No 605
AUGUST 2025
BRANCASTER, BRANCASTER STAITHE, BURNHAM DEEPDALE, TITCHWELL, CHOSELEY
THE RECTOR: Interregnum
ASSISTANT PRIEST HUNSTANTON & SAXON SHORE BENEFICE:
The Rev’d James Monro Tel 01485 518342
RETIRED CLERGY: The Rev'd Phil Unsworth Tel 01485 532436
The Rev’d Sandra Ellison Tel 01485 298852
The Rev’d Steve Wood Tel 07704 922 984
Once again school holidays are upon us! For many this is the time to get away. To forget work, school, exams maybe for a few days, maybe for a longer period. Time to be with family and friends perhaps for the first time in quite a while. To have ‘quality time’ with those we love without the daily pressures and rushing around that every day life can bring. For some this will mean going abroad, for others it will be time to enjoy the beautiful part of the country that we live in. To have time to walk along the beach or even to swim in the sea. To walk along the many footpaths with time to appreciate the peace of nature. Or just to be in our gardens enjoying the birds and plants and maybe a picnic. We need to find time to refresh friendships, to recharge our ‘inner batteries.’ However, for some August brings memories of difficult times gone by. Painful memories carried alone because they are too painful to speak about. Whilst VE day - 8th May 1945 - marked the end of the war in Europe, many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still engaged in fierce warfare in the Far East and Pacific. They faced appalling conditions and paid a heavy price fighting through hundreds of miles of malaria-infested jungle, determined to win peace and freedom. Many thousands were captured and kept as prisoners of war in appalling conditions. Eventually the war in the Far East ended with the surrender of the Japanese Government on 14th August 1945. The following day was declared Victory over Japan (VJ) day. At last the second world war was over.
On 6th August the church remembers the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus with three friendsPeter, James and John, went up a mountain to pray. Whilst praying the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became a dazzling white. Two men were seen talking to Jesus whom the disciples recognised as Moses and Elijah. Whilst they were talking a cloud enveloped them and a voice said, “This is my Son, my chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken Jesus was found alone. If we listen to Jesus we will find a life of love. A life where each person is valued. A life where we are shown how to live in love, in peace and equality with all, even those we may find difficult. Eighty years on from the end of the second world war there are many people who are unable to live in peace. Many who do not know love in their lives. August is a time for holidays, a time to enjoy, perhaps also a time to give thanks for those whose sacrifice gave us our freedom and also how, in the life of Jesus, we can see how love can transform lives.
With God’s blessing Sandra Ellison, priest assisting during the vacancy.
AUGUST SERVICES IN THE HUNSTANTON & SAXON SHORE BENEFICE
CW = Common Worship. BCP = Book of Common Prayer. HC = Holy Communion. MP = Service of Morning Prayer (no bread and wine). Family service = Shorter service with lighting of candles (no bread and wine).
Sunday 3rd August
9.00 am Holme-next-the-Sea
Seventh after Trinity
Sunday 10th Eighth after
Sunday 24th
MAKING SPACE CAFÉ, supported by the Norfolk Community Foundation. Wednesdays each week, 10 am - 12 noon, at St Edmund’s Church hall, Hunstanton. An official ‘Warm Space’. For Hot Spot lunches at Brancaster please see Mary Gardiner’s entry on page 4.
A FEW HOUSEKEEPING REGULATIONS DURING THE INTERREGNUM
Whilst we are without a rector our Rural Dean, Peter Cook, takes over that responsibility. Please contact Peter in the first instance for all enquiries with regard to weddings, funerals and baptisms. Peter’s phone number is 01485 517157.
The Diocesan Registrar is responsible for all memorials in a churchyard - headstones and plaques During a vacancy all requests for these must go through the Registrar. The person/stonemason making the request should contact the Registrar directly: see website www.norwichdiocesanregistry.co.uk. Church wardens and priests assisting during the interregnum cannot give permission for these.
ST HENRY WALPOLE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, BURNHAM MARKET
Mass times: Sundays 9.30 am, Fridays 9.30 am. Holy Days of Obligation: see notice board in Church porch. Further information: catholicparishofwalsingham.org.
