November is the last month of autumn, traditionally starting with a bang on the 5th with fireworks on Bonfire Night and, this year, celebrating the 420th anniversary of Robert Catesby’s abortive Gunpowder Plot. The month’s full moon, which also occurs on the 5th will, if it is a clear night, provide a suitably illuminating backdrop to the fiery celebrations.
A more tranquil and reflective period follows, with Remembrance Sunday on the 9th (timing and location of the service is on Page 34) and Armistice Day itself on the 11th , while a few days later the annual Leonids Meteor Shower, observable from the 6th to the 30th, reaches its peak on the 17th .
Features in this month’s magazine include information about the St Giles’ Christmas Fair (Page 6); details of a Reverse Advent Calendar for collecting much needed items for Braintree’s Foodbank (Page 8); a report on the amazing sum raised for Tiny Tickers by the Three Peaks Challenge participants in September (Page 14); and why it really pays to Be Nice to Bees (Page 17) – our lives depend on it! And there are also some handy hints on taking Autumn and Winter Crime Precautions (Page 32).
November is National Non-Fiction Book Month so, with Bookworm’s Reading Recommendations (Page 19), you will be able to discover more about the actual characters behind the Gunpowder Plot and their reasons for wanting to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
Our cover picture is a reminder that November’s firework tradition means it is important, when celebrating, to ensure that due consideration is given to all those neighbours, dogs, cats and horses that are likely to be disturbed by unaccustomed flashes and loud noise – more information is on Page 5.
And finally: your village news, information about forthcoming activities and events, reports of Council initiatives, your nostalgic memories and so on are all an essential part of keeping Parish News a vital community amenity, informing and entertaining its readers across the four Parishes.
We would love to receive stories or articles of local interest you would like to share – please send your contributions to the Editorial address (Page 31).
November is a month steeped in remembrance. The abundance of golden leaves as they cover the ground, the chill in the air, the evenings that are drawing in, and during this season the Church invites us to pause to remember, to give thanks, and to hope.
We begin with All Saints’ Day on 1st November when we give thanks for the great company of saints those named and those whose name is only known to us. This day reminds us that relationships and their memories stretch beyond time and space.
In remembering our loved ones, we are reminded that death does not have the final word. In the Christian faith we believe that love endures, and that in Christ we remain united in life eternal.
Only a few days later, we come to Remembrance Sunday. Once again, we remember lives lost but this time, not in peaceful passing, but in the violence of war. We hold before God those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and we pray for all who continue to bear the scars of conflict. It is a solemn moment, but also a hopeful one. In our remembering, we commit ourselves afresh to the work of peace and reconciliation.
Loss touches every one of us. Some losses are shared like those we recall this month. Others are deeply personal: a loved one who has died, a relationship that has ended, a hope that has faded, the loss of a muchloved pet. Whatever the loss we can be left floundering, set adrift. If you know someone in this situation reach out and offer support and a listening ear, in that small action you offer comfort and hope.
As we light candles, lay wreaths, and whisper prayers this November, may we do so with gratitude for our past relationships and confidence in God’s promise of life everlasting.
Make a Noise about Making a Noise
With Bonfire Night coming up it is perhaps time to remember, remember on the 5th November – or whenever it is you have your fireworks – that lots of noise, even at a time it can reasonably be anticipated, can often be a cause of neighbourly upsets, concerns and disputes.
Most of these could easily be prevented by forewarning neighbours and making them aware of potential situations that could cause annoyance, like having fireworks on Bonfire Night or when welcoming in the New Year in 2026, especially if they are concerned about adverse effects on their animals.
If you are intending to have a celebration with fireworks, or a party that may potentially be noisy, there are a number of ways to let as many of your neighbours as possible know about your plans. Use as many of these as you can to notify everyone early and help allay their concerns.
You should make as much social media ‘noise’ as possible beforehand by posting the date and at what time the party or firework display will be taking place, using any local social media groups. Such notifications will give those in the groups time to arrange either to be elsewhere or to make other suitable arrangements, as necessary, for both themselves and their animals. In your social media posts, give a time limit for the noisy element of the party or fireworks display so that people have some idea of when it might all be over.
