Another busy month in Old Buckenham

Diary dates for June 

Monday 1   Monday Mardle, Church Rooms, 2.15pm to 4.15pm

Tuesday 2   Coffee and chat, Church Rooms, 10.30am to 12 noon

Wednesday 3   Women's Fellowship, Methodist Chapel, 2.30pm

Thursday 4   National WI AGM live screening, Village Hall

Thursday 4   Parish Council, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Saturday 6   Roadside textile collection from 9am

Sunday 7   Wargames Club, Village Hall, 2.30pm to 6pm

Monday 8   Textile collection, Village Hall car park, 8.30am to 9am

Monday 8   Whist drive, Church Rooms, 2pm

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

Thursday 11   Breckland Flower Club, Village Hall, 2pm

Thursday 11   June Fair and Beer Festival, Ox and Plough, 5pm

Thursday 11   Social and Wine Circle, Church Rooms, 7.45pm

Friday 12   June Fair and Beer Festival, Ox and Plough

Saturday 13   June Fair and Beer Festival, Ox and Plough

Sunday 14   Windmill open, 2pm to 5pm

Sunday 15   June Fair and Beer Festival, Ox and Plough

Monday 15   Monday Mardle, Church Rooms, 2.15pm to 4.15pm

Wednesday 17   Songs of Praise, Methodist Chapel, 7.30pm

Saturday 20   WI Afternoon tea in the Garden, 1 Mill Road, 3pm

Sunday 21   Closing date for OB 2015 calendar entries

Wednesday 24   Luncheon Club, Village Hall, 10am to 2pm

Thursday 25   Women's Institute, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Saturday 27   Upper Octave concert, All Saints Church, 7.30pm

Saturday 27   Summer Garden Party, Village Hall

Silver at Chelsea for Old Buckenham

Local club does well at Chelsea
A postcard arrived in November 2014 from the Royal Horticultural Society inviting Breckland Flower and Garden Club to exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2015.
After discussion, the chairman and vice chairman decided to say yes to entering the flower arranging competition thinking that they would not get through or be accepted. Forms had to be completed giving details of previous work and personal accomplishments.
A reply by email was received in February with an invitation to exhibit. It would mean working through the night, starting at 10pm on the Wednesday and working up until 6am on the Thursday morning. The title was to be ‘Heritage' and just two people could do the staging.
Thinking caps were put on as there were so many details to decide, especially on what subject to portray. The club’s committee were told that the club would be entering but the actual title was kept secret. Equipment was borrowed from members and the arrangement was tried out in the vice-chairman’s sun room but then dismantled each time in case some one called at the house.
When the week came there were flowers to collect from the wholesaler, containers to be prepared and the car to be car loaded before setting off at 7pm for the drive down to London. Work started at midnight and once all was finished there was time for a quick look round at all the other exhibits being worked on. The standard was very high but the completed exhibit turned out as expected and the arrangers were very pleased with it. Then it was 4.15am and time for the return back to Norfolk, arriving home at 7.30am, ready to go off to bed.
At 11.30am the results were on the RHS website and the arrangement, which was all green and white and portrayed the centenary of the Women’s Institute, had been awarded a Silver.

After of a lot of exhibiting on behalf of the club (which is 33 years old this year) this was a dream come true for Joy Tunmore, founder member and Vice Chairman, and Christine Hewson, the present Chairman.

Old Buckenham newsletter for June

More village news

Copies have been taken around the village today and others may come through your letterbox thanks to the kindness of those who take round the Six Villages newsletter.
Enjoy the read.

Help for Old Buckenham clubs and organisations

Grants from OB 2000 Trust
Old Buckenham 2000 Trust have announced that their grant application process is now open for 2015. If any of the clubs, groups or other organisations in Old Buckenham would like to apply for a grant please either email Terri Hammond on terri@hammond-online.co.uk for information and an application pack or download the information from their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Buckenham-2000-Trust/1534454866791265.

