Local Lynx No.151 August/September 2023

ISSUE 151 

August - 

September 2023 

Introducing PINPOINT INFO 

Helpful information on local 

services and support on page 4. 

Gunthorpe, September 2022 photo:RH 

ADS DIRECTORY now on back page and at 

www.locallynx.co.uk 

1

WHAT’S ON 

VH= Village Hall 

AUGUST 

4 th Fri. Field Dalling Bingo, VH 7.30pm 

5 th Sat. Langham Churchyard tidy up 9.30am 

6 th Sun. Morston Sailing Regatta 10am 

6 th Sun. Morston Regatta Party, Morston Quay 7pm 

11 th Fri. Bale Fish and Chips, VH 7pm 

12 th Sat. Field Dalling Village Fete, VH 2pm 

12 th Sat. Langham Rounders & BBQ, Playing Field 4.30pm 

13 th Sun. Binham Summer Fete, Memorial Hall 

13 th Sun. Stiffkey Stiffkey Pirates Cricket Team playing 

Wombats, Playing Field, 12:30pm 

17 th Thu. Binham Art Group, Summer Exhibition preview, 

BMH 6.30-8.30pm 

18 th Fri. Binham Priory Summer Concert , BPC 6pm 

18 th Fri. & 19th Sat. Binham Art Group Summer Exhibition, 

BMH 10am-5pm 

21 st Mon. – 28 th Mon. Morston Art Exhibition. VH 10am-5pm 

23 rd Wed. Stiffkey Rescue Wooden Boats, Summer BBQ, 

Maritime Heritage Centre, 5-8pm 

25 th Fri. Bale Bale Oak Bar, VH 6.30-9.30pm 

25 th Fri. Binham Priory Summer Concert, BPC 6pm 

26 th Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Coffee Morning, VI 10.30am 

26 th – 28 th Stiffkey History Group, St John’s Church, all day 

27 th Sun. Bale Bale Village Barbecue, VH 6pm 

27 th Sun.Sharrington Church BBQ, The Place 12.30pm 

27 th Sun. Stiffkey Stalls on the Knoll, outside St John’s church, 

10am - 12:30pm 

28 th Mon. Stiffkey Maritime Heritage Centre, 11am- 4pm 

SEPTEMBER 

1 st Fri. Field Dalling, Bingo, VH 7.30pm 

1 st Fri. Sharrington Craft Group, VH 10.30am-12.30pm 

8 th Fri. Bale Fish and Chips, VH 7pm 

9 th Sat. Binham Priory Summer Concert, BPC 7.30pm 

9 th Sat. ALL VILLAGES NCT Bike Ride, 9am-5pm 

9 th Sat. Sharrington Concert Ken Nicol,VH 7.30pm 

10 th Sun. Binham Village Show, BMH 

12 th Tue. Morston Crab Supper & Seal Trip, Morston Quay and 

Village Hall, 6:15pm 

14 th Thu. Sharrington Noble Rotters, VH 7pm 

16 th Sat. Bale Bale Book Group, VH 4pm 

16 th Sat. Sharrington Gardeners, Bulb Sale, Field Dalling VH 

10am-1pm 

22 nd Fri. Bale Bale Oak Bar, VH 6.30-9.30pm 

30 th Sat. Bale Harvest Supper, VH 7pm 

30 th Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Coffee Morning, VI 10.30am 

REGULARS 

Sundays Stiffkey, Rescue Wooden Boats Charity, The 

Greenway, Open 11am-4pm 

Mondays Bale Painting Group, VH, 1-4pm (4 th Sept-18 th Dec) 

Mondays Sharrington, Yoga class, VH 11.30am-12.30pm (Not 

Bank Holidays) 

Tuesdays Binham Art Group, BMH 9.30am-12.30pm 

Wednesdays Binham Youth Group, BMH 6-8pm (term-time) 

1 st Wed. of month Field Dalling Coffee Morning, VH 10.30am 

3 rd Wed. of month Binham Cosy Club, BMH 2-4pm 

3 rd Wed. of the month Field Dalling U3A Psychology, VH 

10am 

4 th Wed. of the month Field Dalling U3A Military History, VH 

10am 

Thursdays Field Dalling Yoga, VH 6.30pm 

3rd Thu. of month Binham & Hindringham Open Circle, HVH 

7.15pm 

Last Thu. of month Binham Social Night, BMH 7pm 

1 st Fri.of the month Field Dalling First Friday, VH 6pm 

4 th Fri. of the month Field Dalling U23A Family History, VH 

10am 

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MOBILE POST OFFICE & LIBRARIES 

Wednesdays, Field Dalling, Post Office, VH, 8.00-8.40am 

Thursday 17 th Aug & 14 th Sep, Field Dalling, Mobile Library, 

Highfield, 4.45 to 5pm 

Fridays Sharrington Library Bus VH 3.25 pm (18 th Aug. & 15 th 

Sept.) 

CLASH DIARY 

If you are arranging a big event, contact your village rep 

to add it to our clash diary, then check the diary to see 

what else is going on. 

October 2023 

14 th Sat. Field Dalling Harvest Supper 

November 2023 

25 th Sat. Sharrington Christmas Fayre, VH 10am 

December 2023 

2 nd Sat. Langham Christmas Fair 

9 th Sat. Field Dalling Christmas Fair 

August 2024 

24th Sat. Langham Street Fair - All day 

Local Lynx is a non-profit-making community 

newspaper for the ten villages of the benefice. 

_________________________________________________________________________ 

We welcome articles, drawings, photos, poetry 

and advertisements for publication from all ages 

but the editor reserves the right to edit or omit 

submissions. A maximum of 400 words is 

recommended. Please contact your local rep on 

their email or phone number listed under your own 

village heading. 

All submissions must go through the village rep. 

For general information: lynxeditor@pobox.com. 

________________________________________________________________________________ 

Deadlines for submissions to reps are: 6 January, 

6 March, 6 May, 6 July, 6 September & 6 November 

Newsletter and Website Advertising 

For enquiries about advertising in Local Lynx, contact 

Sally Metcalfe: sallymetcalfe@btinternet.com 

Rates for advertising (pre-paid) are: 

One column x 62 mm (1/8 page): £72 for six issues. 

Small Ads Panel on the back page: 

Available for individuals and businesses 

providing local services. Cost: £36 for six issues. 

ST. PETER’S CATHOLIC CHURCH 

Back Lane Blakeney NR25 7NP 

Mass Sunday - 11am 

Wednesday - 9.30am 

Holyday of Obligation 9.30am 

www.catholicparishofwalsingham.org 

HOLT & REPPS DEANERY SYNOD 

Next Meeting: 12th October: Autumn meeting in Trunch

Church Services for Bale and Stiffkey Benefice for August and September 2023 

HC=Holy Communion. CFS=Church Family Service. MP=Morning Prayer. BCP=Book of Common Prayer CW- Common Worship 

Parish 6 th August 13 th August 20 th August 27 th August 

Bale 9.30am HC 9.30am HC 

Field Dalling 

11.00am Animal Blessing At Saxlingham 11.00am MP BCP 

Service 

Saxlingham 11.00am MP BCP At Field Dalling 11.00am HC At Field Dalling 

Gunthorpe 

11.00am MP BCP 

Sharrington 9.30am MP BCP 9.30am HC 9.30am MP CW 9.30am HC 

Binham 11.00am HC 11.00am MP 11.00am MP 9.30am HC 

Morston 9.30am HC BCP 9.30am MP BCP 

Langham At Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP 

Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Langham 9.30am HC BCP At Langham 

Parish 3 rd September 10 th September 17 th September 24 th September 

Bale 9.30am HC 9.30am HC 

Field Dalling 11.00am Harvest Service At Saxlingham 11.00am MP BCP 

Saxlingham 11.00am MP BCP At Field Dalling 11.00am HC At Field Dalling 

Gunthorpe 

11.00am MP BCP 

Sharrington 9.30am MP BCP 9.30am HC 9.30am MP CW 9.30am HC 

Binham 11.00am HC 11.00am MP 11.00am MP 

Morston 9.30am HC BCP 9.30am MP BCP 

Langham At Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP 

Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Langham 9.30am HC BCP At Langham 

Additional Services 

Zoom services 6 th August and 3 rd September at 5.00pm. For details please contact Ian Newton on 01328 830947 or 

iannewton46@gmail.com. 

RECTOR’S LETTER 

Dear Friends and Parishioners, 

After a long winter I thought we would never see 

sunshine again. I became quite accustomed to four 

jerseys and an overcoat - in the house! Now at last there 

is warmth, but we need rain! There are so many 

splendid things about living in Britain and Ireland, but 

also a few downsides. 

This middle part of the year, though, comes with 

pleasure (and a huge amount of work if you farm). 

Despite soaring prices, we can have new potatoes and 

gooseberries (not together); and there is music of all 

sorts. If you planned and planted well in Spring there is 

much to reward us. Tomatoes, rocket and lettuce in my 

kitchen garden, and even good-sized figs. I’ve planted 

so many roses here that even the house smells of them: 

masking me and the dogs. 

Good foundations then, lead to good construction. 

That goes for the whole of life and for our faith. We did 

not lay the foundations of our Salvation. That was done 

for us. We did not begin to build from nothing. That too 

is given. What we can do is to learn the architecture, to 

ornament the building and make it our own. Buy, beg or 

steal a Bible, a Prayer Book and talk to the Almighty. 

He has a lot to say back, usually silently, but not always. 

May I wish you a Splendid Summer, and a deep 

verdant richness. 

Yours truly, 

Ian Whittle, The Rectory Langham 01328 830246 

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‘Lo, I am with you always’ 

Wide fields of corn along the valleys spread; 

The rain and dew mature the swelling vine; 

I see the Lord in multiplying bread; 

I see him turning water into wine; 

I see him working all the works divine 

He wrought when Salemward his steps were led; 

The selfsame miracles around him shine; 

He feeds the famished; he revives the dead; 

He pours the flood of light on darkened eyes; 

He chases tears, diseases, fiends away; 

His throne is raised upon these orient skies; 

His footstool is the pave whereon we pray. 

Ah, tell me not of Christ in Paradise, 

For he is all around us here today. 

John Charles Earle (1849 -1903) 

DUNCAN BAKER M.P. 

N. Norfolk Conservative Assoc: 01692 557140 

London Parliamentary Office 0207 2194841 

www.duncanbaker.org.uk 

JEROME MAYHEW M.P. 

Broadland Conservative Assoc: 01603 865763 

www.broadlandconservatives.org.uk

LOOKING AFTER LOCAL LYNX 

Local Lynx is a not-for-profit community paper 

covering the villages of Bale, Binham, Cockthorpe, 

Field Dalling, Gunthorpe, Langham, Morston, 

Saxlingham, Sharrington and Stiffkey. 

Published every other month, it contains community 

news as well as news and articles from each of the 

villages together with details of church services and 

news from the local school in Langham. 

Currently distributed to over 1,100 households it has 

an estimated readership of over 2,000 as well as over 

800 readers on-line at www.locallynx.co.uk. 

The paper is produced entirely by volunteers with 

the editor supported by village reps who collate the 

stories, distributors who pop the paper through each 

letterbox, proof readers who try to catch the typos, a 

designer who can add style and of course those that 

write the interesting articles and news. 

Financially the paper is supported by the parish 

councils and parochial church councils of the villages 

concerned and by the wonderful local businesses who 

place their adverts with us. We also have great support 

from our readers. If you like what you read and would 

like to make a contribution to the running costs of the 

paper then these can be made by contacting the editor at 

lynxeditor@pobox.com or by direct bank transfer to: 

Local Paper a/c 65004288 sort code 09-01-54. 

Lynx Internet Banking and Standing Orders 

Account Name: Local Paper 

Account number: 6500 4288 Sort code: 09-01-54 

And please don’t forget…. 

Lynx 151 and all back issues are permanently available 

on our website at www.locallynx.co.uk. The website now 

has an Ads Directory, an ‘In More Detail’ page and a 

‘Local Charities’ page to cover relevant articles in 

greater depth. (Paper copies of website articles are always 

available from Roberta on 01263 740188.) 

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COMMUNITY nEWS 

INTRODUCING A NEW 

LINK FOR LOCAL LYNX 

Pinpoint Info 

We are trying a new way to share 

helpful information on local services and 

support in our area. 

Over the next few issues we will be highlighting 

what is already out there to help with things like door to 

door transport to surgeries or meeting with a real person 

at your bank hub. Further ideas might look at how 

Assistance Allowance works, help with hearing tests, 

how does a volunteer first responder work and also 

tackling harder questions such as who could I first talk 

to if I am worried about something or someone. 

If you have an idea for a good bit of pinpoint 

information, please let us know. Contact your rep or 

send an email directly to lynxeditor @pobox.com. You 

can also ring me on 01263 740188. Please note all 

information received will remain confidential. We will 

also be creating a permanent page on our website to list 

(and update) all information gathered. RH (ed.) 

L151 PINPOINT INFO 

Fakenham Age Concern 

Community Minibus Service 

Need assistance getting to supermarkets, 

appointments or banks in Fakenham? 

Well, here’s where you can find help. 

Fakenham Age Concern area minibus provides a number 

of regular door-to-door services to Fakenham from villages 

covered by the Local Lynx for people over 55. 

These routes are flexible and can divert to take in visits to 

health centres, dentists, banks and other vital destinations. 

They charge £6 for collection and return from 

surrounding villages into Fakenham. 

Wheelchairs and walking frames can be taken onboard, 

and a lift is available if you require assistance in entering the 

bus. 

