Swaffham Newsletter

SN
Online
March 2024
Your free town newsletter published by Iceni Partnership
SWAFFHAM
newslet ter
version available to view at www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
NEWS EVENTS INFORMATION
Swaffham and District
Lions' Pancake Day Fun
Read about the Lions' annual pancake race tradition on p.13
REGULARS
Swaffham
Library
News
p.6
Wissey
U3A
p.9
Museum
Matters
p.12
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
Contents
3 TNHA/Church News
6 Swaffham Arts/The History Group
8 Climate Group/Community Hospital
9 Wissey U3A/Jazz Club
11 NarVOS/Authors, Books & Cakes
12 Museum Matters
13 Swaffham Lions/WI
14 NGS/Ashill & Hale Garden Group
15 Borough Council of Lynn & W.Norfolk
17 Merle Boddy/Royal British Legion
18 Swaffham Town Council
PAY MONTHLY
Swaffham Cultural Consortium
The culmination of 3 years of events from the launch
in January 2022 to the Finale on 16th March 2024
There will be a lot going on in Swaffham Heritage
Week between Saturday 9th March and Saturday
16th March. Make sure you have a programme of
events – out now on our website, social media and
around the town.
Just a few things to whet your appetite!
Saturday 9th Historic boards in some of the Market
Place shops. We need your help to fill in the gaps!
Museum activities for children. Free entry.
Wednesday 13th Wartime Tea Dance. Military
vehicles from the time to commemorate the 80th
anniversary of the Ringmasters at North Pickenham.
Who remembers the Christmas parties?
Saturday 16th
• Rock Choir
• Launch of the Mapping the Marketplace website
• Mosaic workshop
• Children’s activities
• The Finds from the Campingland Dig
• Displays from the schools and Literacy Project
• Group tours by the Historic England Listing Team
• Photos from all the events
• Breckland’s input and the future
• Old Hamondian Keith
Skipper on the role Swaffham
has played in his life as a
journalist, broadcaster, author
and “wandering mardler”
• Swaffham Arts concert
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3

TNHA News
With the arrival of March, we are all hoping
that the worst of the weather is behind us
and looking forward to Easter and more
‘Spring Like’ temperatures!
Our students are enjoying all aspects of fitness at
the academy, with recent interform basketball and
dodgeball, sporting fixtures against other local schools
and taking part in a National Basketball Competition
based around the American Basketball League.
Students have also welcomed the opening of a new
fitness suite at the academy with funds gained from
Active Norfolk. Equipment for use includes 6 rowing
machines, exercise bikes, boxing bags, ‘chin-up bars’
and ‘battle ropes’.
Outside of school, and following on from the recent
West Norfolk Cross Country event earlier this year, 5
of our students have qualified for the County finals. On
what was a rain-soaked day students ‘gave their all’ in
representing the academy.
In rather more sedate pursuits, however still on a
sporting theme, students continue to embrace reading
and have taken part in a competition ‘Make it a Goal to
Read’ which focussed on reading football biographies.
Each student read two appropriately themed books
and their names were put into a draw. The winner read
biographies of Halland and Stirling which chronical
the individual journeys of these two inspiring players.
Prizes included a football donated by Swaffham Town
FC and a selection of signed photographs donated by
Norwich City.
In order to engage a
younger audience and
to celebrate National
Storytelling Week, a
group of our students
were delighted to
visit to local primary
schools to share
books. Their listeners were very enthusiastic, engaged
and asked lots of questions. The aim of National
Storytelling Week is to inspire a whole new generation
of storytellers and celebrate the practice and value of
telling and sharing stories.
Looking towards the future, our careers team have
been busy helping students make choices around their
studies. The academy has welcomed both the UEA
and Poultec into Year 9 assemblies who gave valuable
information as to what subjects are required for which
careers pointing, them towards subject choices for
the start of their GCSE courses. Current Year 10 and
11 students have had the benefit of one-to-one advice
from a Careers Advisor giving them guidance on ‘next
steps’ whether it be post-16 study or apprenticeships.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish
everyone a Happy Easter and look forward to starting
the Summer Term in April!
St Peter & St Paul, Swaffham
swaffhamchurch@gmail.com
or 01760 725051
Services for March 2024 (to which all are Welcome)
Sunday 3rd March
9.30am Sung Eucharist
3.30pm Evensong
Sunday 10th March – Mothering Sunday
9.30am Sung Eucharist
Sunday 17th March – Passion Sunday
8am Holy Communion
9.30am United Benefice Sung Eucharist
Sunday 24th March – Palm Sunday
9.30am Sung Eucharist
Maundy Thursday – 28th March
7.30pm Sung Eucharist – Stripping of
Altar and Vigil 7pm to 10pm
Good Friday – 29th March & Easter Eve 30th March
services to be confirmed
Sunday 31st March – Easter Day
Christ is Risen, Alleluia!
9.30am Sung Eucharist
Mid-week service Wednesday Mornings
10am Holy Communion (said)
The 40 days of Lent began on 14th February an
opportunity for a time of personal reflection and reassessment
of priorities
Saturdays Coffee & Cake
9.30am to 12noon on Saturdays 2nd, 9th, 16th & 23rd
March
The Church is open daily for Private Prayer and for
Visitors between 9am and 3pm
Bible Study Group meets on Wednesday 6th and
20th March at 2.30pm at 15 Wroxham Avenue. New
members welcome.
