Local Lynx Issue 74 - October/November 2010

BALE - BINHAM - COCKTHORPE - FIELD DALLING GUNTHORPE - LANGHAM - MORSTON SAXLINGHAM - SHARRINGTON - STIFFKEY

NEWS FROM OUR VILLAGES

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2010

ISSUE 74

Ken Bartlett

 Read Local Lynx on-line at: www.locallynx.co.uk 

WHAT’S ON in our ten villages October 2 Sat. Langham F.O.L. Coffee a.m. Parish Room 3 Sun. Langham Harvest Thanksgiving & Lunch 10.30am 4 Mon. Binham Chequers Qiz Night 7.30pm 7 Thurs. Langham Mobile Library 8 Fri. Binham Friends Priory visit 8 Fri. Binham Village Hall Cashmere Sale 10-6pm 9 Sat. Binham Village Hall Cashmere Sale 9-1pm 10 Sun. Field Dalling Harvest Festival St Andrew’s Church 13 Wed. Langham Ladybirds ‘Whin Hill Cider’7.30pm 15 Fri. Binham Priory Singing Group Concert 7.30pm 15 Fri. Sharrington Society Film Event 7.30pm 16 Sat. Morston Shovell Dinner 6.30pm The Anchor 20 Wed. Langham F.O.L. Coffee a.m. Parish Room 20 Wed. Stiffkey Music Evening time tbc 21 Thurs. Binham Harvest Supper 23 Sat. Field Dalling Harvest Supper 23 Sat. Gunthorpe Harvest Supper 7pm Village Institute 28 Thurs. Binham Local History Group meeting 7.30pm 28 Thurs Langham Mobile Library

- is a non-profit-making community newspaper, run for the benefit of ten villages.

We warmly welcome drawings, articles and letters for publication, but must reserve the right to edit or exclude items. The items published do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or the village representatives.

For information about submitting items for publication, or if you want to help in any other way, please contact your village representative, through whom all village news must be submitted.

For general information please send a message to our email address:

lynxeditor@pobox.com PLEASE NOTE DEADLINE DATE COPY FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY ISSUE REQUIRED BY NOON ON 8th NOV.

November 1 Mon. Binham Chequers Quiz Night 7.30pm 6 Sat. Binham Village Hall Papworth Hosp Benefit 8pm 6 Sat. Langham F.O.L. Coffee a.m. Parish Room 12 Fri. Binham Poppy Coffee Morning 10-12pm 14 Sun. Binham F.O.B. Priory concert 7pm 17 Wed. Langham F.O.L. Coffee a.m. Parish Room 17 Wed. Saxlingham Pampered Chef Cooking Show 7.15pm 18 Thurs Langham Mobile Library 18 Thurs. Binham Open Circle meeting 7.15pm 18 Thurs. Stiffkey Local History Group AGM 7.30pm 24 Wed. Langham Ladybirds ‘Celebrations Past’ 7.30pm 25 Thurs. Binham History Group Village Hall 7.30pm 27 Sat. Binham Village Hall Christmas Market 9.30-3pm 27 Sat. Langham Christmas Fair 10-12pm Parish Room 28 Sun. Field Dalling Patronal Festival Evensong 6.30pm

CONTACT FOR ADVERTISERS For enquiries about advertising in Local Lynx, please contact Maxine Burlingham tel: 01328-830375 email: maxine@mjbhotels.com Rates for advertising (pre-paid) are: One column x 62 mm (1/8 page): £72 for six issues.

Small Ads Panel on the back page: Available for individuals and businesses providing local services. Cost: £36 for six issues.

DISTRIBUTION CONTACT: For all enquiries or offers to help, please contact: Rita White, tel: 01328 830821

Regulars Mondays Langham Keep Fit 10 -11.30am Parish Room Tuesdays Binham Guild of Artists 10-12 Village Hall Tuesdays Binham NIA classes 7.30-8.30pm 3rd Thursday Binham Open Circle meeting 1st Monday Binham Quiz Night

BLAKENEY CATHOLIC CHURCH BACK LANE BLAKENEY Father Michael Simison, 12 Hindringham Road Gt. Walsingham, Norfolk Tel: 01328 821 353

DEANERY NEWS

PRIEST IN RESIDENCE

The next meeting of the Deanery Synod is on Thursday 21st. October 2010 7.15pm for 7.30pm in Holt Parish Church Hall. At this meeting there will be an opportunity to meet Simon Fenn – the newly appointed Holt Deanery Children’s, Youth & Family Missioner and discuss the Church’s commitment to his work.

Father William Wells (the house behind the church)

SERVICE TIMES Mass for Sunday Vigil Mass: Sunday Mass:

Saturday 6.00pm.

11.00am.

BLAKENEY METHODIST CHURCH HIGH STREET BLAKENEY Minister: The Reverend David Greenaway, 8 St. Andrew’s Close Holt. Tel: 01263 712 181

SUNDAY SERVICES AT 6.30PM For weekday services and details of preachers and any change in times, refer to the ‘Glaven Valley Newsletter’.

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Church Services for Bale and Stiffkey Benefice for October and November 2010 HC=Holy Communion. CFS=Church Family Service. MP=Morning Prayer. BCP=Book of Common Prayer All Communion Services are in traditional language except those marked *

Parish Bale Field Dalling Saxlingham Gunthorpe Sharrington Binham Morston Langham Stiffkey

3rd October 9.30am Harvest Service At Saxlingham 9.30am HC 9.30am MP BCP At Village Hall 11.00am HC 9.30am HC BCP 10.30am Harvest Service At Langham 7th November

Parish Bale

9.30am HC

Field Dalling

At Saxlingham

Saxlingham Gunthorpe

9.30am HC

Sharrington Binham

9.30am MP BCP At Village Hall 11.00am HC

Morston

9.30am HC BCP

Langham

9.30am CFS

Stiffkey

At Langham

10th October 9.30am HC 11.00am Harvest Service

At Field Dalling 11.00am MP At Bale

17th October 9.30am HC At Saxlingham

24th October 9.30am HC 11.00am MP BCP

11.00am HC

At Field Dalling 11.00am HC At Bale

9.30am MP CW At Village Hall 11.00am CFS 9.30am HC BCP At Stiffkey 9.30am MP

11.00am HC At Stiffkey 9.30am HC 14th November Remembrance Sunday 9.30am Service of Remembrance 10.50am Service of Remembrance At Field Dalling 10.50am Service of Remembrance At Bale 10.50am Service of Remembrance 3.30pm Service of Remembrance 10.50am Service of Remembrance 6.30pm Service of Remembrance

9.30am HC 9.30am HC At Langham

21st November

28th November

9.30am HC

9.30am HC

At Saxlingham

11.00am MP BCP

11.00am HC

At Field Dalling 11.00am HC

9.30am MP CW At Village Hall 11.00am CFS

At Bale 9.30am HC

9.30am HC BCP At Stiffkey

9.30am HC

9.30am MP

At Langham

Saturday 2nd October: Harvest Supper at Bale Village Hall, 6.30 for 7.00pm.

Sunday 31st October: Group Service at Saxlingham, at 10.30pm. th Thursday 11 November (Remembrance Day): Service at 11.00am at Stiffkey War Memorial.

Sunday 14th November: Binham Priory at 7.00 pm; Gresham’s Choir (Mozart and Faure’s Requiem) Regular Weekday Services Binham: Tuesday, 6.00pm Evening Prayers, Langham: Wednesday, 10.00am Holy Communion Stiffkey: Friday, 10.00am Holy Communion

NOTICE TO PATIENTS REGISTERED AT HOLT MEDICAL PRACTICE

their best to accommodate your requests.

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience whilst the building work is ongoing, however we hope our new combined pharmacy and dispensary will greatly improve the services we can offer to all patients.

Sue Preston, Practice Manager

HOLT DISPENSARY The building work for the new pharmacy at Holt Medical Practice will commence early November and in order to maintain our high level of service and to minimise disruption to patients we shall be re-locating the dispensary.

From 1st November the dispensary will move to one of the larger admin rooms upstairs with one of the downstairs consulting rooms being available for the collection of repeat prescriptions and the issue of acute prescriptions.

The dispensers may have difficulty in providing patients with on the spot repeat prescriptions without asking you to either wait or return later, but they will do

HEALTH CONNECTORS SERVICE Health Connectors is a free service, run by Voluntary Norfolk and funded by NHS Norfolk. We exist to provide people in Norfolk with the information and support they need to lead a more healthy life. Our trained volunteers can give one-to-one support. We are also available to give talks on healthy living to coffee mornings, lunch clubs, etc. If you would like to know more call Daniel Ingram on 01603 883847 or email daniel.ingram@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk.

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NEWS FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL BROADBAND & MOBILE PHONE RECEPTION The public meeting was well attended and wholehearted support was given to our campaign to pressure providers not to ignore Norfolk. We have now submitted a bid to be considered for a rural national pilot but continue to need support from residents – demanding that we will not be left behind as the second generation of broadband becomes available to the more urban areas of England. Even if you have already done so please click on to www.broadband.norfolk.com and register your interest for better service. Additionally all Norfolk libraries will be carrying a petition form for you to sign – and I will be taking copies to all parish councils in this division.

LIBRARY BUS If we do not use it we could lose it!! Some villages have been making little use of the library van. This may be because newcomers are unaware of the service, or that the time and location is no longer appropriate. I am taking details of the van’s schedule to each parish council and will be asking if adjustments to the schedule would help. The County does not want us to lose this facility but we need to show interest. It is free and easy to join – books including large print, stories on tape, CDs and DVDs can be borrowed. Please send any comments, suggestions or requests for information either about the library or the van to: wells.lib@norfolk.gov.uk or telephone 01328 710467.

WELLS AND HOLT FIELD STUDY CENTRES The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel will now meet at 2.00 pm on Thursday 7 October (at County Hall) to discuss proposals for the future of the Field Study Centres. The meeting will be open to the public with opportunity to send in questions prior to the event – you will need to contact Kristen Jones 01603 223053 (kristen.jones@norfolk.gov.uk) to obtain details of the deadline for questions. I shall be on the Panel that day and would be delighted to see any of you in the public area.

Dr Marie Strong County Councillor e: marie.strong@norfolk.gov.uk or 07920 286 597

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR'S NOTES NNDC continues to monitor and plan ahead though many announcements and policy changes will only become clearer when further detail is made available in the autumn, particularly with the publication of the Localism Bill and the detailed budget announcement on 20th October. Meanwhile, NNDC has prepared an initial assessment on what this may mean for North Norfolk.

Another major matter under review is the contract procurement for waste, recycling, cleansing and ground maintenance to ensure best value for money for the District.

The Inspector's examination of the Site Specific Proposals Draft Plan and Conversion and Re-Use of Rural Buildings as Dwellings Draft Policy has taken place. His report will be available by December/January.

The draft North Norfolk Housing Strategy Discussion Document has now been distributed to all Towns, Parishes and Stakeholders - comments required by 30th September.

Norfolk Constabulary and Anglian Water are working in partnership to crackdown on bogus water officials, consumers are advised to call 0800 145145 to check the identity of a 'water company' doorstep caller. The public is also warned of a recent spate of shed break-ins.

All the latest news on North Norfolk Pathfinder helping coastal communities adapt to coastal change is available on the new website www.northnorfolk.org/ pathfinder.

Finally, do make sure you are registered to vote on the new Electoral Role and, if you are interested, a Prospective Candidates Evening for the District Council will be held on Wednesday 20th October. Details from mary.howard@north-norfolk.gov.uk or 01263 516047.

