Proposed Youth Club in Old Buckenham

 

Youth Club?

Are you aged between 10 and 18 years old?

Would you like to have a Youth Club in the village?

Would you like to have your say on what you’d want it to offer?

The Parish Council is looking into supporting the starting up of a Youth Club, possibly in September this year, but we want to give the young people of the opportunity to have their input into what it could be like and what activities, events and resources it could include.

We have a potential venue, the Methodist Chapel on Hargham Road, and we have the idea of running it on Friday evenings during term time.

So if you are a young person aged 10-18, a parent or someone interested in giving a helping hand please come along to our ‘ideas event’ to be held on:

Friday 21 June, 6.30pm-7.30pm at the Methodist Chapel, Hargham Road.

Refreshments will be provided. If you have any questions please contact obyouthclub@gmail.com 

Reporting back in Old Buckenham

Important Parish meeting

The Parish of Old Buckenham Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Saturday 22 June at 11am in the Village Hall. This is your chance to hear what the Parish Council and other village organisations have been up to during the last year. Also your opportunity to give your views on what you feel should be happening. The agenda has yet to be finalised but expect to hear reports from the Chair of the Parish Council, our District and County councillor and possibly our Lord of the Manor.

Book opportunities in Old Buckenham

Open more hours

Lucie from the Old School Bookshop is delighted to say that from the beginning of June they will be open an extra day each week. The Bookshop will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays - 10am to 4pm on each day. This should offer you more flexibility to visit the shop.

Don't forget they are also open 24/7 online @bookbubbleshop with postal, local delivery and collection options.

Old Buckenham Parish Council

 May Parish Council minutes

This report has been written by the newsletter and blog editor from the draft minutes and may contain information that is amended at a later date.

Old Buckenham Parish Council met on Thursday 2 May at Old Buckenham Methodist Chapel. Those present were Councillors Naomi Bailey (Chair), Leslie Evison, Pete Twissell, Stan Burton, David Taylor and Ali McWilliam. Apologies for non-attendance had been received from Doug Irons and Steve Gowers. Also attending were Jonn Hicks (Clerk) and two members of the public. The minutes of the meeting held Thursday 11 April were approved (6 in favour).

Financial matters. The Community Account Balance now stands at £26,422.95. Payments of £610.11 were approved (6 in favour). These covered payments to three community car drivers, grass cutting and the Parish Clerk’s salary.

Two Wheel Tuesday. Naomi Bailey reported that a few complaints were received regarding parking on the Green. The Parish Council is to observe for the next couple of weeks to gather evidence and will then will invite David Tranmer to the next meeting to discuss. Ali McWilliam also suggested purchasing a couple of signs to be erected on a Tuesday advising motorist bikers of their responsibility toward parking. Stan Burton also suggested buying some cones from Highways and placing them around the affected areas of the Green to try to prevent anti-social parking whilst TWT is taking place. The Clerk to investigate the prices of signs and cones and will confirm these at the next meeting. He will also formally invite David Tranmer to attend the next Parish Council meeting.

Councillors’ reports. Ali McWilliam reported that the allotments are beginning to come to life and looking very tidy. She has formally asked if it is possible to erect some gates at the entrance to the allotments to aid with security of the site due to the fact that last year saw lots of vandalism to people’s crops and property. The Clerk asked her to investigate the costs and report back to next meeting. He will also speak to the landowner as his permission would be required before anything could be erected.

Naomi Bailey is attending a meeting with Steve Askew, George Freeman, Anglian Water and representatives from Banham Parish Council to discuss local flooding issues and will report back at the next meeting.

Pete Twissell confirmed that representatives from the Village Hall Management Committee will meet with Parish Council members on Saturday 25 May at 9.30am in the Memorial Hall before the Parish Council monthly Surgery. Naomi Bailey also confirmed that the our MP George Freeman will also attend the Parish Council surgery on Saturday 29 June.

Stan Burton and Naomi Burton said that there was no damage caused to the benches or concrete pads around the Ottomer Pond after the recent flooding. The concerned families have been informed.

Planning application. Grange Road from Stacksford Lane to Hargham Road, Stacksford. Change of use of summerhouse to beauty studio (retrospective) (3PL/2024/0367/F). There were no objections (6 in favour) but it was noted that the applicant could have come to the Parish Council with their intentions before they commenced work rather than go about this in the way that they have done.

Other business. Leslie Iveson was elected as new trustee for Eleemosynary Trust.

Next agenda. Items to be discussed to include a car boot sale on the Recreation Ground, the Allotments and progress on Burial Ground.

