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newslet ter<br />
February 2018<br />
SWAFFHAM<br />
Sacred Heart students learn<br />
the benefits of animal<br />
companionship for well-being<br />
see p.7 for full story<br />
published by
Advertising Rate Card<br />
Circulation of 5,500 to <strong>Swaffham</strong> and<br />
surrounding villages. Rates per issue:<br />
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Pay for a six month run in advance and the<br />
sixth issue advertisement is free of charge<br />
In-house design of advertisements available<br />
Please telephone Iceni Partnership on<br />
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or email swaffhamnewsletter@gmail.com<br />
Your monthly magazine is published by:<br />
Contact the editor:<br />
01760 722 800<br />
swaffhamnewsletter@gmail.com<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> <strong>Newsletter</strong><br />
Iceni Partnership<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre<br />
The Campingland<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
PE37 7RB<br />
Registered in England Company Number 4257830 Charity Number 1101814 VAT Number UK800057775<br />
Comments or queries welcomed.<br />
Delivery issues should be addressed to Kerry at<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Town Council - details at rear of magazine.<br />
Deadline for editorial and advertising is the<br />
12th day of the previous month.<br />
Advertisers - due to a change of policy, decided<br />
at Iceni Partnership director level, we will be<br />
operating an industry standard pre-paid system<br />
of billing from the February issue onwards.<br />
We will not be increasing our rates in 2018 and<br />
our 6 for the price of 5 offer will be available to all.<br />
Contents<br />
4 Upcoming Events / Regular Events<br />
7 School Speak<br />
8 Church News<br />
9 Community Hospital LofF<br />
11 Green Britain Centre/ Rotary<br />
13 WI & <strong>Swaffham</strong> Arts<br />
15 <strong>Swaffham</strong> & District Lions<br />
17 Merle Boddy Centre<br />
18 WEA/Wissey U3A<br />
20 Age Concern<br />
21 Ashill & Holme Hale Gardening Club<br />
23 <strong>Swaffham</strong> Jazz Club<br />
24 <strong>Swaffham</strong> History Group<br />
25 <strong>Swaffham</strong> & Litcham Home Hospice<br />
28 Mayor’s Parlour<br />
29 Town Council<br />
Another Christmas Meal Success<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Assembly Rooms was full of Christmas<br />
cheer on 25th December, welcoming local residents<br />
to the annual afternoon of community celebration.<br />
Both Mayor and Deputy Mayor of <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
welcomed over 100 guests and volunteers to the<br />
festively decorated Regency Room with a drink and<br />
nibbles before being ushered into the Ball Room<br />
to be seated for a traditional Christmas banquet.<br />
The Assembly Rooms were serenaded by Mr Steve<br />
Hudson and, after Christmas pudding and cream,<br />
entertained with some Yorkshire monologues from<br />
Renee Vincett. <strong>Swaffham</strong> Town Crier Nigel Wilkin<br />
helped Santa call the free raffle of the many gifts<br />
donated and everyone was given a slice of traditional<br />
Christmas cake to take home, supplied by Patisserie<br />
Iceni based at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre.<br />
Iceni Partnership co-ordinates <strong>Swaffham</strong>’s belief that<br />
no-one should be alone at Christmas if they don’t<br />
want to be. Businesses big and small joined residents<br />
with donations of goods and time helping to boost<br />
the generous financial help from the Bernard<br />
Matthews Fund and Waitrose Community Matters.<br />
The day would not happen, however, without the<br />
generous time given by a legion of volunteers on the<br />
day and beforehand.<br />
It is hoped that the free to all celebration will<br />
continue for many years to come.<br />
Icenima presents...<br />
Wednesday 21st February 2018, 2pm<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre<br />
Tickets: £4<br />
1<br />
For more info, contact 01760 722 800 or visit www.icenipartnership.info
Upcoming Events<br />
Airs and Graces: The History of Aviation<br />
Course run by WEA at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre, starting Monday 5th February<br />
at 7.30pm. Tutor: Ian McLachlan. Try a taster - attend first session for £7 (fee may be<br />
waived for those in receipt of benefits).<br />
Enrol at the first session or online at www.wea.org.uk<br />
An Evening with Chris Knights<br />
We look forward with eager anticipation to this presentation from Chris Knights –<br />
on whatever wildlife subjects and locations he chooses. Chris is well known as a<br />
farmer, conservationist, award winning photographer and film maker.<br />
Whatever topic Chris chooses, it is bound to be enthralling, entertaining and<br />
informative with superb photography.<br />
Visitors most welcome. Admission £2 on the night if you are not a NarVOS member.<br />
For more information about this meeting or NarVOS call Ian Black on 01760 724092<br />
An Evening of Clairvoyance<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Spiritual Awareness Group presents an evening of clairvoyance at<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre on Friday 9th February, 7.30 - 10pm. Doors open<br />
at 7pm. With medium Keith Thompson. Tickets £10. Light refreshments available.<br />
A raffle will be held on the night, all proceeds to this year’s nominated charity<br />
‘<strong>Swaffham</strong> Hospital League of Friends’. Tickets must be purchased in advance. If<br />
interested, contact Linda on 07452 206976.<br />
Evening of relaxing Kirtan<br />
Sing and chant beautiful ancient mantras. Simple melodies in a call and response<br />
style. You don’t need to be concerned about how well you sing, just relax and enjoy<br />
the meditative benefits. For details please contact Chris: 07957 405823<br />
chrissywillis57@yahoo.co.uk<br />
The Big Quiz<br />
Friday 23rd March, 7pm (doors open at 6.30pm) Necton Primary School, School<br />
Road, Necton. £2 per person. *Adults only* Max of 6 people per team. Hot drinks<br />
available, bring your own soft/alchoholic drinks and nibbles.Tickets available from<br />
the school office or on the door.<br />
Bingo at Sacred Heart School<br />
Tuesday 8th March, Doors open 6pm, Eyes down 6.30pm. Full booklet £6, smaller<br />
books for children £2, cash flyer £1 (adults only). Everyone and all ages welcome.<br />
Car park at back of school on Sporle Road. Signposts to Main School Hall.<br />
Bingo for Merle Boddy Centre<br />
March 16th, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Conservitive Club. Eyes down at 7.30pm<br />
Coffee Morning<br />
On Saturday 10th February <strong>Swaffham</strong> Branch Royal British Legion are holding<br />
a coffee morning in the Methodist Church school room from 9.30 am - 12noon.<br />
Craft Fayre<br />
Sat 24th Feb, 8.30am - 4pm, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Assembly Rooms. First fayre of the year,<br />
with old and new stalls. For more info contact Lisa Eagle on 01760 440123.<br />
Jumble Sale<br />
Saturday 10th March, 1pm to 3pm at Necton Primary School, School Road, Necton<br />
PE37 8HT. If you would like to donate items for sale, please bring them to the school<br />
hall on Friday 9th March *3.15-5pm) or from 10am to 12pm on the day of the sale.<br />
We are unable to accept any electrical items.<br />
Nar Valley Ornithological Society (NarVOS)<br />
Tuesday 27th February 2018, 7.30pm at the Barn Theatre, Sacred Heart Convent<br />
School, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. Access and parking from Sporle Road.<br />
Gt Massingham Film Night presents: The Exception (15)<br />
Venue: GT Massingham Village Hall , Thursday February 15th, 7pm for 7.30pm<br />
Price: £4.00 with refreshments after the show<br />
Quiz Night<br />
For all you quizzers - there is a quiz night on February 15th 2018 at 7.30PM in the<br />
Conservative Club. Teams of 4 will be competing for the honour of being ‘top team’<br />
with bottles of wine for the winners and wooden spoons for the ‘tail end Charlies’!!<br />
Entry is £2 per person and teams: please book in at the Reception, Campingland<br />
Surgery. All are welcome and nibbles will be supplied to keep the grey cells going<br />
Save the Children Coffee Morning<br />
Saturday 3rd March, 9am till 12pm, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Assembly Rooms. Take some time<br />
out and come along to enjoy one of our coffee mornings with exciting stalls!<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Twinning Association AGM<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre at 7pm on 23rd February. New members welcome<br />
Westacre Theatre<br />
www.westacretheatre.com 01760 755800<br />
On Stage Andante Live present BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND: Songs of Peace, Protest &<br />
Love. Fri 16 Feb at 7:30pm £16.<br />
On Stage THE GARDEN GATE IS OPEN – 90 years of the National Garden Scheme:<br />
Julia Stafford Allen presents an illustrated talk. Wed 28 Feb at 2pm £10 includes tea<br />
and cake afterwards.<br />
Live Screening RSC Live! TWELFTH NIGHT by William Shakespeare starring Kara<br />
Tointon and Adrian Edmondson. Wed 14 Feb at 7pm £15. On Screen Wednesday<br />
Flicks all at 2pm £8 with optional pre-booked lunch available DUNKIRK (PG) Wed 7<br />
Feb. GOD’S OWN COUNTRY (15) Wed 21 Feb.<br />
4<br />
Regular Meetings & Events<br />
MONDAY<br />
1st <strong>Swaffham</strong> Scouts 7-9 at Cockley Cley, Iceni Village, Scout Hut.<br />
For ages 10 1/2 -14. New recruits welcome. Boys or girls. Contact Paul<br />
07711761364. Paul@1stswaffhamscouts.org.uk<br />
Argentine Tango<br />
Ballroom and Latin Dance with Emma. Convent of the Sacred Heart School,Mangate<br />
Street, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. 7.30-9.30pm £12 per person. Tel: 07812 212117<br />
Art Class at The Old Art Room 93 Market Place. Techniques,<br />
Tips, Inspiration in a modern equipped Art Studio. 10am until 12.15 £10<br />
Tel.01760 337181 je.clark176@btinternet.com<br />
Central Norfolk Dog Training Club Upstairs in Church Rooms,<br />
Campingland. 4 classes available, from puppies to intermediate.Tel: Chris 07745 892417<br />
Citizens Advice <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre, 10am until 12:30pm<br />
Kickboxing Club Juniors 5+ 5pm – 6pm, Inters 6-7pm, Adults 7pm –<br />
8.30pm Plowright Place. Call Trevor on 07585707196<br />
The Phoenix Singers rehearse each week in the Methodist Church Hall<br />
at 7:30pm. New members welcome. Contact Marion 01760 724 473<br />
Playdayz – Parent/toddler group Sacred Heart School 9.30-<br />
11.30am term time only. £1 per session/per family (includes a snack)<br />
Contact: Tor Howman 07854 736 920<br />
Rotary Club of <strong>Swaffham</strong> Meets at The George Hotel - 1st Monday of<br />
the month, 12:45 for 1pm, other Mondays 7 for 7:30pm. Tel Claire Dunne 722504<br />
Seniors Keep Fit 6.15pm at Stanley’s, Lynn Road Tel Gemma on 07702<br />
197994/07425 607667<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> 1894 Squadron Air Training Corps 7.00 - 9.30pm.<br />
TA Centre, Sporle Road, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. Ages 13 to 18 years. Tel: 01760724617<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> History Group 2nd Monday, 2 – 4pm, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Museum.<br />
New members always welcome – no charge. Tel 01760 724470<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Lions Meet on the 2nd Monday of the month at <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Assembly Rooms,7:30pm. All welcome. Contact Peter Young 01760 724120<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Players every Monday and Wednesday, 7:30pm Baptist<br />
Church, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. If you are interested in joining a fabulous team please<br />
come along but call Marcie on 07867943102 to ensure we are in rehearsal<br />
Junior Snooker & Billiards 4-7pm @ The Norfolk Snooker Academy,<br />
West Acre 01760 755337 for details and to book, 9 -16 years<br />
TOSH community drama group meets 7.30pm Monday & Wednesday at<br />
Stanley’s, Lynn Street. All ages welcome. More details Fiona 07768211087<br />
Youthie 5:30 – 7pm, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre. For ages 8 to 11.<br />
Free entry. Contact sally@iceni.info 07772 852284 / 01760 722800<br />
TUESDAY<br />
1st <strong>Swaffham</strong> Beavers 1st <strong>Swaffham</strong> Beavers 5 - 6.15 at Cockley<br />
Cley Iceni Village Scout Hut. For boys and girls ages 6 - 8 . New recruits<br />
welcome. Contact Paul 07711761364 Paul@1stswaffhamscouts.org.uk<br />
1st <strong>Swaffham</strong> Cubs 1st <strong>Swaffham</strong> Cubs 6.30-8pm at Cockley Cley,<br />
Iceni Village, Scout Hut. For ages 8-10 1/2. New recruits welcome. Boys<br />
or Girls. Contact Hayley 07516095019. Akela@1stswaffhamscouts.org.uk<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Army Cadets TA Centre, Sporle Rd 7.30-9.30pm. Ages 12 – 18.<br />
www.norfolkacf.org 2907pea@armymail.mod.uk 07899 189 973 The<br />
Art Studio Modern Art Evening Classes By Peter Henry PGCE, BA.<br />
Tuesdays 7-9pm Church Rooms, Campingland. Refreshments. Adults/all<br />
abilitiesEmail: salsum06@aol.com/01760 720540<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Bridge Club The Church Rooms,Church of Our Lady of Pity<br />
31, Station Street. <strong>Swaffham</strong> PE37 7HP 6.30pm for 6.45pm. Sue 01328 701545<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Carpet Bowls Community Centre. 2 hours from 2pm for £2.<br />
Tea & biscuits inc. Call Alan on 01760 723 910<br />
