ANNUAL QUIZ Friends of Morston Church Annual Quiz on 19th February saw ten teams, drawn from Morston, Blakeney, Cley, Cockthorpe, Langham and Stiffkey compete for the Morston Quiz Shield. After nine rounds with the leadership changing nearly all the time, Neil Thompson’s Morston Coastguards triumphed. The evening made exactly £1,200 for the FMC’s church repairs and maintenance (£169 being from the raffle). The Friends’ Committee would like to thank all those who contributed to making this such a successful evening by their contributions, be it towards a delicious supper, the provision of raffle prizes, or attendance and purchasing of raffle tickets and booze.
NATIONAL TRUST UPDATE N.B. In future NT news for North Norfolk In Local Lynx will be shown under “Morston”. The Great Outdoors You may have noticed the new NT informative interpretation panels situated at Morston, Blakeney, on the Blakeney Freshes bank, Stiffkey Marshes and on the Point - all with interesting facts about the nature reserve. We hope you have a chance to read them when you’re next out and about. Engaging Events There is a fantastic opportunity for you to show off your photographic skills in the NT photography competition from Tuesday 1st March to Thursday 30th June. There are two broad categories ‘Wildlife’ and ‘Landscapes’ at NT places on the North Norfolk coast. If you are interested to enter then please get in touch with Iain Wolfe, Visitor Services Manager, National Trust, Blakeney NR25 7NW (Office/Fax: 01263-740241; E: iain.wolfe@nationaltrust.org.uk Points of View The NT are making real progress with the ideas and suggestion from the ‘2012 and Beyond’ forum, on how to mark the past 100 years of Blakeney Point being in the care of the NT. There is still plenty of time to get involved; we are keen to hear from you. Join our next ‘2012 & Beyond’ forum on Monday 9th May at 19:00 in Blakeney Village Hall TBC. Please let me know if you are coming to the forum, we hope to see you there. Volunteers R US On Saturday 2nd April from 10:00 until 14:00 we would like to have your support to collect and bag up all the flotsam and jetsam that is washed up on to the stretch of beach from the Cley beach car park to the Point. It would be great to have as many hands as possible; I’m sure it will be good fun and really help clean and conserve an area of real beauty where we all love to be. If you can help, please get in touch. – Ian Wolffe (contact details above).
ALBERT BALDING (1928-2011 Albert Balding, the eighth child of William and Ethel Balding’s nine children, died on 3rd February aged 82. His well-attended funeral at Morston on 14th February was conducted by the Rev. Ian Whittle. His wife, Doris, predeceased him-in 1995. Albert was initially a builder and then he and Doris ran the Morston Post Office for over thirty years, until 2000 when it finally closed. When the history of Morston was being written in 2003-2006 (as part of the Village Design Statement) Albert was full of information on dates, people, houses and building works, and the history of the village in general. Earlier, in 2000-2002, when research was being done for who should go on the war memorial, Albert-naturallyprovided much of the information on his brother Edward George Balding and on his Uncle, James Balding. James, a Private in the 9th Norfolks, died on 12th October 1916 aged 20, of leg wounds received near Ginchy near Abbeville in France; and Albert’s brother Edward, a Gunner in the 11th RHA (HAC) was killed in action on 13th June 1942 aged 24, at Tobruk, Libya. Albert leaves four children and twelve grandchildren-Corbett Balding of Cromer (father of Tammy and Tina), David Balding of Morston (father of Carl, Mark, Jane and Steven), Valerie Lingard (died 2008, mother of Darren), Bridget Starman of Holt (mother of Stracy and Leanne) and Stuart Balding of Holt (father of Jake, Alex and Ellie). Three of his siblings survive him: Marion Davison of Norwich, Gladys Latham of Sleaford and Amy Russell of Blakeney. Albert will be much missed.
BIRTHDAY PARTY AT BLUEJACKET Saturday 2 April 10 am – 5 pm Bluejacket Workshop on Morston Marsh is celebrating its first birthday with free cake and coffee/tea served all day. Please drop in before or after a walk on the marsh Contact:01263740144 or www.bluejacketworkshop.co.uk.
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