Easter Flowers
March 31st is the date for Easter Sunday this year. As
is our custom we shall celebrate this festival with hope
and joy in the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul's. If
you would like to make a cash contribution towards the
cost of the Easter flowers, in memory of a loved one,
we would be most grateful. Donations may be given to
Sheila Fowler, the Church Warden, in an envelope with
your name and the name of your departed loved one to
be remembered. A list of those being remembered will
also be in Church over this Great Festival of New Life.
Swaffham Mother's Union Branch
Thursday 14th March Mothers Union Corporate
Communion 2024, 10am at St .Peter & St. Paul Church
We offer support for each other within our group and
keep other MU groups in our prayers. We are always
happy to welcome new members or visitors to our
monthly meetings Contact: Julia Higbee for details
01760 720041.
Swaffham Methodist Church
• Saturday 2nd March - 9.30am-12noon Church
Coffee Morning and Stall.
• Sunday 3rd March - 10.45am Morning Worship
led by the Worship Leaders. Refreshments served.
All welcome.
• Tuesday 5th March - 10am-12noon The Meeting
Place Drop In - all welcome.
• Wednesday 6th March - 10am-11am Lent Bible
Study Part 4 (Lent with the beloved disciple) - all
welcome.
• Sunday 10th March - 10.45am all welcome to our
all age worship for Mothering Sunday - led by Rev
Jacqui Horton - refreshments served.
• Tuesday 12th March - 10am -12noon the Meeting
Place drop in - all welcome.
• Wednesday 13th March - 10am-11am Lent Bible
Study Part 5 (Lent with the beloved disciple) all
welcome.
• Thursday 14th March - 2.30pm Swaffham
Friendship Group. Speaker Michael Upton from
The Samaritans. All welcome.
• Sunday 17th March 11.45am. Morning Worship
led by Miss Anna Hall. Refreshments served. All
welcome.
• Tuesday 19th March 10am-12noon. The Meeting
Place drop in with a visit from the Green Pastures
Christian book shop. All welcome.
• Wednesday 20th March 10am-11am Lent Bible
Study Part 6 (Lent with the beloved disciple). All
welcome.
• Sunday 24th March 10.45am Morning Worship
led by Dee Moden. Refreshments served. All
welcome.
• Tuesday 26th March 10am-12noon. The Meeting
Place drop in. All welcome.
• Wednesday 27th March 10am-11am Lent Bible
Study. Last in the series.
• Thursday 28th March 2.30pm Swaffham
Friendship Group. Rev Jacqui shares with us her
special crosses. All welcome.
• Friday 29th March Good Friday. All welcome to
gather with us at the Methodist Church at 11am
for the final part of tragedy to triumph (the nails).
Join us afterwards for hot cross buns.
• Saturday 30th March 9.30am-12noon. Coffee
Morning organised by Bridget Knock.
• Sunday 31st March 11.45am after the
transformation of the cross from tragedy to
triumph we celebrate Easter Sunday with worship
and holy communion. Service led by Rev Jacqui
Horton. Refreshments served. All welcome.
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
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
Fountain Of Life Church, Swaffham
folchurch.co.uk
Find us on Instagram & Facebook: folchurchswaffham
We are a new, friendly congregation with modern,
charismatic style worship. We are linked to Fountain
of Life Church in Ashill.
You are very welcome Sunday mornings in Swaffham
Community Centre, Campingland. 9:30am for tea,
coffee and chat, service starts at 10am.
Special Services:
• Palm Sunday - 24th March
• Easter Sunday - 31st March
4
5

6
The 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 first meeting of 2024 was held on Monday 12th
February, when Dr Sue Gattuso gave us a fascinating
lecture about the Spelman Library which was
bequeathed to the Town of Swaffham in the later 17th
century, by Clement Spelman, whose uncle Francis
Spelman, had been a Jesuit priest. The wider Spelman
family were mixed Catholic and Protestant followers,
sometimes even among siblings!
The library contains some 400 volumes, which was
immense for those times. Interestingly around a quarter
of the books relate to Roman Catholic theology, perhaps
not so surprising given the donor and his relative. It is
still something of a mystery why he left the books to
Swaffham, as he had never resided here, but around
that time there is thought to have been some revival
of Roman Catholicism in the area although not related
to the Bedingfields. At the time of his death in 1679 he
lived in St Mary Magdalen in the Marshland fens.
The bequest was specifically to the Town, and not to the
Parish. From that time the Library was mainly held in the
parish church of St Peter and St Paul but now resides in
the Library at Norwich Cathedral.
We will be meeting next on Monday 11th March at our
usual venue. Then in April we have a visit arranged to
the Narborough Museum; more details on that at the
March meeting.
You can find out more about us online in the Swaffham
Heritage website at https://www.swaffhammuseum.
co.uk/history/swaffham-history-group or just drop
in at our next meeting. Alternatively, please email
theswaffhamhistorygroup@gmail.com for further
information.
New members are always welcome; you are not
required to do any research or have any qualifications
just, obviously, an interest in our local history.
Castle Quilt & Craft Group
(Formerly 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.
Swaffham Arts
Dear Members and Friends,
We hope you are keeping well, warm, dry and rooted
during this season of cold winds and rain!
We are very pleased to present our next event:
Chaos Collective is coming to Swaffham Assembly
Rooms on Saturday 16th March at 7.30pm, bringing
another varied concert of classical and popular music.
