Bollywood in Old Buckenham

Women's Institute members dancing

Lots of laughter and fun was had on Thursday evening 27 June when the Old Buckenham WI were introduced to Bollywood dancing by Tina Vallance. They warmed up with her showing how to move their hands, arms, legs and body. Then they practiced with music. As you can imagine lots of wrong steps and movements as well as some really good dancing. Then they dressed up with Bindis and costumes and danced away until they couldn’t stand any more.

They were all desperate for their drinks and cake and afterwards listened to their delegate, Liz Moy, who gave a report on the National Annual Meeting in April. Business, competitions and a raffle ended the evening very nicely.

Old Buckenham prepares for Airshow

 Open during Airshow

It has become a tradition during the last couple of years for people unable to get tickets for the Old Buckenham Airshow to congregate on the village Green or in the car park and recreation area behind the village hall. During the four-hour flying displays on both Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 July, the Village Hall Management Committee have agreed to open the hall between 10am and 4pm so that the spectators can use the toilets and get themselves a drink and simple refreshments.

Please treat these arrangements with due respect and use the facilities with care.

Old Buckenham Parish Council

 Latest Parish Council minutes

These notes have been written by the blog editor from the draft minutes and may be incomplete or amended at a later date.

Old Buckenham Parish Council met on Thursday 6 June at Old Buckenham Village Hall. Those present were Councillors Naomi Bailey (Chair), Lesley Evison, Pete Twissell, Stan Burton, Ali McWilliam, Doug Irons and Steve Gowers. David Taylor arrived part way through the meeting. Also attending were Jonn Hicks (Clerk) and four members of the public.

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 11 April were approved (5 in favour, 2 abstain).

Financial matters. The Community Account balance presently stood at £26,069.04. Payments of £4776.15 were approved (6 in favour) and were made up of:

Community car drivers £165.20

Grass cutting £446

Clerk’s salary £375.25

and Suggitts £3780.

Councillors’ reports. Pete Twizzell said that the damaged areas of the Green will be repaired this month. David Tranmer was invited to the meeting but was unable to attend due to ill health.

The Clerk has reported that the instruction banners for Two Wheel Tuesdays are being made and being donated by a local company who wish to remain un-named. Martin Lambert are willing to donate some used road cones and traffic banners to help ease the parking issues on a Tuesday evening. The clerk to collect with the trailer before the end of the month. Councillors asked about payments for TWT. The clerk informed them that he agreed to delay the first payment due to the poor weather that has had an effect on the event but is to speak with David Tranmer to ensure payments are caught up.

Naomi Baily had a meeting with Steve Askew, George Freeman and representatives from Banham parish council regarding the local flooding issues. George Freeman was to lobby parliament to try and find a solution but this is now on hold as parliament is being dissolved due to the election. Naomi Bailey will press for this action to restart once we have an elected MP, whoever that will be.

Pete Twissell also reported that that the Village Hall Management Committee members thought the joint meeting was a success and Graham Dye will attend the next Parish Council meeting.

Steve Gowers said that the Almshouse Trust has thanked the Parish Council for their precept grant.

Ali McWilliam reported that the ditch at the allotments still hasn’t been cleared by the land owner but it was not possible due to the burst water main that has now been repaired. The Clerk to chase the landowner to clear the ditch.

Pete Twissell also reported that the Village Hall Management Committee are looking for new committee members as some of the current members are wishing to retire.

Steve Gowers reported that he felt that the sign for the bookshop is blocking the view on the junction and will speak to the owner. Clerk has ordered new batteries for the SAM sign.

Naomi Bailey reports that she and the Friends group at the primary school would like to hold a few car boot sales to raise funds for Old Buckenham Primary School and were asking for the use of the recreation area for such an event. Doug Irons voiced his concerns about the event getting too big and causing traffic issues within the village. However Naomi Bailey assured the Parish Council that this would only be one or two events so should not be a problem. All the Parish Council agreed this can go ahead.

Naomi Bailey also said that a meeting had been arranged to see if there was an interest in forming a youth club for the village.

Action Log updates. The Clerk has sent all the Policies to Doug Irons in electronic form so they can be added to the new website. Many of these documents are now out of date and need updating and re adopting.

Planning updates. There have been no new planning applications but Breckland Council have approved the following: Land off Attleborough Road. Amendment to pp 3PL/2021/0236/F - regularise the approved drawings so that they align with the new skylark mitigation set out in the CEMP and EMP. The revised layout also increases the distances from vegetation along the southern boundary to the panels, improving the efficiency of the panels (3NM/2024/0024/NMA).

The next Parish Council meeting will be on Thursday 4 July starting at 7.30pm at Old Buckenham Methodist Chapel (as the Village Hall is being used for General Election voting).

Bouquets in Old Buckenham

 Pick your own flowers

The Garden Retreat is now back open for its third year at Old Buckenham Country Park and there are more than 40 varieties of flowers to choose from. The business is a real family affair and it is run by mother-and-daughter Claire Hornby  and Jessica Ward (who lives in Old Buckenham). The Garden Retreat is a Community Interest Company (CIC) and in 2025 they will be relocating to a larger site at the country park.