Their drivers and helpers, all volunteers, are wonderfully 

flexible and will look after you and your shopping and assist 

you on your return home. 

To book your weekly return trip, or to find out more 

about this invaluable community service, contact Adrian 

Hill on 0799 002 6839. 

MC 

COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ NOTES 

…from Steffan Aquarone 

Bank Hubs and Doctors' Surgeries 

Rural services are in dire decline, and I am deeply 

worried about the lack of dentists, doctors’ appointments, 

and mental health services available in our area - none more 

so than the proposed closure of Blakeney GP surgery. 

Surgeries can't just open and close as they wish - they're 

contracted as part of an overall plan, managed by Norfolk 

and Waveney Integrated Care Board, for meeting the health 

needs of the people in our area. 

The initial request for closure put forward by Holt 

Medical Practice is, however, a worrying thing for our area 

as it could mean losing local surgery provision.

At the time of writing, Holt Medical Practice are in the 

process of finalising the consultation that they will run. It's 

vital everyone in Blakeney and the surrounding villages gets 

a chance to have their views heard. I have corresponded 

with both Holt Medical Practice and Dame Patricia Hewitt, 

who is chair of the ICB, and will do my best to promote it 

once it's open. 

In regards to bank closures, the closing of Lloyds 

branches in Cromer and North Walsham, and Barclays in 

Holt, are blows to our rural communities. 

I have already submitted a community request to Link 

(better known as the cash machine people) for one of their 

Bank Hubs for Holt. Following the Holt submission, I'll be 

putting together proposals for our other towns in due course 

and see if we can secure a better, long-term solution than 

managed decline. 

County Councillors’ contact details: 

Michael Dalby: County Councillor Wells Division - Glaven, 

Priory and Walsingham Parishes (incl. Binham & 

Cockthorpe, Brinton & Sharrington, Field Dalling & 

Saxlingham, Langham, Morston, Stiffkey) 

michaeljdblues@outlook.com 

Steffan Aquarone: County Councillor Melton Constable 

Division ( incl. Bale and Gunthorpe Parishes) 

steffanaquarone@gmail.com or 07879 451608 

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT 

…from Victoria Holliday 

Planning 

We’re expecting the processing of planning applications 

held up by Nutrient Neutrality to be starting late summer. 

Blakeney Neighbourhood Plan referendum will be held 

on September 14th. 

The representations on the Glaven Valley Conservation 

Area appraisal will be reviewed at the July Planning Policy 

and Built Heritage Working Party. 

Benefits 

The Household Support Fund, round four, totalling 

£196k, runs until the end of the year. NNDC will be 

proactively targeting households. 

Discretionary housing payments are available to support 

tenancies, prevent homelessness and enable people to stay 

in the community. 

It’s proposed that NNDC gives Citizens Advice a grant 

of £66k to provide advice and advocacy services, including 

a specialised debt advisor based at NNDC one day a week. 

We are keeping the invaluable Community Connectors 

through the end of April 2024. You might be interested to 

hear their weekly Poppyland radio show. 

Please get in touch with me if you would like to be 

referred for any benefits. 

Housing 

Through a government grant of £1.2 million, NNDC has 

purchased 11 homes for refugee households. Long term, 

these will be available to households on the housing list and 

the homeless. 

These are much needed as we have three homeless 

Ukrainian families, two in temporary accommodation and 

one family being asked to leave by their hosts. 

NNDC anticipates completion of 70 affordable houses in 

23-24 with 350 in the next few years. 

These are also much needed as there were 2,537 

households on the housing list as of 31st May, with 64 

households in temporary accommodation. 

NNDC is proposing a loan of £110k to Homes for Wells 

to help purchase of two affordable homes and support their 

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work. 

Eligibility criteria for warm homes grants have been 

simplified and more residents are eligible for energy 

efficiency works. 

The Integrated Housing Adaptations Team is busy with 

contacts up 20% from last year. 

It is proposed that the Disabled Facilities Discretionary 

grant scope is broadened to allow more homes to be 

adapted. It’s expected this will cost £240k and be funded by 

the Better Care Fund. 

Environment 

Approximately 3.5 tonnes of small electrical equipment 

and batteries have been collected in the first few months of 

the scheme. 

Bin collections continue to be an issue. Please contact 

me with problems. 

Finance 

The provisional outturn position for 22/23 is a £0.782m 

overspend. 

I continue to wholeheartedly support the campaign 

against the closure of Blakeney Surgery. There will be a 

Public Meeting on Tuesday August 1st at 5pm in the 

Village Hall, for you to hear the reasons this is proposed and 

share your views. Do come along. 

District Councillors’ Contact Details: 

Sarah Butikofer e:sarah.butikofer@north-norfolk.gov.uk 

(Binham/Cockthorpe, Field Dalling/Saxlingham, Gunthorpe/ 

Bale, Langham ) 

Andrew Brown e:andrew.brown@north-norfolk.gov.uk 

(Sharrington) 07970 298695 

Victoria Holliday:(Morston & Stiffkey) 

victoria.holliday@north-norfolk.gov.uk 

N. NORFOLK WHEELYBOAT ‘POPPY’ 

Wheelchair Accessible Boat 

Admin and Bookings Helper Needed 

We are on the lookout for help with our bookings and 

general administration for the boat. Full training will be 

provided, and roles can be shared or on a part-time basis. 

This includes answering the phone and discussing 

requirements with passengers, confirming bookings, 

managing cancellations and ensuring there is good 

communication with our crew ahead of a trip. For more 

information on what we do, visit www.wheelyboat 

poppy.org. Please email info@wheelyboatpoppy.org if 

you would like further details or might be able to help. 

Thank you in advance, North Norfolk Wheelyboat Team 

WHAT’S ON AT HOLT LIBRARY 

www.facebook.com/HolyLibraryNorfolk 

Special Events: 

Shake it up dice game activity - Friday 4th August 

2.30pm. Free event. Ages 5+. Drop in and make your own 

activity dice game. 

Stop Motion Sports Day - Wednesday 23rd August 2pm. 

Free event. Book in to create a stop motion video – with a 

race as the theme! Ideal for ages 7+ 

Design your own Football Shirt / Sporty Crafts - Friday 

25th August 2.30pm. Free event. Drop in. 

Regular events: 

Ready Set Move/Bounce and Rhyme - Tuesdays 1/8, 8/8, 

15/8, 22/8, 29,8, 5/9 at 11am. Free event. Drop in. Ages 

Under 5s. 

Lego Sports Day/Lego Club - Saturdays 29/7, 5/8, 12/8, 

19/8, 25/8, 2/9 2pm. Free event. Drop in for some Lego fun.

CHILDREN’S SUMMER READING 

CHALLENGE 

Norfolk Libraries 

The Summer Reading Challenge 2023 is free and fun, it 

builds confidence and supports children reading for 

pleasure. Children’s reading can ‘dip’ during the long 

summer break making it harder for them returning to 

school. In addition, reading for pleasure has so many proven 

benefits including developing empathy by identifying with 

characters and improving mental wellbeing. 

Over 700,000 children sign up to the challenge every 

year. To join the challenge children will need to be a library 

member. This is free of charge and children will receive 

their own library card for which there are no overdue fees. 

Children will be given a pack; they can set their own 

reading challenge (we recommend six books over the sixweek 

period). Children choose their own books which can 

include e-books from our virtual library. The children will 

collect stickers along the way and on completion of the 

challenge they will receive a medal and certificate of 

achievement. There is a digital platform too, so the fun can 

carry on at home. Children can take part in the Challenge at 

summerreadingchallenge.org. 

FAKENHAM WALKING RUGBY 

The Fakenham Walking Rugby Group are always on the 

look-out for more new members to join in with this 

excellent team sport activity. Based at the Fakenham Rugby 

Club’s Stringer Ground, off Old Wells Road, on the edge of 

Fakenham town itself, the current group of members is 

drawn from across north and mid-Norfolk. 

Walking Rugby is a relatively new sporting activity - in 

a similar vein to both Walking Football and Walking 

Netball - and aims to attract, in 

the main, people who are in their 

forties or older, both men and 

women. Walking Rugby itself is 

a fun team-based game and it is a 

great way of introducing an 

element of light-hearted exercise 

into your weekly routine. 

However, it is a much less physical/less contact sport than 

its standard counterpart with the main aim being 

participating, competing, and enjoying all the benefits of a 

team sport. 

It is attractive to both ex-players and those who are 

completely new to the game of rugby, being a much simpler 

version of the traditional game. Players do not need to have 

any specialist equipment to join-in; but they need to wear 

suitable clothing and footwear for playing on a natural grass 

pitch surface. 

Our Walking Rugby Group sessions take place on 

Wednesday evenings throughout the year at the Fakenham 

Rugby Club ground, arriving at 6.45pm for a 7pm start. 

Sessions last for an hour, beginning with a gentle warm-up 

before game-time. 

There is also a great social side to the Group, and the 

possibility of fixtures played against other Walking Rugby 

Groups. Please do come along and join us on a Wednesday 

night - your first ‘taster session’ will be free-of-charge. 

Contact the organiser, Jeffrey Pearce, for any further 

information and details: jdpearce@btinternet.com. 

HEALTHWATCH NORFOLK 

The Healthwatch Norfolk team is having a very busy 

summer. We are involved in a project called Three 

Hospitals Three Weeks which sees the whole staff spending 

a full week at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, 

the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston and the 

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. This will help us 

build up a rich picture of patient experiences that we can 

analyse. The idea is to identify any issues that we hear about 

as well as highlight good practice to make sure this is shared 

across all three sites. 

If you miss out on catching us at the hospitals, you can 

also leave your views online via the Healthwatch Norfolk 

website at www.healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk or by giving us 

a call on 0808 168 9669. 

We will be publishing reports after visiting each hospital, 

as well as a further document to cover all the main points 

we found at each site in the autumn. 

Although we are focusing on the three hospitals above, 

we are keen to hear your Cromer Hospital feedback too so 

please let us know your experiences there too. 

As well as our visits there, our engagement team are out 

and about in the community too, continuing to gather your 

feedback over the summer so that we can continue to pass it 

on to health and social care leaders when they shape 

services. 

A.Stewart 

BALE 

Contact: Maggie Thomas 01328 822481 

maggie2403@icloud.com 

BALE REP FOR LOCAL LYNX 

An Opportunity 

I took over as Bale rep for the Lynx when Jane Wheeler 

moved to Scotland in 2019. I have thoroughly enjoyed the 

6

position but, as some of you may know, I no longer live in 

Bale and feel it would be more fitting for a resident of Bale 

to take over. The number of hours you would need to 

commit to the role are very few as there are only six editions 

per year. Bale has several regular contributors so, unless you 

want to, you do not need to write articles yourself. However, 

you do need to know how to use a computer and Word. 

If you would like to have a chat with me about the role, 

please contact me on 07753 743542 or nab me at Fish and 

Chips, Bale Oak Bar or any other event at Bale village hall. 

I am happy to work with you until you feel confident to go it 

alone. I look forward to being overwhelmed with offers. 

Maggie Thomas 

TRIBUTE TO ANTHONY RICHARD 

HAYWARD OF BALE 

Anthony was born in the village of Trunch but was 

brought up on the family's remote farm at Little Fransham 

from the age of two. He was educated at St. Felix School, 

Felixstowe, and Oakham School, Rutland. He then studied 

at the College of Estate Management in London for two 

years and, after working at Tunbridge Wells for a year, he 

returned to Norfolk in 1964. 

Anthony was a Chartered Surveyor, Agricultural Valuer 

and Auctioneer and, upon his return to Norfolk, joined 

Andrews & Dewing (who later became Case & Dewing) at 

Wells-next-the-Sea. He moved to Bale in 1967. 

In 1989 Anthony started his own professional business 

and concentrated on what he most enjoyed doing, surveying 

and reporting on all types of buildings, until his retirement. 

He was a much-respected surveyor and his considerable 

knowledge of the area, its geography and byways, fuelled 

his love for his role as Parish Clerk, initially for Gunthorpe 

with Bale and later for Brinton with Sharrington. The 

former he served for 35 years and the latter 27 years, both 

positions fulfilled with passion. 

Anthony is remembered fondly in the village for his 

dedication to his work but also for his horse, "Leap", which 

lived to the age of thirty. 

He passed away very peacefully, after a long illness, 

with his wife, Dawn, by his side. He was a source of 

valuable work for the parish and a much trusted and reliable 

fountain of knowledge for our region. His expertise and 

smiling disposition will be sorely missed. 

AJE 

WILD BALE 

Purple Emperor 

It is high summer and a cascade of purple shimmers over 

the ‘master tree’ in a woodland glade. A battle ensues 

between the males as they circle around the treetops in 

search of a passing female. 

The Purple Emperor is one of our 

most attractive and rare butterflies. It 

is found in small colonies in large 

woods of mature oak and beech trees 

with damp areas where Goat Sallow 

grows, the food plant of the larvae. The adult butterflies feed 

on honeydew from the Goat Sallow leaves and from 

wounds in the bark and take salts from puddles on the 

ground. 

The second largest butterfly found in the UK, the Purple 

Emperor male has a wing span of 7.5cm and the larger 

female a span of 8.4cm. The sheen on the upper side of the 

male’s wing is a vivid purple, the females being a sooty 

black; both have splashes of white. The underside of both 

sexes is an orange, brown and white pattern with a large 

‘eye’ on the forewing. The eye is thought to replicate a 

predator, so providing some protection from attacks by 

small birds. 

In July and August the male perches high in a tree 

waiting for a female to pass. They then glide together and, if 

the female is receptive, they mate in the top of a tree and the 

female flies on while the male waits for the next female. 

