APRIL 2017 About Thetford magazine by About Thetford magazine

Circulation 12,000 copies

Issue 137 April 2017

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25%

Your Local Independent Community Magazine

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EAST ANGLIAN G A M E & C O U N T RY FA I R IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Eastern Daily Press

euston estate • april 22nd & 23rd 2017 JUST

OFF

A11

THETFORD

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What’s happening in the

Thetford property market so far in 2017? There have been 101 sales agreed in IP24 during 2017 already, 30 of those sales have been agreed by Chilterns! Chilterns have agreed 67% more sales in 2017, than our next best rival, meaning more chance of a sale with Chilterns! There have been 135 new properties brought to the market in IP24, 38 by Chilterns. That’s a staggering 90% more than our next best rival, meaning more choice with Chilterns! The average time on market for our successfully sale agreed properties is just 23 days. We average 6 viewings per sale agreed. We average over 2 offers per property. We achieve on average 99.6% of our original asking price, proving accuracy and honesty of valuation.

We’ve been shortlisted! It is with a sense of great pride that we announce that our Thetford & Brandon ofﬁces have been shortlisted in all three categories at the ESTAS 2017, presented by Phil Spencer at the Grosvenor House Hotel in West London in May. These awards always mean so much to us because they are voted for by you, our customers. Thank you.

In other news… Two of the Chilterns team have been recognised for delivering exceptional service to clients as part of the People’s Awards at the ESTAS 2017. Elaine Forrester and Andrew Overman have both been shortlisted from 3500 entries into the ﬁnal 25, as voted for by their customers.

The legal stuff…

The sales agreed and new instruction data and comparison against our nearest competitors, was captured on 17th March 2017 from RightmoveIntel (intelligence data provided by Rightmove to it’s users). Average time on market, viewings, offers and percentage of original asking price achieved from our internal records.

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t Thetford Welcome to April’s Abou my post at the magazine It’s almost a year since I started and what a year it has been! showcase all the amazing Page 6 & 7 - Out And About Thetford I’ve loved being able to help s and to work with so Page 8 & 9 - Leaping Hare ieve things our community ach incredible people doing Page 11 - Charles Burrell Centre of full is d many groups. Thetfor a variety of fields and this all sorts of exciting things in Page 15 - Game & Country Fair Update am delighted to introduce includes our young people. I e Page 18 - Can bananas change world? wer , Lily Stancliffe. We the latest member of our team e som gain to Page 20 - 23 - Health & Beauty wanted delighted to hear from Lily, who er pupil of Thetford Page 24 & 25 - Mayor’s Ball Report form a is Lily ing. lish pub in nce experie Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Page 27 - Past and Present Academy, and is now studying ty of Cambridge. For the Celtic Studies at the Universi Page 28 - South Suffolk Show News busy working on some past few months we’ve kept her g Page 33 - Funding for Businesses larly receive. Speakin of the contributions that we regu and Page 34 - Thetford Flower Club ople “Pe , said Lily us with about her experience excited to be involved Page 36 - Beavers Brighten Station words are my passion, and I’m lication!” pub ity Page 37 - Ancient House Museum with such a fantastic commun and ter Eas le yab enjo Page 39 - Thetford Society l and I hope you all have a peacefu comes out at last! Please Page 41 - Easter Church Services sun the that sed cros ers fing Thetford magazine when Page 45 - Boxing Club Success remember to mention About ers. responding to any of our advertis and a46 Van AD 03.17_Layout 1 16/03/2017 16:09 Page - Thetford Dolphins Best wishes, KarenMan

Inside this month...

A MAN AND A VAN

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E-mail address for all articles, adverts etc:aboutthetfordmagazine@googlemail.com Contact us: 075404 63662 Office Address: C/o Charles Burrell Centre, Staniforth Road, IP24 3LH Publisher; In And About Thetford Ltd, C/o Charles Burrell Centre, Staniforth Road, Thetford IP24 3LH Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information contained within this magazine, the publishers take no responsibility for the accuracy of statements made by its contributors, in any advertisements or for any loss arising from non-publication of any advertisement. Reproduction of any part of this publication without permission of the publishers is strictly forbidden. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher

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Swanning Around And About Thetford In April, many birds are busy nest building. From cosy Wren nests to the beautiful, elaborate constructions by tiny Long-tailed Tits, the variety is astonishing. Among the most conspicuous nests are those built by one of Britain’s largest birds, the Mute Swan, which also features on the Thetford town sign. Look along the Thet and Little Ouse, and you might spot these elegant birds sitting atop a huge pile of twigs, reeds and grasses, typically containing 4-7 beautiful pale eggs. Mute Swans lay a single clutch a year and incubate their eggs for more than a month before their fluffy grey cygnets take to the water alongside their parents. In Thetford, my BTO colleague Lee Barber has taken a particular interest in our local Mute Swans. You might have noticed several birds sporting both a metal leg ring and a larger yellow ring with a unique black two-letter code. Lee has been carefully catching and ringing these birds for nine years, and has gathered all sorts of interesting information on their movements. One bird Lee ringed in 2011 was seen alive and well at Brundon, Suffolk (near Sudbury), in 2016, but then unfortunately died after hitting power lines in Colchester in January 2017. Other birds have been recorded 50 or 60 times. Lee also rings the cygnets once they are big enough, which will eventually provide data on how long our town’s Mute Swans live, and where the young birds themselves will choose to nest when they start breeding, at around four years old. Did you know that the longevity record for a Mute Swan is 29 years, 1 month and 11 days? That was set by a bird ringed in Dorset, but perhaps one of Lee’s ringed cygnets will beat that one day!

hearing where Thetford’s Mute Swans are nesting, so once again, please do drop him a line to let him know. For more general information on the BTO’s Ringing Scheme, including how to train to become a ringer yourself, please visit www.bto.org/ringing Finally, if you’d like to find out more about bird nests, how to monitor them and why this is important, you can look into our Nest Record Scheme at www.bto.org/ nrs. Enjoy the spring sunshine and don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for Mute Swans!

Words and Music for Good Friday

Given by the Methodist Choir and Thetford Methodist Players. Good Friday, 14th April, 3pm, at Thetford Methodist Church, Tea and hot cross buns to follow.

If you spot one of Lee’s ringed birds, you can let him know by emailing lee.barber@bto.org, with the date and place you saw it. He’s especially interested in

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Out & About Thetford

Museum receives rare Thomas Paine book Paine fans in Thetford are celebrating the arrival of a 1791 edition of Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man. Translated into French as Droits de l’Homme, the book was acquired by Portuguese Literature and English teacher, José António Silva after a visit to the town. José had visited Thetford in 2014, attending a Portuguese trade fair at the Charles Burrell Centre. He came across Mayor’s Consort Colin Armes, who spent an hour telling him about Thomas Paine and his links to Thetford. Colin also introduced José to Cllr Robert Kybird, another Thomas Paine fan and the pair struck up a friendship. Keen bibliophile, José came across the rare French edition in an auction, remembering what he had learnt form Colin and Robert, he decided to place a bid. José later contacted Robert and told him about his acquisition and that he thought that it should be returned to Thomas Paine’s hometown and would be prepared to sell. With the help of Robert Kybird, and generous donations from the Friends of Thetford Museum and the Tom Paine Legacy Group, the book has now been gifted to the museum. Robert explained, “It’s a good thing for Thetford and I’m looking forward to seeing the new enhanced Thomas Paine exhibits in the museum.” Dave Ward, Chair of the Thomas Paine Society said that the thought of a copy that would have been handled during the French Revolution was ‘mind blowing’ and he was in no doubt that the manuscript should be in the museum collections. Curator Oliver Bone expressed his thanks, and commented, “We are delighted to add this seminal work by Thomas Paine to the Museum Collections. A rare French edition reinforces Paine’s international influence as a ‘Citizen of the World’. I would like to thank the groups very much for their generosity in supporting this acquisition.” S.I.M.P.L.E Norfolk, Inspire Focus project opens new office Thetford welcomed the Portuguese Ambassador, Manuel Lobo Antunes and the Portuguese Consul General in London, Dr Joana Gaspar recently. Along with the Mayor, Cllr Terry Jermy, the pair enjoyed a busy day in the town including a brief visit to the Ancient House Museum and lunch in a local Portuguese cafe, before heading to Thetford Academy to meet a group of Portuguese students. The last part of their day was dedicated to the opening of a new office for the Inspire Focus project. S.I.M.P.L.E Norfolk is run by Thetford based Jo and Carla Baretto and is designed to support the needs and aspirations of young people and community minded organisations. Situated in the Charles Burrell Centre, the new office is a bright well appointed space, specifically designed to be welcoming. Speaking about the project Carla said, “We are here to help young people who might be confused about their options after school and to point them in the right direction.” Following the official opening, the Ambassador gave a key note address, and answered questions from members of the Thetford Portuguese community. “I found the visit to the Academy very interesting, it was a touching moment to meet the students and hear them ask the right questions. I am very happy to inaugurate this interesting project to help the young people choose their destiny, to help them find their own vocations and professions in the future.” Please mention the About Thetford Magazine when responding to advertisements

