Swaffham Newsletter

SN
Online
January 2024
Your free town newsletter published by Iceni Partnership
SWAFFHAM
newslet ter
version available to view at www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
NEWS EVENTS INFORMATION
Lions' Christmas Lunch
brings lots of happiness
Read about their annual good deed for the town on p.15
Iceni Partnership wishes
all our readers
a very happy new year
published by

Your monthly magazine is published by:
Contact the editor:
01760 722 800
swaffhamnewsletter@gmail.com
Swaffham Newsletter
Iceni Partnership
Swaffham Community Centre
The Campingland
Swaffham
PE37 7RB
Registered in England Company Number 4257830 Charity Number 1101814 VAT Number UK800057775
Comments or queries welcomed - we are a
resource for all of the community to enjoy.
We are always open to new contributors from
Swaffham and surrounding villages.
Deadline for editorial and advertising is the
12th day of the previous month.
Swaffham Newsletter is available to pick up from
various locations across the town, including: Tesco,
Waitrose, Swaffham Library, Swaffham Musuem
and Swaffham Community Centre.
Online versions of all our previous issues are available
to view online: www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
1
Contents
3 History Group/Iceni Antics
4 Church News
5 Swaffham WEA
8 Climate Action Group/NarVOS
9 Men's Shed/Cultural Consortium
11 u3a/Castle Quilters
12 Museum Matters
13 Merle Boddy/Lynn Borough Council
15 NGS/Swaffham & District Lions
17 Local WI Groups
18 Swaffham Town Council
PAY MONTHLY
Swaffham History Group
The Swaffham History Group, normally
meets on the second Monday of the
month at 2pm in the Swaffham Town Council
Chamber, accessible via the Museum (there is a lift
to the Council Chamber). Anyone can join and there
is no subscription except an annual registration fee
of £1 (this so that our Group Secretary, Gerry, can
keep the register of members up-to-date).
Our focus is on the history of Swaffham but we also
have invited speakers to present interesting, locally
related, historical topics and have outings to places
of historic interest in the region. If that sounds like
something that would interest you, please feel free
to drop in for a ‘taster’.
Over the last 18 months TSHG has been working
with the Swaffham Cultural Consortium to compile
a history of the buildings and their occupiers
around the Market Place – the project was called
‘Mapping the Market Place’ and included an event
in June when people of the Town were invited to
participate. Members of TSHG have undertaken
research using publicly available resources including
the archives of Swaffham Heritage Museum and also
talked to members of the community to hear their
recollections of the Town and some of its characters.
Beginning 16 March 2024 TSHG will be publishing
a series of booklets on the buildings and people
based on the research from the project. These will
be available to purchase in the museum shop. At
the same time the Consortium will be publishing a
website drawing on some of the detail of the research.
We in TSHG are very excited about this project
as the present stage comes to an end. Of course,
historical research is always turning up something
new and we know that we probably do not have all
the information of the historic Market Place and
possibly some information we have might not be
absolutely correct. That is the challenge of historical
research. So, if you feel you have something to add
we will always welcome any additions, corrections,
photos or documents to either website or booklets.
Please email theswaffhamhistorygroup@gmail.com
You can find out more about us online in the
Swaffham Heritage website at https://www.
swaffhammuseum.co.uk/history/swaffham-historygroup
or just drop in at our next meeting date
which will be in February when Dr Sue Gattuso will
be speaking about the Swaffham (Spelman) Town
Library 1679.
New members are always welcome; you are not
required to do any research or have any qualifications,
just obviously an interest in the history of Swaffham
and our local area.
3
Swaffham’s Youth Literature Project
An exciting new youth literary project is aiming to take
over Swaffham in the New Year. The project is asking
young people to respond to the theme ‘Harvest,’ with
a clear focus on Swaffham Market Place and the town’s
rich agricultural heritage.
The town has developed a tradition of hosting writers
and running community creative writing events and
this new expansion of the work is in co-operation with
Iceni Partnership, Historic England, Swaffham Library,
and supported by Swaffham’s Cultural Consortium. The
project will encourage students from Swaffham Primary
School and Year 8 students at the Nicholas Hammond
Academy to respond creatively to the theme working
with a writer in residence and creative facilitator, Bel
Greenwood, for a week with the aim of inspiring and
encouraging students to develop their own individual
responses to the theme. All entries will be entered into
a competition. The work will be displayed throughout
the town and the project is asking shops to volunteer
a corner of their windows to host some of the work.
There will be a display at Swaffham Library, as well as
an exhibition and a celebration and prize-giving event
at Swaffham Assembly Rooms on 27th April 2024.
Norfolk storyteller Su Squires aka Tilly the Talespinner
and award- winning teen author Polly Crosby who
will hold a session during the day, sharing the thrilling
adventure of putting pen, pencil or crayon to paper
and coming up with a creative response.
Any shops keen to host an A4 poster or two of the
young people’s work please get in touch with Lynette
on 07900 570765.
Iceni Antics
At the time of writing we are gearing up for our
final Friday Lunch Club of the year - a festive affair
with a full Christmas Dinner and all the trimmings. We
hope that everyone in attendance had a wonderful
time! Aside from Lunch Club we also catered for
several of our group's Christmas parties. We are
getting quite good at this catering lark (if we do say
so ourselves!).
