The Signpost VILLAGE NEWS & WHAT’S ON HILBOROUGH Mobile Libraries Due to the COVID-19 lockdown all Norfolk Mobile Library services remain suspended until further notice. The following local libraries are now open for an ‘at the door’ service: King’s Lynn, Swaffham and Downham Market. Details are available on the Norfolk County Council website, which must be studied for COVID-19 restrictions, protocols and opening times before making any journey to use the facilities on offer: www.norfolk.gov.uk/libraries-local-history-and-archives [Please note: Make & Mardle and Village Hall activities are suspended due to COVID-19, Ed.] HILBOROUGH VILLAGE HALL Hall Bookings: The hall is available for functions, parties and other activities. Capacity 120 persons: Rates £12.00 per hour. Please contact Clare Gornall on 01760 756 561 or Gerald Gray on 01760 756338 or on [email protected] HILBOROUGH VILLAGE COMMUNICATIONS Hilborough Village has two forms of Communication. The aim is to provide residents with the means of sharing local news, events alerts, updates and general items of chosen interest to Hilborough villagers. If you would like to be included in this initiative you can do so via: 1. Facebook – Via your Facebook page search for Hilborough Village Community News and click the ‘joinrequest’ button; OR... 2. Email –[email protected] to be included in future mailing. (Please contact Sarah on 07974 955175 / 01760 756126 if you have any questions or difficulties in joining) 7 The Signpost FOULDEN EVENTS & NEWS There is still a vacancy for a Parish Councillor. Application is by cv and cover letter to the parish council clerk [email protected]. The village hall is still currently closed and a re-opening date has not yet been decided. Also any parishioners requiring safety visors can obtain these free of charge by contacting the Parish Council Clerk. It is now two years since the pub was open and the building has been stripped of all its furniture, catering equipment, bar and decorations. The car park will soon turn green as the weeds wake up in spring and the garden will ‘go wild’. Despite the refusal for residential planning on two occasions an appeal has been lodged with the secretary of State against Breckland District Council’s decision. We do not expect to this appeal to succeed. Objections had to be submitted by March 21st and submissions were made by CAMRA, Foulden Parish Council and the White Hart Inn Community Benefit Society (WHICBS). Then we just wait for the result of the appeal. WHICBS has made an offer to buy the pub based on the valuation as a public house but his offer was refused. The owner has set an asking price based on the building as a residence rather than a business. The plan is now to raise sufficient funds to purchase the pub and get it into a suitable condition to start trading. The recent government announcement of a match funding grant to support community projects such as this looks hopeful. It is planned to raise the necessary funds by obtaining grants and by public subscription. To achieve this we will need to have full support from the village. To keep up to date with what is happening