Photographs from Old Buckenham

Local pictures on show

 

Photographs from the Old Buckenham 365 project are amongst the hundreds on show in New Buckenham Village Hall this weekend. Local photographers, including several from Old Buckenham, have filled the hall with all sorts of images for The Bucks Photoshow 2015.
Entrance is free so why not go along today, Saturday, between 10am and 5pm or tomorrow from 10am to 1pm. Enjoy the photos and try out the refreshments too.

Old Buckenham calendar 2016

Calling all Old Buckenham clubs and groups
It may only be late May but the Old Buckenham 2000 Trust is already looking at creating the 2016 Village Calendar. They have decided that the theme for 2016 will be our Village clubs/groups. They are inviting all the community groups within the village to submit a photograph to represent their group. From the entries received, twelve will be chosen to each represent one month on the calendar.
The calendar will include the name of the group, who to contact if you want to join and when/where you meet so providing a great opportunity to advertise your group as well as supporting the village calendar.
Ideas for the photographs could include historical pictures, people within the group participating in an activity ie playing bowls or cricket, a picture from something the group has done, or a picture of the group in or around one of the landmarks of the village.
All photos need to be digital and, if you include any people in your picture, please ensure that you have their permission and disclose to us that you have this permission.
All pictures are needed by Sunday 21 June in order to complete the calendar in time so getting snapping now.
Please send all the photographs and descriptions of your club or group to terri@hammond-online.co.uk

Great displays in Old Buckenham

Breckland Flower and Garden Club

May's meeting was well attended when members welcomed Graham Watts from Dereham who, with slides, showed how he transformed a fairly derelict garden into one which is now opened under the National Garden Scheme. During three years he and his wife, with a little help, cleaned out the half acre pond, laid paths and created flower beds and a vegetable patch which now gives colour and form throughout the year. The Club are all looking forward to visiting the garden in July to see it for themselves.
There were some lovely flower arrangements on the competition table - the monthly trophy being won by Heather Doig with Maureen Ashfield and Alison Walker also gaining top marks in their classes. The table show for 'blossom' was won by Alison Walker.
Next month's meeting will be held on Thursday 11 June in Old Buckenham Village Hall starting at 2pm when a workshop will take place. Please bring usual flower arranging items together with a small amount of foliage to include a few small ivy trails, hosta leaves, etc, and a bunch of roses. Also bring some co-ordinating ribbon and some small beads, other items will be provided.
The competition title is 'Carnival' and the trophy will be awarded for the best use of colour. The table show is for 'The first rose of summer'. 

Visitors are always welcome and further details can be obtained from Christine on 01953 454528 or Sally on 01953 788712.

See Oscar-winning actor in Old Buckenham

The theory of everything this Friday
Following on from the successful  films shown so far this year, the next showing at Old Buckenham Village Hall will be

The Theory of Everything 

The film plots the life of Stephen Hawking as he battles, not only to survive motor neurone disease but to push the boundaries of physics and cosmology.
Eddie Redmayne won the best actor Oscar award for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking. The showing starts at 8pm on Friday 22 May.
Tickets are £4. To reserve tickets you can email boxofficeobvh@gmail.com, or call 01953 860866. As usual there will be a bar, nibbles and ice cream available.
You can see a trailer at https://youtu.be/Salz7uGp72c

Upper Octave return to Old Buckenham

From Bizet to Broadway
On Saturday 27 June why not pop along to your local Parish Church and enjoy some amazing choral music. Norfolk’s popular and talented vocal ensemble “The Upper Octave” return for their fourth visit to Old Buckenham. Their production “Bizet to Broadway” combines the best of classic musical theatre with everyone’s favourite operatic arias to create an eclectic musical mix which leaves audiences wanting more. 
This concert will take place at All Saints Church, Old Buckenham , starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £10 which will include refreshments and a glass of wine. For tickets please phone 860845 or 860841.

Old Buckenham jumpers

Parachuting for charity
Three Old Buckenham residents will be doing a charity skydive on Sunday 14 June. Steve Miller from Fen Street was diagnosed with bowel cancer in July 2013. The Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital saved his life and with the support from the Big C he is now in full remission. He wants to say a big thank you to all those people who have made this possible and will be jumping for the Big C.
 