We look forward to continuing to challenge ourselves
with new ventures in 2024. A big thank you to our
many supporters for their ongoing encouragement.

St Peter & St Paul, Swaffham
swaffhamchurch@gmail.com
or 01760 725051
Services for January 2024 (to which all are welcome)
Sunday 7 January Feast of Epiphany celebrating the
coming of the wise men
9.30am Sung Eucharist
3.30pm Evensong
Sunday 14 January
10am United Benefice
Sung Eucharist with
Confirmation Service
with Bishop of Lynn
Sunday 21 January
8am Holy Communion
10am United Benefice Sung Eucharist
Sunday 28 January
9.30am Sung Eucharist
Mid-week service Wednesday Mornings
10am Holy Communion (said)
Saturdays Coffee & Cake
9.30am to 12noon
on Saturdays 6, 13, 20, 27 January
The Church is open daily for Private Prayer and for
Visitors between 9am and 3pm
A Bible Study Group meets on Wednesday 17 January
at 2.30pm at 15 Wroxham Avenue - new members
welcome.
Our glorious Christmas Tree Festival was another
outstanding success. People were welcomed into the
churchyard and church along an avenue of daisy chains
crafted in wire by local artist and sculptor Jo Pluckrose
of Pentney.
The Christmas Trees were decorated by local charities
and organisations. A HUGE THANKYOU TO EVERYONE
involved from Church and Community as we shared
the Christian message of joy, peace, hope and goodwill.
Contact may be made via email: swaffhamchurch@
gmail.com or 01760 725051.
Swaffham Mothers' Union
The members of the Swaffham Mothers' Union would
like to thank everyone who kindly left a donation at the
Mothers’ Union Christmas Tree, at the recent Festival
at Swaffham Parish Church.
Our tree looked magnificent, with a knitted “likeness”
of our Founder Member Mary Sumner looking down
benevolently from the topmost branch. Born in 1828,
Mary wanted to create an organisation for women
that brought together rich and poor to build a network
that would support mothers in caring for their families.
The Mothers’ Union was one of the first women-led
organisations and is spread across 84 countries, and
our movement seeks to bring about justice, challenge
prejudice and advocate change, whilst caring for the
vulnerable in our society.
Your kind donation will go towards a number of
charities the Mothers' Union support, and we fund
raise for these throughout the year: AFIA is a Mothers'
Union funded holiday scheme to give the opportunity
of a break to those who may be experiencing stress or
difficulties in their family life. Families are able to spend
time together “away from it all”, and hopefully obtain
relief and healing.
The Angel Tree is a prison fellowship project that gives
parents in prison the opportunity to send a present to
their children. The Mothers' Union provide presents
each year for children via this charity.
We also donate money or items to Baby Basics. This
project aims to support new mothers and
families, including women fleeing domestic abuse, who
are struggling to meet the financial burden of looking
after a new baby. The Mothers' Union are also active
in providing support to refugees. We also care for each
other within our group and keep other MU groups in
our prayers. As well as being grateful for donations, we
are always happy to welcome new members or visitors
to any of our monthly meetings. Contact Julia Higbee
for details: 01760 720041. Contact may be made via
email: swaffhamchurch@gmail.com or 01760 725051.
Swaffham Baptist Church
38 Station Street, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 7HP
Swaffham Baptist Church is a caring and friendly
congregation. As a united church body, we seek
to explore and deepen our Christian life together
by serving God in the local community. If you are
interested in finding out more about the Christian
faith or if you are a Christian looking for a loving
and friendly fellowship, then you will find a warm
welcome at any of our services or activities.
*A warm welcome is extended to all*
SUNDAYS
• 10:00 - 10:30 – Weekly prayer time in the church
hall prior to regular worship service.
• 10:45 – Weekly Morning Worship Service, followed
by fellowship with Tea/Coffee/biscuits served in the
hall.
MONDAYS
• 10:00 – 12:30- Foodbank Distribution Centre Open
WEDNESDAY
• 19:00 – 20:30 – The 1st & 3rd Wednesday of
the month- Bible study in the church office.
www.swaffhambaptistchurch.org.uk
t: 01760 725684
e: swaffhambc2020@outlook.com
Swaffham Methodist Church
Happy New Year Everyone
*Please note there will be no drop in on 2nd January.*
• Friday 5th Jan 9.30am. Power of Prayer. Praying for
our troubled world. Phone 01760 722611 for venue.
• Saturday 6th Jan 9.30-12noon CHURCH COFFEE
MORNING and JANUARY SALES STALL!
• Sun 7th January 10.45am. Covenant Service.
Congregation from Sporle join us to renew our
promises to God. Rev Jacqui officiating. Holy
Communion.All welcome . Refreshments afterwards.
• Tues 9th January 10am-12noon. The Meeting Place
Drop In. Free refreshments. A warm and welcoming
atmosphere awaits you.
• Thurs 11th January 2.30pm. Swaffham Friendship
Group Beetle Drive. Refreshments served.
• Fri 12th January 9.30am. The Power of Prayer.
Phone 01760 722611 for venue.
• Sun 14th January 10.45am. Morning Worship led
by some of the Worship Leaders . Refreshments
served afterwards.
