Tuesday 30 July 2013

A busy August in Old Buckenham

Diary dates for August

Friday 2    Crib, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Tuesday 6    Coffee and chat, Church Rooms, 10.30am to 12 noon

Wednesday 7    Women's Fellowship, Methodist Chapel, 2.30pm

Thursday 8    Breckland Flower Club, Village Hall, 2pm

Sunday 11    Windmill open, 2pm to 5pm

Sunday 11    Askew Agricultural Museum open, 2pm to 5pm


Monday 12    Whist drive, Church Rooms, 2pm

Wednesday 14    Luncheon Club coffee morning, Village Hall, 10am

Wednesday 14    Meeting for OB fete, Village Hall Memorial Room, 7.30pm

Friday 16    Flower Group outing, leaves Village Hall at 9am

Saturday 17    Garage sale, Karmel, Manor Corner, 8am to 4pm

Saturday 17    Churchyard tidy-up, All Saints Church, from 9am

Sunday 18    Garage sale, Karmel, Manor Corner, 8am to 4pm

Sunday 18    Veteran bus rally, Old Buckenham Airfield, from 10am

Sunday 18    Outdoor Family Theatre, Windmill, 3.30pm

Monday 19    Monday Mardle, outing to Peter Beales Roses

Wednesday 21   Songs of Praise, Methodist Chapel, 7.30pm

Thursday 22    Women's Institute, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Wednesday 28    Luncheon Club, Village Hall, 10am to 2pm

Thursday 29    Silver Band concert, All Saints Church, 7.30pm

Saturday 31    Start of Balloon Festival, Old Buckenham Airfield

Saturday 31    Village Fete, Village Hall, 2pm to 4pm

Sunday 28 July 2013

Upper Octave returns to Old Buckenham

From opera through the musicals
Saturday 27 July was another opportunity to see and listen to a concert by Upper Octave http://www.theupperoctave.com in All Saints Church, Old Buckenham. This was a fund-raising event for the Church and was a most enjoyable way to spend an evening.
Being in a beautiful old building and listening to a wide range of popular operatic music and songs from the musicals in the cool of a summer evening was wonderful. The quality of the sound was great and the church was also imaginately lit throughout the performances.
Trying to unobtrusively take photographs was a nightmare for your amateur blog editor but here are a few to give an impression of what went on - ranging from some general views of the set, close-ups of some of the singers, the audience enjoying their refreshment break and the singers relaxing at the end of the evening with some welcome refresments for themselves.






Thursday 25 July 2013

Yet another Old Buckenham village newsletter

August issue now around and about
Pop into the village shop, the two pubs, All Saints Church, the Clinic on the Green, the village hall and the Church Rooms and you should be able to pick up a copy. Of course you may be one of those people that get one through their letter box thanks to a few kindly volunteers.
Enjoy.

Tuesday 23 July 2013

Strimming round Old Buckenham graves

Cutting things down to size

All are invited to go along to All Saints Church in Old Buckenham on Saturday 17 August to help in clearing up in the churchyard. The Parochial Church Council is organising this and is hoping many villagers will go along with gardening equipment to cut down long grass and any other unwanted undergrowth. People willing to bring along their own petrol strimmers will be most welcome. Basic refreshments will be supplied and if you want to know more then contact John Frost on 860841.