Child Health Clinic at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Children Centre. 01760 721101 1st Tuesday<br />
monthly 1.15 - 2.45pm run by local Health Visiting Team<br />
Civil Service Retirement Fellowship Coffee Morning, third Tuesday<br />
at 10:15am. Methodist Hall, London Street. Tel: David Moore 01760 723740<br />
CAMEO Coffee 10am-noon. ‘Come And Meet Each Other’. Free tea, coffee<br />
& hot chocolate in a relaxed cafe style setting. Discovery Hour: 10am - 11am.<br />
Looking at and discussing a small bible passage. Oasis Centre 01760 723 175<br />
Crafts, Textiles and Dressmaking at The Old Art Room<br />
93 Market Place. Techniques, Tips, Inspiration in a modern equipped Art<br />
&Textile Studio. 10am until 12.15 and 12.30 until 2.45 £9 Tel.01760 337181<br />
Jump, Jive & Swing <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre, 7.45pm. Classes<br />
8pm until 9.45pm with social dancing until 10.30pm. www.jumpjiveswing.com<br />
Little Treasures and Breastfeeding Support 1.15 - 2.45pm Drop in<br />
for parents and babies aged 0-1year at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Children Centre. 01760 721101<br />
Mamma Munay (Mother Love) - antenatal classes on alternate Tuesday<br />
afternoons at The Green Parrot. …all welcome at all stages of your pregnancy.<br />
Booking essential on 01760 724704 or Anne 07469243052<br />
Pickenhams’ WI 2nd Tuesday 2pm St Andrew’s Church (not August)<br />
PROBUS Club of <strong>Swaffham</strong> Meet second Tues of the month for lunch at the<br />
George Hotel, 12.30 for 1pm. Rod Goddard 01760 722 834 rodgoddard@hotmail.com<br />
Rainbow Community Choir 7.30-9.30pm. <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community<br />
Centre. Interested in joining us? 01760 336 313 rainbowcommunitychoir.org.uk<br />
The Royal Elizabethan Lodge Meets alternate Tuesdays, 8pm in the<br />
Conservative Club. Tel: W Rogers 01760 720632 or S Trattle 01760 721760<br />
The Royal Naval Association 8pm on the 4th Tuesday <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Conservative Club. Telephone Jill Bowers on 01362 691820<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Rugby Football Club Tuesday Seniors Training 7:30 - 9<br />
Seniors Keep Fit 3pm See Monday’s Senior’s Keep Fit<br />
Stitch, Mardle and Mend A group of keen crafters covering Patchwork,<br />
Knitting, Crochet, Cross Stitch etc 7-9pm, £1. Tel Adrienne 01760 336268<br />
Slimming World Conservative Club, 10am. <strong>Swaffham</strong> Asssembly<br />
Rooms 7pm. Clare Hughes 07535237618<br />
Sporle WI 3rd Tuesday, 1.45pm ready for our speaker at 2pm. For any further<br />
information please ring Celia on 01362 687316<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> St John Ambulance Cadets 7.15pm until 8.45pm,10 to<br />
17 year olds. Natalie Rudd on 07771620634/natalie.rudd@btinternet.com<br />
Taekwondo 6:30 - 7:30pm <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre 01760336044<br />
Tai Chi beginners welcome East Dereham at 1.30pm 01760723102<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Wellbeing Group Are you feeling low, or recovering from ill<br />
health? Just want to meet other people? Make new friends at Community Centre,<br />
every Tuesday 10.30 – 1.00. Contact Family Action. Tel: 01760 725801<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Market (Morning) WI Second Tuesday of every Month, 10.30am<br />
Assembly Rooms. Ladies over 18 welcome. Meg Dorling: 01760 722139 meg_dorling@msn.com<br />
West Acre Carpet Bowls Club West Acre Village Hall, 2 - 4pm. £2 per<br />
session. Equipment and refreshments provided – all welcome. Tel: Belinda<br />
01760 755184 or Betty 01760 755235 Email: belindabush@hotmail.com<br />
Women’s Section Royal British Legion At Valentine Barker Court,<br />
2nd Tues at 2.30pm. Tel: Frances 01760 724445 or Iris 01760 721430<br />
Weight Watchers 5:30-6.30pm <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre.<br />
Nikki 07970316054<br />
Yoga Gt Dunham Village Hall, 10 -11:30am, £6.50 Tel: 01603 478456<br />
Yoga Necton Community Centre £7 2-3:30 Tuesdays Jayne 07544974342<br />
Yoga 10.30-12.00 Green Britain Centre, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. £7 per class. Contact<br />
Jayne on: 07544974342 or email: greenwillowyoga@outlook.com<br />
Zumba With Becks <strong>Swaffham</strong> Assembly Rooms 7-8pm bectuff@hotmail.co.uk £5<br />
WEDNESDAY<br />
1st <strong>Swaffham</strong> Rainbows Term time only, 17:00-18:00 <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Infant School. Girls aged 5 to 7 yrs. Tracey Clements 07770236689<br />
2nd <strong>Swaffham</strong> Brownies Term time only, 18:00-19:30. Meeting at<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> First School. Girls aged 7 to 10 yrs invited to join. Contact Clare<br />
Smith 07917468057 or Chrissie Brown 07970104771.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> 1894 Squadron Air Training Corps 7:00-9:30pm.<br />
TA Centre, Sporle Road, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. Ages 12 (yr8) to 18 years. Tel: 01760724617<br />
Alzheimer`s Society Dementia Café first Wednesday every month<br />
from 10am-12noon. <strong>Swaffham</strong> Assembly Rooms, Market Place, <strong>Swaffham</strong>.<br />
Support, information and social activity.Refreshments provided. 01603 763556<br />
Arts Lounge beginners/refreshers art classes Wednesday,<br />
Thursday & Friday 10-1pm or 1.30-4.30pm, £25 per session Call 01760 723624<br />
Bingo First Wednesday of every month, Holme Hale Pavilion. Eyes<br />
down 7:30pm. Cash prizes. Tel: June Hewing 01760 441327<br />
Bingo <strong>Swaffham</strong> Conservative Club 7:00 – 9:00pm (eyes down for<br />
7:30). Non-members 30p entry.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Camera Club 1st and 3rd Weds of every month, 7 for 7:30pm<br />
at Lydney House, Norwich Road. All abilities welcome! Steve Ward 01366 328567<br />
Creative Textile Certificate 10 Week Course at The Old Art Room, 93<br />
Market Place <strong>Swaffham</strong>. Tel Jane 01760 337181<br />
Dementia Café Free cafe offering support, information for those living with<br />
dementia and their families/carers. Free refreshments. Assembly Rooms. 01603 763 556<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Evening WI Church Rooms, Campingland. 1st Wed 7.30pm<br />
Telephone Fiona Walker on 01760 722879.<br />
Healing Rooms The Oasis Centre, Cley Road 11am - 12noon. Book a<br />
session to experience the healing power of Jesus. Tel: 01760 723175<br />
Henchmans Junior Magic the Gathering for 8-11 yr olds at Henchmans,<br />
13 Station Street, <strong>Swaffham</strong> from 5pm to 6.30pm £2 per person, first<br />
session free. Alternate weeks: RPG night or or MtG Standard Showdown<br />
at Henchmans, 13 Station Street, <strong>Swaffham</strong> from 7pm. Please see www.<br />
henchmans.com or our facebook page or call 01760 788427 for details<br />
The <strong>Swaffham</strong> and District Branch of the Labour Party meets in the<br />
Community Centre at 7.30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month<br />
Stitch, Mardle and Mend A group of keen crafters covering<br />
Patchwork, Knitting, Crochet etc. From 10am at Market Cross Inn, <strong>Swaffham</strong>.<br />
Oasis Wednesday Worship: 10am - 11am. Worship and prayer<br />
5<br />
Studio Sessions at The Old Art Room Studio and Inspiration<br />
in a modern equipped studio 93 Market Place. 10am-1pm £6.50. 01760<br />
337181<br />
St. John Ambulance - <strong>Swaffham</strong> (Adults) Every Wednesday<br />
7.30pm - 9.30pm First Aid training 18 years upwards. 07900927233<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> & Watton Club for the Visually Impaired<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre 4th Wed (except August) 1.30-3.30pm £3.<br />
01603 629558<br />
Tai Chi beginners class 10am <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre<br />
01760723102<br />
Whist Drive Bradenham Village Hall, 7:30pm. All welcome. 01760 440038.£3<br />
Youth Café 7:30 – 8:30pm, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre. For ages<br />
13 – 18.<br />
THURSDAY<br />
Beachamwell WI 1st Thursday 7.30pm. New members or visitors<br />
always welcome. Contact Maggie 01366 327023 or Helen 01366 328589<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Bridge Club See Tues for details. 6.30pm for 6.45pm<br />
start except for the first Thursday in the month 2pm to 6pm<br />
Crafts, Textiles and Dressmaking at The Old Art Room<br />
93 Market Place. Techniques, Tips, Inspiration in a modern equipped<br />
Art &Textile Studio. 10am until 12.15 and 12.30 until 2.45 £9 Tel.01760<br />
337181<br />
Happidojo Marham Judo Club Sandringham Centre, Marham,<br />
PE33 9NP 3-4yrs 5.20-6 Fun & Games,5-7yrs:6-7pm, 8-16yrs:7-8pm. Adv.<br />
Juniors, Seniors 17+ : 8-9.30pm FIRST LESSON FREE. Then 3-4yrs £2, 5-12yrs-<br />
£3. 13-16yrs -£1.00. 17+ - £3.50. Colin McCallum. 07905278857 or www.<br />
happidojomarhamjudoclub.btckco.uk<br />
Henchmans Board games. £2.50 per person. 7-11pm. Henchmans, 13<br />
Station Street, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. 01760 788427. New players always welcome<br />
(over 18)<br />
Holme Hale Carpet Bowls Every Thursday 7-9pm, Holme Hale<br />
Community Hall. No experience or equipment needed. £2<br />
Iceni Stitchers Ladies group meeting on 3rd Thursday of the month<br />
at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre, 1.30 - 4.30pm. Kate Davies 01760<br />
622254<br />
Kickboxing Club Juniors 5+ 5pm – 6pm, Inters 6-7pm, Adults 7pm<br />
– 8.30pm Plowright Place. Call Trevor on 07585707196<br />
Labour Party - <strong>Swaffham</strong> & District Branch<br />
Meeting second Wednesday in January at Community Centre<br />
Free Lipreading Classes for people with an acquired hearing<br />
loss. Thursday’s at 10 am to noon in the Catholic Church Rooms, 31<br />
Station Road, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. Contact Hayley at lipreadingwithhayley@<br />
gmail.com<br />
Phoenix Writers welcome new and experienced writers to their<br />
monthly sessions on a Thursday afternoon in <strong>Swaffham</strong>. We are a<br />
friendly group who enjoy writing works of fiction, articles and poetry.<br />
For further details please email Jan at Dandelionmoon@btinternet.com<br />
RAF Marham Food and Craft Market 1st Thursday 12am to<br />
5 pm. Sandringham Centre Upper Marham PE33 9NP (Behind Spar)<br />
07766 078123<br />
Royal British Legion, <strong>Swaffham</strong> & District Branch 8pm,<br />
3rd Thursday <strong>Swaffham</strong> Conservative Club. Tel: David Thorogood<br />
01760622751<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Lioness Club First Thurs of every month, 7.30pm in<br />
Our Lady of Pity Catholic Church rooms, Station St., <strong>Swaffham</strong>. Enjoy<br />
friendship whilst serving the community. All ladies welcome. Tel:<br />
01760 723377<br />
Pilates 3 – 4pm, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre. Call Di Graham –<br />
01328 851970 – before your first session.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Rugby Football Club Seniors 17+ training 7:30-9, social<br />
after Salsa 7-9pm <strong>Swaffham</strong> Assembly Rooms. 07912366661<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Sparklers <strong>Swaffham</strong> branch of the Red Hat Society meets<br />
2nd Thurs of the month, 7 pm, The George Hotel,: Jill Neale 01760 723466<br />
U3A The Wissey U3A 1st Thursday of the month at Holme Hale<br />
Pavilion, 09.45 - 12 noon. Annual Memb. £10. Contact 01760 721247 for<br />
more details<br />
Weight Watchers 10-11am <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre.<br />
Cheryl 07941 319 742<br />
Young Explorers 1.30 - 3pm at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Children Centre. 01760<br />
721101<br />
Youthie Plus 5:30 – 7pm, <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre.<br />
For years 6, 7 & 8 Free entry. Contact sally@iceni.info 07772 852284<br />
West Acre Carpet Bowls Club See Tuesday listing
FRIDAY<br />
2nd <strong>Swaffham</strong> Guides Term time only, 18:00-20:00. Church<br />
Rooms, Campingland. Girls aged 10-16yrs invited to join. Contact<br />
07769294414<br />
Acoholics Anonymous Every Friday at 1pm in Parish Rooms at St<br />
Dominic’s RC Church,Howdale Rd, Downham Market<br />
Adult Ballet For Beginners 6:15pm See Monday’s Senior’s Keep Fit<br />
Age Concern-<strong>Swaffham</strong> Support Services at Community<br />
Centre<br />
Volunteer recruitment 10.30am - 12.00 noon 1st Friday of the month<br />
Adult Tap 7:15pm See Monday’s Senior’s Keep Fit<br />
Arts Lounge Drawing/sketching classes 10-1pm and 1.30-4.30pm.<br />
723 624<br />
Art, Printing and Paper Craft Session at The Old Art Room<br />
93 Market Place. Techniques, Tips, Inspiration and printing presses in a modern<br />
equipped Art &Textile Studio. 10am until 12.30 £10 Tel.01760 337181<br />
Bingo at Narborough Community Centre Doors 6.30pm,<br />
eyes-down 7.45pm Contact Mrs Hennessy 01760 337540<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Bellringers Practice St. Peter & St. Paul Church, 7:30pm<br />
on the Friday preceding the 2nd Sunday of the month. Beginners welcome. Tel:<br />
01760 724944/lindaringer0447@gmail.com<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Carpet Bowls Community Centre. 2 hours from 6.30 for<br />
£3. Tea & biscuits inc. Call Alan on 01760 723 910<br />
Coffee Morning At Ashill Community Centre<br />
2nd Friday every month, 10am until noon. 01760 441 651<br />
Country Music Last Friday of each month at the communal lounge<br />
at Valentine Barker Court, 7.30 to 22.30. Families and friends, free raffle &<br />
donations for Wish Upon a Star children’s cancer charity. 0370 192 4797<br />
Games Evening & Social 2nd Friday/month <strong>Swaffham</strong> Baptists<br />
