Parish News - April 2024

News

Parish

Great Maplestead, Little Maplestead, Pebmarsh and Gestingthorpe

Church and Community together

April 2024

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Useful Village Contacts Parish Clerks Gt Maplestead Lt Maplestead Pebmarsh Gestingthorpe

Ann Crisp Paula Sillett Shelley Boydell Kevin B Money

01787 460 216 07975 571 253 07927 775 989 07810 781 509

Village Halls Gt Maplestead Pebmarsh Gestingthorpe

Liz Newton Kelly Thompson Steve Bagby

01787 461 308 lizatlucking@hotmail.com 07919 897 592 pebmarshvillagehall@gmail.com 07840 367 182

Footpaths Gt Maplestead Lt Maplestead Pebmarsh Gestingthorpe

Steve Harris Geraldine Holloway Michael Sharp Penny Bagby

01787 462 818 01787 476 530 07725 909 986 07840 367 172

steveharris@greatmaplesteadpc.co.uk geraldineholloway2017@gmail.com michael@broomhills-farm.co.uk pbagby1@gmail.com

Gt Maplestead Task Force Playing Field Carpet Bowls Autumn Show Book Club

Dave Pike Joe Newton Janice Chaplin Carol Brownlie Alison Cantor

07885 788 855 01787 461 308 01787 469 600 01787 461 527 01787 462 537

davepike@greatmaplsteadpc.co.uk joenewton@greatmaplesteadpc.co.uk bobandjanicechaplin@btinternet.com carolbrownlie@gmail.com acantor56@outlook.com

Carol Parker Pauline Andow Sandra Beaney Pauline Andow Jim Crayston

01787 269 996 taximother@googlemail.com 01787 228 790 01787 222 220 01787 228 790 01787 222 241 jim@craystonfarms.co.uk

Nick Duncan Valerie Fullman Chris Ponty Penny Bagby

01787 313 558 01787 462 755 07494 883 632 07840 367 172 pbagby1@gmail.com 01787 236 007 angeladavis99@outlook.com 01787 460 181 jean.bowers@wea.ac.uk 01787 461 527 carolbrownlie@gmail.com

Benefice Choir Scouts Guides

Angela Davis Jean Bowers Carol Brownlie Margaret Crudgington Gill Peskett Stuart Carter Kathy Hoy

Neighbourhood Watch Gt Maplestead Lt Maplestead Gestingthorpe

Ian Johnson Bill Piper Helen Skerratt

01787 461 109 i.johnson057@btinternet.com 01787 473 933 billpiper204@gmail.com 01787 237 297 helenskerratt@gmail.com

Parish News Representatives Gt Maplestead Lt Maplestead Pebmarsh Gestingthorpe

Ann Harris Jenny Bishop Luke Brown Penny Bagby

01787 462 818 07906 083 999 07919 375 341 07840 367 172

Pebmarsh Youth Club Ladies Club Card Making Carpet Bowls Gestingthorpe Village Amenities Tower Bell Ringing

Cricket Club Book Club All Villages Maple Leaves WEA Knitting Group Handbell Ringing

anncrisp@greatmaplesteadpc.co.uk littlemaplesteadparishclerk@gmail.com pebmarshparishclerk@gmail.com gestingthorpepc@gmail.com

01787 476 259 01787 462 786 gillpeskett43@gmail.com 01787 461 149 01787 280 200

ann66harris@gmail.com jennyarchitect@icloud.com lhwbrown@hotmail.co.uk pbagby1@gmail.com

Editorial This, the third edition of our new-look Parish News, contains a first – an advertorial (sponsored article) by one of our local businesses.

Willows Hair Gosfield is the first company to have opted to buy a oneoff advertorial page to promote their business: it has allowed them to convey more information about their salon and range of services they offer than could be put in a regular display advertisement.

Taking an advertorial in a future edition of Parish News may prove to be a suitable and effective way of promoting your business. Please contact our Advertising Co-ordinator (see Page 29) for more information.

This month sees the launch of a new series: articles featuring fascinating facts about famous or interesting people from each parish (see Page 5). If you have a suitable story to share, please e-mail it as a Word document of about 400 words, to either your Parish Representative, who is listed on the Inside Front Cover or to the editorial address on Page 29.

We are also looking for photographs that we can credit and use for future front covers. We would prefer ones that depict either local scenes (please identify the location) or have an appropriate seasonal theme and are suitable for cropping into a 1:1.3 landscape format. Please e-mail your pictures directly to the editorial address.