Richard Dunseith (left) and his son Will (centre)from Fen Road will be jumping with Steve (right) on Sunday 14 June to support Cancer Research UK. Richard's father-in-law, Will's grandfather, died from cancer five years ago and they would like to remember him with this jump.
To sponsor Steve go to: www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Colin-Miller
To sponsor Richard and Will go to: www.justgiving.com/Deborah-Dunseith

Old Buckenham to enter games

Norfolk Village Games

Old Buckenham is setting out to prove it is the best village in Norfolk at sports by competing in the Norfolk Village Games. The event is being held at the Sportspark, UEA, Norwich on Sunday 12 July 2015 and is certain to be a fantastic day of fun and competition. The competition is made up of ten events, archery, athletics, badminton, darts, gymnasticators, Tour of Britain Cycle Challenge, five-a-side Football, rounders, short mat bowls and tennis. There will be trophies for each sporting event and for the winning village.
If anyone from Old Buckenham is interested in taking part please contact Michelle on 01953 861160 or email michelle.wilford@btinternet.com

Concerns of Old Buckenham parishioners

Public comments at April parish council meeting

The following notes have been written by the blog editor from notes supplied by the parish clerk.
One resident said he appreciated the work of the Parish Council over the last four years and the time they put into their duties. He then referred to the Chairman’s email to him regarding road safety and the cost of the newly installed flashing speed signs on B1077. He had a letter from a parish council in Holt who did not pay any money to have their signs installed as half the cost was paid by local school and the other half by Norfolk County Council (NCC). He then quoted figures of children from within the village who attended the local schools and a great majority of children attending these schools were from outside Old Buckenham. Steve Milner responded that Holt’s flashing speed signs had been paid for by the local school and NCC. They were purchased under the NCC and Town & Parish Partnership scheme and over forty other parish councils had bought SAM2 flashing speed signs under this scheme. A resident had commented on the increase in the Precept and he had replied to his concerns. The resident then said that residents should be more widely consulted on spending of Parish Council monies. Steve Milner responded that any resident may come to the Precept meeting and speak on any financial matter. Another resident said the Parish Council needs to engage more with younger people in the village and in the working of the Parish Council. Steve Milner responded that numerous attempts had been made by the Parish Council to set up a Youth Council and that a number of meetings had been arranged but no young people had turned up. A resident also raised matter of the Chapel Road School and the access road and possible parking on the school field. Also, they felt that the Parish Council should look at ways of engaging residents more in the working of the Parish Council.

Carpet bowls in Old Buckenham

New equipment for bowlers
Old Buckenham Carpet Bowls Club held on open evening in the Village Hall on Tuesday 12 May to celebrate the arrival of two new carpets. The club was able to receive grant money towards their purchase getting £900 from the Old Buckenham 2000 Trust and just under £600 from Breckland Council.
Visitors on the evening were able to try out the sport of carpet bowling and see if it was something that they could take up as an activity in the future.
 

Their original equipment will not be wasted, one of their old carpets has gone to the Attleborough Adult Training Centre and negotiations are underway for the other one to go to the Snooker Centre where it will be used for older people to play on.