Church Hall - 7:30. All welcome<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong>’s Green Gym Friday 8.30am Recreation Ground, Haspalls Rd<br />
Henchmans Early Friday Night Magic at Henchmans, 13 Station<br />
Street, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. 2pm to 6pm. Friday Night Magic at Henchmans<br />
Iceni Lunch Club <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre, £6.00 for two<br />
courses and tea/coffee every Friday 12.30pm. 01760 722 800<br />
Indoor Market <strong>Swaffham</strong> Assembly Rooms 9am-2pm, free entry.<br />
Refreshments, various stalls… bookings contact Haydn 07957 862 239<br />
Judo Sacred Heart School 6-7:30pm £2.50 5 years+ Tel. 07920440235<br />
Oasis Messy Church 6pm every 3rd Friday Fun event for all ages.<br />
£1. www.facebook.com/oasiscentreswaffham<br />
Rise and shine Baby & Toddler Group: 10am - 12noon. Large play<br />
area. £1.50 per adult/chld. 50p any extra persons. Incl drink & a biscuit<br />
Senior Snooker (60 years +) @ The Norfolk Snooker Academy, West<br />
Acre £4 per session Facebook - Norfolk Snooker Academy 01760 755337<br />
Sporle Art Group meets every Friday at 1pm-3pm. in the community hall. No<br />
tuition given, bring your own materials. Free intro then £2 per week. 01760 724615<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Senior Section Term time only. 19:30- 21:00. For young women<br />
aged 14 to 25yrs. Contact Tracey Clements 07770236689 or Chrissie Brown 07970105771<br />
Tai Chi for Health 10am Advanced Class. <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre.<br />
Tel: 01760 723102 or barbara.smith58@yahoo.co.uk<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Veterans Snooker Group (60+) 2-5pm at West Acre<br />
Village Hall, PE32 1TQ. £3 per player. Call Phillip on 01760 755337<br />
Yoga 10.30 - 12 Green Britain Centre, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. £7 per class. Contact Jayne<br />
on: 07544974342 or email: greenwillowyoga@outlook.com to book a place.<br />
SATURDAY<br />
Art Class for over 12s ...and accompanied Children who want to use<br />
the sewing machine. The Old Art Room 93 Market Place. 2nd Saturday of<br />
the month.10 until 1pm £10 Tel.01760 337181<br />
Arts Lounge Silver Workshops 9:30-3:30 October 22nd & December<br />
10th. All equipment, silver and refreshments inc 01760 723 624<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Bingo Club Community Centre last Sat in month, 7pm for<br />
7:30pm start. £2.50 annual membership, 50p for visitors. Paul Darby 07880 568628<br />
Board Games Group For Adults At <strong>Swaffham</strong> Library<br />
Saturdays 10-11am. The board games include Draughts, Scrabble and Dominoes. The<br />
group provides people with the chance to meet others in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere<br />
Children’s Art Club 1st Saturday of the Month. 10am until 12.15<br />
£10 All Equipment, Snack and Drink provided Tel. 01760 337181<br />
Henchmans Miniature Painting Workshop or Pokemon Battles<br />
(alternate weeks) 10am to 1pm. MtG Standard Showdown or Yu-Gi-Oh<br />
(alternate weeks) 2pm to 5pm. 01760 788427 www.henchmans.com<br />
Pentney Country Music Club www.pentneycowlsclub.co.uk<br />
weekly 01760 337 392 karenpentneycountryclub12@yahoo.co.uk<br />
Pilates Class 9-10.15am All Saints Centre, Church Lane, Boughton.<br />
Beginners welcome. £8 per session. 07515834729<br />
Pokemon; Yu-Gi-Oh! Magic: The Gathering for beginners alternate<br />
Sat. www.henchmans.com. Children welcome. 10.30am – 2pm<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Market Traditional market, now 800 years old! Every<br />
Saturday 6am until 3pm. <strong>Swaffham</strong> Market Place. Details 01760 722 922<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Rugby Football Club <strong>Swaffham</strong>RUFC@outlook.com<br />
West Norfolk Crafters & Needleworkers Stitchers, crafters and<br />
knitters who meet at Leziate Village Hall on the 2nd Sat. 01760 720767<br />
SUNDAY<br />
Henchmans Yu-Gi-Oh or Star Wars X-Wing (alternate weeks) from 12<br />
noon to 4pm. 01760 788427 or visit our website www.henchmans.com<br />
Kuk Sool Won Narborough Com. Centre 5.30 - 6.30pm. 07541261713<br />
Pentney Indoor Bowls Club bowls coaching for beginners and<br />
improvers Sundays 10am - 12noon. G Freezer 01760 722262<br />
Star Wars @ Henchmans 12-4pm www.henchmans.com<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Rugby Football Club Minis 10:30-12. Games see Saturday<br />
Snooker @ The Norfolk Snooker Academy West Acre<br />
3 hours play £9. Facebook - Norfolk Snooker Academy 01760-755337<br />
Spiritual Awareness Group Most Sundays 5:15pm to 6:30pm for<br />
Healing and 6:30pm to 8:30pm Service at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Home Library Service<br />
The Home Library Service delivers books and audio<br />
books to people who are unable to get to their local<br />
library whether permanently or temporarily. Books<br />
are delivered once a month by friendly volunteers<br />
who have been vetted by the Royal Voluntary Service.<br />
If you live in <strong>Swaffham</strong> or the surrounding area and<br />
would like to use the Home Library Service please<br />
contact <strong>Swaffham</strong> library on 01760 721513.<br />
Tackling Period Poverty<br />
As you may have heard in the news recently, there are<br />
an increasing number of young women and girls being<br />
forced to skip school when they’re on their period due<br />
to being unable to afford adequate sanitary protection.<br />
A survey by the charity Plan International UK found<br />
that one in 10 girls or women aged 14 to 21 in Britain<br />
cannot afford sanitary towels or tampons.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre have recently received a<br />
significant donation of sanitary towels, so please feel<br />
free to come to collect some free of charge from the<br />
Iceni Office. There<br />
is almost always a<br />
female member of<br />
staff in the office<br />
who will be able to<br />
discreetly help you<br />
with what you need.<br />
We welcome any<br />
donations to enable us to have an ongoing supply<br />
available. You can get in touch by calling us on 01760<br />
722 800 or emailing enquiries@iceni.info We are also<br />
now on Facebook: @Iceni<strong>Swaffham</strong>1<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Junior Academy<br />
Team Houghton at SJA:<br />
This term Year 6, at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Junior Academy, are<br />
learning about electricity. As part of our investigations<br />
the whole year group spent a day creating motorised<br />
electric cars which could be taken home at the end<br />
of the day!<br />
Charlie Marien has written a short description of<br />
the fun day: “So we created a car which was motor<br />
powered, it did take a while but we all eventually<br />
created one! We used skills we had learnt in previous<br />
years about circuits and followed the instructions.<br />
Some of us had to improvise to make our cars work.”<br />
Drake, deep in concentration, he later managed to<br />
adapt his car by adding tape to his tyres so it could<br />
move on the carpet.<br />
Later on in this term we have other exciting and<br />
challenging activities to complete which investigate<br />
alternative power sources to electricity. This will<br />
include the class creating their own wind powered<br />
turbines and designing solar bottle lights (a device<br />
which is used in many places of the world where<br />
electricity isn’t currently present).<br />
Iceni Rural Writers<br />
We often use our life experiences as inspiration.<br />
Here Charlie explores how our attitudes to our<br />
relatives can change over time.<br />
My Father’s Cousin<br />
Poor Elsie. A refrain often heard repeated by mother.<br />
Poor Elsie. She has a lonely life.<br />
I used to ignore her but now<br />
I keep in touch.<br />
I used to think she was boring but now<br />
I find her stories interesting.<br />
I used to think it was mum’s job to keep in contact<br />
but now<br />
Mum’s no longer here<br />
I accept that it’s mine.<br />
Charlie Dearden<br />
Sacred Heart <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
As the world is reported to be a more stressful place<br />
for the youth of today, Sacred Heart School has put<br />
focus on ‘well-being’ for this academic year. Students<br />
have been encouraged to consider what well-being is<br />
and how they can help themselves and their peers to<br />
gain a more positive perception of themselves and the<br />
world. PSHEE lessons and assemblies have introduced<br />
concepts and techniques to improve well-being. Some<br />
classes have done workshops in yoga and nutrition,<br />
whilst others have taken the time to visit art exhibitions.<br />
Most recently, the school took the last morning of<br />
the Autumn term to explore well-being; allowing<br />
students the freedom to try something new, challenge<br />
themselves and bond with students from different year<br />
groups.<br />
Some activities were active: some students gaining a<br />
sense of achievement from running the furthest they<br />
had ever run before, others learning how to ‘improve<br />
fitness’ in HIIT training, whilst others learnt the ‘benefits<br />
of yoga’ for ‘relaxing and toning’. Some students<br />
embraced a challenge, with orienteering introducing<br />
students to ‘new skills’ such as ‘the compass, maps<br />
and Morse code’. Some were mindful and explored<br />
the quotes of great philosophers about happiness and<br />
how it is achieved. Many got creative! Some learned to<br />
arm knit, while others danced and made decorations.<br />
Meanwhile, another group learnt the benefits of animal<br />
companionship and explored some of the world’s<br />
amazingly adapted creatures.<br />
The well-being day was enjoyed by all of the students<br />
and staff; leaving for holidays with a positive outlook<br />
and well informed in ways that they can improve<br />
outlook and perception of themselves.<br />
6 7
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Methodist Church<br />
Friday Feb 2nd<br />
Power of Prayer 9.30am<br />
Saturday Feb<br />
3rd Coffee Morning 9.30am -12noon<br />
Sunday Feb 4th Morning Worship 10.45am followed<br />
by refreshments.<br />
Thursday Feb 8th<br />
Thursday Group 2.30-4pm. Humerous Poetry.<br />
Friday Feb 9th<br />
Power of Prayer 9.30 am.<br />
Saturday Feb 10th<br />
Coffee Morning 9.30am - 12noon.<br />
Sunday Feb 11th<br />
Morning Worship 10.45am followed by refreshments.<br />
Friday Feb 16th<br />
Power of Prayer 9.30am.<br />
Saturday Feb 17th<br />
Coffee Morning 9.30 am - 12noon.<br />
Sunday Feb 18th<br />
Morning Worship 10.45am followed by refreshments.<br />
Thursday Feb 22nd<br />
Thursday Group 2.30 - 4pm. Quiz.<br />
Friday Feb 23rd<br />
Power of Prayer 9.30am.<br />
Saturday Feb 24th<br />
Coffee Morning 9.30am - 12noon.<br />
Sunday Feb 25th<br />
Morning Worship 10.45am followed by refreshments.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Methodists<br />
Dear Friends,<br />
Christmas reminds us of the birth of Jesus, and an<br />
opportunity to sing “Love came down at Christmas”.<br />
Now, as we look to February I am reminded that the<br />
14th is St Valentine’s Day – and once again we are<br />
celebrating love. I suppose many of us are thinking of<br />
the love between two people, which is something to<br />
celebrate. My parents got married on February 14th,<br />
so it was a very special day for them.<br />
We went into the supermarket the other day, and<br />
saw lots of Valentine’s cards for sale, and suggestions<br />
of gifts for that special someone. Some of the cards<br />
were, in my eyes at least, quite sentimental and<br />
gushing. However, there is nothing sentimental<br />
about true love. Many a child, and adult, has said<br />
“You can’t love me if you won’t let me do or give me<br />
what I want.” It can be very hard to say “No”, or to say<br />
something which is honest even if it’s not necessarily<br />
what the other person wants to hear. We sometimes<br />
use the phrase “tough love” to remind us that it isn’t<br />
always easy to love someone else, or bring children<br />
up to know right and wrong.<br />
I quoted the first line of a carol “Love came down at<br />
Christmas”, but we see what that love cost on Good<br />
Friday and then Easter morning – that’s the greatest,<br />
and the toughest, love of all. As we reflect on the<br />
love we have for each other, and celebrate it, let’s<br />
remember it’s a reflection of the love God has for us.<br />
Eleanor<br />
St Peter & St Paul’s <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
February Services<br />
Sunday 4th<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
3.30pm Evensong (BCP)<br />
Wednesday 7th<br />
10.00am Holy Communion (BCP)<br />
Sunday 11th<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
Wednesday 14th Ash Wednesday<br />
10.00am Holy Communion (BCP)<br />
Sunday 18th<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
11.15am Family Service<br />
Wednesday 21st<br />
10.00am Holy Communion (BCP)<br />
Sunday 25th<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
Wednesday 28th<br />
10.00am Holy Communion (BCP)<br />
NB<br />
Sunday 4th<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
3.30pm Evensong (BCP)<br />
A simple solution to wasting less through<br />
the sharing of good quality food.<br />
Iceni Partnership<br />
Community Centre, The Campingland,<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong>, PE37 7RB<br />
SWAFFHAM<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> & District Churches Together<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> and District Churches Together will be<br />
looking at what has traditionally been the Three<br />