They delighted a packed audience in the Methodist
Church last year with their imaginative programme
and entertaining presentation.
The programme this year will include Handel’s Queen
of Sheba, film music from The Lion King by Hans
Zimmer and Spring by Max Richter. They will also play
quartet music by Shostakovich and Dvorak.
Tickets for this concert priced at £12 are available now
from The Green Parrot 01760 724704 and Swaffham
Community Centre 01760 722800, and on the door.
We are grateful to Swaffham Cultural Consortium and
Historic England for support for the concert which
will mark the conclusion of three years of events
celebrating Swaffham past and present. We hope you
will be able to join us!
With best wishes from all at Swaffham Arts
Swaffham Library News
Swaffham Library, The Pightle, Swaffham PE37 7DF
Tel 01760 721513
Staffed opening times: Tuesday and Thursday 10am-
7pm, Friday 1-7pm and Saturday 10am-4pm
Shardlake’s Norwich – talk by Paul Dickson
Looking at episodes in Kett’s Rebellion and celebrating
CJ Sansom’s novel, Tombland. Friday 22nd March,
7pm. Tickets £5 including refreshments. Book online
at www.norfolk.gov.uk/libraries or speak to staff. A
Swaffham Library Friends event
Call us today 01760 724424
www.hayesandstorr.co.uk
HAYES + STORR SOLICITORS
SWAFFHAM LEGAL SERVICES
Swaffham | Fakenham | King’s Lynn | Holt | Sheringham
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

Swaffham Climate &
Environment Group
It is maybe a little late for New Year’s
resolutions but we have a few simple and
easy changes you can resolve to make for 2024 which
will benefit the planet!
• Ditch single use water bottles and invest in a refillable
one.
• Use it alongside a re-usable hot drinks cup which
you can take to your favourite coffee shop to use
instead of a disposable cup
• Think about all the other single use products you
could live without; paper napkins, cutlery, food wrap
• Annoy your family and friends with your virtuous
activities until they feel obliged to join you. Reusable
cups and bottles make an ideal birthday present!
• Start slowly with one day a week so don’t use your
car or have a meat free day, for example, and then
add another day a week, gradually building up.
• Watch this space for more simple tips!
Come and join us
Everyone is welcome to our regular monthly meetings,
usually on the second Thursday of each month at
10am in the Methodist Church. The March meeting
will be a talk and discussion led by Colin and Janet
Abbiss on their experiences with food and cooking in
a climate friendly way. 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.
Community Hospital LOF's
A short update this time as not a lot of NEW news to
share. The committee recently agreed that we would
help to improve morale amongst staff, by supporting
them with supplies of refreshments for the Staff
Room. The staff as usual are under pressure and we
felt this would give them a little boost.
Already looking ahead to Easter and I am approaching
Tesco to see if they will help us again by having a
trolley, nearer the time, for shoppers to donate Easter
eggs for the patients. If needed the "Friends" will top
up supplies to ensure all patients benefit.
My usual thanks to those of you who continue to
support us by your home coin collections. Please
continue as this does help us.
From March we will resume work in the Hospital
gardens, so if by chance you have any surplus plants
do let us know and we will find a home for them.
Happy to be contacted by anyone who would like
more info on what we do.
Chairman, Colin Houghton
07767 262108
Swaffham Youth Literary Project
27th April, 9am - 4pm, Swaffham Assembly Rooms
Programme for the day:
• 9am – 4pm Work of children/ young people who
participated in the project to be displayed exhibited
in Swaffham Library, local shops and Swaffham
Assembly Rooms.
• 10am – 4pm Refreshments and pop-up book shop
for sale in the Swaffham Assembly Rooms. Books
provided by 'Bookbugs and Dragon tales' shop in
Norwich.
• 11.30am -12.30pm Come and listen, talk and meet
the authors of a range of children’s books.
Martin Ferguson - a Norwich based author; his books
tend to be for teen/young adults 12+. His main works
are treasure hunting and adventure.
Costas Andreou - has written about The Nose Family
aimed at children 3-8 years of age. He will be reading
and talking about his books.
• 1pm – 2pm Visiting author, aimed at teenage
audience. Polly Crosby, a well-known East Anglian
Author of The Illustrated Child, The Unravelling, and
Vita and the Birds, who will be publishing her first
novel for teenagers. Polly, Lives in Norwich with her
husband, son and a rescue cat called Dali. Polly, is
passionate about nature and this inspires her writing.
• 2:15pm – 3:15 pm Visiting storyteller. Tilly the
Talespinner - aimed at primary age audience. An
eclectic storyteller and spoken word artist, spinning
tales and word wonders for audiences of all ages in
a wide variety of settings - from firesides and festivals
to retreats and riverboats. Tilly’s style of telling is
diverse and responsive to the occasion and listeners.
She is just as likely to be found in a woodland setting
spinning yarns to a small number of small folk and
their families as to be found on stage at midnight
spinning subversive poetic narratives.
• 3:30pm – 4pm Prize Giving Ceremony
Y2, Y3, Y4 Categories:
• Outstanding • Most original idea • Made me smile
• Exciting use of language
Year 8 Categories:
• Outstanding • Most original idea • Made me smile •
Most interesting characterisation • Vivid description
• Dynamic dialogue
Thank you to the sponsors and resident author for
making this event possible. For Further information
contact Claire at Iceni Partnership on 01760 722800,
or Lynette on 07900 570765.