All in the day of a Tesco Manager! When Store Manager Dave Yeldham heard about the TCA Cooking Club from Community Champion Sarah Douthwaite, he decided it was just the project to help out. Every year all Tesco Managers have to spend time working with a community project. “I asked Sarah for some suggestions, and she came up with cooking club. I thought it would be something a bit different and take me out of my comfort zone.” Dave enlisted the help of another colleague, Tracy who brought in her favourite fairy cake recipe and armed with ingredients, the team arrived to find a keen group of young bakers. Within a very short time all the bakers had created a tray of decorated fairy cakes ready to be taken home. Speaking about his session Dave said, “It’s been a really positive experience, the kids have been great and I’m definitely going to do this with my children at home.”

U3A celebrate successful Open Day The hall at Breckland Leisure Centre was packed to the rafters as Thetford U3A promoted their groups and activities. With over 300 members, the Thetford branch has a fantastic selection of groups that members can choose from. Lynn Ready, Thetford Chair said, “It’s an amazing turnout which I’m thrilled about, hopefully we’ll get lots of new members.” From Mahjong to orienteering, there really is something for everyone. The Mahjong group has around 20 members who meet regularly for a game. Margaret Swinger joined about 18 months ago and told Karen she thought it would be a good thing to learn and now enjoys being part of the group. Some groups have a smaller membership; Christiane Banton organises a Short Tennis group who meet and play on a Tuesday. “We hold friendly games and are not competitive so it’s enjoyable for everyone.” Trying out short tennis was Geof Younge, who had come along to see what sports were on offer. “I knew about the U3A, saw the ad for today and here I am! I’ve not played this before, I play other racquet games, I’m considering joining the Tennis Group.” The Cooking Group provides more of a social activity, the group usually has a monthly theme, they prepare a plate to share and swap recipes. Group member Jean Muirhead said, “I’m interested in cooking, I really like that you can try the recipe before cooking it yourself and it’s great to learn from other people.” Lifelong woodwork enthusiast Vivienne Enefer runs the woodworking group and encourages ladies to join. “It’s a hobby of mine, I’ve done wood carving and woodworking courses and wanted to get other enthusiasts together to work on projects. We welcome all abilities.” For those with a taste for adventure, Colin Wallis runs the Orienteering Group, once a month the group set out to find 10 flags over a 2-3 mile distance. Colin explained, “We walk rather than run, there’s no prizes for being first unlike regular orienteering, but it’s great fun!” By the end of the afternoon, 30 new members had signed up making this Open Day the most successful yet. For more information about Thetford U3A groups contact lynn.ready@hotmail.co.uk

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After another successful Ghost Walk season and lots of lovely feedback (new dates from October 2017 are already available), our Heritage Walks are back for 2017! Now also on Friday nights, why not come and find out more about the great town we live and work in? First one takes place on Friday 12th May 6.45pm for 7pm start - tickets on sale now. We are also thrilled to have tickets for the 2017 Euston Hall open days (see About Thetford page 14 for more details).

Mon 3 Apr Mayor’s Charity Indian Dinner Tues 4 Apr Native Birds of Prey Talk Tues 4 - Sat 15 Apr Astrophotography Exhibition Thurs 6 Apr STAG meeting Sat 8 Apr Gamescon 2017 Sat 8 Apr Easter Egg Hunt Toy Library Sun 9 Apr Dad's Army Tour Sun 9 Apr Charles Burrell 5K Run Sun 9 Apr Militaria Fair Tues 11 Apr Easter Crafts at Ancient House Sat 15 Apr Crafts & Stalls Fair Sat 15 Apr Easter Egg Hunt Cloverfield Church Sun 16 Apr Charles Burrell Museum Opening Wed 19 Apr GTDP Community Meeting Fri 21 - Sun 23 Apr Forest Evasion Competition Fri 21 Apr WAW Wrestling Fri 21 - Sun 23 Apr St Georges Beer & Banger Sat 22 Apr Grammar School Open Morning Sat 22 Apr 1960 & 1970's Night Sat 22 - Sun 23 Apr East Anglian G&C Fair Sun 23 Apr Nunnery Lakes Guided Walk Sun 23 Apr Breckland Forest Marathon Sat 29 Apr – Mon 1 May Agility Ability Tues 2 - Sat 6 May Euston Hall Open Days Fri 12 May Thetford Heritage Walk Thur 1 - Sat 3 Jun Red Rooster Fri 2 Jun Life & Times of David & Ann Croft Sun 25 Jun Thetford Open Gardens

We’re also selling tickets for the East Anglian Game and Country Fair - another first, these will be available up until Easter Saturday. The event calendar is packed, we have tickets for the 60s and 70s party night at just £10 each. The Black Horse have a great St Georges weekend planned and the RAF Honington Voluntary Band are back in town with a tribute to David and Ann Croft. Keep up to date on www.leapinghare.org - don’t miss a thing! NEW IN! We have our latest range of Thetford goodies all featuring Thetford’s Great Heritage branding. Visitors are already buying them as great souvenirs and they make brilliant gifts too - yum!

Choc Chip, Stem Ginger, Clotted Cream Shortbread Biscuits, Luxury Butter Fudge, Fruit & Barley Sugar Sweets, Giant Rock Lollies

27th May Barn Dance

3rd June Thetford's Mini Gin Festival

24th June Ascot Comes to Thetford

29th July Gatsby Disco

16th er p Se tembty r a 80's P Night

28th October Halloween Thriller Night

Your Chance To Help Charles Burrell Centre With Tesco Shopping A gardening project led by volunteers at Charles Burrell Centre is one of three projects across the county to feature in the latest ‘Bags of Help’ scheme in local Tesco stores. The grant scheme uses money raised from the 5p bag charge and is supporting thousands of projects in communities across the UK. The proposed project will enable volunteers at the centre to grow crops and plants, many of which can be sold or used for cooking, providing a life line for individuals who find themselves facing difficult times. In addition, the scheme will also help build confidence, improve social skills and enhance knowledge of horticulture which may help individuals find employment. Voting takes place in Tesco stores across the region including Diss, Newmarket, Brandon, Bury St Edmunds and Great Yarmouth. Customers will receive tokens in store and decide which of the three projects they wish to support.

Volunteers and staff from Charles Burrell Centre Tesco for the launch of the token collection

JOB VACANCIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

Following the vote, the project that receives the most votes in its area will receive a grant of up to £5,000, second place receiving up to £2,000 and third place up to £1,000. Voting for Charles Burrell Centre is available until 30th April 2017.

