Swaffham Newsletter

SN
NEWS
June 2020
Your free town newsletter published by Iceni Partnership
SWAFFHAM
newslet ter
EVENTS INFORMATION
Friend
or
foe?
p.3
Lions
help to
distribute
food
p.6
Pedlar's
story
p.15
published by

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swaffhamnewsletter@gmail.com
Swaffham Newsletter
Iceni Partnership
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Swaffham
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Comments or queries welcomed.
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Swaffham Town Council - details at rear of magazine.
Deadline for editorial and advertising is the
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of billing.
Contents
6 Climate Action / Lions
12 Camera Club / Friends of S.Heritage
13 Museum Matters
14 Hospital League of Friends
15 Pedlar of Swaffham
17 Museum Matters
19 Age Concern / Mayor's Parlour
20 Swaffham Town Council
We hope to be back as a printed
version for the July issue so
please send in your editorial and
adverts by the usual deadline to
ensure inclusion
1

Ashill, Holme Hale & District
Garden Club
Website: ashillgardeningclub.wordpress.com/
Email: ashillholmehalegardenclub@gmail.com
With the current rules on social distancing there has
never been a better time to get out into your garden
to get it (and you) in shape. While the gardening club
is currently not able to hold monthly meetings we
are providing gardening advice via newsletters and
our website to keep everyone active with gardening
tasks. The RHS website (rhs.org.uk/) is also good
source of things you should do each month in your
garden, as is the BBC’s Gardeners World on a Friday
evening on BBC2.
As we move into May & June there are a number of
seasonal tasks around your garden:
Trees, Shrubs and Flowers
Pot grown Cannas and Dahlias can be hardened off
gradually, ready for planting out once frosts have
passed.
Dead head spring bulbs e.g daffodils and Tulips to
enable their energy reserves to be re-plenished for
next year’s flowering.
Spring-flowering shrubs such as Exochorda and
Spirea x Arguta are best pruned as they finish
flowering. Cut back one in three stems to ground
level and take flowered growth down to a strong
sideshoot.
There is still time to sow annuals for a good display,
both for us as the gardener and for the pollinators.
During dry spells, as we have been experiencing,
keep seed beds and young plants wa-tered, a good
watering every few days is better than little and often.
Look out for newly hatched larvae of viburnum
beetle, especially on viburnum tinus and V. opulus.
Remove larvae by hand if they are not too numerous.
Vegetables, Fruit and Herbs
If you have grown tomatoes from seed or bought
seedlings remember to pot on into larger pots or into
your grow bag. Remove suckers as they appear, start
liquid feeding once the first trusses arrive.
Earth up potatoes as they start to show their greenery
above soil, drawing soil around the stems to prevent
tubers becoming green (inedible).
Pinching out herbs such as lemon balm and mint
will prevent flowering and encourage bushy growth.
Successional sowings of tender herbs such as Basil
can be made now.
As we start moving into the hotter weather think
about shading on your greenhouse so it does not get
too hot, also good ventilation is important for your
greenhouse vegetables and plants.
Remove strawberry runners during early part
of summer to avoid energy being diverted from
developing fruit. For fewer maggoty fruit, monitor
codling moth numbers by hanging pheromone traps
in apple and pear trees at the beginning of the month.
Wildlife Gardening
To avoid any disruption to nesting birds and
bumblebees, allow hedges to remain un-pruned
until after nesting time.
Continue putting food out for birds, preferably not
whole peanuts, as fledgelings will soon be about.
Also in particularly dry weather keep ponds and bird
baths well supplied with wa-ter.
Garden Pests
The Club’s April monthly meeting was to be on ‘Mole
catching’ but like all social gather-ings it had to be
cancelled due the coronavirus restrictions. However,
on the club’s website we provide some interesting
facts about the European Mole and how to catch
these cute critters who can make a mess of your
lawn. Please feel free to visit our website (address
above) and by clicking on the ‘Virtual Garden Club'
page in top menu you can access more informaiton.
TOP 10 Garden Pests
Moles can be classed as a garden pest, but if we look
at the Royal Horticultural Society top 10 list of garden
pests, the mole does not even feature. Below is the
latest top 10 list of garden pests you should look to
tackle as a priority:
The RHS’s top 10 pests for 2019 in terms of calls for
advice were:
1. Box tree caterpillar
2. Vine weevil
3. Slugs/snails
4. Fuchsia gall mite
5. Alder leaf beetle
6. Woolly aphid
7= Rosy apple aphid
7= Viburnum beetle
9. Glasshouse red spider mite
10. Plum leaf-curling aphid
Go to the RHS website (www.rhs.org.uk) to get more
information on each of these ‘garden pests’ and how
to deal with them.
3