Pillars of Lent, Prayer, Fasting and Alms Giving,<br />
for their Lent Studies.<br />
The course takes place over 6 weeks on Thursday<br />
evenings at 7:00pm in the Methodist Chapel<br />
Rooms, subject to availability. Churches Together<br />
are also hosting Lent lunches on each Friday<br />
following the Thursday subject.<br />
Thursday 15th February<br />
Subject: Personal Prayer.<br />
Friday 16th February<br />
Lent Lunch at the Baptist Church at 12:00 noon<br />
Thursday 22nd February<br />
Subject: Praying Together.<br />
Friday 23rd February<br />
Lent Lunch at the Parish Church at 12:00 noon<br />
Thursday 1st March<br />
Subject: The Historical Significance of Fasting<br />
Friday 2nd March<br />
Lent Lunch at the Catholic Church Rooms at 12:00<br />
noon<br />
Thursday 8th March<br />
Subject: Personal Fasting.<br />
Friday 9th March<br />
Lent Lunch at the Methodist Chapel Room at<br />
12:00 noon<br />
Thursday 15th March<br />
Subject: Personal Giving.<br />
Friday 16th March<br />
Lent Lunch at the Methodist Chapel Room at<br />
12:00 noon<br />
Thursday 22nd March<br />
Subject: Giving Together<br />
Friday 23rd March<br />
Lent Lunch at the Baptist Church at 12:00 noon.<br />
Friday 2nd. March<br />
2:00pm Women's World Day of Prayer Service at<br />
Our Lady of Pity Catholic Church. This follows the<br />
Lent lunch at 12:00 noon and everyone is welcome<br />
to attend both these and all other events.<br />
Iceni Youth Clubs<br />
Youthie:<br />
Year 4 to 7 Thursdays 5:30pm – 7:00pm .<br />
Youth Voice:<br />
Wednesdays 6:00pm – 7:30pm 2nd and 4th<br />
Wednesdays of each month<br />
Youthie Plus:<br />
Years 6, 7 and 8 Thursdays - 5:30pm – 7:00pm<br />
Youthie Hub:<br />
13 to 18 years Thursdays - 7:30pm – 9:00pm<br />
Staff are happy to give information, guidance and<br />
advice.<br />
Call Sally for further details on: 07772 852 284<br />
https://www.facebook.com/groups/iceniyoungpeople<br />
swaffhamvolunteerhub@gmail.com<br />
Fancy working at the library? At a care home?<br />
At Green Britain Centre? Somewhere else in<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong>? Becoming a pledger? <strong>Newsletter</strong><br />
3, offering more volunteer opportunities in<br />
town, is now available from the Community<br />
Centre, museum or Town Hall. Don’t forget to<br />
pick up a copy or email me. That way as soon<br />
as something comes up you will be the first to<br />
know! If you want to have more information<br />
about what the Volunteer Hub is, please email<br />
me for a leaflet.<br />
Community Hospital LofF<br />
Hi Everyone. Firstly we would like to wish you<br />
all A Very Happy New Year. We have a couple of<br />
events booked for your 2018 diaries, they are:<br />
Saturday 10th March<br />
A Coffee Morning at The Methodist Church<br />
Rooms 9am - 12 noon<br />
Saturday 1st September<br />
Our Annual Street Collection. 9am - 1pm.<br />
Saturday 22nd September<br />
A Coffee Morning at The Methodist Church<br />
Rooms 9am - 12 noon.<br />
As usual you can contact The League of Friends<br />
by ringing Colin Houghton (Chairman ) on 01760<br />
336025 or Iris Reeve (Vice Chairman) on 01760<br />
721430.<br />
Campingland Surgery<br />
Before long the Campingland evening talks will<br />
begin for this year. These are for EVERYONE not<br />
just Campingland patients. We organise speakers<br />
on subjects relating to health and medical<br />
problems which are of interest to all, as well as<br />
providing useful information to the benefit of<br />
many people. In most cases these issues relate to<br />
someone within most family and friends groups.<br />
Thus are well worth the attending, ( if only for<br />
the refreshments and chat afterwards)!!<br />
For all you quizzers - there is a quiz night<br />
on February 15th 2018 at 7.30PM in the<br />
Conservative Club. Teams of 4 will be competing<br />
for the honour of being ‘top team’ with bottles<br />
of wine for the winners and wooden spoons for<br />
the ‘tail end Charlies’!!<br />
Entry is £2 per person and teams: please book in<br />
at the Reception, Campingland Surgery. All are<br />
welcome and nibbles will be supplied to keep<br />
the grey cells going.<br />
8<br />
9
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Rotary Club<br />
President’s Corner<br />
This is the first column I have written<br />
since our Christmas celebrations, so I<br />
propose to mention them briefly.<br />
Our members, with family and friends,<br />
held their Christmas party at The George a week<br />
before Christmas. After an excellent meal, we<br />
enjoyed a fun quiz, and were entertained by<br />
readings and recitations from members, before<br />
finishing off with carol singing. There was also<br />
a “Secret Santa” which supplied everyone with<br />
a small present, delivered by Santa in person,<br />
who also gave each lady a red rose. I hope that<br />
everyone left full of good cheer, and ready for the<br />
forthcoming celebrations.<br />
Green Britain Centre<br />
‘Over the last few months, we have become<br />
aware of even more problems associated with<br />
the sustainability of the earth.<br />
Our use and disposal of plastics was<br />
highlighted by David Attenborough in his TV<br />
programme: Small particles of plastic have<br />
been distributed through the oceans and are<br />
now ‘feeding’ fish and birds. Also highlighted<br />
has been air pollution; currently Breckland<br />
Council is asking us, the public, for our views<br />
and ideas on how <strong>Swaffham</strong> is affected and<br />
what we can do about it.<br />
At GBC we are concerned about these<br />
problems NOW, but also for the future health<br />
of our children and grandchildren.<br />
Meanwhile, we are encouraged by the signs of<br />
new life in the grounds and the organic part of<br />
the garden.<br />
We have grown sweet potatoes and ginger<br />
experimentally. Putting compost on vegetable<br />
beds which have not been dug, encourages<br />
better drainage, and worms to do the digging!’<br />
January has been a quiet month, as is often the<br />
case, but <strong>Swaffham</strong> Rotary have arranged for 3<br />
meetings during the month. At the time of writing,<br />
we have heard a talk from Susie Emmett, a radio<br />
journalist who has worked for the BBC World<br />
Service and now runs a production company. She<br />
has travelled widely, taking a particular interest in<br />
farming, and gave a fascinating account of her life<br />
and work. Next will be a visit from Lorne Green,<br />
Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, who<br />
we hope will give us an insight into his work and<br />
its responsibilities.<br />
To round off the month, we shall have a visit from<br />
Agrieneth Masule. Agrieneth is a teacher from a<br />
rural area of Botswana who is undertaking a year’s<br />
study at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge for<br />
an MSc in International Social Welfare and Social<br />
Policy. I am proud to be able to say that <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Rotary is one of several Rotary Clubs in East Anglia<br />
who are jointly sponsoring Agrieneth. I have met<br />
her a couple of times, and am confident that she<br />
will apply her knowledge for the benefit of the<br />
people of Botswana.<br />
Agrieneth is one example of the students from<br />
around the world who are supported by Rotary in<br />
travelling to other countries to undertake studies<br />
that can be applied for the benefit of others. Every<br />
year there are a number of such students in East<br />
Anglia, studying at Cambridge, Anglia Ruskin, or<br />
UEA in Norwich. It is another aspect of Rotary’s<br />
work. If you would like to know more about Rotary<br />
both in <strong>Swaffham</strong> and District and throughout the<br />
world, please contact Claire at Ceres Bookshop or<br />
any Rotarian, or have a look at our Club website at<br />
www.swaffhamrotary.org.uk.<br />
11<br />
Experience wind<br />
power from the<br />
top of a modern<br />
windmill<br />
The first windmill in the world open<br />
for the public to climb. Follow the<br />
eco trail around our heritage<br />
orchard and organic gardens, enjoy<br />
Fairtrade coffee and homemade<br />
cake in our vegetarian café.<br />
For opening times and to<br />
book your turbine tour call us<br />
on 01760 726 100.<br />
www.greenbritaincentre.co.uk<br />
The Green Britain Centre, Turbine Way,<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong>, Norfolk, PE37 7HT
Tai Chi<br />
Has been found to be beneficial for:<br />
Helping relieve arthritis<br />
Improving balance & posture<br />
Tones muscle<br />
Improve mobility<br />
Promoting good health, Physical and mental<br />
wellbeing and being fun<br />
Our classes are relaxed,<br />
friendly and fun – and a good<br />
way of meeting new friends…<br />
Contact us on: 01760 723102<br />
barbara.smith58@yahoo.co.uk<br />
Classes are at: <strong>Swaffham</strong> on Wednesdays 10.00am.<br />
Also Narborough on Tuesdays 1.15pm. Beginners<br />
Always Welcome.<br />
Poppi<br />
Interiors<br />
T: 01760 722541<br />
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52 Filby Road, <strong>Swaffham</strong>, Norfolk PE37 7SX<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Arts<br />
Our venture into an afternoon of Victorian<br />
Christmas Party, with members of Norwich<br />
Historical Dance, was a great success. At the<br />
start we enjoyed watching the dances, with<br />
dancers wearing beautiful dresses of the<br />
Victorian period, and then we were all invited<br />
to take the floor and join in under the expert<br />
tuition of the dancing master, Sasza Zargowski.<br />
The group loves coming to the Assembly Rooms<br />
in <strong>Swaffham</strong> because of its history as a social<br />
centre for dancing in years gone by. We are<br />
pleased to continue the tradition and link the<br />
past to the present.<br />
This month we look forward to Musical Angels<br />
in Stained Glass by Martyn Clarke, an illustrated<br />
talk on the stained glass windows in the church<br />
of St John the Evangelist Oxborough. The talk<br />
will focus on the east window of the church,<br />
which, although mainly clear glass, contains six<br />
15th century angels. They are playing a variety<br />
of instruments, and Martyn will accompany<br />
his talk with recordings of the kind of music<br />
produced by them.<br />
Martyn’s talk will take place in <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Assembly Rooms on Sunday February 25th<br />
at 3 pm. Tickets, priced at members £6, nonmembers<br />
£9, are available from Ceres Bookshop<br />
01760 722504 and The Green Parrot 01760<br />
724704, and on the door.<br />
Everyone welcome!<br />
Beachamwell & District WI<br />
January is “Resolutions Month”<br />
for Beachamwell WI, as we<br />
explore and discuss the issues<br />
raised by WI members nationally, to decide<br />
the focus for this year’s special campaign. This<br />
year the topics were “Positive Body image in<br />
a Digital Age”, FGM, Modern Slavery, Mental<br />
Health and “Healthy mouth, healthy body”.<br />
As usual, the discussion was informative and<br />
very interesting, with all members taking part.<br />
We are all looking forward, too, to February’s<br />
meeting when David Mason will be showing<br />
some of his wonderful photographs on “Arizona<br />
to Alaska”, which should be a real treat. Visitors<br />
and prospective members are, as always, very<br />
welcome. We meet on the first Thursday of<br />
every month and pride ourselves on being a<br />
relaxed, friendly and informal group.<br />
Enquiries to Helen 01366 328589 or Maggie<br />
01366 327023<br />
13<br />
Pickenhams’ WI<br />
We had a very enjoyable Christmas<br />
Party following our meeting on 19th<br />
December in the North Pickenham<br />
church. Our President read a poem she had written<br />
called ‘Back to Tarmac’ based on a BBC news report<br />
covering the work of Mac the gritter! Everyone<br />
contributed food and drink to our party, and we<br />
finished with Felicity’s Christmas Cake and a cup of<br />
tea. One of our members, Carol Pick, collected her<br />
Long Service Award for over 25 years’ membership<br />
of The Pickenhams’ WI.<br />
We were then entertained by Bishop Jonathan<br />
(the Rocking Bishop of King’s Lynn) with his mix<br />
of 60s Music (The Troggs - ‘Wild Thing’, ‘I can’t<br />
control myself’, ‘Give it to me’, ‘Any way that you<br />
want me’, plus a couple of Rolling Stones numbers<br />
and Donovan). Many of us dressed in 60s gear (see<br />
photo). The aisles rocked and a great time was had<br />
by all. The Bishop closed with some celebratory<br />
music.<br />
3 of our members celebrated birthdays this month<br />
and were given posies or a plant (for a special<br />
birthday). Future events include our New Year’s<br />
Lunch at Broom Hall on 16th January at 12.30<br />
pm and the inaugural meeting of out Arts &<br />
Crafts Group (to be held at 6 The Grange, North<br />
Pickenham) on 23rd January at 10.00 am. Our<br />
next meeting (2.00 pm in St Andrew’s Church on<br />
9th January) will include a talk by Shelagh Ashe<br />
(garden designer) on ‘Transforming your Garden’.<br />
Everyone welcome. If you are interested in coming<br />
along please ring Melanie Cousins on 01760<br />
440456.<br />
Carolyn Vincent welcomes everyone to our 1st<br />
Meeting in 2018.<br />
Matters Arising: 1). Discussion and Voting for the<br />
National Resolution 2) members also voted to join<br />
the Nar Valley group of WI ‘s. This is a local group<br />
of WI.’s who join together and meet twice a year.<br />
Future plans: 1) A tour of the Stanford Battle Area<br />
in July. 2) Some more “ Music and Movement “<br />
sessions with Ann Francis monthly in the church.