Thursday 18 July 2013

Old Buckingham Palace, not Old Buckenham

History of Buckingham Palace


The speaker at the June meeting of Old Buckenham Women’s Institute was David Morton who gave a very informative presentation on the history of Buckingham Palace.
From its humble beginnings as an orchard caretaker’s cottage in the reign of James 1, the structure evolved into the present building. The house was re-built several times and was bought in 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham (hence its name). George lll eventually bought the house to impress his new Queen and subsequently his son, William IV, spent huge sums of money on the house but never actually lived there. Prince Albert then took responsibility for all royal residences and the first monarch to live there was Queen Victoria.
When Edward VII became king in 1901 the house seemed dingy and old-fashioned and he arranged for the re-decoration of the Palace before he moved in two years later. Subsequently the East Wing (the front of the building) was restored by George V, but the architect, Edward Blore, had chosen Caen stone which proved to be perishable in the London climate. It was therefore decided in 1913 to re-face the East Wing in Portland stone – hence the front of the building as we know it today is exactly 100 years old.
One Old Buckenham member, Barbara Ives, gave a report on her recent visit to the WI Annual General Meeting in Cardiff. There had been much discussion on the resolution about the future of our high streets and town centres. The resolution won the backing of members and calls on every WI member to support her local shops and high streets. The guest speakers at the meeting that day were two prominent Welshmen, namely Griff Rhys Jones and the veteran broadcaster John Humphrys. The former spoke passionately about preserving England’s countryside and the role of voluntary groups in improving communities. John Humphrys said the WI, with its 212,000 members is ‘the essence of democracy‘ and he revealed that reading Superman comics at the age of six years inspired him to become a journalist because ‘Superman was Clark Kent and Clark Kent was a journalist’.
The speaker at the WI meeting on Thursday 22 August will be Alison Hannah who will talk on 'Mental health through the ages'.

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Earth moving event in Old Buckenham

Official start to house-building project
Today saw the long awaited start of the scheme to build fourteen new affordable dwellings on the site in St Andrews Close, Old Buckenham. Big signs had been put up, the ceremonial spades had been given a good polish and the representatives of the housing association, the builders and the parish council gathered around. Hard hats and high-viz tops were put on and some short speeches were given.
No actual sod was turned but the spades glinted in the sun as many photographs were taken before the event moved on for some welcome refreshments at the Gamekeeper.





Work is starting on the new affordable Cotman Homes in St Andrews Close.
These fourteen new homes will help ensure that families in Old Buckenham are able to remain as part of the community rather than moving away to find a home.
The houses will extend the existing housing development owned and managed by Cotman Housing Association with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom terraced and semi-detached homes, all for affordable rent.
The start of construction was marked today with a ceremony attended by representatives of the Cotman Housing Association, Mansell Construction Services and local residents.
Work is expected to be finished by the summer of 2014 and has been partially funded through the Homes and Communities Agency’s Affordable Homes Programme. The homes will be built on disused land previously owned by Breckland District Council and will be built to level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
This project will go a long way towards meeting a pressing local need for affordable housing in Old Buckenham. It has been a very long haul (around eight years since the plans were put forward) but this time next year the project should be welcoming its first new tenants.

Monday 15 July 2013

Future picnic in Old Buckenham

Picnic around the Mill
Here are early details of an village event next month.

Sunday 14 July 2013

A very hot summer day in Old Buckenham

Having fun in the sun
It was a busy day yesterday in Old Buckenham. The sun shone all day and the temperature rose to new heights.
Haymaking was in full swing on the Green while bands played and stalls operated at the Muso Festival on the High School playing fields.
In the slightly cooler evening, members of the Old Buckenham Women's Institute along with husbands, partners and friends enjoyed their Progressive Supper. They moved around from house to house and sampled the delights of homemade food in the various locations. It was nearly dark by the time they had finished their mardling...







(how many people outside Norfolk will know how to mardle?)