So, get writing and snapping!

Cover Picture of Bluebells in Chestnut Grove: Steve Harris

Proposed Mobile Phone Mast at Little Lodge Farm Update (11 March 2024) REFTEL Communications' appeal to the Secretary of State regarding Braintree District Council's refusal to grant prior permission for a planning application for a Mobile Phone mast installation near Little Lodge Farm has been dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate.

The reasons for dismissal are that the siting and appearance of the proposed installation would detract from the rural and undeveloped character of the land surrounding the Grade II-listed Little Lodge Farm and the collection of Grade II-listed buildings at Little Maplestead Hall, causing harm to their significance as designated heritage assets.

The Inspector also felt there was a lack of "clear and comprehensive evidence" to justify why none of the 12 alternative potential sites the company had identified were suitable, given that at least one of these – Monks Lodge Farm – has similar merit to the proposed location but does not lie within the setting of a designated heritage site.

The full report is at https://greatmaplesteadpc.co.uk/latest-news/

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Letter from the Reverend Beverley Vincent As this magazine drops through your door, I wonder how much chocolate there will still be in your house.

It might seem a rather strange tradition as we celebrate God sending His Son to be human like us through chocolate eggs! But the significance is in the image of new life associated with eggs. Christians believe that Jesus lived among us, experienced life in all its joys and suffering, and that through his death and resurrection we are offered new and eternal life.

The awesomeness of Easter is in the ultimate hope that our battered and broken world can be restored, and that each of us are loved beyond all human imagining.

As you finish eating your chocolate eggs and witness new life springing up all around, be reminded that the story of Easter Sunday, of Jesus being alive, is that love triumphs over whatever difficulties we face, even over death itself. It is a great and wonderful mystery.

On a personal note, some of you will know I have recently had a knee replacement. I am most grateful for all the good wishes and prayers that I have received. I know several parishioners who are also recovering from a similar operation. My prayers and empathy are with them.

During this time of recovery, I have had quite a lot of pain, which is to be expected. This has made me reflect on those who experience chronic pain every day of their lives. I am always amazed at how courageous they are and how they find the strength and hope to face each day.

I believe the key to hope is love, being loved and giving love. Nothing exemplifies this more than the Easter story. So whatever pain, whether emotional, mental or physical you feel, whether you are a person of faith or none I pray that you find comfort and hope in what Easter symbolises.

Look around at the beauty of this season, feast on the colours and new growth springing up around you and feel the light and warmth of the sun banishing the cold and darkness of winter. Let us not only enjoy the signs of new life this month but also allow some of the sunshine into our hearts, as we build hope in others by reaching out in love.

Rev’d Beverley

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Forty years on from the miners’ strike…

In a quiet part of St Giles’ churchyard in Great Maplestead is the modest headstone of man whose colourful life is largely unknown by the majority who live here: David Hart – 'Englishman' – who died in 2011 of motor neurone disease.

In the late 1970s, Hart was involved in Conservative party politics with the Centre for Policy think–tank. He became this 'shadowy' background political figure who had the ear of Margaret Thatcher and was an advisor to Malcolm Rifkind and Michael Portillo, amongst others.

During the miners’ strike of 1984 he was an unpaid advisor to Thatcher, the National Coal Board and its chairman Ian MacGregor. Hart was a controversial figure, determined to defeat the miners and, from his suite in Claridges, was instrumental in organising and funding the anti-strike campaign in the coalfields. He actively participated to disrupt strike activity, being driven to the strike areas in his chauffeur-driven Mercedes.

It is understood he personally funded the establishment of the breakaway miners’ union, the Union of Democratic Mineworkers. It is reported that his involvement in aiding working miners extended to employing former members of the SAS to protect the families of working miners.

His life was colourful. A Libertarian, he distrusted all forms of authority and was only prepared to engage with it on his own terms. Born in 1944, he spent his early years at Dynes Hall and was sent to Eton College, from which he was expelled in his fourth year for continued insubordination.

He became a film maker, making several avant-garde films in the 1960s.

At the same time, he began to work in property, a field that made him a millionaire by the late 1960s. Living extravagantly, he bought a 2000-acre farm in Somerset, four properties in London staffed with butlers and maids, kept two mistresses, ran up vast bills for cigars and wine and travelled everywhere by helicopter.

