As we move into the middle of autumn the October nights are noticeably drawing in, the daytime temperatures dropping and the weather becoming increasingly unpredictable. This month is also when the clocks go back an hour, on Sunday 26th, marking the real start of winter for many. On the plus side, October can also offer beautiful and sometimes vibrant autumn leaf displays and opportunities for bracing countryside walks using the many footpaths that we are fortunate to have in and around our parishes.
The October full moon, which this year occurs on the 7th at 4:48am, is usually known as the Hunter's Moon because it traditionally marks the time for hunters to prepare for winter, gathering meat and hunting in the fields cleared after September’s Harvest Moon.
Other notable dates in October include the World Conker Championship in Southwick, Northamptonshire and the Harvest Village Walk from Great Maplestead’s Village Hall, both on the 12th , the celebration of Trafalgar Day on the 21st and, of course, Hallowe’en on the 31st .
Our final Local Myths and Legends feature rounds up some of the stories inspired by the remote, desolate regions of the Essex Coast (Page 5) while elsewhere there is a consultation on the future of the Parishes’ Bus Services (Page 6); a report on the Maplesteads’ Autumn Show (Page 8); a plea to landowners to Keep Roads and Footpaths Clear (Page 11); and reports on the future of BDC under the Local Government Reorganisation plan and Little Maplestead’s Craft Fair (Page 17). On Page 32 is Part 2 of our guide to help you avoid becoming a victim of e-mail Scams and Fraud, while the longer autumn evenings will give you time to sample the Reading Recommendations (Page 17) of our new contributor, Bookworm.
And a reminder: 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 hear from you if you have stories or articles of local interest to share: send your contributions to the Editorial address (Page 31).
Cover Picture: Autumn Leaves by Steve Harris
Letter from the Reverend Beverley Vincent
Sheep and shepherds serve as significant metaphors in the Bible, with clergy frequently described as shepherds guiding their congregations. This role of shepherd was brought home to me in a literal way when a flock of sheep escaped into the churchyard at St Giles’!
One of the best-loved stories Jesus told is the parable of the lost sheep. We know it well: a shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to seek out the one who has gone astray and he rejoices when it is found. It is a picture of God’s love for each of us a love that will not let us go.
But there is another side to this story. The flock itself has a part to play. Sheep are not solitary creatures; they thrive in community. When one wanders off, the rest of the flock notices. They are incomplete until the missing one returns.
Similarly, the Church and community is incomplete when any member wanders away. Often it’s a gradual decline in involvement rather than an act of rebellion, as many distractions can slowly draw us away from what truly matters. When someone becomes less involved the entire community feels their absence; relationships may weaken and the warmth of fellowship is diminished. This reminds us how much each person truly matters and why our presence and connection are so important to the life of the whole community.
This parable is not only about the shepherd’s care but also about our responsibility as fellow sheep. We are called to look out for one another, to notice who is struggling, who has slipped to the edges, who no longer feels they belong. Sometimes it is a gentle word, a listening ear or a simple invitation back that helps someone find their place again.
In a world where loneliness is widespread and people can easily lose their footing, the witness of a caring flock is powerful. It reflects the love of the Good Shepherd himself.
Invitation to a community or church event is a great way to involve friends and neighbours. An exciting new event this month is the launch of our new Men’s Breakfast Group on 18th October (see Page 23).
So let us keep our eyes open, our hearts attentive, and our arms ready to welcome. For when even one is restored, the whole flock rejoices.
Myths, Legends and Spooky Tales
One of the most evocative descriptions of Essex is in the Rev. Sabine Baring Gould’s book Mehalah: ‘A more desolate region can scarcely be conceived and yet it is not without beauty.’ This observation is true of much of the county’s coastal saltmarsh landscape which, as a consequence, has inspired many local myths and legends. One of these – Sarah Perry’s strange tale of The Essex Serpent – was recently filmed around the River Blackwater.
A remote region, the Essex coast used to be a favourite haunt of smugglers, who found many hidden and desolate locations to safely ply their illicit trade. The proliferation of Essex ghost stories is thought to be as a result of these smugglers inventing spooky tales to scare people and prevent them from investigating too closely any unusual nefarious night time noises.
For example, the lonesome village roads and creeks around Tollsbury are supposedly the haunt of an alarming supernatural dog called Black Shuck, an enormous ghostly beast with fiery eyes which is said to roam the coastline and countryside and, for anyone that sees it, is a harbinger of bad luck at best or death at worst – enough to keep anyone away from the area at night!
