Swaffham Newsletter

Swaffham Town Football Club
Unchartered territory for the Pedlars, clinching a
win and a dream ticket into the third round of the
Buildbase FA Vase. An unusual Sunday fixture due to
Essex opponents May & Baker ground-sharing with
Barking Rugby Club, but the squad made the effort
and together with the twelfth man of Committee
Members, and regular faithful supporters took the
party bus on the two hundred mile round trip.
Another fantastic all round team effort with the
victory clinched two minutes into added time by
substitute Luke Reed, finishing from eight yards.
Two world class saves from keeper Tommy Rix, but
the combined team performance and spirit earning
the victory and progression into the next round
which will see a home fixture against Stowmarket
Town on the 1st of December. The Pedlars now in
the last sixty four and club history in the making with
getting this far.
We would love to see as many people as possible
heading down the Lane on the 1st December to
cheer the Pedlars on in this great achievement for
both the club and the town! It is a 15:00 KO and for
this game only, children’s entry is free! Adults - £5.00
and Concessions - £3.00. Usual member discounts
apply on the gate and bar. UP THE PEDLARS!
Photo by Eddie Deane
Norfolk to get £13m boost to fix
pot-holes on county’s roads
I am pleased to report the county’s roads are set
to receive a £13m budget boost. Chancellor Philip
Hammond announced in the budget that local
authorities would share £420m for road maintenance.
And Norfolk County Council believes its share from
that pot will be £13.3m. We have not had our official
letter yet, but the indications based on standard
funding figures is that our share will be about £13.3m.
Cllr Ed Colman
Swaffham Town Team Update
Festive Greetings to all.
Another year is almost over but 2018 has seen
several initiatives from your Town Team so here is an
update on just two of those:
Parkrun
Swaffham Parkrun held its inaugural event on
May 28th and we have just celebrated the 26th
consecutive Saturday that at 9.00am every week our
volunteers give their time to set up, organise and
monitor our 5k – 3.1 miles in old money – walk, jog
or run or a combination of all three at the Nicholas
Hamond Academy. So why not join us next Saturday
– it is completely free – all you have to do is go on line
at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/swaffham and click
on the register link to obtain your unique parkrun
number and barcode.
Since May, 774 people of all ages from 5 to over 75
have taken part and completed 1,975 circuits. For
an average of 76 participate each Saturday with
times ranging from just over 17 minutes to one
hour; so come along and join us for regular exercise
promoting health and wellbeing with likeminded
residents and visitors alike in a relaxed, very friendly
and non-competitive atmosphere – you will have no
regrets!! Look out for details of our festive parkrun
on Saturday December 22nd. Fun for all ages!!
Look us up on Facebook -
https://www.facebook.com/swaffhamparkrun
Community Garden
In February we applied for a £500 grant from the
Royal Horticultural Society to create our Swaffham
Community Garden. In addition to the funds for plants
and equipment we would also have the services of
an RHS advisor to provide guidance in the creation
and planting process. We were selected in April as
one of only two successful Norfolk applicants!!
After several planning sessions, work started on the
Campingland in July with further sessions – after the
summer drought - in October and November. Thanks
to the invaluable and generous help of several local
businesses, Swaffham Rotary, the Escape Project
on Tumbler Hill, the Nicholas Hamond Academy,
the Sacred Heart School, Swaffham Youthie and
volunteers the garden is almost complete with
trees and hedging to be added in January along
with signage. Look out for the date of our official
opening in the January Newsletter. In the meantime
please visit the garden with its herb bed, its soft
fruit bushes, its wild flower border and plant filled
gabions, not forgetting our Story Telling Circle for use
by children and adults alike!! And keep an eye open
for our daffodil, iris and crocus display in the Spring!!
We are currently putting together our Volunteer
Team to work together to ensure that the garden
is maintained and kept an attractive addition to
town’s green spaces. So to all you keen gardeners/
allotment holders can register your interest to join
us by emailing in the first instance davidwickerson@
btinternet.com. Thank you.
Royal British Legion
Approximately 1000 people, including many childrens'
organisations, gathered at Swaffham War Memorial on
Remembrance Sunday. A large parade, led by Parade
Marshal Max Reeve, marched through the town to join
those already assembled, to participate in the service
led by the Rev. Janet Allen of St Peter & St Paul Church.
The town mayor, Cllr. Colin Houghton, led the wreath
laying, followed by the Rt. Hon. Liz Truss, MP, the Royal
British Legion and other local organisations. Earlier, at
6am, Mr Brian Baxter, aged 86yrs had piped the tune
"The Battle's Over", a piece that was being played all
over the country at that time, to remember the signing
of the Armistice, which, although signed earlier, did not
come into effect until 11am. Finally, at 6.30pm, people
gathered once more at the War Memorial where prayers
were led by Rev. Janet Allen, after which the names of
the 91 Swaffham men who lost their lives were read out,
some by Bernard Hunt from St Peter & St Paul Church,
and others by young people. Following this The Last
Post was played and the two minute silence observed.