Lindsay Brettle

GLAVEN CENTRE CLINICS TOE-NAIL CLINICS: 17 September 8 October 29 October 19 November 10 December 7 January 2011

District Councillors’ Contact Details Jonathan Savory 01328 820719 e: jonathan.savory@north-norfolk.gov.uk - and Joyce Trett 01328 710300 e: joyce.trett@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Binham, Langham, Stiffkey) Lindsay Brettle 01263 710030 e: Lindsay.brettle@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Sharrington, Field Dalling, Saxlingham & Morston) Ann R. Green 01328 878273 e: ann.green@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Gunthorpe & Bale)

HEARING AID CLINICS: 29 September 29 October 24 November 22 December

GLAVEN DISTRICT CARING AUTUMN COFFEE MORNING Saturday 2 October 10.30 - 12 noon

At The Glaven Centre, Thistleton Court, Blakeney Books, Bric-a-brac, Cakes, Raffle, Tombola etc.

Entrance £1 - to include coffee ALL PROCEEDS TO GLAVEN CARING Tel: 01263 740762 Reg. Charity 270185

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NORFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST EVENTS

HOLT MEDICAL PRACTICE FLU VACCINATION CLINICS Saturday 2nd, 9th and 16th October 2010

WILDLIFE OF THE NORTH NORFOLK HEATHS

MELTON CONSTABLE SURGERY

Thursday October 21st, 7.30 pm

Saturday 16th October 2010

Dr Dave Horsley presents a multimedia introduction to the remarkable inhabitants of the extensive heaths that are one of North Norfolk’s best-kept wildlife secrets. Cley Village Hall, £1.50 members, £2 nonmembers including refreshments.

The Seasonal Flu vaccination (which incorporates the swine flu H1N1 this year) is recommended for: All patients aged 65 or over; Pregnant women who are NOT in a clinical at risk group and who have NOT already received a dose of the swine flu (H1N1) vaccination; Carers of older or disabled patients; Healthcare workers and poultry workers; Those living in long-stay residential care homes; Those of any age in the following clinical risk groups: Chronic respiratory disease; Chronic Asthma; Diabetes; Stroke; Chronic Heart Disease; Chronic Renal Disease, Chronic Liver Disease; Immuno suppression due to illness or treatment; Certain neurological conditions e.g. Multiple sclerosis.

Seasonal Flu vaccinations are not recommended for healthy children or adults under 65 years, if you are unsure if you need a flu vaccination, please ask.

To book your Flu vaccination, please telephone 01263 712461, after 11.30am when the telephone lines are less busy or ask at the reception desk.

SEX, VIOLENCE AND A CAST OF MILLIONS – THE UNSEEN WORLD OF A NORFOLK WOOD Thursday November 18th,7.30 pm

Based on years of patient observation at Swanton Novers NNR, Mike Stew will present unique insights into the dark, mysterious and sometimes frightening world of an ancient woodland. Cley Village Hall, £1.50 members, £2 non-members including refreshments.

FREE HOME FIRE RISK CHECKS NORFOLK FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE The purpose of these visits by the Fire Service is to help prevent house fires for elderly, disabled and otherwise vulnerable people. If you would like a visit, or know someone who would, contact Hayley Greener, Home Fire Safety Visit Coordinator.

Freephone: 0800 9178137 Tel: 01603 819777 Fax: 01603 819736 Minicom: 01603 223833 Email: Home.Safety@fire.norfolk.gov.uk

The Care and Repair Officer from North Norfolk District Council will be attending the 2nd and 9th October clinics at Holt with information regarding the Home Improvement Agency which helps people over 60 or with a disability stay in their own homes.

IN THE LOOP

IMPROVEMENT TO TELEPHONE ACCESS In order to improve patient access we shall be using an auto attendant on our telephone system. This will give you a small number of options to choose from when ringing the surgery. We intend to keep the number of options low so as not to annoy people!

This new system will provide quicker access to our services especially when reception lines are engaged during busy times of the day.

Please note that the dispensary repeat prescription order numbers will remain the same for Holt, Melton Constable and Blakeney.

If you have any concerns, please contact the Practice Manager, telephone number 01263 712461.

Age UK Norfolk has launched the first edition of a new community magazine called ‘In the Loop’. Age UK works with and for older people in Norfolk as an independent charity. It also runs an advice helpline each weekday between 10am and 4pm. To find out more go to www.acnorfolk.org.uk or ring 01603 787111.

VOLUNTARY NORFOLK COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED More volunteers are needed in Holt and the surrounding villages to support individuals at home by visiting them for a friendly chat or by taking them for a trip out. Our volunteers provide a lifeline for those who are isolated at home.

Volunteers are also needed at Pineheath Ward at Kelling Hospital. Here you could visit a patient who has few visitors, help patients with menu choices and meals, do some admin work or help with group activities.

Travelling expenses will be paid. Training and support is given to volunteers and you will get the opportunity to meet new people, gain new experiences and enhance your CV. Could you brighten someone’s day? If so, please phone Ros Attridge the Voluntary Services co-ordinator for Holt, Fakenham and the Wells areas on 01328 851765 for an informal chat about volunteering or email Ros at: fakenhamvsc@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

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BLESSED ARE THE LOW CARBON

keen to hear from members of the public too. Anyone who has seen suspicious activity along the coast or unusual light aircraft behaviour can reach us 24 hours a day on our hotline - 0800 595000. You can also write to Custom House, View Point Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 3RF, or email us at teamindia@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk.

All information is treated as confidential.

Examples of suspicious activity might include: • Night-time signalling between vessels at sea and people on the shore; • Large vessels being approached by smaller craft; Items or people being landed in remote coastal areas; • Vessels leaving or arriving at marinas and harbours at irregular times; • Light aircraft operating at night, flying low in darkness and landing in remote places; • Items being attached to marker buoys; • Large numbers of passengers embarking or disembarking vessels.

FOR THEY SHALL WALK WITH A SMALLER FOOTPRINT The 10:10 Campaign (to get everyone to cut their carbon footprint by 10% in 2010) has already inspired about a hundred church groups across the UK to bring a green tinge to pews and pulpits. One 10:10 group has achieved a staggering 87% reduction since 2004 – the Cotteridge Quakers. However, it is much more difficult when starting with a traditional church, possibly listed, and where even the smallest change requires obtaining a Faculty from the Diocese.

The starting point is to gather information, find out what others are doing, what works, attend some courses, search the internet. The 10:10 website is a good place to shop for ideas at www.1010uk.org. In particular, look for the Top Ten Ideas and the link to 10:10:10, a global day of doing, which is happening on 10th October 2010, and will be the biggest day of positive practical action on climate action that the world has ever seen.

Ambitious? Yes, but who would have thought that 100,000 people would have signed up to 10:10 in the year since it was launched? Or that just three months after launching the 10:10 Global campaign, it would be active in forty countries? Or that the new Coalition government would sign up to 10:10 on its third day in power?

If climate change is a long way down your list of things to worry about, try approaching the issues as a quest for a more positive way of being, more as stewards of creation rather than consumers of creation.

Anthony Smith, Chairman, 10:10 Trust

PROTECTING SMALL PORTS IN EAST ANGLIA Have you ever spotted suspicious goings on at small ports, airfields or remote coastal areas near you? If so, the UK Border Agency would like to hear from you.

The UK Border Agency, which helps prevent illegal immigrants, drugs, weapons and other contraband from reaching the UK, has a dedicated team which covers the region north of the River Stour to the Wash, including Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Wisbech, Sutton Bridge, Kings Lynn and the cargo vessels into Ipswich Port.

The team, based at Felixstowe’s Customs House, handles all light aviation and maritime traffic coming in and out of marinas, jetties, slip ways, landing points and light aircraft strips in the region.

Its officers are trained to deal with both customs and immigration matters and are constantly on the move intercepting and searching incoming aircraft and vessels from abroad.

They carry out regular visits to harbour masters, coastguards, marina staff and lifeboat stations, but are

“It’s ninety-eight percent energy efficient but I can’t find the front door!”

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EVENING CONCERT BY STUDENTS FROM THE PURCELL SCHOOL ALL SAINTS’ PARISH CHURCH, BALE Sunday 18 July

For the fortunate residents of Bale, and for friends of the village from near and far, the third week in July has for the past four years provided an occasion that has become an un-missable date in the summer calendar the visit of young musicians from the Purcell School in Bushey to give a concert at the culmination of their regular Outreach programme bringing music to young people in this part of the county. Thanks to the inspired guidance of Alison Cox from the School and the seemingly limitless hospitality (and talent) of the Jacklin family, they have never failed to give immense pleasure to capacity audiences at All Saints’. This year they extended themselves to two appearances – first in the afternoon for children, and later in the evening to a full display of their musicianship in a beautifully conceived and executed programme lasting nearly two hours.

The quality of the performances and the infectious enthusiasm of the musicians were so high that it is difficult and unfair to single out any of them, or their pieces, for special comment. But it would be impossible not to mention the accomplished ensemble in the opening Poulenc sextet, the wonderful flute playing of Emma Halnan, finalist in this year’s Young Musician of the Year, and the infectious joie-de-vivre of Anna Hashimoto on the clarinet. What made the evening even more special was how beautifully the music melded with the atmospheric presence of the church itself. The thrilling sound of Joe Richards’ marimbas coming from behind us under the bell tower, and the haunting Debussy flute solo from the vestry, melding with the soft summer evening light filtering through the stained glass in the South Aisle, were simply unforgettable. And to finish back to earth, Tico Tico and Goodnight Sweetheart, performed by absolutely everybody, sent us very merrily on our way.

All Saints’ provided a perfect setting for the evening, thanks to Alistair, Paul and Jane for their work behind the wine bar, to Ruth for the flowers, to Eileen for the immaculate condition of the church, and above all to Alan and Margaret for inspiring and organising the whole evening. There is a possibility that dreaded expenditure cuts may threaten the future of the School’s Outreach work and deprive Bale of the matchless delight of their annual concert. We hope the news will not be bad, but if it is, we are sure that residents and friends will want to do their utmost to ensure that this golden run is not broken.

BP

BALE VILLAGE HALL July 2010

SOCIAL CLUB DRAW August 2010

Margaret Dent £25 Margaret Hudson £10 Lily Bennell £5 Grace Gibbs £5

Jenny Romney Richard Scott Basil Poston Margaret Dent

£25 £10 £5 £5

BALE DIARY 4th Sep 2010

The East Anglian Elm, the narrow leaved elm, Ulmus minor, or carpinifolia, the smooth-leaved elm; it has many names, and almost every village or wood a slightly different variety, but sadly nowadays you are more likely to see dead trees than living, or at most young sucker growths. The latest, most virulent episode of Dutch Elm disease started in the south west in the 60s and progressed across England over the next twenty years, so that now we have almost forgotten what the landscape looked like with big elm trees. In the 90s another wave of the disease arrived; the survivors are mostly small trees, suckers growing up from the roots of the dead trees, which are hit in their turn by a new outbreak.

There is a corner of Bale Wood where they survive, growing until the beetle introduces the deadly fungus which will kill in a year. Elm trees rarely propagate by seed, so they can only spread gradually from an original tree by suckering, but in time can invade a wood. Here they die, regenerate from the roots, and die again, but never completely. Eventually the fungus seems to burn itself out, perhaps attacked in its turn by a virus. Young growth stands next to the dead hulks along the edge of the

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wood and groups of clones cluster together inside. One big live tree seems to be thriving, though its top looks a little thin. A group of dead clones has collapsed on the woodland floor, opening up a clearing. Everywhere dead trees lean and sprawl amongst the living. This part of the wood seems to have an equal distribution of elm and ash, with a few hazel, sycamore and pine amongst them. There are patches of primrose and violets grow with ground ivy all over it in the spring.