Old Buckenham Parish Council minutes

Parish Council May meeting
These notes have been written by the blog editor from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is changed at a later date.
The meeting took place on Thursday 7 May and two members of the public also attended. Apologies for absence were received from Akis Chrisoviledes and Tim Ing. Steve Milner declared an interest in the item on the agenda concerning the Play Area maintenance.
The meeting was suspended for a short while to allow members of the public to ask questions. A note on the items discussed will be given later in this blog.
Minutes of April Parish Council meeting. These were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Matters arising from these minutes. Tom Johnson congratulated the clerk on getting the 30mph repeater signs so quickly. The Clerk responded that the speed of them being done was due to the Norfolk County Council (NCC) Highways Engineer. Adrian Joel asked if there was any update on Chapel Road School and the transfer of land following John Alston’s recent sad death. He also raised the matter of the removal of the Traffic Management System that had been agreed for use during the construction period of the school. Steve Milner responded that a new traffic plan would ensure all traffic would come in on Attleborough Road and not through the village. Also there is a delay in transferring the land. Adrian Joel said the Parish Council should monitor the situation closely and Steve Milner said he would contact NCC. Adrian Joel also raised the question of parking being allowed on school property and Steve Milner replied that NCC policy would not allow parking of vehicles on school property.
Adoption of Accounts. It was agreed that the accounts for the year ending March 2015 be adopted, this was agreed with 8 for and 1 abstention.
Annual Governance Statement. It was agreed that the Annual Governance Statement be signed, this was agreed by 8 for and 1 abstention.
Road Safety. Steve Milner reported that a quote had been received from Westcotec for a SAM 2 system which included Portable Speed Indicator Device (SID) with SLOW DOWN legend beneath, battery powered (complete with spare battery), ‘intelligent’ charger, sign cover and clamps for a cost of £2,800 each excluding vat (data collection unit £250 plus vat and any additional bracket sets £80 plus vat). The sign and equipment come with a 12 month guarantee. The second was for an automated system which was £3,850 plus vat and the third was for a Message Maker Sign which was for £2,975 plus vat. He said in his opinion the Westcotec sign was the best. Adrian Joel suggested asking other parish councils for their views on their installed SAM 2 system. Tom Johnson said the matter should be deferred to June meeting when more was known and Paul Boggia also said details of the guarantees of the system should be obtained.
Play Area maintenance. Steve Milner said a letter had been received from a resident complaining of the condition of the Play Area. The current person maintaining the play area would no longer be able to continue due to his work commitments. Steve Milner had submitted a quote of £54 per month to carry out regular maintenance which would cover all grass cutting, strimming, minor repairs and keeping an area of one metre surrounding the play area free from weeds and overgrown shrubbery. Other councillors expressed views on the matter and Sarah Dye said it was important to have accountability of the work being done and using a volunteer would not necessarily ensure the work was done to the required standard. Sarah Dye had striven to obtain two other quotes but one was very expensive and other people did not wish to take on the work. It was proposed by Jonathan Kemp and seconded by Tom Johnson that the contract be given to Steve Milner.
Planning applications and decisions. None had been received.
Approval of accounts payable. Paul Boggia asked why the ink cartridge figure was so high. The Clerk explained that the existing printer was four years old, was starting to play up and that the supplier had provided a large A3 colour printer/copier/scanner/fax free with the 24 cartridges. It was agreed that the invoices on the cheque list be paid with 8 for and 1 abstention.
Chairman’s report. Steve Milner said there had been reports of vandalism at the play area and it was hoped that identification of the culprits could be made and that all information should be passed to the police. Derek Smalley said that he would report it to the police now. The tour of Britain cycle race was coming to Old Buckenham on Saturday 12 September between 1pm and 2 pm. Steve Milner suggested setting up a working party in the village to arrange events for the day and this working party should involve other groups within the village. A meeting will be held with Breckland Council on Tuesday 26 May to discuss the day’s events. Two accidents had been reported in the village recently, one in Grove Road and one in Abbey Road. There had also been a number of near misses involving pedestrians. There was a letter in the Newsletter from a resident complaining of the increase in the precept. Steve Milner had replied on the matter also via the newsletter. It was reported that Ray Bayfield had provided a new duck house for the pond for which the Parish Council were very grateful. Peter Twissell took out the old duck house from the pond and the Parish Clerk is to write to both parties thanking them.
District Councillor’s report. Adrian Joel said that the parish council had done well over the past four years and had achieved a lot in spite of some unfair criticism.
Parish Councillors’ reports. Carol Marshall reported that the last week of renovation of the Almshouses has taken place and they have three new tenants but still have one house available for a suitable tenant. It has cost £100,000 to refurbish the house so far and more money will need to be spent. She has one quote for the maintenance of the recreation area and will try to obtain two others. Adrian Joel said that one of the taps on the allotments was not working and he had arranged for a plumber to replace it at no cost to the Parish Council. Also an allotment holder, who had recently taken over an unattended allotment, had said it had cost them £50 to enable it to be properly prepared to use as allotment and asked if the Parish Council would refund this cost. After a discussion it was agreed that Parish Council could not refund the cost and would write to the resident on the matter. Derek Smalley said a resident had contacted him regarding the abandoned car on B1077. Breckland Council had contacted the owner who said he would have it removed soon. The police were unable to speed up its removal as it was not actually on the highway and was not causing an obstruction. Derek Smalley said he would not be continuing liaison with the Attleborough Neighbourhood Plan and said it was important that the new Parish Council have a representative on the group. It was also asked if the Parish Council could send a letter to Matt Wilkins at the airfield regarding the recent crash there. Steve Milner said he had already contacted Matt Wilkins and expressed the condolences of the Parish Council. Tom Johnson said he attended the recent management meeting of the Village Hall and the question of insurance for the recreation area was raised. The Parish Clerk advised him that they had insurance cover under their general policy. The Village Hall committee asked if they could use the Recreation Area and its benches for the Village Fete, this was agreed. He also suggested a new dog bin at St Andrews Close, this was to be put on June agenda. There will be a film show on Friday 22 May. The Village Fete would be held on Saturday 4 July.
Parish Clerk’s report. Breckland Council had written to the development just off Hargham Road and the developer had suggested naming it The Old Yard, this was approved by the Parish Council. The Parish Clerk also read out an email from NCC Highways regarding past highways issues and what action had been taken.
Highways. The sign at Puddledock was facing the wrong way. The Parish Clerk will report this to Highways.
The Green. Sarah Dye said she had organised a meeting that was well attended at which they discussed a new way of managing the Green and involving the residents. They are hoping to obtain charitable status which will enable them to access grant funding. They are also going to hold a Green tidying up day after the Green has been mowed. They are hopeful they can take the managing of the Green forward in a very positive way.
The next meetings of Old Buckenham Parish Council would be the AGM on Wednesday 13 May and the regular monthly meeting on Thursday 4 June at the Village Hall commencing at 7.30pm.