• Tues 16th January 20am-12noon. The Meeting
Place Drop In. Increasingly popular, come and join us
for a good chat and a laugh. Free refreshments and a
warm space.
• Fri 19th January 9.30am. The Power of Prayer.
Phone 01760 722611 for venue.
• Sun 21st January 10.45am. Morning Worship led by
Quentin Stephen. Refreshments served afterwards.
All welcome.
• Tues 23rd January 10am-12noon. The Meeting
Place Drop In. All welcome.
• Thurs 25th January 2.30pm. Swaffham Friendship
Group. Speaker is Surgeon Jonathan Hull and his
subject is about joint replacement, entitled ‘60 years
of searching for the perfect joint!’
• Fri 26th January 9.30am. The Power of Prayer.
Phone 01760 722611 for venue.
• Sun 28th January 10.45am. Morning Worship led
by Deacon Jen Woodfin. Refreshments served.
• Tues 30th January 10am-12noon. The Meeting
Place Drop In. Free refreshments and a warm space
to make friends.
The Oasis Centre
A church in the heart of the community
Sundays weekly
• 10am: Praise & Prayer
• 10.30am: Tea & Coffee
• 11am: Worship, Teaching and Communion
Wednesdays weekly
• 10am Worship & Prayer
The Oasis Centre, Cley Road, Swaffham PE37 7NP T: 01760 723175
@oasiscentreswaffham
View Swaffham Newsletter Online
www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
Swaffham WEA
We are very pleased that there will be two
WEA courses in the spring: a Day School with
Fiona Fitzgerald on "Women Artists from 1500 to 2000":
and a 3 week course with Mary Fewster following on with
part 2 of "Health, Medicine and Social Care". Both courses
will take place at the Community Centre, Campingland,
Swaffham PE37 7RB.
Fiona's course will look at who the women artists were
and why we know so little about them; how the ways in
which art education, studio set-ups and writing about art
have enabled some members of that society to become
well known while others remain in obscurity. Fiona's
course will run on Saturday 24th February from 10am -
3pm with breaks for refreshments (which we will provide)
and lunch (please bring your own). The fee for the course
will be £25. The course number is Q00013239.
Mary's course starting on Wednesday 28th February will
continue her study of health, welfare and social provision:
who the carers werem what kinds of medicines were
used, with reference to the local institutions involed in the
nursing of the sick. Mary's diligent research of historical
documents forms the basis of all her teaching. New
students will be welcomed, as well as those following
on. Tea and coffee will be served from 1.30 - 2pm, with
the course running from 2-4pm with a short break in the
middle. The fee for the course will be £36. The course
reference number is Q00013188.
You can find more information at wea.org.uk under
'Swaffham' and can book in advance here or by calling
0300 303 3464 to speak to a friendly (real) voice. Both
courses are going to be very interesting - we look forwrad
to seeing old friends and new faces!
Happy New Year!
4
5

Would you like a career
working with children?
Would you like a job that is flexible and rewarding?
Come along to Adult Learning’s FREE Working with
Children course, and take the first stepping-stone in your
journey to a fulfilling career, working with children.
Starts Tuesday 16th January for 3 weeks
10am to 12pm
Swaffham Community Centre, Campinglands,
Swaffham, PE37 7RB
PAY MONTHLY
Scan the QR code or visit the website to check out
the full range of courses running in Swaffham, which
includes: Intro to Teaching Assistants and computer skills.
www.norfolk.gov.uk/adultlearning
0344 800 8020 (option 5)
@norfolkadultlearning
@norfolklearn
@norfolk_adult_learning
HAYES + STORR SOLICITORS
SWAFFHAM LEGAL SERVICES
Your legal matters in safe hands
• Property Sales and Purchases
• Children and Family Law
• Wills and Probate
• Lasting Powers of Attorney
• Employment Law
• Business and Company Law
• Agricultural Law
• Commercial Property
1 Beacon House, Turbine Way PE37 7XJ • Free on-site parking with disabled access
Call us today 01760 724424
www.hayesandstorr.co.uk
Swaffham | Fakenham | King’s Lynn | Holt | Sheringham

Swaffham Climate Action
& Environment Group
Swaffham Social was a great opportunity to talk to people about our
We will start the New Year with support
from Breckland District Councillor, David
Wickerson, who has facilitated our meeting
on Thursday 11th January at 10am in the Methodist
Church. We look forward to welcoming Cllr Helen
Crane, Executive Member for Waste, Environmental
Health, Licensing & Sustainability at the council and
Jason Cole, Net Zero Innovation & Delivery Manager
to put in the money saved can be a good incentive.
at the Norfolk Climate Change Partnership (NCCP).
Helen will be presenting an update on the Breckland
Sustainability Strategy and Jonathan will be talking
about the recent news that Swaffham will be the
Breckland community involved in the Norfolk Net
Zero Clean Growth project. All are welcome to come
along and hear the latest news from them and we
suggestions, and receive all meeting notes and information.
are very grateful to both Helen and Jason for coming
to update the group, and to David for organising this.
Come and join us
As always everyone is welcome to our regular
monthly meetings, usually on the second Thursday
of each month at 10am in the Methodist Church.
