... that the Village Hall notice differs from that in the print edition of the Link. The one published here is the up to date version!
Friday, 26 February 2016
Thursday, 25 February 2016
From the Editor
Firstly, I’d like to thank the two ‘guest editors’, Stephen Miller and Jim Woodger for their very entertaining editions of the Link. I’m sure you all enjoyed a different perspective. If anyone else would like to have a go at editing the Link please get in touch on needhamlink@gmail.com Alternatively, if you would like to take over as full time editor please also get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.
It was very heartening to join in the conversation on the Needham Link’s Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/NeedhamLink ) regarding the children’s play area or lack of in the Village Hall grounds. Since the dismantling of the play area there has been an influx of families with young children who would like to see the it re-established. If you are interested in helping to re-establish a play area in the Village please get in touch. Please read the piece about the play area. I hope there will be some people willing to help to bring back this valuable amenity. If you don’t have access to the internet please drop a note through my letter box at Mill Farm Cottage and I’ll pass it on to Fairlie who is hoping to mobilise support for this project.
Way back in September last year I was lucky enough to visit Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. It was fascinating to see how they are using the money raised by such events as the Pink Ladies’ Tractor Road Run. We saw how they are working out how tumour cells spread and how they focus on hard-to-treat cancers. Some of the equipment is mind blowingly expensive and the people working there frighteningly young - and very clever!
Helen
Research Scientist at work
Sequencing DNA
Needham Coronation Village Hall
HELP - YOUR VILLAGE HALL NEEDS YOU!
Following the forthcoming Annual General Meeting on 16 May, two members of the Village Hall Management Committee will be standing down from their roles, one of which is the Treasurer.
In addition to filling these vacancies, we would like to expand our membership. The Committee meets once a month, for approximately an hour. The members assist with the running of events, such as the BBQ and Christmas Party and they also help with occasional miscellaneous jobs.
We have many groups who book the hall on a regular basis, eg Pilates, Whist, Carpet Bowls and Art Group and also have many bookings for one-off events, eg parties and anniversaries.
If you would like to have a chat to find out more information, please contact Steve Neaves (Chairman) on 01379 852214 and either Steve or John Morrish (Treasurer) in respect of the Treasurer's role, on 01379 851171.
Celia Snaith
Village Hall Management Committee
Red Lion Coffee Mornings
We had another successful coffee morning on 2 February at the Red Lion as we do every 1st Tuesday of the month. This time 40 people enjoyed coffee and delicious home made cakes with a very generous raffle. All the proceeds will be going for the next few months to All Hallows Hospice as they are in need of financial support to keep them going. Any cakes you would like to bake would be most welcome as would raffle prizes.
Angela Morrish
Harleston Flower Club
Harleston Flower Club which is a member of NAFAS meets at Wortwell Community Centre on the first Thursday of the month. For nine months of the year there are professional demonstrators who do amazing arrangements which are then raffled at the end of the afternoon. For 2 months of the year we have ‘Have a Go’ sessions which are great fun and in the Summer there is an outing and a garden party and at Christmas, lunch. Next year we celebrate the 60th anniversary and there are plans for a party,
Gentlemen are welcome as well as ladies. For information contact Jenni Baker on 01986 782377
Gill Powell
Needham Carpet Bowls Club
Since our last report we have played a home match against Syleham. We were the winners of this match . We have also played an away match against Occuld and once again our club was the winner. On 5 February another home match took place against Kenninghall but unfortunately on this occasion we were the losers, winning only one game to Kenninghall’s three. We have one match left to play in the Winter League against Wortwell on Friday 19 February.
Our club evenings are held every Wednesday in Needham Village Hall starting at 7:30pm.
New members are always welcome. Fees are only £1.50 per evening and this includes tea/coffee and biscuits. All equipment is provided and no previous experience is required. Carpet bowls is for all ages so do come along and give it a try!