Dream Big
Creative Studio
Coming soon !
Coming soon to Swaffham, Dream Big studio will be
a unique and exciting new creative space run by
mother and daughter duo, Jelena and Aleksandra,
pictured below.
Left: Mum, Jelena Ulase. Right: daughter, Aleksandra Šteinberga
This talented pair are combining their artistic talents
to offer a range of packages for a wide variety of
ocassions, from new born baby shoots, to parties,
weddings and much more.
Jelena creates large, bespoke floral decorations
from materials such as paper and organza. These
decorations can be made in any colour, size or style
you can think of and make a really striking talking
point at any event. As well as flowers, Jelena creates
balloon arches and hires out props, such as her
stunning shimmer wall.
Aleksandra is an experienced photographer,
specialising in portraits. Aleksandra’s photography
skills combined with her Mum’s designs can help to
create truly magical images with a fantasy feel, that
can be treasured for years to come. Photoshoots
can take place either in the studio, or on location.
Keep your eyes peeled for details of the official
launch of the studio in Plowright Place very soon! In
the meantime, you can keep updated by following
the ladies on social media:
Jelena’s Flowers
Sash Photography
dream_big.creativestudio
sash.photographyy

Newsletter Delivery Volunteers
When we get back to 'normal' we will be looking for
new volunteer Newsletter deliverers in your area.
Would you consider doing a smaller round, maybe
just a street or two? Do you have between 1 and 2
hours to spare once a month? Do you like walking
and keeping yourself active? If this is something
you may be interested in, please contact the team
at Swaffham Town Council on 01760 722922 or
email administrator@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
We are the
champions
At The Paddocks Care Home, we
believe in a healthy, active lifestyle
– one in which our residents can
feel like winners. That’s why we
personalise each day to meet the
individual activity needs of our
residents and their families.
And hearing their laughter
is music to our ears.
2:09/3:10
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS – QUEEN
The Paddocks
45 CLEY ROAD, SWAFFHAM, PE37 7NP
CALL 01760 722920 TO ARRANGE YOUR VISIT
www.castlemeadowcare.co.uk
RESIDENTIAL CARE | DEMENTIA CARE | RESPITE CARE | SHORT BREAKS

Swaffham Climate Action
As the “lockdown” continues, albeit
with some minor relaxations, it’s
desperately sad to see the many shops
that have had to close and it will be a great worry
to both shop owners and employees, knowing when
they will be able to reopen and indeed whether their
businesses will be viable at all. I was surprised to see
that the Saturday market had reopened in May but
pleased to note it seemed to be working reasonably
well with social distancing being observed.
One of the few advantages of the new “virus”
situation is that air pollution appears have reduced
due to less traffic and it would be good to think this
reduction could be maintained in the future. Many
residents are pressing for the provision of a north/
south relief road which could remove the longer
distance traffic yet providing improved accessibility
and a more pleasant environment for pedestrians
in the centre. There is no doubt that very significant
reductions in vehicle pollution could be expected.
Our group, Swaffham Climate Action is supporting
any moves which will result in less pollution coupled
with a reduced carbon footprint and we are including
in each edition of this Newsletter a Tip of the Month.
For this June edition we are suggesting we should all
review our energy suppliers to obtain the best and
“greenest” deal. The Energy Saving Trust identified
four suppliers who list the renewable sources of
their energy on their websites last year. These
are: Green Energy UK, Good Energy, Ecotricity and
Octopus Energy. Selecting one of these suppliers plus
reducing consumption as far as possible will result in
lower bills as well as helping to “save the planet”.
Should anyone wish to join our group (there is no
membership subscription) please contact either our
Chairman, Dr Colin Abbiss, jancol.abbiss@gmail.com
Tel: 01760 723118 or myself James Dean as Secretary,
jamesdean@uwclub.net. Tel: 01760 720756.
Swaffham & District Lions
Following the successful Easter
Egg delivery, Swaffham Lions
have teamed up with Kurt from
the White Hart to supply surplus
food donated by Waitrose to Little Dunham. Little
Dunham Parish Council purchased the telephone
box from BT for a £1. Simon Fowler, who is a local
councillor, thought it would be good to put it to use
during the current crisis. The longer plan is to fit a
defibrillator into the telephone box if funding can be
found.
6