Please get in touch with either Cathy Mumford on
01760 721847 / 07799 642271, cathyjmumford@
gmail.com or David Jones on 01760 722468 / 07806
435066, dljdav@gmail.com to check on meeting
dates and times as they can vary.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year! We
have to all remain positive about how we in Swaffham
can make a contribution towards a better future,
more resilient to climate change.
group and we were pleased to have a list of potential new members and a
good level of interest in our stand. It was lovely to see the range of activities
and social groups in the community. The Community Fridge is a brilliant initiative to reduce
waste, a big contributor to climate change. By using the Community Fridge, making sure that
we only buy the food we need, and ensuring it is all used, we can all make a difference. An
estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food waste is created annually in the UK and if this goes into
landfill it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. If you have leftovers or a surplus
food it can often be frozen or recycled into another recipe and a piggy bank (or a spreadsheet!)
We have resumed monthly in person meetings in February but will be trying out a new
format of alternating between morning meetings in person and Zoom meetings in the evening
so please get in touch to find out the latest. Contact Cathy Mumford on 01760 721847,
cathyjmumford@gmail.com or David Jones on 01760 722468 / 07806 435066,
dljdav@gmail.com. Anyone with an interest in climate awareness in the community is most
welcome to join us. If you are not able attend, you can still join the group, contribute with
Swaffham Arts
Date for the diary: March 16th at 7.30pm at Swaffham
Assembly Rooms. Chaos Collective will perform a
concert of music to celebrate the achievements of
Swaffham Cultural Consortium's events and findings
of the past three years, devoted to appreciating the
qualities of our town.
We hope you will be able to come. More details later.
View Swaffham Newsletter Online
www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
8
NarVOS
Indoor meeting at The Assembly
Rooms, 1 Market Place, Swaffham
PE37 7AB Wednesday 31 January 2024
at 7.30pm “The Norfolk Plover”
Our first guest speaker of 2024 is a long-time friend
of NarVOS and an unwavering supporter of the
Breckland avifauna, the incomparable Chris Knights.
Chris has lived in Norfolk all his life and been keen
on birds and natural history subjects for the greater
part of it. He first became interested in photography
in the late 1950’s which has played an everincreasing
part in his life, many of his pictures have
been taken on his own farm in Norfolk and on his
travels to various parts of the world including Spain,
Poland, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand. Over a 25-
year period he made wildlife films for television.
Chris has recently published his spectacular opus on
the bird which symbolises the unique habitat in which
we live, the Stone Curlew, known affectionately as
the Norfolk Plover.
Talks by Chris have always been popular and in no
small part to the extraordinary lengths to which Chris
has gone in capturing at close hand his favourite
subject on camera. Chris’s beautiful book will delight
all of those with a love for the countryside, farming
or wildlife and we can look forward to hearing the
stories of how the book came to be written.
Please come along. Visitors welcome. Admission £4
on the night; free to NarVOS members. For more
information contact Ian Black on 01760 724092 or
go to www.narvos.org.uk
Caram Voice in Norfolk
Volunteer With Children
Looking for a fun volunteering opportunity that fits
around your other commitments? Want to help some
of our most vulnerable children and inspire them
towards better, brighter things?
For some children in care, most adults in their
lives are social workers or other paid professionals.
Please consider becoming an Independent Visitor,
a volunteer who visits a child for a few hours each
month to build a valuable and consistent relationship
by spending time together doing fun activities.
Thorough training and support provided, as well as
reimbursement of reasonable expenses.
To find out more about volunteering as an Independent
Visitor with Coram Voice in Norfolk please email :
norfolk@coramvoice.org.uk, or visit coramvoice.org.
uk and select current vacancies.
Swaffham Walking Group
Swaffham Walking Group is a small friendly group of
keen walkers who enjoy the countryside and cake.
Meeting every Wednesday at 9.30am and every
Sunday at 10.00am in various locations around
Swaffham and the surrounding villages to enjoy a
walk from around 3 to 6.5 miles. Afterwards enjoying
Tea, Coffee & Cakes/biscuits. For more information
and details on the next walk, please contact Graham
Lathwell on 07486 901 948.
9
Swaffham Cultural Consortium
To celebrate and end the series of community events
which have been funded over the last two years by Historic
England the Swaffham Cultural Consortium is holding
a Heritage Week in mid-March with events around the
town during the week, a final display of everything we
have done in the Assembly Rooms on Saturday 16th
March and a concert shared with Swaffham Arts in the
parish church in the evening.
The 16th will also feature the launch of Mapping the
Marketplace website and some of the associated booklets
produced by Swaffham History Group. Every building on
the Marketplace has been researched for this project but
we will need the community’s help to fill the gaps and tell
us what mistakes we have made!
The finds that were discovered on the Campingland dig
will also be on display. At the moment they are being
photographed and recorded by the Camera Club. There
will be a free mosaic workshop for all ages and many
photographs of everything we have done. Breckland
Council will also be on hand to display what the High
Street/Heritage Action Zone initiative, also part funded by
Historic England, has achieved around the Marketplace.
The Hive at Great Cressingham
Baah Humbug at The Hive!
A fantastically varied Autumn Inspiration season at The
Hive in Great Cressingham was rounded off at the year
end with an entertaining afternoon reading a dramatized
version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Not
everyone got to be an angelic Tiny Tim or a curmudgeonly
Ebenezer Scrooge, but everyone did manage to say ‘Baah
Humbug’ at the finish!
