March activities in Old Buckenham

Diary dates for March

Sunday 1             Learn a new song, Methodist Church, 6.30pm                             

Monday 2           Monday Mardle, Church Rooms, 2.15pm to 4pm

Tuesday 3           Coffee and Chat, Church Rooms, 10.30am onwards

Wednesday 4      Luncheon Club, Village Hall, 10am to 2pm

Thursday 6         Parish Council, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Saturday 7          Bingo, Church Rooms, 2pm

Wednesday 11   Chapel Friendship Group, Methodist Church, 2.30pm

Thursday 12       Breckland Flower and Garden Club, 2pm

Thursday 12       Social and Wine Circle, Church Rooms, 7.30pm

Friday 13            Visits from Mobile Library during morning

Friday 13            Winter Warmer Restaurant, Chapel Green School, 6pm

Saturday 14        Antarctic talk, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Monday 16         Monday Mardle, Church Rooms, 2.15pm to 4.15pm

Wednesday 18   Luncheon Club, Village Hall, 10am to 2pm

Wednesday 18   Songs of praise, Methodist Chapel, 7.30pm

Thursday 26       Women's Institute, Village Hall, 7.30pm

  Sunday 29        Litter pick, meet at Ottomer Pond, 11am

Meal out in Old Buckenham

Have an interesting evening

Back by popular demand. Chapel Green School are hosting another enjoyable restaurant evening this month. Please come along and enjoy a relaxed evening with freshly-made food, listening to music whilst being looked after by their wonderful students.

The restaurant is at Chapel Green School, NR17 1RF, on Friday 13 March between 6pm and 8pm. The cost is £10 per seat for adults and £5 for children under 12. Please contact the school office 01953 453116 to book your place (limited seats available). All food and entertainment is free. Remember there are no card reading facilities available so you will have to pay your £10 in cash.

The menu is vegetarian and gluten free.
Starter: Stuffed potato skins with homemade cheese and onion filling.
Main course: Homemade fresh pasta with Chapel Green's own twist, colourful salad accompaniment and freshly-made bread with homemade garlic butter.
Dessert: Homemade chocolate brownie with raspberry coulee.
Tea, coffee and soft drinks will be available. Feel free to bring any other drinks, including alcohol, with you. Glasses will be supplied.
Make your bookings now.

Plays with Old Buckenham connections

Something worth seeing

It will mean going to New Buckenham but the programme includes a play by someone living in Fen Street and one of the actors is a member of Old Buckenham Women's Institute. Order your tickets now... 

Flowers in Old Buckenham

Breckland Flower and Garden Club 

Over 40 ladies gathered in Old Buckenham village hall for their February meeting. With it being so close to Valentine’s day there was a sprinkle of romance in the air. The guest speaker for this month was Hazel McGregor who had travelled from Bury St Edmunds. Her demonstration was titled “Floral Infusion” and it certainly was, with its mixture of colour, flowers and containers. Hazel worked meticulously on stage with an abundance of flowers and foliage whilst at the same time giving an informative talk mixing history with a little humour to keep the audience entertained. She created a wonderful infusion of colour, completing a cocktail of arrangements including, in a true demonstrator’s tradition, a couple she had prepared earlier.
The demonstrator concluded her visit by judging the competition. The winner of this month’s competition “Valentine Romance” was Alyson Spinks and Mo Dorking came second. Christine Hewson had the pleasure of awarding Allison with the trophy which just so happened to be the Christine Hewson trophy.
The afternoon was over all too soon and the raffle was drawn, with several ladies taking home one of Hazel’s delightful arrangements.
The next meeting on Thursday 13 March is the Club’s AGM which will start at 2pm. There will be a presentation of the charity cheque this year to NARS (Norfolk Accident Rescue Service) and a brief talk on the role that NARS plays in our community. Thank you to everyone, for helping and supporting the club’s charity this year. Next year charity begins at home and for the first time in a while the club will be raising money for the club itself in a bid to continue offering the high standard and quality of meetings that have been enjoyed over the years. The Chairman’s raffle will continue with donations going to a local charity at Christmas. There will be a short pictorial of the past year, led by Christine Hewson, and tea and cakes will be served.
For more details regarding any of the above including membership/visiting the club, please contact Christine Hewson on 01953 454528 or Sally Westrup on 01953 788712.

Token bonanza in Old Buckenham

Get cutting

Starting in Saturday's EDP and continuing throughout half term you will find lots of extra tokens for you to cut out and save for Chapel Green School. They are hoping to win some useful gardening equipment for their students.
Please collect them up and take them to reception at the school, the Old School House on the Green, Crockslea in Cake Street or put them in the collection box in the village shop.