Hours of work: 20 hours per week. Rate of pay: £17,000 pro rata Duties: Responsible for the recruitment and management of volunteers, liaising with various agencies and promoting CBC to the wider community. General key-holder support and tasks to support operation of the Centre.

GENERAL ASSISTANT

Joshua Grayson, Deputy Manager at Charles Burrell Centre said; “There have not been many Thetford based projects that shoppers can vote for in the Thetford store so we are really hoping that local people will get behind us. We’re ahead in tokens so far in the Thetford Tesco but the tokens get added to tallies from other stores nearby where we are not ahead so we are relying on Thetford Tesco shoppers for their support with this to make sure we get as much funding as possible to support our volunteer gardening project that we hope to launch in the near future”.

Hours of work: Sessional hours of work to meet the needs of the service. No fixed number of hours, dependent on events, activities and sessional bookings. Rate of pay: £7.85 per hour Duties: Providing key holder cover as well as support to bookings and will include ensuring the safety and welfare of tenant and visitors. Closing date for both vacancies; Monday 10th April 2017 at 5pm with interviews for successful applicants due to take place on Wednesday 12th April How To Apply and Additional Information Please contact Mark Snowdon on 01842 779867 or visit Charles Burrell Centre, Staniforth Road, Thetford, IP24 3LH to request an application form which will include a detailed Job Description. Alternatively, please email mark@charlesburrellcentre.org.uk to

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Thetford Probus - March Meeting When it comes to community enterprise projects few can match the success of the town’s Charles Burrell Centre. It’s a success built on support from many areas of the community, but also thanks in large measure to the efforts and energy of Mark Snowdon who, as guest speaker at Thetford Probus Club’s March meeting gave members an insight into the job he was tasked with. Mark Snowdon, Manager of Charles Burrell Centre, talks to Probus members at March meeting

Appointed Centre Manager, Mark inherited what was once a 600-pupil school that became redundant when the enlarged Thetford Academy at the Croxton Road site was ready to accommodate pupils from Charles Burrell. Interestingly, Mark is a former pupil, so he knew his old school well, although what he found almost 10 years after he had left, was a ragtag collection of classrooms and spaces, needing a complete makeover if it was to tempt potential community groups and businesses to become tenants.

printer’s workshop. He stressed that this had been done with care so that if the pool was ever to be reinstated it could be without difficulty. The Centre boasts a café and spaces used as a dance studio, toy bank and a variety of other community activities and, demonstrating just how versatile it can be, the centre even caters for wedding receptions. Mark proudly pointed out that 500 people a day use the Centre and, through the 36 tenants and businesses, 140 jobs have been created.

Undaunted, Mark, who had started work nine years earlier as a lifeguard at Breckland Leisure Centre, drew on his experience which had led him to become the centre’s manager. With the support of a dedicated fivestrong team and volunteers, the former school has been transformed into a thriving hub of activity serving the community in many ways and, importantly, become self-supporting from income generated by the many businesses and tenants now based there. These include a leading vehicle rental firm, a college training facility, a hat shop, a community food bank and among the offices, a Portuguese language newspaper a Polish school, also the local MPs admin base. Mark’s reference to what is probably the most ingenious use of space had Probus members laughing; the school’s swimming pool (emptied, of course) has been converted for use as a

For more information, contact Mark on 779867 or e-mail: mark@charlesburrellcentre.org.uk

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EUSTON HALL OPEN DAYS

The Hall is reopening for the first time in three years after undergoing an extensive restoration process

Tuesday 2nd - Saturday 6th May 10am - 1pm

Access to Gardens & Guided Hall Tour Adults £12 Children £5 Access to Gardens only Adults £7 Children £5 (No fees for Children under 12)

Tickets available from the Leaping Hare Box Office: T:01842 751975 www.leapinghare.org Dates also available in July, August & September

advice from falconers. Children of all ages will be able Almost Time And Day Country EnjoyFor a Game fantastic out Fair for all the family on your doorstop!

to take part in countryside activities and meet several Spring is in the air time is for fastthe approaching to get outside and enjoy our fabulous local Final preperations areand nowthe underway East animals, including alpacas and enjoy donkey rides. environment. EastFair Anglian Game Country Fair returns on Saturday 22 nd & Sunday Anglian Game andThe Country which will take &place rd atnew the venue beautiful new Estate, venuebyof Euston permission Duke Keep upEstate, to date by withkind all the latest gameoffairThe news and in23 April April at the 2017 beautiful of Euston andpermission DuchessofofThe Grafton. offers at www.ukgamefair.co.uk Subscribe to the kind Duke and Duchess of Grafton. Showcasing everything that is great about life in e-newsletter the country, visitors enjoynetworking a wide range and join on can our social sites, of or Euston Hall from is steeped history and provides a call 01263 735828equestrian, for more information. activities falconryin displays, craft demonstrations, all things to clay shooting & beautiful backdrop to the already established events fly fishing. For dog lovers of all kinds, there’s a wealth of competitions and displays including on the Estate. There are a number of new equestrian Box Office K9 Aquaconfirmed Sports©forand Mid-Norfolk WithLeaping over 350Hare shopping stands, animal attractions the 2017 Fair. The Gundog Mounted Club. Tickets are available now for the Chris East Anglian Game encounters for children of all ages and local chefs including celebrity chef Coubrough Games Association of Great Britain will be holding the and Country Fair from lthe ocal box office Leaping appearing Game fair Country Kitchenin– there really is something for everyone! The Dog most exciting in andthe exhilarating display competitions Hare, see page 9 for contact details. the Main Arena. Riders in teams short relay & Duck pop-up onsite pub complete will be serving a great selection of local beers and drinks and is style raceslive against each otherthe demonstrating hosting music during day and onspeed, Saturday evening. Why not make a weekend of it and accuracy and horsemanship. Races are for a mix of camping experience. For more information and book a space in the walled garden a great turns, intricate hand overs, equipment collections and to book tickets visit www.ukgamefair.co.uk or call 01263 735828 placements, vaulting on and off the horse and of course Brothers Wines - all at gallop! Members of the audience are invited to Cut out this support their local team as points are awarded for each coupon and game, giving a competitive edge to the entertainment. present at Whether you are a practicing falconer, nature enthusiast our stand on or not the Falconry Village is sure to keep you 1st Avenue entertained. There will be mini events going on all day to claim your in the arena, lure swinging competitions and talks on free gift! hunting plus several stands to browse along with expert

Win a family ticket to the

EUSTON ESTATE APRIL 22nd & 23rd To win one of 5 Family tickets worth £46 to giveaway for this Spring’s hottest Country Fair simply answer this question:

What is the name of the pub at the Game & Country Fair this year?

Send your answer by email with your name & full contact details to our partners at Leaping Hare by Friday 7th April: info@leapinghare.org The winners will be drawn from a hat by Assistant Editor Karen on April 10th Normal In & About Thetford Ltd T&Cs apply, please see our website for more details www.aboutthetfordmagazine.co.uk Please mention the About Thetford Magazine when responding to advertisements

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Dementia Support Group

Playing Games With Thetford U3A

On Saturday 11th March, Thetford & District Dementia Support Trustees were delighted to attend and support a sponsored 2 mile swim at Breckland Leisure Centre, undertaken by 16 year old Macaulay Harvey.

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Macaulay is the grandson of Doreen & John Harvey who wanted to raise money for the local Thetford group and regularly run a raffle at the group. Macaulay who is part of Thetford Dophins, has raised over £200 for the sponsored swim, for the group, and the Trustees and members of the group would like to thank him, and Doreen and John for the enormous generosity they have shown.