NEWS FROM BURNHAM DEEPDALE CHURCH
Plant Stall at Deepdale Farmhouse gate – This continues to go well in spite of the drought! We now have some produce on the stall in addition to plants. By the end of June £566.43 had been raised. Thank you to everyone who has supported it both with donating plants and buying them. It will continue through the summer so do call by to have a look or bring any plants or produce you have spare.
Books in the Porch – We have lots of second-hand books for sale at £1 each in the church porch. By the end of June they had raised £223.15 so thank you to all who have donated books or purchased them. Come and have a browse and do drop off any ‘good reads’ you no longer want but which others would enjoy. Please do not leave cookery, gardening books or hard back books as they just don’t sell. Thank you very much.
Funds from both the Plant Stall and the Books go to our church building maintenance fund.
ST MARY’S CHURCH, TITCHWELL Please see page 2 for the regular services for August.
BRANCASTER PARISH COUNCIL
Heating & Audio Grant: Brancaster Staithe & Burnham Deepdale Village Hall Council approved a grant towards the replacement of the heating and installation of audio visual equipment.
Brancaster Beach Car Park Passes Applications for 2026/7: Open, closing 21st March 2026. Phone applications February and March 2026 only. https://forms.gle/2VxRjj9hFWULWUro8.
Brancaster School Acknowledging the significance and importance of the school within the community, the council are seeking to register the building as an asset of community value.
Brancaster School Catchment Area - School Catchment Consultation reply The council agreed to support the change in catchment area, so students formerly applying to attend Brancaster C of E Primary Academy are added to the area served by Burnham Market Primary School, from 1st September 2025.
Brancaster Village Hall Car Park The tender specification has been altered and revised tenders are awaited to enable a contractor to be confirmed. Funding has been applied for to support the application.
Hedge to Playing Field, Brancaster Village Hall Restorative Justice are making good progress and the work is ongoing.
Next Meeting: Tuesday 5th August at Brancaster Village Hall at 6.30 pm.
As ever, any questions or concerns that relate to the Parish or the Parish Council, please contact Philip Stone, the Parish Clerk: clerk@brancaster-pc.gov.uk. Tel: 07519 163 895.
COMMEMORATE VJ DAY WITH A FASCINATING LECTURE
Join us as we gather to commemorate VJ Day at Brancaster Village Hall at 2.30 pm on Saturday16th August and hear a fascinating talk from Brig (Ret’d) D C Wakefield OBE entitled ‘The End of the War in the Pacific’. This is a free event, sponsored by Brancaster Parish Council, and all the community are invited to gather and mark this important occasion. Complimentary tea and homemade cake will be served; the lecture will start promptly at 3 pm and last no more than an hour. Everybody will be most welcome.
For information, please contact Cllr Briony Bax at cllr.briony.bax@brancaster-pc.gov.uk
MUSIC IN THE BURNHAMS Amiri Harewood, a young pianist who already regularly performs across the UK while still a student at The Royal College of Music, will be playing Bach, Brahms, Granados and a sonata by George Walker at Brancaster Church on Saturday 16th August at 7.30 pm. His debut performance at the Royal Festival Hall was universally acclaimed ‘... he brought confidence and a touch of grandiloquence to Grieg’s Piano Concerto’.
MUSIC IN THE BURNHAMS
(cont.)
Also in August The Magnard Ensemble, a group of young wind musicians, will be giving a concert at All Saints Church Burnham Sutton cum Ulph in Burnham Market at 3 pm on Saturday 2nd. Their programme includes works by Bach, Mozart, Schumann, Gershwin and a few lesser known composers.
For all information and to book tickets, visit www.musicintheburnhams.com or ring 07989 177 079.
COMMUNITY HOT SPOT LUNCHES
After several years of providing our very successful subsidised lunches in the beautiful setting of Brancaster Village Hall, originally instigated and supported by Rev Kirsty with a small group of dedicated volunteers, the time has come for me to hand over the organising baton to someone else. I would like to specifically thank the wonderful small team of ladies who have generously given up their time and made our lunches so popular from September through to April, particularly this past season - Babs, Lou C, Jill C, Sandra S, Jane G, Briony and Diana W. If anyone is able to take over the organisation, please contact me: Mary Gardiner 07976 217 557 or moorhallfarms@btinternet.com.
At present no dates have been set for the autumn and New Year lunches. Again ladies one and all, thank you all so very, very much for all your generous support.
NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL
So much has happened since our last news. Thrift Class have had two Farm trips at Deepdale Farm, thanks to the Lugden Hill Trust who funded them. The children made magazines afterwards, demonstrating how much they had learnt about our environment, farming, food, the locality and wildlife. Many thanks to all involved, including “Farmer Fiona” and her daughters! Thrift Class also visited Brancaster Oysters, which was a wonderful experience and we all learnt how to dress crabs and sew nets, as well as finding out all about oysters - and we did some dipping in the pool and found lots of sea creatures.
The whole school went to the Sea Life Centre and the beach at Hunstanton. This trip was jointly funded by the Parish Council and the PFA. Everyone agreed it was the “best trip ever” and we could have spent far more time there!
Year 6 are about to have their traditional movie night with fish and chips donated by Eric’s (thank you!) and have just enjoyed their annual trip to Pleasurewood Hills - and a lovely meal at Briarfields (thank you!).
On the 18th July we had our Big Tea Party to celebrate 163 years of our school. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces there – community, ex pupils, staff and parents, clergy, and other friends - and catch up on news, as well as relive happy memories. It was also humbling to see how the community rallied round to help make this a really special occasion.
Annette was the leading light in organising this - along with all our “chefs” including Rebecca Jackson and family, Liz Henze and Verily Borthwick. Thanks also to Cyril Southerland and all the family, Maria Spink, Karen Tidd, Jane Gould, Ellie Felgate, Naomi Whittaker and family, Jason Chase and family, Chris, Jayne Smith, Ken Tidd, Rachel Hays for brilliant face painting, Clare Dixon and many others! Also many thanks to the Old Hunstanton Flower Show for the marquees, Briarfields for the tables, Titchwell Church for the chairs and Josephine Luddington for crockery. Term finishes on 22nd July with our Leavers’ Service - and goodbyes to all. It will be a very sad day and it is hard to realise that we will no longer have news to report to you – but we would like to thank you all for your support and interest over the years. It is good to know we will live on in so many people’s memories.
JAN NUTTALL, FORMER HEAD TEACHER
Thoughts and memories from Jan Nuttall can be read at: www.facebook.com/BrancasterGroupParishNews
and Canvas Stretching
Contact Stephen Clark 01485 210810
info@pebblesframing.co.uk www.pebblesphotography.co.uk
Gary Bocking 01485 210408
email: bocking554@btinternet.com
Simon Leverett Carpets &
Blinds
Supplied & Fitted
Choose at home from a comprehensive range of floorings and blinds. Designs from modern to traditional to suit all budgets. 01485 518 018 07760 462788
Cost effective advertising delivered to Burnham Deepdale, Brancaster Staithe, Brancaster, Titchwell and Choseley
From £25 per year bg.pn@btinternet.com 01485 210394 or 07906 372979
Mandy Glass
Personal Travel Consultant
01485 765017 07760 338546 mandyglass.ptc@hays-travel.co.uk www.haystravel.co.uk/mandy-glass UK cottages to world cruises
Available to hire
Village Hall
Please see website for details, availability and booking arrangements or email bsbdvh.bookingagent@gmail.com www.bsbdvh.org.uk
Iain Sell
Piano Tuner and Technician 07709 850045 iain@isellpianos.co.uk
MARCUS TOWNSHEND
General gardening
Grass cutting Hedge cutting etc.
Competitive rates 8 Saxon Field Brancaster 01485 210513 07879 119432
MLG Driver Training
Based in Brancaster, travel to many areas… Contact: Helen Wicks 07899 966 506 helenadi@aol.com
Over 20 years experience. Former Driving Examiner. Training tailored to learner needs. Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? Anxiety? Nervous? Other needs? Together, we can get you on the road!
Main Road, Brancaster Mark Childs
Open daily for service, repairs, spares, MOT & emergency call-outs 01485 211 001
THE JOLLY SAILORS
Watch with us, Saturday 2nd August, 10 am for Nick’s Big Breakfast – Lions tour final match.
Shanty Mondays 7 pm. Join in and sing-along as Nelson’s Shantymen rehearse their repertoire in readiness for the Annual Brancaster Staithe Sea Shanty Festival, Friday 12th, Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September - Sea Shanty groups singing around the village.