3) Finding ways to celebrate 100 years of Women‘s<br />
Suffrage.<br />
Our speaker was the Norfolk based Gardening<br />
Consultant - Shelagh Ashe.<br />
She said that gardens gave us so much pleasure<br />
and are very important and that they are a lovely<br />
reason to sit outside and socialise in the summer<br />
or just sit. She then showed us how to transform<br />
difficult outdoor spaces into havens of peace and<br />
relaxation and answered members questions.A<br />
lovely talk for the New Year .<br />
Sylvia Sexton won the Best indoor Plant<br />
Competition.<br />
Next Meeting — 13th February 2pm in St Andrews<br />
Church. Anne Francis will be doing “Music and<br />
Movement” . So come along and have some fun<br />
loosening up those bodies. Competition — An<br />
interesting Tea Towel.<br />
For further details if you would like to give us a try<br />
contact: President: Carolyn Vincent.01760 755089,<br />
Secretary: Melonie Cousins.<br />
Sporle Afternoon WI<br />
Looking back at our busy 2017<br />
- we did a lot! January we went<br />
to India, February was beading<br />
bracelets! March we had Life<br />
with nanny – an amusing talk<br />
and not at all what we all thought it was going<br />
to be. April saw the Art Deco Era, May the WI<br />
resolution discussions and June found us in the<br />
Urban Jungle a most unusual venue for tea and<br />
cake and this just the first half of the year. July<br />
we heard a young woman living her dream with<br />
“Cows”, Yarmouth our summer coach outing<br />
and September Face Yoga a room full of ladies<br />
making faces at each other. October our speaker<br />
brought her guide dog and what a beautiful dog<br />
it was, November a belated Halloween lunch<br />
and AGM<br />
and to complete the year – well where to<br />
begin! December started with a carol concert in<br />
Necton church, very successful, followed with<br />
our Christmas<br />
lunch in Sporle community centre for members<br />
and their friends and to top it all a trip to the<br />
panto – phew what a busy time. Members you<br />
know that’s not all – we have craft afternoons,<br />
book reading group meetings and theatre trips.<br />
As the New Year starts we look forward to more<br />
interesting and varied presentations in a happy<br />
and friendly atmosphere.<br />
Sporle afternoon WI - 3rd Tuesday of the month<br />
2pm – 4pm – visitors welcome<br />
14<br />
INTERFIT Builders<br />
All forms of building<br />
work undertaken from<br />
domestic extensions to period<br />
refurbishments<br />
contact John<br />
on<br />
01760 724817<br />
or<br />
mobile 07977 235929<br />
Pledge a Patch 2018<br />
Pledge Pledge<br />
Pledge a Patch a Patch 2018<br />
2018<br />
Pledge a Patch 2018<br />
Wednesday,<br />
14 March<br />
14 2914 March<br />
th March<br />
10am<br />
10am<br />
to<br />
to<br />
2pm<br />
2pm<br />
10am 10.30am 10am Assembly<br />
to 2pm to to 2pm 1pm<br />
Rooms<br />
Assembly Rooms<br />
Assembly Assembly<br />
Refreshments<br />
Rooms Rooms<br />
Refreshments<br />
Refreshments<br />
Refreshments<br />
Please keep 14 March free to sign up to keep<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Please keep<br />
tidy<br />
14<br />
and<br />
March<br />
to see what<br />
free<br />
other<br />
to sign<br />
volunteer<br />
up to keep<br />
Please keep 14 March free to sign up to keep<br />
Please <strong>Swaffham</strong> Please<br />
keep<br />
keep<br />
14 tidy March and 29 14 th to March see free what to<br />
free other sign<br />
to sign<br />
up volunteer to<br />
up<br />
keep<br />
to keep<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
opportunities<br />
tidy<br />
there<br />
and to<br />
are<br />
see<br />
in the<br />
what<br />
town.<br />
other volunteer<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> opportunities <strong>Swaffham</strong> there are in the town.<br />
opportunities Organisations tidy and<br />
tidy<br />
there and to<br />
and<br />
individuals are see<br />
to what<br />
see what<br />
the welcome. town. other<br />
other<br />
volunteer<br />
volunteer<br />
opportunities Organisations opportunities<br />
there and there<br />
are individuals are<br />
the town.<br />
the welcome. town.<br />
Organisations More details in and next individuals month’s newsletter welcome.<br />
Organisations<br />
Organisations<br />
More details<br />
and<br />
swaffhamvolunteerhub@gmail.com<br />
in next<br />
individuals<br />
and individuals<br />
month’s newsletter<br />
welcome.<br />
welcome.<br />
More details in next month’s newsletter<br />
swaffhamvolunteerhub@gmail.com<br />
A Town Team Initiative<br />
More<br />
More<br />
details<br />
details in next month’s newsletter<br />
swaffhamvolunteerhub@gmail.com<br />
in next month’s newsletter<br />
A Town Team Initiative<br />
swaffhamvolunteerhub@gmail.com<br />
A Town Team Initiative<br />
swaffhamvolunteerhub@gmail.com<br />
A Town<br />
A Town<br />
Team<br />
Team<br />
Initiative<br />
Initiative<br />
Wednesday,<br />
14 March<br />
10am to 2pm<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> & District Lions<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> had a wonderful<br />
evening touring the married<br />
quarters at RAF Marham with<br />
Santa in his sleigh.<br />
The Lions had notified Marham<br />
of the route the sleigh would take, which<br />
enabled the families to come out with their<br />
children. With cameras flashing it was difficult<br />
to see who were more excited, mums and dads<br />
or the children. Santa’s Marham tour is one of<br />
the most rewarding events that <strong>Swaffham</strong> Lions<br />
do in the community, especially when you see<br />
the joy and smiling faces of the children.<br />
Lions Clubs international Foundation (LCIF)<br />
Celebrating 50 years Disaster Relief Overview<br />
LCIF’s commitment to disaster relief goes back<br />
to our beginnings, when we awarded our very<br />
first grant for flood relief in South Dakota, USA.<br />
Whenever and wherever disasters strike, Lions<br />
are often among the first to offer aid—and LCIF<br />
is right there with them, ready to support their<br />
efforts with funding assistance through Lions<br />
disaster Refreshments<br />
relief programs.<br />
Working together, LCIF, local Lions and Lions<br />
leaders assess the urgent needs and quickly<br />
deliver the aid most required by victims.<br />
This grassroots model has proven effective<br />
Assembly Rooms<br />
Please keep 14 March free to sign up to keep<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> tidy and to see what other volunteer<br />
opportunities there are in the town.<br />
15<br />
in tragedies around the world, such as the<br />
Southeast Asia tsunami, September 11th and the<br />
Haiti earthquake. Lions know that disaster can<br />
affect anyone’s community, whether it’s halfway<br />
around the world or right at home. That’s why<br />
in the last 10 years, LCIF has provided more<br />
than US$100 million for disaster relief programs<br />
worldwide.<br />
Thanks to the support Lions provide to LCIF on an<br />
ongoing basis, Emergency Grants are available<br />
to provide for basic immediate needs including<br />
food, water, clothing and medicine. We have<br />
learned from experience that when a disaster<br />
victim receives aid quickly, it provides strength<br />
needed to survive the shock and loss and even<br />
a little hope for the future. To date, more than<br />
3,000 emergency grants have been awarded.<br />
After immediate needs are met, victims of<br />
disasters are not forgotten. LCIF remains<br />
committed to the important rebuilding of homes<br />
and lives that must happen, often long after a<br />
disaster occurs. Through Major Catastrophe<br />
Grants, LCIF helps with long-term reconstruction<br />
projects to help victims begin to return to their<br />
lives and regain their independence.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Lioness Club<br />
- the Pride of <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Lionesses welcomed in the New Year<br />
on a high note by badging up two new Lionesses<br />
at the January Club meeting. New members Janet<br />
Bloomfield, and Susan Hoole, were both sponsored<br />
by our Past President Nicola Claxton and initiated<br />
into the Club by President Christine Haines.<br />
We also were delighted to present a cheque for £200<br />
to the Merle Boddy Centre, which is the local Charity<br />
that President Christine has chosen to support in<br />
her year of office. We are looking forward with<br />
excitement to Lioness events coming up in February.<br />
Our Multiple District (National) Conference will be<br />
held in Huntingdon on 16th – 18th February, and<br />
following that we will be hosting our East Anglia<br />
District Lioness Meeting here in <strong>Swaffham</strong> on 24th<br />
February.