Do you know other games, would like to play but have no one to do it with? then the answer is still Thetford U3A. You can start your own group. Help is there to do it. For an annual membership fee of £20 for an individual or £36.50 for a couple living at the same address, you have access to 40+ activities at Thetford U3A. Once you join, you will be wondering why you did not do it before! Come to our monthly talk on Thursday 25th May 1.45 pm at the Carnegie Room when our speaker, Roger Mead, will tell us about the History of Photography. A committee member will be pleased to speak with you if you wish. Free to members, £2 for non-members (refundable if you join on the day). We look forward to seeing you! For more information visit: www.thetfordu3a.org

Picture shows from left to right. Mr John Harvey (grandad), Macaulay Harvey, Mrs Doreen Harvey (Grandma) and Mark Harvey (Macaulay’s Dad).

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For anyone needing help and support with a diagnosis of dementia or anyone who would like to volunteer for the group, please email: taddsgroup@hotmail.com or call 07542866519. The group meets every Friday at Cloverfield Community Church between 10am & 1pm.

Deadline for articles and adverts to be included in the May 2017 edition will be the 15th April. E-mail: Laburnum Grove Advert_Layout 1 27/03/2017 09:37 Pa karen@aboutthetfordmagazine.co.uk Website: www.aboutthetfordmagazine.co.uk

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Can A Banana Change The World? The answer to that question might surprise you! FairTrade bananas are one of the most popular FT items we buy but the range extends from tea and coffee to clothing, flowers, wine, biscuits and attractive garden ornaments, all marked with the Fairtrade mark. Buying Fair trade guarantees a better deal for farmers and workers in the developing world. A fair price is paid to FT producers covering their costs of production. They also receive an additional premium, an extra sum of money to invest in their communities on environmental, social or economic projects. As a result of the premium, schools have been built, roads laid and helpful new tools have been put to work. At the beginning of March in Thetford, FairTrade Fortnight was marked with stalls, tastings and a FT service at Cloverfield Church, all designed to promote the wider benefits of FT. Rev Helen Jary, the minister, was dressed appropriately (see picture) to show how choosing FairTrade was a simple way of working towards a fairer world. On the first Saturday of the month outside the Baptist Church, Thetford Christians Together hold a Fair Trade stall from 10 - 12 noon. Why not come and see what is on offer?

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Group Builds On Success The Life is For Living Group has been building on its initial success over the past year, offering gentle low impact exercise, and chair based exercise for older adults. For some this has been an essential part of their recovery process following illness, or an effective way to prevent conditions from worsening.

The friendly group meets weekly at the Terrapin behind Fulmerston Church. After a gentle exercise session, the group enjoy some light refreshments and hold a weekly raffle for a £5 cash prize. Organiser June Lewis explained "We've recently changed our time to 10.30am because it's much more convenient for most people and we'd like to help as many people as we can. If you've been advised by your doctor to take more exercise, have mobility co-ordination or muscle strength problems, or just want to be more active, we can help you”. The sessions are led by a trainer, who will tailor the exercises to suit the group. Loose comfortable clothing is advised and a small fee of £3.00 per session is charged to cover costs. For more information on the group please contact June on 07771637821.

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The Eyes Have It!

Halcyon Days

They say the eyes are the windows of the soul. They can also be the first place to show the tell tale signs of ageing.

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With that in mind we really need to look after not only the eyes but the delicate skin around the eye area. There are no oil glands around the eyes so they do need extra help from us. Firstly, be careful when choosing eye creams / gels etc that the product is not too heavy and that it is hypo allergenic. The last thing you want is a reaction and puffy sore eyes! Always test patch any new products first on a small area.

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It’s important to protect the delicate eye area during the day with an eye cream that contains a sunscreen (at least SPF 15).

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During the night a richer, intensive eye repair can be applied to work and penetrate into the tissues while you sleep. Eyes look much brighter after a good night’s rest and by drinking plenty of water which aids removal of toxins. Staring at a computer screen all day can put more strain upon the eyes. Try to look away at regular intervals and blink more to refresh the eyes. It’s important to visit your optician regularly to maintain healthy eyes.

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To help improve the texture of the skin around the eyes try applying a hydrating gel masque 1-2 times a week. This will definitely help with fine lines and wrinkles and yes the old fashioned cucumbers over the eyes can help cool and calm the eyes but probably is not as sophisticated as the ingredients of today’s eye masque but worth a go. Don’t try tea bags though or you will end up with dark panda eyes! Lisa Stallings, Halcyon Days

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Freckle Tattooing Is The Latest Beauty Trend

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Like so many things in life, if you have them, you wish you didn’t. It seems for some, they will go the extra mile to get freckles. For many who don’t have these they are paying to have them permanently tattooed onto their faces.

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How is it done? Freckle procedure is very similar to that carried out with the popular eyebrow tattooing and micro blading. They use subtle coloured pigments to enhance and add a covering across the face where freckles would naturally occur. It seems this trend isn’t just for those wishing they had them in the first place. It is also proving popular for those with them, wishing to enhance them more so. Other options: One that is less expensive and less permanent is using pencils to draw on the freckles by hand whilst applying make-up. This has been used by make-up artists for years now. Of course this is easy to smudge and remove. Another option now becoming popular is freckle stencils. Yes some bright spark has invented a tattoo that can be applied to the nose, chin, anywhere you require a faux freckle. In much the same way as a child’s tattoo you just place on the area, wet the backing sheet and hey presto! You have faux freckles that will last approx 48hrs through heat, sweat and will be smudge proof.

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Final thoughts...The fact that we are embracing our inner, natural beauty is the best thing to come out of this. It wasn’t many moons ago we were trying to hide our freckles. Different options are available which is a plus and people are talking about it which is another great bonus. Is it for you? Well that’s down to you to decide. Until next month. Best wishes Caroline x

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Thetford Student Shines at TEDx Talk A Thetford student has told young people, “Don’t be afraid to be yourselves”, at a major public speaking event in Norwich. Millie Honour, a Year 10 student at Thetford Academy, took to the stage at the TEDxNorwichED ‘Inspiring Generations’ event on Saturday, March 18 to encourage young people to try new things without fear of failure or embarrassment. She was one of only two students to join the line-up for the day of talks, which included speakers from the worlds of business, education, and the media, and was hosted by broadcast journalist Jon Briggs, the voice of Apple’s iPhone assistant Siri. Millie was chosen after standing out at public speaking workshops run at the school by Matt Bagley, Director of Doing at educational project Camouflaged Learning. Mr Bagley ran workshops for 255 students at ten schools across the region to find two young speakers for the event. Out of 23 Year 10 students from Thetford Academy who took part in the workshops, Millie stood out for her confidence and passion for her topic. Millie said: “I was really surprised to be selected from so many students and schools. The week running up to the talk I felt really nervous, but Matt coached me through it. My friends and family were really supportive too. The day was amazing and my mum, dad, brother, and I were treated like VIPs. Just before I spoke, I almost forgot what I was going to talk about - but I took a breath and then I really began to believe what I was saying, even more than I had before, and it just flowed. The audience’s reaction was fantastic!”

Jon Briggs and Thetford Academy student Millie Honour at the TEDx talk

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From ‘Junior Air Hostess’ To First Female Lord Chancellor: Liz Truss Holds Court With Thetford Students Students at a Thetford school have heard from the UK’s first female Lord Chancellor how early experiences of sexism inspired her to break gender barriers in her political career. Chancellor is an important constitutional role which involves making sure the judiciary is independent. The Lord Chancellor is also the keeper of the Great Seal of the Realm, which is used to seal bills of Parliament before they are passed by the Queen.

Liz Truss, MP for South West Norfolk, and first female holder of the historic post, visited Thetford Academy on Friday, March 10th to meet sixth form government and politics, history, and business studies students. She told the students how as a child she went on an aeroplane with her family and was outraged to be offered a badge saying ‘Junior Air Hostess’ while her brothers were given ‘Junior Pilot’ badges: “I was so annoyed!” After graduating from Oxford University in 1996, Ms Truss started work in business, but soon realised that politics was where her true passion was. “I found politics fascinating and wanted to change things,” she said.