The next Parish Council meeting will be on Thursday 6 June at 7.30pm in Old Buckenham Village Hall.

Missed the Bucks Photoshow

 Not back for another two years

The 2024 Bucks Photoshow closed at lunchtime today. Many of those people who have been exhibiting their pictures were at New Buckenham Village Hall soon after 8am for a complimentary breakfast and then went round their displays with professional photographer Duncan Kerridge. He gave them some comments and useful tips on the photos that they had on display. Most worthwhile.

At 1pm all the 260ish photos were taken down and the heavy gang came in to remove all the display boards. If you didn't manage to come this time you missed a good show and you'll have to wait for 2026 for another one.

Old Buckenham showing in New

Visit the Bucks Photoshow this weekend

Local photographers will be hard at work putting up their displays before the Photoshow opens in New Buckenham Village Hall at 7.30pm this evening. Come along for the special event tonight or visit on Saturday 18 May between 10am and 5pm. Also open on Sunday 19 May from 10am to 1pm. See the hundreds of photos on display, talk to some of the photographers who will be around and enjoy the coffee and refreshments.

On Saturday you should be able to see the original photo albums of Prince  Freddie Duleep Singh and marvel at the many local pictures he took over one hundred years ago. Entrance is free all weekend.

WI meeting in Old Buckenham

Living in Blickling Hall

 The speaker at the Woman's Institute meeting on Thursday 25 April was Elizabeth Scott, in character as Kath the scullery maid, explaining the living history of Blickling Hall. She explained what it was like for Kath working at the house in the 1930’s interacting with the audience. Lord Aster made an appearance as well. Then Elizabeth explained the history of the house with a slide show. How the original building was associated with Ann Boleyn’s parents and the current building was built in 1616 in Jacobean style by Sir Henry Hobart. The National Trust took it over in 1940 and they now have demonstrations of how the kitchen was run in the 1930s with the food of that time. It was a very enjoyable evening and lots of fun and laughter.

More about Old Buckenham mill

Billy the Miller

This is a slightly shortened version of an item by Tom Walshe that recently appeared on the Old Buckenham Facebook page and is reproduced here for those many people are not on Facebook.

There’s been a lot said and written about Old Buckenham windmill over its 206 year history. And in its heyday a lot of well-known owners and industrious millers came and went. But one man’s name has stood the test of time and links the mill of old with the present-day showpiece still in the throes of restoration.

Billy Goodrum, the final miller, is he. You won’t find too much about him online but there are a few things that have got people talking about Billy again since the mill reopened to visitors on some summer Sundays. You can see one of them on quiet display at the mill. It’s a quirky old sack barrow with just a single handle, made (or adapted) for Billy after he lost an arm to the mill machinery in 1921. Bruce Coverley was fascinated to see it on a recent visit and took the attached photo.

Another is a poem that links Billy with the man whose family firm almost certainly fashioned the barrow for him. The poem was penned by John Loveday, whose writings and recollections from his own 98 years of life have revealed so much about the history and characters of the village in which he grew up. John’s father, Tom Loveday, knew Billy and his father, Jonathan Goodrum, well.  And the Goodrums would have done business with the Lovedays’ foundry and threshing machine operation across the Green. Tom and Billy both died in 1970 and are buried close to each other, which prompted John to write the verse titled “Under the Yew Tree”…

The man who threshed the corn,

The man who milled it,

Lie close here.

The Yew tree shadows both,

Is old:

 

Its roots will not disturb 

The man who threshed the corn,

My father, Tom,

Or Billy with one arm,

The man who milled it. 

Fete in Old Buckenham

Keep this date free 

On Saturday 29 June  Old Buckenham Primary School  will be holding a fete from 11am till 3pm. Among the attractions that have so far been arranged are Lotus cars, pony petting, teacher as goalie, face painting, many craft stalls, raffles, tombola, cakes and refreshments.

There is no poster available yet but make sure you put the date in your diaries and on your calendars so that you don't miss lots of fun and games for all.

Calling Old Buckenham photographers

Bucks Photoshow

As usual there will be wide range of photographic styles, some by experienced photographers and others by complete beginners. On the Friday opening night there's a bar. On the Saturday we hope to have an unique collection of original photographic prints of the area taken by Prince Duleep Singh which will be of special interest to local historians.

Had you thought of showing your own photos? It's not too late to enter; please phone or email Charles as soon as possible and all help and encouragement will be given.

Charles Oxley for New Buckenham Arts

01953 860708

photoshow@newbuckenham.net