Cycling right through Old Buckenham

Tour of Britain Cycle Race
Saturday 12 September is set to be a momentous day for Old Buckenham. The penultimate stage of the Tour of Britain will pass through Old Buckenham on that date. It is unsure which road will be taken as the cyclists leave the village but they will be entering on the B1077 from Attleborough. Breckland Organiser Stefan Gifford has asked for the race to come through this village because of the amenities, namely the Green and our ability to host a major event.
In addition to this major sporting fixture passing through, a number of cycle races will be held on the roads around the Green and off road cycle races on the Green -  these will be organised by Diss Cycling Club. The additional races will aim to make this an all day event which will be supported by other attractions on the Green
To enable the cycle races to occur safely it will be necessary to close the road from Manor Pond to Hargham Road and onwards to the B1077 junction. The aim is to close this road from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. While this may cause some inconvenience, it is hoped that residents affected will be patient and help support the occasion. Car parking outside of the race circuit will be organised so it will be possible for you to position your vehicles to ensure you can exit Old Buckenham should you wish. If you have thoughts on this and the plan for the day you can do this either by email to stevemilner1@gmail.com or by telephone on 01953 860866 (before 7.30pm in the evenings).

Cafe time in Old Buckenham

Hugh's cafe open this coming Friday
Why not come along, you'll be most welcome.

A Green future in Old Buckenham

Making the best of our village Green

To everybody who came to the meeting about the Green a couple of weeks ago - a thank you  from Sarah Dye for coming and for sharing your views and suggestions.  She has had a lot of positive feedback about the meeting and what it is trying to achieve, which is sincerely appreciated and very encouraging.

Sarah quickly ran through a potted history of the Green in numbers from 1791 to 2015.