Thetford Academy Principal Kevin Blakey said: “It was fantastic for our sixth formers to meet Ms Truss and get an insider’s insight into what it’s like to have a successful career in politics. Her appointment as Lord Chancellor shows that it’s possible to achieve your highest aspirations if you are determined and work hard, which is a great inspiration for our students.”

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In 2010 she was elected as the Conservative MP for South West Norfolk, and worked as Schools Minister and Environment Secretary before becoming Justice Secretary in 2016. “When you get the call from the Prime Minister, you have no idea what job you’re going to get,” said Ms Truss. “So when Theresa May told me, ‘I’ve decided to make you the first female Lord Anna Kirkpatrick 14:27 P Chancellor,’ I wasAdvert_Layout delighted!” The1 20/02/2017 office of Lord

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Mayor’s Ball Raises Charity Cash A celebration of Thetford was the theme for this year’s Mayor of Thetford’s Charity Ball at the Carnegie Rooms. Hosted by the Mayor of Thetford, Councillor Terry Jermy, the sold out event saw 180 people attend raising over £2,200 for the Mayor’s charity fund which this year is supporting children and young people’s projects. The main event was financially supported by Lawson’s Estate Agents with many local businesses contributing raffle prizes. The first prize of a £100 John Lewis gift card was sponsored by Simon Long Removals and other prizes included tours of the BTO Nature Reserve and Shadwell Estate. Each table centre piece at the event represented a different aspect of Thetford with local groups taking up the challenge and producing some incredible displays. Aspects of Thetford represented included Dad’s Army Museum, Charles Burrell, Leaping Hare, Salvation Army, Thetford Rotary, Benjamin Foundation and Thetford Twinning Association.

Councillor Jermy addded: “I particularly want to thank my Consort Corinne Fulford who did such a tremendous job organising the Ball and ensuring it was delivered at a very high standard. Support provided by Rachel Woods and Karen-Emma White was also very much appreciated. The catering provided by Shefs on the night was fantastic and guests commented on how much they enjoyed their meal. Crown Chicken also donated the chicken for the night increasing the amount raised for charity and Tesco assisted as well with a special discount on prosecco for the complimentary drink upon arrival for guests - thank-you all”.

Mayor of Thetford, Councillor Terry Jermy, said: “We decided fairly early on that we wanted the Ball to be a celebration of Thetford. The table centre pieces looked absolutely amazing and guests were asked to vote for their favourite one to encourage them to walk around and view all 19 displays. I used my speech at the event to highlight some of the remarkable activities that I have attended as Mayor during my year and the many excellent groups we have working here in Thetford – often very much under the radar”.

The final fundraising event for the Mayoral year will be a Curry Evening at Thetford Raj on Monday 3rd April, tickets available from Leaping Hare; 01842 751875 or: www.leapinghare.org

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The event was attended by the Lord Mayor of Norwich Councillor Marion Maxwell, the Mayors of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, St Edmundsbury and Watton as well as the Chairman of Broadland Council and representatives from RAF Lakenheath. The photograph top right and the collage on page 24 is produced from photographs taken by Maria Cooke at the Ball.

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MCP Editorial:TEMPLATE 12/09/2013 08:13 Page 1

Wretham To Welcome Spring Visitors The splendid gardens at Wretham Lodge are open for two successive days in April. As part of the National Gardens Scheme, the gardens at what was the former village rectory will be open to the public from 11am to 5pm on Easter Sunday April 16th and Monday April 17th. Admission is £4 for adults with children free and dogs on leads welcome, with the proceeds from the two days going to NGS charities. Across the road , St Ethelbert’s church will be open for the same times on each day, offering visitors somewhere to sit and enjoy hot and cold drinks an d a huge array of home made cakes. The church will also house its traditional open days sale of used books. Proceeds here go towards church funds. There is ample free parking at the church and gardens in Church Road, Wretham, IP24 1RL.

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The Upper Octave To Return Back in Wretham for the third time in six years, by popular request, The Upper Octave will stage its latest mix of music and song at Wretham on: Saturday May 20th, 7.30pm, St Ethelbert’s Church. Tickets £10 from Eileen Kitson on 01953 498609 or e-mail: jrandekitson@greenbee.net

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THE

Past & Present

From the 1770s until 1816, the attractive, ivy-clad Bridge House was the fashionable George Inn. It then became a private house for many years before becoming offices.

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South Suffolk Show The South Suffolk Show is taking place on Sunday 14th May, and it’s going to be a very special day! Featuring old time favourites including: cattle, sheep, pig and horse classes, farm machinery new and old, trade stands, a countryside area, a food hall and children’s entertainment, we are this year enhancing the ever popular craft marquee to focus solely on arts and crafts, and introducing a new shopping marquee to ensure optimal browsing for that special purchase. We are delighted to have The Royal Signals ‘White Helmets’ Motorcycle Display Team as our grand ring attraction, in what will be their last season before after 90 years the team will be disbanded. The oldest and most famous motorcycle display team in the world, performing spectacular feats of balance, death defying crossover rides and outstanding acrobatics. Come and see them whilst you still can. N&J Heavy Horses will also be gracing the grand ring, treating us to both driven and ridden demonstrations accompanied by commentary on the history of the drays, and a full breed rundown on their gentle giants. Back by popular demand will be the ‘East Anglian Terrier Club’, the ‘Suffolk Gundog Club’ and ‘The Sheep Show’ to educate and entertain you!

We look forward to welcoming old and new buyers & sellers

Sunday Car Boot Sale & Cafe open from 8am—1pm Single Pitch £6, double £10

April 2nd June 4th August 6th Oct 1st

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For more information contact Sylvia on 01842 815313

! The South Suffolk Show

! Ampton Racecourse, Ingham, Nr Bury St. Edmunds ! Follow the signs off the A134 ! SUNDAY, MAY 8th 2016 ! A Traditional Agricultural Show Featuring ! Cattle, Pigs, Horses, Craft Marquee, Food Hall, Trade Stands, ! ‘Gardener’sSheep, Delight’ Area, Public Catering, Fun Fair and Vintage Machinery ! Ring attractions to include ! ’Atkinson Action Horses’ and an Play ‘Agricultural Machinery Demo; Maize from Field to Fuel’ ! displays by the West with Suffolk and Eastern Counties Motor Club, The Suffolk Gundog ! Club, The EATC with Terrier Racing, Bryan Paterson’s Falconry and Wildlife Display and ! Sheep Road Show !“Come along to the SouthTheSuffolk and experience a Great Day out” ! Admission: Adults £10, Children 5-15 & Senior Citizens £5, Family Ticket £25 ! (See website for discounted pre-show e-tickets and ticket retail outlets) ! CAR PARKING !For further info Tel: 01638FREE 750879, or view www.southsuffolkshow.co.uk ! ! 28 ! ! ! Please mention the About Thetford Magazine when responding to advertisements

Thetford Garden and Allotment Club Gardening Notes For April April at last and the world is turning green! The combination of mild weather, lengthening daylight and damp soil provides the perfect conditions for plant growth, whether full size tree or tiny seed. Our precious plants are showing signs of life but Spring does also mean the grass needs cutting and the weeds are racing ahead. A busy month for gardeners! One highlight of the month is our Spring Show which celebrates daffodils and tulips. The schedule also includes other flowers, as well as vegetable, culinary and craft sections. There will be plenty to look at so come to the Methodist Hall on Saturday 23rd from 1.30 to 3.00pm. Entries should be brought along before 11am to allow for judging. Full details are in the centre of members’ diaries but the show is open to non members; use our Facebook page to keep in touch. On the allotment, it is a good time to start preparing a trench where runner or French beans will grow. Beans will only produce a good crop when their roots are kept moist, so it’s important to provide a moisture-retaining layer for the roots. Partly rotted material from the compost heap can go into the trench as the nitrogen fixing nodules on the roots of beans can cope with it. Torn up newspaper and cardboard can also be included. I like to grow climbing French beans as the crop is easier to pick and have had good results with the Blue Lake variety. Once the trench is finished, the support poles can be put in the ground and lashed together. Don’t forget that the club store sells 8-foot bamboo poles and is open on Saturday mornings on the London Road site – plenty of advice available at no extra charge! Tall perennials will be about the ideal height for putting in some support; take action now so that the shoots can grow through the structure. There are handsome metal devices available but some sticks and string will do the job too. Lots of vegetable seeds can be sown now. You will make life easier for yourself if you ensure the seed bed is clear of weeds. The ideal time to hoe is while the weeds are just a haze of green – it all becomes much more difficult when there is a tough little plant there.