On the border of the field there is one fairly big Ulmus minor growing. There seems to be the remnants of a hedge; elder are looking on their last legs, there are blackthorn and hawthorn and bramble. And a marked browse line. I have come across roe deer feeding here.

Elms have suffered from outbreaks of this beetle-born disease through history. Documentary and tree ring evidence shows a mysterious death of elms from 1819 until the 1860′s, and probably in the 1500′s. Oliver Rackham (the History of the Countryside, latest edition 2000, pages 243 – 246) proposes that the prehistoric Elm Decline, which occurred at about 5,000 to 5,500 years ago, when early agriculture arrived, was caused by the disease rather than man’s interference.

Pollen deposits show how after the ice sheets melted, woodland reasserted itself across Britain rapidly between 9,000 and 7,000 years ago. At first birch, aspen and sallow replaced the grasses and heathers of the immediate postglacial tundras and moorlands, then pine and hazel, followed by oak and alder, next mostly in the south, lime and elm, then holly, ash, and the last to arrive, beech, hornbeam and maple. Between 7,000 and 4,500 years ago climax wildwood types adapted to climate and soil; in Norfolk there were at least seven local types, including limewood, ashwood and elmwood. Native elms include Wych Elm and the East Anglian Elm, found in the pollen profile (Bennet, K.D. ‘Devensian Late-Glacial and Flandrian vegetational history at Hockham Mere, Norfolk, England’ New Phytologist 95 (1983) 457-487), but not the English Elm, a later arrival, possibly introduced by humans, or a hybrid of the earlier two types.

More elms can be seen in Clip Street behind a low flint wall which encloses the remnants of an orchard with two huge walnut trees and a mature lime. This is where the electricity cable from the North Sea wind farms is proposed to be laid. If this happens we will lose all these beautiful trees.

Jane Wheeler

FRIENDS OF BINHAM PRIORY

On Friday 8th October a visit to Ely Cathedral is being planned. Tony Hull, a Cathedral Guide, will lead a tour of this awe-inspiring building and the surrounding historic area. A group lunch will be arranged.

The committee is now beginning to plan events for 2011 and more news will be available in the autumn.

For more information on the above events, and the Friends of Binham Priory generally, please contact David Frost, Honorary Secretary, 01328 830362.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY CONCERT

On Sunday evening 14th November the Gresham’s choir and orchestra will be performing the Fauré and Mozart Requiems. 7 pm in Binham Priory. Retiring collection.

CHILDREN AT THE PRIORY This summer we have planned a variety of activities for children inside Binham Priory and have been quite overwhelmed with the numbers of participants and their enthusiastic and creative responses.

Our Flower Festival during the May Bank Holiday weekend was linked with the Diocesan Arts Alive event.

Visitors had the opportunity to create their own flower arrangement, with help and advice if needed. Buckets of flowers and foliage, containers, bowls of interesting and stimulating materials were provided and the children, with no hang-ups about ‘making a good arrangement’, searched for their favourite colours, and textures, made patterns and arrangements. Some were given titles such as ‘Under the Sea’ or ‘My Favourite Garden’ then they were placed on the west end steps. The planned one-day activity was extended to three days lasting until all the flowers had gone. The children’s activity had left us with a splendid fantasy of flowers and many happy memories.

The first week in August was ‘Open Churches Week’ and we ensured that the children’s table looked inviting.

More than 50 colouring sheets were used and a plethora of brass rubbings were attempted. The table was replenished every day.

Throughout August we participated in the BBC’s celebration of the Normans with the ‘Normans in Norfolk’ programme. The activity at Binham was to design and create a Norman Arch. We offerred a few suggestions with examples and provided a range of materials including playdoh, wool, string, glue and felt tip pens. The activity proved to be popular and by the end of the month more than 100 unique Norman arches decorated the west end steps. We were amazed by the number of children who had visited the Priory this Summer and were delighted that the activities proved to be so popular.

Pauline Scott

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DIARY OF A BINHAM FARMER’S SON Aged 33

1854 October 1st Charlie and I walked to Hindringham and had a very good service, it being thanksgiving day for the harvest.

2nd Charlie and I shot at O.W. but did not go to the house for fear of cholera which is raging there terribly.

Killed 11 brace of pheasants.

4th The Dr and William who is just made a Lieutenant arrived today. Rosa and Aunt Kate came in the evening.

9th This was my Tythe Audit. Thos Hudson and Old Joe joined the tythe papers.

15th William and I walked to Hindringham in the morning. Had Mr Upjohn to preach in the afternoon, he got through tolerably well.

21st I tea-ed at O.W. this evening, found Wm and Mary there, had some chess. Hear from Mr Clarke that he had no spirits to come down consequence of Mr William’s going to the war.

24th Wm and Mary Hill came to dinner today. He starts for London on Friday but does not relish his quarters there in Guildford Street.

27th I heard yesterday that poor Patty Kendle was dying of abscess in the kidney.

November 7th I went to Bale this morning, found Mary very unwell with a cold; had a very pleasant evening with Ems - music etc.

13th Thomas and I took a drive to see John Overman’s sheep and the new Holkham buildings and were much amused with Mr Cook, a Holkham pupil.

14th Had a farming ride then made call at Bale. Found poor Mary still very badly, Ems very ecstatic and the lad very toothy.

16th We all went to Fakenham. The Gov drove Sally’s pony which threw him down.

21st We went to dine at Bale, dear Ems very pretty and kind. Mary better but looking thin and pale but in good spirits.

28th Went to Thos Hudson’s club party this evening - a very small muster, George Williams there who sang us a capital song or two.

Norah and Richard Lewis

BINHAM VILLAGE HALL CHRISTMAS MARKET 27th NOVEMBER 9.30 – 3.00 YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE! Buy your presents early – so many good bargains Books Cashmere Model houses Xmas tree tombola Hand stitched bags Stitched textiles & gifts Rustic art and goods Provencal goods & foods Beautiful hand made jewellery Cards Wraps Craft Stall Wildlife photography Body Shop Jams, chutneys & delicious things to eat Christmas Cake Raffle Decorations Home made cakes, sweets and preserves Garden stall Toys and many more Coffee

Soup and roll lunch

Refreshments

PRIORY TEAS Despite some rather damp weather during August, we still had a steady stream of visitors. The amount raised by the Priory Teas team this year was £188.18.

Very many thanks to everyone. Marie and Jack Grange

BINHAM MEMORIAL HALL 100 CLUB August Winners: £25 Mr Barnard; £10 Jane Wilton; £5 Brenda Wilde, Tom Walduck, Mr M Tyrell.

September Winners:. £25 Mark Bartram; £10 Tim Walduck; £5 Mrs Lawton, Ann Griffith-Jones, Richard Lewis.

There are numbers still available. If you would like to join please phone June Read at 01328 830106 or call at 8 Priory Crescent.

BINHAM LOCAL HISTORY GROUP The Binham Local History Group has definitely had local archaeology on the agenda this summer. Carenza Lewis and her team from HEFA (Higher Education Field Academy) were here for two days in June supervising the digging of ten Test Pits. Students from four local schools participated. We are very grateful to everyone who agreed to have a metre square pit dug in their garden or field. Also, at the end of July, we took part in the Festival of National Archaeology with our own Community Dig in four locations around the village. These very interesting results will be combined with the HEFA digs to provide a developing picture of the life of our predecessors.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Never look down on people Unless you are helping them up

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EVENTS 23rd Sept.

Matthew Champion Kett’s Rebellion Charlotte Paton King of the Norfolk 28th Oct. Poachers 25th Nov. Minstrels’ Gallery Plain and Easy: Introduction to Early Music 13th Dec. Peter Trudgill History of the Norfolk: Dialect.

All meetings in the Binham Village Hall at 7.30 p.m.

Wine, Coffee, Tea and biscuits.£2 members, £ nonmembers 01328 830270 cpwrightuk@aol.com

NOURISH YOUR MIND … …. and your Body and Spirit with an energising workout to irresistible music. ‘NIA’ classes for all ages and fitness levels. Wear comfortable clothes and be prepared to kick off your shoes! Binham Memorial Village Hall on Thursdays from 7.30 to 8.30 p.m. First Session Free! £7. £5 unwaged. Instructor is Nicola Price, a licensed NIA teacher and Certified Empowerment Coach.

Please check latest dates and more information on www.next-level.com

Village Hall. A fee of £2 per morning includes coffee and biscuits. A demonstration of painting or craftwork normally takes place on the first Tuesday of every month.

In August the Guild’s Annual Art Exhibition took place in the Village Hall. Many thanks to those who contributed to the success of the Exhibition, especially to Lionel and Brenda Wilde who now organise the event. £965 was raised towards the maintenance of the Hall.

For further information, contact James Bucknill at 01328 830651

BINHAM & HINDRINGHAM OPEN CIRCLE The October 21st meeting is our Harvest Supper and Auction, always a jolly evening.

At our November 18th meeting Roger Muncey will be speaking on SSAFA, the organisation which gives practical help to members of the armed forces and their families.

The Open Circle Women’s Club meets at 7.15pm on the third Thursday of each month at Hindringham Village Hall. New members are always welcome. Just come along on the night or ring secretary Fiona Thompson on 01328 830639.

SING FOR JOY! The Community Singing Group that meets in the Memorial Hall at Binham on a Monday evening at 7.30pm. is opening its arms to new people. This way of singing is becoming more and more popular as it encourages those who are not so confident to have a go.

The various television series by Gareth Malone and others are an inspiration, illustrating that given the right support, everyone can sing and become part of a choir. Teresa Verney who leads ‘Sing for Joy!’ is passionate about her work and she is known for getting the best out of her singers. She never has auditions and she teaches by ear.

She can be contacted on 01263 570117 or better still you can go along to the hall and try it out for yourself. The established members of the group will be giving a concert in Binham Priory on 15th October at 7.30pm. Tickets £5 on the door, proceeds to the Priory.

BINHAM GUILD OF ARTISTS The group consists of anyone interested in art or craft, beginner or otherwise. Artists with professional experience form part of the group and will gladly advise if needed.

We meet every Tuesday morning from 10 to 12 in the

CASHMERE MILL SALE Binham Village Hall

Friday 8th October 10.00am – 6.00pm Saturday 9th October 9.00am – 1.00pm Luxurious cashmere and lambswool knitwear, wraps and throws – all at hugely reduced prices MIGLIO Fashion Jewellery £2 entrance fees and raffle proceeds will go to the Quidenham Children’s Hospice

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POPPY COFFEE MORNING Friday 12th November 10am – 12 noon

In aid of THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION. At Priory Cottage, Langham Road, Binham. Entry £1. Cake Stall, Bring and Buy, Raffle, and lots of Books as usual.

Carolyn Wright 01328 830270

TO BENEFIT PAPWORTH HOSPITAL

CHRISTMAS BINGO!

Ann Massingham invites you to Binham Village Hall on Saturday 6th November, 8.00pm - 12 to meet Mervyn & the Starbeats Tickets £12, including Hog Roast, licensed bar and a big raffle with excellent prizes. Tickets: 01328 830558.

Friday 10th December at 7.30pm

Debbie Ladley’s Christmas Bingo will be held in the Village Hall on Holt Road. An evening of family fun, to which everyone is welcome; with lots of prizes, a great raffle and refreshments. Put it in your diary NOW! Doors open at 6pm and the entry fee of just £6 will buy you the Session Book and two Jackpots.