01760 336029
Even ironing!
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EAT
come and enjoy our fresh homemade
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see our specials boards for more
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Have a warm relaxing and restful
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Enjoy a refreshing cool drink with a
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PLEASE SEE OUR SPECIAL VOUCHER SOMEWHERE IN THIS EDITION
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Swaffham Camera Club
The camera club remains a victim of
the wider events of the world, and
currently remains unable to resume
its normal pattern of meetings. However due to the
Friends of Swaffham Heritage
We were due to hold our AGM sometime in March
but we were overtaken by “the virus” and then at
about the same time, a number of our members on
our committee decided to retire. Despite efforts to
availability of the internet The club is pleased to recruit more committee members we have been
The report clubs it has new been programme able to resume of events a modified and format meetings was unable launched to do so. with This a well means we are not legally
received for its monthly evening competitions of stunning using photographs the members of African wildlife, constituted presented under the by Charity Commission rules and
Steve access DeRoeck to dropbox. The We shots have left also many initiated members, a form of who are we are well obliged versed to in “wind up” the organisation. The
photographing "live" meeting British using Zoom, wildlife, the first glad of that which, animals on the in the
only
UK
thing
do not
that
generally
will save us is if there are a number of
3rd of June, will include a quiz related to photographic volunteers, perhaps from our existing membership
have the teeth or demeanour and built in ability to plan to kill you. We soon
topics. It is anticipated that the Zoom platform will list who are willing to join the committee and take an
realised be used a in camera future lens and include does not among offer other much things protection from a determined
subject. specific presentations and EFA materials. Although
not as good as full social contact it will enable
members to remain in touch collectively, whilst
expanding their knowledge and discussing topics of
their hobby.
Camera's remain in use, although most members
remain unable to travel outside their local environs
to take images, a few examples from this months
diverse crop of subjects is shown below.
active role in organising events, once the “lockdown”
has been removed.
Our Annual Accounts (Jan to Dec 2019) have now
been completed and financially examined and it is our
intention to hold an AGM as soon as we are allowed to
do so. A decision will have to be taken at that meeting
regarding the winding up depending on whether
enough volunteers come forward to fill our committee
vacancies (ideally, four people are needed).
If “winding up” has to happen, we will have to decide
to where the balances of our funds are transferred,
after which approval has to be sought from the
Charity Commissioners. One obvious option is to
credit Swaffham Museum Ltd with these funds as the
objective of the Friends is to support the museum
financially anyhow.
Our 100 Club is something we would very much like to
The next meeting was our yearly photography competition see retained with as the it has been in existence for many years
Lakenheath club, displaying talents in both projected and apart printed from images. the prize – winning aspects, it does
.Lakenheath triumphed by a small overall margin at the provide end a of steady the evening.. source of income for the Friends. The
present organiser, Barbara White is willing to continue
The series is now scored as one all, with both clubs looking forward to next
running the Club on the assumption that it is taken
year's event.
over in the transfer arrangements as a going concern.
Winners in our end of April draw were: 1st prize (£40)
May meeting Highlights were an evening of Tips and Hints followed by a quiz
No. 35, 2nd (£20), No. 22 and 3rd (£10) No.2. This
and "Prints of Norfolk Wild Life" the theme of the externally month, end judged of May, there is an extra prize of £100.
competition.
Should anyone be interested in volunteering to
join the Friends committee or would like more
Our First June meeting will be an illustrated talk by Chris information, Bell on please "Storm contact our Chair, Emma Ward
Chasing", at which members of other clubs are cordially emmajw78@gmail.com invited to join us. , Tel: 07788 779293 or
myself, James Dean (Secretary) jamesdean@uwclub.
For further information on the club's activities, or membership net. Tel: 01760 enquires 720756. please Thank you
visit the clubs website www.swaffhamcameraclub.com
James Dean (Hon Secretary, Friends of Swaffham Heritage)
The club, under normal circumstances meets
on the first and third Wednesday of each
month. It is rightly proud of its established ,
ongoing, reputation catering for, and assisting
photographers of all abilities, within its
convivial environs.
For further information please contact us via e-mail
richardludlow@compuserve.com
12
FoSH (Friends of Swaffham Heritage)
We support the Museum financially.
Our Membership Scheme is a one off Life Membership
payment of just £10 for an individual and £15 for a
family. This gives you free access to all the museum
galleries for life.
For more information please contact Secretary James
Dean 01760 720756 or jamesdean@uwclub.net

