1 Village Information St Mary’s Church METHODIST MINISTER VICAR: Rev Crawford Logan 37 Southcliff Park, Clacton on Sea, CO15 6HH - 01255 423640 Rev Sharon Miles The Vicarage, The Bury, St Osyth, DOCTOR’S SURGERY: Drs F. Bhatti, R.S. O’Reilly, A. Nambi, and G. Pontikis. CO16 8NY 01255 822055 The Hollies, The Green - 01206 250691 CHURCHWARDEN: CHIROPODIST: Terry St George - 01255 820885: Mobile: 07775 833200 Wendy Smith Burnside, The Green - 01206 250098 POLICE: Clacton 0300 333 4444 24 hour Non emergency number 101 CHURCHWARDEN: VACANT In an emergency ring 999 TREASURER: PC Dan Heard - Tel: 101 extension 440218 Penny Evans Jones PCSO Julia Brandon - Tel: 101 extension 440356 The Old Rectory, The Green - 01206 250541 [email protected] [email protected] PARISH COUNCIL: Chairman - Jonathan Hills,Grange Farm, Heckfords Rd, CHURCH VERGER: CO78RR - 01206 798666 Rita Baverstock Clerk to the Council - Karen Paradise Stonybroke, Station Road - 01206 251271 Correspondence to: The Clerk, Community Resource Centre, Village Hall, Plough Road, Great Bentley, CO7 8LD Telephone - 01206 256410 READER: Wendy King TENDRING DISTRICT COUNCILLOR: Lynda McWilliams, Boblyn, St Mary’s Road, Aingers Green - 17 Larkfield Road - 01206 250852 01206 250732 PCC SECRETARY: COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE: Alan Goggin, Freshfields, Church Road, Chris Aplin Brightlingsea, CO7 OQT 01206 308023 Mobile: 07860 519117 Newmay House, The Green - 01206 250385 email: [email protected] GOOD NEIGHBOURS TRANSPORT: STEWARDSHIP SECRETARY: Barbara Fookes - 01206 250431 Rosemary Branch NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: 4 Wents Close - 01206 250137 Richard Nowak - 01206 250204 TOWER CAPTAIN: MEDICAL AIDS: Barbara Fookes - 01206 250431 Roger Carey-Smith - 01206 250521 TENDRING FURNITURE SCHEME: SUNDAY SCHOOL: Rocket House, Gorse Lane Industrial Estate, Clacton: 01255 476068 Linda Hayes Ivy Lodge, Frating - 01206 250207 VILLAGE HALL BOOKINGS: Mike Morgan, 51 Larkfield Road, 07903 096015 METHODIST HALL BOOKINGS: VESTRY ROOM BOOKING SECRETARY: Robert & Janet Taylor, Dominica, Moors Close - 01206 250087 Carole Allington GT BENTLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL: - 01206 250331 Poplar House, Station Road - 01206 251086 COLNE COMMUNITY SCHOOL: - 01206 303511 or ring Church Verger VILLAGE HISTORY RECORDER: Heather Taylor, Granville, Plough Road - 01206 251004 PARISH MAGAZINE EDITOR/ADVERTISING/ DISTRIBUTOR: COLCHESTER HOSPITALS: 01206 747474 Mary Maskell CLACTON & DISTRICT HOSPITAL: 01255 201717 Caldew Cottage, The Green FOOTPATH REP: David Gollifer 01206 250309 01206 250524 DONATIONS FOR ANIMAL RESCUE CENTRE: [email protected] Judy & Alan Bishop - 5 Morella Close, 01206 251702 Carole Allington VILLAGE TRANSPORT REP: Peter Harry - 01206 250511 [email protected] VILLAGE CARETAKER: Bobby McWilliams, Boblyn, St Mary’s Rd, Aingers Green 01206 250732 2 EDITORIAL The recent production by Bentley Green Players gave the audiences a truly memorable evening. The cast gelled together and it was obvious that they all enjoyed and relished their roles and it would 2018 be impossible, in my opinion, to single out any one person for special praise. Thank you to Barbara for her very prompt résumé of the production. CONTENTS We nearly all dislike change but should make mention that the Editorial .. .. .. 1 Vestry Room behind the church is now to be called the Parish Hall. This is of course available to hire as is the Methodist church hall. We Monthly Letters .. .. 2 feature a full colour page of photos from a recent photo shoot to Church Services .. .. 3 illustrate just how the main Village Hall could be transformed into a Church Rotas .. .. 4 wedding venue plus their annual report. Booking details, as ever, on front inside cover. Thank You .. .. 5 The Corbeau Seat Rally appears to have caused some Nature Notes .. .. 9 differences of opinion and your views are sought by the organisers. A Village Diary .. .. .. 9 representative will be attending the July Parish Council meeting to hear your thoughts or these can be emailed to the Parish Clerk District Councillor News .. 10 [email protected] Whatever your view on this it Peter’s Potterings .. .. 13 was the first in the country and I am told that every hotel room in Surgery News .. .. 14 Clacton had been booked. I have always thought that as a village community we would District Councillor News .. 10 never let anyone be lonely but maybe I am over optimistic. Rev Running Club .. .. .. 16 Crawford Logan’s letter this month does not, of course, tell us the History Society .. .. 17 location in the Tendring area of the lady in question that he refers to, but it is a very poignant and powerful missive and highlights the fact Pet Notes .. .. .. 