Across 2023, The Hive welcomed over 300 visitors to
its many activities which span creativity, spirituality and
well-being. This included walks, talks, yoga, singing, Celtic
traditions, art, poetry and music – as well as the Christmas
play-reading. All events at The Hive are free and we can
continue to do this as people donate generously to cover
the basic costs, for which a big ‘thank you’.
Our new season will be launched in the Spring with many
of the activities which people already enjoy together
with some new ideas. Do follow us on facebook at /
GreatCressinghamHive/. A happy and healthy new year
to everyone!

PAY MONTHLY
Light up for our Lisa Fundraiser
Kay and her girls from the Market Cross and Gill,Keith
and all their girls from Just Hair along with Lucy, Lesley
and all of Lisa's family would like to say a huge thankyou
to everyone who came and supported their Hogroast,
with entertainment by the wonderful ''Pot of
Gold Shanty Crew'' who so generously donated £200
of their fee back for Lisa. Also huge thanks to Alex
and his team at Impson's Butchers and his abattoir
for donating all the meat and to Dougie and Jacob
for cooking it so perfectly. Another huge thankyou
to Emma and Andy from Wellbread bakers for
donating all the bread rolls, mince pies and raffle
prize along with so many other people, including
friends and family who gave wonderful raffle prizes.
Finally, thanks to Father Christmas for entertaining
children big and small and to everyone who gave
such generous donations and made and donated all
the delicious chocolate Brownies.
Wissey u3a
On Thursday 7th December
we enjoyed our Christmas Party when we were
entertained by Rockavox and what a joyful way it
proved to be to start the season’s celebrations.
At our first meeting of the New Year, on Thursday 4th
January 2024, our guest speaker will be Don Mobley,
who will give an illustrated talk about US Military
Aviation.
As well as a monthly meeting, we have 20 Activity
Groups, organised by our members, where interests
are shared and friendships forged. To learn of the
range of these groups please visit our website www.
wisseyu3a.org or contact our Chairman, David
Moncaster on 01760 724755 for further information.
2024 HOLIDAY BROCHURE OUT NOW
PLEASE RING ON 01328 701531 FOR YOURS
OR VISIT www.peelingscoaches.co.uk
Ben Burgess Beeston Dereham Road, Beeston, Norfolk PE32 2LE
01328 701347 | www.benburgess.co.uk
Open Mon - Fri 08:00 to 18:00 | Sat - 08:00 to 12:00
Special thanks to Jonathan and Claire at Iceni
Partnership for all their support with printing and
to Debbie and Stewart Bell for allowing use of the
Assembly Rooms when their light switch on event
was running. In total we managed to raise an amazing
£2,000 for Lisa, who has worked for Gill at Just Hair
for 16 years and suffered a devastating Brain bleed
in September at the age of 34. Lisa is still in the West
Raynham Stroke Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
in Kings Lynn, and is still paralysed down her left side.
We are all so grateful to everyone for everything you
have all done to support Lisa. Thank you all from the
bottom of our hearts, with love from Kay, Gill, Keith &
all their girls Xxx
Phoenix Singers
On Friday 8th December in The Methodist Church
the Phoenix Singers gave their usual polished
performance entertaining the audience with a
programme of Christmas music. They were joined by
guests THREE’S COMPANY reciting some very amusing
poems and writings from Christmas past and present.
Behind every
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Castle Quilters Group
(Formally Castle Quilters)
Are you looking for a friendly, creative group in
Swaffham? Come and try us. Starting in January we
will be meeting on the first Monday of each month at
Swaffham Community Centre on Campingland. The
first meeting is free, thereafter we charge £24 per
annum. We would love to welcome new members.
We hold occasional workshops.
Contact Margaret on 07767 435090 or Linda on
07884 077191.
Members of the choir also added to the festive
atmosphere with accompanying jingle bells and
recorder. What a versatile group of ladies they are.
During the interval a very lively raffle took place
with plenty of prizes. Mince pies and a fruit punch
were also on the menu. Once again a very enjoyable
evening was had by all.
The evening was sponsored by The Swaffham Cultural
Consortium, funded by Historic England. All proceeds
from the evening will go to a local Charity.
11

MUSEUM
MATTERS
www.swaffhammuseum.co.uk
There are changes afoot at the museum as it enters a new
phase of life. Sue is stepping down as Museum Manager
after ten years but will still be around as the archivist.
The museum has a large and unwieldy collection of local
documents – originals and copies - which need organising
and eventually digitising and adding to a database so that
they are more easily accessible to researchers. We are
always anxious to unravel a little more of the history of
the town.
Over the last four years our curating team has audited all
of the artefacts in the museum so that we know what and
where everything is. All pieces have been photographed
and are being added to a database to make searches
easier. Now it’s the documents’ turn!
We have been working with the History Group on the
Mapping the Marketplace website project with the
support of Historic England and intend to develop this
site over time so that it includes people of Swaffham and
gathering on the Marketplace (you would be surprised
how rebellious we were further back) and other areas
and buildings of the town so that eventually we have
a readily accessible “Story of Swaffham” backed by
documentation which we can find with little difficulty.