CHRISTMAS SUPPER BINHAM VILLAGE HALL An important note for your diary. The Christmas Supper this year will be on Saturday 4th December.

7 for 7.30pm. Tickets £6. For reservations call Liz Brown on 01328 830519

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH CHURCH BELLS Reg Rogers has completed extensive repairs to the high-level tower floor (thank you Reg!) and the bells now ring out again.

HARVEST FESTIVAL

BINHAM CAROL SERVICE Sunday 19th December

The Iceni Christmas Choir will sing for the Carol Service in Binham Priory. The starting time is likely to be 6.30 pm but please check the confirmed time in the December issue of the Lynx.

Sunday 10 October 11am

Please join us at St Andrews. Refreshments after.

PATRONAL FESTIVAL EVENSONG Sunday 28 November 6:30pm

We celebrate the Feast of St Andrew with evensong on Sunday 28 November at 6:30 pm. Everyone is welcome, and to stay for a glass of wine after the service.

Margaret Smith, Churchwarden

QUIZ NIGHT AT THE CHEQUERS Quiz Nights begin again at the Chequers thanks to Steve and Alex. As usual they will be on the first Monday in the month – so we hope to see you on Monday 4th October and Monday 1st November. You don’t need to be part of a team – just come along at 6.30 if you’re going to have a meal or at 7.30 for a drink and the Quiz.

HARVEST QUIZ

POSTPONED FROM 9TH OCT Due to unforeseen circumstances, it has been decided to postpone the Harvest Quiz until next year. We are sorry to disappoint those who were planning to come, but please watch out for a new date sometime in 2011.

Sue Findlater for St Andrews PCC

A VERY SUCCESSFUL FETE! It was a happy return to Field Dalling Hall on a pleasant August afternoon for the Field Dalling and Saxlingham Fete. Opened by the Rev Ian Whittle, the gardens were soon full of local people and holidaymakers wandering and browsing amongst the stalls, sideshows and games. Business was brisk from the start as the queues built up and purchases were made. The happy atmosphere was definitely enhanced by the music from the Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo who played throughout the Fete and there was plenty of foot tapping to the music by those resting on the yellow benches or taking tea and cakes on the ever-popular tea terrace. After the raffle prizes had been drawn the Fete came to an end, the Combo were loudly applauded and people drifted away through the gate having thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon.

This year produced a record total of funds to be shared between both Churches and the Village Hall of just over £1,200 each. This is due not only to the Fete

No news from Cockthorpe this time.

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itself but to donations received and a most delicious and enjoyable barbeque for both villages hosted by Ravi and Salma Sondhi in their gardens that evening. All the proceeds from the barbeque ticket sales were added to the fete total and a big thank you goes to them for their huge contribution to the day and also to all those who, in their various ways, made it such a happy and successful event.

Bridget Nicholson

FOGPC 50/50 CLUB DRAW RESULTS

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DELEGATED AND DISMISSED This planning application was brought back to the Development Control Committee on 26th August, following the deferral at the previous meeting on 10th June. On that occasion, the Committee had been troubled at the poor design values of the proposed development, and the lack of an assured solution for foul water drainage.

The Committee seemed not to be concerned about these issues any more, despite this item being assessed as ‘controversial’ by the Chairman, Simon Partridge, and dealt with first on the agenda. The presence of more than twenty local residents should have been clear enough evidence of the concern that exists in our community about this proposal. If democracy means paying attention to the people, the demos, the voters, then we might have expected our voices to be heard in the two short timeslots of three minutes allowed for representations. But they were not. Worse, most of the elected Members did not even make eye contact with the speakers, nor appear to be listening. Some were talking to each other.

There was only time for the speakers to make the most important points. Although it was acknowledged that, based on the drainage tests, it would probably be feasible to construct workable drainage arrangements, the tests themselves had been carried out in the wrong place and under the wrong test conditions. Why? On the design, Victory Housing had made some changes to meet the strong criticisms of the Development Committee, but they were merely cosmetic. This would still be a bulky and dense housing development that would destroy the amenity value of the adjoining properties, in violation of Policy H03 of the NNDC Core Strategy. But who cares? Not this Committee, not any more. The issue was not even discussed.

In support of the application, Victory Housing argued again that there were fifty-six people in housing need and having a strong enough local connection with Field Dalling to justify building eight houses – exactly one-third of the number on the electoral roll, and a figure which seems scarcely credible, but is not open to public scrutiny.

This was the only factor that the Committee took into account in discussing and then voting by nine in favour to two against to delegate power of approval to the planning officers. Job done, in a matter of minutes, and on to the next item of business, leaving those who attended disappointed, of course. But also angry, very angry, at the way in which reasoned arguments had been dismissed.

Anthony Smith, Parish Councillor

JULY

AUGUST

Jack Cutterham £20.00 David Ford £10.00 M Atherton 5.00 N Worthington £5.00 Peggy Corney £5.00 Nigel Ford £5.00 David S-Black £5.00

Fiona Flint Michael Bunting Patricia Groves Diana Arthurson Maurice Craske John Carter S Worthington

£20.00 £15.00 £5.00 £5.00 £5.00 £5.00 £5.00

Would you like to win a cash prize as well as supporting the “Friends”? You can still join or renew your membership either at the one of our meetings or by contacting Peter Everett (012163 860035) or John Blakeley (01263 861008) who can also provide more information.

Membership costs £1.00 per month payable in advance, and we offer pro-rata memberships for those joining later in the year. As advance notice the 50:50 Club Grand Christmas Draw and Party will be held at 12 noon on Saturday 18 December. Admission £1.50 for adults and £1.00 for children under 12 (under 5’s free) to include all refreshments.

FRED’S GARDENING DIARY NOTES FOR OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER Fruit and Vegetable Gardens Dig over your ground as you clear this year’s crops, adding any compost you have made.

You can sow Onion sets in October for harvesting from May onwards well before any Spring sown ones are ready.

You can also sow Round Seeded Peas and Broad Beans in November in most soil, unless it is waterlogged during Winter.

Prune Gooseberry and Red Currants now cutting out all damaged wood and thinning other branches to leave bushes with an open middle to make picking easier and to help to avoid mildew.

Rake out all dead growth from your Strawberry bed and take some of the new runners to plant. The best way is to have three rows so you can plant the new runners and discard the oldest row. Dig out any deep rooted weeds while Strawberry plants are dormant. New fruit trees and bushes can be planted in November.

Flower Garden Plant Daffodils, Tulip and Crocus bulbs. Daffodils and Narcissus should be planted 12 – 15cm (5-6 inches) deep and Crocus 7-8cm (3 inches) deep. If you have large clumps of Daffodils you can lift them and replant

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Hall for their quite outstanding support in both preparing for the Fete and on the day itself – the village could not hold what we continue to believe is the best of the “traditional” village fetes in North Norfolk without their willingly given support, and the undoubted “draw” of the beautiful gardens of the Hall. Thanks also to all who helped with the preparations and on the day, and to all those villagers and local businesses who generously gave us prizes for the Grand Draw and other stalls. It is always difficult to pick out individuals with so many contributing so generously, but we should mention local artist Lillian Shaw who, although not a Gunthorpe resident, has for several years contributed one of her works as the second Draw prize.

Finally, please see the “Friends” website www.gunthorpefriends.co.uk for pictures from this year’s Fete, and please put 31 July 2011 in your diary for next year.

them in smaller groups. They grow best if planted in well drained soil.

Herbaceous plants can be cut down and split up to make more plants if they have become too big. Use the new growth from the outside of the plant and discard the middle part.

Tea Roses can be pruned in November to prevent wind rock during Winter. Cut them back to about 30cm (12 inches) and remove any old or damaged wood completely. Floribundas can be lighter trimmed than Tea Roses by just removing the old truss of flower heads and any damaged wood. Lift out damaged wood from Rambling Roses and tie in new growths .

Fred Morley

AN ENGLISH CHRISTMAS All who attended the Classical Recitals in May 2008 and August 2009 at Mere Place will be delighted to learn that the Aitman family have once again very kindly offered to hold another Recital in aid of the Gunthorpe Village Institute and Friends of Gunthorpe Parish Church.

It will be held in Mere Place, Gunthorpe at 5:00pm on Saturday 11 December 2010. The Recital will be given by Charles Johnston (baritone), who sings with the English and Welsh National Operas, amongst many other renowned music venues, accompanied by David Aitman on piano.

The Recital, which is open to all, will be entitled 'An English Christmas', with all the music being in English and by the great English composers - and with a few festive numbers, some of which may even invite audience participation. Numbers are limited and with both the previous recitals playing to full houses advance booking is essential. Since both the concert and the refreshments are generously provided free, we do not feel it appropriate to charge for the tickets. However, donations and, if you are a taxpayer, gift aided donations, to the “Gunthorpe Friends” would be most welcome – the “Friends” will then donate 50% of all of the donations to the Institute. The requested minimum donation is £10.00 per person, but all of the proceeds will go to these two village charities, and we would encourage you to make a larger gift if possible!

GUNTHORPE VILLAGE FETE Once again the Gods smiled on Sue Traverso and Dan Worsley and the other members of the Fete Organising Committee and provided a mostly dry and warm day for the Gunthorpe Village Fete, with record crowds supporting the afternoon’s events. With donations amounting to some £350.00, including the usual anonymous donation of £100.00, for which we again thank the donor, the overall income, was a new record- well in excess of £5.000.00.

Thus after expenses both Church and Institute have benefitted by some £2,200.00 each. As always we thank the Fete Committee, supported by the PCC, Institute and Friends Committees, for their excellent organisation – judging by the large number of compliments we heard on the day from all sides it was enjoyed by all.

As usual particular thanks must also go to Jeremy and Marie Denholm and all the staff and helpers at Gunthorpe

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WELCOME

You can call Diane Blakeley on 01263 861008 or Peter & Myfi Everett on 01263 860035 to make a reservation.

You can also make reservations by e-mail at jbconsult@btinternet.com.

Places are already being reserved so the sooner you can book your place the better.

The full programme was not available at the print deadline for this edition of the Lynx, but we hope to include it in Lynx Edition 75 at the end of November – also please watch the Institute notice board for more details as they become available.

A very warm welcome goes to Linda and April Chapman and Brin (Brian) Siller who, together with their Golden Labrador Daisy, have just moved in to Gardener’s Cottage. Brin is a HR consultant who “works where his clients are”, and Linda works locally in the Blakeney Cottage Company. April is a weekly boarder at New Eccles Hall School in Quidenham. We very much look forward to having them in the village.

PAUL QUAIL

FRIENDS

Former Gunthorpe resident Paul Quail sadly passed away in late July. Although resident in Holt since 2001 he and his family retained close ties with the village, and we offer our deepest condolences to Jane and the families.

In 1982 Paul, a Fellow of the Society of Master Glass Painters, and his wife, Jane, bought Boundary Farmhouse in Gunthorpe and set up a studio in the shed that had formerly been used for stabling horses and housing the carts. Here Paul could work producing his commissions for stained glass, whilst Jane worked in wood and stone also on commissions mostly for churches.

Paul and Jane travelled to many places in Britain to discuss commissions. Other journeys were made to attend the dedication services. The sixteenth century farmhouse was loved by them with its typical features and especially the large farmhouse kitchen with huge beams in which meals were cooked for family and friends from all over the world, including Russia, the Czech Republic, Uganda, China, Japan, India, Hong Kong and Europe.