Friday 12 July 2013

Fascinating meeting outside Old Buckenham

Breckland Flower and Garden Club
 

Frocks and fascinators were the order of day for the Club's summer meeting which was held in Joy Tunmore's garden. Having viewed Joy's bounteous borders everyone took to their seats in the sunshine and listened to an enthusiastic talk given by Ian Roofe (landscape gardener) on plants in flower at the moment. He recommended, among others, roses with wonderful perfume, old fashioned sweet williams, alstromerias and a fairly new variety - almost midnight blue - perennial salvia.
'Afternoon tea' was then served by the committee - cucumber sandwiches, strawberry cream scones and a variety of cakes, and tea served in china cups!
The competition was for the most imaginative fascinator and this was worn by Alison Walker - it included a bird with eggs in a nest.
The August meeting will take place in Old Buckenham Village Hall on Thursday 8 August at 2pm when 'the Girls' will 'Lift the lid.' The competition title is 'Out of the box' and the table show will be for three stems in a vase of ‘Hot colour from the border’.
The Club's outing to Colchester and Green Island Gardens on Friday 16 August (now fully booked) will leave from Old Buckenham Village Hall at 9am and leave Ardleigh for the return journey at approximately 4pm. If you have any queries you can speak to Sheila on 888710.

Tuesday 9 July 2013

July's deliberations by Old Buckenham Parish Council

Parish Council in July
This report has been prepared by the blog editor from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is changed at a later date.
Stephen Askew (Norfolk County Councillor) and two members of the public attended the July parish council meeting. All the parish councillors were there apart from John Frost, Paul Boggia and Jonathan Kemp.
Minutes of June Parish Council meeting. These were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Matters arising from the minutes. Tom Johnson raised the matter of broadband for the village hall and asked if the precept was being cut. The Parish Clerk explained that a new system of reduced tax bands and possible capping or precept increases by central government could result in a lower precept being given for year 2014/15. Steve Milner said that alternative quotes for broadband were being sought so the matter will be deferred until the September meeting. Tim Ing said he would sort out the grass cutting problems at the Almshouses.
Allotments. Adrian Joel said that he had recently visited the allotments and that the Parish Council were three years into a five year rolling lease. The lease would need to be re negotiated. He also said that two and a half plots were not being cultivated. The allotment holders would like the grass in the adjoining field to be cut. The Old Buckenham Allotment Society recently had a meeting and had asked for a liaison group meeting. Tim Ing suggested that the tenants who were not cultivating their plots be rung to ask them to at least cut the grass, Adrian Joel will do this.
Attleborough Development. Derek Smalley said that the original working party group had been disbanded and replaced by a local plan group. He feels it would be in the interest of Old Buckenham to let him continue his role as our liaison with the steering group. Adrian Joel said he thought it was important that Derek Smalley should continue in the role. Tim Ing asked if the Parish Council should support the Attleborough Development through the liaison group. Adrian Joel proposed that Old Buckenham Parish Council reject the offer from Attleborough Town Council to include the land to the south of Bunn’s Bank, which is in the parish of Old Buckenham, for industrial use as part of the Attleborough Neighbourhood Plan. Also that the residents of Old Buckenham should be consulted on this piece of land as part of the Breckland Local Plan or Old Buckenham Neighbourhood Plan. No seconder was found for the proposal which then failed. Tim Ing then sought the views of all councillors and after a detailed discussion on the subject Derek Smalley proposed that Old Buckenham Parish Council join with Attleborough Neighbourhood Plan. Sarah Dye added to the proposal by saying that the Parish Council are mindful that a small parcel of land south of Bunn’s Bank is in the parish of Old Buckenham in the Attleborough Neighbourhood Plan but this can be withdrawn from the plan at any time by the Parish Council in the future. This was seconded by Steve Milner and agreed by all the other councillors except Adrian Joel who voted against the proposal.
Planning applications. Buckenham Priory, Abbey Road. Change of materials, removal of ship-lapped timber boarding and replace with off-white or cream lime render. No objections, this was agreed unanimously.
Cotman Housing Association, St Andrews Close. Change of window type from wood to UPVC. No objections, this was agreed with 7 for and 1 abstention.
Planning decisions received from Breckland. Midway Rise, Fen Street. Alterations and extensions including create first floor accommodation with Juliette balcony and double garage. Permission granted.
Old Buckenham Cricket Club. Erection of three-bay building to store ground equipment. Permission granted.
The Banham Poultry planning application was fully discussed and it was suggested that the Parish Council recommend more provision for safer sustainable transport. There should also be signage on the A11 barring all works traffic from Hargham Road and other parts of Old Buckenham. Also all monitoring policies to be strictly enforced by Breckland Council.
Chairman’s report. Tim Ing said he had received a call from a parishioner concerning the height of grass in the churchyard. The meeting was informed that the church were going to organise a working party to help carry out the work. He then said he had received comments from another resident about Speedwatch and Steve Milner explained how the system worked. Tim Ing also reported that a waste bin had now been placed on the recreation area.
District Councillor’s report. Adrian Joel said the ground-breaking ceremony will take place for the new Cotman Houses at 12.30pm on Tuesday 16 July. All parish councillors are invited and he hoped local residents would also attend. Should any village organisation be looking at a project that would fit the criteria for Breckland Communities match funding then they should please contact him on 01953 860663. Breckland Council have signed up to a joint venture recycling agreement with all councils in Norfolk. This should save at least £360,000 per year across all the councils.
Parish councillors’ reports. Tom Johnson had attended a meeting of the Village Hall committee where they had a visit from the new licensee of the Ox & Plough who offered them a site for the bottle bank near the pub. The committee have a comprehensive list of future events. Derek Smalley said he had a call from a resident regarding some issues with the Ox & Plough pub and Sarah Dye will follow up on this. It was reported that the Six Villages Newsletter is closing down unless they get some volunteers who could assist with the running of the newsletter. Adrian Joel said a new headmaster had been appointed at the High School and he will take up his appointment in January 2014 (till then the Deputy head will run the school). Carol Marshall raised the matter of parents parking in the village hall car park when dropping children off and causing obstruction problems. Steve Milner has produced a possible solution which he showed to Parish Council. The Headmaster of the Primary School will write to parents on the matter.
Parish Clerk’s report. He reported that he has bought a new house but will be in rented accommodation for approximately three months until the house was ready. He would issue two mobile numbers that he could be contacted on. He also reported that parish councils have no powers under the Highways Act 1980, section 154, regarding overhanging trees, hedges or bushes.
Highways. Adrian Joel reported a road sign was down at the junction of Crown Road and the B1077 near the war memorial. Also a 30mph sign on the right of Hargham Road when exiting the village. The Parish Clerk is to contact Highways on the matter.
The Green. Tim Ing said grass cutting will take place very soon. Also the posts by the shop that have been knocked down will be replaced.