Wissey u3a
Our next meeting will be on Thursday
7th March when our guest speaker will be Adrian
O’Dell who will be showing a film ‘Stefan’s Journey
and in his footsteps’. This is about his father, a Polish
Airman, and retracing his WW2 escape, 80 years on.
Followed by a Q & A session.
In addition to our guest speaker, our Art Group will
mount an exhibition of their recent work.
At our previous meeting on Thursday 1st February
our guest speaker was Pat Alker from Project Dukem
talking about their work in Ethiopia, which is focused
on helping young people, including HIV/AIDS orphans.
This was a very challenging illustrated talk which
prompted some interesting questions and a generous
response to the after-meeting retiring collection for
the charity.
Please visit our website www.wisseyu3a.org and if
you are interested in attending one of our meetings
as a guest to ‘test the water’ ring David Moncaster on
01760 724755 or email d.moncaster@btinternet.com
We meet on the 1st Thursday of each month in The
Pavilion at Holme Hale, with doors opening at 9.45am
for socialising and refreshments, and the meeting
starting promptly at 10.30 am. We finish by 12 noon.
View Swaffham Newsletter Online
www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
8 9
Swaffham Jazz Club
I am sad to inform you that the fine bass player Ivars
Galenieks has passed away after battling with cancer
for some time. Ivars was an outstanding performer
on the string bass and played at the Club several
times with the Norwich-based group The Art of the
Trio. He will be sorely missed in both the classical and
jazz scenes in Norfolk.
Our regular jazz fans will know that we are now over
our mid-winter break. Why do we avoid January and
February? Because in severe weather conditions our
numbers will be low so we risk not covering our costs.
Also, none of our musicians live in Swaffham; some
come from as far away as Wisbech, Great Yarmouth
and even London, and driving home a long distance
at night through snow or fog is not easy.
Many of our regulars will know I have missed the last
two sessions due to ill health, and I am very grateful
to Norman for managing the evenings single-handed.
Not going out much recently I have been listening
to my bedside radio quite a lot. There are two
regular jazz programmes on Radio 3, J to Z (Saturday
afternoons) and Jazz Record Requests (Sunday
afternoons), though I find I do tend to turn them
off after two or three numbers. What I miss is the
atmosphere you get when the musicians are playing
to a live audience and there is interaction between
performers and listeners. It’s rather like watching
football on television for a match played in an empty
stadium.
Norman and I look forward to seeing you all at the
first session of the New Year, which I promise you will
be a great live experience!
Coming up: Jazz Signs, 12th March at 7.30pm. £10
cash on the door. Dave Baker piano, Ed Taylor guitar,
Paul Mason drums, Ted Fuller bass, Terry Hope
trumpet and Catherine Downes vocals.
Swaffham Conservative Club. 23 London Street,
Swaffham PE37 7DD
More information from Norman 01760 722384 or
Geoff 01366 328730

Llandudno
Llandudno
Monday 3 rd June – Friday 7 th June 2024
£435.00 per person
Monday 3 rd June – Friday 7 th June 2024
£435.00 per person
PAID TILL Highlights: MARCH 24
Highlights:
Full Day Guided Tour of North Wales
Llanberis Lake Railway
Betws-Y-Coed
Llandudno
Full Day Guided Tour of North Wales
Llanberis Lake Railway
Betws-Y-Coed
Llandudno
Behind every
independent
PAID TILL FEB 24
business is
a family
that cares
INCORPORATING CHAPMANS FUNERAL SERVICES
King’s Lynn 01553 771399 | Dersingham 01485 598598 | Swaffham 01760 721305
Pre-paid funeral
plans available
www.tfs.co.uk
PAY MONTHLY
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
NarVOS
Indoor meeting at The Assembly Rooms,
1 Market Place, Swaffham PE37 7AB
Wednesday 27 March 2024 at 7.30pm
Birding Senegal & the African West Coast
Presented by John Geeson and his partner Sue, who
have both been birding around the world for many
decades, and at the end of 2022, they joined a small
group birding tour to Senegal (which actually started
and finished in The Gambia) run by Birding Ecotours.
Senegal, a former French colony on the west coast
of Africa, is mostly within the Sahel Zone, a band of
typically arid habitats which straddles the continent
of Africa to the south of the Sahara. The tour itinerary
included both saline and freshwater wetlands, forests
and rivers as well as large tracts of dry savanna and
Acacias. Everywhere, bird life
was abundant and spectacular,
with over 300 spp.recorded
in the two weeks; amongst
these were many waterbirds
and waders, a fine selection
of raptors and colourful
groups like Bee-eaters, Rollers,
Kingfishers and Hornbills.
Unlike the gloom of UK winter, the continuous bright
sunshine was excellent for photography, and John will
be showing a tempting selection of the birds they saw.
Please come along. Visitors welcome. Admission £4 on
the night; free to NarVOS members.
For more information contact Paul Fuller on 07999
857209 or go to www.narvos.org.uk
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.
Authors Books & Cakes
2024 sees the return of a selection of award-winning
authors to Swaffham on Sunday afternoons in the
Assembly Rooms with a delightful afternoon tea.
Opportunity to meet well known authors, meet
new authors while raising money for Tapping House
Norfolk Hospice. All events will commence at 3pm.
Doors open at 2.15pm, apart from 6th October, which
will be an all-day event.