Paul was invited by B.P. and the chairman of African

The Friends are looking forward to well supported, attended and fun events this year - the next being the Harvest Supper in the Village Institute at 7pm on Saturday the 23rd of October. Please phone Rod, Sue, Jeremy or Marie at Gunthorpe Hall on 01263-861373 or Diane or John Blakeley on 01263-861008 to reserve seats. Seating is limited by the size of the Institute so make your reservations as early as possible. The cost is just £5.00 per ticket (no increase from last year), and all proceeds will go to the Gunthorpe Church Fabric and Repairs Fund.

Children are welcome with under 12s £4.00 per ticket and under 5’s free. The Institute will be decorated with autumnal decorations, harvest style, the lights low, the wine flowing and the music playing. Last year's successful menu of shepherds' pie will be repeated by popular request - with a vegetarian version available. If diet concerns are a problem please let us know well in advance, and we will try our best to accommodate your needs. There will be the usual raffle so please come prepared! The evening is always great fun so do join us if you can.

Many thanks to all of you who attended the Fete BBQ for your support. More for the Fabric Fund !!!

Marie Denholm Chair FOGPC

ST MARY’S CHURCH NEWS We continue to enjoy our services in the Institute.

Representatives of the “Friends” and the PCC had a tour of the church with the architect in August to assess progress, and we are very pleased with the high standard of the work being carried out. No date was given for completion but our fingers are crossed for Christmas time.

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Petroleum, to make three large windows for St Augustine's Church in Abonnema, a small village in River's State in Nigeria. The largest of the three was to be 13ft by 4ft. The windows took five months to complete.

Paul only ever used hand-made glass which was always painted, and the shading was etched out to control the light. Local artist Lilian Shaw who was Paul's assistant, having been apprenticed to him since the early 80s, gave valuable help. Peter Campling of M&C Glaziers and a colleague travelled to Nigeria with Paul and Jane to fix the windows with help from the Nigerian workers and encouraged by the school children. 98% of Paul's commissions were for churches and he always liked them to have a Biblical theme or a theological concept.

Paul and Jane moved to Holt in 2001. Paul continued to work; his last big commission being four windows for the Church of the Annunciation in Poringland. Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1994. In 2007 his right leg was amputated above the knee owing to a disease of the arteries - since when he spent his time in an electric wheelchair. This did not stop Paul working, and this year he made a 2ft sculpture in glass for Salthouse10, again with Lilian's help. Sadly Paul suffered a heart attack and he was admitted to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where he died very peacefully on the 31st July.

Jane plans to live in Holt and hopes to work for some time yet. Paul's four children survive him and enjoy coming up to Norfolk, as do Jane's daughter and her family whose special hope is to be here at the time of Gunthorpe Fete. Paul's 80th birthday was held in the Old Gatehouse Tearoom in Gunthorpe in 2008, and was a marvellous occasion.

HARVEST THANKSGIVING

Oct. 3RD 10.30am Langham Church To be followed by a ‘Bring and Share’ lunch in the Parish Room. All welcome. Produce will be gratefully received with which to decorate the church and afterwards it will be donated to the Glaven Centre.

CHRISTMAS FAIR

Saturday November 27th 10am - 12 noon Parish Room Do come along and enjoy this traditional event to raise funds for Langham Church General Fund. Lots of stalls and raffles. We will welcome any contribution of cakes, books, gifts, plants etc. Contact Ann Tel: 830 605

DOUBLE OCTAVE CONCERT Wednesday 15th December at 7.30pm Langham Parish Church An evening of Advent and Christmas Music sung by Double-Octave conducted by Graham Hoskins.

ADMISSION FREE Retiring collection for Langham Church General Fund. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the interval. We are delighted that this group would like to come again to our church. Double Octave, who are sponsored by Travis Perkins, have given a wonderful concert for three years running so do come and join us for what promises to be another enjoyable evening.

Langham P.C.C

LANGHAM STREET FAYRE I knew as I left the house on Saturday 31st July, I would find my pitch marks obliterated by the rain. Indeed, this proved to be the case. Giant, colourful chalks, from "Toys R Us", a present from a “knowing” friend, did the job of re-marking pitches quickly.

I was joined on the Street by the amiable “fast food”

15

man who immediately provided me with a welcome mug of very hot coffee. By 6am the stall holders were arriving and our “walkie talkies” were promptly put to good use.

I met one car definitely weaving its way down the Street the wrong way. “Could I have your name and pitch number please,” I challenged. “Professor Crump,” the reply came with a grin!

When all were in place we delivered a “Welcome Pack” to each stall and the Fayre was opened by the lively Karen Buchanan of Radio Norfolk. She also organised the Competitions, discovering that, much to the amusement of all, each knobbly knee competitor was called “Roy,” including Henry Thompson!

Queues formed all day at Gill’s popular food bar and Jan’s team in the Parish Room provided cakes of a professional standard, bringing in well over £1357.59 towards the final total. £1507.93 was raised by the bric-abrac team led by Tony and Jenny Hooper.

Congratulations!

Professor Crump was hilarious. The Pinxton Puppets, Billy Bubbles and the games in the Churchyard were enjoyed by all the children and their parents. The Mango Steel Band and Fakenham Town Brass Band provided exceptional interludes and the talented fifteen year-old Jazzy Jake kept our feet tapping. He surely must have a career in music. What a very modest and gifted young man, carefully monitored by proud parents.

The day ended with the brilliant Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo, who provided a background to a delicious Hog Roast outside the Bluebell. This was attended by over 200 local people and greatly enjoyed.

It has always been difficult to assess how many visitors attend a Fayre, but we are sure that we have never had so many people before.

We did have a very good start to our funds, with money being carried forward from events in 2009, but we really did not expect a final profit of over £16,600. Details of the disbursement of this money will be published as soon as possible.

The Service of Thanksgiving provided a very special atmosphere and a quiet time of reflection to bring this busy weekend to a close.

I would like to thank our sponsors and all villagers who helped at stalls and in other ways. For some it was extremely hard work and we really appreciate the time and energy expended during the day. I do hope you enjoyed the Fayre as much as we did. The Committee has worked

together for well over a year towards the production of this successful day. It has obviously been most worthwhile and a great team effort. The sun again shone on us. Thank you.

Pauline Bartlett, Chairman Langham Street Fayre Committee 2010

WELCOME We would like to extend a warm welcome to Sharon and Bill and also to Caroline who have come to live in Langham. We hope you will all be very happy living here.

Langham P.C.C.

THANKS On behalf of Langham Church, our grateful thanks to the bush hat clad, machete wielding stalwart, who cleared the churchyard trees of the invading parasitical ivy.

Rid of their unwanted adornment, the trees affected, have now taken on a cleaner and healthier appearance.

Many thanks to Colin for your perseverance and initiative; it was much appreciated.

Anon

PARISH ROOM NEWS Of the planned refurbishment programme it may be said that we are not at the end, we are not even at the beginning of the end, but we are certainly at the end of the beginning. Correct identifiers of this misquotation, who send their answers together with a generous cheque in favour of Langham Parish Room to me or to our principal fund-raiser, Edward Allen, will receive a letter of very sincere thanks.

We hope that many villagers will take the opportunity of seeing and appreciating the complete make-over which the main hall has been given. Finishing details, like the re-

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MOBILE LIBRARY This will visit Langham on Thursdays – 7th Oct., 28th Oct., 18th Nov., 9th Dec. calling each day for 20mins at : St. Mary’s 10.00am, Old Post Office 10.25am, Swan’s Close 10.50am, The Cornfield 11.15am.

Enquiries: Wells Library Tel: 01328 710467

LANGHAM CAR SERVICE Schedule to December 5th. 2010 Rate 20p per mile Weekly duties beginning on a Monday.

Sept. 27th Tel: 830 605 Oct. 4th Tel: 830 847 th Oct. 18th Tel: 830 731 Oct.11 Tel: 830 731 Nov. 1st Tel: 830 606* Oct. 25th Tel: 830 605 th Nov. 8 Tel: 830 696* Nov. 15th Tel: 830 537* nd Nov. 29th Tel: 830 624 Nov. 22 Tel: 830 821 *These drivers do not go to Norwich If the driver for the week is unable to do the trip, go to the next on the list. If your appointment is cancelled, please also cancel your car service booking.

The roster is also sited in the Bluebell and on the church porch and village notice boards.

Please give three days notice wherever possible, except in an emergency. It would be very helpful if a car booking is made as soon as an appointment is arranged or journey planned so that drivers can arrange their schedule. Please bring change.

In the infrequent event that no driver is available – contact the Holt Caring Society Tel: 01263 711243 giving as much notice as possible.

We welcome Gill and Peter Hartley to the car service as drivers and they will operate their week between them.

We still have a vacancy for another driver, so if anyone is interested please do give me a call. Thank you.

Ann Sherriff Tel: 830 605

hanging of newly framed village photographs, will be completed shortly but thanks to a most generous donation from the Langham Street Fayre of £4,200 the Parish Room Committee will be able to press on without too much further delay with improvements to the lobby/kitchen area.

A new hot water system serving the kitchen with a new wash/hand basin for kitchen-users has already been installed as part of the first phase of refurbishments and the second phase will include not only redecorations but, hopefully the renewal of the floor in the entrance porch and the replacement of the dear old bar-counter.

Please take the opportunity to see what has been done by coming along to the splendid Friends of Langham Coffee Mornings which are held on the first Saturday and third Wednesday of each month.

The long-term challenge remains the need within the next four to five years to completely replace the floor in the main hall – a task likely to require a great deal of money. In due course the Committee will be launching an appeal to the whole village for funds towards this stage of the project but in the meantime we hope that the work being undertaken currently will make the use of the building even more enjoyable. For further information please contact Edward on 01328 830 276 or me on 01328 830 056.

Bob Brandt (Treasurer)

THREE LADIES As we were concluding our mid week service of Holy Communion a few weeks ago three ladies arrived at church. They waited outside until we had finished and as we were clearing up, melodious sounds came through the door. They were invited in and we learnt that they were part of a singing group and came from such various points in Norfolk that they thought Langham Church a convenient and equidistant point at which to meet. Then they started to rehearse. I could have listened for ages.

STALL ON THE GREEN The total sum raised for the Langham Church General Fund at this event was £330.00.

A big thank you to all who came to support this August event by ‘bringing and buying’ and to all the ‘team’ who manned the stall in all weathers.

Thanks also go to all who helped to put up and take down the gazebo, a little easier than the market stall but a bit windy for the stallholders – so much so that we operated from the church porch on the Bank Holiday Monday! Many thanks everybody.

Langham P.C.C.

THANK YOU FRIENDS OF LANGHAM Once more under the leadership of Peter Barlow we had an excellent day out on Sept.8th. We were surprised to find there was no train journey involved! Maybe we have covered all possibilities? We did have though, a very interesting ride through the countryside and environs of Norwich, an excellent lunch and a sheltered trip on the Oulton Broad. A Grand Day Out! Thank you.

An appreciative passenger

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occasion. We look forward to our next two meetings:

October 13th Pete and Jim from Whin Hill Cider will be coming to talk about, and show a video of, the making of cider and apple juice. A tasting session will follow! THIS IS AN OPEN MEETING and EVERYONE IS WELCOME.

November 24th Food, drinks and memories ‘Celebrations Past’.

All meetings in Langham Parish Room 7.30pm.

Maureen Dennis 01328 830 731

LEUKAEMIA RESEARCH I would like to thank everybody for supporting our sales. After our Grand Sale held this year in wonderful warm sunshine I was able to send a nice cheque to the fund. This amounted to £1815. A wonderful sum to help find a cure for blood cancers. I look forward to your continued support. Our next event will be: AUTUMN SALE Oct. 23rd. 10-12 noon in Langham Parish Room. Lots of bargains to be had.