Nudger
Needham Carpet Bowls Club Annual Presentation Evening
Trophies presented by Frances Buston (Chairperson)
Celia Snaith - winner of the Ladies' Single trophy
Dennis Taylor - winner of the Gentlemen's singles trophy
Dennis Taylor & Harold Jefferson - winners of the pairs trophy
Bowls Club Annual Presentation Evening Dinner
Friends of St Peter's Church
Robi Dove wishes to thank everyone who attended her Christmas Coffee Evening and gave raffle prizes and cakes for the cake stall. £93.50 was raised which will go to the Friends of St Peters Church. David Cunliff’s quiz on Clothing was on sale. We thank him for taking the time in putting it together and printing it for the Friends. The end of January has arrived and 11 out of the 56 quiz sheets sold have been returned, making £56 for the Friends. We have a winner - Barbara Gowland from Mattishall with 49 correct. Runners up were Liz Chubbock from Tivetsall with 47 and Doug and Joan Grant from Starston with 46 correct answers.The winner received a bottle of wine.We thank Olive Hudson for checking the answers and everyone who took part in doing the quiz not forgetting the people who sold the quiz for us.
Pauline Spinlove
St Peter's Church
St Peter’s Church PCC would like to thank Sandra Jordan for her hard work in organising the Posada’s progress around the village over the lead up to Christmas and also to everyone who welcomed Mary & Joseph into their homes overnight.
Thanks also to Michael and all at the Red Lion for donating a Christmas Tree to the church for the festivities.
Another thank you to all who have been on the flower rota at St Peter’s over the past year for the beautiful flower arrangements. If you would like to be involved in the flower rota please contact Gill Powell on 07545396695
St Peter’s AGM is on 10 March at 7:00pm at George & Sylvia Miller’s home. All welcome.
Gill Powell
Litter Louts
On a short walk along Mill Lane I saw this rubbish in the ditch and the verge. This was a small amount compared to what I have seen previously - tyres, household waste and building materials etc. It never ceases to amaze me that people think it is ok to dump their rubbish in a country lane or at the roadside and in doing so spoil the countryside and put animals’ lives at risk.
If you see any fly tipping please contact the local council at http://forms.south-norfolk.gov.uk/pub/FlyTipping.ofml or phone 01508 533633
Environment Correspondent
Needham Parish Council
Every January the finances of the Parish Council are reviewed and the precept agreed for the following year. This is the money paid out of Council Tax to fund the Parish Council. It was agreed that the precept should be set at the same level as the previous year. In fact, it has not been raised now for many years.
Parish Councillors also reviewed the salary that we pay to our Parish Clerk, Philip Freeman. The Parish Clerk is vital to the functioning of the Parish Council. As well as recording and publishing the minutes Philip advises on procedural matters during meetings. He also keeps control of the budget and reports on this to the meetings. Where action is agreed in response to issues raised by villagers it falls to Philip as Clerk’s Action to write letters or contact South Norfolk Council on behalf of the Parish Council. We are extremely grateful to Philip for the work he does and we consider ourselves fortunate to have his assistance. The Parish Council agreed unanimously to raise his salary in accordance with the pay scale.
Andrew Major
Chairman
St Peter's Church
Mothering Sunday
6 Mar Morning Prayer 11.00am
13 Mar Morning Prayer 9.30am
20 Mar Morning Prayer 11.00am
20 Mar Morning Prayer 11.00am
Good Friday
25 Mar Devotional Half Hour 11.00am
Easter Sunday
27 Mar Holy Communion 11.00am
3 Apr Morning Prayer 11.00am
10 Apr Morning Prayer 9.30am
17 Apr Morning Prayer 9.30am
24 Apr Holy Communion 9.30am
Chatty Church
Saturday 16 Jan & 20 Feb at 2pm. Every 3rd Saturday of the month
Great fun with activities, games and chatty time for parents/carers with their children.
Saturday 16 Jan & 20 Feb at 2pm. Every 3rd Saturday of the month
Great fun with activities, games and chatty time for parents/carers with their children.
Refreshments & Snacks. Free of charge.
For more details contact: Claire McEntee: 07810 565805, Fiona Wilson: 07702 972656
Office email: welcome@7churches.org.uk
For more details contact: Claire McEntee: 07810 565805, Fiona Wilson: 07702 972656
Office email: welcome@7churches.org.uk
Rector: Revd Nigel Tuffnell
Tel: 01379 308905 Email: rector@7churches.org.uk
Office: Lucy Elton-Cooke (Mon - Fri 9am to 1pm)
Tel: 01379 851148 Email: redscole7@gmail.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/redenhall.scole
Twitter - twitter.com7churches@RedScole
Website – www.7churches.org.uk
Friday, 19 February 2016
March/April Edition
The March/April edition is being printed and should be with you shortly.