Meanwhile our large collection of posters from Coe’s the
printers – some dating back to the 19th century - have now
been photographed – thank you Alan – and are waiting
to be catalogued. They have been hidden in drawers for
many years with the occasional couple brought out for
display. They deserve much more recognition.
The museum closes on December 22nd for our Winter
clean. When we reopen on 12 February 2024 you may
find some small changes in the museum displays. We
have one interesting new artefact – more about that next
month. We would like to thank everyone for their support
over 2023 and wish you all a very Happy Christmas.
View Swaffham Newsletter Online
www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
Friends of Swaffham Heritage
The Friends of Swaffham Heritage are pleased to have
helped to run the Swaffham Cultural Consortium
‘Under the Eye of the Buttercross’ events over the
past year which will come to a conclusion at the end
of March 2024. It has been a fantastic year overall
and the events were enjoyed by so many of our
townsfolk, demonstrating how the Market Place is
such a valued asset to the town beyond hosting our
ancient Saturday Market.
100 Club
The 100 Club is a steady contributor of funds for
Swaffham Heritage, run by the Friends of Swaffham
Heritage exclusively for its members.
Winners for December 2023 were:
• £40 – no 2309
• £20 – no 2382
• £10 – no 2396
• Special Prize £100 – no 2312
Note that the numbers begin with 23...
Cheques are on the way to our lucky winners!
If you are not already a member of the 100 Club, you
can apply to join. It’s £20 for the year, for a chance
to win one of the monthly prizes of £40, £20 and
£10, and a twice a year the chance to win £100!
You also have the satisfaction of knowing that your
subscription helps the work of our museum, even if
you don’t win.
Also, you could consider joining the Friends of
Swaffham Heritage. The current membership fee to
join the Friends is a one-off Life membership fee of
£10 for an individual or £15 for a family (two adults
and two children under 16 years of age living at the
same address). This gives you free access to all the
museum galleries for life.
Ask at the museum about becoming a Friend or
use the contact details below or on the Swaffham
Heritage website.
For further information about the Friends of Swaffham
Heritage see our webpage, on the Swaffham Heritage
website https://www.swaffhammuseum.co.uk/
support-us#friends-of- swaffham-heritage , or email
to friends@swaffhammuseum.co.uk , or call in to the
Museum.
For the 100 Club contact the Membership Secretary
by email stuartclapton@aol.com
Royal British Legion
2024 Meetings of the Royal British Legion resume
8pm at Con Club Swaffham Tuesday 16th January.
NB NO MEETING FEBRUARY.
Merle Boddy Centre
The Merle Boddy Day Centre provides a
warm and friendly Social Day Care Service
for people living with dementia including
mental health problems and physical disabilities, in
Swaffham and the surrounding area.
In the run up to Christmas our lovely clients and staff
were very busy with decorating the Centre and we think
they did a fine old job.
It’s so nice when you have some wonderful musicians to
get you into the holiday spirit with an interactive music
session; a lovely visit from Jim and his fellow musicians for
a Christmas music session.
We will have had our Annual General Meeting on 21st
December by the time you are reading this. In particular
we are considering how to bring the governance of our
parent charity up to date, to allow the Centre to run more
efficiently. This should not affect the day-to-day running
of day care by Georgie, Steph and the professional staff,
but should help make the administration side more
practical for Fran.
If you are interested in our work and would like to be
involved, we always welcome volunteers, friends and
supporters to help us. In particular we would love to
hear from you if you would be interested in becoming a
Trustee of our parent charity, the Swaffham and District
Mental Health Association. We also welcome your
donations, small as well as big. You can give by visiting our
website and clicking on Fundraising, where we have a link
to JustGiving.
If you want to know more, find us on Facebook:
@merleboddycentre – or see our website:
www.merleboddy.org.uk – or email to us at
office@merleboddy.org.uk - or phone the Centre on
01760 724527.
12 13
Borough Council of Lynn & W.Norfolk
How the council is helping people to beat their bills
this winter
Following the success of the council’s Big Beat Your
Bills Event in King’s Lynn last month, it has been
decided to run a series of these bigger events over
the winter months – and the next one is just days
away. The success of these events speaks for itself
– one couple saved around £2,000 per year when
they spoke to our team at the King’s Lynn event.
Cllr Jo Rust, the council’s cabinet member for
people and communities, said: “This success story
gets to the heart of what Beat Your Bills is about.
Rises in the cost of living affect us all and for some,
can lead to difficult choices about staying warm
or eating well. No one should have to make these
choices and we feel it’s a great success when we can
help people to reduce their outgoings, boost their
income, eat healthily and generally stay well. We
would encourage anyone who might benefit from
talking to someone about their bills to come to one
of our events to see how much they can save.”
The couple who saved £2,000 p.a. spoke to advisors
at the most recent event on 31st October and
discovered they were eligible to claim council tax
support. Working with DWP the council completed
an application form for them, which included
backdating their payments. Within 2 days their
application had been processed and they were
awarded full support from the end of July 2023,
which generated a refund of overpaid council tax
of around £500. By not paying in future, the couple
will save around £2,000 per year.
Other people have been helped with debt advice,
making their homes more energy efficient, eating
healthily on a budget (and with limited cooking
facilities) and maximising their income.
Future events are as follows:
• King’s Lynn – Tuesday 23rd January (The Place)
• Downham Market – Tuesday 26th March (Town Hall)
All events run from 10am-2pm.