He declared himself bankrupt in 1974, owing £960,000 by the time of the 1975 hearing, although this was discharged in 1978 after an inheritance restored his fortunes. He resumed his property business, paid off his debts and bought Chadacre, a country house near Bury St Edmunds.

There is much more that can be said about David Hart than in just my allocated 400 words and I feel I have sold him very short with this truncated piece – I would probably have needed nearer 4,000 words…

Martin Elms Sources: Tim Hart, Wikipedia, Various Obituaries

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A Couple of Community Get-Togethers Great Maplestead’s Annual Parish Assembly will be held in the Village Hall on 17th April at 7.30pm.

Whether you are new to the village or long-standing residents, this is an ideal opportunity to socialise, meet fellow parishioners, find out what is going on in the village and hear about plans for the future. Refreshments will be provided, so why not come along and say hello?

The meeting will include contributions from village institutions and organisers of various social activities and local events. St Giles’ Church and the School will be reporting on their past year’s activities. Invitations have also been extended to the Village Hall trustees, the WEA, Knitting Circle, Carpet Bowls Club, Maple Leaves and the Autumn Show Society. PCSOs John Thorne and Joanne Cooper have been invited along to discuss rural crime, while grazier William Beattie will be talking about his sheep and their local exploits.

The Parish Council will also be reporting on recent actions and its current plans and will be introducing a presentation and Q&A by Believ, its proposed supplier for an EV chargepoint located in the playing field car park in support of Essex County Council’s Electric Vehicle Charge Point Strategy.

Steve Harris – Parish Council Chairman

D-Day 80 Beacon Lighting Thursday 6th June 2024 This year sees the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in WWII and, to mark the occasion, there is going to be a coordinated nationwide beacon lighting ceremony Great Maplestead has registered to participate in this national commemoration – the schedule is as follows: 6.30pm Participation in the national ring out of bells at St Giles’ Church 7.30pm Village Hall cash bar opens 8.00pm Fish & Chip supper – provided by Howe & Co Fish Van in the Village Hall Car Park 9.15pm Beacon Lighting, together with the National Tribute in the Village Hall Car Park We’d love to hear from you if you have any family links to the D-Day events, stories or memorabilia to share. There’ll be a display in the Hall, including details of the connection of fish and chips to national events.

Please contact anncrisp@greatmaplesteadpc.co.uk or Tel: 01787 460 216

Everyone is welcome to attend!

Details of how to pre-order your fish and chip supper will be in the May edition of Parish News

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Gardening Corner I wonder if we will have any showers this April, watch this space!

It’s time to concentrate on seed sowing in the vegetable and flower garden. Herbs, including basil, parsley and chives, can be started on the kitchen or conservatory window sill. Leeks, cabbage, and runner beans should be sown in trays – pots for the latter; they will all be fine in a cold greenhouse or cold frame. If frost is forecast cover the containers with a layer of horticultural fleece. Peas can be sown outside – remember to put in some supports when sowing in the veg plot.

Lobelia, pansy and alyssum can also tolerate cool greenhouse conditions.

It’s not too late to prune back buddleia, dogwoods and lonicera hedging.

All shrubs appreciate a mulch of compost, feeding and helping with moisture retention. Pampas grass can be cut back by removing the spent stems and cutting back the grass by a half, perhaps every 3 to 4 years.

Do wear gloves as the whole plant is extremely sharp.

My plant of the month, to be set out at the end of April when the soil is warmer, is Echinacea. This perennial has several shades, from pink through to a variety called ‘White Swan’ and it fits in with a mixed border of hardy perennials. Echinacea lay dormant during the winter, then rejuvenate and flower through to October. Their clump-forming habit means they are virtually self-supporting.

Dead head daffodils now they have finished flowering. Move and divide snow drops before they die down into their planting area; if moved ‘in the green’ they will be well-established for flowering the following spring.

Bulbs grown in pots and containers can be taken out and dried ready for re-use in the autumn. Take off any seed heads to ensure the maximum amount of nutrients are absorbed back into the bulb. Ensure there are enough supports for clematis – they can easily break their green shoots if not tied in. Any plants growing on a trellis or through an obelisk will also need tying in for support.

Consider growing something with wildlife in mind: sunflowers or millet will attract a variety of garden birds. Try not to be too tidy – later in the year leave a few windfall apples, pears or other fruit on the ground as fodder for field mice, hedgehogs and blackbirds. If you have water in the garden it will be beneficial for wildlife in general, including small mammals. A pond is ideal for amphibians – and you may even attract frog spawn!

