Swaffham Newsletter

21
Age Concern Swaffham & District
In theory the better weather should have arrived by early May so our committee have been looking at
interesting things to do in the next few months. Also, we would be pleased to welcome new members to join
Age Concern so they can benefit from the various events being organised. It only costs only £5 per year to join.
If interested, please contact our Membership Secretary Vicky, see details below, or just turn up at one of our
free entertainment afternoons, normally held on the last Tuesday in the month, 2 pm in the Assembly Rooms
and join up there.
During the better weather we organise trips out by coach, three or four per year, plus a Christmas attraction
of some sort e.g. the Thursford Spectacular. John Clarke (see below) organises these, so please contact him for
the latest info. Upcoming events are:
May 29th - AGM and talk on Scams and Awareness (in house)
June 16th – Punting on the river – Cambridge (trip out)
July 31st – Talk on the Stanford Training Ground clearances in WW2 (in house)
August 28th - Summer party
Our new Project Manager for Swaffham Support Services including befriending is Brad Stein who has replaced
Barbara Lock. We operate with funding from the Big Lottery our popular Hospital Buddy Service. Volunteers
to act as drivers are always needed. Our Coordinator, Clair has recently resigned her position and we are now
recruiting a replacement.
For those lonely people at home we also provide a Befriending Service and again if you
would like to consider volunteering to help visit, you would be most welcome. Our office is
open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 am to 4 pm from where an Information
Pack for both Buddying and Befriending can be obtained. Please contact Pam in the
office, phone (07393 981 295) or for general queries.
Please also contact John Clarke, Outings Organiser regarding trips out. Chair, Diane
Sanderson, 725715; deputy Chair, Barbara Clarke, 720140, Treasurer, James Dean, 720756;
Trips Organiser, John Clarke, 720140; Membership Secretary, Vicky Slater, 627031.
Swaffham & District
Registered Charity
1082730
Befriending Volunteers
A cuppa, a friendly chat and someone
to visit on a regular basis
Driving Volunteers
Providing safe, timely & comfortable
transport to and from clinic appointments
Expenses Paid - Request an application pack today
07393 981 295
Email: swaffhamsss16@outlook.com
Ashill Holme Hale Gardening Club
It is nearly 3 years since Graham Benefer last showed us
the painstaking work that goes into producing a healthy
bonsai and his demonstration at the March meeting
continued to captivate the audience. His 30 year hobby
(one might say obsession) has resulted in a garden filled
with over 150 bonsai trees.
Contrary to popular belief the bonsai is not a tree with
stunted growth. Quite the opposite. This diminutive tree
must be kept healthy and growing with plenty of food,
air and water to the roots but good drainage. The secret
is to remove the tap root but encourage the fine feeder
roots to spread out rather than coil around the container.
Therefore, to ensure the bonsai is stable it must be wired
into its shallow pot.
Graham brought along a bonsai which had been grown
in too deep a pot and in ordinary garden soil which is
not open enough for good drainage. The first step was to
remove as much soil as possible and tease out the coiled
roots which were then dramatically shortened.
The placing of the bonsai in the correct pot is just as
important because displaying bonsai is all about how it
looks aesthetically. The audience agreed that this one
looked better placed at one side of the pot.
Deciduous bonsais should be repotted every 2 or 3 years
and conifers every 5 years. Trimming the roots means
that a bonsai, and even most other plants, can be grown
in the same pot for all of its life. The optimum time for
repotting is the Spring just as the buds start to swell.
Graham also brought a small conifer which had been
bought at a garden centre in order to demonstrate how
to get a bonsai started without waiting years for a seed
or sapling to grow. Having fed and watered the plant
to improve its health, the first stage was to twist wire
around the branches so that they can be manipulated
into the required shape. The aim is to replicate how it
would grow naturally taking account of the prevailing
wind and ensuring each branch has sufficient light. This
means removing those which grow inwards or across
others. As the bonsai grows branches are pruned back
to an appropriate bud to encourage growth in the
desired direction.
Having trimmed and teased the roots Graham allowed
the audience to decide which pot should be its final
home. Amazingly the size of the pot made an enormous
difference to the resulting appearance.
This is, of course, only the start of this new bonsai and
Graham will continue to prune, water (twice daily) and
repot it along with the rest of his enormous and ever
expanding collection.
What’s on in the next 3 months:
May 24th Talk - Tony Goode - Alpines for the Time
Challenged!
June 24th ANNUAL FLOWER SHOW
June 28th Talk - Charlotte Philcox - Getting the most from
your Vegetable Plot
July 26th Talk - Peter Skeggs Gooch - The Road to Gold
MACROMETALS
FREE PICK'S UP ON
IRON AND METALS SUCH AS: WASHING
MACHINE, TUMBLE – DRYERS,COOKERS,
DISHWASHERS,BATTERIES,BIKES,
LAWNMOWERS, COPPER, BRASS, LEAD
AND WIRE.
PRICES GIVEN FOR ALL CLEARANCES:
E.G HOUSE, GARAGE, SHED, GARDEN:
LAWN CUTTING AND HEDGE TRIMMING
PLEASE CALL JUSTIN ON
07789450317
POSSIBLE PAYMENTS FOR END OF LIFE VEHICLES,
MOT FAILURES AND ACCIDENT DAMAGE
The Hamond Educational Charity
reg no: 277789
The charity invites applications for
financial assistance from individuals
under the age of 21 years, living in
the Breckland DC area particularly
those living in or near Swaffham.
The charity can provide assistance
in cases of need for such things
as books, tools, equipment,
instruments, outfits and educational
trips, including assistance for those
leaving school, in preparation for
taking up an apprenticeship or
further education. The trustees meet
twice a year in April and October.
For further information
contact the clerk by email:
contact@hamondeducationalcharity.org.uk
www.hamondeducationalcharity.org.uk