18 that some people are truly independent but sometimes totally isolated. Clubs & Organisations .. 19 I am certain our Good Neighbours initiative plays a very special role in Pre-School .. .. .. 20 consolidating a network of support so vital in this day and age. St Mary’s church is organising a Knit and Natter afternoon and full details Deadline .. .. .. 21 are included so do feel free to go along and join in. (I am sure any craft Gt Bentley Cubs .. .. 21 input would work if knitting is not your forte). The Surgery Notes have a slightly different format this month Farming Diaries .. .. 23 and one thing I find extremely sad is the poor response, as highlighted Wildlives .. .. .. 24 by Dr Nambi, to the bowel screening test with only a 50% take up in Children’s Page .. .. 25 this area. All that is involved is a free, simple to complete kit which could save your life and takes very little time. Quiz .. .. .. .. 26 On a positive note our PCSO Julia has completed her training Gt Bentley Cricket Club .. 27 and embraced the Trucam camera with her ever present enthusiasm. Parish Council .. .. 28 All I can say is WATCH YOUR SPEED. Sadly as a result of her success rate in monitoring speeding motorists, she has suffered verbal Police Report .. .. .. 29 abuse. Julia, we all support you wholeheartedly in saving lives in our Carnival .. .. .. 32 village community. Thank you. Julia’s notes are on page 28. Football .. .. .. 35 I was saddened to hear of Beth Chatto’s death. She was a truly lovely lady and despite her busy life found time to support our village. Many people will not know that as a young teacher she worked at our village school and kindly wrote an article for the school’s Centenary publication and we include this on page 17. Carnival Day approaches and we hope for fine weather, and a FRONT COVER truly village day. Thanks to all involved in organising this event. PLEASE NOTE ROAD CLOSURES, see page 32. Dog Show at St Mary’s Church Mary Maskell Fun Day DISCLAIMER The statements, opinions and data contained in these publications are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the Churchwardens, Parochial Church Council, the Editor nor the publisher. The appearance of advertisements in the Great Bentley Parish News or the website is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. 3 The Monthly Letters June 2018 I do enjoy the beginning of summer and we have been lucky to have already had a good number of sunny days. I do think that the sunshine makes us more aware of the beautiful countryside that surrounds our village, we don’t seem to mind taking a little longer on our journeys either by foot or car when the sun is shining. I have to admit that I do sometimes take my surroundings for granted but birds and animals do make me stop and watch or listen. Recently, while in Great Bentley I was mesmerised by 3 squirrels chasing each other up and down around the trunk of a tree. I could not help but smile at what seemed to be real fun for the squirrels. It really lifted my spirits and also made me think that sometimes we all need to stop and look and allow ourselves to be reminded that we are also part of God’s amazing creation which should and does bring pleasure and smiles to others. Every Blessing Sharon Rev Sharon is usually in COME AND JOIN US Church on Fridays between FOR A 9.15am - 11.00am. ‘KNIT & NATTER’ TUESDAY 26th JUNE If urgent please ring her on 01255 822055 and she will PARISH HALL arrange a time to see you as (VESTRY ROOM) soon as she can. 2.00 pm - 3.30pm I was invited to conduct a funeral service which, in themselves by their very nature is a time of sadness and pain, this one in particular was heart breaking. A lady in her mid 90's had lost her only son, he was her world, her main carer and supporter and now here she was completely alone and preparing the details with me of his service. The service itself consisted of me, this dear lady and the undertaker. You will appreciate just how difficult it was to conduct such a service in the light of this lady's grief and now isolation. In sharing this story with my congregation a wonderful member felt led to seek this lady out and befriend her and a good link and support is now happening there. However, I am concerned that we are living in such a self contained, self focused society that we may fail to notice the pain and isolation of our neighbours - as Christians, the words of Jesus never fail to move us when He informs us that 'the least you do unto one of these....you have done it to me' I wonder, if we can all look afresh at the folks who we come into contact with, see them with their hurt and struggles and pain and seek for a way in which we can support, help and care.