• 3rd March - Cressida Mc Laughlan in conversation
with Heidi Swain
• 21st April - Nicci French - pseudonym for the writing
partnership of journalists Nicci Gerrard and Sean
French, who write psychological thrillers.
• 12th May - Lisa Jewell - a British author of popular
fiction. Her books include Ralph's Party, After The Party,
Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, Invisible Girl
and The Night She Disappeared. Her latest book None
of This is True was published last July.
• 9th June - C L Taylor - the eight times Sunday
Times bestselling author of ten gripping stand-alone
psychological thrillers: The Accident, The Lie, The
Missing, The Escape, The Fear, Sleep, Strangers, Her
Last Holiday, The Guilty Couple and her newest book.
• 8th September - Susan Lewis - a British author living
in the west of England who has written 50 novels as
well as an autobiographical memoir – Just One More
Day with a follow-up memoir One Day at a Time.
• 6th October - Day with East Anglian Authors.
Hosted By Sarah Perry, who wrote The Essex Serpent.
11am: Sarah Perry in conversation with Stephen
Buro and DL Taylor
12.30pm: Polly Crosby, author of Vita and the Birds.
Panel with Karen Agenlico, Rachel Hore and Kate
Sawyer.
Refreshments will be available all day to purchase.
Day Ticket for all 3 events is £15.
• 3rd November - by popular demand Alison Weir,
Melita Thomas and Pearl in the Egg duo who will be
providing Tudor music.
Tickets for all events can be obtained from The Green
Parrot in Swaffham or online via the 'Event' page on
Tapping House's website:
www.norfolkhospice.org.uk
For further information contact Lynette on 07900
570765.
11

MUSEUM
MATTERS
www.swaffhammuseum.co.uk
The Museum is now open again after a very busy
closed season. Come and enjoy the transformed foyer
and shop and see if you can spot what has changed.
We have a fantastic new acquisition!
The workings of the Swaffham Workhouse Turret
Clock made by W.H.Young in 1836. William Henry
Young was a clockmaker in Swaffham around 1825 to
the 1850's when he moved to Cambridge where he
died in 1883.
The Swaffham Union Workhouse was on Watton
Road in The Oaks area. Only the infirmary still exists
and is now a private house. It was built in 1836 and
was a hexagonal shape. Unfortunately, the clock is
not shown on the existing plan of the building and we
only have photographs of the front of the building.
The Workhouse was closed as such in 1919 and its
sale agreed in 1920. However, it wasn’t immediately
demolished. Some residents were still there during
the 1920's until places were found elsewhere and
it was also used for school lessons in laundry and
cooking.
Friends of Swaffham Heritage
Just to remind you, the suggestions for day trips for
the Friends of Swaffham Heritage this year are:
• Felixstowe – Museum, Landguard Fort, Harbour
Viewpoint, and seafront and town centre
• Spalding Tulip Festival Saturday 11th May or Sunday
12th May
• Cromer ‘60s Festival Saturday 8th June
• Bressingham Gardens and Steam Museum
• The Muckleburgh Collection
• Ely Christmas Market
• Thursford Christmas Spectacular
The aim is to do three or four of these, depending on
what members of the Friends of Swaffham Heritage
choose. Members should email Stuart (see contact
details below) to nominate their choices. The trips
will be open to all but, as usual, members will get first
dibs on tickets, including a preferential price.
The Historic England / Breckland Council / Swaffham
Cultural Consortium Swaffham Historic Action Zone
(HAZ) project comes to an end this month. The
Friends of Swaffham Heritage have enjoyed being
part of the Swaffham Cultural Consortium, helping to
organise the various events for the two themes,
‘Carter 2022’ and ‘Under the Eye of the Buttercross’,
over the last two years. The final week starts on the
8th March and finishes on the 16th, with several
events going on – details can be found elsewhere. We
hope you will enjoy them.
100 Club
The 100 Club is a steady contributor of funds for
Swaffham Heritage, run by the Friends of Swaffham
Heritage exclusively for members of the Friends of
Swaffham Heritage.
Winners for February 2024 were:
• £40 – no 2310
• £20 – no 2309
• £10 – no 2301
Cheques are on the way to our lucky winners!
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 and for trips contact the
Membership Secretary, Stuart Clapton, by email
stuartclapton@aol.com
Swaffham WI
Our meeting, on Wednesday 7th
February 2024 commenced at
2.30pm with a warm welcome from
our President Pauline Senton, followed by the singing
of Jerusalem.
After five years of leading Swaffham Afternoon W.I.
Pauline is standing down from her duties as President
however, we are very happy to report that she will be
remaining with us as a member.
There were four February birthdays and each of the
ladies were given a small birthday gift and card and the
singing of Happy Birthday to all.
As this was our Annual Business meeting the outgoing
President Pauline read out her Annual Report followed
by a Report from the Secretary and finally the Finance
Officer’s Report stating that she too would be standing
down from office after many years of keeping the
finances in order. A round of appreciation was given to
in thanks to them all.
Finally, the W.I. Resolutions votes were collected in
and the Swaffham W.I. choice will be forwarded to the
Norfolk Federation. Voting then took place by ballot for
the incoming President for 2024, will be Ruth Barnes
who will be heading up the Committee which includes
some new faces. Congratulations were given to Ruth
on her new role and the new Committee members.
We were then given a very interesting talk about
Keeping Bees by Meg Dorling our W.I.Advisor which
included pictures of her beautiful garden and her bee
hives. Also the equipment required to look after bees
correctly.