Perhaps the best known ghost is that of the Roman centurion on Mersea Island who, on some October nights, marches down from the prehistoric Barrow – a burial mound on the road from East Mersea – to the causeway across the Strood Channel, on his way to Colchester. His story was popularised by Jane Pullen, a former landlady of the Peldon Rose.
She said: “He came down from the Barrow Hill, the steady tramp of feet like a soldier marching and walked with me all the way to the Strood. I could see no one, yet he was close behind me; I could have touched him. I looked back along the road in the moonlight but no one was there. I walked on until I met a man I knew well; he was trembling, shaking like a leaf. ‘I can hear him,’ he said, ‘but I can’t see any one.’ ‘Keep with me,’ I said ‘and no harm will come to you, it’s only one of those Romans out of the Barrow taking his walk’.”
Action on another island inspired a legendary Anglo-Saxon epic poem: The Battle of Maldon. It tells of a planned attack on the town in August 991 by a marauding group of Viking raiders who set up camp on Northey Island, which is only accesible by a causeway at low tide. An army of East Saxons, commanded by their leader Byrhtnoth (right), challenged the Vikings to a battle, agreeing to let them cross the causeway to fight. The ensuing combat turned in the Viking’s favour when Byrhtnoth was killed but, although victorious, they had lost so many men they could not continue their raid on Maldon.
There are many more Essex myths and legends, the bleak coastal landscape feeding fertile imaginations with much material for supernatural stories.
Local Bus Service Consultation
Essex County Council (ECC) is reviewing its support for local bus services and is asking residents to share their views via a Public Consultation that runs until Monday 27th October, focussing on services that are currently supported by Essex taxpayers and mainly operate either in rural areas or on evenings and Sundays – times when buses are less commercially viable.
Options being consulted on include:
Continuing the services as they are now
Redesigning the services to reflect how they are used
Returning some of the services to commercial operation
The two proposals for changes that will affect the four parishes are:
Proposal 1
To replace the current DaRT3 on-demand service with a timetabled service that will provide links to community hospitals in Sudbury and Halstead.
One return journey one day a week, covering the areas: Alphamstone, Ashen, Belchamp Otten, Belchamp St Paul, Belchamp Walter, Birdbrook, Borley, Foxearth, Gestingthorpe, Great Henny, Great Maplestead, Lamarsh, Little Maplestead, Little Yeldham, Middleton, Pentlow, Stambourne, Tilbury Juxta Clare, Toppesfield, Twinstead, Wickham St Paul
Five return daytime journeys per week, covering the areas: Bulmer, Bulmer Tye, Bures Hamlet, Colne Engaine, Greenstead Green, Halstead Town (Passengers unable to access conventional services), Pebmarsh, Ridgewell, White Colne (areas not served by service 88)
Proposal 2
To replace DaRT3 with a Digital Demand Responsive Transport (D-DRT) flexible public transport service operating in real-time, responding to booking requests by passengers, within a defined geographical area and time window per day (e.g. 7.00am–10.00pm). Vehicles would go to pick-up and drop-off locations confirmed as part of each booking request, enabling journeys to be shared by multiple passengers who are travelling to similar locations at similar times.
D-DRT is primarily booked via an app, which enables passengers to:
• Plan, book and pay for journeys via their smartphone
• Receive real-time updates on vehicle arrival and drop off times
• Share trips dynamically with other passengers to optimise journeys
• Seamlessly connect with commercial bus and train services via transport interchanges or urban areas
A phone line would still be available for those without smartphone access, or who prefer not to book digitally via an app.
D-DRT is supposedly best suited to rural areas where fixed route services are neither sustainable nor able to meet diverse travel needs efficiently.
Your views will be important in deciding the future of the bus service. The consultation link is: https://consultations.essex.gov.uk/iptu/braintree/ An announcement of the outcome will be made later this year.
Things
Autumn Show Report
The Autumn Show Committee would like to thank all those who took part in this year’s very successful show on September 6th – we were especially pleased to see a number of new faces.
We would also like to express our appreciation to HIMS for sponsoring the Show itself and to Radiant Beauty for sponsoring the sunflower competition. Thanks also to Jean Bowers for presenting the prizes. Jean and her husband Bill served on the Committee for many years and Jean was famous for her amazing dahlias!