The adult female will travel some distance to find a Goat 

Sallow or Common Sallow and lays a dozen or so eggs on 

the leaves, normally in the shade. The eggs hatch after ten 

days or so and the caterpillars will feed until their second 

larval change in November. They then form a silk home on 

the bark and remain there until spring when they emerge 

and feed, again as a caterpillar, until May/June when they 

form a chrysalis under the surface of a leaf, finally emerging 

as adults in July. 

Purple Emperors are restricted to southern England, the 

Midlands and East Anglia and, along with all British 

butterflies, have declined over recent decades. However, the 

population now appears to be increasing and expanding in 

7

some counties. 

If you would like to see these wonderful butterflies, a 

visit to Foxley Woods in July should be rewarding. A pair 

of binoculars is advisable to scan the upper leaves of trees 

where the males sit for long periods. I have found the main 

ride through the woods to be the best place. Take a butterfly 

identity chart or book as it is possible, in one morning, to see 

eighteen species of butterfly, including the Silver-washed 

Fritillary, Purple Hairstreak and White Admiral as well as 

several species of dragonfly. 

During the hottest weeks of July in 2022 there were 

several sightings of Purple Emperor in North Norfolk: in 

Sheringham Park, Swanton Novers and in my own garden 

where one flew in, circled and landed in the Silver Birch for 

a few minutes before gliding away. Happily, I managed to 

photograph this wonderful creature, a reminder that you 

never know what you might come across in nature, even in 

your own garden. 

Paul Laurie 

BALE VILLAGE HALL NEWS 

We have some important dates for your diaries for 

forthcoming events at the village hall so be sure to make 

notes as you read on. 

This year’s barbecue during the August Bank Holiday 

weekend differs slightly from the normal event in two ways: 

firstly, it will take place on Sunday 27 th August (rather than 

the usual Saturday) at 6pm and, secondly, it will be a free 

event for Bale residents to celebrate the village hall’s 

centenary. Of course, non-residents will be welcome but 

there will be a charge of £15 per ticket for any ‘out-oftowners’. 

Contributions of raffle prizes would be 

appreciated. Bring your own drinks. 

The Harvest Supper is on Saturday 30 th September at 

7pm when we will be providing a two-course meal for the 

very reasonable sum of £12. Again, this will be a ‘bring 

your own drinks’ evening as the kitchen/bar will be in use 

for catering. If you are able to spare some groceries to 

contribute to the Fakenham Food Bank as a harvest offering, 

please bring them along. The generosity of all the Harvest 

Supper guests last year was most heart-warming. 

Finally, in the ‘special events’ category, there will be a 

return of the hotly-contested Bale Quiz Night on Saturday 

4 th November at 7.30pm. Book as a team (8 maximum) or 

as an individual (you can join a group on the evening). 

Light snacks will be available in the interval and the bar will 

be open for beer, wine, gin and soft drinks. Tickets are £7. 

Interest in the event has already been expressed by nearby 

villages, so let’s show the ‘neighbours’ what Bale can do! 

To book any of the above events, use Bale Village 

WhatsApp, call/text 07793 214703 or email 

balevillagehall@gmail.com. 

We will, of course, be continuing with our Fish and 

Chips nights on Fridays 11 th August & 8 th September at 7pm 

(orders by 6pm to Bale Village WhatsApp or 01328 

878355) and the Bale Oak Bar which will be open on 

Fridays 25 th August and 22 nd September, 6.30-9.30pm. PM 

BALE BOOK GROUP 

This is Happiness by Niall Williams 

This was quite different from the type of 

books we had read recently and was selected 

partly because of my fondness for the Irish 

style of writing and turn of phrase. It tells of 

events in the fictional village of Faha in 

County Clare, the year that electricity was 

installed. 

This particular year, 1958, was also 

significant in that the weather changed. 

Chapter 1 is comprised of one sentence: ‘It had stopped 

raining.’ The author then tells us, in great detail, about the 

usual persistence of the rain in the village, the varying types 

and effects. This seemingly endless description of the rain 

sets the tone for the book in many ways, in that the reader is 

obliged to leave the pace of 21 st century life for the duration 

and relax back into the time, place, events and characters 

related by an elderly Noel, looking back to the summer 

when he was seventeen. 

Noel was visiting his grandparents after suffering a crisis 

of faith which took him away from his Dublin seminary and 

he found himself in a place where telephones were few and 

far between and ‘the electricity’ had not yet been installed. 

Life revolved largely around the church, the pub and music. 

The heatwave of 1958 was not only when the Electricity 

Board was attempting to persuade the locals of the benefits 

of this new technology – a less-than-easy task – but also 

when Noel (“Noe”) discovered a great deal about people, 

life and love. 

The characters are beautifully drawn, with their 

eccentricities and endearing naivety, particularly the 

principal characters: Noel, his grandparents and Christie, the 

visiting electricity man. The Irish use of the english 

language is a delight and has a descriptive quality which 

makes each sentence a work of art. 

The group’s feeling was that it took some time to get 

into the slow rhythm of the story but that there was much to 

enjoy once this had been achieved. There are frequent 

moments of humour but with episodes of pathos and an 

overall feeling of warmth which make this a book to be 

savoured. 

PM 

8

BALE 100 CLUB 

Join Bale 100 Club and win cash prizes. The funds 

raised help to keep the village hall running and it is so easy 

to take part. 

The annual subscription is £12 per number and there is 

no limit to how many numbers you can buy. Each month 

four prizes are awarded, first prize being £25. The draw is 

held at Fish and Chip evenings on the second Friday of each 

month in the village hall. 

To join online, pay £12 per number into account* 

20510658, sort code 82-11-07, using 100 and your surname 

as the reference. The account name is Bale Village Hall and 

it is a business account. 

*Please note the new account details. 

If you prefer to pay by cash or card, pay Maggie Thomas 

or a Bale Village Hall Committee Member at Fish and 

Chips (second Friday of each month) or Bale Oak Bar 

(fourth Friday of each month). 

100 CLUB RESULTS 

May 

June 

1 st Rita Gibbs 1 st Sybil Nash 

2 nd Sue Mitchell 2 nd Kris Clarke 

3 rd Paul Turnbull 3 rd Julie Aylmer 

4 th Sandy Chapman 4 th Chris Broughton 

ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH 

It was Bale’s privilege to host an extra Group Service on 

2 nd July, necessitated by a summer shortage of clergy in the 

Benefice. Tim Fawcett and Fiona Newton presided over a 

good congregation and it was particularly enjoyable to have 

our church filled with music. Once again the volunteers who 

take care of the building and churchyard did an excellent 

job, making everything ‘spick and span’ for the visiting 

worshippers. 

A specialist tour group visited at the end of June, 

primarily to look at the stained-glass window. This tour 

company comes to Bale quite regularly and it is a pleasure 

to know that our church is also valued for its historical merit 

by those outside the area. 

The Norfolk Churches Trust annual sponsored bike ride 

will take place again on 9 th September which will be the 40 th 

anniversary of the event. This is an ‘excuse’ primarily, but 

not exclusively, for cyclists to visit a number of churches in 

the area having obtained sponsorship per church. Any 

means of transport can be used, making the fundraiser 

accessible to all. The funds raised support the Trust with a 

proportion of the money going to your nominated church. 

For more information including registration and sponsorship 

forms, go to the website (norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk). 

The Harvest Festival service will be on Sunday 1 st 

October at 9.30am and gifts of food – ideally packets or tins 

– will be welcome to decorate the church and to donate 

afterwards to Fakenham Food Bank. Please leave donations 

in the church porch or bring them to the Harvest Supper the 

evening before, where we will also be collecting 

contributions. 

PM 

BALE PAINTING GROUP 

The Bale Painting Group continues to meet weekly and 

those of you who go to the village hall will have seen some 

of the pictures change over time. 

Some of our art was on sale at the Gunthorpe Village Art 

and Craft event at the end of July. If you would like to buy a 

particular painting or have a commission please ask or email 

the address below. 

Access to the internet in the village hall makes a 

difference as online tutorials and reference material are now 

available. This is great for making progress with techniques 

to achieve specific styles or methods used by other artists. 

If you are interested in attending a session to try your 

hand or wish to join the group on a regular, occasional or 

just visiting (to use a Monopoly reference) basis, you are 

most welcome. We meet every Monday between 1pm and 

4pm. There are no meetings in August but we restart on 4 th 

September 2023 and continue until 18 th December. 

Contact: TheBalePaintingGroup@outlook.com or just 

pitch up at the village hall on a Monday afternoon. PJones 

BALE FETE 

After a dull and unpromising start to the week, weatherwise, 

the sun shone beautifully for this year’s Bale Fete on 

3 rd June. After some last-minute concerns about staffing 

(several regular stall-holders were unavailable to help this 

year), it all came together on the day and the large crowds 

who visited were not disappointed. 

9

We are always delighted to welcome the Cromer and 

Sheringham Band, who provide a party atmosphere. The 

perennially popular stalls: plants, cakes, gifts, bric-a-brac 

and books to name but a few, persuaded many to open their 

wallets and snap up a bargain or two. The Grand Draw and 

the wine raffle were very good fund-raisers again this year 

and the sideshows proved extremely competitive. Perhaps 

“Whack-a-rat” should become an Olympic sport. 

Thanks to everyone who volunteered their time, donated 

to stalls and raffles and spent their hard-earned cash on the 

day to produce another successful Fete. 

Bale Fete 2024 will be on Saturday 1 st June so do get the 

date in your ‘advance planner’ so that you are able to take 

part in the village’s first big event of the summer. PM 

BINHAM 

Contact: Paul Bailey 07401 315714 

paulbailey04@aol.com 

PARISH COUNCIL 

July has arrived, the longest day has come and gone, the 

nights are drawing in and as the barley fields turn gold, we 

are reminded that it will soon be harvest time. This brings 

me nicely on to the ongoing issue of traffic and speeding in 

our villages. As the holiday season arrives, we all need to be 

conscious of the large lorries, tractors and trailers that need 

space to pass. We therefore respectfully request owners of 

properties undergoing construction, or renovation, to please 

be good enough to ask their builders and associated trades, 

to park their vans sensibly whilst offloading building 

supplies, or parking up. This will avoid creating potential 

accident spots, by not restricting access for passing traffic. 

The SAM’s data for Binham, continues to demonstrate a 

constant flow of traffic during the day. And although 

speeding is still being recorded, especially on the main 

through routes, it is not at a sufficiently high level for either 

the police, or Highways to consider additional speed 

deterrents. 

Since the last Lynx, the coronation of Their Majesties 

King Charles and Queen Camilla has been celebrated. A 

goodly number of Binham residents attended our coronation 

celebrations on 7th May. The village and the Memorial Hall 

were festooned with bunting, flags, and crowns. The two 

Liz’s baked loads of coronation cupcakes, to supplement 

some rather splendid looking picnics. Thank you to Mick 

and Sue Jeffries for the crowns, to Amanda Able for 

decorating the hall so beautifully, to Pennie Alford for 

bringing HM The King to preside over the afternoon’s 

picnics and finally to the MH team for erecting the marquee 

in case of inclement weather. The day started with a special 

Songs of Praise in the Priory Church, arranged by Maureen 

Frost and Geoff Scott, and conducted by Rev Ian Whittle. 

Many residents and villagers alike, commented on the 

beautifully arranged flowers. Thank you also, to all those 

who suggested hymns and readings, and to those who 

arranged the accompanying music and read. A favourite 

passage of mine from Charlie Mackesy’s “The Boy, The 

Mole, The Fox and The Horse” was confidently read by 

Dash and Elsa Priestly. If you don’t own a copy, do 

consider purchasing one, as there is 

something in it for everyone. 

Celebrations continued into the 

afternoon, with picnics on the Memorial 

Hall playing field, followed by the ever 

popular Tug of War and All Comers 

Cricket. Thank you to Tim Walduck for 

preparing the pitch, to Peter King for 

marshalling the teams and to everyone 

who took part and gave us all so much 

fun. Binham Youth Club members were encouraged to 

write a letter to the King and Queen. Well done to the 30 

children who wrote letters. These were subsequently posted 

to the palace. 

The PC reconvened after the recent PC elections, with 

Liz Brady remaining as chair, Liz Brown as deputy chair 

and Pennie Alford on planning. The other elected 

councillors are Lotte Wynder and Paul Bailey, with Kevin 

Cooke being co-opted. 

All being well, a couple of ongoing projects will have 

been concluded by the end of July. The QEII Platinum 

Jubilee bench will have been securely installed on the 

village green and shelving will have been fitted in the 

telephone box, in readiness for its use as a book exchange. 

Thank you to Kevin Cooke and Paul Bailey for their 

10

labours. Some concern was expressed, when a small area of 

the green was dug up, ready for the installation of the bench. 

There was speculation as to whether this was for broadband 

purposes, but this was clearly not the case. 

At July’s PC meeting, a number of issues were 

discussed, namely, whether we should contribute to 

conserve and enhance biodiversity, as required by the 

Environment Act 2021, to agree guidelines for approval of 

headstones and tablets in the PC cemetery, and to consider 

our social media, as an up to date business information 

source. We have also recently undertaken a review of the 

allotments, in terms of whether a water supply can be 

installed. Whilst a decision is still to be taken, it is important 

to recognise that the costs of both installation and ongoing 

use, are likely to be prohibitive. 

All contact details, meeting minutes, policies and 

procedures, and PC news, can be found on the website at 

https://binhampc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk. 