Visitors can pick their own flowers and are charged from £6, £10 or £16 according to how big a bunch they pick. Paying is by cash only with cutters provided.

The Garden is open from 10am to 2pm on Wednesdays and Sundays until the end of September and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome.  

They can also offer bespoke flower and foliage buckets for weddings and other events. These need to be pre-ordered as they are grown elsewhere.  Look at the 'Old Buckenham Garden Retreat' Facebook page for more details and updates.

Elephant in Old Buckenham

 Village Hall hosts great play

Touring theatre company fEast brought their new play ‘Elephant’ to a packed Old Buckenham Village Hall on Friday evening 14 June and, like the proverbial elephant in the room, there were a good many secrets the characters in the play were deliberately avoiding.

The play itself was a bit of a cliff-hanger, set in a house balanced on an eroding cliff in North Norfolk.  Local recluse Manny gets a surprise visit from his estranged sister, Jessie, whom he’s not seen for a year. She’s wildly unpredictable, searching for a long lost family secret, and has inexplicably brought along with her a petty criminal, Lee Farrier, trussed up in a sack. Jessie describes an unlucky series of events that have conspired to her making such a poor and rash decision, but Manny’s believing none of it. She’s done this kind of thing before.

As a rising tide eats away at the foundations, it’s the sudden appearance of a local girl, Cally, arriving with a damaged reputation and an uncanny ability to read minds, that forces all four of them to try and salvage something from the day before it’s too late. But as time runs out, and the uneasy truce turns towards possible violence, a hastily reckless plan begins to fall apart, exposing the bitter truths that have brought them together, the lies they’ve told each other, and against all expectation, the discovery of a strangely redemptive power that might just be buried beneath their feet. 

The acting throughout was superb, the story engaging (if a bit crazy at times!) and without giving a spoiler, the ending was pure gold.  Do go and see at it Diss Corn Hall this Thursday 20 June or later in its performances around Norfolk if you get the chance – you won’t be disappointed.

Visit Old Buckenham windmill

 Look inside

The future dates to put in your diaries if you would like to visit the mill this year are Sunday 23 June from 1pm to 4pm, Sunday 18 August also from 1pm to 4pm and then on Saturday 21 September. This time in September the opening hours are longer, 9am to 1pm as this will be a village garage sale event. They will still be open for mill tours too.

Then one more opening this year on Sunday 13 October from 1pm to 4pm. 

Come and visit for a tour of the mill or just come and sit, take in the view and enjoy tea and homemade cakes. Cash and cards accepted. All profits going toward the upkeep of the mill. Follow on Facebook for more information and updates.

Become an Old Buckenham community car driver

 Community Car Scheme

The Parish Council have agreed to support the following Community Car Scheme to offer transport to villagers for medical appointments.

Would you like to volunteer to be a driver? The drivers need to meet the following conditions:

a)    All vehicles must be taxed and have a current MOT

b)    All drivers hold a valid driving license

c)    Have a biennial CRB check (no cost to driver)

d)   A three-year medical by a General Practitioner (cost reimbursed in full by Breckland Council)

e)   Have full comprehensive insurance and letter confirming that this applies whilst driving as a Community Car Driver

These requirements are to protect both passengers and drivers.

The reimbursement is divided between the passenger paying 50% of the journey with Breckland Council and Parish Council paying the other 50%. The passenger fee is paid direct to the driver with the other 50% paid to the driver by the Parish Council monthly by cheque. Monthly returns should go to the Parish Clerk/RFO.

There is a set fee paid by the passenger to the N&N Hospital and to Attleborough Surgeries, other destinations are calculated on mileage. (At present the passenger pays just under £10 for a return trip to the NNUH  and below £2 to go to and return from Attleborough Surgeries.)

Any resident who would like to help as a driver should please contact  Adrian Joel on 01953 860663.     

Old Buckenham newsletter starting its rounds

June is on its way around

The first few hundred have been delivered while others were still having inserts about the Village Show being added. All distributors have now had the opportunity to collect their batch of newsletters and take them around for you to read.

This issue includes news of an elephant in the Village Hall later this month, an article on the relationship between the local young ladies and American GIs, opening dates at the Mill for the rest of year and a meeting to see if people would like a Youth Club in the village.

Plus much more so try to read it all when it arrives.

Young organist visits Old Buckenham

 A Norfolk challenge

On Friday 31 May All Saints Church at Old Buckenham had a special visitor. Ollie Welling is on a fundraising mission to play every organ in Norfolk. This challenge started about four years ago to raise money to pay for two new church bells at his local bell ringing tower in Swanton Morley. That challenge was completed but Ollie is continuing to go around the county playing on different church organs and has so far played at 176 different churches (with probably another four or five hundred to go).

Ollie, a self taught pianist with a passion for Bach, tried out the Old Buckenham organ for about half an hour and enjoyed himself "pulling out all the stops" and so adding one more to his total.