Despite the long, dry summer there was a record number of entries and the judges once again commented on the high standard of exhibits.
Following the judging the Village Hall re-opened and became packed with visitors admiring the entries and enjoying the bar and refreshments, which made for a convivial social evening.
Finally the Committee would like to offer a round of applause to the residents of both villages for their support – without it there would not be a show!
We look forward to seeing everyone again at next year’s Autumn Show.
Keeping Roads and Footpaths Clear
With summer drawing to a close, Essex County Council would like to take the opportunity to remind landowners of their responsibilities for maintaining trees, hedges, ditches and other vegetation on land close to highways.
In the wetter weather and shorter days of autumn and winter, overgrown vegetation blocking or narrowing footpaths, restricting road widths and clear sightlines at corners and causing floods when ditches and drains become clogged, can impair the safety of road and footpath users.
Most trees and hedges by roads are on privately owned land. Owners can include District and Parish Councils, Housing Associations, farmers and homeowners, all of whom are responsible for maintaining the vegetation on their own land, even if it is close to a road or pavement.
All landowners have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent risk so, with the bird nesting season now over, it is time to carry out any necessary maintenance work –for example:
Cutting back overhanging branches that reduce the width of a road or pavement, restrict safe views at road junctions or block a footpath.
Cutting back overhanging branches that reduce the height or clearance of the road for tall vehicles, such as double decker school buses.
Removing or trimming damaged or diseased trees that are in danger of falling onto footpaths, roads, pavements or other public areas.
Trimming overgrown hedges that obscure road signs or streetlights.
Clearing ditches on private land to prevent flooding during heavy rain.
Councillor Tom Cunningham, ECC Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Transport, says: “It is important that all landowners maintain the vegetation on their own properties to help ensure clear visibility on our roads and footpaths for pedestrians and road users alike. We appreciate the cooperation of landowners in carrying out these essential maintenance tasks. They play a crucial role in creating a safer, greener and healthier Essex.”
This summer Essex Highways’ £25 million programme of highways maintenance, Priority One, included 582 vegetation clearances.
Two Entertaining Evenings in the Village Hall
Community News and Action
The Ebenezer Children’s Home in Uganda
Long-standing Gestingthorpe residents will recall the two concerts in the Church, performed by 1960s folk icon Julie Felix, to support this Children’s Home Orphanage; some local people went on to sponsor children.
Since then the Children’s Home has continued its invaluable work in providing accommodation and education for homeless and orphaned children. Each winter Richard Field, who instigated the concerts, continues to go out to Uganda, entirely at his own expense, to assist with construction and maintenance work. Richard, who was recently awarded the MBE for his services to charity, has also helped to build a hospital at nearby Herona, which additionally performs ‘outreach’ cataract operations.
During the last few years Richard’s sister Gill has been selling plants, jams and chutneys, in aid of both projects, from a roadside booth in Gestingthorpe (on the sharp ‘S-bend’ as you leave Gestingthorpe for Bulmer.)
Gill very gratefully reports that, this year, sales from the booth have raised £201.50 for the Children’s Home.
Additionally, the magnificent sum of £420.00 was also donated at a recent ‘Harvest Horkey’.
Gestingthorpe Goings-on
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 £3.00 (cash only).
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 10th & 24th October and 7th & 21st November
All funds raised go towards running & maintaining the Village Hall.
Gestingthorpe Defibrillators
There are two defibrillators in Gestingthorpe: one installed on the front wall of the Pheasant pub at Audley End, owned and maintained by the Pheasant assisted by the Village Defibrillator volunteer team, and the original in the old phone box near the entrance to the church.
Cardiac Response and Defibrillator
Awareness Session
Wednesday 1st October at 7.00pm in Gestingthorpe Village Hall
This two hour session will cover:
What is sudden cardiac arrest
5 minutes to save a life
Physiology of the heart
How to recognise SCA
How to dial 999
What to expect
Questions you’ll be asked
How to do CPR and why
Practical demonstration
How to use your AED (defibrillator)
Recovery position/turning a patient
Handover to the paramedics
Governance and support programme
We will also talk about the location of AEDs in the village, the Volunteer Emergency Telephone System (VETS) and the volunteer team responsible for checking that our AEDs are always operational.
This session is open to all residents of Gestingthorpe. If you would like more information, e-mail GestingthorpeAED@gmail.com.