Winning Vegetables At The Garden & Allotment Club Autumn Show - picture by Maria Cooke

As well as removing competition for the moisture and nutrients in the soil, hoeing roughens the surface so that rain can soak in. Ideal lawn care involves mowing little and often to encourage fresh growth. The application of a spring lawn feed will help and vigorous grass means less chance for moss to spread. I have heard that sprinkling bird seed on moss will entice the pigeons to tear out the moss as they peck at the seed. This would certainly be an organic approach though you might get some interesting plants starting to grow in the lawn! The talk at this month’s meeting is on Growing vegetables in small gardens.The speaker is Pauline Harper who is a show judge so should have some useful tips. Details of the table competition are in the members’ diary and we meet at the URC on Thursday 27th at 7.30. Everyone is welcome. Sue Pilgrim

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Redgrave and Lopham Fen Wildlife Watch Group Saturdays, 8th April & 13th May, 10.30am-12.30pm A club for 6-12 year olds, £2 Contact marcus.halmshaw@btinternet.com or call 01379 688333 Time To Paint Fridays, 28th April, 26th May, 10am-2pm Bring some artwork and join like-minded people in a relaxed, informal setting £5 donation, includes tea/coffee and cake or biscuits All welcome, no need to book

Pictured above: Bird box making at Lopham Fen

Basic Hedgehog Care Saturday 29th April, 10am-3pm £25, booking essential

Children’s activity: Natural Navigators Tuesday 4th April, 10am-2pm, for unaccompanied 6-10 year olds, £7 per child, booking essential

Guided Fen Walk Saturday 6th May, 10.30am-1pm. £4 adult, £2 child Meet at the Education Centre, no booking required. Intermediate Hedgehog Care Saturday 6 May, 10am-4pm £25, booking essential

Plant Sale Sunday 9th April, 10am-3pm. Annual event with a wide variety of plants from over 20 award-winning and specialist nurseries. Plus second hand tools & donated plants. £1.50 adults, children free Hot & cold refreshments available. Dogs on leads welcome.

For further details and to book, visit: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org Or call 01473 890089

Family Activity: Easter Fun At The Fen Thursday 13th April, 2pm-4pm Wildlife activities, games and crafts £4 children, £2 adults, booking essential

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Breckland Cats Protection

If you would like to donate to Feline Care, or if you want to offer a home to one of the kittens when they are ready, call 01953 718529, or see their website: www.felinecare.org.uk They are also asking for volunteers to help with cleaning, or cuddlers to cuddle the many cats in their care. For help, advice, or assistance with the cost of neutering call us on 01842 810018.

We have recently had two separate incidents of people collecting cats in their home, which is known as a multi-cat household. One lady in our area had 8 cats, and on the advice of her social worker, it was suggested that she had them taken into our care. There were 4 adult cats and 4 kittens all of which had had very little handling. The kittens came round very quickly once in the talented hands of one of our kitten fosterers and now have homes lined up for them once they have been vaccinated and micro chipped. But the adult cats (2 females and 2 males) have had very little handling, making them difficult to home as they can be unfriendly. If anyone has a farm or stables which require cats to keep the mice population down, please contact us. The cats won’t be able to reproduce and will make very good mousers.

Don’t forget to visit the About Thetford website where you can read previous editions and much more www.aboutthetfordmagazine.co.uk

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Then we heard of a house where there were more than 50 cats. The RSPCA and the police managed to gain access and 47 of the cats were removed. We can’t possibly cope with that number of cats as our branch is very small, with no cattery. Luckily, Feline Care Cat Rescue at East Harling have a 3-acre site with lots of outbuildings, and they were able to take all the cats. They are all in very poor condition, very thin, and in need of flea and worm treatment. The cats have not been handled so are very scared, huddle together, and flinch if they are being stroked. There are 4 mother cats with litters of kittens, 18 unneutered tom cats and 15 unneutered female cats. Fortunately, we are in a position to help with the cost of neutering all these cats, which we are in the process of doing, and it is estimated that it will cost more than £1300. Several of the females were in the early stages of pregnancy and they have now been neutered. One had a very large growth in her tummy, so was not brought round from the anaesthetic, and another one had a large painful cancerous growth in her mouth and was put to sleep to save suffering.

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The public have been very kind to Feline Care, responding to their plea for food, bedding and donations to cope with the vet fees, as all these cats will need vaccinating and microchipping once their condition has improved and they have gained some weight. The makers of Whiskas cat food have donated 10,000 tins of Whiskas, and a delivery firm delivered the pallets of food free of charge. How kind is that?. Please mention the About Thetford Magazine when responding to advertisements

Clinical Negligence – When and how to claim

negligence claim, you must prove through independent medical expert evidence that firstly there were serious errors in the medical treatment that you received which no competent doctor would have made; and that those errors caused or substantially contributed to the injury you are complaining of. With the independent medical expert often being required to put forward technical medical evidence, for that reason clinical negligence claims can take longer to pursue, sometimes lasting for years before even reaching Court should the medical professional or body in question choose to oppose the claim.

In these modern times, doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals can generally be relied upon to provide an excellent standard of service for their patients. However, if you, your spouse or child have been injured, or if tragically you are the dependent or a child of a patient who has died as a result of medical treatment, you are entitled to receive an explanation from your treatment provider. Where the injury or death has been caused or contributed to by the breach of a duty of care, you and/or your child may be entitled to financial compensation for what is now called ‘clinical negligence’, but which has in the past been referred as ‘medical negligence’.

If you are considering bringing a claim, generally the first stage would be to submit a letter of complaint to the proposed defendant. This gives you an opportunity to put forward your grievances and to consider the response that they provide. If you then remain dissatisfied with the response, it may be that you have a claim for clinical negligence and may be entitled to compensation for pain, suffering, loss of amenity and any past or future financial losses.

Such claims are not just limited to being brought against the National Health Service. If you have been treated as a private patient and paid the doctor either personally or through your private health insurance, you may also be able to make a claim if your treatment is found to be below the standard that would normally be expected.

Due to the complexity of such claims, it is recommended that you seek the advice of an experienced solicitor as soon as possible.

Shortcomings in standards of care can occur when a failed or delayed diagnosis is given, there is a failure to warn of risk in treatment or to obtain proper consent to treatment, there are errors in medication, when surgical procedures are carried out carelessly or when there are delayed referrals to specialists.

