Brandon Town Magazine - Issue 90

Brandon for Ukranians

Welcome to Brandon

Last month I

2020 BoB

to

first

Yet this strange old world seems constantly to test our limits and beliefs, we turn one corner and find a new obstacle with the conflict in Ukraine. As always our terrific communities endless caring side once again rises up. Support has been made yet back home the

endless list of projects continues.

in bloom team have created a magnificent display along the High Street, the town keepers have been installing new flag brackets in readiness for the Jubilee celebrations and we get news that we kick off the jubilee relay.

Deadline for May edition 22nd April

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information contained within this publication, the publishers take no responsibility for the accuracy of statements made by it’s contributors, in any advertisements or for any loss arising from non-publication of any advertisement. Reproduction of any part of this publication without permission is strictly forbidden. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Brandon for Ukranians

Brandon for Ukrainians is a new Facebook group for those wanting to support Ukrainians taking refuge in Brandon from the Russian invasion.

Roughly two thirds of Ukrainians speak Ukrainian and one third speak Russian as their first language (there are a few minority languages as well), so language will be an initial barrier.

English is taught in schools, so young people may have some English, but it may be limited. Both Ukrainian and Russian are written in variations of the Cyrillic alphabet. We have information on translation tools, education, culture, applying for the scheme, as well as links to the latest information on the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme for both residents and refugees. As things progress we will keep the site updated with information on how to apply for school places, registering with doctors & dentists, jobs, benefits etc.

We also have posts on things you may not have thought of such as transport to get them here, who you need to inform or get permission from if you are a private tenant, in social housing, have a mortgage etc., insurance considerations. There is a 6-month minimum that you will be expected to host for.

At the time of writing, only Ukrainians with family in the UK or who have a named host (someone registered on the Homes for Ukraine scheme) can get the required visa, though this situation is evolving rapidly. We can provide links to charities who can help pair you up with a suitable Ukrainian/family for you to host. Those that are granted a visa will be entitled to stay for 3 years and will be able to work, use the NHS, etc. Checks are being put in place for eligibility, suitability, safeguarding, etc. This is to ensure that both hosts and refugees are safe and suitably accommodated.

The Brandon for Ukrainians Facebook group is public, so you can browse the posts for any information you are looking for or join the group to receive updates. We are looking for volunteers to help produce maps of shops and services and any other ideas which will be helpful to our new neighbours. We also plan to organise some community events, so please join the group if you want to hear about these.

Anyone who can speak Russian or Ukrainian and English and is willing to help us would be most welcome, especially when it comes to the community events.

Coach Ser vices Ltd.

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You don’t need to hold a PCV licence; we will fully train you and pay you whilst doing so, £10 an hour whilst training, £11.25 an hour once qualified.

• Free travel on our bus network.

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Breckland Cats Protection

Sometimes cats spray short bursts of urine on vertical objects outside to mark territory and leave information for themselves or other cats to ‘read’. If your cat starts to spray inside the home, then it is almost certainly a sign that all is not right in their world, and can indicate that they do not feel secure in their surroundings. Urine spraying can be performed by any cat, whether male or female, neutered or not.

Urine spraying is a completely different behaviour from normal toileting. When a cat goes to the toilet to rid the body of waste products, they will generally urinate from a squatting position and usually produce a large puddle of urine in a private or secluded area. In contrast, cats will spray urine in order to leave a specific ‘scent message’. When they spray, they will back up to a vertical surface in an open location and squirt a spray of urine from a standing position – sometimes while paddling with the back legs and quivering the tail.

If your cat is spraying indoors then the reasons are either they are ill, or stressed by a perceived threat, or stressed by changes in the household or by cats in the surrounding neighbourhood – this is the most common reason. Many owners punish their cat for spraying in the house – this tends to make the cat more anxious and more likely to spray. The best thing you can do it identify what is worrying your cat and address it. The first thing to do it to take your cat to your

vet for a health check to ensure there is no underlying medical cause for the behaviour. If the vet deems your cat is healthy, the next stage is to find out what the cat finds threatening and then take action to stop it. This process can be quite complicated as there are often many factors involved, It is best to ask your vet to refer you to a suitably qualified behaviourist.

