The Epping-Eppingen Association

The Association is a town twinning between Epping and the splendid medieval town of Eppingen which is set in the beautiful region of Baden Wurtenburg in Southern Germany. The centre of the town boasts some fabulous timber framed buildings. The town is surrounded by rolling countryside and many of the hillsides are covered with grapevines.

The principal aim of the association is to promote friendship between the two towns. Each year exchange visits take place and over the years many long term friendships have been established.

There has never been a better time to join the Association. After a number of disappointments over the past year, when we were unable to follow our normal programme of events we shall be entering 2022 with optimism and enthusiasm determined to make up for lost time.

The town of Eppingen had planned a wonderful garden show for this year which unfortunately had to be postponed until 2022. The show wishes to welcome visitors from the whole region and will run from May to October. The Association is planning to visit from July 8th to 11th July. The visit will also coincide with the Heimattage festival which is held in Eppingen every 10 years. Heimat means home so many people return to the town to celebrate their connection with it. Therefore put the dates in your diary; it will be a weekend not to be missed.

There is another important event next year which we will be celebrating.

We have been twinned with Eppingen for forty years and throughout the Association has been very active. A celebration had been planned for October but because of difficulties with travel we have postponed it to next year. We will welcome German friends and guests to an entertaining weekend so please put the 29th and 30th October 2022 in your diaries.

Apart from these two important events the association will run a number of other social occasions. The Kaffee and Kuchen (coffee and cake) afternoons are always popular and we shall be repeating these. We shall also be having supper evenings and a quiz so look out for information about these. The association also hopes to continue to be involved with the town show and the Christmas tree festival at St Johns. In 2023 we hope to resume our language and cultural courses. These have taken place on alternate years in Germany or here in Epping.

A small membership fee of £5 per family is all one pays for membership so get involved. I must emphasise there is no need to speak German however there are ample opportunities to do so if you wish to join a language course or on visits to Eppingen. We are looking forward to hearing from you. Please get involved ring Joy 01279 428622.

St John’s Church Christmas Tree Festival

Town Mayor Councillor Michael Wright will be opening this year’s Christmas Tree Festival at 1pm on Friday 3rd December 2021. There will be a fantastic display of over 70 beautifully decorated trees in the Church prepared by a range of schools, clubs, businesses, societies and local individuals. There will also be craft stalls, tombola, lucky dip and refreshments along with entertainment from children’s groups and other community groups throughout the weekend. So come along and enjoy the spirit of Christmas and see the dazzling display of decorated Christmas trees whilst enjoying a hot drink (including mulled wine) and homemade cake. What a truly wonderful way to start the Christmas season.

Opening Hours:

Friday 3rd: 1:00pm to 8:00pm

Saturday 4th 10:00am to 5:00pm

Sunday 5th 11.30pm to 4:00pm

Monday 6th 10:00am to 2:00pm

Free entry for young people up to 16 years accompanied by an adult. Students (16+) £1 with a student ID card. Adults £3.

You can always be sure of a warm welcome at St John the Baptist Church, St Johns Road, Epping CM16 5DN.

Please note that we will follow whatever the advice is at the time in relation to any Covid-19 restrictions.

Epping Garden Yoga event

Epping Open Garden held a yoga afternoon in aid of St Clare’s Hospice on Saturday 21st August. It was felt that this year we could not host open gardens due to Covid 19 so instead we held a garden yoga afternoon with two local yoga teachers Christ Brotherton of Epping Yoga and Lucinda Harvey of Live Happy Yoga. Both teachers gave their time to lead four one-hour classes in the garden of Les and Carol Burrows.

Several friends very kindly came and put up some gazebos for us so most of the people had cover (our thanks go to the people who loaned us the gazebos without these everyone would have got quite wet) it rained on and off most of the afternoon but despite this most of the people who booked turned up and participated. Everyone said how much they enjoyed their class, and it was lovely to get out and meet people again.

The event raised £2364.50 which included a raffle with many good prizes and thanks go to the people who donated these. We also had Indian Elephant themed handicrafts made by Elaine Davies which sold very well. We must also thank Hugh and Diane Pegrum for providing parking in the field opposite, Susan Axford for coordinating the event Sarah Roffey for her help on the day.