Old Buckenham council minutes

Parish Council minutes for February
Old Buckenham Parish Council met on Thursday 6 February at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. Those present were councillors Jonn Hicks (Chair), Steve Milner, Adrian Joel and Mike Farrington Also attending were Rachel Noyes (Clerk) and seven members of the public.
Apologies for absence had been received from Andy Nicholls and Terry Cook. Ben Devlin was also absent but no apology had been received.
The minutes of the January meeting were approved (4 in favour). Matters arising from these minutes included that there had been no response to the council’s initial response about the Met Office proposal for a weather radar tower. Therefore the council agreed to object (4 in favour).
There were no declarations of interests not already recorded in the current Members’ Register of Interests
Financial matters. The community account balance was now £33,179.05 and no income was received in January. Payments approved (4 in favour) totalled £1,414.02 including accounting fees of £200, the clerk’s salary and expenses of £254.47 as well as £540 to Broadland Tree Services for the Christmas tree on the Green. Also Norfolk Association of Local Council’s courses had cost £168, village hall hire was £54 and community car drivers had received £197.55. A Precept Grant for £20,385 had been submitted.
Oliver Lee report. Oliver Lee had been employed to give a landscape architect’s view of the current Green. He gave a detailed presentation about his analysis of the Village Green. He initially looked at its composition, appearance and use. From these findings, he highlighted the need to create a more cohesive feel to the Green, a clearer boundary around the Green and how different areas could be developed. Several suggestions were put forward to achieve a clearer boundary and also more cohesive appearance, which included wooden bollards at each approach to the Green, using gravel spray grip on the roads to clearly indicate to motorists that they are entering the Green area, and selective mowing of the boundary and paths could help minimise the divisive impact of the road. He also felt that parking for the playground could be developed with the possibility of an informal gravel ‘square’ near the Ox and Plough could have several uses including parking and an event space. Additional suggestions included raising the canopy of some trees, additional tree planting and seating around the Green that could also be beneficial. Some of the suggestions would need approval from Highways. The Village Green Working Party and the Parish Council will look at these suggestions and decide if any would be suitable for the Green in the future.
New planning applications. (All planning applications are available for viewing on the Breckland District Council planning portal – www.breckland.gov.uk/article/2933/Search-Planning-Applications - Parish Councillors have been asked by the chairman to view the new applications in advance of the meeting).
Bramble House (formerly Karmel), The Green. Two-storey side extension, single-storey rear extension, garage extension and change of roof direction (3PL/2020/0016/HOU). The Parish Council had no problems with the plans for the property and therefore proposed to support the application on the condition that any damage done to the track in front of the property by construction vehicles be repaired (4 in favour).
This led to a discussion about recent construction work in the village and the consequential parking of vehicles. There were strong feelings about some vehicles continuously blocking footpaths and causing residents to walk out onto dangerous roads around them. The formulation of a “delivery plan” during the application process was suggested.
Land South of March Field Way. Residential development of 9 dwellings and associated external works (3PL/2019/1401/F). Revised plans with additional information received. The developers have purchased additional land on which to build. The Parish Council felt the need to show consistency and therefore proposed to object (2 in favour, 1 against, 1 abstain).
The Farm, Doe Lane. Erection of new poultry shed adjacent to poultry shed number 7 and erection of associated three feed silos and removal of existing outbuilding. Provision of new steel shed adjacent to poultry shed number 13 (PL/2020/0071/F). This was supported by the Parish Council (4 in favour).
Nivelles, Fen Street. Proposed front entrance hall extension and alterations (3PL/2020/0113/HOU). This was supported by the Parish Council (4 in favour).
Planning decisions by Breckland Council.
Roughlands Farm, Grove Road. Prior approval for change of use of agricultural building to a dwelling (permitted development) Town and Country Planning ( General Permitted Development) Order 2015 Schedule 2, Part 3, Class Q (3PN/2019/0062/UC). This application has now been considered and the application has been refused.
Land to the west of 49 Hargham Road. Permission in principle for erection of four detached dwellings (3PL/2019/1164/PIP). This application has been withdrawn.
SkyFall, Cake Street. Proposed alterations, extension and garage conversion (3PL/2019/1567/HOU). This application has now been considered and the application has been approved.
Green Rights Regulations. The Parish Council have been informed of the updated name of a Green Rights Owner.
Health and Safety Policy. The chairman has updated the policy.
Chairman’s report. New Buckenham have published their Neighbourhood Plan and have kindly sent a copy that councillors are currently reading through. Monday 9 March is the new date for a joint Parish Council and Village Hall meeting (in the Memorial Room at 7.30pm). The Council is struggling to find a firm to complete work for gate through from the village hall car park to access the Chapel Green School MUGA. Management of jobs for the village handyman to be given to Village Green Working Party for regular maintenance jobs such as strimming round posts, etc.
Village Green Working Party. Bats had been found living in a tree due for cutting back. Environmentalist is needed to assess.
Road safety. Now have the mobile SAM sign which will be used in conjunction with the fixed one to monitor vehicle speeds throughout the village.
Play Area.The work not quite finished because of the wet weather. A safety inspection date of Tuesday 25 February has been arranged.
Recreation Area. Waiting for some dryer weather in order to roll the grass for the football pitch. It is planned that some trees will then be planted at the far end and the top right-hand corner sectioned off to protect orchids growing there.
Councillors’ reports. Mike Farrington reported another accident at Puddledock. There was a need to look at speed preventative measures such as illuminating warning signs. Steve Milner said he will be giving a talk about his recent visit to Antarctica in the Village Hall on Saturday 14 March starting at 7.30pm.
Items for the next agenda. These will include the agreement with the Ox and Plough on use of the village Green.