For more information, please contact Rachel Shaw on 01284 755771 or via email: rachel.shaw@rudlings-wakelam.co.uk

There are differences in principles and procedures when making a claim for clinical negligence rather than a claim for personal injuries caused by, for example, a road traffic accident. In the latter, it is more straightforward to establish whether or not someone was at fault and whether any injuries were suffered as a result. However, in order to bring a successful clinical

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LEADER: Funding for Rural Businesses A grant towards the purchase of new equipment to enable them to turn the waste wood from their tree surgery business into firewood for sale has given Urban Forestry Ltd (pictured) the extra funding boost they needed to grow their business. The project was three years in development, but the business couldn’t have gone ahead without LEADER support. This is the latest LEADER project to be approved by the Brecks Local Action Group, which has almost £1.5m of EU funds to award to local projects which meet fund priorities. The Local Action Group is made up of local people from across the private, public and voluntary sectors, and they are always keen to ensure that even the smallest local businesses are supported to receive funding. The Brecks group is one of 5 LAGs across Norfolk and North Suffolk who are supported by a team at Norfolk County Council to distribute a total of £9m over the next couple of years. Another Brecks success is Sunset Barn Care Farm, near Lakenheath. A LEADER grant enabled the owners to erect a purpose-built facility for farm helpers, volunteers and staff who attend the Care Farm. There is also overnight accommodation for farm helpers, as well as a new work area for music, yoga or larger scale art activities. The new building enables the services provided by Sunset Barn Care Farm to increase to five days a week.

Pictured: Urban Forestry Ltd celebrate after receiving funding from LEADER

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LEADER grants are available to support small business growth projects, farm projects, tourism and heritage projects and forestry initiatives. All the information about how to apply to LEADER can be found at: www.norfolklags.co.uk Or please do start by giving us a call or dropping us an email to find out if your project idea might be eligible. You can contact the LEADER team on 01603 222930 or at; leaderteam@norfolk.gov.uk

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Flower Club Holds AGM And Presentation Of Charity Gifts At the Thetford Flower Club AGM, retiring Chairman Lynda Moore presented a cheque to Mr Bill Farrow, alongside new Chairman Lorraine Scott. The cheque for £300 was presented to SERV (Service by Emergency Volunteers) Norfolk, also known as Blood Bikes, who transport blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, factor VIII, donor breast milk and any other urgently required medical items to hospitals all around Norfolk, 365 days per year. This service is provided completely free of charge by volunteers.

Fiona Rhind Advert_Layout 1 16/03/2017 Lynda on the Left, Lorraine on the right 16:03 Page

A cheque for £100 will also be sent to Dogs for Good (formally known as Dogs for the Disabled) a charity, exploring ways dogs can help people overcome specific challenges, enrich and improve lives and communities. It has been a difficult few years at the club, with falling numbers and difficulty filling committee posts, but outgoing Chairman Lynda said the club is improving its membership numbers and over the last year has taken part in 3 flower festivals and the Christmas Tree Festival at the Methodist Church. Lynda said she is also looking forward to demonstrations, workshops and a fundraising Summer Cream Tea over the coming year. The club presented Lynda a voucher as a thank you for her support as Chairman. Lynda thanked the club and will now continue as press officer. This friendly club meets every 3rd Thursday at the United Reformed Church, Earl Street at 7:30pm. Visitors and non members are welcome to come along, see area demonstrations and meet new friends who enjoy flower arranging and supporting many charities.

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Call Andrew Watchman DEA on Deadline for articles and adverts to be included in the May 2017 edition will be the 15th April. E-mail: DKM Services:DKM Services 20/03/2014 13:50 Page or email theenergywatchman@hotmail.co.uk karen@aboutthetfordmagazine.co.uk

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COMMUNITY CORNER

Resident group meetings taking place in April Abbey Tenants and Residents’ Association Meeting on Monday 10th April 2017, 6pm at the Abbey Neighbourhood Centre. Contact 07768974026 for more information. Barnham Action Group Next meeting will be Monday 10th April 2017. 6pm - 6.30pm for surgery time with Councillors and agencies. 6.30pm main meeting. At Fulmerston Church on Fulmerston Road (earlier than usual meeting date due to Easter Monday).

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Cloverfield & The Willows Next meeting Wednesday 26th April, 8pm at Cloverfield Church & Community Centre. Visit Facebook page for further information.

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Croxton Road Community Association Next meeting will be taking place on Monday 3rd April at the Church of the Nazarene Hall at 7.30pm. Refreshments available. Contact Ian Dixon, Chairman - 01842 765890

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Beavers Brighten Railway Station Members of the 3rd Thetford Beavers led by Lioness Louise Askew recently met in the waiting room on Platform 1 at Thetford Railway station to show parents their drawings of Thetford landmarks, which are currently on display there. The children, aged 6 to 8 years, completed this artwork after Christine Malone (a member of a group of volunteers working to maintain the station platform garden) contacted the Beavers to see if such a project could be undertaken as part of the badge Beavers work towards. As a result, the Beavers have attained their Community Impact, World Challenge and Creative Activity badges. The Group's hike between their Scout hut and the station will also get a merit towards their Hiking Badge. 17 children and some parents took part in the event. The waiting room now benefits from this colourful display which compliments posters and local photographs put up by the volunteers, transforming the waiting area from a rather featureless room to a place of interest.

Thetford Open Gardens

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The volunteers, a small group known as The Friends of Thetford Station, have been restoring the much neglected garden along Platform 1 over the last five years in partnership with Greater Anglia, which is the rail company that provides local rail services and is responsible for the maintenance of stations in the network. Garden volunteer Fiona Rhind recently sourced funding from Breaking New Ground for the erection of a number of bird boxes. Shadwell Stud has also generously donated spring and autumn bedding plants which add colour and interest for travellers. The group meets to maintain the garden in the evening of the first Tuesday each month during the summer from April to October. New volunteers are always welcome, (bring your own tools such as hoes or weeding forks please).

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Re-Skims

Friends Sutton Hoo Trip Easter Fun at the Museum

Would you like to visit Sutton Hoo but don’t fancy the drive? Then book up for Ancient House Friends Sutton Hoo trip on 1 June 2017. Sutton Hoo is a 255 acre estate with views over the river Deben and is home to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Visitors can walk around the ancient burial mounds and discover the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his treasured possessions. The new awardwinning exhibition includes original finds from one of the mounds, including a prince’s sword and a full-size reconstruction of the burial chamber. The trip has been subsidised thanks to a generous legacy from Mr John Rogers, long-time museum supporter and former chair of the Friends of Thetford Museum. The trip costs £3 for adults and £1 for children and is only open to members of the Friends. To book please call into the museum or email ancienthouse@norfolk.gov.uk

Ancient House Spring Opening:

Easter Holiday Events!

Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm Telephone: 01842 752599

Hopping Mad Trail Saturday 1 April to Saturday 8 April Easter Fun Trail Tuesday 11 April to Saturday 15 April 10am to 5pm 50p plus museum admission Try your hand at our Easter themed trails to win a small Easter themed prize! Discovery Day: Easter Craft! Tuesday 11 April 10.30am to 1pm £2 or £1 for Friends & Pass Holders Get messy with a range of Egg-citing crafts, including a Pulpware egg!

Admission Fees Adults £4.35 Conc £4.15 Child £3.50 Family 1 Adult £11.10 Family 2 Adults £14.80 Free admission: Museum Pass Holders, Friends of Thetford Museum, Children’s University, MA & Art Fund members, 1 carer for each registered disabled visitor, Under 4s Pop in for £1—everyday one hour fore closing

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Thetford Society The March meeting began with a reminder of our up-coming events. Unfortunately, the STANTA Battlefield trip in May is now fully booked. There are however still places available at the Society BBQ which will be held at Riversdale on 8th July (tickets will be available at future meetings). Updates were given on the progress of some of our Society’s campaigns, such as St Mary the Less Church and the Cottage Hospital site.