Maureen 830 731

They have a singing group ‘Sing for Joy!’ which meets at Binham Memorial Hall on a Monday night and you can read all about it on page 10 of the paper.

A.S

LANGHAM STREET FAYRE QUIZ 2010 THE WINNERS ARE: 93½ 1st Sue Bending, Cley 2nd Tim and Irene Loseby, Holt 92½ 89 3rd Sue Clear, Oxford The half points are accounted for by No.87. ‘The Beautiful Game’ is Association Football, or Soccer.

Football alone gained ½.

Apologies to all for two mistakes in the quiz this time: No.20. should have been spelt ‘pedalling’ and No.34.though many of you thought, as we did, CHESS is one of the few modern musicals that Andrew Lloyd Webber is not responsible for. As usual, the Setters’ Answers are final but there were some great alternatives suggested: No.11. No boundaries – Lacrosse was answered brilliantly by ‘It’s a Knockout’ (Jeux sans Frontières).

Also by ‘French Cricket’.

No.35. A prop in the marriage: Rugby Union – alternative: ‘Patience’.

No.43. Tight Squeeze–Squash, alternative: ‘Sardines’.

No.48. Loud – Ludo. Alternative: ‘Rackets’.

Once more thank you to all who took part and all who bought copies and persuaded friends and family to do so.

We made £243.00.

Jan Hope

FRIENDS OF LANGHAM DOME A small group of locals, interested in preserving our heritage, set up The Friends of Langham Dome (FoLD) on the 20th January 2010. For those new to the area, the Dome is the large spherical, black structure on the side of the road heading over the airfield.

The aim is to assist the owners of the Dome, North Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust (NNHBT), to repair and restore the building and incorporate an interpretation of one of its wartime uses as a simulator for Anti-Aircraft Gunnery training, as well as a museum and educational centre about the airfield in general. We hope it will serve as a lasting memorial to those who flew from Langham, many not to return.

In order to help NNHBT access grant funding for this we need to demonstrate that there is strong local support and a willingness to help manage the building once it is restored – hence the setting up of FoLD. We now want to add to its 150 + members. www.langhamdometrainer.co.uk is the FoLD website which, together with the associated website, www.raflangham.co.uk is full of interesting material and film clips of wartime flying at Langham.

We held two very successful ‘Open Days’ in June

LANGHAM LADYBIRDS Many apologies for having to cancel the September meeting. We hope to be able to get Paul Keats on another

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FIT FOR FUN?

and August with around 400 visitors. In June, as an added attraction, Henry Labouchère had on display, a Gypsy Moth biplane which had the honour of celebrating its 80th anniversary of its very first flight on that very day; it also held the distinction of being the oldest aircraft in the UK to hold a Civil Aviation certificate of airworthiness. It caused a great deal of interest and featured in the EDP’s Monday edition. In August we had a genuine Bristol Beau fighter cockpit, a type of aircraft that flew extensively from Langham in 1944 against enemy shipping along the North Sea coast.

To look at this cockpit and see just how exposed the pilot was, to imagine what it was like to fly into attack ships, which were firing everything in their power back, simply added to ones admiration at their bravery.

It is largely due to the success of the Open days that we have already signed up over 150 members, but not that many from Langham itself. This is your history and heritage, which hopefully will, in years to come, tell the story to your grandchildren of what went on in Langham during those wartime years; so please sign up!

It is a small fee of £5 or £15 for a family. You will find links to the membership form on the website, alternatively you can contact Roger Davis at Crafer’s Barn, North Street, Langham, NR25 7DG – tel. no.

01328 830 677.

We are also looking for a secretary to take responsibility for writing the minutes of the meetings and help send out periodic newsletters, mostly by email, to FoLD members – computer skills would be a necessity. Anyone interested contact Patrick Allen – 01328 830348.

It seems that every magazine or newspaper we read nowadays stresses how beneficial exercise is for our longevity, mind, body and soul. Equally laughter too appears to be very good for us. So when we heard that Bodham’s playing field had exercise apparatus for the older generation that encourages good health, three of us went to investigate. We were happy to discover that not only were they child’s-play to use, obviously doing our bodies good but also using them and watching each other was truly entertaining! Thus they ticked all the right boxes! Knowing how children stay fit and really enjoy themselves playing around or kicking a ball it felt lovely to find a similarly simple, yet effective, way of exercising and having good fun.

We would like to know if this appeals to you too? If so, we can then set about raising the necessary funds to develop Langham’s playing field to offer more activities that are fun for the young and not so young! Therefore we’d really appreciate any feedback on the Bodham machines and to receive any other ideas you may have on how we can all get fit and have fun on our playing field. Any reasonable suggestions from all age groups considered! Please telephone me on 01328 830 455 or e-mail me on: jennyhooper@hotmail.co.uk Jenny Hooper , Langham Playing Field Committee Member

A VOICE FROM THE PAST During a conversation at the tea table at Kettlestone ‘Street Fair’ it came to light that a lady in our presence used to work at Langham airfield in the late 1950s. We

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Help in the form of a war time Corgi moped was offered

by Mr. Robinson, the ‘Commanding Officer’. I practised riding it round the perimeter track and then set off for home. My Mother was relieved to see me arrive in one piece! In time she relaxed although I never did master the Letheringsett bends – the steering lock was too small!!

The Dome stood near the entrance to the aerodrome, always a welcome sight, reassuring me I had arrived yet again, safely to work. I never knew for what the Dome had been built. I was told two theories: to store ammunition or ice blocks! Recently I have heard of better ideas to do with training aircraft plotters or gunners.

Among my colleagues were Jennifer, Elsie, and Sylvia. Elsie and I shared an office. She had been a fitter and turner in the war and knew all about aeroplanes. Our main job was to keep the service records of the planes and remind the hangar engineers when services were due. Occasionally a visit to the hangar was required. I enjoyed getting a close up view of the Vampires and the Anson.

I dreaded Friday mornings. A big brown envelope with about £4,000 in cash was delivered to our office.

We had to decant the money into small brown envelopes, one for each member of staff. Payment by cash was the norm in those days. Everything had to balance, not a farthing could be mislaid. Elsie and I checked the lists together, she reading upside down from her side of the desk whilst I had the easier job of seeing the numbers the correct way up! It was a good mental exercise which we took for granted, no calculators were available.

During that Summer Elsie married John Gascoigne. I caught up with them in the 1980s when they lived at Elsing. Sadly Elsie died a few years ago and John followed soon after.

At the end of the Summer No 2 C.A.A.C.U. closed. I was offered a job at Marshall’s head office in Cambridge, which I took. However after six weeks I missed the friendly atmosphere of Langham and left.

Note: in the photo of all the staff in the book by Ken and Peter Jackson, I am named as Miss Wiseman Clarke. If there is a future edition perhaps the mistake could be corrected.

Mary Jefferies ( née Mary Cubitt-Smith)

became very interested, especially when she mentioned that there used to be Vampires on the ground! We asked her if she would be kind enough to write an article for the Local Lynx as we were sure that several people would be interested in her story. So here it is….

LANGHAM AERODROME SUMMER 1958 Yes, there were definitely Vampires at Langham: see Ken and Peter Jackson’s book ‘No 2 C.A.A.C.U. They feature on the cover and pages 19 & 27. In my photo album I have a rather distant picture of two Vampires on the runway as well as one of seven mechanics standing beside the nose of a Vampire.

The Vampires were used to train the radar plotters at Weybourne. Having flown out to sea, they would come in low towards the coast. Another plane was used to pull the drogue which the trainee gunners were expected to hit. Watching from Sheringham cliffs, I often considered the pilot a brave man. I used to wonder if the trainees had been misinformed as to their actual target!

I spent the Summer of 1958 working in the office at Langham. The job was advertised in the E.D.P: ‘secretarial assistant required at Langham Aerodrome’.

Living in Sheringham, I needed a local job. Transport was a problem as commandeering the family car for the whole of each day was not popular with my parents.

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KES HAMOND Ned and Roberta Hamond are delighted to announce the birth of a baby boy to Nick and Helen. Kestrel Philip Hamond arrived at 5.30am on Saturday 17 July weighing in at 7lb 12oz. Mother and son are well.

MORSTON REGATTA RESULTS

route, which fell into a gravel pit at Staines. Tragically, there were five fatalities. Dickon did not immediately realise that the pretty lights shining on the rivet heads of the wing, were the flames getting a hold. He took several excellent photos, which formed part of the later enquiry and which he subsequently sold to Paris-Match. Arriving in Australia, he carried out research at Cronulla and Macquarie Island, later becoming Professor of Marine Biology at Melbourne University.

His earliest scientific papers were on the Copepods of Norfolk – where he returned in retirement. He was a founder member of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Having half a dozen new copepods named after him(A), Dickon then discovered a completely new and related copepod family in Australia. He was the world expert on these small crustaceans and wrote many articles on them. Dickon was often seen in the summer months wearing deep sea fishing gear on the hottest day, motoring ten miles out to sea in his crab boat “Orion” to test the water temperatures and gather more planktonic copepods, which he would then examine through his microscope and preserve in specimen bottles that filled an entire room in his house.

He was a gifted pianist and maintained a lifelong interest in Heraldry and Astronomy. An amusing, if somewhat inaccurate and irreverent raconteur, Dickon held steadfastly to some amazingly provocative beliefs.

Although diabetic and increasingly troubled by old age and the onset of illness, he remained controversial and eccentric to the last, living and dying in the home and place that he loved, which was his dearest wish.

MORSTON PARISH COUNCIL TROPHY A Robinson (1st boat across the line) ‘Streaker’ MAJOR P HAMOND TROPHY G Kay (1st Morston resident) Norfolk Oyster ‘Swallow’ HASSALL TROPHY N Wykeham (1st Stiffkey Cockle) Stiffkey Cockle 29 WARD TROPHY J Shallow (1st Norfolk Oyster) Norfolk Oyster ‘Pearl Fisher’ WILSON CHALLENGE CUP J Short (1st Slow Class boat) Leader 1215 MORSTON REGATTA CUP A Bassett (1st Fast Class boat) Laser 180274 CARTER TROPHY E Sidgwick (1st single-hander) Laser ATHILL TROPHY D Woodcock (1st pleasure boat) Blakeney One Design ‘Widgeon’ JOHN BEAN’S TROPHY J Deeley (1st helm under 16) Laser 128782 MUCK BOAT CUP B Williams “Gypsy” N.B. Under Morston Regatta Rules each competitor is only allowed to win one trophy.

st

OYSTER REGATTA RESULTS

1 Place: “Flapper” - John & Lindy Kilmaine 2nd Place: “Mermaid”- James Cowen (“Dids”) & Rob 3rd Place: “Charlotte Louise”- Charlie & Rebecca Ward

DICKON HAMOND

FUNERAL OF RICHARD WINCH

Dr. Richard Hamond, PhD, the elder son of Major Philip Hamond and his wife Diana, was born on 26 January 1930 and educated at St. George’s, Windsor and Radley College. After National Service, he went to Cambridge University and then to Queen Mary College, London University where he read Marine Biology, which became his lifetime’s work and interest.