FoSM (Friends of <strong>Swaffham</strong> Museum)<br />
We support the Museum financially.<br />
Our Membership Scheme is a one off Life Membership<br />
payment of just £10 for an individual and £15 for a<br />
family. This gives you free access to all the museum<br />
galleries for life.<br />
For more information please contact our Hon<br />
Chairman Stuart Clapton: stuartclapton@aol.com.<br />
The 100 Club<br />
Run by the Friends - open to ALL<br />
A yearly subscription of £20 could win a prize of<br />
£40, £20 or £10 each month with special extra<br />
prize of £100 in May and November. For more<br />
information contact Stan Roberts Tel: 07825885254<br />
or stanroberts4@icloud.com<br />
Prize winners:<br />
November £100 – No 42<br />
Dec draw - £40 No.72 / £20 No.2 / £10 No.49<br />
Jan draw - £40 No.10 / £20 No 72 / £10 No 66<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Museum, Town Hall, London Street,<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> PE37 7DQ<br />
Tel: 01760 721 230<br />
www.swaffhammuseum.co.uk<br />
THE NEW<br />
JUST A LITTLE MORE…GRAND<br />
The Hamond Educational Charity<br />
reg no: 277789<br />
The charity invites applications for<br />
financial assistance from individuals<br />
under the age of 21 years, living in<br />
the Breckland DC area particularly<br />
those living in or near <strong>Swaffham</strong>.<br />
The charity can provide assistance<br />
in cases of need for such things<br />
as books, tools, equipment,<br />
instruments, outfits and educational<br />
trips, including assistance for those<br />
leaving school, in preparation for<br />
taking up an apprenticeship or<br />
further education. The trustees meet<br />
twice a year in April and October.<br />
For further information<br />
contact the clerk by email:<br />
contact@hamondeducationalcharity.org.uk<br />
www.hamondeducationalcharity.org.uk<br />
Merle Boddy Centre<br />
Our lovely volunteer Viv had the good fortune of<br />
winning the raffle which was held at the Christmas<br />
Tree Festival and even more good fortune for us as<br />
Viv has donated the magnificent Christmas cake<br />
to us. I know much work went into making and<br />
decorating this wonderful cake. It will be enjoyed by<br />
all our members, so thank you again.<br />
What a ray of sunshine on a dull day; Ian came and<br />
made us all feel so Christmassy with a lovely melody<br />
of Christmas songs, we are always so very pleased to<br />
have Ian visit, he always has a way of lifting everyone’s<br />
spirits.There was singing and dancing for the whole<br />
session; very much a Christmas atmosphere, thank<br />
you so much Ian for being one of our fantastic<br />
supporters.<br />
Christmas lunch was sorted thanks to the generosity<br />
of Janet and James Allen (Janet is our local vicar).<br />
They had been putting money aside and the grand<br />
total was £86 which went towards the meat for the<br />
meals.<br />
What a lovely new year start, Jeanette from the<br />
Rotarians presented us with a cheque for £225,this<br />
was given to us so we can begin our new year face lift.<br />
This is the start of another exciting year for everyone<br />
at the centre, so please look out for all our events<br />
and lots of new additions, I hope we are not too late<br />
to wish everyone a happy new year.<br />
Thanks to Christine and all the pride of swaffham<br />
It means a great deal to us, we strive to do the best<br />
for both people living with dementia and their carers.<br />
The Merle Boddy Centre has a Chinese feel to it as<br />
we are celebrating the year of the dog, the walls are<br />
filled with dragons, hanging chinese lanterns, dragon<br />
masks and dog motifs ...this is such a colourful theme,<br />
much enjoyed by all.<br />
We want to share our joy at having a new all singing,<br />
all dancing cooker. We are very grateful to the<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> In Need Trust and to Nicholas, both helped<br />
with funding, the remaInder of the funding came<br />
from our bingo. We are very lucky to have people<br />
like Nicholas supporting us, thank you for making our<br />
cooks very happy ladies.<br />
Tesco has a pre-loved book sale on in the store; the<br />
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lionessess for your very kind donation of £200, we<br />
are very grateful for your continued support of the<br />
centre and your belief in our work in the community.<br />
table is just around the corner from the customer<br />
service desk. I am one who always has a little browse<br />
and very rarely come away without buying a book or<br />
two. The charity was us for a while, so a big thank<br />
you to all who bought books, those who donated<br />
books and of course to Tesco for this opportunity, the<br />
money raised was £84.40, which is going towards our<br />
refurb of the centre.<br />
The <strong>Swaffham</strong> WI ‘knit and natter’ group has<br />
generously donated £50 from proceeds of sales of<br />
their wonderful goods. I am sorry to hear that they<br />
will no longer be a ‘knit and natter’ group but I know<br />
the WI goes on from strength to strength, thanks<br />
again ladies.<br />
16<br />
17
B<br />
ss<br />
Wissey U3A<br />
On Thursday 4th January fresh from the Christmas and<br />
New Year holidays, U3A members eagerly awaited a talk<br />
by Peter Lawrence entitled ‘Beneath London Streets’. Peter<br />
was a police officer who served with the Royal Protection<br />
Squad and described the complex labyrinth of underground<br />
passages and rooms below central London and the<br />
Houses of Parliament which were once secret but now declassified.<br />
Peter did not disappoint the membership either<br />
with tales of early underground railways and complex<br />
Victorian drainage systems. Diverted and hidden Thames<br />
river tributaries were described along with photographs<br />
and illustrations of man-made fountains and lakes.<br />
On 9th January, group leader Paul Stevenson treated<br />
Science & Technology group members to a simulated flight<br />
in a Boeing 737 from Gatwick to Schipol airport. No flight<br />
meals were served but there was a break for tea and coffee!<br />
A group of U3A members attended a British Red Cross<br />
First Aid course in <strong>Swaffham</strong>’s Community Centre, on<br />
10th January when they were trained in emergency first<br />
aid techniques ranging from the bandaging of relatively<br />
simple cuts to more severe injuries. The training included<br />
complex procedures for the treatment of bleeding,<br />
choking and burns. Also covered were the actions to take<br />
if someone was having a seizure. Members were trained<br />
in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an<br />
Automated External Defibrillator (AED).<br />
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The U3A is an international movement whose aims are<br />
the education and stimulation of mainly retired members<br />
of the community or those in their ‘Third Age’ of life. U3A<br />
membership is open to any individual who by definition<br />
is not in full-time gainful employment, so anyone working<br />
‘part-time’ can also apply for membership. Leaders of<br />
groups do not have to have any formal qualifications for<br />
their interest activity but enthusiasm and drive to help and<br />
guide others is usually fairly high on their agenda.<br />
For more information about the U3A movement, go to www.<br />
u3a.org.uk. To enquire about Wissey U3A Membership<br />
contact Ian Clews on 01760 721247. For information about<br />
group activities in the Wissey U3A contact Dave Thorogood<br />
on 01760 622751 or visit the Wissey Homepage at www.<br />
u3asites.org.uk/wissey. If you are a ‘Third Ager’ and may<br />
have just moved to the area, come along as a guest to the<br />
monthly meeting in the Playing Field Pavilion at Holme Hale<br />
at 09.45 on Thursday 1st February when the presentation<br />
by Robert Ferguson is entitled ‘The Fight for Africa’. The<br />
subject matter will focus on the protection of Elephants and<br />
Rhinoceroses. Annual membership normally costs £10 and<br />
renewals are £7 with a small charge of £1 for admittance to<br />
each monthly meeting.<br />
Popular tutor Valerie Morse returns to <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
WEA with a course looking at the lives (and deaths)<br />
of three Tudor queens: Mary Stuart Queen of Scots,<br />
Lady Jane Grey (the Nine Days Queen) and Mary<br />
Tudor (Mary I) who all led fascinating but troubled<br />
lives. Although constitutionally entitled to sit on the<br />
throne, they were pawns in political games played by<br />
men, and so ultimately expendable. Three Doomed<br />
Queens is a day course running on Saturday 17th<br />
February from 10am to 4pm at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community<br />
Centre, Campingland, <strong>Swaffham</strong>, PE37 7RD. The<br />
course fee is £15 and lunch at the Iceni Community<br />
Café is available for £8. Course places and lunches<br />
must be booked in advance – Tel: 01760 723558 or<br />
online at wea.org.uk<br />
Also on 5th February a new 7 week course begins<br />
– Airs and Graces led by tutor Ian McLachlan who<br />
will take you on a flight of fact and fancy exploring<br />
the development of aviation across the centuries.<br />
These sessions run on Monday evenings from<br />
7.30pm to 9.30pm. The fee is £51. You are welcome<br />
to attend the first session as a ‘taster’ for £7 with<br />
no obligation to continue. Fees may be waived for<br />
those in receipt of benefits. The venue is <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Community Centre. You can sign up to attend at<br />
www.wea.org.uk. However there is no requirement<br />
to book in advance: just come along and you will be<br />
very welcome.<br />
TCT Plumbing and Electrical is a small local<br />
company based in <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
From replacing a wall socket to fitting a whole<br />
new kitchen or bathroom<br />
Contact Tristan Tomlinson<br />
01760 709 299 07976 329 509<br />
www.tctpe.co.uk<br />
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18<br />
19
Age Concern <strong>Swaffham</strong> & District<br />
Well, here we are in a New Year and for those also new to <strong>Swaffham</strong> it may be useful to describe what we get<br />
up to. Age Concern organisations and the nation-wide body Age UK are there for the benefit of older folk, say<br />
60 upwards. Age Concern <strong>Swaffham</strong> & District is the local group (and a registered charity) specially set up for<br />
those who live in the town or in nearby villages and has been going strong since 2001. We have just under<br />
200 members (there is no upper limit) and it costs only £5 per year to join. If interested, please contact our<br />
Membership Secretary Vicky, see details below.<br />
What do we do? For our members generally we hold a free monthly entertainment meeting in the Assembly<br />
Rooms, last Tuesday in the month, 2 pm, (in house) unless there is a trip out. Generally during the better<br />
weather we organise trips out by coach, three or four per year, plus a Christmas attraction of some sort e.g. the<br />
Thursford Spectacular. John Clarke (see below) organises these, so please contact him for the latest info.<br />
Upcoming events are:<br />
February 27th - Oxburgh Hall talk (In house)<br />
March 14th – Princess Theatre Hunstanton (trip out, note date)<br />
March 27th – The Raising of the Mary Rose – Malcolm Cockell, talk (in house)<br />
We also operate with funding support from the Big Lottery our popular Hospital Buddy Service. For those who<br />
are unaware about this project we aim to help those in our community who find it particularly difficult to get to<br />
medical appointments by providing a subsidised car service. Our volunteer drivers also when requested accompany<br />
clients to their appointments and ensure they understand the outcome. This service covers<br />
trips to GP Surgeries or to hospital. Volunteers to act as drivers are always needed.<br />
For those lonely people at home we also provide a Befriending Service and again if you would<br />
like to consider volunteering to help visit, you would be most welcome. Our office is open<br />
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 am to 4 pm from where an Information Pack<br />
for both Buddying and Befriending can be obtained. Apart from Pam on the office phone<br />
(07393 981 295) our Buddy Coordinator, Clair Ensom can be contacted on 07393 981 290.<br />
See advert below for more details.<br />
Please contact John Clarke, Outings Organiser regarding trips out. Chair, Diane Sanderson,<br />
725715; Treasurer, James Dean, 720756; Trips Organiser, John Clarke, 720140; Membership<br />
Secretary, Vicky Slater, 627031.<br />
Ashill Holme Hale Gardening Club<br />
At the time of writing this, the 2018 programme<br />
has not yet started but the Christmas party in early<br />
December already seems an age ago. As usual the<br />
food was delicious, the raffle and Christmas hamper<br />
draw were both full of goodies and the organisation of<br />
the event was superb. Many thanks to all those who<br />
helped to make it another enjoyable afternoon. This<br />
year we were entertained by Linda Scholes with her<br />
amusing stories of her family and Christmases past.<br />
Looking back on 2017 it has been another successful<br />
year. We had a seamless change of Chairman as<br />
David Priestley picked up the baton from David<br />
Green and membership still hovers between 80 and<br />
90. The annual flower show continues to thrive, now<br />
organised by a small dedicated group, and, in addition<br />
to some excellent speakers, we have enjoyed several<br />
outings. Our first coach trip was to Doddington Hall<br />
near Lincoln on a glorious May day. Then in September<br />
we made a return visit to Barnsdale in Rutland, the<br />
previous home of BBC’s Gardeners’ World when the<br />
presenter was the late Geoff Hamilton. We also had<br />
two ‘self-drive’ afternoon visits, the first being to<br />
Dale Farm in Dereham. We have been here at several<br />
different times of year and it never disappoints. The<br />
second, to The Urban Jungle near Norwich, was a new<br />
experience. It is an unusual and informative nursery<br />
aiming to be a real alternative to the traditional<br />
Garden Centre which seems to sell everything but<br />
plants these days.<br />
We now look forward to the New Year with our<br />
annual lunch on 18th followed by Ian Roofe talking<br />
about ‘Spring Garden Flowers’ on 25th January.<br />
What’s on in the next three months:<br />
22nd February Kathy Gray ‘Plant Hunters’<br />
22nd March Graham Benefer ‘Bonsai’<br />
26th April Jim Paine ‘Plants for Shade’<br />
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EAST ANGLIA’S PREMIER GROUNDS CARE EQUIPMENT RETAILER<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> & District<br />
Registered Charity<br />
1082730<br />
Befriending Volunteers<br />
A cuppa, a friendly chat and someone<br />
to visit on a regular basis<br />
Driving Volunteers<br />
Farewell to Barbara Locke<br />
The committee at Age Concern <strong>Swaffham</strong> and District<br />
met to say farewell to Barbara Locke who for the last 5<br />
years has not only ran our very successful befriending<br />
service but also introduced the Hospital Buddy Service<br />
from our grant with the National Lottery. We are very<br />