Enjoy your garden.

The Arborist.

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The Willow Playhouse On Saturday 2nd March members of Little Maplestead Parish Council met in a damp and rainy playing field to plant the willows for what will become the new playhouse.

Although the weather was a bit inclement for people it was actually the perfect conditions for the young willow whips, which need very wet ground to root into. The cuttings were supplied by Earls Colne Farm and were bought by means of a very generous donation from our Chairman, Bill Piper. Thank you very much Bill.

With luck the cuttings will root nicely (the ground was certainly wet enough!) and will grow over the summer. Once established they will be able to be woven together to form a living playhouse or shelter for the enjoyment of all park users.

The picture (right) illustrates what the playhouse will hopefully look like in a few years time. As a living structure it will continue to grow and change and it will be fascinating to watch it evolve over the seasons. We hope that it will be a valuable addition to the park for years to come, as the living willow will work to absorb some carbon and provide a natural habitat for wildlife.

Helen Went 8

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Willows Hair Gosfield Willows Hair Gosfield is a welcoming hairdressing salon where, in relaxed and comfortable surroundings, clients can be sure of receiving great treatments and advice from stylists who are continually training to improve both themselves and their skills.

Winners of the 2022 & 2023/24 Salon Spy Customer Service Award, Willows Hair offers a range of services for clients from across the Braintree area and Halstead, who can visit the salon and relax in comfort while being offered personalised hair style designs and treatments to make them feel confident, look good and be ready to face the world again.

The salon’s special relaxation room offers clients the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and unwind while their hair is shampooed using quality products that are paraben and cruelty-free.

Willows Hair stylists listen to their clients – not only while seeking to solve today’s hair challenges but also to help develop hair plans for the future, keeping their clients looking the way they want to for longer.

In addition to cutting and styling, Willows Hair’s range of services includes bespoke hair colouring, hair extensions, anti-frizz treatments and bridal hair.

Described by one guest as ‘a hidden gem’, the salon is set back from the road and overlooks open countryside. There is ample on-site parking, making arrival and departure one less thing to worry about.

Scanning the QR code allows you to visit the salon’s website and discover much more about what is on offer.

The website – www.willowshair.uk – also has links to client reviews and the salon’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

You can also contact Willows Hair by phone – 01787 460 446 – or find them at: Westmead, Hedingham Road, Gosfield, CO9 1UP.

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Changes at the Village Hall After many years of very loyal service to Pebmarsh and its community, Jonathan Nott has decided it is time to resign as Chairman of the Village Hall Committee.

At our recent meeting Jonathan, Perry Crimmins and Ian Mattingly each tendered their formal resignations and I thanked all of them for their hard work and dedication to our lovely community.

The new committee for Pebmarsh Village Hall is now: Kelly Thompson Jonathan Thompson Jenny Animashaun Charlotte Sawyer Tricia Nott Allister Burgess

Chairman and Booking Clerk Vice Chairman Treasurer Secretary Cleaner Maintenance

Our hall is very well supported, with lots of excellent regular classes being held and a good number of ad hoc hiring for parties etc.

If you would like information about any of our classes or you would like to enquire about hiring the hall at any time please call me on 07919 897 592 or email: pebmarshvillagehall@gmail.com Kelly Thompson – Chairman

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Little Owls The first owl I ever saw on our farm was a Little Owl and, at around 22cm tall, they are definitely little and quite hard to spot. From that first glimpse, and after many hours in my hide watching them, I found they had a nest in a rotten tree trunk, which is where they raised their young for many years.

Next to the tree trunk was an old piece of farm machinery which had become a favourite perch for them and the youngsters once fledged. After a while I had plenty of photos of them in trees, on machinery and peeking out of the tree trunk so I decided to be a bit more creative with my photography.

I discovered garden centres had many Little Owl-sized props and so I ended up with a collection of tea cup planters, toadstools, wicker hearts and various other items that I could use in my photos.

When the youngsters first fledge they stay close to the nest but are very inquisitive and when the props were put out they would sit in, on and around them and could be persuaded to stay a little longer in one place if meal worms were scattered around.

I watched all of this from my hide and got some amusing photos – some took just a few minutes, some took days and, being wild animals, the Little Owls did what they wanted when they wanted; I just had to wait in my hide to get the shot.