The Link will be published here on Thursday 25 February.
The Link will be published here on Thursday 25 February.
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
Deadline
The deadline for getting copy to the editor for the March/April edition of the Link is 14 February.
Sunday, 17 January 2016
Harleston Cinema
The Harleston Cinema has provided entertainment for people living in Harleston and surrounding villages for more than one year. Every month we show a newly issued film chosen mainly from reviews and audience selection. We have been forced to change venues twice as the audience grows.
The films are provided by Creative Arts East and the venture is not designed to make a profit. The list of forthcoming films is sent to us three times a year and we choose four films at a time from the list.
Venue: Masonic Rooms Harleston
Tickets: £4. For further information and to book,
please ring Harleston Information Plus on 01379 851917
Thursday, 25th February
2016
The Martian –
2h 24m The Martian is a thrilling and
surprisingly funny film. It is a
faithful adaptation of the bestselling book by Andy Weir bringing out the best
in leading man Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott.
Thursday, 31st March 2016
The Lady in the Van –1h
44m.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner, who also directed the film
adaptation of Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys, this charming
and hilarious British film is based on Bennett’s real experiences with the lady
who lived in a van on his own driveway.
Starring Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings and James Cordon, this is a
quintessentially British comedy that tells the true story of one of our favourite
dramatists.
Brooklyn – 1h 52m
An Irish immigrant
(Saoirse Ronan) in 1950s New York falls for a tough Italian plumber (Emory
Cohen), but faces temptation from another man (Domhnall Gleeson) when she returns
to her homeland for a visit
Brooklyn is a big-hearted, romantic and beautiful film.
Saturday, 9 January 2016
January / February Edition
The latest edition of the Needham Link has been Guest Edited by Jim Woodger, a long time friend of Needham and a former resident.
I think you'll all agree that this edition is a very entertaining read. I should like to thank Jim for all his efforts and would welcome him back as a Guest Editor any time!
The Guest Editor
Jim's Gems for the New Year
It was with great pleasure but some trepidation that I accepted the task of editing this issue. Why me, you may ask? Well, as many of you may know, I have been associated with Needham for some thirty-five years and have, in that time, served as Chairman of both the Village Hall and Parish Council and generally poked my nose into most activities that were going on. The other reason, no doubt, is that I now live far enough away to escape most of the brickbats that may be thrown when you read my efforts! Just put them down to the ramblings of an old sentimentalist!
I wish you all the best for 2016
Jim Woodger
Needham Parish Council
After the September meeting I
reported on a joint initiative by Needham and Brockdish Parish Councils in requesting
a meeting with the Highways Authority to resolve the concerns of both Parishes
on speeding and existing weight restrictions.
Regrettably, the reply is that they are unable to help with our
concerns. However, Brockdish Parish
Council is applying for grant assistance to purchase a SAM2 machine. These have been effective in other villages
in alerting motorists to the speed they are going. We have therefore agreed to share the cost
and the use of the machine with Brockdish.
I was able to report on a meeting
for Parish Council Chairmen held at the South Norfolk Council offices. There are 119 Parish Councils in South
Norfolk but only in 19 of those was there sufficient interest to justify
holding an election. Because of the low
support the suggestion therefore was that parishes could voluntarily combine to
form a single PC. The meeting discussed
the merits of combining with Brockdish but unanimously agreed that we want to
retain our own identity. I am therefore
extremely grateful we currently have a full complement of Councillors.
It was noted that boundary changes
to constabularies mean that Needham is no longer covered by the Harleston
police station but will be the responsibility of Diss. The meeting expressed regret that this change
was carried out without consultation as we have always enjoyed the support of
extremely able and enthusiastic officers in Harleston, and we have no previous
link with Diss. It was agreed to request
the Diss beat manager to attend a future meeting to introduce himself.
As last year, it was agreed to
donate the sum of £100 to Harleston Town Council towards the maintenance and
use of the Bullock Fair car park.
It was noted that requests to the
Rangers to clear local footpaths had been successful. However, we have complained about the practice
of shovelling soil off the pavements onto the verge where it washes back down
again after the first rain. As there
have been no complaints about the missing dog bin on Upper Burnt House Lane it
was decided not to purchase a replacement.
The planning appeal against the
refusal of a planning application for a new house for a manager at Whitehouse
Farm, which the Parish Council had supported, has been successful.