The next Parish Council meeting to be held on Thursday 5 March starting at 7.30pm in Old Buckenham Village Hall.

Old Buckenham WI January meeting

Wild life and resolutions

Old Buckenham WI were pleased to welcome a new member to their January meeting.
The speaker for the evening was Gavin Binkerton Jones, a wildlife photographer who has been shortlisted for BBC's Countryfile calendar, for wild life photographer of the year and has had photos published in the national press. He treated members to some stunning pictures of the wildlife around us (mostly taken in Norfolk including Old Buckenham Country Park). Owls featured strongly as well as other birds of prey, kingfishers and a variety of mammals. He gave details of their diets, breeding habits and life cycles. Great patience is required to get such amazing shots.
At this meeting members are required to vote on a selection of resolutions put forward by the National Federation to be acted on by WI this year. The five choices were: 
1) To encourage an increase in stem cell donation, 
2) To create equitable testing for male and female crash test dummies, 
3) To end modern slavery, protect victims and give long term support, 
4) To encourage more discussion about death and dying, 
and 5) To protect our precious helium gas. The majority of members voted for resolution 5. Helium is running out and it cannot be manufactured, without it there will be no such things as MRI scans in the future. The other members voted for resolution 3. The votes from all WIs will be collated and one or two will go forward for discussion and adoption at the National Federation Annual meeting in June.
A report was given on the final celebration in December of Norfolk Federation of WI's Centenary year, a service in St Nicholas chapel, Kings Lynn. A member from each WI attending processed down the aisle with a lit candle in a decorated jar. After the service there were hot drinks and mince pies. Several members from Old Buckenham WI enjoyed the experience.
Vouchers were awarded to the annual winners of the two monthly competitions. Flower of the month was won by Barbara Frost and the monthly exhibition was won by Kathy Fleckney.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 27 February when the members will be hearing from someone from the St Martins Trust talking about helping the homeless in Norwich. Come along to the village hall at 7.30pm. 
The following meeting is on Thursday 26 March at 7.30pm in the village hall when the speaker will be Rebecca Tate. Her subject is 'Hats Made from Start to Finish'.

Easter lilies at All Saints

On Easter Day each year, All Saints Church in Old Buckenham commemorate the lives of loved ones who have died and they will continue the tradition this year. Flower arrangements in the church at Easter will comprise of lilies, each in memory of departed relatives or friends.

If you would like to contribute to this event could you please let Alistair Monkhouse have your donation before Saturday 29 March together with the name of the persons to be remembered. It is estimated that each lily will cost in the region of £5 and any additional monies received this year will go towards the final stage of re-thatching the roof of the Church.
If you wish to contribute please send your cheque made out to 'Old Buckenham PCC' with details of the deceased to Revd Alistair Monkhouse, ‘Wildwood’, Mill Road, Old Buckenham, Norfolk, NR17 1SG.

Old Buckenham helps St Martins

A thank you to the volunteers

Many of the people from Old Buckenham who had helped throughout 2019 to raise money for St Martins Housing Trust - money that goes to help the homeless in Norwich - met in the Church Rooms last Saturday. A total of just over £39,000 has been raised, mainly from donations and collections outside local supermarkets. Cheques were handed over for two specific events organised by the Old Buckenham 2000 Trust and All Saints Church, Old Buckenham.
Jan Sheldon, Chief Executive Officer at St Martins, thanked all those present for all their hard work throughout the last twelve months and gave a short talk on all that has gone on during the last year to help with the problem of looking after the homeless and ensuring that they have the opportunity to improve their lives. She also answered questions from the volunteers.

Old Buckenham village newsletter

February issue out and about

Lots of news including updates on re-thatching All Saints, speeding, Easter lilies, the parish council minutes and a list of events in Old Buckenham throughout 2020. Guaranteed to be Brexit free.