Elizabeth S Brady, Chair Binham PC 

PRIORY SUMMER CONCERTS 

18th August 6pm 

Fontanella. Featuring four of the UK's leading 

professional recorder players, Fontanella entertains 

audiences of all ages, in programmes designed to bring the 

history of the recorder to life. Music by William Byrd 

(celebrating the 400th anniversary of his death), Thomas 

Tallis and Thomas Morley. 

25th August 6pm 

Xuefei Yang. A most welcome return to Binham for one 

of the world's finest classical guitarists, with a programme 

of guitar favourites by Bach, Sor, Villa Lobos, Bonfa, 

Jobim, Mangoré, Brouwer, Pujol, Pena, Xu. 

9th September 7.30pm 

Tāla Tarang. Featuring Eleanor Turner, harp and Mendi 

Singh, tabla. Entitled “Dewdrop”, this special candlelit 

concert, features a repertoire which includes folk, 

Bollywood, Western classical and world music, with 

compositions by Bach, Strozzi, Tieren, Piazolla, Hensen- 

Conant, Tarang. 

Tickets cost £20 per concert and are available from 

Maureen Frost on 01328 830362, or from 

davidfrost226@btinternet.com. 

Geoff Scott 

MEMORIAL HALL 

Having been the custodian of this column for the past 

five years or so, Mary Hunt announced that she was 

stepping down from our committee at the end of March. Her 

last article was for the 150th Anniversary edition. Mary will 

be sadly missed and will definitely be a hard act to follow. 

We hope you are all enjoying the warm summer weather 

that we are having. With summer now in full swing, the 

team have been hard at work planning this year’s Summer 

Fete - Sunday 13th August from 12pm - 4pm. You may 

have noticed our flyer dropping through your letterbox 

entitled “The All New Binham Village Hall Summer Fete”. 

We truly hope that there will be something for everyone this 

year, with new activities and new entertainment, plus more 

refreshments. There will be music from the Fakenham 

Ukes, pony rides, vintage vehicles, a bar, cream teas, a table 

top sale and a pre-loved clothes sale. Alongside all the old 

favourites like outdoor games, the waterslide, our own dog 

show (like Crufts, but much more fun), BBQ, ice creams, 

waffles and much more besides. If you have any unwanted 

books and bric-à-brac to donate, please call Anne Hooper 

on 07855 379719 and for pre-loved clothes, call Wendy 

Keesom on 01328 805001. Anyone who like to help in any 

way on the day, should please contact one of the committee. 

Duncan Baker has very kindly agreed to open the festivities 

once again, so do come along and be sure to tell all your 

friends and visitors about it. 

Our Social Night events, held on the last Thursday of 

every month, continue to be a huge success. They are a 

great opportunity to catch up with old friends, or even to 

make new ones. You can join in the fun, by playing one of 

the many games we have available, or you can simply just 

have a chat and a bit of a tipple. Why not give your oven 

gloves the night off and enjoy a jacket potato, with one of 

our delicious toppings. 

Other events to watch out for are the Village Hall Show 

on Sunday 10th September (see separate article) and also 

our Jazz Evening, featuring Barbar & The Black Sheep (The 

Chris Cooper Trio), on Friday 6th October. 

So as not to miss out on any of our events, be sure to 

keep an eye on our smart new signage, as well as on our 

website - www.binhamvillagehall.co.uk. Kevin Howard 

11

BINHAM VILLAGE SHOW 

We are delighted to announce that this year’s show, will 

be held on Saturday 9th September and Sunday 10th 

September. As well as the usual entry categories, details of 

which you can find on the village hall notice boards, there 

will also be displays from Binham’s businesses, clubs and 

councils, of which there are many. There will also be a 

display of Binham Past & Present. So make a note in your 

diary and be sure to come along, as it’s not to be missed. 

More details can be obtained from Liz Brown on 07435 

788221. Liz Brown 

THE FRIENDS OF BINHAM PRIORY 

Next Event 20th October - Save the Date 

We are delighted to announce that our autumn speaker 

will be the Norfolk diver, Julian Barnwell, who, with his 

brother, discovered the 17th century wreck of “Norfolk’s 

Mary Rose”. 

Found off Yarmouth, the royal warship HMS Gloucester 

went aground in 1682 with the future King of England, 

James II, on board. James survived, but many lives were 

lost. The finding of the Gloucester has been said to be the 

single most significant historic maritime discovery since the 

raising of the Mary Rose. 

It is currently the subject of a special exhibition at 

Norwich Castle Museum, featuring many rescued artefacts. 

The Barnwell brothers and their team continue to dive the 

wreck and have brought up many amazing relics, including 

the ship’s bell, tools, wine bottles, clothing and even a pair 

of spectacles. 

We look forward to updates on this incredible adventure 

when Julian presents his talk, “Our Journey to Finding the 

Gloucester”, at 7:30pm on 20th October in Binham 

Memorial Hall. Box office details will be available closer to 

the date and, as always, members of The Friends of Binham 

Priory will have priority access to tickets. Keep an eye on 

our website - friendsofbinhampriory.weebly.com. 

Carolyn Raymond 

BINHAM ART GROUP 

We recently enjoyed a figure painting and boat painting 

demonstration by Langham based artist Bob Brandt. With 

Bob’s usual enthusiasm and humour, he demonstrated 

techniques which he’d honed over the years. Although 

traditional oils are Bob’s usual medium, he chose on this 

occasion to use acrylics, as they dry quicker. 

His palettewas based around the primary colours, from 

which he showed us how to mix skin tones. Painting on to 

thick, light grey card, he covered large areas of it, using a 

kitchen washing up sponge. Then he transferred to synthetic 

watercolour brushes, to add form, shape and detail. 

Amazingly, in no time at all, a likeness of the sitter 

appeared. The main takeaway was that Bob did the drawing 

detail at the end, in contrast to the convention of starting 

with the drawing. 

After the coffee break Bob demonstrated the tricky 

subject of drawing boats, a favourite subject of North 

Norfolk based artists. He showed how important it was to 

get the right shape. His technique was to draw an oblong 

box and then insert the detail of the boat. Easy when you 

know how. The group really enjoyed the demonstration, 

which was informative, rich in content and humorous. 

Thank you Bob and we look forward to your return visit to 

the group. 

We have recently refreshed some of the pictures at The 

Gallery at The Chequers by adding a more seasonal and 

colourful element. Among them a painting by the winner of 

our recent Picture of the Month, a scene of Wells Harbour at 

High Tide by Teri Watkins. 

As regular readers of Local Lynx will know, we hold an 

Annual Art Exhibition in the Binham Memorial Hall every 

summer. This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary, 

on the weekend of 18th and 19th August. To mark the 

occasion, we have invited our group members to include 

various other crafts, such as collage, gel printing, wooden 

sculptures, fabric paintings and jewellery amongst others. 

We also plan to display about 120 paintings. There will be 

the usual private preview, between 6.30pm - 8.30pm, on 

Thursday 17th August, which will be open to all Binham 

residents and invited guests, so be sure to mark your 

calendars. For further details and news about the group, 

please visit our website - www.binham 

artgroup.weebly.com. 

Robin Townend 

BINHAM & HINDRINGHAM OPEN CIRCLE 

Just to remind everyone that we do not have a meeting in 

August. However, we very much look forward to seeing 

you on Thursday, 21st September, for our walking tour of 

the historic and interesting parts of Kings Lynn. Details will 

be confirmed nearer the time. If you have any questions, 

please give our secretary, Sue Elkins, a call on 01328 

878487. New members are always welcome. We usually 

meet at Hindringham Village Hall at 7.15pm, on the third 

Thursday of each month. 

Sue Elkins 

100+CLUB WINNERS 

May 

June 

S Taylor £25 Vanessa Buxton £25 

Lucy Fox £10 Karen Lawrence £10 

Carolyn Pepper £5 Paul Marshall £5 

12

Jude Robson £5 Beverley Lawrence £5 

Maureen Frost £5 Brenda Cooper £5 

Regrettably, due to a fall-off in membership numbers, it 

has been necessary to reduce the monthly prize pot. If and 

when membership numbers revert to previous levels, we 

will be sure to increase the prize pot back to the previous 

level. Anyone who would like to join the 100+ Club, or 

wishes to renew their subscriptions, should email 

paulbailey04@aol.com or call 07401 315714. P.Bailey 

COCKTHORPE 

Contact: Maurice Matthews 01328 830350 

maurice.matthews@peppard.net 

No news from Cockthorpe this time. 

FIELD DALLING 

Contact: Julie Wiltshire 

julie_wilson75@hotmail.com 

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH 

Animal Blessing Service, 13 th August 11am 

Calling all animals to church! Bring your beloved pets to 

church. It’s a lovely time to give thanks for our animals of 

all sorts and sizes. 

Harvest Festival, 10 th September 11am 

A wonderful opportunity to thank God for all the 

glorious things around us here in the countryside. 

PARISH COUNCIL DATES 

Please note the following dates for the next Parish 

Council meetings: 

2023: 4 th September, 13 th November 

2024: 22 nd January, 11 th March (+ Parish), 13 th May 

(Annual Meeting) 

Meetings start at 7pm in the Villagers’ Hall. There 

remains a vacancy on the Parish Council so please contact 

the Parish Clark, Sarah Hunt, on 07776 151735 if you are 

interested. 

PINPOINT INFO: Did you know there is a 

wheelchair accessible community minibus 

service to Fakenham and back from your door? 

See page 4 for details. 

FIELD DALLING & SAXLINGHAM 

SUMMER FETE 

Saturday 12th August, 2pm – 4pm 

Villagers’ Hall 

Come and join us at our annual fundraising fete with lots 

of stalls and traditional games for all ages. Raffle, tombola, 

bric-a-brac, gifts, cakes, books and plants. 

Refreshments, hot dogs, local strawberries and ice cream 

and live music throughout the afternoon by the Norfolk Jazz 

Quintet. 

VILLAGERS’ HALL 

Villagers’ Hall Committee 

After nine years on the committee and currently 

Chairman and Treasurer respectively, Steve and Susie 

Collins have decided to step down from the committee in 

October. New committee members are actively being 

sought. The Villagers' Hall is in great shape and it's fun to 

get involved. Come along to the next meeting at the hall on 

Monday 7th August at 7pm or phone Steve & Susie on 

830365. 

Book Club 

Now we have a beautiful, new, small meeting room at 

the Villagers' Hall would anyone be interested in forming a 

book club? Nothing too serious, a friendly way to discuss a 

variety of books and topics. If this appeals to you, please let 

me know Susie 830365. 

200 CLUB WINNERS 

May: £50 Steve Swanton, £25 Brian Goodale, £15 Eric 

Hotblack 

June: £50 Chris Williamson, £25 Ginny Kirby, £15 Bridget 

Nicholson 

GUNTHORPE 

Contact: Jane Paton 07989 534145 

jacarwardine@googlemail.com 

FOGPC 

50/50 Club Draw Results 

May 

June 

Alex Worrall £25 Nuala Howard £20 

Elaine Francis £20 Margot Worsley £10 

Etta Sinclair £15 Pockets Sinclair £5 

Niamh Shelkin £15 Chris Metcalf £5 

Liz Marsden £10 Christine Starkings £5 

Daniel Worsley £10 Marie Denholm £5 

13

Chris Metcalf £10 Peter McGeown £5 

Helen Clare £5 

Alfred LW £5 

We ended the 50:50 Club subscription year on 31 May 

with 141 members, with subscriptions totalling £1,692 and 

with £850 (50.24%) being returned to them in prize money. 

Thanks to all who organised and supported the monthly 

coffee mornings, led by Myfi Everett. The total raised for 

the Friends was £1,211.40, and we paid the Institute £121 

for its hire. 

We started the new subscription year with 134 members, 

but we would like to try and get back up to last year’s record 

number. If you are new to the village or have been here 

awhile and not yet joined, would you consider joining us? If 

you would like more information on the 50:50 Club, please 

contact either Myfi Everett on 01263 860035 or John 

Blakeley on 01263 861008. As a reminder, subs for the 

Friends are £5 per head (although additional donations are 

aways welcomed) and for the 50:50 Club it is just £12 for 

the year. You can join the 50:50 Club separately from the 

Friends. All the subs for a family can be combined for a 

single BACS payment, or cheque (made out to Friends of 

Gunthorpe Parish Church please) or even cash. BACS 

payments should, please, be made to sort code 53-50-73 and 

account number 25727532 using your name and “subs” as 

the reference. 

John Blakeley 

FRIENDS OF GUNTHORPE PC 

The Friends AGM will be held on the 3 rd August in the 

Village Institute at 6:30pm. Fish and chips from Drifters in 

Fakenham (for those who order in advance) will follow with 

some social time, drinks and snacks. The (I am sure 

wonderful) Village Fair, expertly organized by Jane 

Carwardine and implemented by so many enthusiastic 

helpers, will have taken place at the Church…and summer 

is heading towards autumn… A plan to celebrate the 

Harvest Season is in hand and we will keep you posted by 

email. Here’s to the joint efforts of the Village Institute, 

Friends and Church ‘Committees & Helpers’ for pulling 

together in the spirit of Gunthorpe Village as a whole. 

Thank you all for the support and let’s hope the active 

year we are having will encourage repeat and additional 

helpers for next year. Many thanks to you all and very best 

wishes, 

Marie Denholm, chairman 

LANGHAM 

Contact: Debi McIntosh 01328 830767 

debimcintosh0@gmail.com 

FROM THE REGISTERS 

Funeral 

Mrs Janice Margaret Rowe aged 84 years. Tuesday 16 th 

May 2023. 