The completion for February items to be the colour
mauve was a great success, the winning item was a
large mauve glass vase in the shape of an owl.
Boards were available before and after the meeting to
sign up for future outings and events.
The next Ten Pin Bowling session will be on Wednesday
28th February 2024.
Norfolk Federation of W.I. Meeting at the Theatre
Royal Norwich is on Monday 18th March and the guest
speaker will be Janet Street-Porter.
The competition for March will be a Spring posy or
small Spring flower arrangement.
At the end of the meeting Pauline, Josie and Sylvia
were each presented with beautiful Orchids as a thank
you for all their hard work over the years.
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 6th March
2024 at 2.30pm in the Community Centre. The speaker
Kathy Dentten’s subject “What you can do with a Nun’s
Habbit.”
Should you wish for any further information please
contact our President Ruth Barnes on 01760 638227
or our Secretary Christiane Hewitson on 07389 813386
Swaffham & District Lions Club
The annual Swaffham Lions' Pancake Race
was held on Shrove Tuesday, the 13th
February on the Campingland, with lots of
fun for schools and adult teams alike. The weather
was a little bit drizzly at times, but that didn’t dampen
the spirits of those who took part.
Entrants have to run the course with a pancake in a
frying pan, and must toss the pancake at the halfway
mark, preferably without dropping it on the ground!
There was plenty of enjoyment and some close,
exciting races to cheer on.
There were school teams from the Nicholas Hamond
Academy, Swaffham Junior School and the Sacred
Heart School. In the end the Nicholas Hamond
Academy were the winners.
In the Adult races there were entries from Ward
Gethin Archer, Longson’s Estate Agents and Meadow
House Care home with Longsons claiming the victory
in the final.
We intend to continue our tradition of Pancake
Racing in 2025, and hopefully get even more teams
involved next time.
In March we are raffling Easter Egg baskets around
the town in local pubs and businesses, and the
Lioness Branch Club will be holding their usual Easter
Egg tombola in the Friday Market at the Assembly
Rooms on 22nd March.
For more information email the Lions on
swaffhamlions@gmail.com
12
13

The National Garden Scheme
“March winds and April showers bring forth
May flowers”
March is an interesting time for garden visitors when
the spring bulbs and early blossoms are beginning to
bring colour into the garden.
Sat 2nd March
• Hindringham Hall, Blacksmith Lane, Hindringham,
NR21 0QA (10.00-16.00) Adm £8, Chd free.
Light refreshments inc hot soup and sausage rolls as
well as teas, in aid of Hindringham Church.
Delightful garden which surrounds a moated Grade II
Tudor Manor (not open). Working vegetable garden,
Victorian nut walk, formal beds, bog and stream
gardens. Wheelchair access. No dogs.
Sat 16th March
• East Ruston Old Vicarage, NR12 9HN (12.00-5.30)
Adm £13, Chd £2. Light Refreshments.
All year-round interest displayed in a variety of different
types of garden which include walled, rose, fruit,
vegetable, cutting mediterranean and exotic. Topiary
and box parterres. Containers to die for, and rare and
unusual plants abound in 32 acres. Wheelchair access.
No dogs.
Sun 24th March
• Gayton Hall, PE32 1PL (12 – 5.00) Adm £6, Chd free.
Home-made teas.
20 acres of semi-wild and wooded garden, where paths
wind through a watery landscape. Good display of spring
bulbs and a variety of unusual trees. Some wheelchair
access. Dogs on leads.
• Mannington Estate, NR11 7BB (11-4.30) Adm £8, Chd
free. Light Refreshments - home-made.
20-acres feature shrubs, lake and trees, period garden
and sensory garden. The medieval manor (not open) is
surrounded by a moat. A special feature is the garden
wildlife and wildflowers. Variety of trees and shrubs.
Wheelchair access. Dogs on leads.
Details of gardens can be found in the booklet or on our
website and some gardens require pre-booked tickets
available from the website. It is advisable to check our
website for any up-to-date details on ngs.org.uk to find
your perfect garden.
Ashill, Hale & District Garden Club
Website: ashillgardeningclub.wordpress.com/
Email: ashillholmehalegardenclub@gmail.com
Garden Pests & Diseases
The Garden Club’s first meeting of 2024 dealt with the
tricky subject of how to deal with pests and diseases
in your garden. Thankfully we had an expert on hand
in Martyn Davey to help us find solutions.
Martyn was formerly senior lecturer at Easton &
Otley Horticultural College and now works as head
gardener for Nurtured in Norfolk. Martyn started
his talk by highlighting the increasing difficulty for
amateur gardeners in accessing many of the chemical
and biological solutions previously available, but now
either banned or only available to the commercial
sector. Martyn went through a list of pests that
gardeners encounter which included slugs, snails and
vine weevils to name a few.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Our next monthly meetings will be held on Thursday
February 22nd, when Andrew Sankey will give a
presentation on ‘Rethinking your Garden’. Our March
meeting (28th) has Kristopher Harper talking on ‘Care
and Maintnenance of Fuchsias’.
Meetings are held at Holme Hale Pavilion and start at
2.30pm. New members from anywhere in the district
are always welcome, so come along.