After short spells of teaching and working on copepods at Plymouth Marine Biological Station, he set off for Australia. Following a somewhat eventful departure from Heathrow when the wing next to which he was seated, and then the tailplane, caught fire, the aeroplane returned to Heathrow losing a blazing engine en

Richard Winch, a leading Norfolk landowner who was also an enthusiastic gardener and horticulturalist, was on July 20th buried at Morston within sight of his house at Kettle Hill. He was 88. Born at Swanington Manor, near Reepham, he transformed the gardens into one of the most romantic in East Anglia. With its 300-year-old yew and box hedges, the garden drew thousands of visitors over the years. He continued the family tradition of opening for the National Gardens' Scheme, started by his father in 1930, until the 650-acre estate was sold for about £2.5m in 1989.

Then, he and his wife, Frances, created a second beautiful garden at Kettle Hill, Blakeney, over the next 20

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years. But Mr Winch, who was a former chairman of Norfolk Country Landowners' Association, was virtually a self-taught gardener. As chairman of the Norfolk & Norwich Horticultural Society for more than 20 years, he was pleasantly surprised to win a gold medal at Chelsea with his Romantic Garden Nursery business. An orchid grower, he won one of the society's cup for growing carnations, following in his father's footsteps. It was a feat repeated by his daughter.

Educated at Charterhouse, he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read agriculture. Then he joined the war-time team of agricultural advisers under the legendary John Mann, then based at Sprowston, who was charged with boosting food production in Norfolk. It was to be excellent training because the family's estate, which had been acquired by his father in 1919, had to pay its way. In his early days, he grew many horticultural crops, which were transported to the Midlands in a fleet of ex-army lorries. When a certain near-neighbour Bernard Matthews started a turkey business in the 1950s, Mr Winch also helped out by rearing some his birds.

Chairman of his parish council for more than 40 years, meetings were always brief although typically a glass of sherry was served. A five-mile circular walk around the village, which crossed three of the parish's commons, was nominated as one of the top 50 projects in the Shell Best of Britain Awards in 1984. And in 1991, having retired as chairman, he was invited to return to open officially Winch's Way. Always prepared to innovate, he converted an old, nearly derelict barn, which was stocked with a unique range of gift and garden items. It became a great success as turnover doubled, proving conclusively that a policy of diversification could work.

On the arable and livestock estate, where he also bred horses, he was also the last spinach grower for Ross Foods at Westwick, near North Walsham. And this crop was sent to the Falklands to feed the troops fighting the Argentinians. A keen shot, Mr Winch, who was High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1972, maintained the family tradition because his father held the same post in 1936. He leaves a widow, Frances, and daughter, Eleanor.

Himalayan desert kingdom, 1000 are missing presumed drowned and over 100 have definitely drowned.

Robin ffolkes, who lives in Morston, but visits his house in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, regularly, is now trying to help with the catastrophe of whole villages being swept away, and bridges over the fast-flowing tributaries of the Indus no longer being there to provide the link from the villages to the capital and to services, such as food and hospital.

Robin worked for Save the Children, mostly in India, for nearly 30 years and set up development projects throughout Ladakh. He has seen flood and mud damage there in the past and has helped to build bridges, schools and even whole villages there. It will be important to provide shelter for the villagers before the very cold winter arrives. Temperatures of minus 25 degrees are normal.

If you would like to support Robin’s work, please donate through Save the Children, earmarked for Ladakh. The scale of the problems in Pakistan and China and the media coverage, which they naturally receive, may mean that the Ladakhis will miss out.

THE SHOVELL DINNER 2010

The 5th delicious 3-course annual Shovell Dinner and a Naval Talk with slides (50 tickets only) will be held at the Anchor Inn, Morston on Saturday 16th October 2010 (in memory of Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, 1650-1707, of Cockthorpe & Morston & Lord of the Manor of Wells). “In his day he was almost as famous as Horatio Nelson was in his”, wrote Dr. Simon Harris.

One of his bravest subordinates was Middie (later Capt) Frederick Marryatt, RN, later of Langham. Another was Captain George Thomas RN, later of Coastguard House, Morston. Dress for the Dinner: “ smart-comfortable”.

At 6.30 pm guests will be greeted with a glass of wine/OJ. The illustrated Talk from 7.00 – 7.40 pm “Admiral Lord Cochrane, brilliant maverick commander” will be by naval author Dr. Justin Reay, FSA, Mary Rose Research Fellow, tutor in naval history at Oxford University and Fellow & Archivist at St.Bede’s Hall, Oxford. Cochrane was the (1790s1820s) ‘model’ for Hornblower, Frank Mildmay and Jack Aubrey.

The 3-course Dinner (with seating plan) will be from 8.00 pm and will include the two traditional Shovell

NORTHERN INDIA FLOOD RELIEF The scale of the floods in Pakistan has wiped news of floods in Ladakh (in Indian Kashmir) out of the media, but in a population of only 35,000 in this

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Dinner Toasts to Shovell and Nelson. Dinner. A Raffle will follow.

Tickets (to include the “welcoming glass” of wine/ OJ) are being kept for the fifth year running at £35.00 a head. Ticket Application Forms (which include course choices for Dinner) and are available from Jock Wingfield on 01263-740431. All proceeds go to Friends of Morston Church for church repairs and maintenance (Registered Charity No.1099831).

OUR ANNUAL FETE

According to national newspaper reports, the deaths of some fifty seals washed up on the North Norfolk coast within the last eighteen months or so are being investigated by the police helped by the NT, the NWT and the National Wildlife Crime Unit. The dead seals, a mixture of common and greys, appeared on beaches in Morston, Blakeney and Wells, there being no indication that their deaths were caused by disease or predators.

Similarly, dead seals have been washed up 300 miles further north, at St Andrews in Fife, as well as in the Firth of Forth. It is reported that an investigation is also being carried out there – this one involving the Seal Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews University, Norfolk Constabulary and the RSPCA. The good news here in north Norfolk - as at the time of writing, on 24th August - is that apparently no dead seals have been found washed up on the coast for the last three weeks or so.

Meanwhile there are lots of lovely seals to be seen on Blakeney Point.

Thanks to the Lord who dispersed menacing clouds promptly at 2.00pm on Saturday 14th August, our joint fete with Field Dalling enjoyed unbroken sunshine and warmth. Large numbers of people attended owing to the fine weather, the attractive venue - the garden of Field Dalling Hall - kindly made available by Ravi and Salma Sondhi, and the prospect of various stalls, activities and experiences. The Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo went down a storm and teas on the terrace proved very popular.

Although many visitors pitched up, having been caught by our publicity machine, it was good to see so many residents of our villages simply enjoying the great atmosphere and lovely setting.

That evening an excellent Indian-style barbecue was laid on by the Sondhis in their grounds, the equipment and debris of the fete having been magicked away by our logistics team. With the proceeds of the BBQ and the fete combined over £3600 was raised for our two churches and shared village hall. Thanks especially to Ravi and Salma for providing the BBQ fare and to our sponsors but general thanks to everyone who gave time and effort towards a very successful day!

NEW PARISH CLERK APPOINTED

EXITS & ENTRANCES

SEAL DEATHS SEEM TO CEASE

th

On 25 August Morston Parish Council appointed Peter Bullimore of Sheringham as the new Parish Clerk. (Tel: 01263-822864).

We are sorry to have lost David and Jocelyn Stroud from The Map House who have moved away to be nearer their families. We are delighted to welcome a new family: Robert and Nicola Raywood plus their daughters Helena and Isabelle are the new occupants of No 10 & No 11 School Lane, formerly the Hunts' home.

PAMPERED CHEF FESTIVE COOKING SHOW

MORSTON QUIZ BY SAMPHIRE

Wednesday 17 November at The Old Rectory

(Answers on page 24) 1.

Which world leaders died in 1953?

2.

In knitting, what is the name of the stitch made by doing a plain stitch backwards: purl, whorl, curl or gurl?

3.

Where is Interpol HQ? 4.

What number is represented by MCM? 5.

Which shellfish are used to make “coquilles St.Jacques”?

6.

Which trained professional uses a theodolite?

7.

Which of these is an acronym: sizzle, wellington, bitter-sweet or NIMBY? 8.

Brass is an alloy of copper and which other metal?

9.

Which golfing expression means “to be ahead by as many holes as there are left to play?

10.

What is 8 cubed?

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The Pampered Chef is an American company offering high quality kitchen tools and products. The

SHARRINGTON SOCIETY FILM EVENT Sharrington Village Hall 7.30pm on Friday 15th October 2010 An archive film of Norfolk Life in the last century will be shown, this is a taste of how Norfolk used to be in times past. Tickets are £5 and are limited and by advanced booking ONLY. Please contact: Robin Hyslop 01263-860073 or Sandra Grunwald 01263-860508 to book.

cooking show will feature festive recipes and a trained professional will bring the products to life showing time-saving cooking techniques and easy-to-prepare recipes in a relaxed atmosphere with friends and lots of fun. The evening begins at 7.15pm with wine and nibbles at 7.45. Products will be available to order at the end of the show, an easy way to do some Christmas shopping or to update your kitchen utensils before Christmas cooking begins!

Tickets are £5, available from Caroline Robson on 01328 830298.Proceeds will go to St.Margaret's Church.

MARATHON EFFORT Claudia and Campbell Coe were brought up in Sharrington. Claudia decided a year ago that she would like to run the London Marathon to commemorate her brother’s fifth anniversary. Campbell had cancer as a five year old, (Ewings sarcoma of the femur), and underwent two years of chemotherapy. He had his leg amputated when he was eleven. He went from Beeston Hall to Gresham’s where he achieved his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, walking 50 miles in three days on crutches in the Lake District. He gained a History Degree from King’s College London and went on to qualify as a lawyer. Campbell married in 2000 and lived in Leigh on Sea with his wife, Liza, and two Westies. He established an amputee football team in Southend and also played for the England Team, scoring against Brazil in a World Cup tournament.

After a gap of 22 years, cancer returned in 2003.

Campbell had chemotherapy, including intensive high dose chemotherapy, but sadly it was not effective and he died in August 2005.

Claudia started training in November last year, mostly around Fulham where she lives, but also in the villages around Sharrington during the Christmas and Easter holidays. She found it very tough, as although she is a hockey player, she is not really a runner. She was busy fundraising for Cancer Research UK and many people donated very generously.

On April 25th 2010 Claudia completed the London Marathon in 4 hours 35 minutes, without stopping once.

She raised the magnificent sum of £22,400 and was Cancer Research UK’s biggest fundraiser.

It has been a fitting tribute to her brother and as Claudia said herself, “if Campbell could achieve it on one leg, running 26.2 miles on two legs should not be so hard”.

Bobbie Coe

MORSTON QUIZ ANSWERS (Questions on page 23) 1. Stalin. 2. Purl. 3. Lyons, France. 4. 1900.

5. Scallops. 6. A surveyor. 7. NIMBY. [Not in my Back Yard]. 8. Zinc. 9. Dormy. 10. 512.

SHARRINGTON CHURCH NEWS All Saints Church may be closed for services, but the community spirit is still active in the village, as shown by the success of the garden fete back in July.

Weather forecasters should have another phrase to add to their well-worn collection of clichés – “Fete weather”.

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For the uninitiated, this is the sort of dull morning that can’t up make it’s mind whether to turn to relentless rain or dazzling sunshine – and usually manages both. Plus, of course, strong gusts of wind that make putting up gazebos (shelters from the rain as much as sun, of course) a mark of endurance.