200 CLUB WINNERS 

May 2023 

1 st £30 Mrs A Crossley 53 

2 nd £20 Matt Hayland 92 

3 rd £10 E Booty 100 

June 2023 

1 st £30 Mr P Cartwright 104 

2 nd £20 Mr P Godfrey 47 

3 rd £10 Mrs L Terry 54 

ROUNDERS AND BBQ 

Saturday 12th August 

Weather permitting, the Friends of Langham will be 

holding our annual “Rounders and BBQ” night on the 

playing field on the 12th August. The BBQ will be fired up 

at 4.30pm and rounders will start at 6pm. For anyone who 

hasn’t been before it’s all very informal and great fun, open 

to all ages and abilities (those of us of a certain age can 

nominate runners). 

The BBQ and bar are cash only events please and as 

usual, profits made will be added to the FOL coffers! 

FOL committee 

MARQUEE HIRE 

If you came to our Coronation Big Lunch in May, you 

may have noticed the marquee (right next to “Coopers 

Bar”). This has been bought for the village by the Friends of 

Langham for our village events in the hope that, as it’s very 

14

oomy and has sides to it, we can 

be weatherproof. We are happy to 

hire this to anyone in the village 

too. It is extremely easy to put up 

and take down and measures 

8x4m. If you would like to hire it 

(cost £100) please contact any of 

the committee members. FOL 

LANGHAM VILLAGE HALL 

Help needed 

We are desperate for villagers to come on to the 

committee and help us to reinvigorate ourselves. If you 

have any ideas for what we could do and would like to see 

more happening in our village and enjoy being part of 

village life, please join us - its not very onerous. 

Edward Allen (Trustee ) 830276 

LANGHAM WETLAND 

In 2021 Grove Farm was approached by the Norfolk 

Rivers Trust to come together on an exciting environmental 

project, to create a wetland area on some of the farms 

meadows which are located behind the sewage works, on 

the Binham Road. The discharge pipe from the sewage 

works originally flowed into the Langham stream, meaning 

that high levels of phosphates and other pollutants would 

enter the stream reducing the health of the watercourse. The 

aim of the project was to create a natural solution to the 

problem while also creating valuable wetland habitat. In 

Autumn 2022 work commenced and a series of wetland 

ponds (a total area of 2.7 acres), were created. These were 

planted this winter with a variety of native plants which will 

absorb nutrients and improve the water quality. A few 

weeks ago, the pipe was connected to the sewage works so 

now the treated water passes through the wetlands (taking 

about 10 days) before it enters the stream resulting in a far 

cleaner water body. In addition to this, and to further 

enhance the site, a 400m section of the stream has been 

restored to its natural meandering state. 

We were delighted to welcome Therese Coffey 

(Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural 

Affairs) on a visit to the wetland in May. She spent time 

looking around the wetland, and listening to our views as 

landowners on projects such as these. 

The children from Langham School also came for a trip 

to the wetland in their mini bus. They had a fun afternoon 

finding creatures which live in and around the wetland and 

stream, and learning about the water cycle and how they can 

do their bit to help the environment. 

It will be very interesting to see how the wetland settles 

down into its environment, and what the outcome is in the 

years to come with regard to the pollutant levels. 

The Phelps family (Grove Farm Partnership) 

STREET FOOD 

Village Hall 

At the time of writing the FOL committee have looked 

at inviting various street food vans to the village. We have 

secured the first but we’ve clearly had other things on our 

minds so haven’t really progressed this yet. We will be 

discussing and finalising all of the details at our next 

meeting which is on the 20th July so please keep a lookout 

15

for the posters around the village, on the notice boards, and 

on the FaceBook page. 

FOL 

HELP NEEDED 

Village Green 

For the past three years now the same person has taken 

responsibility for ensuring the village green (opposite the 

pub) is kept neat and tidy. However, they now find that they 

are unable to continue, so if you have a mower, a spare 15 

minutes once a week (or more depending on how 

pernickety you are with grass cutting) and would like to do 

something to help the village, please contact Edward on 

830276. Thank you. 

FILM NIGHT 25TH MAY 

We held the second film night in the Village Hall on 

25th May, showing Otto, starring Tom Hanks (as chosen by 

the village). We were a bit disappointed that only 12-15 

people came, as opposed to 30, on the first evening. It costs 

£200 each time we hold a film night, and even with the £5 

entrance fee, we have not covered our costs. So we have 

decided to put on hold showing any more films for the rest 

of the summer (as we are sure that everyone is busy doing 

other things), but I do wonder if there is any point starting 

up again if there is lack of support and interest. It would be a 

shame as a film night is a good way of bringing the village 

and others together. Any thoughts and views would be 

appreciated, so do let us know. 

Edwina Allen 

LANGHAM DOME MUSEUM 

Things are in full swing at the Dome at this time of the 

year. We have had several private visits including the 

Fakenham RAF Cadets, who are always a delight to have at 

the museum. Also, Aylsham Rotary Club and the MG 

Owners Club from Kings Lynn, 

who both followed their visit to 

the Dome by a meal at the 

Chequers Inn at Binham, always a 

popular favourite with our 

visitors. We made our presence 

known at a couple of events in the 

area. RAF Sculthorpe Heritage 

Day and West Raynham Station Headquarters Open Day. 

Both were well attended, and the Dome stand was 

extremely popular. 

We have several new price entry offers for families, and 

also offer discounts to Defence Discount and Blue Light 

card holders, which is proving to be very welcome to our 

visitors in today’s financial climate. We have a new 

Assistant Manager, Scott Eltringham on board this year, 

who is doing a sterling job at the Dome and also with our 

social media posts. 

At the end of the season we shall be holding a Members 

Day at the Dome which will consist of drinks and canapes 

in the Memorial Gardens, underneath the Spitfire, with 

dancing to music from the 1940’s. This will be followed by 

some live music entertainment inside the Dome, as well as 

talks from our Resident Archivists. If you would like to 

become a member and join us on the day, please contact 

Fiona on membership@langhamdome.org or pop into the 

Dome to complete a form. 

We are always on the lookout for new volunteers to join 

our happy crew, so take a look at our poster, and please get 

in touch if you would like to join us at the Dome. Many 

thanks, 

Deborah Wilson, Manager 

FOL COMMITTEE 

Contact details 

If you need to contact anyone on the FOL committee to 

offer ideas, help or if you wish to join the 200 club. 

Edwina: 01328 830348 

Debi: 01328 830767 

Sue: 07766 358377 

Julia: joolstclarke@gmail.com 

Simon: simonacooper1@gmail.com 

Kate: katiealicewalker@icloud.com 

TELEPHONE BOX 

Whilst wandering about you may have noticed that the 

telephone box has not only been repainted, but the glass has 

been cleaned (and in some cases replaced) and the brass 

hinges polished up. Our thanks to James of Supernova 

Decorating for doing such a splendid job. 

The parish council are now looking into installing a new 

defibrillator in there, as the one at the village hall has been 

16

out of operation for over a year. In time they will probably 

be looking for a number of people (not necessarily with a 

medical background) to take on responsibility for checking 

it, possibly more? We will keep you informed Debi 

THANK YOU 

Churchyard 

Last month my dear parents' memorial headstone was 

placed back in the churchyard following the death of our 

mother. On visiting we noticed that the long grass and 

weeds had been brought under control and thought that it 

had enhanced the overall appearance of the burial grounds. I 

know that we have a duty to all creatures and understand 

that some areas are left for nature to take its course. We 

have since learnt that the work was carried out by a number 

of volunteers and we thank them all so much for their hard 

work. 

David Craske 

COMMUNITY SPEED WATCH 

Update 

Here is an update on the traffic travelling through our 

village by the community speed watch team which 

highlights the ongoing issue with speeding through the 

village. 

Data is collected and analysed, on a monthly basis, by 

the village’s own SAMS2 ( Speed Activated Monitoring 

System ) Unit as it moves around its four different fixed 

locations. For example, some recent data analysed from 

Binham Road between 5th June and 3rd July 2023, within 

the 30mph speed limit area, recorded a total of 23,473 

vehicles driving into Langham, with an average daily total 

of between 20% and 25% of those breaking the speed limit, 

with regular daily maximum speeds of between 45 and 

50mph. This included a maximum vehicle speed recorded at 

60mph, on Wednesday 14th June at 7.25am. 

At the time of writing, early July 2023, the CSW Group 

has run a total of 37, one-hour, Speed Monitoring Sessions, 

21 of them on North Street in the existing 20mph speed 

limit area; and has subsequently fed-back details on 220 

speeding vehicles to Norfolk Constabulary. The Mobile 

Safety Camera Van Team also now makes a weekly visit to 

North Street. 

Any offers of help with the Langham CSW Group 

would be very much appreciated and we would ask you to 

either contact the Group’s Coordinator, Alan at 07773- 

820774, or else you can contact Community Speedwatch 

directly by email at communityspeedwatch@norfolk. 

police.uk Alternatively, you can contact the Volunteers 

Department of Norfolk Constabulary on 01953 425699 

(Extension 2372) for details. 

BANK HOLIDAY 

BRING & BUY COFFEE MORNING 

Final proceeds 

Refreshments £50, cake stall £141, plant stall 50p, whisky 

raffle £31, hamper £32, bric-a-brac £56, books and toys 

£48, raffle £126, donations bowl £137.25. Total: £622.25. 

Bottle of whisky won by Edward Allen and hamper won 

by Kim Tombling. 

Grateful thanks to all the helpers, all who came to 

support the event and to The Harper for their lovely cakes 

and ‘Take and Donate’ van. 

OUR CHURCH AT EASTER 

With grateful thanks to an anonymous parishioner; a 

generous donation provided illumination of our church 

during Easter. 

Thanks also go to the ladies who provided flowers and 

expertise, resulting in a beautifully decorated church. 

Langham P.C.C. 

NORFOLK CHURCHES TRUST 

40 th Bike Ride & Walk 2023 

9 th September 9am – 5pm 

If you have a bicycle and enjoy riding it please do think 

about having a ride around the countryside and visiting as 

many churches or chapels as possible. You are invited to 

obtain sponsors and money raised is divided between the 

Norfolk Churches Trust and the Christian place of worship 

nominated by the participant. Non cyclists are welcome to 

walk, ride or drive between places of worship. We would be 

delighted if you would like to support Langham Church. 

Forms will be available in church or downloaded from 

www. norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk/sponsored-bike-ride 

where a list of open churches and chapels can be found. 

Happy journeying. 

Langham PCC 

17

WELCOME 

We would like to offer a warm welcome to Mr and Mrs 

Mitchell and hope they will be very happy living in 

Langham 

Langham PCC 

CHURCHYARD 

Thank you to the 10 who came to help spruce up the 

churchyard in June, the progress has been remarkable. 

Special compliments to Trevor Jones for the tractor mowing 

and Alan Smith for the strimming. 

The next one will be on Saturday 5th August at 9.30am 

and coffee in the village hall will be available. 

Look forward to seeing some new faces. Bring stout 

garden gloves, garden tools and strimmers, if possible, but 

we have two available. Edward Allen, Churchwarden 

MORSTON 

Contact: Martin Cardoe 07973 885665 

mcardoe@msn.com 

CRAB SUPPER & SEAL TRIP 

We will be commemorating Mary Athill at the hugely 

popular annual Crab Supper and Seal Trip to Blakeney 

Point, which this year will take place on Tuesday, 12 th 

September, departing Morston Quay at 6.15 pm. This 

wonderful event includes a seal trip followed by a 

sumptuous meal of local crab, a selection of salads and 

delicious puddings! Wine, beer, and soft drinks will be 

available. Tickets are £30 and are available from Anne 

Rolfe on 01263 741125 or annerolfe45@gmail.com. All 

proceeds to All Saint’s Church, Morston. 

IMPROMPTU SHAKESPEARE 

‘It’s The Bard, Bill, But Not As We Know It!’ 

A balmy June evening saw the welcome, (and much 

demanded), return of the Impromptu Shakespeare Company 

to Morston, following its sell-out improvised show in 2019. 

Based on audience suggestions (by way of ping-pong 

balls scribed with Shakespearean tropes flung into a pair of 

giant breeches) the fab five, Rosie, Jules, Lucy, Jen and 

Daniel, conjured up an Elizabethan age tragicomedy of 

errors, murder, star-crossed love, mistaken identity, powerstruggles 

and a side-dish of nuanced current affairs. 

The unpredictability of each scenario left audience 

members gasping at the rapier-sharp wit and thinking of the 

cast, whether delivering lines which scholars would find 

hard to disprove they were not written by Shakespeare 

himself or seizing upon opportune moments to ad lib in 

contemporary language for comic effect, break the fourth 

wall and lighten the mood. 

To produce a show on the spot takes fertile creativity, 

and the players displayed not just a thorough understanding 

of the way Shakespeare crafted his dialogue but a 

togetherness and willingness to work with each other, 

around each other and a fearlessly across each other while 

keeping the audience always spellbound. 

Impromptu Shakespeare are guaranteed audience 

pleasers with their sparkling wit, authentic improvisation, 

and sublime stagecraft. A good sign of a successful show is 

seeing the company with as many smiles on their faces as 

spectators and this evening’s show was no exception. 

Morston ‘Tales & Ales’ would like to thank Gill Kay for 

generously hosting the performance in her garden; Pukka 

Pies; The Chequers Inn, Binham; Woodforde’s Brewery 

(Wherry Ale); Morston Anchor; The Harper Hotel; 

Blakeney Hotel; Two Magpies, Blakeney; Picnic Fayre, 

Cley; Sandra Morris; Rob Metcalfe for raffle prizes and our 

willing team of helpers, volunteers and good spirits who 

helped with setting the stage, catering and hospitality to 

make the performance the success it was. 