The two in the wicker heart is my all-time favourite. I attached the heart onto a wooden base, sprinkled some mealworms about and waited.

The first owl came out for a look and stood in the heart then the second joined it and then started preening the first, which made them look like they were kissing.

I never imagined I’d get a picture like that, it made my day.

Heidi Page – Oak Farm Pebmarsh 13

Notes from the Church Wardens Pebmarsh Church is finally full of flowers and Easter is here, with our Holy Week services taking place between the four churches. Information about these can be found on Page 30 of the March magazine.

We have been busy preparing for Easter and spring cleaning the church; thank you to all who have helped.

Unfortunately, with the help of our local deer population, we have a collapsed boundary wall in the graveyard at the back of the church. We are currently sorting quotations, permissions and looking for financial support to rebuild and repair the wall before any further damage occurs. I’m hopeful this will take place in late spring, along with the installation of some swift boxes and a new or refurbished notice board.

Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will be held on the 28th of April, after our 11.00am Service. We are in need of support as we currently don’t have a treasurer and Jim Crayston has decided, after 45 years of being a Church Warden, it is time he stepped down. He will remain on the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and the Deanery Synod. We would like to thank him for all he has done over the years, as he has worked tirelessly through many difficult times and has contributed so much to our church and community. He has been an incredible support to me personally in taking on the role of warden and I’m very pleased that I’m lucky enough to have been able to work alongside him. Knowing he will still be there to help is of great comfort, as his knowledge and experience is so great.

We are also looking for a twice-a-month church cleaner; further information about this paid role can be obtained from me – my details are on Page 34.

On the 20th April we are delighted to be hosting a concert organised by the Rotary Club of Halstead with the Hedingham Singers at 3.00pm: tickets are £10.00. The proceeds will be split between the church and the Rotary’s chosen charity. Our other dates for your diary are: 31st March Easter Service 10.00am 14th April Holy Communion 9.30am

Sarah Burgess – Pebmarsh Church Warden St Giles’ Church Great Maplestead – Annual Tidy-up Volunteers are needed to help with our annual churchyard tidy-up, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday 6th April, starting at 10.00am. As an incentive, there will be teas, coffees, coffee & walnut cake and chocolate brownies available at the half-time break…

Please bring a selection of rakes, loppers, shovels and wheelbarrows to help make the task as easy as possible. If you are happy to volunteer, please let us know – our contact details are on Page 34.

Denise O’Connell/Paula Sillett Great Maplestead Church Wardens 14

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Nature Notes This winter has been very warm and very wet. On the 6th of January down at Hull’s Mill the depth of the River Colne at the mill was six feet. This had led to extensive flooding into surrounding fields, and I was amazed to spot six Mandarin ducks and four Little Egrets enjoying the new lakes. The ducks were swimming serenely among trees that were in the flood. This was only the third sighting of these beautiful ducks on the patch, the last being a pair in a flooded field in March 2023.

Another flood event occurred on Alderford road on the 18th of February. Water was pouring out of a field onto the road when what looked like piece of wood suddenly sprang into life and began swimming frantically for the bank. After several unsuccessful circuits, by which time I had realised it was a mole (right), it reached safety and rapidly disappeared into the very wet soil of the bank.

Flooding must have a severe toll on small creatures that live on and below the surface. A little further up the road an early sign of spring was a small clump of sweet violets, Viola odorata, an early-flowering perennial and joy to behold.

On February 16th spring was in the air, the temperature was a balmy 12 degrees and birdsong was everywhere. Skylarks were up, Goldcrests were zee-zeeing from pines and Great Spotted Woodpeckers could be heard drumming. It certainly lifts the spirits, but it was about to get better. A small group of tits on the verge of Dynes Hall Road contained a single Marsh Tit (left) and, soon after, a distinctive call revealed a second bird nearby. This is a scarce bird in our area; I have only ever seen singles and only a few times. A pair bred in a wood in Gestingthorpe a few years ago, so it would be nice to think this pair might do the same.

Ravens have become a regular sight in our area over the past few years.

There was a pair flew over as I walked down Devil’s Lane on March 4th.

Their deep croaking call draws attention to these massive, buzzard-sized members of the crow family.

Another bird that has only recently become common around here is the Red Kite. These beautiful raptors are normally solitary but do sometimes gather into groups and also roost communally; a group of eight birds circling and interacting late one afternoon were presumably heading to a roost nearby. A few years ago this would have been a sight only enjoyed on a holiday abroad to somewhere like Spain.