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This month’s guest speaker was Derek Palgrave who told us about his research and insight into “The Origins and Development of English Surnames”. He explained why many names were chosen in the early middle ages to identify between people with the same first name, also in times of taxation to identify a person being taxed. His example was of a John who was a Carpenter by trade; the scribe might enter him as John Carpenter. This type of surname is known as occupational. The problem arises when the next Carpenter called John comes in, perhaps he would be asked for his father’s name (George). This type of surname is known as patronymic (from the father), in this case John George. There would also be people who were identified by where they were from, such as John Brandon. To complicate matters they may be named after a part of the place, such as John Wood, Hill, Brook etc, etc. As with any tale this can become distorted to Brookes, Brooksbank, Brookside and Brookfield to name but a few. Then there are those unfortunate individuals who have a physical feature or characteristic which might identify them more succinctly. Perhaps a tall or fuller figured person might be “Large” or at the opposite end of the scale, “Short” or “Small”. Derek could have talked for hours on this fascinating subject, indeed he even covered the use of phonetics and the prediction of names by a Mormon code called “Soundex”, both of which were probably a little advanced for a Tuesday in March. For those of us engaged in researching family trees or with just an interest on where our names come from this was a very useful talk. He finished by inviting us to look in a large volume of “The History of Surnames” to start our own research.

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The society’s next meeting will be at 7.30pm on Tuesday 4th April with Claire Halls on “Native Birds of Prey”, at our usual meeting place of the United Reformed Church on Earl Street. New members are very welcome and we finish the evening with a cup of tea, a biscuit or three and a chat with friends old and new.

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Bury St Edmunds Ramblers Join us on one of the walks listed below. No need to book, just turn up on the day about 10 minutes before the start time of the walk. If you would like further information please call 01842 845508 or email: thetford@burystedmundsramblers.org.uk The walks are led by experienced volunteer leaders and are organised by the Bury St Edmunds and Mid-Norfolk Ramblers groups.

Can We Help You? Do you suffer with a bad back? Depression? Low mood/self esteem? Weak core muscles? Keen to lose weight? Tone up? Want to enjoy exercise? – If you answered yes keep reading……… The Core Studio is a specialist health, exercise & well-being centre, our classes aim to strengthen the body in an even way, with particular emphasis on core strength. Classes can vary in intensity: they can be gentle, or intense, slow or with speed. Some are what I call Pyjama Pilates (can be performed in any clothing) others require specific fitness attire (trainers, support tops & sweat resistant materials).

4th April, 10am - Thetford / 2 Mile Bottom Picnic Site / A134 -Thetford/Mundford Road TL849 873. 2 Mile Bottom/Santon Downham, 4 miles

There is a class for everyone; for people of all ages and levels of ability and fitness, from beginners to elite athletes. Everyone is welcome!

11th April, 10am - Thetford / Thorpe Forest Park (Post Code: IP24 2RX). Thorpe Forest Park (Thetford) 3.2 miles

7th April,10am - Thetford / Sainsburys Car Park, London Road IP24 3QL. St Edmunds / Hereward Way, 3 or 4 miles

11th April, 10.30am - Earl Stonham, park at Village Hall IP14 5HJ. 5.8 miles

If you want to find out more please contact us and we’ll invite you to look round the studio and meet the team, or answer a short questionnaire to find the right class for you. We’re always happy to help.

18th April, 10.00am - Acton, park at the Village Hall behind the Crown Public House TL 892450. 6.5 miles 18th April, 10:00am - Thetford / Riverside Kiosk IP24 2AG. BTO Nunnery Lakes. 2.3 miles 21st April, 10:00am - Thetford / East Wretham Nature Reserve Car Park on A1075 TL917 887. East Wretham Nature Reserve. 3 miles.

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Winter League Done. Winter Leagues Won!

Thetford Town Boxing Club

As the winters netball leagues draw to a close, Thetford Netball Club have experienced one of their most successful seasons to date. Each of the five teams entered in leagues across Norfolk and Suffolk performed well, with the A Team winning their division in the Norwich Netball League without losing a game! A superb effort from the girls, and a great set of results against some very tough teams in Division 2. The A’s will now play in Division 1 next season having been promoted. Not to be out done, the U16’s also won their league in Suffolk, meaning the future looks very bright for the club, with lots of talented youngsters coming through the ranks.

Roni Dean (centre) with Taylor Dean (right) and Matt Dean (left)

These successes come as Thetford’s netballers have welcomed the news that netball players now have the chance to become professionals, as Great Britain enters an exciting new era in the sport. The club, which has been established for at least 50 years, are inviting players to come and train with them in a bid to attract even more players to join their ever expanding set up. More than 60 affiliated members are put through their paces during weekly training sessions at Thetford Academy, under the watchful eye of ex-England player Sue Collins.

The Club were back in action last Friday, with Roni Dean travelling to the Cambridge Corn Exchange. Roni was first on the bill as a support bout in the annual Varsity fixture between Cambridge and Oxford Universities. Up against Lucy Harris from Cambridge University ABC, Roni and her opponent were well matched in an even first round. Roni then stepped it up to dominate the second and third rounds, constantly on the front foot and landing some impressive punches on the Cambridge boxer. Roni won the bout to record newly formed Thetford ABC's first win. Taylor Dean and Keiren For find us REV_Layout on Facebook 1and on Keen1 were also in action for the club in March at No more Job toinformation, Small 1-8 Advert 22/03/2017 Debenham Leisure Centre. Twitter @NetballThetford

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Thetford Dolphins were well represented at the Norfolk County Relay Gala held at Norwich UEA and all swimmers can hold their heads up high for doing the club proud. The quartet of Archie King, Ben Buckley, Harry Fasey and Louis James won their 4x50m special relay thus becoming Norfolk County relay champions and also setting a club boys 10yrs relay record. The same four also achieved a new club relay record for the boys 4x50m free. Emma Malcolm, Francesca Long, Amalee Neill-Gourlay and Alice Fasey combined to set a new club relay record for the girls 12yrs 4x50m free and Kacie Cooper, Aimee Dickerson, Lucy Whitehead and Billie Jordan Butler for the girls 10yrs 4x50m special relay.

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Dolphin Members Photographed At The Event

Thetford Dolphins Junior swimmers travelled to Dereham in the ‘A’ Final of the Norfolk Junior League for the Copeman Cup and put in a very good performance against strong opposition to finish a creditable 4th place. Ben Buckley was victorious in the 50m breast (Pb) as were Archie King in 50m back and Aimee Dickerson in 50m breast (Pb). Personal bests were set by Billie-Jordan Butler, Harry Fasey, Amalee Neill-Gourlay, Daniel Penny, Mariesha BlackwellFlorentin, Kacie Cooper, Louis James, Francesca Long, Benjamin Flood, Thomas Ridding, Eleanor Brown and Emma Malcolm. Well done to all swimmers who took part in the competition.

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Are you a member of a local group? If so, send us an email with details of your activities and we may be able to include them in future editions. Deadline for inclusion in the May 2017 edition is the 15th April 2017. Send all content through to: E-mail: karen@aboutthetfordmagazine.co.uk Website: www.aboutthetfordmagazine.co.uk

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Gorse Industrial Estate, Barnham, Thetford www.gorsemotors.co.uk Email: info@gorsemotors.co.uk

Please mention the About Thetford Magazine when responding to advertisements

The The Outdoor Outdoor Collection Collection

Relax and entertain in style RRP £549 Our Price

RRP £299 Our Price

£468

£252

FINANCE

6x £78 6x£78

6x£42

RRP £949 Our Price

RRP £749 Our Price

£798

£636

FINANCE

6x £106 6x£106

6x£133

Brandon Outdoor Furniture Thetford Indoor Furniture Unit 1-2 Station way IP27 0BH Suﬀolk

Unit 2 Audley court, Fison way IP24 1HE Norfolk

0800 08 555 12

01842 769 271

www.dakohome.co.uk

Lawsons April Advert 2017_Layout 1 20/03/2017 09:29 Page 1

the

hunt is over... Thinking of Selling or Letting?

Whatever your property needs, we can help. We know the property market and understand how it works, which means we can keep you on track with your next move. If you are buying, selling, letting or renting, look no further...

Happy Easter Call us today for your FREE valuation on 01842 755422 2 Bridge Street, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 3BL E. sales@lawsonsestateagents.co.uk