All proceeds from the event will go to ‘Friends of 

Morston Church’, www.fmc.org.uk, a registered charity 

dedicated to raising funds for the maintenance and repair of 

All Saints Church, Morston, Norfolk. 

MORSTON SAILING REGATTA 

This year’s Regatta will be held on Sunday August 6th. 

The bank start will be at the North end of Blakeney New 

Cut as usual, with the first boat pushing off at approximately 

10am. 

We are expecting a large fleet this year with the later 

than usual start time and a very high Spring tide, which 

promises to be an impressive sight for competitors and 

spectators alike! 

Entries can be made on the day in Blakeney dinghy park, 

or on the start line. Entry fee will be £5 per boat - which 

must be paid prior to the start of the race in order to be a 

valid entry. 

There are many trophies to be won, covering all types of 

sailing craft from single handed dinghies to heavier working 

vessels such as crab boats and Norfolk Gypsies. 

Prize giving will be held in Gill Kay’s field (East of 

Morston Quay car park) at 2.30pm. All competitors with 

families and friends are welcome to attend. There will be 

drinks provided by Morston PC and no doubt much postrace 

banter! 

For further information about Morston Sailing Regatta 

please call Charlie Ward on 07771 597985. 

18

MORSTON REGATTA PARTY 

The Morston Regatta Party is back! After a two-year 

covid break the evening bash following the Morston Regatta 

returns. Mark Sunday 6 th August at 7pm at Morston Quay 

down in your diaries. Bring your own picnic (BBQ facilities 

are available to cook your own bits and bobs) and then get 

ready to rock the night away in the company of live band 

Hot Squash (Ed Raisin and his gang). Same format. Same 

fun. What’s not to love about a summer’s night party? See 

you there. 

S.W.A.M.P UPDATE 

Sustainable Work at Morston Pond 

There has been an abundance of early summer flowers 

around the pond, and we are in the process of photographing 

and cataloguing them. Anyone who is interested in helping 

us identify them do please get in touch; it would be great to 

get local names for the plants as well as the more formal 

ones. 

Crassula clearing work continues and, as the water levels 

are low at the moment, we are making good progress in 

clearing the invasive weeds from the dried-out areas. 

If you are interested in helping or coming to see what we 

are doing, the ongoing working party dates are: 24th July, 

7th & 21st August and 4th & 18th September 

Please drop in anytime from 4:30 – 7pm. 

Twitter: @MorstonPond 

Instagram: instagram.com/morstonpondproject 

Website: morstonpondproject.wixsite.com/morstonpond-project. 

MERSTONA QUIZ 

With a Shakespearian Twist! 

(answers on page 27) 

Words & phrases Shakespeare (possibly) introduced to the 

English language. Can you identify those he did and those 

coined by others? 

1. vanished into thin air 

2. plays fast and loose 

3. chance would be a fine thing 

4. tongue-tied 

5. you cannot be serious 

6. in a pickle 

7. cheap as chips 

8. fair play 

9. twitter 

10. short shrift 

11. cold comfort 

12. computer says no 

13. butterfingers 

14. too much of a good thing 

15. hard-boiled 

16. in a fool’s paradise 

17. boredom 

18. foregone conclusion 

MUSIC FOR SPRING EVENING 

On a May evening in Morston that was cold enough for 

the 100 or so members of the audience to think they might 

be attending a Christmas carol service, Gresham’s school 

choir warmed the hearts, minds, and bodies of those 

watching with a standout collection of 20 solo singing 

performances. 

All Saints church, beautifully 

illuminated in candlelight, 

provided the perfect 

backdrop as the audience 

marvelled at the pitch perfect 

singing talents of those young 

soloists, both male and 

female, with songs varying 

from established West End musicals such as Maybe This 

Time (Cabaret), Luck Be a Lady (Guys & Dolls) Some 

Enchanted Evening (South Pacific) No Good Deed 

(Wicked) to Schubert’s An die Musik, Handel’s Honour and 

Arms and Mozart’s O isis und Osiris. 

All of this could not have happened without the 

immense support of a crew of helpers. Specific thanks and 

appreciation especially go out to Michelle, Tom and Toby 

from Gresham’s music department who put in the hard 

hours and effort and helped the performers deliver such a 

memorable evening. Huge applause too to the soloists who 

looked nerveless when performing in the centre of aisle 

delivering such a broad range of songs with such joy, 

energy, and emotion. 

19

Behind the scenes, thanks go out to Milly Cardoe for coordinating 

the evening together with invaluable support 

from Gill Kay, Rob & Sally Metcalfe, together with other 

members of the PCC and to Martin Cardoe for running an 

interval refreshment table with very able and capable 

support from Gill’s grand-daughter Edie Curtis. A fabulous 

total of just over £1,200 was raised on the night for church 

funds. 

ART EXHIBITION 

Local artist Sally Temple will be exhibiting her 

wonderful oil paintings at Morston Village Hall between 

21st - 28th August. Her art will showcase a collection of sea 

and landscapes of our beautiful North Norfolk coastline and 

will be on display daily from 10am-5pm. You can also find 

limited edition prints and greeting cards for sale too. Sally is 

a North Norfolk based artist and her oil paintings capture 

both the emotion of the day as well as the incredible 

powerful skies of Norfolk, the county of her birth. 

BLAKENEY NATIONAL 

NATURE RESERVE 

Thomas Lloyd, Assistant Ranger with the National 

Trust, writes from the lifeboat house on Blakeney Point: 

Tern breeding season is upon us, and 

here on the Point, the little tern colony 

at “the Gap” has been taking up most 

of our time and attention, which is 

most certainly a good thing. 

Our new live camera, which 

streams footage directly to the 

Lifeboat House, has greatly enhanced 

our ability to monitor the fortunes of the tern colonies, as 

well as any potential threats to them. This is great because it 

means we can keep an eye on the birds without ruffling any 

feathers. 

The little terns, which have arrived here from the 

warmer climes of the west African coast, are still doing 

well, with a high count of at least 80 apparently occupied 

nests and 61 chicks so far. Using our live camera, it is now 

quite easy to watch the chicks running about and waving 

their wings. Some of them are getting quite bold, wandering 

far from their nests and shelters and dashing back quickly 

when food arrives. In the first 10-14 days, these chicks can 

quadruple their weight, so I think it’s fair to say some of 

them are also looking a bit porky. 

I’m particularly happy that this colony is doing well. A 

second little tern colony, further east along the Point at the 

Watch House, has not done so well this year, possibly 

owing to the unwanted attentions of a pair of immature 

kestrels. Although I should note that last year the Watch 

House colony thrived, while the Gap colony struggled. It 

just goes to show that you never can tell how these things 

will play out. 

In previous years we have had several thousand 

sandwich terns breeding on the Point, but this year it was 

not to be. The lion’s share of the 280 sarnies that visited this 

year showed no interest in settling down despite our best 

efforts to encourage them to do so (which included placing 

imitation black-headed gulls on the shingle, as the two 

species co-exist well). 

Little terns are amber listed on the list of UK Birds of 

Conservation Concern and so monitoring their numbers, 

survival and productivity is vitally important. Ringing the 

birds plays a key role in this and on the first day of July, the 

Iceni Bird Monitoring Group supported us to ring dozens of 

little tern chicks under relevant licences. 

The recent spell of warm weather is also a nice change 

of pace. It feels like summer has finally arrived. It does, 

however, come with its own challenges, as nicer weather 

means more visitors. For this reason, we’ve spent a lot of 

our time doing “Gap Watch”, making sure that one of us is 

there to watch the beach, keep an eye on the colony, and 

make sure that nobody passes our signs and disturbs the 

birds at this crucial period of their lives. 

SAXLINGHAM 

Contact: John Pridham 01328 831851 

jcwpridham@gmail.com 

SAXLINGHAM BAT MITIGATION 

Saxlingham Church supports the second largest 

maternity roost of natterer’s bats that have been recorded in 

Norfolk (peak count of 172). In 2020, works started at the 

church to mitigate the impact of the bats by containing them 

into a purpose-built bat loft over the north transept. Bat 

boxes were also installed on the south side of the chancel 

and on two trees in the church warden’s garden (next to the 

church). 

Measures to exclude the bats from the main body of the 

church progressed gradually over the course of two 

summers (2020 and 2021) to allow the bats to get used to 

their new roosting area. 

In April 2022, the access into the church from the bat 

loft and the remaining exit from the church were sealed so 

theoretically the bats could only access the loft. This 

appeared to have worked well as initially the bats remained 

20

in the loft, but then in June 2022, only one bat remained 

with no natterers in the church. By July 2022, the colony 

had returned with 82 counted emerging from the bat loft. 

Following the extreme temperatures in late July 2022, 

the natterer’s colony managed to find a way back into the 

church (locations confirmed by survey) and stayed in the 

church until the end of that summer. 

Over the winter, measures were taken to block off the 

remaining gaps. 

The initial monitoring survey on the 22nd May 2023 

recorded 61 natterer’s using the bat loft, only a single 

common pipistrelle was using the main body of the church. 

Further surveys will continue over the course of the summer 

to ensure that the bats remain in the loft and that the 

numbers present and breeding productivity remain similar to 

previous levels recorded. 

Other good news is that all of the bat boxes installed 

externally have recorded common and soprano pipistrelles 

using them. 

So far, so good. The natterer’s colony is continuing to 

use the church in good numbers and the impacts of the bats 

on the main body of the church have been largely removed. 

The church has now been entered into the National Bat 

Monitoring Programme for which two surveys are 

undertaken each June, the purpose of which is to record the 

trends in bat numbers at roosts throughout the country. 

Philip Parker 

SHARRINGTON 

Contact: Claire Dubbins 01263 862261 

cdubbins@btinternet.com 

www.sharrington.org.uk 

MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICE 

Norfolk County Council have just rationalised the 

Mobile Library routes and in Sharrington we are lucky 

enough to have kept our stops. So well done to all those 

who still use the mobile library and keep it going. 

We have new timings but the van will still visit on a 

Friday every four weeks. The new times will be: Bale Road 

near the church 14.40–14.55pm; 17 The Street 15.05- 

15.20pm, Sharrington village hall 15.25-15.40pm and The 

Old Swan Public House on the A148 15.45-16.00pm. In 

August and September the visiting dates will be Fridays 18 th 

August and 15 th September. 

A.Abrams 

FOODBANK NEWS 

An influx of visitors over half term made a big 

difference and we were able to deliver a remarkable 23.7 

kilos of foodstuffs the following week. As we head for the 

summer holidays we are aware that it is a particularly 

challenging time for people on very tight budgets who have 

children to feed. The latest news from the Mid Norfolk 

Food Bank says that between April 2022 and March 2023 

4,878 food parcels were provided to people in Dereham, 

Fakenham and Swaffham who could not afford the 

essentials and 2,031 of these went to children. This is an 

increase of 52% on the previous year and is on a par with 

some of the most deprived areas in the UK. So the extra 

item in your trolley, basic foods, treats or essential toiletries, 

from those who can afford it continues to be much 

appreciated and you can be assured that everything left at 

the back of the church will be delivered to the collection 

centre at the Salvation Army in Fakenham. 

AS 

SHARRINGTON AND DISTRICT 

GARDENING GROUP 

We had an excellent turnout for our May event, an 

illustrated talk by Barbara Segall based on her recent book 

The Secret Gardens of the South-East. Barbara is a wellknown 

writer and trustee of the garden charity Perennial. 

Her collection of slides provided us with a fascinating and 

colourful tour of mostly private gardens of Kent, Sussex and 

Surrey. Some of the gardens have been in the possession of 

the same family for generations, whilst others have been 

recently transformed by new owners with modern ideas, 

offering us images and inspirations from traditional and 

cottage gardens, sculptures, topiary, even a modern tulip 

maze. 

After weeks of cold easterly winds we felt lucky to be 

blessed with blue sky and warm sun for our visit to Dick 

Fiddian’s idiosyncratic and rather wonderful garden in the 

middle of nowhere. After our exploration of the many and 

various nooks and crannies we enjoyed tea and cake in a 

shady spot beside the pool. The pictures tell the story for 

themselves. 

Dick’s passion for architectural salvage, his imagination 

and construction skills have created a variety of delightful 

follies over a period of 40 years, resulting in a garden where 

there is always something intriguing round the next corner 

or behind the next shrub. A memorable garden indeed. 

Date for your diary: Sat. 16 th September, 10am-1pm, 

Field Dalling Villager’s Hall, our bi-annual bulb sale and 

big plant and produce swap. Come along, enjoy a cup of 

coffee, sausage rolls, cake etc, buy your bulbs, swap a plant 

or some produce or a donation to a local charity. B.Wiles 

21

CHURCH BARBECUE 

The annual church barbecue will be held on Sunday 27 th 

August at 12.30pm, kindly hosted by Perry and Pippa Long 

in their garden at The Place. Tickets at £12 per person are 

available from Pippa Long on 01263 860613. Come along 

for burgers, sausages and salads – vegetarian options 

available – plus desserts. Soft drinks will be provided but 

bring your own beers, wine etc and enjoy an afternoon in 

the sunshine in their lovely garden. It’s always a popular 

event and numbers are limited so book early to be sure of a 

place. 

CD 

LIVE MUSIC NIGHTS 

For live music fans, local and otherwise, there are three 

excellent shows for the autumn/winter period at Sharrington 

village hall. 