Reports on BDC’s Future and LM’s Craft Fair
The Future of Braintree District Council
On Monday 15th September Braintree District Council debated all the suggested proposals for the reorganisation of local government in Essex.
Under Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), all 15 existing local authorities across Greater Essex are due to be abolished by 2028, to create fewer, larger Unitary Councils.
While every Council in Essex is united in recognising LGR as the right way forward for the future, four alternative proposals have been suggested for how best to deliver it.
The Leader of BDC will have looked at the four possible options as they affect Braintree District and carefully reviewed the evidence base for each proposal before deciding on his Council’s choice for the future governance of Essex
What happens next?
The four proposals developed by Greater Essex Councils had to be submitted to the Government by 26th September. A public consultation will follow in the autumn, when residents and communities will be able to have their say. Central Government’s final decision is due to be announced in March 2026.
How
to find out more
The Greater Essex LGR website will carry the latest information/updates.
Craft Fair at Little Maplestead Church
Saturday 13th September was blustery but, when the sun shone, it was lovely and warm. The Fair went very well, with a great mixture of stalls: bags, scarves, beauty products and treatments to be booked, handicrafts, stained glass, ceramics and many more.
‘History Corner’ was full of information about our lovely church, with a stunning scale model on display and books about the village.
The tea stall was a roaring success, with sweet and savoury delights on offer, which everybody really enjoyed. The event concluded with the inevitable raffle, featuring unique prizes.
Grateful thanks to the wonderful team who support us at every event – you know who you are and your efforts are much appreciated.
Thanks also to everyone who made the time to come and support this event which would not be successful without you! We raised around £1000 for much needed church funds.
Jane Stone
Gardening Corner
October is a month when we can make a start tidying up areas in the garden. It hoefully heralds a mild few weeks before the daylight hours shorten dramatically when the clocks go back.
After the blisteringly hot summer we have experienced this year, lawns could benefit from raking and aerating to ensure good drainage before the wet weather really sets in. Some areas may need reseeding or, for a more immediate effect, replacing with turf.
Bulbs can now be planted – there is such a comprehensive range in most garden centres and even supermarkets seem to stock a reasonable selection. If you are planting in the garden, dig a hole twice the depth of the bulb, plus an inch or so. For planting in pots I would suggest first placing crocks [broken shards of old terracotta pots] at the bottom of the container for drainage. My own preference is a mixture of peat-free compost, John Innes No. 3, with a handful or more (depending on the size of your pot or trough) of horticultural grit, again, for drainage. With the crocks and grit you are ensuring water can get out as well as in – nothing rots bulbs quicker than sitting in a saturated mess.
A recommended plant this month is the perennial Rudbeckia. Their yellow flowers can last until we have the first November frosts and they complement grasses quite well. Other summer flowering bulbs to plant for next year, Agapanthus or Lily of the Nile, are best planted in pots, as they like their roots to be restricted and do need winter protection. If there is severe winter weather, put them into a cold greenhouse, shed or garage.
In the vegetable garden prepare the ground for garlic which, can be planted next month, and ensure brassicas are staked and netted. I would leave any digging until the end of November otherwise, if the weather remains mild, weeds will continue to grow.
Lastly, as we are move into the darker evenings, it’s time to check your outside lights are working – there is nothing worse than coming in after an outing and fumbling for door keys in the dark. I know my dawn till dusk light over the front door has been well worth the investment.
Enjoy your plot
The Arborist
Reading Recommendations…
by The Bookworm.
The choice of books to read for pleasure is a personal one and I would like to share with you just two of my recent favourites:
THE WOMEN: Kristin Hannah
At school in the early 1970s, the Vietnam War featured almost daily through reports from newspapers and TV news; contemporary international history was a special subject on my History A-Level course and so I studied these reports in detail. Many people did not believe that women played any part in this war. The book addresses this omission and, although it is a work of fiction, it covers many actual events of the war.
The central character, Frankie McGrath, is a young woman from a wealthy family who enlists as a nurse in the Vietnam War after her older brother is killed in action. She leaves her comfortable life in California to serve in a war-ravaged country working under dangerous conditions. When she returns, the atmosphere in America is hostile to veterans, dismissive of women's contributions in the war and she struggles to re-assimilate.
For the Book Worm this was a compulsive read, which kept me up late at night and intruded on my dreams. Apparently, it is soon to be a ‘major feature film’.