The next meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council will be Thursday 5 September in the Village Hall at 7.30pm.

Saturday 6 July 2013

It's summer and party time in Old Buckenham

Tonight is party night
The sun has been shining all day, the organisers have been doing what they can to disguise the village hall and all is ready for the guests to arrive.
Soon they are all outside, drinking their Pimms, talking to their friends and listening to the Old Buckenham High School Band. The food is being prepared and everyone is getting ready to have a great evening.
And they are fund-raising for the Old Buckenham 2000 Trust too...







Monday 1 July 2013

Evening garden party in Old Buckenham

Enjoyable way to raise funds
People raise funds for good causes in many different ways. Some do arduous cycle rides or difficult mountain climbs, some run car boot stalls every week for years.
A more pleasant way is to have an evening garden party and hope that the weather is fine. Last Saturday evening that is what happened in Old Buckenham to raise money to help with the maintenance of All Saints Church. People bought tickets to come, bought more tickets to enter a large raffle and bought even more tickets as they enjoyed trying to win something on the tombola stall. There were plants too that you could spend your money on. Extra glasses of wine could be obtained in exchange for a suitable donation to this particular good cause.
There were well over a hundred people enjoying themselves, nosing around the garden and just enjoying themselves talking to people they knew (and even some that they had never met before).
So a good time was had by all and the most useful sum of over a thousand pounds was raised in the process thanks to the work of the garden owners and their band of helpers.

(just click on these images to enlarge the picture and see who you can recognise)