Questions and (some) Answers
Q: How is Swaffham Heritage Museum coping?
A: The doors are closed and the background work
done by some of our volunteers has had to pause.
We check the museum regularly to make sure all is
safe. Post is also collected regularly.
Q: When will you open again?
A: No idea. Our space is small and some of our
volunteers may be or feel vulnerable. Before we
re-open we will have to deep-clean the rooms
and fathom out how we can work safely. The
trustees keep up to date with all advice given by
the Museums' Associations and we are constantly
considering our options via Zoom. We miss the
face to face interactivity with the townspeople
and welcoming the visitors to Swaffham and its
Heritage.
Q: What are you doing now?
This is an unexpected part of our Crisis and
Consequences Project and we would very much
like your participation. We are on Facebook and
email and have a postbox on the front door. We
need Your contributions – stories; photos; videos.
How are you coping? What is good? What is the
worst? What will change?.
This is part of our local story which we need to
gather for future generations –"Do you rmember
when ….?
•In all we are doing WE DO NEED YOUR HELP,
FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATION!
•Otherwise we don't know whether what we are
doing is what you would like us to do.
•The story of Swaffham belongs to us all. We are
merely its caretaker.
Currently we are working with the Town
Council on VJ DAY in August. Whether this
will be an event, we don't yet know, but there
will be some kind of an acknowledgement
of the vital, yet often unrecognised part
they played in Wortld War 2. This was the
"forgotten army".
It has been another learning curve for me.
Although a Baby Boomer I have to admit that I
knew little about the war in the Far East. Going by
what I hear in the FEPOW tapes that we now have
at the museum, many people really didn't know
much about it. What I have learnt I have found
extremely distressing.
13
Several Swaffham men
were in the prison camp at
Changi and worked on the
Burma-Thailland Railway.
I know that there are
more. I have some names,
but I am turning up other
local names that aren't
recorded anywhere.
If you have anything or
anyone in your family
that relates to the Far East
Campaign, please do let us
know.
Swaffham History Group
It's strange how history keeps on repeating itself over
the years. As far as I am aware the first (recorded)
pandemic which swept the world raised its head
as the 'Plague' a.k.a. 'The Black Death' in the 14th
century and kept up the pressure for decades before
its eventual demise.
We had a further pandemic when the (so named)
'Spanish Flu' hit Europe after the First World War
which effectively wiped out some 50 million people
world-wide and now of course we now have Covid
19 which is also sweeping the world with similar
disastrous results.
So, how are we coping? As I drive through Swaffham
on my way to the supermarket on a Saturday morning
during the lockdown the only things moving are
pigeons, shops are mainly closed, no traffic, no
people, it's eerie!
As a history group our members are, as usual, busy
doing their thing by researching our local history,
looking at further ways of increasing our local
Swaffham knowledge and increasing our awareness
of all things Swaffham.
There will be a new book about Swaffham which is to
be launched later in the year named, Crafts, Trades
and Professions which takes a look at Swaffham
through the people who made their living through
commerce, etc. giving an insight of how and where
they lived, and taking a building through its many
guises and makeovers.
The Swaffham Newsletter as we know is now issued
electronically and I trust is still read by many.
Our 'History Group' meetings have naturally been
curtailed for the time being and I can only hope that
we can resume normally in the near future.
Stay well, stay safe, stay happy.
For further details of the History Group please Phone
01842 879140 or EMail jbaz@go-plus.net