We hope that next year we will resume our Open Garden event along with a classic car show, which we have pencilled in for Monday 30th May, parking will be at Shaftesbury Farm, Lindsey Street where some classic cars will be. Please save the date and help us raise money for St Clare’s Hospice and a Dementia charity.

Five easy ways to reduce your risk of falls

Are you worried about falls? Either for your self or older relatives? As we come into autumn and winter, with slippery pavements from fallen leaves, wet weather and ice, it can feel like a vulnerable time to be out and about.

According to Age UK, falls are a big worry for older adults, with 36% saying it tops their list of concerns. The NHS says that around 1 in 3 adults over 65 will have a fall each year and following a year of lockdowns, it's understandable that many more vulnerable adults will have been less active and perhaps even more fearful. In our Active Ageing Pilates classes we’ve recently been looking into fall prevention and exercises to help reduce the risk. Staying active, maintaining a healthy muscle mass and cognitive function, staying mobile and working on coordination are all really important ways of reducing your fall risk as you get older.

If you can’t get to a specific active-ageing class, here are some easy things you can incorporate into daily life, which are an action plan against falls.

Take longer strides when you walk. It’s important to notice if you start to shuffle. This could be an indicator that you’re losing mobility in your ankles and muscle mass in your legs. Taking longer strides is important for leg strength and healthy joint movement.

Practice balancing at home. Balance isn’t just a thing you have, it’s something you need to work on. Try standing on one leg at home whilst you’re washing up or on the phone. Gradually build up the length of time you’re balancing or try closing your eyes for a challenge.

Build your bottom! Squats are a fantastic exercise but people can be wary of knees or hips. A great way to include leg and bottom strength into every day life is to make sure you get out from chairs without using your hands. Stand up using your legs and bottom.

Work on your coordination, not just fine motor skills but the big ones that are going to help you right yourself if you trip. Try brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand. Try tennis or bowls for a fun way of working on your coordination in a sociable way.

Find an expert. Joining a fitness or Pilates class with an expert who understands the needs of an older body can really help keep you feeling young and confident. Remember something is always better than nothing. Yes, you can join in any exercise class but if you’re one of the 36% worried about falls, then find an expert you can trust to keep you active and confident.

Trips may happen but I’d love to think that you'd be able to right yourself by taking on a few of these tips. If you'd like any advice please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Karen is a Pilates teacher and co-directs Fit School in Epping with husband Chris. She writes regularly for national publications on exercise for older adults. Karen has two specialist classes for older adults every week as well as online classes. www.fit-school.co.uk/activeageingpilates

Epping Christmas Market: Sat 4th December

The annual popular outdoor Epping Christmas Market is being planned to take place Saturday, 4th December from 10am to 4pm this year. As the Covid-19 situation continues and will still be with us by then, there will still be social distancing and Covid-19 precautions in place.

The Town Council like to hold this event to mark the celebration of Christmas for residents and to help local businesses.

There will be a wide selection of festive themed merchandise, so an ideal time to do some Christmas shopping. There will be carol singing by our local school children, music, a range of food and drinks and more. We have heard Santa will be joining us in the grotto at Epping Fire Station. Santa’s reindeers will be also making an appearance in the Market Garden terrace community garden beside Marks & Spencer.

Also that weekend, there will be a wonderful array of Christmas trees in St John’s Church as part of their festival. Epping Town Council will again be lighting up the trees on the High Street in time for the festive season including having the annual central 25ft Christmas tree on the ‘piazza.’

There will be limited free car parking in Cottis Lane car park courtesy of Epping Forest District Council.

Epping Neighbourhood Plan

Epping’s Neighbourhood Plan is being modified, following the changes that have been made to Epping Forest District Council’s Local Plan. Epping’s Neighbourhood Plan has to be in broad conformity to the Local Plan, but full of details that are specific to Epping. The Plan is being worked on by a Committee of Town Councillors and residents. All meetings are open to the public. Contact: info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk for more details.

Epping in Bloom Award

Epping in Bloom are all feeling really proud and honoured to have been presented with the Banksian medal. They were voted for unanimously by members of the Epping Horticultural Society committee, for all the voluntary work they have done to keep the Market Garden Terrace community garden looking its best during the lockdown period for all to enjoy.

Epping Town Mayor Cllr Michael Wright presented us with the award on behalf of Epping Horticultural Society and he gave his personal thank you to us for our hard work, saying what an asset the garden is to our town and how much he enjoys seeing people enjoying the garden space.