Patch Patroller 17

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If Music be the Food…

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Talking/Books Gestingthorpe ‘Gathering’ Coffee Mornings Come and join us in the Village Hall and have an enjoyable time chatting with friends over a hot drink and delicious cakes.

We would love to see you and we guarantee a warm welcome and lovely home baked cakes accompanied by a steaming cup of tea or coffee.

If you haven’t yet been to a coffee morning, please come along.

Our coffee mornings during April and May will be held from 10.00am to 12 noon April : on the Fridays of the 5th and 19th May : on the Fridays of the 3rd, 17th and 31st Funds raised go towards the upkeep and running of our Village Hall.

First Tuesday Book Club and Book Exchange The Gestingthorpe Book Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month in the Village Hall. Our meetings are very informal with lots of chat, laughs, wine & nibbles.

We are currently reading Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. If you would like to join us, our next meeting is Tuesday 9th April @ 7.30pm.

The Book Exchange will be open on 5th & 19th April 10.00am to 12 noon.

The bookcase is located next to the big window in the small hall. Bring a book to swap or buy a book for £1.

All proceeds to the Village Hall Funds Contact Penny pbagby1@gmail.com or 07840 367 172 for further details.

Gestingthorpe Grill The first Gestingthorpe Grill of the year was held in the courtyard of the Village Hall on Saturday 2nd March. Despite the rain, Steve managed to keep his tongs dry and served up delicious bacon rolls to the hordes of hungry Fun, Fit, Fabbers who had just completed their work-out on the Village Green, along with many others who turned up attracted by the smell of sizzling bacon.

Our next grill will be on 20th April from 9.45am (see ad opposite) 21

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Question Time

“THANK YOU” FOR TAKING THE LEAP… The Maplesteads’ Autumn Show Committee would like to thank all those who came to our Gardeners’ Question Time on February 29th.

The evening was presented by our own gardening guru Charles Soule together with his green-fingered colleague Denise O’Connell, whose presentations were both very interesting and informative.

Charles gave tips on planting, pruning and much more and was kept very busy answering the many questions that the audience asked him.

Denise spoke about flower arranging and explained how we can make our floral arrangements using chicken wire or moss now that the use of floral foam is being discouraged.

The Committee hope that the evening will encourage more people to enter this year’s Autumn Show, which will be held in September. The date and more details will be announced in next month’s Parish News.

For more information about the Autumn Show please contact Carol Brownlie on 01787 461 527 or e-mail carolbrownlie@gmail.com

Wordspacing – why is it important?

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Recycling Centre Bookings A booking process trialled across recycling centres managed by Essex County Council has been made permanent following positive feedback from residents.

The decision follows a six-week public consultation that saw over 18,000 responses. An independent analysis showed 58% of respondents were in favour of keeping the booking process for cars, while 72% were in favour of keeping it for vans and large vehicles.

The process was trialled at nine van-friendly sites in February 2022 before being extended to all recycling centres managed by ECC in March 2023.

Councillor Peter Schwier, Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment, Waste Reduction and Recycling, said: “Efficient waste services play an important role in increasing recycling and reducing waste. The booking process was introduced to smooth service demand throughout the day.

Incidents of congestion and queuing have reduced since the trial started.

This has made our sites safer and more efficient.”

The on-line booking system allows residents to choose a recycling centre and a 15-minute time slot for their visit – a calendar for the selected centre shows the times available each day in green.

A confirmation e-mail will be sent once a booking is made and this must be brought along, together with proof of address, in order to access the centre. The system restricts the use of ECC recycling centres specifically to Essex residents.

Bookings can be made up to six weeks in advance and they close 15 minutes before the scheduled time. If a booked time slot is missed, another booking must be made. Residents are expected to restrict their recycling visits to once a week but this is not enforced by the system…

A full evaluation of the booking trial is available at https://consultations.essex.gov.uk/rci/essex-recycling-centre-vehiclebookings/ To find out more information, or to book a time slot at your local recycling centre, visit www.loveessex.org/bookings

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Exercising Mind and Body Hedingham Heritage Society Thursday 4th April ‘The Cuckoo Comes in April’. Drew Lyness from the British Trust for Ornithology will be telling us more about some of the amazing facts and the latest BTO scientific research on bird migration, particularly about the cuckoo but also the other migratory bird visitors that you may soon see in your garden.