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Swaffham Community Hospital L of F
Although in some respects the situation is
improving, here in Swaffham the pressure remains
as the hospital has expanded the number of beds
available for extra patients. When I last wrote i
said that there are no virus cases in the hospital.
However, that is now not the case. The staff are
doing everything possible to keep the virus at bay.
Unfortunately, this does mean no visitors and we all
have to accept that even though this is distressing
for all, safety comes first. It seems that supplies are
getting through okay.
It goes without saying how much we appreciate
the care being given. Hopefully we never take it for
granted even in normal times.
We are continuing to maintain the garden, it is
looking really good, and it is nice to be able to wave
through the window to those inside.
As a little treat one warm day, we delivered a large
supply of ice lollies, which I understand went down
well. To mark VE day we put up some bunting and
took in a supply of cakes for patients and staff. We
had planned something bigger but were not able to
do more.
We would normally have held our AGM in May but
as yet no new date has been set.
On the Social front we have paused our Fundraising
events. However looking ahead we don’t know if
we will be allowed to hold our Town Collection in
September. I hope to clarify soon. We have booked
a date for a Coffee morning at the Methodist Church
on Saturday 19th Sept.
One idea re fundraising would be to ask you all as
residents to consider whether you would like to
have a jam jar or tin at home in which you might
donate any spare change over the coming weeks.
It would be a small way of recognising the fantastic
service our NHS colleagues are giving over this
difficult period. If you would like to do this the
donations could be left at Hospital Reception
or if you ring me, I can arrange collection. The
money raised would be spent on small treats for
patients and staff.
We are always open to ideas that the public might
have for improvements that we could help with at
the Hospital. Do contact us to share any thoughts
you might have.
As ever if you are interested in joining our small
committee, do ring me for an informal chat. It would
be helpful to have a few new people. Promise it’s not
too onerous. Why not give us a try by attending one
of our committee meetings.
Colin Houghton (Chairman) 01760 336 025
14

15
The Pedlar of Swaffham
Last month, in an article on the parish church,
reference was made to The Pedlar of Swaffham
and his connection with St Peter and St Paul’s. This
month we expand on this well-known figure in town
and church.
The Pedlar was a poor man who lived in a cottage
that had a garden in which grew a large oak tree.
Although he worked hard to make a living, travelling
from place to place with his pack of goods on his
back and his dog at his heels, he struggled to provide
for his wife and children.
One night, as he slept off the day’s labours, he had a
remarkable dream about a great bridge in London,
and he was able to recall in every detail when he
awoke in the morning. When he had the same dream
on three consecutive nights, he knew he could not
ignore it, and so he set off with his little dog, to seek
his fortune in the great and distant city of London.
It was a very long hard journey on foot and he arrived
exhausted and weary, and for two days he saw
nothing that related to his very graphic dream, but
as he stood on the bridge on the third day someone
asked him what he was up to. When he heard the
pedlar’s tale he was highly amused and intrigued
and he explained that he himself had had a dream,
that he was in Norfolk - and in Swaffham no less - a
place he had never heard of. He described his dream
to the pedlar by explaining that he saw himself in a
garden behind a pedlar's house and, in that garden,
was a great oak tree. He felt that, if he were to dig
under that tree, I would find a great fortune in gold
but that he didn’t think much of it, and he advised
the Swaffham pedlar go home and mind forget all
about it.
When the pedlar heard this, he made up his
mind and returned to Swaffham, and dug
beneath the large oak tree and found a pot
of gold coins. However, when he emptied the
coins out, he saw an inscription in Latin, which
read: 'Under me doth lie another much richer
than I.' So, the pedlar took up his spade once
again and after more digging, it is said that
there was indeed more to be found, and it was
indeed an even greater treasure.
He became very rich but, being a man of
integrity, he did not allow his good fortune to
change him. In the ensuing years he helped
build up and repair the Swaffham parish
church and when he died, a wooden carving
of him was placed in the church depicting
him with his pack on his back and his dog at
his heels; it remains to this day, along with a
similar carving of his wife. It is believed that
the pedlar shown in the carving inside the
church, was a John Chapman.
The parish church’s 15th century historic ‘Black
Book’, contains a list of the benefactors of the
church up to that time, and it records that the
said Chapman paid for the new north aisle as
well as contributing to the spire fund in 1462.
John Chapman's generosity is still remembered
in Swaffham, and over 500 years after his
death, the town sign represents the town’s
favourite pedlar who had the courage and
resolve to follow his dream.