sorry that she is leaving us and wish her all the best in<br />
her next venture.<br />
EARLY BIRD<br />
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transport to and from clinic appointments<br />
Expenses Paid - Request an application pack today<br />
07393 981 295<br />
Email: swaffhamsss16@outlook.com<br />
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01328 701347 www.benburgess.co.uk<br />
Open 8am - 6pm Monday - Friday & 8am - 12pm Saturday<br />
21
Quality Legal Services in <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Ward Gethin Archer offer a friendly and efficient<br />
service for all legal services from our long established<br />
offices in town<br />
Please contact:<br />
Jill Wheeler for Property Matters<br />
Diane Hewitt for Wills, Probate and Lasting Powers<br />
of Attorney<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> (01760) 721992<br />
We also specialise in: Personal Injury Claims,<br />
Company Commercial, Employment, Family<br />
Offices also in Chatteris, Dereham, Ely, Heacham, King’s Lynn and Watton<br />
Traditional Values Local Service<br />
www.wardgethinarcher.co.uk<br />
Andrew Francis Funeral Service<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> and District<br />
Independant Family Funeral Directors<br />
01760 720200 (24 hours)<br />
afrancisfunerals.co.uk<br />
Pre-paid and pre-arranged Funeral Plans available<br />
The Old Post OfÞce, Market Place, <strong>Swaffham</strong>, PE37 7LA<br />
01760 336029<br />
Volunteer Befrienders Needed<br />
Action for Children’s NORFOLK INDEPENDENT VISITOR<br />
SERVICE is looking for volunteers to befriend young<br />
people in care to give them a chance to learn how to<br />
build positive relationships. We usually help youngsters<br />
up to the age of 22 but sometimes these friendships<br />
can last a lot longer. In the case of our most successful<br />
story the young woman is now 33, with a child of her<br />
own, and her volunteer, who was teamed up with her<br />
when she was just 11, is still very much in her life.<br />
Many of these young people have understandably learnt<br />
to mistrust adults and life in general. The Independent<br />
Visitor Service aims to give them back a sense of trust<br />
and also learn how to have good relationships for life. It<br />
can make a really big difference to their lives.”<br />
Volunteers might take them out for trips like bowling,<br />
cinema, beach trips, dog walks and meals and are strictly<br />
vetted with police checks and a series of interviews.<br />
• Volunteers must be over the age of 21.<br />
• Age is not a barrier, the oldest volunteer is currently<br />
a man in his 60s. It’s more important to have a friendly,<br />
positive and youthful outlook.<br />
• Volunteers must commit to at least two years.<br />
• Volunteers must be reliable, stable and committed.<br />
• The minimum visiting commitment is once a month.<br />
If you or someone you know are interested in becoming a<br />
volunteer, please email: independentvisitors.norfolk@<br />
actionforchildren.org.uk or call 01362 697537.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Jazz Club<br />
As the weather and the news got gloomier and gloomier<br />
into December, we all needed our spirits lifted and who<br />
better to do this than Eleanora! Her enthusiasm, wit and<br />
superb musicianship would have warmed the coldest of<br />
hearts. Even though this session took place on the coldest<br />
of evenings, there was a full house for one of the Club’s<br />
favourites. Eleanora was ably supported by Colin Mason<br />
on drums, Chris Kirk on trumpet, Tap Robinson on electric<br />
guitar and Jeff Scullard on electric bass. The first half saw<br />
a considerable range of moods, from Tap’s quietly, subtle<br />
guitar chords introducing Summertime, followed by<br />
Eleanora’s beautiful vocal number accompanied by guitar<br />
along with Colin’s gently swinging brush work, through<br />
to a very up-tempo Sweet Georgia Brown, when I swear<br />
Eleanora’s left hand moved so fast it could have powered<br />
the National Grid for the whole of East Anglia!<br />
I have heard a highly respected band leader describe Colin as<br />
a “master craftsman” and this was brilliantly demonstrated<br />
in his unaccompanied rendition of Shortnin’ Bread, during<br />
which the ‘tune’ could be picked out repeatedly as he<br />
worked his way round the drum kit.<br />
The second half rose to a terrific climax with Scot Joplin’s<br />
The Entertainer followed by The Tractor - an Eleanora<br />
boogie special, before Crocodile Rock and Get Your Kicks on<br />
Route Sixty Six, both these with great vocals from Tap, to<br />
finish the evening. When I left the Club I felt the Christmas<br />
spirit had at last arrived.<br />
Next up is the Ed Reed Trio - Guitar, Bass and Vocals, Tuesday<br />
13 February at 7.30pm.<br />
Tuesday 13 March at 7.30pm sees the first visit of the Nene<br />
Valley Jazz Group. <strong>Swaffham</strong> Conservative Club, London<br />
Street, PE37 7DD. Entry £7.<br />
Geoff 01366 328730. Norman 01760 722384<br />
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& Handyman Service<br />
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23
Sing Your Song Workshop<br />
The Silver Social Project was back for 2018 at<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Library on Tuesday 16th January, 2pm –<br />
3:30pm with a fantastic new workshop - ‘Sing Your<br />
Song’ – held by internationally acclaimed artist,<br />
Kate Dimbleby. Having launched in the Autumn, the<br />
Project offers daytime activities for older residents<br />
in rural communities, thanks to funding from the<br />
National Lottery Arts Council Strategic Touring<br />
Programme.<br />
We are delighted to welcome the singing daughter<br />
of Britain’s broadcasting family of voices, Kate<br />
Dimbleby, to communities across the district with<br />
her hour & a half ‘Sing Your Song’ workshop, inspired<br />
by singers such as Nina Simone and Peggy Lee.<br />
Kate invites you to explore your voice, listen &<br />
remember the songs that inspire you. A previous<br />
visitor commented, “Kate is amazing & such great<br />
fun. Her ability to get everyone involved is fantastic.”<br />
For those who can’t make it, Kate will be returning to<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> on Tuesday 20th February with ‘Sing Your<br />
Song,’ visiting <strong>Swaffham</strong> Community Centre, 10am<br />
– 11:30am. No previous experience is necessary &<br />
everyone is welcome to join in, or just sit & enjoy<br />
the company. Visitors can make a voluntary donation<br />
towards the cost of the workshop & anyone needing<br />
assistance with transport should contact the Project<br />
Coordinator.<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> History Group<br />
Despite a few of our members sensibly choosing<br />
to spend the festive season in warmer climes, we<br />
had a good attendance at our Christmas tea as our<br />
picture shows. Thanks to member Stan Roberts for<br />
providing this.<br />
Our January meeting was spent mainly in discussing<br />
research projects for 2018, both for the group and<br />
on behalf of the museum. Now very many members<br />
are engaged in some sort of research into <strong>Swaffham</strong>'s<br />
past and we aim to be producing a few new booklets<br />
for sale during the course of the year.<br />
The next meeting of the group will be on Monday<br />
12th February, 2pm/4pm in the education suite at<br />
the museum We still welcome new members. There<br />
is no charge for membership, just 30p if you want a<br />
cuppa and a biscuit.<br />
24<br />
Downham Grange<br />
State of the art, loving care in Downham Market<br />
Welcome to Downham Grange Care Home, a striking new<br />
purpose-built development in Downham Market.<br />
We provide meaningful person-centred exceptional care for those in<br />
need of residential, respite, nursing or dementia care.<br />
Boasting 62 en-suite bedrooms, the home has<br />
been finished to the most luxurious standards,<br />
with extra-wide corridors, a variety of large<br />
spacious and comfortable lounges and dining<br />
rooms with kitchenette areas that help to promote<br />
independence and social inclusion.<br />
The home has been designed to meet the needs<br />
of people who require nursing and dementia<br />
care. This exciting new development meets our<br />
Kingsley care ethos, responding to individual<br />
needs and providing the highest standards of care.<br />
Like all Kingsley Healthcare Homes, our care is<br />
focused around each person’s individual needs and<br />
wishes. We value and respect how each person<br />
chooses to spend their day.<br />
Our strong ethos of person-centred care runs<br />
through everything we do. Our staff are all highly<br />
experienced and receive on-going training to make<br />
sure that we deliver only the very best quality care.<br />
We really want to make a difference<br />
to the lives of the people we care for.<br />
With this in mind we have built the<br />
home to the highest specifications,<br />
giving particular consideration<br />
to making the design and layout<br />
suitable for people living with a<br />
dementia.<br />
This new home will enable us to<br />
continue to provide high-quality<br />
surroundings and environment. It<br />
will ensure our staff deliver quality<br />
of service and improve the quality of<br />
life of our residents every day.<br />
The staff at Downham Grange go<br />
that extra mile to make the home<br />
feel comfortable and relaxed. We<br />
like Downham Grange to feel like<br />
a ‘home from home’. We encourage<br />
people to take part in the daily living<br />
activities as well as other ongoing<br />
activities that take place throughout<br />
the day.<br />
“It took me just a few<br />
days to feel at home<br />
because the staff are<br />
so welcoming and<br />
caring”<br />
Downham Grange Care Home<br />
Clackclose Road, Downham Market,<br />
Norfolk PE38 9PA<br />
Tel 01366 387054 Fax 01366 385861<br />
downham.manager@kingsleyhealthcare.co.uk<br />
www.kingsleyhealthcare.co.uk<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> & Litcham Home Hospice Support<br />
The Office Staff and Volunteers hope that you<br />
all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year,<br />
enjoying both festive events.<br />
Once again our annual Christmas Draw was well<br />
supported by you all, to which we truly thank<br />
you for purchasing tickets. We must once again<br />
thank Tesco for allowing us to sell the tickets<br />
in their foyer over the course of a week. The<br />
first and second prizes were won by <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
residents, with the third winner living in<br />
Narborough. After costs the Draw made a total<br />
of £1,600.00<br />
Ashill WI once again held their Carol Concert<br />
in the Village in aid of the Hospice raising the<br />
phenomenal amount of £356.00. The Staff of<br />
the Charity would like to take this opportunity<br />
to thank you for your continual support to us.<br />
The Tree of Lights Service was well attended<br />
again this year, and we hope that it was a service<br />
that brought comfort and support to those who<br />
came. The donations from this bereavement<br />
event raised the sum approximately £6,000.00,<br />
which will go a long way to help us to continue<br />
to provide our free services within the<br />
local community. We would like to give our<br />
sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those who<br />
contributed.<br />
In the USA and indeed some of other countries,<br />
many towns organise a “Relay for Life” event<br />
where teams of families and friends of cancer<br />
patients and survivors participate in a sponsored<br />
walk around a fixed circuit, raising monies for<br />
cancer charities, with each team having at least<br />
one member walking the circuit at all times<br />
during the specified hours.<br />
We will be holding an event in <strong>Swaffham</strong> on<br />
Sunday 17th June 2018, along the same lines<br />
with teams from the local community obtaining<br />
sponsorship to support the <strong>Swaffham</strong> and<br />
Litcham Home Hospice. The event, known<br />
as Relay Together 2018 will be staged at<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Rugby Club on North Pickenham<br />
Road, <strong>Swaffham</strong>. In addition to the Sponsored<br />
walk, we are also planning to have stalls,<br />
refreshments, a BBQ, a Summer Draw and<br />
possibly music; the Rugby Club will also open<br />
their bar for liquid refreshments. There are two<br />
pitches at the club and it is our intention to use<br />
the lower pitch perimeter as the walking track<br />
with the upper pitch being used for the other<br />
activities planned.<br />
To enter a team for this event (no limit on<br />
number of team members), or to book a stall<br />
(for a small fee) or for further information,<br />
please contact Adrian Adcock, our Treasurer<br />
and Fundraising Chairman on <strong>Swaffham</strong> 01760<br />
724304.<br />
25<br />
We are still currently looking for new<br />
volunteer drivers, so if anyone is interested in<br />
volunteering with us, please contact the Home<br />
Hospice Support Team on 01760 722937, or<br />
alternatively please feel free to drop into the<br />
office at 17- 19 Brocks Road, <strong>Swaffham</strong>.<br />
Just a reminder that we will be holding our<br />
annual Quiz Night on Friday the 2nd March<br />
at the <strong>Swaffham</strong> Conservative Club, start<br />
time 7.30pm. Teams can comprise of up to 6<br />
members in a team, with any entry fee of £5.00<br />
per person. For further details and to enter a<br />
team, please phone Adrian on 01760 724304<br />
or email him at adrian.adcock@talktalk.net,<br />
alternatively you can phone the Main Office on<br />
01760 722937.<br />
We are pleased to announce that Beverley<br />
Foulkes and one of her colleagues from the<br />
Green Parrot of <strong>Swaffham</strong> are running the<br />
London Marathon primarily for the St Johns<br />
Ambulance nationally with a set total and any<br />
other monies raised above that total will be<br />
donated to the hospice. The Staff of the Charity<br />
wish them luck and thank them for considering<br />
us.<br />
For the last thirty years we have been providing<br />
practical and emotional support to people<br />
with cancer and other life limiting illnesses.<br />
We offer a wide variety of services which are<br />
provided free of charge. To enable us to do this,<br />
we need to raise around £100k per annum from<br />
fundraising and donations. If you would like to<br />
know more about the services we provide or<br />
would like to consider becoming a volunteer<br />
then please contact the Home Hospice Team<br />
at 17-19 Brocks Road, Echo Tech Business Park.<br />
You may like to view our Web page:<br />
www.swaffhamandlitchamhomehospice.co.uk<br />
David Gulliver<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Counselling and Psychotherapy<br />
Barbara O'Hanlon is now working from her private<br />
practice in <strong>Swaffham</strong>. For more information or an<br />
initial consultation contact Barbara on:<br />
07516 917171 / barbarann688@gmail.com<br />
www.swaffhamtherapy.co.uk<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Spiritual Awareness Group<br />
Meets in the Community Centre,<br />
Beech Close, Campingland, <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