Those attending listed what’s good about our Green: free access to open space; protected focal point for the village; history; the huge variety of wildlife; ponds & trees – all featured in the discussion.

The list of users and possible uses of the Green was long: two wheels, two legs, four legs and the aforementioned wildlife all featured; perhaps music; definitely sport and leisure; sheep and hay; school activities and events.

The list of jobs to be done was equally long: mowing; trimming and strimming; weeding and seeding; drainage; tree work; pond work; paths and parking areas; seating; litter picking; gathering opinions and communication and fundraising.

So how should the work be supported and funded? Suggestions were: the current Green Right holders; grants; the Parish Council via precept; donations and fees from commercial users or events.

There was a very open discussion about what sort of organisation might be created for effective day-to-day management and in the end, there was general consensus that it could be:

• A new organisation – working separately but alongside the current group of Green Right Proprietors,
• It would have clear aims and objectives and a strong constitution which all interested parties could agree to,
• Charitable status would enable applications for grant funding – a charitable trust might be a good structure.

There would be a place for trustees and committee members but also experts (grant funding, trees, wildlife, etc) and a database of people who are just willing to help with practical jobs or have equipment and skills to guide those projects.

And the name for this new group?  There is now a list of suggestions – feel free to send Sarah yours.

Even before the new organisation is formed, plans are afoot for a ‘Green Day’ (after mowing and before the Tour of Britain cycle race descends on the village on Saturday 12 September) to work on some specific jobs on the Green. All will be very welcome – date to be decided.

So thanks again for showing an interest. And if you would like to take part or just receive information about what’s happening next, drop Sarah an email (sarah.dye@hotmail.com) to let her know of your interest.

Otherwise, watch this blog and/or the Old Buckenham village newsletter for news about next steps - if we can get a lot of people doing a little bit each, then together this will achieve a huge amount.

Latest murder mystery in Old Buckenham

Murder at the village hall
Following the success of their pantomime 'Jack and the Beanstalk', Old Buckenham Players are back with their May production 'Curtain up on Murder' by Bettine Manktelow. With twists and turns through every scene, this thriller should keep the audience on the edge of their seats until the very end. Set in a theatre at the end of a pier, it concerns an amateur dramatics society rehearsing for their latest production. All is well until an untimely death starts the wheels of doubt, paranoia and accusation turning. This only grows when subsequent strange and tragic happenings add to the panic of the group, throwing them deeper and deeper in to disarray.
But who or what is to blame for the dark events? Will the truth ever be found out? Join the Players for a night of intrigue, suspense and of course above all, enjoyment.

Performances start at 7.30pm on Thursday 14, Friday 15 and Saturday 16 May at Old Buckenham Village Hall. There'll be a raffle and a reasonably priced bar serving a range of soft and alcoholic drinks. Tickets are on sale now, cost just £8 and can be purchased by calling 01953 861336 or in person from Old Buckenham Stores or Nuts 'n' Bolts in Attleborough.
If you want to learn more about Old Buckenham Players, to find out what they do and how they do it and to make sure you are up-to-date on their forthcoming shows you can use the website: http://www.oldbuckenhamplayers.co.uk

Voting in Old Buckenham

The day has arrived
The sun is out, the bunting is out and the first people are out voting at the village hall in Old Buckenham.

Harry Potter at Old Buckenham High

Hogwarts Express reaches Old Buckenham
After months of planning it was time this week for Old Buckenham High School students and staff to share the magic at their first ever Harry Potter Big Event.
Forty seven wizards and muggles convened after school for an evening of fun activities designed to celebrate the books. The event started in the school library with students donning the Sorting Hat to be placed into the four Houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin. Once assembled they embarked on a Diagon Alley Hunt followed by a Quidditch Tournament in which the house teams received points for each Quaffle goal they scored before the Golden Snitch was thrown into the hoop - no mean feat considering everyone involved had to hold a wand during play!