Precious Petals can cater for any event, however small, and will try wherever possible to cater to any
budget. All arrangements are put together with great love and care and will always be one of a kind.
Free consultations are offered.For more information please contact Sarah on 01328 700529, or by
emailing info@preciouspetalsnorfolk.co.uk.

Swaffham Counselling
and Psychotherapy Practice
We can help with a range of psychological issues,
such as depression, anxiety, panic, phobias,
trauma, relationship difficulties and loss. The
Practice is based in Swaffham town centre;
however in the current situation I am offering
telephone and Skype sessions.
The pandemic we are all coping with brings with
it increased anxiety, fear, trauma, and concern for
others. This can be overwhelming, particularly
when added to existing mental health issues.
Counselling and psychotherapy helps to identify
these negative feelings, manage them, and turn
them to positive thoughts.
A good alternative to face-to-face therapy, which is
of course not available at present, is Skype which
allows us to meet with visual contact. For those
who don’t have that technology or would prefer
not to use it, telephone sessions can be arranged. I
offer a reduced fee system which takes account of
the financial difficulties that the current situation
may present. To arrange an initial consultation
please contact Barbara O’Hanlon on 07516 917171
or email barbarann688@gmail.com
www.swaffhamtherapy.co.uk

31

Age Concern Swaffham & District
As mentioned last month, our registered Charity, Age
Concern Swaffham & District has been in operation
for 21 years since May 1999, and we were planning a
celebration event to mark this occasion. Of course,
this has had to be deferred as have all our other
activities this year involving our regular meetings on
the last Tuesday in each month, as well as trips out.
In this connection will members please note that the
trip to Cley next the Sea and Holkham Hall planned
for the 25th June has had to be deferred. Resuming
meetings of groups still seems to be some way off as
the government has said that any gradual easing of
restrictions would leave meetings of any size at the
end of the line.
A particularly worrying matter is that our Befriending
Service and Hospital Buddy Service are on hold and so
the people on our lists who are essentially those who
are already suffering from loneliness and frustration
by an inability to get around without help, are suffering
the most. Perhaps this element of our work might be
“released” fairly early as they are basically one-to-one
so we can continue both services although PPE would
probably need to be available.
However, although the monthly members meetings
held usually in the Assembly Rooms (2 pm) on the
last Tuesday in the month will not be able to resume
any time soon, we welcome those who might wish
to join our group for when things get back to normal.
We charge £5 per year to cover our expenses but the
monthly meetings, where there might be a speaker or
entertainer are held with no charge to members. Can
I just also mention that our local Age Concern is not
Age UK which is a national, separate charity. Anyone
interested in joining Age Concern should contact
our Membership Secretary, Barbara White, email
barbarawhite751@gmail.com or phone 01760 720756.
Thank you.
James Dean, Hon. Secretary
19
Mayor's Parlour
Dear All,
What a strange time we’re living
in, having accepted “lockdown“
I’m feeling unsure now about the
alternative, however, given the
chance I think we will all remain
responsible and do our best with the guidelines, can’t
wait to have a social distancing coffee in one of our
lovely cafes.
VE Day wasn’t exactly as planned, the sun shone,
a perfect day for a family Day out in Swaffham, it
was all organised to the nth degree and we were
so looking forward to putting it on for you all.
Instead the flags went up, our pubs and cafes did
takeaway cream teas and delivery service , Swaffham
was quiet but homes made great efforts to recognise
this special Day.
In the meantime, I’m sure our preparations for a fun
day will not be wasted and we will reinvent it at a time
when we can all meet up again.
The council itself it meeting via Zoom in our homes on
laptops or computers, this is working fairly well and
will continue for sometime.
It’s really a question of getting used to a different way
of doing things, please remember though we are still
available to be contacted.
As you all know the market has started up, food stalls
only at the moment, there was some apprehension
about us doing this at first but fortunately all is
well and being run really with all aspects of safety
accounted for.
A big thank you to Fabian Eagle, Chair of Swaffham
Market Committee, and to Cllr Stuart Bell for attending
with our Market Superintendent Ruth and Outside
Team member Gerald, making it successful in a
difficult time. Again Fabian and Stuart are volunteers,
what would we do without them.
Kurt at the White Hart continues with his volunteers
to do a fantastic job at his pub regarding our Covid
Emergency Centre, as always we can’t thank them
enough for all the work they are doing for the people
of Swaffham. As you know he’s working closely with
our council especially Cllr Brendan Holmes, if you
do know people that are in need please let them
know or, contact the council as there are funds to
help.
It looks like a new way of doing things is going to
have to be looked at especially when opening the
businesses, I expect some will be in place when I
write next. I’m really hoping we will support them,
the high street looked pretty good before all this
started. Cllr Judy Anscombe is taking a particular
interest in this and has sent out a survey to the
businesses to try and assess where we are and if
there is help available.
Our gardens are looking especially good this year,
just need a little rain and I’ll start on the cupboards,
amazing what more time can do although that job
I’m putting till last!
Until I speak again, take care of yourselves, Jill