View Swaffham Newsletter Online
www.swaffhamcommunityhub.co.uk
Borough Council Of Lynn & W.Norfolk
Renowned Lynn Artist Celebrated in New Exhibition
A new exhibition showcasing works by local artist
Christopher Thomas Page is providing a colourful
snapshot of King’s Lynn in the first half of the twentieth
century.
‘Views of Lynn: The Watercolours of C T Page (1866-1952)’
runs until 20th April in the Fermoy Gallery at St George’s
Guildhall. The free exhibition features a selection of
Page’s colourful watercolours of town scenes. Page lived
in King's Lynn from the 1880s until his death in 1952.
He took a great interest in the town's heritage and was a
skilled taxidermist and the first paid curator of the town's
museum and art gallery.
Schools CT Page-inspired Art Exhibition
As part of its on ongoing educational outreach
programme Jane Hamilton, Learning and Engagement
Officer at St George’s Guildhall and Lesley Williams, a
local artist, delivered workshops in three local schools –
Tilney All Saints CofE Primary, Anthony Curton Primary
and Howard Junior - where children responded to the CT
Page paintings.
They looked at buildings in King’s Lynn, both old and
modern, and sketched architectural features before
producing a painting of a building that is significant to
them. The paintings were then put together to form a
group collage.
The exhibition of children’s artwork runs from Thursday,
15th February - Saturday 2nd March. Open 11am - 3pm
every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in The Shakespeare
Barn.
The St George’s Guildhall project, which is supported by
funding from the Towns Fund, will see the refurbishment
of Britain’s oldest working theatre and the formation of a
new creative hub on the site.
The works will create an inspiring, welcoming, and historic
space for arts, entertainment, creativity and learning with
something for everyone to enjoy and experience.
14
15

Swaffham
Branch
01760
725801
http://www.family-action.org.uk
familyactionswaffham
building better families
With Jo & Sam
EXERCISE CLASSES FOR THE OVER 50s
ALL EXERCISES CAN BE DONE SEATED OR STANDING
DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND
WE’VE ADDED AN EXTRA SWAFFHAM CLASS!!
ASSEMBLY ROOMS – MONDAY 11.45AM
£6.00 PER CLASS
THE SESSIONS ARE SET TO GREAT MUSIC AND INCLUDE;
FLEXIBILITY, AEROBIC, BALANCE & STRENGTH EXERCISES
COME AND HAVE SOME FUN WHILST GETTING STRONGER AND FITTER
CLASSES ALSO AVAILABLE IN OTHER AREAS
BOOKING ESSENTIAL:
SAM: 07925 602862 OR JO: 07941 086603
THE SOLICITORS THAT CARE
Expert legal help and advice from
Swaffham’s most recommended solicitors
star-hal
Talk face to face with your local lawyers, at our
London Street office, who are here to help by
giving you clear and practical legal advice.
Divorce and Separation • Employment Issues • Wills, Trusts and Probate
Settling a Dispute • Moving Home • Personal Injury • Commercial Services
01760 721992
wardgethinarcher.co.uk
Chatteris • Dereham • Downham Market • Ely • Heacham • King’s Lynn • Swaffham • Watton
Merle Boddy Day Centre
Provided by the Swaffham and District
Mental Health Association Ltd
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. We have exciting new plans for the
Swaffham and District Mental Health Association which
runs the Merle Boddy Day Centre and hope that by the
time you are reading this we will have taken a major
step forward. So next month we hope that we shall be
able to share some of our plans with you.
In the meantime, back at the Centre…
It’s definitely chilly outside these days, so we have been
busy making something to help the birds and wildlife
around the Centre get
through the winter
months. We are also real
romantics here at the
Centre, so in the run up
to Valentine’s Day we
were busy making little
gifts for our sweethearts.
Caring for a loved one
with dementia or with
similar disabilities is
hard work, even though
it is something done
with love and affection.
Carers sometimes need time to themselves to get on
with things but may be worried about entrusting the
care of there loved one to others. The Merle Boddy Day
Centre offers just that assurance, where our clients are
treated with the utmost respect and dignity. There’s
always something going on including stimulating crafts
and games, and also times for music and reminiscing.
So we offer a ‘taster’ session for those considering short
periods of day care to see how it works. Please contact
us if you would like to look into this – see the contact
details below.
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 are interested in the provision of
care of those who suffer from dementia and 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.
Campingland PPG
Thank you to all those people who support us by
buying books - which is our only form of income.
Also, for your kind
donations of secondhand
books. To arrange
delivery or collection
please contact Ann on
anewmeir1@sky.com
or 07887 516565. They cannot be left in the surgery.
Royal British Legion
2023 Poppy Appeal
We would like to say a huge thank
you to all the generous residents of Swaffham who
donated to the 2023 Royal British Legion Poppy
Appeal. With monies still coming in the final figure
has yet to be confirmed but the total raised is likely to
be approximately £25,000. Grateful thanks must also
go to our steadfast volunteers who turn out every
year for one two or more collecting sessions in our
supermarkets and on-street collections. Without these
loyal supporters of all ages it would not be possible
to have such a successful poppy appeal year on year.
Swaffham really does have some amazing people who
are very generous in their support of good causes.
Thank as well to all the shops and pubs of Swaffham
who collect money and distribute poppies on our
behalf.
More News
Thanks for all who came to our Coffee Morning at
the Methodist Church on Saturday 12th February this
raised £95 for Branch Funds: it was good to see old
friends and new.