Charity Quiz Tuesday 5th August, 8 pm. Hollie’s demon quiz! - there’s a £100 ACI token in the pot for the winning team. Proceeds to Big C Norfolk Charity.
Summer Live Music GIGS in the Garden, Fridays in August, 8 to 10 pm:
1st House, genre-blending, ambient indie and cool covers.
8th DJ Smallie, Ibiza classics, chill out and dance.
15th Random ID, favourite covers, dance the night away.
22nd Goz Unplugged, 2-piece acoustic, classics spanning the decades.
29th Halo’s Edge, Alternative rock and party anthems from the 90’s.
Simon, Nick, Mollie, Matt, Hollie & The Jolly Sailors Team
DEEPDALE FARM We have a new Farm Manager, Richard Morris, who joined our team in June. His wealth of organic experience will help Deepdale Farm produce nutritious organic crops while regenerating our soil and continuing our work to support biodiversity. He will be giving a little update on fieldwork from time to time. “Dry hot weather has ripened our oats early this year, so we started harvest on 17th July. Sown in spring, this crop has had almost no rain and it is a wonder there was anything to harvest. We intend them to go for a flaking contract, but yield and quality are still to be assessed. If they meet the required specification, which includes size of grain, density and moisture content, they will be accepted under the scheme and go to be rolled, becoming wholesome porridge oats. The wheat is a little behind, so we expect to harvest that late July.”
Events at Deepdale:
Introduction to Green Woodworking 1-day course: Saturday 6th September, 10 am - 4 pm. All tools provided by our very patient tutor, Richard, who will guide you through all the processes, so no experience necessary. Gift vouchers available and private groups possible.
Willow Weaving 2 half-day sessions, Sunday 14th September. Both will create mini wooden-based baskets.
Conservation volunteering Sessions run fortnightly on Thursday mornings, 9.30 - 12.30. We’ll be working on hedges, woodland, dykes and more. Email us if you’d like more details or to get involved –enquiries@deepdalefarm.co.uk Full details and further dates of our activities can be found on our website www.deepdalefarm.co.uk or follow us on social media @deepdalefarm.
DEEPDALE AND DALEGATE MARKET
Robin Hood - Open Air Theatre Thursday 7th August. The Pantaloons return for their 2nd visit of the summer, join utter legends Robin, Marian and the Merry Men in Sherwood Forest. A show for all the family, a brilliant evening of comedy theatre. www.deepdalecamping.co.uk/theatre/ Hamlet - Open Air Shakespeare Saturday 23rd August. The Pantaloons return for their 3rd visit of the summer, with their hilarious take of this Shakespeare tale. Shakespeare for all the family, a brilliant evening of comedy theatre.
Pop Up Shops at Dalegate Market Artisans in August include: CoraCora - Creakey Crafts - Zia LivingKnock on Wood - Archangel Distilleries - Creakey Crafts - Auchrannie Wood and Wool - Jacqueline Bright Pet Portraits & Animal Art - Barrow Books - Westfield Metal Crafts - Everchanginglight Photography - The Accidental Wonky Bag Company - Newleaf Woodcraft - Artwork by James Buttifant - Just Bath and Body - L&M 3D Designs - Beadazzled - Marty Griffin Fine Art - Cards by Trudi. See programme online at www.dalegatemarket.co.uk/pop-up-shops/ Street Food in Burnham Deepdale This month there are visits from The Wood Fired Food Co with their Pizzas, Amigos Grill with Mexican Food, Currylicious, Rabbit & Run with Mediterranean Street Food, The Tapas Shack and BoHo Nachos. See programme online at www.deepdalecamping.co.uk/street-food/ Wild Yoga Garden Emilie and her team are running a series of events throughout August in the Orchard at Dalegate Market. See their programme online at: www.dalegatemarket.co.uk/wild-yoga-garden/.
BRANCASTER CAMERA CLUB
Our next club evening is on Tuesday 12th August at 7 pm in Brancaster Staithe Village Hall. The topic for the evening will be 'Water'. We always welcome visitors and if you are on holiday in the area, or have an interest in photography, please feel free to come along. We would be pleased to see you. Entrance is £5 to include refreshments. For more information contact Sue Till on 01485 210013 or Wendy Calow on 01553 674725.
THE WHITE HORSE It’s August already! And summer events are in full swing.