at 6.30pm.<br />
4th February, Sheila James, Clenchwarton<br />
18th February, David Schiesser, Huntingdon<br />
We offer healing from 5.30pm prior to our Sunday services<br />
Our trained healers can help with various types of pain and tension from<br />
stress. This service is free although donations are gratefully received
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Jazz Club<br />
at<br />
presents<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Conservative Club<br />
Jazz Club<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
The Ed Reed Trio<br />
guitar, bass and vocals<br />
Tuesday 7:30pm<br />
February 13th<br />
Tickets on Door £7<br />
Norman 01760 722 384<br />
Geoff 01366 328 730<br />
London Street<br />
bar<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
Branch<br />
01760<br />
725801<br />
http://www.family-action.org.uk<br />
building better families<br />
Calling all<br />
budding artists<br />
Gallery Iceni<br />
needs you!<br />
At the Iceni Partnership, we are always looking<br />
for new art groups, or individuals who would<br />
like to showcase their work in our<br />
gallery in the community centre.<br />
If you or someone you know would be<br />
interested, then please call us on<br />
01760 722 800 or pop into the office and speak<br />
to our gallery co-ordinator Jelena<br />
SWAFFHAM CONSERVATIVE CLUB<br />
The place to be:<br />
10th February – Bring your valentine<br />
& Dance the night away to<br />
Groove Cartel<br />
Wood Burners & Multi Fuel Stoves<br />
Professional HETAS Registered Installers<br />
Chimney Liners & Fireplace Re-construction<br />
Well done to our Morgan, it may be<br />
cold & wet out there but it didn’t stop<br />
Morgan from “Braving the Shave”<br />
While everyone else was getting ready<br />
to celebrate New Year our Morgan<br />
was having her head shaved in aid of<br />
MacMillan. She has raised in excess of<br />
£700 – WELL DONE MORGAN.<br />
Tel: 01760 788 407<br />
info@stovesman.co.uk<br />
www.stovesman.co.uk
From the Mayor’s Parlour<br />
Happy New to One and All for 2018<br />
December for most is quite a busy one,<br />
Christmas for me is pretty predictable<br />
but this year it excelled with even<br />
more meetings and events which I loved.<br />
The Lions provided a great Christmas dinner<br />
at the Convent early on in the month, people<br />
having a door to door service provided by the<br />
volunteers.<br />
The Town Carol Service was lovely as always<br />
and we were treated to a delightful Nativity<br />
by children from the Convent, some little<br />
angels only four years of age. We all enjoyed<br />
refreshments afterwards, it was a really good<br />
evening.<br />
The Town Christingle was the first one I’d been<br />
to, can’t think how I’ve missed it, the Church<br />
was packed and all the children received a<br />
Christingle, they were delighted.<br />
Saturday 23rd was taking mince pies and port<br />
to the market holders, this was a jolly event<br />
helped along by our very own Town Crier, always<br />
popular and very colourful.<br />
Christmas Day it was off to the nursing homes<br />
ending up at the Cottage Hospital and Christmas<br />
Dinner provided by Iceni at the Assembly<br />
Rooms, I was fortunate to have some of my<br />
grandchildren in tow, it did remind my children<br />
of their trips on Christmas Day with their Dad.<br />
It never ceases to amaze me the generosity of<br />
people’s volunteering in this town , the people<br />
who deliver our <strong>Newsletter</strong> are a really trojan<br />
force, thank you so much and at this point to say<br />
that if anyone feels able to join this band there<br />
are still streets that need delivery.<br />
We have a new project manager for our<br />
Neighbourhood Plan, I really think this time we<br />
will get it off the ground.<br />
A big thank you to Sue Gattuso who gave up her<br />
time to come to the council meeting to give us<br />
a history of the Antinghams, it’s definitely given<br />
us food for thought.<br />
As you can imagine there’s plenty going on in<br />
the council, we have our budget to work on<br />
and trust that we’ve got it right, I’m hopeful we<br />
have.<br />
January and February always seem a bit dreary<br />
and an anticlimax, however, I have noticed the<br />
evenings getting lighter and before we know<br />
where we are those bulbs will be coming up.<br />
With every best wish for 2018<br />
Jill<br />
In Touch With Your Town<br />
‘In Touch with your Town’ is put<br />
together by the Town Clerk<br />
Richard Bishop or occasionally<br />
by the Deputy Town Clerk<br />
Claire Smith. It deals with some<br />
of the most topical items of the<br />
day and the odd item where the Council want to<br />
share information with the Town.<br />
BUDGET<br />
It is the Budget season at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Town Council<br />
with the annual budget meeting taking place on<br />
22nd January, so all will be revealed in the March<br />
edition of your <strong>Swaffham</strong> <strong>Newsletter</strong>. Always a<br />
lot to get through as the pressure is applied on<br />
the public purse year on year, and your Town<br />
Council try to achieve good value for money, in<br />
times where cuts in services are still happening<br />
at Principal Authorities such as Breckland Council<br />
and Norfolk County Council’s. So, some issues will<br />
take a while to filter through as either the service<br />
or the expense is often picked up at the Town level.<br />
There is usually media interest in the level of<br />
Council Tax that will be charged, as the Council<br />
set their Precept on 22nd January for the new<br />
year ahead starting on 1st April 2018. Not usually<br />
many public in attendance at the Budget meeting<br />
though, not the most riveting of meetings, even<br />
though it is probably in terms of what it means<br />
to every Council Tax Payer in the Town, the most<br />
important meeting we have.<br />
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS – MAY 2019<br />
Something for you to ponder on over the next year<br />
is the fact that by the time you are reading your<br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong> this month, your current Town Council<br />
will only have some 15 months left of their fouryear<br />
term. The six-month call is around the time<br />
of when turn on the Christmas Lights later this<br />
year on Sunday 2nd December. So, this is when we<br />
start to ask whether YOU want to become a Town<br />
Councillor? This time will fly by as we already<br />
are heading into the second month of the year, it<br />
doesn’t seem 5 minutes ago that we were talking<br />
about the opening of the Skatepark and MUGA,<br />
this was way back in September. Anyway, please do<br />
give it a thought, if you need to know any details<br />
please get in touch with us at the Town Hall. We<br />
will obviously raise awareness as we progress<br />
through the year, but this really is your chance to<br />
have your say, it is a four year term from May 2019<br />
through to May 2023.<br />
GRIT BINS, LITTER BINS & DOG BINS<br />
We have many queries every year about Grit Bins,<br />
Litter Bins and Dog Bins, particularly on new estates<br />
in the Town. The problem with new estates, is that<br />
we have new residents long before the public areas<br />
get handed over to the local authorities, whether it<br />
be County Council, Breckland Council or your Town<br />
Council. So, we get this transitional period where<br />
it appears as if nothing is being done. The reality is<br />
much different, as the three authorities are usually<br />
preparing the ground for the transfer to happen,<br />
what is often not clear is the timetable and this is<br />
down to the developer, and how fast the houses<br />
are built and sold. In general, the Town Council<br />
welcome thoughts from all parts of the Town for<br />
suggestions of bins, for grit, litter and dogs. It is<br />
better to know where there is a problem, than not,<br />
but we have quite a few outstanding issues already<br />
in various parts of the town. Then it is down to<br />
whether there is a budget and whether permission<br />
can be granted at the locations suggested, all<br />
these things and the red tape associated with it,<br />
take far too long, but rest assured, we are on the<br />
case behind the scenes, it is what we must do to<br />
make it happen.<br />
Please consider signing up for our gritting scheme<br />
as a volunteer, thank you to all who have so far.<br />
At the time of writing the forecast for the next 10<br />
days is very grim, so the snow may have already<br />
been and gone. It could return with a vengeance<br />
though in January or February, as we have a good<br />
part of the Winter months still to come. Please<br />
contact us at the Town Hall 01760 722922<br />
Email enquiries@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk<br />
OTHER SNIPPETS<br />
There have been recent consultation events for Air<br />
Quality in the Town, as the AQMA steering Group<br />
get to grips with producing a plan for the future<br />
which will deal with improving the air quality<br />
particularly in Station Street. There are talks going<br />
on in respect of Norfolk County Council’s Network<br />
Improvement Strategy, another mouthful, but this<br />
is using a budget of £20,000 allocated to <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
to produce a plan to cope with the expansion of<br />
the Town in the coming years. Discussions are ongoing<br />
with Breckland Council in respect of their<br />
Market Town’s Initiative, which will be looking<br />
to make their mark in each of the five Breckland<br />
Towns. Breckland have also recently announced a<br />
trial period of enforcing the two-hour parking in<br />
the Town, this will commence in May 2018 for sixmonths.<br />
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY<br />
The Annual Town Assembly this year will be held<br />
on Wednesday 27th April, 6.30pm at the Town<br />
Hall.<br />
28<br />
29
IN MY BACK YARD<br />
The <strong>Swaffham</strong> Neighbourhood Plan is a communityled<br />
document for guiding the future development of<br />
the parish. It is about the use and development of land<br />
over the next 20 years. The Plan will set out a vision<br />
and aspirations for the future development of our<br />
town and will be an important document that will help<br />
influence and control the way our town changes in the<br />
future, including any new housing developments.<br />
Many residents have already contributed to the<br />
early thinking, putting forward valuable views and<br />
opinions, through the early consultation events and<br />
the completion of a survey last Summer.<br />
We now are moving forward to draft the content of<br />
the Neighbourhood Plan. Exciting times lie ahead for<br />
2018. We will be sharing the planning policy ideas with<br />
the community at the Assembly Rooms on Saturday<br />
14th April, 10am-4pm and Tuesday 17th April, 4pm-<br />
7pm. Come along to let us know what you think.<br />
2018 should turn out to be a very important year in<br />
our Towns development, so lets make sure we all get<br />
it right! For all the latest news and information, please<br />
visit the Town Council website.<br />
Contact details:<br />
Rachel Leggett, Project Manager, swaffhamplan@<br />
gmail.com, 07947615335<br />
http://www.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk/community/<br />
swaffham-town-council-12923/neighbourhood-plan/<br />
Highway problems<br />
Highway problems should be reported to Norfolk<br />
County Council: Tel. 0344 800 8020.<br />
Give the location of the problem and a telephone<br />
number where further information can be obtained.<br />
Faulty street lights can be reported at the Town Hall<br />
during office hours or by telephoning Norfolk County<br />
Council 0344 800 8020.<br />
Reports should give a precise location of the light<br />
and the number on the column.<br />
Alternatively visit www.norfolk.gov.uk.<br />
Search: Street Lights/Pot Holes<br />
Town Council Dates<br />
Wednesday 14th - Full Town Council meeting<br />
6.30 p.m. - 9.00 p.m.<br />
Council Chamber, Town Hall.<br />
Monday 19th – Market Committee meeting<br />
6.30 – 8.30pm<br />
Council Chamber, Town Hall.<br />
Tuesday 27th – N Plan -Steering Group<br />
12noon<br />
Planning committee<br />
1.30pm<br />
Council Chamber, Town Hall.<br />
The Town Council<br />
Mayor – Cllr Jill Skinner 01760 336 121<br />
Deputy Mayor – Cllr Colin Houghton 01760 336 025<br />
Cllr Steven Allen<br />
Cllr Terry Jennison<br />
07825 801 605<br />
01760 720 608<br />
Cllr Robert Bartram<br />
Cllr Sheila Lister<br />
01760 721 022<br />
01760 720 114<br />
Cllr Wendy Bensley<br />
Cllr Shirley Matthews<br />
01760 722 524<br />
01760 723 205<br />
Cllr Brenda Bowler<br />
Cllr Les Scott<br />
01760 788 519<br />
01760 720 465<br />
Cllr Jan Buckley-Stevens<br />
Cll Anne Thorp<br />
01760 722 604<br />
01760 722 611<br />
Cllr Paul Darby<br />
01760 622725<br />
Breckland Councillors:<br />
Cllr Paul Darby, Cllr Shirley Matthews and<br />
Cllr Ian Sherwood 01760 725 550<br />
twitter@ CllrIanSherwood (your.cllr@breckland.gov.uk)<br />
Your County Councillor is Cllr Ed Colman<br />
01362 697 397 / email ed.colman.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk<br />
Officers<br />
Richard Bishop – Town Clerk<br />
townclerk@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk<br />
Twitter - @<strong>Swaffham</strong>Clerk<br />
Claire Smith - Deputy Town Clerk<br />
deputyclerk@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk<br />
Hannah Duggan – Office Administrator<br />
administrator@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Town Council<br />
Tel: 01760 722 922<br />
www.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk<br />
Town Hall Opening Times<br />
Monday 9.30am-1pm and 1.30pm-4pm<br />
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday : 9:30am-1pm<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Relief in Need Charity<br />
Registered Charity No. 1072912<br />
Relief in Need is a Registered Charity which meets 6<br />
times a year, offering grants for a specific purpose for<br />
the relief of persons resident in the area of benefit<br />
(i.e. <strong>Swaffham</strong>) who are in need, hardship or distress.<br />
Application Forms are available from the Town Hall<br />
or reliefinneed@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk<br />
Agencies at <strong>Swaffham</strong> Town Hall<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Museum Gift Shop & Tourist<br />
Information Centre Open: Mon-Fri, 10am – 4pm<br />
& Sat 10am - 1pm 01760 721230<br />
Breckland Council Room 1: Open 9am – 1pm & 1:30pm<br />
- 4pm every Monday. 9:30am – 1pm every Tuesday,<br />
Thursday & Friday. Council Tax & benefit enquires.<br />
Even ironing!<br />
Tracy 01362 820 966<br />
Caroline 01953 882 154<br />
Mobile 07849 652 713<br />
PAWSOUTDOORS<br />
Qualified Animal Behaviourist & Dog Walker<br />
Elizabeth Devery AHCP IAABC CAPBT<br />
Professional treatment<br />
for animals suffering from<br />
separation anxiety, dominance,<br />
nervousness and aggression.<br />
Dog walking provided whilst<br />
owners at work.<br />
ARDEN GRANGE pet food supplied<br />
and free delivery to your door.<br />
01366 328 780<br />
07767 708 933<br />
pawsoutdoors42@outlook.com<br />
30
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