THE VARIOUS HAUNTS OF MEN: Susan Hill
This is the first in a series of 12 crime novels featuring the charismatic Police Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler. It is well plotted with engaging characters and, if you enjoy this one, then you will most probably want to read all 12!! It is the type of crime series that you can dip into every now and then, perfect for a winter evening by the log burner, with a glass a wine to hand.
The Plot: Policewoman Freya Graffham and Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler are given the task of unravelling a local mystery. A woman has vanished in the fog up on a hill outside Lafferton. The police have one lead – a pair of expensive cufflinks found in her flat, with a mysterious note attached to them. Then a young girl, an old man and even a dog disappear in quick succession and in exactly the same place…….the hunt is on!
The Daily Mail decided: ‘This is a gripping whodunit and a subtle study of the mind of a psychopath'.
Things to Get Involved With…
Forthcoming Local Events
Hedingham Heritage Society
The two autumn meetings coming up focus on the rich regional and local history of our area:
Thursday 2nd October: ‘Tudor Royal Visits’ . Jan Cole
- Local Historian/Author – will be talking about the visits of Henry VII, Elizabeth of York and Margaret Beaufort to Hedingham in the 16thC. Henry VIII and Elizabeth I feature in the story too.
7.30pm – Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall
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
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
Cost of Living – Residents’ Survey
How is the rising cost of living affecting your life?
Braintree District Council knows that the rising cost of living continues to affect many people across the community in different ways. Whether it’s the price of food, energy bills, housing costs or access to essential services, these pressures can have a real impact on everyday life.
BDC wants to hear directly from its residents - your experiences matter and, by completing this short survey, you’ll help the Council to:
Understand how the rising cost of living is continuing to affect people locally
Identify where support is most needed
Shape future services and initiatives to better meet community needs
The survey is completely anonymous and should take around 15 minutes to complete. The responses will help BDC build a clearer picture of the challenges residents are facing and how it can respond more effectively.
To complete the survey online, simply scan the QR code or visit: www.braintree.gov.uk/xfp/form/727
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 dates for the next two issues 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.
SCAMS AND FRAUD AWARENESS (Part 2)
The Essex Police Fraud Awareness team have provided Parish News with details of the many and varied scams currently doing the rounds to which people across the county are unfortunately still becoming victim. In Part 2 of this series we cover more of the most common:
Distraction Theft: Over the summer there have been a series of these type of incidents involving an organised group targeting various town centres. The group appear to be monitoring people using banks and ATMs, then following them and using distraction methods to steal their money. The group is believed to consist of one female and several males. Be very aware of who is around you or near to you when withdrawing money from inside or outside of any bank or Building society. The most prevalent distraction method involves spilling a substance on your clothing and using the resulting confusion to steal your money. Another tactic is to follow you to your car, tell you there is a nail in the tyre, then proceed to steal from you as you check the wheel.
Fake Amazon e-mails: These purport to be about an Amazon Prime Subscription and, in an attempt to appear legitimate, have been sent to existing customers whose details have been gained from other sources. Do not click on any links in e-mails appearing to come from Amazon. If you have concerns, sign into your account using your mobile app, or go to Amazon.co.uk and sign in directly to check for payments or send any messages to Amazon. Any messages legitimately sent to you from Amazon will be in your account’s message centre.
Fake Weather Payment e-mails: This scam is still doing the rounds from last winter and will doubtless become more prevalent as this winter approaches. Thousands of suspicious e-mails relating to winter fuel payments and other winter support schemes have been received, playing on the uncertainty caused by the Government’s U-turn on such payments earlier in the year. The e-mails, seemingly coming from various Government agencies, instruct the recipient to make a claim, using an enclosed link; this takes you to a realistic looking website, controlled by the criminals, where your personal and financial information will be stolen.
Remember: The police will never ask you over the phone for any personal details; never ask you to withdraw money to be collected and then reimbursed; never call to say they are investigating a staff member of your bank; never ask you to transfer money to a ‘safe account’ and never call you to ask for your bank account or credit card details.
NEVER click on any links contained in e-mails seemingly sent from reputable organisations. Instead, go to their official website to check or confirm whether the e-mail ‘offers’ are genuine or otherwise. DO NOT use any telephone numbers in the e-mails either – these are likely being monitored and answered by the criminal e-mail senders.
If you need any help or other information about scams and fraud awareness contact: Terrie Johnson PCSO 8143 [terrie.johnson@essex.police.uk], Braintree Neighbourhood Policing Team