Parish Council meetings in 2016
will be held on:
11 January Precept setting meeting
4 April
23 May Annual Parish Meeting and Annual
Meeting of the Parish Council
18 July
26
September
21
November
All meetings are held at 7.30 in
the annex to the Village Hall. Issues that
affect all of us in the village are discussed at these meetings. Councillors very much appreciate the support
of all those attending the meetings and it is our hope that more will do so in
the coming year.
Andrew Major
Chairman, Needham Parish Council
Notes from Jack Whurr
A happy new year to all. As youngsters we looked forward to Christmas so much with the thought of Father Christmas coming down the chimney with sacks of presents just for me. But the war and rationing which lasted until 1954 meant that there wasn't much for the stocking. Children were happy to get some nuts, an orange, a couple of plastic toys, a book with crayons or a drum maybe.
The Village Hall which was the school doubled up for other things - socials & council meetings. The social evenings were good, mainly organised for the children..One couple's name which comes to mind is Mr & Mrs Howell who lived in the second house in Brook Lane and also Mr Bush. They were always doing things for the village as well as other generous people.
Mr Dean, who we children believed was a millionaire was the owner of the sand pits and lived in the big house on the right hand side as you go out of the village towards Harleston. He allowed the village to hold fêtes on a field just before the house.
Can anyone confirm that the Red Lion was called the White Hart sometime in the past? Also, the Fishmongers Arms - which building was it? Needham had a blacksmiths shop on the right hand side just past Burnthouse Lane and alongside it a large barn. Mr Drain was building caravans in it when it went up in flames and the whole village was out to see it burn. A rumour at the time was that it had been deliberately set on fire. There was an arsonist around said to be the butcher's delivery driver. Most groceries were delivered to the house - the bread and milk came from the baker in Brockdish. You gave the shopkeeper the order by phone or someone dropped a shopping list into the shop. In Harleston a school boy delivered on a butcher's bike with a big basket on the front. They worked after school and got a lovely 10 shilling note for the week. That 10 shilling note meant a great deal.
How did people manage with few of them having cars or telephones? Not everyone had a bicycle. The buses were few and far between. Yarmouth was the most popular holiday destination and we did have a railway station in Harleston. Yarmouth was crowded in the summer. The lovely sandy beach was covered with people in deck chairs eating cheese and tomato sandwiches with charabanc trips on day visits from Sunday schools, clubs, Mothers' Unions and boozy outings.
Jack Whurr
Reflections
As the New Year dawns and we look forward in anticipation, expectation or trepidation to 2016, I invite you to relict back twenty, thirty and even forty years ago.
1976 wav memorable for many things. It was the start of the first scheduled supersonic flights of Concorde. It was the start of the first outbreak of Ebola disease in Africa. Agatha Christie died, Harold Wilson resigned and Benedict Cumberbatch was born. Whilst a committee chaired by Derek Buttle, Needham's own 'Arkwright' who ran the Village Post Office & Stores with his wife Sheila, was organising celebrations for the forthcoming Silver Jubilee of the Queen's Coronation in 1952, a new family quietly moved into the Old Fishmongers Arms and began to make a big impression in the village. David & Sue Simmonds with their young family, Jane, Julia and Oliver, not only had the task to regenerate their historic house but the entire family have since played a significant part in both the social life of Needham as well as playing their part in moulding it into the village it is today.
Ollie Simmonds who is still integral in the running of the family's International Air Freight business in Needham submitted the following article on his latest passion - cycling.
1976 wav memorable for many things. It was the start of the first scheduled supersonic flights of Concorde. It was the start of the first outbreak of Ebola disease in Africa. Agatha Christie died, Harold Wilson resigned and Benedict Cumberbatch was born. Whilst a committee chaired by Derek Buttle, Needham's own 'Arkwright' who ran the Village Post Office & Stores with his wife Sheila, was organising celebrations for the forthcoming Silver Jubilee of the Queen's Coronation in 1952, a new family quietly moved into the Old Fishmongers Arms and began to make a big impression in the village. David & Sue Simmonds with their young family, Jane, Julia and Oliver, not only had the task to regenerate their historic house but the entire family have since played a significant part in both the social life of Needham as well as playing their part in moulding it into the village it is today.