Of course, not everyone’s on social media so it’s also important to put notes through letterboxes, or talk to your more immediate neighbours, warning them of the time and duration of the party or fireworks display and either asking for their forbearance or inviting them along…
Unfortunately, most of the reasons for noise disputes are simply inconsideration – not appreciating, say, the effect that music and loud voices at a party, or a celebration fireworks display, can have on people living over quite a wide area around the party venue, particularly if it’s otherwise a quiet, still night.
However, if these noises cause you annoyance, having an informal chat with the perpetrator about your concerns may be a better way to sort things out than just putting annoyed posts about it on social media…
Noise pollution is classed as a statutory nuisance and, under the provisions of the Noise Act 1996 and other associated legislation, Braintree District Council (not the Parish Councils) has a mandatory obligation to deal with noise deemed to be a nuisance.
So, if the problem cannot be resolved by discussion, or the neighbour is unwilling to compromise, information about what action to take is at: https://www.braintree.gov.uk/info/200250/environmental_health/22 1/noise
Foodbank Reverse Advent Calendar 2025
Help to make a real difference for people in need this Christmas!
Build up your own Foodbank Box during November, putting a selected item into it each day
We know it’s hard for many more people this year, that’s why most of the items listed are small – and, if making up a whole Foodbank box is just too much, why not join together with friends or neighbours to collect items?
Reverse Advent Calendar – November 2025
Please try and put an item into your box each day during November (remember, long use-by dates please and no fresh food –except Christmas cake and Christmas puddings, which usually have long dates)
When your box is complete, please drop it off to either: Dorothy Weight (1 Stone Cottages, Church Street) or Ann Harris (The Forge, Lucking Street) by Saturday 6th December so that the boxes can be taken to Halstead Food Bank on Monday 8th December https://braintreearea.foodbank.org.uk/
Three Peaks Challenge/A Journey of Discovery
The Fun Fit Fab team successfully completed the renowned Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, raising vital funds for the Tiny Tickers charity. This inspiring feat took them across some of England’s most iconic hilltops, demonstrating physical endurance and deep commitment to a worthy cause.
An epic trek, covering approximately 24 miles (38.6 km) and a total ascent of 1,585 metres (5,200 ft), the journey traditionally starts at Ingleborough, progresses to Whernside and culminates at Pen-y-Ghent. The Fun Fit Fab team set off at dawn, spirits high and rucksacks packed for a long day’s adventure:
• Ingleborough: The first peak presented a tough but rewarding climb, with panoramic views over the Dales providing motivation to the walkers.
• Whernside: The tallest peak, this pushed the team’s stamina to its limits, camaraderie and determination seeing everyone over the summit.
• Pen-y-Ghent: This ascent concluded the challenge, where the team celebrated their achievement amid stunning Yorkshire scenery.
Tiny Tickers is a charity dedicated to improving the early detection and care of babies with serious heart conditions and the funds raised by this challenge will help babies with congenital heart defects to have a better start in life. Completing all three peaks in a day is no small feat and is a testament to the team’s preparation, grit, and shared motivation for supporting Tiny Tickers. Thank you and congratulations to all members of the Fun Fit Fab team for their achievement and for inspiring others to support important causes with determination and teamwork. And a huge thank you to all who donated – around £15,000 was raised in total. Just fabulous!
Gestingthorpe Goings-on
Macmillan Coffee Morning Friday 26th September
Thank you all for your brilliant support at our Macmillan coffee morning held in the village hall, which raised a superb £353.58 in cash, plus £46.25 in Gift Aid donations, using the Macmillan QR code.
Your generosity has helped Macmillan nurses carry out more of their vital support to those suffering from cancer – well done villagers of Gestingthorpe and their friends!
Gestingthorpe Village Hall Coffee Morning & Book Exchange
Fortnightly on Fridays from 10.00am to 12 noon
Join friends and neighbours in the Village Hall for tea, coffee, cake and a chat. All cakes are homemade and served by our fabulous team of volunteers. Tea or coffee and cake are £3.00 – and we are now accepting card payments as well as cash.
Bring a book to swap or buy a book for £1. Our bookcase is located next to the big window in the small hall. There are a large range of books and genres to choose from.
The next Coffee Mornings and Book Exchange will be on 7th & 21st November and 5th & 19th December
All funds raised go towards running & maintaining the Village Hall.