Once a cat has sprayed, if the area is not cleaned appropriately their sensitive nose will draw them back to spray the same area again in an attempt to top up the faded scent. Many household cleaning products contain ammonia which is also found in cat urine, so using these can make the problem worse. Its best to use warm water with 10 percent solution of biological washing powder, rinse with clean water and allow to dry. If the surface is suitable, surgical spirit can be applied to remove any lingering traces of urine. Carpet is extremely absorbent and the urine soaks into the underlay and the flooring underneath. If the area is badly soiled over a long period it may be necessary to cut out the section of carpet and underlay and treat the concrete or floorboards underneath before replacing.

For help or advice, or if you need assistance with the cost of neutering, please call us on 01842 810018.

Rita Thompson.

Rotary Club of Brandon & District

Nominations have opened again for our Making A Difference Award, given annually to the Breckland School pupil who is judged to have made the greatest contribution to community life.

The Rotary Club are very keen to show that young people can and should receive recognition for voluntary acts and helping their community, as well as for academic and sporting achievement. As well as receiving the award, the winner is also given £100 to spend as they wish, and a shield is engraved with winners’ names and kept at the school.

In 2020, the new award’s first winner was Sophie Wilson. Sophie was nominated in recognition of her help at the St Peter’s Church community youth group SPY (St Peter’s Youth), and for her time given to help at school sporting events and house competitions and many activities outside of school.

In 2021 there were joint winners - Evie Simonds, who was nominated for her time given helping at the local karate club and Alfie Keeley, who has volunteered for several years with Brandon in Bloom.

The Rotary Club’s President Sue Meader said: “We know there are so many ways in which young people volunteer their time to make a difference.

“They enjoy helping others and of course, don’t do so for any recognition. But we feel it is important to recognise and pay tribute to these young people who offer their time freely to make a difference. And of course it’s a great accolade to be able to put on a C.V.!”

The students may have helped raised money for a charity or volunteered their time to help a neighbour, club or community activity. Some may have helped with a local or national environmental project. And of course, many young people have been moved by the plight of the people in Ukraine and have been very active and enthusiastic in collecting items or fundraising to help refugees too.

The Principal of Breckland School, Jon Winn, adds “This award epitomises the community spirit we are keen to embed within the school. We are very grateful to the Rotary Club for

providing an opportunity to recognise those students who understand the importance of making a positive contribution to the local community, and, in doing so, impacting on the lives of other people.”

Sophie, Evie and Alfie and all the young people who give their time to help others in so many ways should indeed be really proudit makes such a difference and is exactly what the Rotary Club award represents. Often no special skills are necessarily needed to help others and make a difference, just time and the willingness to help.

Nominations are now open for the award to be presented at the end of the academic year. If you would like to make a nomination, please email Laura Woods, Director of Engagement on lwoods@brecklandschool.co.uk for a nomination form.

The closing date for nominations is Friday June the 3rd 2022.

The Brandon and District Rotary Club usually meets weekly on a Thursday and meetings are friendly, informal and fun. Events including the annual Bonfire and Fireworks event at Brandon Hall and the Santa sleigh rides are held throughout the year, with the funds raised helping many local, national and international causes.

To find out more about your local Rotary Club please email the Club President Sue Meader at suemeader1@gmail.com or call her on 07884 313563.

Full Fibre Broadband

Work to bring full fibre broadband to Brandon is underway with some homes already benefitting from the ultrafast service.

Openreach have stated that Brandon is now in its commercial build plan which will see the majority of premises connected to the ultrafast FTTP (fibre to the premises) network by the end of 2024.

Although no timings have been announced for when the network build will commence, preparatory work, such as surveying the existing network, has already been started.

In addition, a partnership with Better Broadband for Suffolk has seen FTTP infrastructure installed for homes on Seymour Avenue, who are now able to order full fibre services from the major broadband providers.

A spokesperson for Openreach said: “We’re the UK’s biggest builder of Ultrafast full fibre and we reach a new home, on average, every 13 seconds. More than 6 million homes and businesses across the UK can already benefit,

including more than 50,000 across Suffolk.

“People living and working in Brandon can look forward to benefitting from some of the fastest broadband speeds in the UK, through a combination of our ongoing Better Broadband for Suffolk partnership with the county council, and Openreach’s own commercial network build, which is due to reach here by 2024.