After their zealous performance, refreshments were served with drinks in potion bottles aptly labelled ‘Wolfshane Potion’, ‘Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent’ and ‘Bubotuber Pus’. Students also made wizarding name badges, decorated cupcakes and had the chance to earn house points in the Harry Potter Bingo and Quiz with the winning house being announced at the end of the evening in the Prize Ceremony. There was much rejoicing as Slytherin received the title ‘House Victor 2015’ with a staggering 610 points, 130 points more than Ravenclaw in second place. Year 7 student Tilly Rawling won the best decorated cupcake competition and many more prizes were handed out in the raffle.

Four months into Old Buckenham project

One third of the year recorded
An interesting insight into life in Old Buckenham can be seen by going to:
http://365project.org/stevem/365
Each day since the beginning of the year, a group of volunteers in the village have been ensuring that one photograph is taken within the parish of Old Buckenham and posted up on the website given above. Just click on the coloured lettering above and see for yourself what has been going on. So enjoy the well over a hundred odd pictures and come back again later.
See what has been taken in the last few days and remember there are just over a couple hundred more photographs to be taken during 2015.

Old Buckenham WI April meeting

Learning about Gambia
 The smallest country in Africa, Gambia, was the subject of the talk at the April meeting of Old Buckenham WI. Not only is it the smallest but also one of the poorest countries of the world.
Janet Clark, the speaker, and her husband were moved by the poverty of the people when they holidayed in Gambia a few years ago. When they arrived back home in Norfolk they decided to start a charity – GATE – Gambian Aid Through Education.
Raising funds in Britain enabled the couple to buy mosquito nets, to drill wells, provide vegetable seeds and secure education for the children of the villages they support. Literacy and numeracy rates are low in this impoverished West African country with no known natural resources. Tourism is limited to the coastal strip and the rest of the population depend on fishing and farming for an income. So far the charity has put three teachers through teacher training college and is continually looking for sponsors for their various projects that make a real difference to rural communities.
Susan Hunter, the President, gave a short report about the Annual Meeting of the Norfolk Federation of WI at St Andrew's Hall in March. The excellent speakers included the national chairman, Janice Langley, and the Antiques Roadshow expert Eric Knowles.
The annual bursary provided by Old Buckenham WI to help pay for a course at the WI Denman College in Oxfordshire was drawn and the winner this year of £150 was Jenni Cooke.

Old Buckenham events during May

Diary dates for May

Friday 1    Pre-school quiz, Village Hall, 7.30pm for 8pm

Sunday 3    Wargames Club, Village Hall, 2.30pm to 6pm

Tuesday 5    Coffee and chat, Church Rooms, 10.30am to 12 noon

Wednesday 6    Women's Fellowship, Methodist Chapel, 2.30pm

Wednesday 6    OB 2000 Trust AGM, Church Rooms, 8pm

Thursday 7    Polling station open, Village Hall, 7am to 10pm

Sunday 10    Windmill open, 2pm to 5pm

Monday 11    Whist drive, Church Rooms, 2pm

Tuesday 12    Carpet Bowls Club Open Evening, Village Hall, 7pm

Wednesday 13    Luncheon Club, Village Hall, 10am to 2pm

Wednesday 13    Songs of Praise, Methodist Chapel, 7.30pm

Wednesday 13    Parish Council AGM, Church Rooms, 7.30pm

Thursday 14    Breckland Flower and Garden Club, Village Hall, 2pm

Thursday 14    OB Players, Curtain up on murder, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Thursday 14    Social and Wine Circle, Church Rooms, 7.45pm

Friday 15    Hugh's Cafe, Church Rooms, 2pm to 4pm

Friday 15    OB Players, Curtain up on murder, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Saturday 16    Spring Fayre, Church Rooms, 2pm to 4pm

Saturday 16    OB Players, Curtain up on murder, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Monday 18    Monday Mardle, Church Rooms, 2.15pm to 4.15pm

Saturday 22    Village cinema, The Theory of Everything, Village Hall, 8pm

Wednesday 27    Luncheon Club, Village Hall, 10am to 2pm

Thursday 28    Women's Institute, Village Hall, 7.30pm