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The National Garden Scheme
Garden visiting at an all-time high for the
Norfolk National Garden Scheme
The Norfolk National Garden Scheme which opens
gardens, (mainly private) across the county, last year
received a record number of visitors and raised a record
£155,000 for the many health & nursing charities it
supports. Garden visiting continues to be an enjoyable
and inexpensive day out for the family, with children
going free. This year a diverse selection of over 70
glorious gardens will open over the period of eight
months: from the country estates to cottage gardens,
both rural and urban, a community garden, a hospice
garden, evening openings, guided tours and those open
by arrangement. Details can be found in our booklet or
on the website ngs.org.uk
The garden visiting year begins in February with the
ever-popular snowdrop festival and who doesn’t enjoy
a walk through a carpet of snowdrops?
Swaffham & District Lions Club
A Happy New Year to one and All. We had a
very busy time over the Christmas period,
starting with collecting for the foodbank, and
taking part in the St. Peter & Paul’s Church Christmas
Tree Festival with our Lions tree.
Our big event was the Pensioners Christmas Party,
held at the Nicholas Hamond Academy, where we put
on a lovely Christmas dinner for 98 guests, plus all the
helpers.
Chatteris • Dereham • Downham Market • Ely • Heacham • King’s Lynn • Swaffham • Watton
Moving into March and April the spring bulbs begin
to bring colour into the gardens, followed in May by
riotous rhododendrons and azaleas which feature in
some of our larger gardens. June is the busiest month,
with a medley of gardens filled with the joy and scents
of summer; evening guided tours of peony fields, an
evening opening in the garden of a famous designer, and
three new gardens opening near East Rudham, are just
a few examples. In July, take a guided tour of the Walled
Garden, Little Plumstead, visit two new gardens opening
in the rural village of Tittleshall, or admire an interesting
group of small town gardens in Norwich; perhaps you
might be tempted by a collection of four gardens in the
historic village of Castle Acre. During August the gardens
continue to flourish with a masterclass of grasses and
late planting at Severals Grange, a new garden called
Charnwood at Brundall, and the quirky Fiddian’s Folly.
September sees Holkham Hall walled garden return to
the Scheme with an exclusive evening opening, plus in
the south of the county Vicarage House, a new garden
will welcome visitors over two days.
October brings autumnal colours which you can enjoy at
the extensive gardens at East Ruston as well as another
new garden at East Carleton Manor. All these gardens
are featured in our popular county booklet which will be
available from February in garden centres, nurseries and
horticultural outlets.
Transport was provided for those who needed it, and
the food was cooked for us by the wonderful canteen
staff at the academy, who very kindly gave up their
time to provide us with the traditional turkey dinner
and Christmas pudding. The lunch was followed by a
Bingo session led by Deputy Mayor Councillor Paul
Darby with some lovely prizes.
Santa in his sleigh and along with his elves will have
visited Tesco and Waitrose in the run up to Christmas
to help us with our charity collections.
Wishing you all the best for 2024.
Swaffham & District Lions
15

Walking Rugby Groups
Walking Rugby Is Growing In Popularity In Norfolk
Two clubs more rugby clubs have recently started
their own Walking Rugby groups, and the county now
has four teams playing this great sport. This is a far cry
from the two clubs that have offered this variation of
the game since Fakenham started in 2019. In addition
to Fakenham and Yarmouth Rugby Clubs, we now have
Diss and North Walsham with regular playing sessions.
What is Walking Rugby? It is a fun, team-based, game
and a great way of introducing an element of lighthearted
exercise into your weekly routine.
Swaffham WI
On 6th December we all joined
together for our Christmas Lunch at
the George Hotel, which was a great
success. The President announced that this month
four ladies were celebrating their birthdays and as
usual each lady was given a card and a small gift
and we sang the Happy Birthday song, followed by
a Seasonal poem read by our President. There was a
very happy atmosphere and the Christmas Lunch was
excellent, a good time was had by all.
With Christmas in mind two of our members decorated
a Christmas Tree on behalf of Swaffham W.I. for the
Christmas Tree Festival in the Parish Church. Many
thanks go to the Organisers of the Festival and to our
tree decorators also.
We were reminded of upcoming events in 2024:
• Coach trip to the V&A Museum in London 1st
February 2024 to see the 'Re:imagining Musicals'
Exhibition.
Walking Rugby is a relatively new sporting activity - in
a similar vein to both Walking Football and Walking
Netball - and it aims to attract both men and women,
who are, in the main, in their 40s or older. At Fakenham
48% of members are ladies and most players are in the
50s and 60s. As a form of “touch rugby” this is a much
less physical and has minimal contact compared to its
standard counterpart. Its main aim is participating,
competing, and enjoying all the benefits of a team sport.
We have found that 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 must wear some suitable clothing and
footwear for playing on a natural grass pitch surface. We
can help with advice on this before you attend. 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 are drawn from across north
and mid- Norfolk.
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 with new clubs starting
we hope to have fixtures played against these other
Walking Rugby Groups before too long. 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
16
• Norfolk Federation of WI 18 th March at the Theatre
Royal, Norwich.
• W.I National Annual Meeting 2024 at the Royal
Albert Hall 4 th -5 th June 2024.