In Touch With Your Town
is put together by the Town Clerk Richard Bishop or
occasionally by the Deputy Town Clerk Claire Smith.
It deals with some of the most topical items of the
day and the odd item where the Council want to
share information with the Town.
A Truly Team Effort Spreading ‘Hope Happiness &
Thanks’ In The Local Community
In these unprecedented times we have seen many
wonderful examples of the community coming
together to help those in need and to thank those who
are working so hard to protect us.
As we all know the advice to stay at home has not
been easy for many of us but students in Years 7 & 8
at The Nicholas Hamond Academy have been thinking
particularly about the wellbeing of the vulnerable
people having to shield to protect their health and who
have been effectively housebound - not seeing anyone
for several weeks. After an initial idea put forward to
the academy by Judy Anscombe, Town Councillor, eager
to make life brighter for the most isolated, students
have teamed up with Swaffham Town Council & The
Swaffham Emergency Action Group students to launch
their ‘Hope, Happiness & Thanks’ Project.
During the academy closure students have been busy
making posters and taking photographs of what has
made them feel happy, to share with those whose
spirits could use a ‘lift’ and to let them know they
have not been forgotten - bringing a little hope and
happiness! These will be delivered via the Swaffham
Emergency Action Group who deliver food parcels to
those in isolation and need help together with those
identified by the Swaffham Town Council. Kurt Oliver,
from the White Hart said “the photographs will also be
delivered to some of the most vulnerable through the
Hart to Home care meals”.
So many of us are indebted to those who have worked
all through this crisis keeping us safe, keeping our shops
open and providing other services which we could
not manage without. As a demonstration of ‘thanks’
students have added their own posters to the ‘Thank
You’ wall outside the White Hart Pub which is the hub
of the town’s efforts.
Mark Woodhouse, Principal of TNHA, added "It is
wonderful to see our young people being creative
and to think about others in these uncertain and
challenging times. The situation many people have
found themselves in over these past couple of months
has been incredibly difficult and it is only natural that
we want to try and help people through these testing
times. There are lots of positive things that are
happening and the work of the Swaffham Emergency
Action Group has been crucial in supporting some of
the isolated members of our community. We hope that
the endeavours of our students will help bring a little
20
bit of cheer to the people who might need it the most."
Cllr Jill Skinner Mayor of Swaffham stated “What a
fantastic effort by the Nicholas Hamond Academy
students, my fellow Councillors and all at the Emergency
Response Centre.”
Coronavirus (COVID-19) ZOOM virtual meetings…
Times are a changing, as the wonderful world of
‘virtual meetings’ has now burst on to the scene. The
Town Council are still getting used to the technology
and Councillors soon got to grips with ‘robust debate’
whilst sitting in the comfort of their own living room.
Things are progressing though, as Committee meetings
have been restored and decision making has become
somewhat less labour intensive than the elongated
e-mail exchanges that had clearly run its course in
the early weeks of the lockdown period. Full details
of all the meetings are on the Town council website,
sometimes meetings are added at short notice because
of the ever-changing situation as a result of the daily
updates on the government guidance. We do our best
to keep the website and social media up to date, but
we are still contactable through the normal channels
even though admin staff are working remotely (under
government guidance). It the absence of the ‘face
to face’ contact, please do contact us by e-mail, by
telephone, Direct Message, Messenger, WhatsApp,
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and we will do our
best to respond, the volume of enquiries continues to
be very high as people are either worried by the news
or confused by government guidance.
Saturday Market – latest news…
The Covid-19 Government Guidance on markets
previous to Sunday 24th May was that Food Traders
could remain open, as they did in both Dereham
and Watton, but for five weeks Swaffham closed
their Market totally. A decision was taken to reopen
the Market to allow essential food traders
the opportunity of trading as an alternative to the
Supermarkets, providing that we could introduce
social distancing measures. The confusion was caused
by the government guidance which allowed Market
operators the flexibility to either be open for essential
food traders or to close if social distancing could not
be guaranteed. All eight of the Food Traders trading in