On Friday 1st March at 7:30pm we are hosting a Quiz
Evening at The Conni. The Quiz will be presented by John
and Jo who hosted our very successful quiz evening in
October last year, and they return by popular request.
Teams are limited to 6 people at £3 per head. To book
your team please phone Dave on 07898 210162.
Saturday 8th June
Many of you will be aware that 6 h June this year is 80th
anniversary of D-Day and across the country there will
be many celebrations – Swaffham included.
In conjunction with Swaffham Town Council the
Swaffham Branch of the Royal British Legion are
organising an evening of celebration 1940s style in the
Assembly Rooms on Saturday 8 th June. The evening
will include performances by Swaffham Players and
Three’s Company and a swing band to dance the night
away. There will be an update on this event next month.
Next Meeting of Swaffham RBL - Tuesday 19th
March at 8pm at the Conni. New members are always
welcome.
17

In Touch With Your Town
Seasonal Community Decorations
Swaffham Town Council want to
brighten up Swaffham by adding
knitted/crochet and fabric items to
areas in the town. Swaĭam Town Council
would like to thank the community groups that
have been supporting the initative to decorate the
Buttercross with wonderful Spring themed crafts.
If you would like to be involved we have resources at
the Town Hall for you to use so please get in contact
with comms@swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk.
Festival of Flowers
Swaffham Town Council have obtained funding
from Breckland to create eye catching floral displays
throughout the town which will form a trail across
the town centre in late Spring/early Summer.
Swaffham Town Council will provide a planter and
compost - the content is up to you. Myhills have
kindly offered to support this project by providing
discount on the products needed to deliver this.
Choose wildflowers, bulbs, herbs etc – the choice
is yours! If you would like to be involved or
require more information, please email comms@
swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk or pop to see us in the
Town Hall.
Youth Group Fayre
Swaffham Town Council are back with a new date
for the Youth Group Day at the Recreation Ground.
This event is now taking place on Saturday 15th June
2024 10am-2pm. If you would like to know more
about the youth groups available in the town then
come along and explore the options.
If you are part of a Youth Group and you are
interested in attending please contact deputyclerk@
swaffhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Sheep Fayre
The annual Sheep Fayre is returning on Saturday
11th May. Save the date and pop along to celebrate
the historic Market town that is Swaffham.
D-Day 80
On Thursday 6th June 2024 Swaffham Town Council
will commemorate 80 years since the D-Day landings
in Normandy. As a community we will honour the
sacrifices and achievements of the individuals who
participated in the D Day landings and World War
II by lighting the Beacon at 9.15pm on the car park
outside of the Market Cross. We hope this presents
as an opportunity to bring together community
members of all ages to commemorate this occasion.
On Saturday 8th June Swaffham Town Council will be
working in conjunction with the Royal British Legion
to put on a D-Day 80 event at the Assembly Rooms –
more information will be available soon.
Town Council Budget
The Town Council have agreed the precept for the
forthcoming year at £549,621.51, a 15% increase on
last year. There will be a synopsis of the budget and
what it will mean to people across the town in next
month’s issue.
Save the date!
• Festival of Flowers – Late Spring/early Summer
• Seasonal Decorations Late March
• LIVE in Swaffham – Saturday 4th May
• Sheep Fayre – Saturday 11th May
• D-Day 80 – Thursday 6th June
• Youth Group Day – Saturday 15th June
• Classic Car Show – Sunday 25th August
Date of Council meetings
• HR & Governance Monday 4th March 12pm
• Full Council Wednesday 13th March 6.30pm
• Market & Tourism Monday 18th March 6.30pm
• Planning & Built Environment Tuesday 26th March
11am
• Assets & Open Spaces Wednesday 27th March
12.30pm
Have your say!
Did you know that 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 councils’ affairs. Alternatively,
you can watch and listen to the monthly Full Council
meetings that are live streamed on Facebook
@Swaffhamtowncouncil
If you have any queries about any of the items
mentioned or would like to hear more updates on
projects etc, please contact Swaffham Town Council
on telephone 01760 722922 or pop in and see us.
SEEDS
SPRING
OF
March 8: 11 – 12.30
Weather Watch (Talk)
March 1: 11 – 12.30
Celc Journeys
February 24: 11 – 3
Retreat Day
February 17: 3 – 4
Stretch and Breathe
February 15: 3 – 4 (Chat)
Thoughts on Thursdays
also February 29 / March 28
February 11: 3 – 4
Bring a Book! (Chat)
All our events are
free ‐ donaons donaons donaons
welcomed
Chalk Hill, Great Cressingham, Norfolk IP25 6NP
Find us with What3Words: winds.fuzzy.stages
E: thehiveplace@gmail.com T: 07976 286 645
Email: thehiveplace@gmail.com
ian clews is -
Señor Momento
March 9: 2.30 – 4.30
Yoga Workshop
March 16: 2.30 – 5.30
Spring Sing (Casual Choir)
March 22: 11 – 12.30
Norfolk Nostalgia (Talk)
March 24: 2.30 – 5.30
Open Play Reading
March 30: 11– 3
Easter Saturday Walk
IF YOU LIKE COUNTRY
ROCK, POP, R&B OR SWING
ENQUIRE TO BOOK
FOR YOUR EVENT OR PARTY
Your event can help to support local good causes
and the Alzheimer Society
Tel: 01760 721247 / 07880627959 for details or
e-mail: iclews@btinternet.com
FIND OUT
MORE!
PAY MONTHLY
18

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