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 3rd January
2024 at 2.30pm in the Community Centre and will
include a Bring and Buy.
Swaffham W.I. wish you all a happy and peaceful
Christmas and New Year.
Should you wish for any more information please
contact our President Pauline Senton on 01760
788046 or our Secretary Christiane Hewitson on
07389 813386

In Touch With Your Town
Christmas Light Switch On
Despite the rainy weather, the
community spirit prevailed, making
the event a successful celebration. It
was great to see the community come
together and share warmth and festive cheer.
The Christmas Market hosted a variety of craft and
food stalls and there was entertainment throughout
the day on the Buttercross from Fakenham Town
Band, The Rock Choir, Heartwood Primary School
Choir, The Ukulele Band and Jay Harrison. Swaffham
Town Council would like to thank all the volunteers,
performers and participants who made the event a
success. Your contributions created memories for
the community. Santa’s Grotto was a success thanks
to Cllr. Steph Cooper and her team of volunteers.
Thank you to KL1 Radio for hosting the day.
Swaffham Town Council would like to thank Abel
Homes, Crocus, Greene and Greene, Uncle Lukes,
GEBE and Barratt Developments who helped make
the event happen through their kind sponsorships.
Swaffham Town Council were honoured to have
Nicholas and Evie join Buddy the Elf on stage to
illuminate Swaffham. In the spirit of compassion and
unity our community rallied together to support this
family during a challenging time. Swaffham Town
Council send their support and thoughts to Lisa and
her family.
Allotments available
Four allotments are now available. Two at Shouldham
Lane and two at Tumbler Hill. For more information
on the plots please contact Leanne Jarrett on
deputyclerk@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk.
Message from the Town Clerk, Helen Carrier
“As we step into the new year, let’s embrace the
opportunities it brings. May it be filled with joy,
growth, and prosperity for our community and each
of its members. In the coming year, we will continue
working to enhance the quality of life in Swaffham.
The Swaffham Town Council team are looking
forward to upcoming community projects, events,
and opportunities for connection. Thank you for
being an integral part of Swaffham. Here’s to a new
year filled with possibilities.”
Town Council Committee
meeting dates - JANUARY 2024
• Wednesday 10th 6.30pm Full Council
• Monday 15th 6.30pm Market & Tourism
• Monday 22nd 1pm Finance
• Tuesday 23rd 11am Planning & Built Environment
• Wednesday 31st 12.30pm Assets & Open Spaces
Have your say! Did you know all council meetings include a 15
minute session set aside for public participation. This is your
opportunity to put questions to your Councillors about things
that matter to you and the town. Why not come along and see
how your Councillors manage the council's affairs. Alternatively,
you can watch and listen to the monthly Full Council meetings
that are live streamed on Facebook @Swaffhamtowncouncil
Christmas Window Display
It was great to see the incredible creativity displayed
by the community in the Christmas Window Display
Competition. Congratulations to Sue Ryder Care
Charity Shop, Myhills Pet & Garden and The Red
Lion. Swaffham Town Council would like to thank
all the businesses/organisations for engaging in this
and spreading Christmas joy and charm to all who
passed by their windows.
Town Improvements
Additional electrical sockets have been installed
on streetlight poles with the aim of being able to
extend the Christmas light offering in the town in
future years.
Merryweather Road Posts
New posts have been installed at Merryweather
Road, to help stop vehicles being able to access the
green space.
If you have any queries about any of the items
mentioned or would like to hear more updates on
projects etc, please contact Swaĭam Town Council
on telephone 01760 722922 or pop in and see us.
Breckland District Council
www.breckland.gov.uk
01362 656 870. For all enquiries regarding: Planning,
Refuse Bins, Housing, Recycling, Licensing & Benefits
Your Breckland District Councillors:
Cllr. David Wickerson
david.wickerson@
breckland.gov.uk
Cllr. Jacob Morton
Jacob.Morton@
breckland.gov.uk
Cllr. Judy Anscombe
Judy.Anscombe@
breckland.gov.uk
Cllr. William Nunn
William.nunn.cllr@
norfolk.gov.uk
18 19
Highway issues
Norfolk County Council – www.norfolk.gov.uk
– 0344 800 8020
- Highways issues - please give the location of the
issue and a telephone number where further
information can be obtained.
- Faulty streetlights – please give the precise location
of the light and the number on the column.
Alternatively visit the website and search for
Highways or Street Lights to report your concerns.
Swaffham Town Council
Tel: 01760 722 922
www.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Town Hall opening times:
Monday to Thursday: 10am - 4pm.
Friday: 10am - 1pm.
reception@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Mayor - Cllr. Stewart Bell
bell@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Deputy Mayor - Cllr. Paul Darby
darby@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Lindsay Beech
beech@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Wendy Bensley
bensley@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. David Braithwaite
braithwaite@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Stephanie Cooper
cooper@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr Graham Edwards
edwards@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Caroline Ellerbeck
ellerbeck@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Graham Eves
eves@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Sarah Pickard
pickard@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Leslie Scott
scott@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. Jill Skinner
skinner@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Cllr. John Zielinski
zielinski@cllr.swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Officers:
Helen Carrier – Town Clerk
townclerk@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Leanne Jarratt – Deputy Town Clerk
deputyclerk@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk

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