Village Litter Pick and Gestingthorpe Grill
A very big thank you to everyone who took part in the litter pick on Saturday 11th October. Despite having to delay the pick by a week due to Storm Amy, we still had lots of volunteers out on the roads of Gestingthorpe wielding their litter pickers.
Around 20 bags of rubbish were collected so it was not a wasted effort. The roadsides in the village look much better because of everyone’s hard work.
Our thanks to the Parish Council for organising the event, the Green Heart team at Braintree District Council for supplying the equipment and collecting the bags, the Village Hall for supplying the food and drink and to Steve and Andy for manning the BBQ.
Be Nice to Bees…
…because our way of life depends on them more than you might think. Pollinators such as the 275 different bee species in Britain are essential for much of the food we consume – it is estimated that one in three mouthfuls of food we eat depends on pollinators; in a Whole Foods super-market, 237 out of 453 food items would vanish if bees disappeared.
The majority of bee species in this country are so-called ‘solitary’ bees –some look like tiny flies, others are as big and fluffy as bumblebees. They mostly nest in the ground, are non-aggressive, gentle, don’t sting and are some of the best pollinators.
The two main groups of ‘social’ bees are Bumblebees and Honeybees. There are around 24 species of Bumblebees in the country, all of which live in colonies up to 400 strong. They are giant, fluffy, social insects, are probably the most distinctive of all the bees and tend to nest in the ground, under sheds, in abandoned mouse holes or even in disused bird nest boxes. Bumblebees are fantastic pollinators and visit gardens to gather nectar and pollen. If your garden has a range of traditional cottage garden and native wildflowers like marigolds, primroses and foxgloves it will provide the bees with a nectar source from March until October.
Honeybees, although not as distinctive as Bumblebees, are easily recognisable small black and gold insects. In the wild, Honeybees live in giant hives made of wax honeycombs, which can contain up to 50,000 insects. There are three types of Honeybee: the Queen, Drones and Workers. Each plays a unique role in the creation and maintenance of the colony. Queens live for 4-7 years, lay eggs, regulate hive activity with their pheromones and instigate the swarming that forms a new hive. Drones are male and have only one role: to mate with virgin queens. They can’t forage for food or even feed themselves. In winter, as they are a drain on the hive’s food resources, they are driven out to starve or freeze to death. New drones are created each spring by the Queen.
Workers are female and have a number of different roles during their short 5-7 week lives. For the first couple of weeks they work inside the hive as ‘house’ bees, cleaning, nursing, building combs and so on. For their remaining time they usually work as ‘field’ bees, guarding the hive and foraging for food and water. If the Queen dies, workers will create a new Queen by selecting a young larva and by feeding it a special food, called ‘royal jelly’, so the larva develops into a fertile Queen.
Bees’ lives are fascinating and the depth of our dependency on them is profound – so be nice to them, without them life would be much harder!
The dark days are upon us, limiting time for gardening. By two o’clock the light starts to fade, so now is the time to put garden furniture undercover and think about any ongoing winter maintenance. If you are considering making raised beds, choose a location where you can walk around the construction, which should be about 1.3m wide, then you can reach the middle without standing on the soil. Ensure external garden stand pipes and taps are well lagged to protect against frost.
My plant of the month is Abelia, a colourful shrub with leaves darkening to a rusty red and pink bell-shaped flowers. Tolerant of most soil types, it requires little maintenance apart from trimming with shears.
Plants in the Cosmos and Knautia families can be left to seed; you will find Goldfinches feeding until the seedheads are just a stalk. Poppy, Phlomis and Sedum heads all add winter structure to a mixed border but they should be cut down in the spring.
Broad beans can now be sown outside or in pots in a cold greenhouse or cold frame but keep an eye open for mice – these destructive rodents love freshly sown seed. The same applies to autumn pot-planted sweet peas.
I have been asked in the past about the best way to look after Figs [ficus]. Ideally they should be planted in pots to restrict root growth or in the ground in a barrel or a hole with blocks or slabs round the side. Plant in full sun and, if you can, against a wall or fence. The small fruit grown in year one will mature into the following year. Prune into a bush or fan shape, according to location, and cover the young figs with fleece in severe weather.
Any home-made compost can be spread on the ground to about 25mm in depth to act as a mulch and weed suppressant – the worms will pull it down into the ground over winter.