Those who had gathered were then ushered to the
front of the Assembly Rooms to await the lighting of the
beacon by the mayor, which once again was being done
countrywide at 7pm. Then, at 7.05pm the church bells
rang out and the Town Crier Nigel Wilkin did a specially
written Cry for Peace. Royal British Legion chairman
Barrie Thorp commented, "All in all a very memorable
day when Swaffham remembered not only those who
lost their lives, but gave thanks too for the end of that
dreadful war and for the freedom we enjoy to live as
we do. We at the Legion would like to thank all who
came along and supported us."
Swaffham Camera Club
November's program included a chance
for members to revisit some earlier
works with the help of a knowledgeable
expert photographer, re-evaluate and
understand where possible improvements could have
been made. The months second meeting, a competition
evening where images submitted will be projected, has
the themed subject "Images taken
strictly within the last thirty days". An "Open" competition
will also form part of the evening's programme. There is
only one meeting in December and as is our club's custom
it will be our annual Christmas celebration dinner.
The club, which meets on the first and third Wednesday
of each month has a full programme of events, speakers,
exhibitions and internal and inter-club competitions
planned. It is also pleased to offer tutorials at all levels,
concerning the many aspects of photography and it's
associated equipment.
For further information please visit the club's website
www.swaffhamcameraclub.com.
November's program included a chance for members to revisit some
earlier works, and, with the help of a knowledgeable expert
photographer, re-evaluate and understand where possible
improvements could have been made.
The months second meeting, a competition evening, where images
submitted will be projected, has the themed subject "Images taken
strictly within the last thirty days". An "Open" competition will also form
part of the evenings program
There is only one meeting in December, and as is our club's custom it
will be our annual Christmas celebration dinner.
The club which meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month
has a full program of events, speakers, exhibitions and internal and
inter-club competitions planned. It is also pleased to offer tutorials at all
levels, concerning the many aspects of photography and its associated
equipment.
For further information please visit the Clubs website
www.swaffhamcameraclub.com .
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Wissey U3A
At the last monthly meeting on 6th November, Sir
Henry Bedingfeld of Oxburgh Hall gave a very interesting
presentation about Heraldry. Sir Henry’s status in the
Society of Heraldry is ‘Norroy’ and ‘Ulster Coat of Arms‘.
Sir Henry is the president of the Norfolk Heraldry Society
which he founded in 1976. His presentation included a
résumé about the origins of Heraldry and its history up
to the present day. Sir Henry showcased his own works
which included Coats of Arms for Sir Elton John and Sir
George Martin. Sir Henry was accompanied by his wife
Lady Mary who sat with other U3A members throughout
Sir Henry’s presentation.
The speaker on 3rd January will be Robert Ferguson
who will talk about the ‘Fight for Africa’ and endangered
species such as rhinoceroses. ‘Wildlife Photography’ will
be the subject of a presentation by David Mason on 7th
February.
Wissey U3A members are still going to a series of reenactments
about the trial of suffragette Miriam Pratt in
Norwich Castle. Re-enactments will continue until early
December.
A visit to the Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local
History is to be arranged for early 2019 since it has been
’moth-balled’ for the Winter. The museum is housed
in Fakenham’s former gasworks which is now the only
complete town gasworks in the country. The Gasworks
produced gas from the heating of coal for 120 years
before its closure in 1965.
Although the Croquet group has closed for the winter
period, it will hopefully restart in 2019 with a new leader
taking charge. There has been interest for a new ‘Line
Dancing’ group and the hunt is on for a leader. Once a
leader steps forward, arrangements for group meetings
can be made.
If you have a hobby or pastime which you would like to
share with others why not make enquires about joining
the Wissey U3A. There are currently 335 members
who take part in a wide variety of activities such as art,
meditation, rambling and soft-ball tennis. The Science &
Technology group are liaising with the UEA on a project
studying ‘Sleep, Genes and Memory’ which could find a
relationship between sleep and the risk of Alzheimer’s.
The U3A is an international movement whose aims are
the education of retired members of the Community
or those in their ‘Third Age' of life. U3A membership is
open to any individual who by definition is not in fulltime
gainful employment, so anyone working ‘part-time’
can also apply for membership. Monthly meetings are
held at Holme Hale’s Pavilion on the first Thursday of the
month from 09.45 until 12.00 mid-day.
For more information about the U3A movement, go to
www.u3a.org.uk or visit the Wissey homepage at www.
u3asites.org.uk/wissey. Annual membership of the
Wissey U3A is usually £10 but is currently only £7 until
April 2019.