Swaffham were already trading in other Markets and
were familiar with the social distancing measures that
had been introduced.
The government guidance changed last Sunday with
the Prime Minister's statement, stating that Markets
can re-open from 1st June, this includes non-essential
traders, and auctions from 15th June, in line with
other non-essential High Street stores. The Market
Committee will be meeting on Monday 1st June, as an
extraordinary meeting has been called and it will be
recommended that a phased return will be staggered
over three consecutive Saturday's 6th, 13th and 20th
June, so that traders can adjust to the social distancing
arrangements which have proved successful to date.
The Market will be very different to what we had
previously, and we do not know how long this 'new
normal' will need to be in place. The health and
safety of the public, the market traders, our staff
and volunteers is paramount, and the Council will
not hesitate to close the Market again should the
social distancing not be adhered to or the wellbeing
of the Town is compromised in any way. Or grateful
thanks for those of you that continue to support our
Market in these challenging times and for observing
the social distancing rules, long may this continue as
we gradually come out of this lock down period and
establish some resemblance of normality.
The Town Council
Mayor – Cllr Jill Skinner
CllrSkinner.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Deputy Mayor – Cllr Keith Sandle
CllrSandle.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Judy Anscombe
CllrAnscombe.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Lindsay Beech
CllrBeech.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Stewart Bell,
CllrBell.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Wendy Bensley
CllrBensley.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Paul Darby
CllrDarby.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Graham Edwards
CllrEdwards.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Brendan Holmes
CllrHolmes.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Colin Houghton
CllrHoughton.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Shirley Matthews
CllrMatthews.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Ian Pilcher
CllrPilcher.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Cllr. Les Scott
CllrScott.SwaffhamTC@gmail.com
Officers:
Richard Bishop – Town Clerk
townclerk@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk,
@SwaffhamClerk
Claire Smith – Deputy Town Clerk
deputyclerk@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Hannah Duggan – Office Administrator
administrator@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Swaffham Town Council
Tel: 01760 722 922
www.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Town Hall opening times:
Closed during the present endemic.
Your Breckland District Councillors:
Cllr. David Wickerson
01760 725 741
david.wickerson@breckland.gov.uk
Cllr. Ian Sherwood
07795 236 878
ian.sherwood@breckland.gov.uk
Cllr Ed Colman - also your Norfolk County Councillor
07940 406 356
ed.colman@breckland.gov.uk / ed.colman.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk
Breckland District Council
www.breckland.gov.uk
01362 656 870. For all enquiries regarding:
Planning, Refuse Bins, Housing, Recycling, Licensing
& Benefits.
Highway Issues
Norfolk County Council – www.norfolk.gov.uk
– 0344 800 8020
For Highway issues & faulty street lights:
- Highways - please give the location of the issue and
a telephone number where further information can
be obtained.
- Faulty streetlights – please give the precise location
of the light and the number on the column.
Alternatively visit the website and search for
Highways or Street Lights to report your concerns.
21

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