Annual Brancaster Oyster Festival 5 Days in August Celebrating this amazing mollusc ‘grown’ on our doorstep! Wednesday 13th, Thursday 14th, Friday 15th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th. A fabulous selection of live music every day from midday. No need to book. Please follow signage to overflow car parking at Deepdale.
End of Summer BBQ Friday 29th August Join us from 12 noon to 9 pm for Fran’s favourite BBQ menu, live music aplenty - Latino, Matty Haynes, Cameron & Jordan. See you there. Rob, Fran, Rosie, Kinga & The White Horse Team
DEEPDALE AND BRANCASTER STAITHE TENNIS CLUB
Our two lovely courts in the middle of the village are available for play by both members and visitors. Have a look at our website: www.clubspark.lta.org.uk/DBSTennisClub.
To play, you need to book your court. Courts are available in half-hour slots for up to 90 minutes per person per day and are free for paid up members. For visitors the court fee is £10 an hour and you can pay online via Stripe. Log on to our website, go to the Court Booking tab and follow the instructions. You will be sent the gate code in a confirmatory email.
Membership runs from 1st April 25 to 31st March 2026. Everyone is welcome to join. Visit the website, click on the Membership tab and follow the instructions.
Junior Coaching Weekly sessions are held during the Norfolk school summer holidays with Becky Palmer, our LTA coach, on the following dates: 30th July, 6th, 13th and 20th August.
There will be two sessions each Wednesday Morning for different ages: 10.45 -11.30 am for 4-7 year olds £1.50 per session (members) £3 per session (visitors) 11.30 am -12.30 pm for 8-11 year olds £2.50 per session (members) £5 per session (visitors) Numbers will be strictly limited to 12 children in each group. Come to individual sessions or all of them but it’s essential to book with our Junior Tennis Co-ordinator, Carrie Hendry, by email to juniortennis@brancasterstaithe.co.uk and pay in advance via BACS to Deepdale and Brancaster Staithe Tennis Club a/c 20195022 sort code 20 30 81. Please give reference ‘holiday coaching’ 2025 Kids Tennis Summer Camp Tuesdays 29th July, 5th and 12th August, 9.30 am -12 noon Do you have tennis mad kids? Or little ones that want to give tennis a go? Or just need a chance for them to let off steam and have some tennis-based fun? Parents, do you need some time free of the children?
Deepdale and Brancaster Staithe Tennis Club are running a series of three Summer Camp mornings for kids aged 8-12. Run by Becky, our wonderful LTA coach, sessions will involve tennis coaching, friendly games and other ball sports and activities. £7.50 per child per session (members), £10 per child (visitors). Book individual mornings or all three, by contacting Carrie Hendry, by email to juniortennis@brancasterstaithe.co.uk and pay in advance via BACS to Deepdale and Brancaster Staithe Tennis Club a/c 20195022 sort code 20 30 81. Please give reference ‘Summer Camp’
NEWS FROM BRANCASTER VILLAGE HALL (BVH)
This has been another extremely busy time for BVH, with a wide range of activities taking place. The regular groups continue, including Yoga, Coffee Morning, Beginners Pilates and the mobile library van. (see page 11). (For times and details for all BVH activities see website below).
80th Commemoration of VJ Day: Saturday 16th August, 2.30 to 4 pm. At 3 pm a talk by Brigadier (Ret’d) David Wakefield entitled “The End of the War in the Pacific”. Admission free and complimentary tea and cakes at 2.30 pm. (See page 3)
Bank Holiday Party: Monday 25th August, 2.30 to 8 pm. Pimms tent and a stupendous barbeque; music by Sidewalk 6 to 9 pm.
Bar 71 A full range of events during August, including Darts Matches on 1st and 15th, Quiz Nights on 7th and 21st and Skittles Nights on 14th and 28th of the month. Also, there will be a Table Games Night on 8th August and the Bar 71 Darts Competition on the 9th. Further information about these and other activities can be found on our website at brancastervillagehall.communitybookings.co.uk or on Facebook and Instagram. For enquiries, please contact us at bvhsetup@gmail.com
Our excellent manager, Neil, has decided to retire from his position, and we thank him for all his hard work over the years in making Bar 71 such a thriving business. We welcome our new manager, Ed, and wish him every success.
(End of Part 1 of August 2025 Parish News)