Ollie Simmonds who is still integral in the running of the family's International Air Freight business in Needham submitted the following article on his latest passion - cycling.
JW
Aalborg or Bust
A view from the wheels in Denmark
Well, did I win? Sadly, not and boy what a steep learning curve - more on that later especially the steep bit!
What I did get out of the weekend though was that Denmark is a wonderfully beautiful country, with great people and one that I'd be more than happy to go back and explore further. However, you can keep your Tuborg and Carlsberg and we'll keep our Adnams and Aspalls. I rolled into the men's road race final in good shape, however sleep or rather lack of it may have got the better of me! Can you imagine 102 miles flat out with 30mph winds? It's not for the faint hearted and I'm not sure it's really for me either. The race was on the Sunday so most competitors arrived several days before to prep and ride the course. Not us though. In fact, we technically only arrived the day before arriving at the hotel very early Saturday morning. We awoke (I say 'awoke' though I'm convinced I didn't get any sleep - can you imagine 3 blokes, 3 beds, 1 small room? Maybe it's the same for Wiggins and Froome, but I doubt it.) and peering out the curtains at 7:00am I got my first glimpse of Denmark in the light. When I say light, I really mean torrential rain and sub 10 degrees C temperature. Not inspiring but we had a race to prep for, bikes to build, so along with good friends, Ian & James, we cracked on in our own fashion, basically goofing around, walking round Aalborg for several hours finding spare parts and getting soaked in the process. Apparently, as I found out later, this was completely the wrong thing to do pre-race day!
The wrong thing to do pre-race day! Normally, we'd get the bikes and take them out half pace/distance and turn the legs over but the weather was truly apocalyptic! So, food and bed and no beer - the body's a temple of course! I lay there in bed listening to the Aalborg city traffic and my two mates snoring and kept checking my watch. 11:00pm, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4:00am. OMG, I need to sleep! Did I sleep? I guess, yes but I'm a light sleeper at best and my head was awash with the gruelling course that lay ahead. More gaffing in the morning and finally onto the bikes and out into the sun - yes sun. What a glorious if cold windy day.
You may think Denmark is flat but whilst Northern Jutland doesn't have any really big hills it has plenty of short sharp climbs and the course seemed to seek out each and every one of them, giving the race an Ardennes classic feel - i.e. tuff, very tuff! For the first hour of racing we had a strong tailwind. The course headed south and the speeds were breathtakingly high. I was averaging 28mph. I knew I wouldn't be able to sustain that but the event and surroundings make you feel you're a pro even at 43 years old. Leaving Aalborg the country roads followed fields of crops and at each 90 degree corner or slight turn caused by a farmer's wall a crosswind slammed into us causing momentary havoc as we fought for position. I saw several riders go down for one reason or another but worse was to come when we turned west and then north for the push for home with long stretches riding straight into the full power of the invisible moving mass of a horrid headwind. Echelon riding is an art and many of the competitors from less windy parts of the world found their lack of practice their undoing. Luckily, here in east Anglia, I've had a bit of practice but I'm by no means a master at it. To those who know me, this came as no surprise, but at the 86 mile point I took a 6 mile wrong turn! Yes, into a headwind 6 mile wrong turn up a dual carriageway. Only I could do this. Well, I say 'I' but I blame the Aussie in front of me! At the time, I was working in a group of 4 - myself, the Aussie, aSwede and a Dane. The local police pulled us over, full sirens going, to advise us we'd gone the wrong way and to turn around. I couldn't believe it but we'd gone straight over a roundabout instead of going right. The vent was marshalled by 400 Danish Military staff and out of 1500 riders just 4 went the wrong way but, hey, you might have know it would be me! Somewhat deflated I limped the last few miles but it's about finishing and no way was I going to quit. Given the time, effort and money to get there you've got to finish. I could not bear to be mopped up by the broom wagon! All in all I finished just behind my 2 friends. No podium finish this time but at least not last and it was the World Championship so I'm proud of what I achieved in my brief cycling career and whilst I;d like to blame wind/course/getting lost, the truth is I think I let the event get the better of me. I have to say those Danes were fantastic hosts of the UWCT finals and Aalborg is a wonderful city, traditional yet vibrant and cosmopolitan - a great weekend city break no doubt and probably note so without the bike!
Will I compete again if I qualify? I said, 'no' but that probably means' yes'!
OS
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