Tulips can be planted this month. In my garden I tend to place rose prunings on top of pots containing bulbs to deter squirrels from disturbing the compost.
Make sure to keep warm out there
The Arborist
Reading Recommendations…
Since November is National Non-Fiction Month, I have chosen to recommend two books marking a notorious and historic anniversary –remember, remember, the Fifth of November...
THE GUNPOWDER PLOT: Antonia Fraser
Four hundred and twenty years ago the so-called Gunpowder Plot, devised by English Catholics, was foiled. The plot, which was led by Robert Catesby, aimed to blow up the Houses of Parliament together with the Protestant King James I, his family and nobles and to establish a Catholic monarch on the English throne. It failed after an anonymous warning led to the arrest of one plotter, Guy Fawkes, and the discovery of gunpowder in the basement of the Houses of Parliament on the evening of 4th November 1605. This triggered a massive investigation and manhunt, much like a major present-day terrorist investigation.
Antonia Fraser skilfully brings the characters and events surrounding the Gunpowder Plot to life – she dramatically recreates the conditions and motives that led to the events of that fateful night and unravels the tangled web of religion and politics that spawned the plot.
There are no stand-out heroes in this epic tale but many of the characters are engaging and one can only admire the steadfastness of their belief and purpose. The story is fast moving, well-written and the extent and depth of the author’s research is admirable.
THE REAL GUY FAWKES: Nick Holland
Who was he and what motivated his potentially murderous actions? This biography looks at the seventeenth-century rebel who became a controversial folk hero for his role in the infamous Gunpowder Plot.
Guy Fawkes is an instantly recognizable symbol of violent rebellion across the globe but few know the story of the man behind the legend. Nick Holland explores his eventful life and the complicated, dangerous era in which he lived. Born in York in 1570 and raised a Protestant, Fawkes went on to plan mass murder for the Catholic cause. Prepared to risk everything and endanger countless lives, was he a terrorist, freedom fighter, a treasonous fanatic or merely a fool?
This book takes a fresh look at Fawkes's early life, showing how he was radicalised into becoming a Catholic mercenary and a key member of the Gunpowder Plot. It combines contemporary accounts with modern analysis to reveal new motivations behind Fawkes’s actions.
The Bookworm
Something to Get Involved With…
Forthcoming Local Events
Hedingham Heritage Society
There are some talks, a festive feast and a walk scheduled over the next couple of months and into the New Year – we do hope you can join us for some of them:
Thursday 6th November: ‘Roman Colchester’ . Adam Wightman, Director of Archaeology at Colchester Archaeology Trust, will be talking about the archaeological excavations just inside Colchester’s south gate, Roman engineering, a bear and the demise of the Theatre Royal.
7.30pm – Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall
Thursday 18th December: ‘Medieval Food and Feasting’ . At the Society’s Christmas meeting and social, the subject of medieval food and feasting will be explored by author Joanne Larner, who will also be bringing some medieval tasters. Seasonal refreshments provided. £5 for members and non-members – all welcome.
7.30pm – Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall
Sunday 28th December: ‘A Christmas Walk in the Hedingham Countryside’ .
Meet at 10.30 am at Castle
Thursday 8th January 2026: AGM followed by ‘Pomp, Circumstance and Jubilation’. Warner and Sons’ royal commissions and connections – furnishing royal residences, dressing Queen Mary and the company’s unique role in the last four coronations are the topics covered in this interesting and informative talk.
7.30pm – Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall
Annual Membership of our local and natural history society is just £15.
Members come free to all walks and talks : Non-Members - £5. Everybody is Welcome. Contacts: Rob: 01787 460 664 : Trudi: 01787 462 889 : Mark: 07906 472 636 E-mail: hedinghamheritage@gmail.com or visit www.hedinghamheritage.org.uk
Church Matters
St John the Baptist – Pebmarsh
We have just celebrated the start of the new school year with the village school Harvest Service, attended by all the children and many of their family members (176). This is a big attendance at the start of the day during the week. We love the school’s visits and have more to come with their Christmas Nativity in December and the end-of-term Carol Concert on the 17th December.
We will be holding our village Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial on Tuesday 11th November at 10.45am. The school have invited those attending to have coffee in the school afterwards.