On Saturday 9 th September we have the super 

songwriting and guitar playing of Ken Nicol and Wendy 

Ross who will be accompanying him on violin. 

Saturday 14 th October sees the return of Winter Wilson, 

a fab duo consisting of Dave Winter on guitar and banjo and 

Pip Wilson on vocals and accordion. Check out the video on 

the ticketing page. 

Finally on Saturday 9 th December we have a visit from 

the very talented singer and songwriter Edwina Hayes. 

Some have said she has the voice of an angel and needs to 

be heard live to appreciate it. Again check out the links on 

the website or the ticketing page. 

Tickets for all events are available from https:// 

www.ticketebo.co.uk/sharrington-village-hall/ and our 

website address is www.sharrington.org.uk G.Bishop 

VH RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN 

Our committee at Sharrington village hall, or what was 

originally Sharrington and Brinton village hall, is composed 

of committed and hard working locals who can only give so 

much when it comes to time and the energy to sustain a 

community space for all. We all enjoy what we do to keep 

the hall in shipshape condition and raise funds accordingly 

to do this, but we could really benefit from further support 

on our committee from the community at large or the hall 

will cease to be able to do the many things it currently does. 

Please look at our new website to see what we do offer and 

please consider joining our committee to keep our hall 

sustainable for many years to come. 

G. Bishop 

CRAFT GROUP 

We would like to thank everyone who has come along to 

our craft workshops so far in 2023. We have turned our 

hands to everything from Coronation crowns to origami 

umbrellas. 

We are taking a break in August but will return on 

Friday 1 st September, 10.30am -12.30pm for another get 

together with an autumn theme. 

Everyone is welcome at our friendly group. 

Refreshments and all materials are provided for a very small 

fee and donations to Sharrington village hall. More details 

can be found at https://sharrington. org.uk/craft. SB 

NOBLE ROTTERS WINE CLUB 

Not long after Loreen had mightily impressed Liverpool 

with her Tattoo, the Rotters hosted the Eurovision Wine 

contest in June, the first tasting of season nine. The white 

wines of northern Europe took on the better known reds 

from further south. 

A typically inventive British blend of Siegerrebe, Solaris 

and Phoenix crafted by Three Choirs in Gloucestershire got 

the evening off to a hopeful start. A Furmint from Hungary, 

a Grűner Veltliner from Austria, a Riesling from Germany 

and a Tamâiosa Româneasca from Romania did their best to 

set up an unbeatable score, but would it be enough? 

And, did the reds rise to the challenge? A Douro from 

Portugal, a Xinomavro from Greece, a Chianti from Italy, a 

Rioja from Spain and a Bordeaux from France soon 

dispelled any doubts as they clearly outshone the whites on 

both nose and palate. 

And the winner? You’ve guessed it. The Chateau Pey La 

Tour Reserve Bordeaux Superior 2018 seized the trophy. 

Chief Rotter 

PINPOINT INFO: Fakenham Age Concern area 

minibus provides a number of regular door-to-door 

services to Fakenham from villages covered by Local 

Lynx for people over 55. See p.4 for details. 

22

NORFOLK CHURCHES TRUST 

BIKE RIDE 

The 2023 bike ride will take place on Saturday 9 th 

September and we hope some of our readers will decide to 

take part. This is the 40 th Anniversary year of the event and 

it would be lovely if some Sharrington residents joined in. 

By asking friends and family to sponsor you, you will be 

able to raise funds for Sharrington church and the Norfolk 

Churches Trust which provides grants, advice and support 

for many of our lovely churches in the county as well as 

caring for 13 redundant churches. Setting off from 

Sharrington church you can visit as many other churches in 

the area as you wish and at each church you will be able to 

use your sponsorship form to record your visit, Although the 

day is called a bike ride, any form of transport is possible 

and there have been participants riding horses, walking or 

turning up in cars so anything goes. More details and 

relevant forms are on the Trust’s website 

www.norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk and there will be 

information at the back of the church too. 

We try and provide a team of volunteers to welcome 

those visiting our church and they always appreciate having 

someone to sign their sponsorship forms and meet and greet 

them. So if anyone can spare an hour during the day to be in 

the church we would be very grateful. Please contact Pippa 

Long on 01263 860613 if you think you can help. CD 

STIFFKEY 

Contact: Sophia Williams 07800 590262 

stiffkeylynx@gmail.com 

GENERAL NEWS 

In May, one of our local artists, myself, Sophia 

Williams, took part in the open studios trail, as part of the 

North Norfolk wide event. It was well supported by the 

village, which I am exceedingly grateful for. It was lovely to 

meet new faces and familiar ones too. 

A glut of rhubarb was kindly shared out by local 

villager, Dee Desbrow, to fellow villagers. The village voted 

for its desired members of the Stiffkey parish council. The 

village had an exceptional turnout, resulting in four new 

parish councillors, being appointed: Paul Claydon, Jane 

Hiscocks, Rocky Husain and Jamie Lawrence. Phil 

Harrison, Alexandra Hooper and Martin Williams were 

voted back on, with Martin Williams appointed as the new 

chair. Having spoken to several villagers, they have 

expressed their communal thanks to the outgoing and 

incoming members of the parish council who have tirelessly 

and endlessly gone out of their way to care for our village. 

In June our local pub, the Stiffkey Red Lion, found out 

that they were awarded a place in the Good Food Guide. No 

mean feat. On the coastal path the poppies were out in 

abundance on the way to freshers creek; a field ablaze in 

scarlet, following on from last years’ wild fire on the same 

field. Nature has a way of rejuvenating and reinvigorating 

itself unexpectedly. 

Over the past couple of months, the village has had an 

abundance of updates from our parish council in our 

noticeboards detailing their exchanges with the National 

Trust about rebuilding the bridge. Their persistence seems to 

be reaping dividends with the National Trust appointing a 

contractor at the end of June. From what they’ve said so far, 

it doesn’t look as though we’re going to get the contractors 

in just yet. Please take a look at the communication chain on 

the village notice board or on the Stiffkey village facebook 

group for more information. 

The ground nesting birds are nesting on the marshes at 

the moment. It is something that we all need to be aware of 

if we’re venturing beyond the well-trodden paths whether 

we’re dogs or humans. In the past we’ve had ringed plovers, 

oyster catchers amongst other nesting on the marshes. I’ve 

also witnessed the lapwings nesting on the field next to 

damson lane. 

This Month’s Seasonal Recipe 

Crispy lentil, squash & yoghurt salad 

serves 4-6 

for the butternut squash 

500g butternut squash 

1 tablespoons of olive oil 

3 tablespoons of sugar or coconut sugar 

½ teaspoon salt 

several grind of black pepper 

for the lentils 

1 x 400g tin of green/brown/beluga lentils (rinsed) 

1 tablespoon of olive oil 

1/ teaspoon hot smoked paprika 

several grinds of black pepper 

for the pickled onions 

½ small red onion (peeled and thinly sliced) 

1 lemon 

optional teaspoon of white balsamic vinegar 

for the garlic yoghurt 

200g of cocos organic coconut yoghurt 

1 clove of garlic (minced) 

½ teaspoon of salt 

several grinds of black pepper 

23

for the kale or broccoli 

100g kale (stalks removed/shredded) or 

150g tenderstem broccoli 

1 lemon (juiced) 

2 teaspoons of olive oil 

to serve 

a handful of parsley (chopped) 

a handful of fresh mint leaves (chopped) 

Instructions 

Pre-heat the oven to 190 celcius (fan). 

For the pickled onions, place the sliced red onion, lemon 

juice and optional white balsamic vinegar into a bowl and 

toss to combine. Set aside; the longer the onions macerate 

the brighter they will be. 

Place the pieces of butternut squash into a large bowl, 

drizzle over the oil and sprinkle over the sugar, salt and 

pepper. Toss to coat, then lay on a banking tray, spreading 

the pieces apart as much as possible. Bake in the oven for 30 

minutes until darkened and caramelised. Give the bowl a 

quick rinse and dry; you will now use it for the lentils. 

Drain the lentils and spread out onto a baking tray lined 

with kitchen paper. Place another piece of kitchen paper on 

top and lightly press down; the drier the lentils the crispier 

they will be. When dry, pour the lentils into your large bowl, 

discarding the kitchen paper, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle 

over the hot smoked paprika, salt and petter and toss to coat. 

Spread out onto a separate baking tray and place in the oven 

with the butternut squash for the final 20 minutes of cooking 

time, stirring after 10 minutes. 

While the butternut squash, and lentils are roasting make 

the garlic yoghurt. Place the yoghurt, garlic and salt into a 

bowl and grind over the black pepper and stir to combine. 

Place the kale/broccoli in a large bowl, pour over the 

lemon juice and drizzle over the oil and a pinch of salt. 

Using clean hands massage this dressing into the leaves/ 

stems. Place in the oven for the final ten minutes of cooking 

of the butternut squash and lentils. When everything has 

finished cooking, layer over the garlic yoghurt with the kale/ 

broccoli, followed by the roasted squash, lentils and then the 

pickled onions. Scatter over the parsley and mint before 

serving. 

Sophia’s suggested sommelier pairing is a white wine 

from Argentina by Susana Balbo, Crios, made with the 

fragrant, fruity, creamy and bright, Torrontes grape, which 

you can also indulge in at Morston Hall or purchase from 

Adnams. 

Sophia Williams 

TALES FROM THE RIVERBANK 

Since my last column summer arrived with a sustained 

hot and dry spell, although balanced with some periods of 

cool wind. We’ve had a pair of gadwall ducks on our lawn, 

a first sighting for me. The male was in eclipse – a transition 

plumage after a moult – and I must confess I had to reach 

for my trusty RSPB guide to accurately identify the pair. 

Nice to see yet another species using the river. 

We have had numerous water vole sightings, but it is 

hard to say if this is one busy vole or several animals 

because we only ever see one at once. They/it have been 

feeding in the reed beds alongside our property and 

particularly outside a near neighbour who regularly hears 

them munching. It’s great to see them back, and hopefully 

they will breed and expand their local population. They 

often swim across the river, and clamber around on the 

banks looking for food. They seem to have adapted to our 

presence and don’t immediately hide when spotted. 

The voles are always under threat however, because in 

early June I had my first otter sighting for some while. It 

was a tantalising brief encounter, just a swim past, but it is 

always exciting to see them. I do feel for the vulnerable prey 

creatures – like the voles and ducklings – however. An otter 

must seem extremely fierce to them. 

In mid-June temperatures got very high and several trout 

took to sheltering under the ash and alder trees across the 

bank. Pleasingly these varied in size quite a bit, implying a 

slight recovery in population. I did contact the Rivers Trust 

about nutrient levels and they confirmed that was the likely 

reason for the algae bloom earlier this year. As other plants 

grow these levels fall, and the algae has largely cleared now. 

Nutrient levels can be tested, but it very difficult to pinpoint 

an exact cause as there could be multiple reasons including 

sewage works, farming or septic tanks. Re-introducing 

natural meanders like the one between Stiffkey and Warham 

will help improve water quality long-term. 

The banded damoiselle damselflies have appeared which 

is good news because aside from being spectacular they are 

24

a good indicator of clean water, as they are very sensitive to 

pollution. You may have seen them featured recently by Sir 

David Attenborough in his new ‘wild isles’ tv series about 

the UK. The metallic blue males dance around trying to 

attract the metallic green females, who after mating will trap 

air under their wings so they can dive underwater to lay 

their eggs in plant stems. A little miracle of nature right in 

front of us here in Stiffkey. 

In the same moments I saw the first of this year’s 

damselfly I had one of those brief periods where the river 

rewards you for being patient. In five minutes I saw a vole, 

an eel, four trout and a stickleback. It has a habit of doing 

this, but those moments are very unpredictable which is part 

of the joy of just watching and waiting. Good luck to those 

who do the same. 

Martin Williams 

NORTH NORFOLK BOOK WORMS 

Stiffkey Bookworms May and June Reviews 

The two recent books discussed and reviewed by the 

Stiffkey Bookworms were Trespasses by 

Louise Kennedy (fiction, 2022) and Why 

We Sleep by Matthew Walker (nonfiction, 

2017). 

In Trespasses, Cushla is just 24 when 

she meets and begins an affair with 

Michael, a much older, married man. This 

alone could have been fraught with 

complications but there is also the divisive 

issue of religion. As we find out, Cushla is 

catholic, and Michael is protestant and Trespasses is set in a 

small town on the edge of Belfast in 1975. 

Cushla is a primary school teacher, who helps-out in the 

family pub whilst Michael is a lawyer who defends young 

catholic men who have been wrongly accused. This is the 

author’s debut novel, and she grew up near Belfast. We felt 

that the author delivered a textured, atmospheric novel 

which captures what it must have been like to live through 

the troubles. This is very different to our perceived 

knowledge of the times, viewed from outside the situation. 

We are drawn into Cushla’s trespassing into a marriage and 

separately into the family life of one of her young students. 

Her personal decisions within the context of the troubles 

have huge consequences and it is a brutal read in places and 

you sense it will end badly but hope to be wrong. 

Kennedy’s writing is vivid in its description of day-today 

life, her characterisation is terrific and it appears to be 

an honest account of life at that time. It generated a very 

interesting discussion of what we remembered of that time 

from the news etc and the novel links in well to the BBC 

documentary ‘Once upon a time in Northern Ireland’. We 

score it a powerful 4/5. 