7.30pm – Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall

Sunday 28th April Also this month, join us for a ‘Members Only’ spring visit and flora and fauna walk around Hill Farm, Gestingthorpe with Ashley Cooper and EWT wild flower recorder, Sheila Bareham.

Meet 2.00pm at Hill Farm, Gestingthorpe CO9 3BL Do join our local and natural history society.

Annual membership for 2024 is £15.

Members come free for all walks and talks : Non-Members - £5. Everybody is Welcome.

Contacts: Rob: 01787 460 664 : Trudi: 01787 462 889 : Peter: 01787 469 953 E-mail: hedinghamheritage@gmail.com or visit www.hedinghamheritage.org.uk

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Points to Ponder:  English is a funny language: which of the two e's in the word bee is silent? And which part of the word queue is silent?  Do twins ever realize that one of them was unplanned?

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Parish News Information Advertising/Announcements/Articles The 2024 Parish News Business Advertising Rates for the year (10 issues, pro-rated as applicable) and for monthly single issues are shown below, along with copy deadline dates for each of the remaining 7 issues.

Articles Please submit by e-mail, preferably as a Word document attachment with separate images: ½ page: 150-160 words Full page: 400-420 words

Contacts: Advertising Editorial

Ann Harris Parish News Team

ann66harris@gmail.com parishnewsmaplestead@gmail.com

The Parish Representatives, to whom articles and event announcement submissions should be sent, are listed on the Inside Front Cover.

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Mothering Sunday Service/Taketime Together This year, the Benefice’s Mothering Sunday service was held at Little Maplestead and was very different. We were missing Beverley, who is on sick leave, but we had the new Archdeacon, Kate Peacock, to conduct the service. She enjoyed visiting our tiny church and her talk was wide ranging and gave much food for thought.

We had over 30 people attend and the service was really lovely. Cynthia and Enid provided beautiful posies to give out to mothers and tea and cake was enjoyed afterwards. Thanks to Jane Boulden for ably assisting and Allan for working so hard to get the church spick and span.

Taketime Together The first meditation will take place at 4.00pm on Sunday 28th April in Little Maplestead Church. meditation typically has three parts: the first is a 20 minute meditation.

The meditations are based on Bible passages; they enable you to enter into the stories imaginatively – and give you an opportunity to speak to – and to listen to Jesus.

This is a simple and effective way of praying, attributed to St Ignatius.

Many people find meditating in this way therapeutic and transformational.

The second part is shared refreshments of tea, coffee or a soft drink and cake and a chance to chat with others informally.

The third part is a chance to share with, or simply listen to other group members’ experience of the meditation. There is no requirement to share.

Thousands of people from 5 to 95 describe how these meditations have brought them peace, hope, a feeling of being loved, a sense of belonging, relief from anxiety and depression and the ability to sleep better.

For some these sessions are just relaxing, for others they can be lifechanging and for some the experience of has developed into a desire to explore faith with others in a group.

Do come!

Jane Piper 31

Please Support our Local Businesses

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Please Support our Local Businesses

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The Four Parishes Benefice The Vicar: The Reverend Beverley Vincent The Rectory Church Street Great Maplestead Halstead, C09 2RG khvicar@gmail.com

07944 200 132 01787 460 273

The Churchwardens: Great Maplestead Paula Sillett 07975 571 253 Denise O’Connell 07795 170 048

sillett92@gmail.com niciedenise@gmail.com

Little Maplestead Gestingthorpe Alice Nolda Peter Nice

01787 469 688 01787 460 126

peter.427nice@btinternet.com

Pebmarsh Jim Crayston Sarah Burgess

07957 870 340 01787 269 092

jim@craystonfarms.co.uk sarahburgess@btinternet.com

Church Services in April

10.00am

Holy Communion Halstead Area Team Service

Gestingthorpe

Sunday 14

9.30am 10.00am 11.00am

Holy Communion Café Church Holy Communion

Pebmarsh Great Maplestead Gestingthorpe

Sunday 21st

10.00am

Benefice Holy Communion

Little Maplestead

Wednesday 24th

10.00am

Holy Communion

Gestingthorpe

Sunday 28th

9.30am 11.00am 4.00pm 4.00pm

Holy Communion Morning Worship Taketime Together Compline

Great Maplestead Pebmarsh Little Maplestead Gestingthorpe

Sunday 7

th

th

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Please Support our Local Businesses