However, teams of gallant helpers turned out regardless and prepared the lovely gardens of Eunice and Paul Morgan for the varied delights of a traditional village fete. Visitors flocked in on the dot of two, and we spent and enjoyable afternoon having fun and raising a tremendous £1560 for church funds. Many thanks for all who supported the event; your efforts are much appreciated by the PCC. In fact the support we have had from the whole of the village throughout the whole of the fundraising programme has been tremendous, and we would not have got this far without the regular giving and loyal backing of you all at our many events. We are nearing the end of our ceiling repair project now and our architect and major donors, English Heritage, have been most satisfied by the high quality of the specialist plasterwork required for a project of this scale. The team assembled by Simon Swann has performed brilliantly throughout the hot days of summer and we are so grateful for their commitment and dedication. A generation ago the east wall behind the altar was in grave danger of collapse and much had to be rebuilt, then a couple of years ago when plaster began to fall off the ceiling in larger and larger chunks we were shocked into action and had to undertake this replacement in order to stay open. Naturally a listed building of such antiquity requires specialist building skills and materials.

That is just what Simon Swann and his team have supplied for Sharrington. We believe that this is our contribution for the next generation to ensure our village church remains open and functioning for the whole community.

So when the church re-opens on December 5th with a special service conducted by the Bishop of Norwich, we hope that as many of you as possible will join us in a true village project- made possible by every ball bowled for the pig, every raffle ticket sold.

PEL.

college students. Reliable broadband access is needed for much of our children’s and young people’s studies. All should have good access at school or college but those in many local rural communities cannot access the internet reliably or quickly enough at home. There are facilities at all local libraries but this is time limited and difficult to access without parents to help with transport, as well we all know of the paucity of bus services in our villages effectively means there is no public transport.

The fact is BT are very unlikely to supply the improved cable networks needed to give rural broadband a chance, financial pressures have always been quoted as the cause and any potential for this now seems gone because of the current financial problems in the UK. A potential part solution we were informed may be improved wireless access through 3G mobile transmissions or local wireless networks through “local TV” funded by local advertising.

The probability is that rural areas will be become no go areas for families with children, individuals who wish to set up small businesses and may become places for just the retired and second home owners, this is not a good prospect for the future of our local communities.

One of our local County Councillors, Dr Marie Strong, is a member of the Council’s working group on these matters and is to be commended and supported in her persistent efforts to improve internet access in our communities.

JHC

TALES FROM A DOCTOR’S WAITING ROOM Airbag is still in need of TLC from our wonderful local NHS, thus it falls upon me as a recently retired GP to keep the medical entertainment factor alive in the Sharrington Section of the Lynx.

A true story, many years ago at least 30, a time when GP’s worked in small and cramped premises with few attached staff and yet provided much “care in the community”; particularly maternity care.

In my afternoon surgery I saw a young woman who was expecting her second child , she had about two weeks to go to her expected date of delivery and she was accompanied by her first born, a chatty three year old boy.

After I completed her ante natal check, I told her all was well and that with a bit of luck I would see her in the delivery suite of our local maternity unit in the next two weeks.

As she left my consulting room, but before the door closed, I heard a loud voice that was overheard by everyone in the waiting area, her little boy saying “I thought you said you were coming to here to have a baby, WHERE is it?!!” Before his Mum could reply he added “any way why did you let THAT man touch your tummy!” and at that he stormed off.

Fortunately I was not referred to the General Medical Council and I attended with the local midwifes the birth my patient’s healthy daughter two weeks later , even more fortuitously the little boy was not allowed in the delivery room. I do not know what he would have said if he had observed my stitching his Mum’s episiotomy.

RURAL BROADBAND AND MOBILE PHONE PUBLIC MEETING

COUNTY HALL NORWICH 29TH JULY 2010 Together with a very wide range of people from throughout Norfolk and beyond, three MPs and members of the Country Council I attended a meeting to discuss issues around availability of broadband and mobile phone reception in rural areas of Norfolk.

This is a personal reflection from a village with limited broadband access i.e. around 1 meg/second or less, most of the time and patchy mobile phone signals despite being close to the summit of the Cromer ridge and a transmitter mast.

May erudite presentations were made to the meeting; the most significant from my perspective was that of a young man from the Dereham area who put forward the impact of poor internet access had for school children and

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‘Hundreds’ of people came to look (we never actually counted) and all expressed their enthusiasm and appreciation of what our dedicated band of had prepared.

Geraldine Green; John Wright; Sue Matthews; Pat and Robert Price and our secretary Steven Bashforth are to be particularly thanked also John Bell for loaning fascinating documents from his archival resources. All in all we all enjoyed the exhibition, learnt a lot about our own history and now have the job of collating, recording and storing the mass of documents that are flowing in.

It just shows that even if Stiffkey has been a rather late starter in the village history merry-go-round, we have got off to a flying start.

New members welcome: £5.00 per year. Contact Geraldine on 01328 830245 for a membership form etc.

Our winter programme is now being mapped out. The AGM will be on 18th November at 7pm in the Village Hall.

Keith McDougall

STALLS ON THE KNOLL AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY SATURDAY Very many thanks to all who contributed plants, books, produce and cakes for the Sale on the Knoll, which raised an amazing: £842. This helped to make up church revenue lost by the absence of a fete this year. In past years we have made about £700 from the fete, an essential part of our yearly revenue to meet our parish share. The extra £142 was added to the Scarecrow Money and the Music Evening for UNICEF, which gave a final total just short of £500.

There was a suggestion that such sales could be held at intervals throughout the summer to boost church funds.

Any further suggestions would be most welcome. It is a shame that village churches have to ask so much for money, but dwindling numbers and rising costs are creating a serious crisis in the financial affairs of many churches. The financial outlook seems bleak, but we believe that a way will be found to keep village churches going, and hope that whole communities will respond, as you in Stiffkey have done, to help us keep our noses above water! Thank you.

John Adnitt

NATURE NOTES The dry weather in August produced a good crop of butterflies though some of the common species (Peacocks; Red Admirals; Painted Ladies) were down in numbers. The Chalk Hill Blue has staged a magnificent recovery either naturally or, as I suspect, by a captive release programme, whatever the origin, there is now a strong colony. Let’s see what happens next summer.

Spoonbills have bred at Holkham along with the regular colony of Egrets, as for the Flamingos at Cley Marshes; surely they must have been escapees.

Blackberries are in good supply – and my apple and plum trees have yielded well. Though a friend talked about his plums ‘exploding’ after the heavy Bank holiday rainstorm. I think Barn Owls suffered last winter.

Ragwort has become a huge problem these days. In my youth it was attacked as a scheduled poisonous plant but local councils, nowadays, ignore their legal duty to eradicate from roadsides.

What has killed the seals? We read of terrible lacerations on their bodies, apparently caused mechanically. Could it be something to do with Sheringham Windfarm? If so they must own up. Seals could be attracted to the disturbance below water as piles are driven in, which, in turn might attract fish as prey species scatter, Windfarms are enjoying official approval and huge public subsidies. We need to keep a close watch.

MUSIC EVENINGS

The first meeting after the summer break on Sept 1st raised £125 for the UNICEF fund to provide immunisation for children in Liberia, a country with a very poor record of health care for children. John’s programme of heroic music got us off to a rousing start and Margaret will continue the sequence with a programme of music to mark each decade in her life. Will it be a very long night on Sept 22nd?

All are welcome. The October meeting will be on the th 20 , probably in the afternoon but posters outside the shop and elsewhere in the village will give details. Or ring 830044.

The programme will contain examples of works featured in this year’s Proms – everything from Mahler to Monteverdi, Rachmaninov to Rogers and Hammerstein.

Half time refreshments will be served to revive the weary!

It’s all very relaxed and informal. Why not come and join us at No 2 behind the shop.

John Adnitt

STIFFKEY OR STEWKEY Over the Bank Holiday, Stiffkey Local History Group staged a popular exhibition in the Parish Church. Display boards showed ‘old and present’ photos alternated with mounted boards covering farming (Particularly Vale Farm from the 1920s); cockle gathering by womenfolk; stranded vessels on Stiffkey Binks; the Old Hall under magnificent restoration (as currently); St John’s Church and its history since manorial times; Stiffkey Flood (1912); the school as it used to be and lots, lots more!

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Soon winter migrants will arrive. Look for flocks of Lapwings. Golden Plover, Geese, Bewick Swans (en route to Welney), and everyday birds like Starlings and Blackbirds – yes they cross the North Sea as well.

Now for the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness – or will it bring something worse – who knows? Pightle

the hard work of the school Friends. The taste of Iain and Clair Wilson’s strawberry and marshmallow kebabs dipped in the chocolate fountain will linger long in the memory.

Maintaining Langham’s strong international links, Class 1 children have been pleased to continue their correspondence with schoolchildren in France, India and Norway. Classes 2 and 3 have been busy writing to their French penfriends and they received 22 postcards from Séte where the children from Leuc visited on their school trip. Class 3 were similarly delighted to receive answers from the Eklavya School in India concerning their Hinduism project. It provides a fascinating insight into their rich and varied culture.

Langham Village School prides itself on providing a very broad range of opportunities for the children – a particular challenge for a small village school – and this year is no exception. In addition to the usual Winter sports pursuits, the school has arranged for ‘archery club’ again on Wednesdays with James Wayland, while continuing the age-appropriate ‘fencing’ sessions after the half term break. The ‘usual’ pursuits include the Cross Country Event for Years 3-6 hosted at Gresham’s School in October. We have high hopes of some individual successes.

Novel indoor activities include a ‘Whole School Creative Writing Day’ led by Peter Lacy and a Class 3 visit to the John Innes Centre for a session titled ‘Working With Scientists’. Schoolchildren these days have all the fun!

Looking further ahead into 2011, as part of the school’s rolling programme of residential visits for Years 4-6 children, this academic year’s destination is the Charterhouse Centre in Somerset’s Mendip Hills. “This is a particularly exciting venture and one previous groups have thoroughly enjoyed,” says Headteacher Mike Green.

Activities available include caving. Parents will soon be able to attend an evening information meeting to find out more details. Also on the calendar for 2011 is the Barnados Celebration Concert, which was such a fabulous experience for the older children earlier this year and will be staged at Wembley Arena next March. After the Royal Albert Hall in 2010 and Wembley next year, where will it be in 2012 – the Olympic Stadium perhaps?

Keep track of these and other activities on the school’s website at www.langhamvillageschool.com.

SCHOOL NEWS We cannot talk about this year without first marking the departure of the Summer leavers who were presented with parting gifts at a special Leavers Assembly at the end of last term, when their time at Langham Village School was celebrated. Leaving from Year 6 were Zoe Pickels, Harry Dalton, Ellie Bushell, Evie Hill, Tom Walduck, Lewis Wright, Louis Crawford, Georgina Massingham, Ryan Coll, Emily Osborne and Erica Allison. Also leaving were Jessica Beeson, plus Ben and Anna Granville who have moved out of the area.

The normal intake into Reception is 12 pupils and the school is regularly oversubscribed but this year it was possible to accept some additional children. Therefore the school is happy to welcome Abbi McCallum, Sebastian Payne, Max Wilson, Evie Green, Jack Beeson, Jude Philpott, Emily Bushell, Rebecca Harrison, Rhiannon Betts, Abigail Duffield, Kate Stevens, Harriet Duncan, Honor Spice and Rosebud Rhodes. Also joining in Year 5 are Thomas Squires and Ben High-Caston, in Year 3 Winston Squires, in Year 2 Poppy Nixey-Godfrey and in Year 1 Emily Reynolds and Liam Mullens. Lots of new faces but a number of familiar names as young ones follow their older siblings through the school.

Other events marking the end of the academic year included the annual Sports Day, with house teams slugging it out in a broad mixture of activities, the Whole School Visit to Banham Zoo and the Summer Fair, which raised a record sum to benefit school activities thanks to

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