Moving on to ‘Why We Sleep’ by 

Matthew Walker. Walker is an american 

professor of neuroscience and psychology 

who is a sleep expert. The book 

emphasises sleep as one of the most 

important aspects of our life whilst 

driving home how we neglect sleep at the 

peril of our health and longevity. The 

book makes several fascinating points 

about how sleep improves memory, 

creativity, and muscle memory. It links this to how best 

students should study to improve memory and retention of 

information. It then details the reasons behind teenagers 

sleeping habits and how school hours are out of sync with 

adolescent brains. 

The book is not too technical and has been written for 

the layman and Walker encourages you to jump between 

chapters that interest you rather than reading the book 

sequentially, which does work well. There are plenty of 

stories or examples throughout to stop the book feeling too 

academic. The book was a timely read during the heatwave 

and generated within our group discussion about sleep 

habits, caffeine, and alcohol (all covered in the book). Some 

members enjoyed more than others. It was felt a little long 

and that some of Walker’s claims were not referenced 

sufficiently. There was certainly a scarcity of academic 

references, which is perhaps the negative of trying to be user 

friendly in the writing. We score it 3/5. Jane Hiscocks 

CHURCH NEWS 

The funeral of Angela Martin was held on 12 th May and 

attended by local family and friends. 

The annual ‘stalls on the knoll’ to raise money for our 

church will be held on Sunday 27 th August 2023 from 10am 

until 12:30pm. Our money raising event will coincide with 

the Stiffkey local history group’s exhibition, ‘Stiffkey on the 

map’, being held inside our church throughout the bank 

holiday weekend. 

We will hold our harvest festival service on Sunday 1 st 

October at 9:30am. Contributions will be most welcome, be 

they fresh produce or practically packaged foods and will be 

distributed to local organisations as appropriate. 

Work on the Bishop of Norwich's church buildings 

commission is currently consisting of collating the huge 

amount of information it has received from those who 

contributed to the survey. It is on track to publish the 

outcomes later this summer. A well written guide on the 

churches commission is provided on the entry page on this 

link: https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/churches/ 

buildings/the-church-buildings-commission/church- 

25

uildings-commission-faqs/. 

We would like to remind readers that Stiffkey’s church, 

St John’s, needs your help, financial or otherwise. We need 

support to run activities that enable us to preserve our 

splendid building and grounds. We want it to remain a 

pleasant place for us all and our visitors. We are considering 

running a regular Saturday morning stall on the knoll, 

selling locally produced items. If you think you would be 

able to help by contributing and/or occasionally running the 

stall or have other ideas to support us, please contact me on 

apduff@outlook.com. 

Alan Duff 

COASTAL MARSH ARTISTS 

For nine days at the end of May we took part in an open 

studios event as part of the artists co-operative, North 

Norfolk Studios. Artists in the parishes of Stiffkey, 

Wiveton, Binham and Bale participated locally. 

Reflecting on our participation, the coastal marsh artists, 

enjoyed large numbers through their studio doors We 

welcomed strangers, friends and family into our workspaces, 

showcasing our works and our working practices. 

With people purchasing original works, directly from us, it 

reassures us that we have purpose and value. We 

collectively want to thank all the people that took the time 

and effort to step through our studio doors. 

At the end June the annual general meeting of the North 

Norfolk Studios artists cooperative took place in Salthouse. 

It was pleasing to see that the cooperative can continue 

thanks to new volunteers taking up the helm. Without the 

generous support of their volunteers the cooperative would 

no longer be able to host the annual open studios event. 

The coastal marsh artists are planning group exhibitions 

year and other unique events too. For more information 

about these please view our website: 

https://bit.ly/coastalmarshartists. 

Sophia Williams 

STIFFKEY PIRATES 

On the 24th June we hosted a game against the touring 

‘Grantchester Blue Ball’ team. They were playing three 

games in three days - a feat beyond most of our team. An 

early start and a thirty overs game was agreed upon. 

Grantchester batted first and, despite some at times tight 

bowling, they managed to post a good total of 230, with a 

key thirty or so runs coming off the last three overs. After a 

quick break for tea, the Stiffkey Pirates innings began. We 

looked promising for a while against their bowling. Then 

wickets started to fall with a depressing regularity. Hector 

Robb put together a relaxed and effortless fifty. When he 

fell, all was lost, and Stiffkey Pirates game ended with a 150 

all out. Despite losing, our heads were held high. Our team 

consists of four players under the age of 16 and our oldest 

player must have been at least twice the age of 

Grantchester's eldest player. At the time of writing, this 

season, we have played four games and won two. 

If you are interested in playing, we welcome all. 

Our remaining fixtures are detailed at the beginning of the 

Lynx magazine in August. Please come and cheer us on. 

If you are interested in playing with the Stiffkey Pirates 

email Chris Bateman at chris.bateman78@ gmail.com. 

Jeremy Bevan 

STIFFKEY LOCAL HISTORY GROUP 

SLHG will be hosting an exhibition entitled 'Stiffkey on 

the Map' at the Parish Church in Stiffkey from Saturday 

26th to Monday 28th August inclusive from 10am to 4pm. 

The maps on show will cover our village topography for 

over 300 years. 

We will also be helping with the annual 'Stalls on the 

Knoll’ on 27th August 10am-12.30pm. Good parking, free 

refreshments all weekend and happy chat. SLHG 

RESCUE WOODEN BOATS 

Our charity has had a busy start to the season. We have 

hosted many interested visitors on Sundays and bank 

holiday Mondays. In case you are planning a visit, we are 

open from 11am until 4pm on our opening days. 

Lucy Lavers, our restored Dunkirk little ship, is afloat in 

Wells and has trips organised by the curlew coastal charters 

team. Their season has also started well with several group 

and society visits booked. 

We are happy to open specially for groups and societies. 

Please get in touch if you know of a group who would like 

to visit our maritime heritage centre and boat workshop 

with or without a trip on Lucy Lavers on the same day. 

We would love to welcome you to our summer BBQ 

which is being held at our maritime heritage centre, on 

26

Wednesday 23 rd August from 5pm until 8pm. It is organised 

on a pay as you eat basis. Please bring your own 

refreshments. The Blakeney Wild Rovers will be serenading 

our guests with sea-shanties. 

If you’d like to join our volunteer team do call or email 

for a chat. An hour or two from time to time is all that’s 

needed so drop me a line at: wwp@wendypritchard.co.uk 

or 07796 951414. 

We have just finished hosting the maritime heritage 

festival and flotilla as part of the Wells Carnival. I look 

forward to updating you about this in the next issue of the 

magazine. 

Wendy Pritchard 

MERSTONA QUIZ ANSWERS 

(Questions on page 19) 

1. vanished into thin air (Prospero – The Tempest) 

2. plays fast and loose (King John) 

3. chance would be a fine thing (Victorian street slang) 

4. tongue-tied (Sonnet 85) 

5. you cannot be serious (John McEnroe) 

6. in a pickle (King Alonso – The Tempest) 

7. cheap as chips (Victorian advertisement) 

8. fair play (King John) 

9. twitter (Chaucer – the Canterbury Tales) 

10. short shrift (Sir Richard Ratcliffe – Richard III) 

11. cold comfort (Grumio - The Taming of the Shrew) 

12. computer says no (Little Britain) 

13. butterfingers (Dickens – the Pickwick Papers) 

14. too much of a good thing (Rosalind – As You Like It) 

15. hard-boiled (Mark Twain criticising Matthew Arnold) 

16. in a fool’s paradise (Juliet’s nurse – Romeo & Juliet) 

17. boredom (Dickens again – Bleak House) 

18. foregone conclusion (Othello) 

LANGHAM SCHOOL NEWS 

It is now the summer term and we have been really 

busy with lots of exciting events. Quartz Class went to 

the Royal Norfolk Show and were part a group of more 

than 1,200 pupils from across Norfolk who drummed 

their way into the history books. Personnel from 

Guinness World Records declared a new record for the 

world's largest percussion ensemble using recyclable 

instruments. The ensemble was made up of pupils from 

schools and organisations across the county, including 

Langham Village School. The record-breaking work 

named "Bucket Beats XL" was organised by Norfolk 

Music Hub, a partnership of organisations committed to 

the highest quality of music education for children and 

young people across the county. The piece was written 

for buckets and junk percussion by Tim Brain of 

‘Louder Than Life,’ who described the performance as 

"an incredible opportunity for young people across 

Norfolk to share the power of music and work together 

towards a common goal through the record attempt." 

This half term Jet Class are learning about the 

Ancient Greeks. They are learning about how different 

areas of Greece were governed and comparing the two 

cities of Athens and Sparta. They are finding out about 

27 

daily life and exploring Greek mythology and 

philosophy. In Design Technology they are designing 

moving vehicles with motors. A team of Jet Class 

young designers are spending the day at the Dyson 

Building at Gresham’s as part of a science, engineering, 

art and maths competition. 

Quartz Class are learning about the ancient Egyptian 

civilisation. From mummification to the River Nile, 

they are finding out all about life in ancient Egypt and 

what we can learn from the evidence the ancient 

Egyptians left behind. The class had a fantastic trip to 

Norwich Castle, which included a session learning 

about mummification and an artefact-handling 

workshop, which provided valuable insight into the 

culture and daily life of the civilization. 

Amber Class are learning about transport. They are 

exploring the history of transport from the earliest 

canoes to the latest space missions. They will explore 

how inventions such as trains and motorcars 

transformed how people got around, and what impact 

this had on the world. They used virtual reality headsets 

to experience landing on the moon in Apollo 13 and 

drove the the lunar roving vehicle. This was an amazing 

experience. 

This week Amber Class have a very exciting trip to 

the Opera at Kings Lynn Corn Exchange. It is Mozart’s 

The Magic Flute, which has been especially adapted for 

children. The class are learning some of the songs and 

familiarising themselves with the music before they go 

so that they can join in. 

Year 6 are getting ready for high school and have 

been taking part in transition days. They very much 

enjoyed their trip to the Harry Potter Studios, it was 

amazing seeing the Hogwarts Express and walking 

through the Forbidden Forest, all very exciting. We are 

planning an evening of adventures on the field as a 

celebration of their time here at Langham. This will 

include archery, cooking on a campfire and den 

building. We wish our Year 6 all the best for the future. 

We are looking forward to welcoming sixteen new 

children into Reception this year. They have a transition 

afternoon this week when they will spend some time in 

their new Classroom – Coral Class. On the last day of 

term we will join together with families for a leavers 

assembly followed by the annual summer fair. 

Langham Village: ‘A place for fun, creativity, 

friendship, ambition and discovery.’ 

Polly Kossowicz - Head teacher 

For further information please visit our website 

www.langham.norfolk.co.uk or follow us on twitter 

@langhamvill.

LYNX 151 ADS DIRECTORY 

SEE FURTHER SERVICES LISTED BELOW DIRECTORY 

Art/Interiors/Furniture/Textiles 

page 

Darren Graveling, bespoke joinery 26 

Nick Hamond Furniture: cabinet-maker 23 

Phillippa Kirby Soft Furnishings 22 

Shirehall Antiques 19 

Sophia Williams: Stiffkey Artist 25 

Advice & Care Services 

Hindringham Toddler Group 13 

Gardening 

Beechwood Landscapes & Maintenance 9 

BLS Landscaping 25 

DB Garden Services 17 

Finlay Newton Garden Services 6 

Hair/Health 

Alison Courtney Acupuncture 14 

Claire Dye: Physiotherapist 21 

Foot Perfect 20 

Gunthorpe Osteopaths 23 

Marianne Atherton Homeopathy 

front cover 

Pilates at Binham Memorial Hall 12 

Tudor Barber Shop, Walsingham 24 

Hall Rentals 

Binham Memorial Hall 

front cover 

Sharrington Village Hall 8 

Warham Reading Room 6 

Leisure 

Morston Pool 

front cover 

On Yer Bike 10 

Sharrington Gardening Group 21 

The Parlour Café & Tea Room 17 

Services and Suppliers 

APW Pumbing & Heating 12 

Boon-bespoke décor 15 

Burnham Motors 13 

Butcher Andrews Solicitors 7 

Chris Wells Construction, Ltd 20 

Clearview Pest Control 16 

Darren Betts Building and Maintenance 22 

David Thompson Chimney Sweep 18 

Gresham Gravel 24 

Keeble Roofing Contractor 11 

Kelly Saddington Dog Walking & Pet Care 18 

Morston Boat Yard 7 

Norfolk Woodburners Stoves 10 

Paul Hennessey 19 

P J Electrics 11 

Stephenson Smart Accountants 26 

Stuart’s Taxi 9 

The WillMaker Group: Garry Scutter 16 

Vantastic Movers 14 

Advertising space in this publication is sold in good faith and the editor/publication team can take no 

responsibility for the quality of goods or services offered. 

CLEANING AND HOME CARE SERVICES 

Regular cleans, linen changes, ironing and errands 

Contact Laura Bailey on 01328 711329 or 07917 031163 

E: laurabailey@homemail.com 

GARY WALLER 

Painter, Decorator & Carpet Cleaner 

20 Years Experience No job too small 

01263 860705 Mob: 07990 993406 

CHIMNEY SWEEP 

David Thompson 

01328 851081 

SEPTIC TANKS EMPTIED 

Contact Alison Lee 

07749 951898 

HAMLYN PEST CONTROL 

County Council Accredited - NPTA Member 

Control of Rats Mice Wasps etc 

01263 860112 

FINCH GARDEN DESIGN 

Design - Build - Planting 

www.finchgardendesign.co.uk 

Jackie Finch 07776 292 211 

Local Lynx is printed by Century Printing, 28 132 High Street, Stalham, Norwich NR12 9AZ 

Tel: 01692 582958

Local Lynx No.151 August/September 2023

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