Our Christmas tree will be going up on the 1st December at 10.00am – if you would like to join us for coffee and biscuits and to help, we would love to see you. The school will be making decorations to add to the tree, as they do each year, but if anyone in the village with children that don’t attend the school would also like to make a decoration please bring it along to the church and we will hang it on the tree.
If you would like to help, we will also be decorating the rest of the church on the 13th December at 10.00am ready for the Carol Concert. Our Carol Concert with the Long Melford Silver Band will be on the 14th December at 4.00pm, with mulled wine and mince pies afterwards.
Sarah Burgess – Pebmarsh Churchwarden
The Future of the Round Church – Little Maplestead
After ten years of faithful service, the current Church Council will be standing down at the end of this church year. We are deeply grateful for all they have given their time, dedication, and prayerful leadership have guided our church through many seasons.
However, every church must have a governing body in order to continue its mission and ministry. We now urgently need new members to step forward to serve on the Church Council, as well as to take on the vital roles of Churchwarden and Treasurer.
If you have a Christian faith and a heart for serving your church and local community, please consider whether you might be called to help lead us into the next chapter of our church’s life. Together, with God’s help, we can ensure our church continues to be open as a place of worship, welcome, and witness for years to come.
To find out more or to express your interest, please contact:
Rev’d Beverley 01787 460 273 khvicar@gmail.com
Parish News Information
Advertising/Announcements/Articles
The 2025 Parish News Business Advertising Rates for the year (10 issues, pro-rated as applicable) and for monthly single issue advertisements and fundraising event announcements are shown below, along with the Copy/Artwork Deadline date for the final 2025 issue of Parish News:
Contacts:
Articles
Please submit these by e-mail, preferably as a Word document attachment with separate images:
½ page: 150-160 words + images
Full page: 400-420 words + images
The Parish Representatives, to whom articles and event announcement submissions should be sent, are listed on the Inside Front Cover.
Autumn and Winter Crime Precautions
As we enter late autumn and early winter the long, dark nights offer thieves extra cover for opportunistic crime, so now it is time to carry out a thorough security check of your home, outbuildings and any valuable property.
Internal lights: the clocks went back on 25th October, so check and ensure you have reset the time on all your timer plugs, lights and any security devices. Remember – to a thief, a house in darkness is empty. Things you can do to create the illusion you are in when your home is unoccupied are: leaving lights on in normally occupied rooms, installing a TV simulator and having doorbells answerable remotely on a smartphone.
External lighting and CCTV: make sure that any external lighting and CCTV is working and clean, removing spiders’ webs, dust and dirt; the best external lighting is that operated by a daylight sensor.
Hedges, trees and plants: are your plants or shrubs, having grown during the summer, now obstructing your CCTV or external lighting or preventing views of your property from neighbours or passers-by? Most thieves like to work unobserved, so it is best to keep hedges and shrubs to the front of your property no higher than about 4ft (1.2m) and the lower branches of any trees removed to allow better visibility.
Sheds and gates: check/maintain their locks/hinges and keep them closed/ locked when not in use. Consider fitting alarms to sheds/outbuildings.
Property marking: if you have not done so already, before putting away tools and lawn mowers for the winter make a note of model and serial numbers and identify them as yours with a property marking product.
Heating oil: with the current value of fuel it is well worth considering its security. In more isolated parts of the countryside it is mainly domestic properties that are targeted by heating oil thieves, although thefts at farms and other businesses also occur. Several oil tank security devices are available either from your fuel supplier or local plumber’s merchant: one such is Tank Commander (www.commandersecurities.co.uk), ‘Secured by Design’ accredited (https://www.securedbydesign.com/), which will detect a sudden drop in oil and notify you by phone and/or audible alarm. Some security products can be added to existing intruder alarm systems, whilst others may protect filler caps; conventional padlocks are also available. Other security solutions may be: concealing your tank with landscaping and/or spiky planting; restricting access with gates/fencing; even perhaps locating the tank under lighting and/or in view of lived in rooms within your house.
If you would like further advice regarding home and property security, check the Essex Police website www.essex.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/ and https://www.securedbydesign.com/
If you need any help on these matters or any other information contact: Terrie Johnson PCSO 8143 [terrie.johnson@essex.police.uk], Braintree Neighbourhood Policing Team