“Ultrafast full fibre is not only much faster, but it’s also more reliable, less prone to faults, and future-proof for decades to come.”

Upp, who are bringing full fibre broadband to towns across the East of England, have also been carrying out work in Brandon and are expected to offer their service to some properties this year.

This could mean other homes in Brandon see faster speeds before Openreach have completed their network build, however Upp have not provided any timescales or further information.

Rachel Sobiechowski

Gardening

April is the time of year that woodland gardens look their best as the lengthening days and higher light levels reach the woodland floor. There are many plants that produce high impact in early spring. These hardy plants then cope with the dry conditions and dense shade provided by the tree canopy later in the year. Here are some of my favourites:

• Wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) are pretty perennials native to Europe, including the UK, where they carpet woodland floors with their blooms.

• Common primroses, Primula vulgaris, thrive in areas of damp shade and are a source of nectar and pollen for pollinators in early spring.

• Red campion, This beautiful perennial is often found growing wild on broadleaf woodland floors. When the flowers are finished, give the seedheads a shake where desired to help them self-seed. Brilliant for bees.

• Foxgloves are an essential component of any woodland planting scheme. The tall flower spikes bring height and structure, and are especially loved by bumblebees.

• Erythroniums are commonly known as dog’s tooth lilies, due to the fanged shape of the bulbs. The petals have a distinctive sweptback appearance, with the flowers appearing from March to May.

TOP TIPS

Stake plants now to avoid damaging fragile shoots and the ‘bundled up’ look later on

•Feed hungry shrubs and roses

• No woodland border is complete without the rich greenness of ferns, and with so many species and cultivars, you’re spoilt for choice.

• Pulmonaria is superb woodland ground cover plant, clumps of low growing leaves mid to dark green with white or silver patterns. Clusters of small flowers are held on stems above the leaves and are in a vivid shade of blue. Grows in dappled to dark shade in a good fertile soil.

Others to consider include: Hosta, Tiarella, Epimedium, Helleborus, Heuchera, Euphorbia, Geranium phaeum and solomon’s seal.

Creating the habitat woodland plants enjoy is simple – plant trees or shrubs to provide shade, or utilise the shade provided by garden boundaries. Be mindful that the soil in these areas may be rather dry, so incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter when planting, and mulch generously in spring. Smaller plants are easier to plant amongst tree roots.

Whatever April brings I hope you get a chance to step out into the sunshine and enjoy the season as you tackle this months gardening jobs.

No Yeast Pizza Dough

Do you like the thought of a homemade pizza but are daunted by the thought of working with yeast

then this is just for you. A yeast free dough that is made in 15 minutes and can be topped with all your pizza topping

favourites.

You will need : 2 1/2 cups (355g) plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup (187g) water, roughly

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 400F. (200C)

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined.

In asseverate jug mix the water and oil. Slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture. (You may not need it all)

Using a wooden spoon or your hands mix until the dough is soft but not sticky.

Add a touch more water mixture if you think it is too dry.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out into a 12” circle using your hands to stretch it out if necessary.

This will also make two smaller 8” bases if you chose.

Transfer the pizza base to a large baking tray or non stick pizza tray.

Top with a tomato pizza sauce of your choosing and all the toppings you desire.

Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Councils

Brandon Town Council (Town Clerk)

West Suffolk Council (Customer Services)

Suffolk County Council (Public Enquiries)

Health Services

Doctor - Brandon Medical Practice (High Street)

Doctor - Forest Group Practice (Bury Road)

Dentist - Apex Dental Care (Bury Road)

Dentist - The Dental Surgery (High Street)

Hospital - West Suffolk (Bury St Edmunds)

NHS 111 - Medical Help (Less urgent than 999)

Help & Advice

Citizens Advice Bureau (Brandon Office)

Social Care Services (Customer First)

Suffolk Constabulary (Non Emergency)

Utility Companies

Electricity - UK Power Networks (Fault Line)

Gas - Cadent (Emergency Number)

Water - Anglian Water (24 Hour Leakline)

01842 811844

01284 763233

0845 606 6067

01842 810388

01842 810206

01842 812276

01842 812381

01284 713000

111

0300 330 1151

0808 800 4005

101

08007 838 838

0800 111 999

0800 771 881