ISSN 2044–7965
ISSUE 116 MAY 2020 PRICELESS
magazine
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welcome
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s you might imagine, the production of this month’s magazine has been rather different than usual. The unprecedented events of the last month have had an enormous impact on every area of everyone’s lives - which means that at KL magazine we’re all working from home, conducting interviews over the phone, and only taking photographs when it’s sensible and safe to do so. The current situation has inevitably affected the content of this month’s magazine (you obviously won’t be finding any previews of forthcoming events or reviews of places to visit) but you’ll certainly find plenty of other things to enjoy in this month’s issue. In addition to people doing amazing things (from local celebrity knitter
Margaret Seaman to inspiring triathlete Kim Morrison) we’re also talking to the incomparable Lady Anne Glenconner, who was Princess Margaret’s Lady in Waiting for some 30 years. Of course, this month marks the 75th anniversary of VE Day - the end of a six-year period when the nation’s resolve was (once again) put to the test. Although the planned public celebrations have been cancelled or postponed, there are still several ways you can engage with this momentous event with your friends and family - even if that is at a distance. See page 72 for more details. And you don’t have to be Captain Tom Moore to lead by example. As you’ll see from the following pages, many local businesses are doing everything they can (in fact, several are doing a lot more)
to help us through these difficult times. We’ve always been a strong community, and we’re now realising just how strong we are. Over the last 10 years, we’ve built a very loyal and supportive following of readers, and that’s why we’re launching Friends of KL magazine in this month’s issue. You can read all about the initiative on page 10, but essentially it’s a way of keeping us all together - so we can let you know when the next issue of the magazine is available and (more importantly) where you can safely pick up your copy. Enjoy the magazine - and stay safe.
Eric Secker EDITOR KL magazine
COVER IMAGE Thornham Coal Barn by Ian Ward
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contents
©JOSHUA PAUL GARDNER
MAY 2020
©THE FORUM
©HAL SHINNIE
6 10 14 20
A SHINING EXAMPLE Focus on the lighthouse at Happisburgh FRIENDS OF KL MAGAZINE Keep in touch with your favourite magazine LADY IN WAITING NO LONGER... Why Lady Glenconner’s time has come THE BIG NORFOLK QUIZ How well do you know your home county?
28 34 40
LOVELY VILLAGE, ROTTEN BOROUGH The many MPs of Castle Rising
46 53 57
GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES Enjoying the fruits of your own labours
REACH FOR THE SKIES... The aerial photography of Josh Gardner MAY IN THE GARDEN Expert advice with Wendy Warner
RECIPES Delicious ideas for you to try at home FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH The Crown at Gayton
58 65 66 72 78 84 88 92 96 98
WONDERS IN WOOL The work of Margaret Seaman YOU AND YOUR PETS With London Road Veterinary Centre KIM MORRISON Catching up with a leading triathlete CELEBRATE VE DAY: SAFELY It’s 75 years since peace was declared A GRIM CLAIM TO FAME... When the Zeppelins came to Norfolk THE NEWSPAPER THAT TALKS Keeping connected with Vision Link THE BIG READ Our selection of must-read books THE ART OF RECORDING BRITAIN The local work of artist Barbara Jones PUZZLES Are you ready for the challenge? MICHAEL MIDDLETON The kindness of strangers...
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Shining a light on Happisburgh lighthouse It’s one of the most famous landmarks on the Norfolk coastline, and the much-loved lighthouse at Happisburgh is now celebrating its 30th anniversary as the only independently-operated lighthouse in the UK
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sk someone to draw a lighthouse, and they’ll almost certainly sketch a classic clifftop tower decorated with red and white stripes - in fact, they’ll have given you an accurate depiction of the lighthouse at Happisburgh on the Norfolk coast. In fact, it may be the most recognisable lighthouse in the country. Over the last couple of years, it’s appeared in TV programmes such as James Martin’s Saturday Morning, Escape to the Country, Village of the Year, Homes under the Hammer, Sky Arts’ Landscape Painter of the Year, and
even Phil Spencer’s History of Britain in 100 Homes. This year, the iconic structure celebrates its 30th anniversary of becoming the only independentlyoperated lighthouse in the UK. It’s also the area’s oldest working light, having been in continuous operation for the best part of 230 years - and few people would argue that it’s the prettiest. But it’s not just a photogenic feature of the local landscape. Its story starts in the tumultuous year of 1789 (when the French Revolution erupted and the crew of The Bounty mutinied) after a winter storm off the Norfolk coast destroyed 70 sailing ships and claimed
the lives of 600 men. It was a grim reminder that there were no warning signals for sailors along the 22 miles of coastline between the fire-lit beacon at Cromer and the candle-powered light at Winterton, and Trinity House (which had been - and still is - the official authority for lighthouses since 1514) set about building two lighthouses at Happisburgh – one on the clifftop and the other located some 400 yards from the shore. The twin lighthouses guided ships safely along the coast for the best part of 100 years until 1883, when the increasing threat of coastal erosion
“The famous red bands, were designed to distinguish it from the lighthouse at Winterton...” saw the clifftop light withdrawn from service and demolished. Its sister fared somewhat better, receiving the traditional flashing (technically ‘occulting’) light and a major facelift - including the famous red bands, which were designed to distinguish it from the lighthouse at Winterton. The introduction of electricity in 1947 gave the lighthouse at Happisburgh its sixth different power source, but its future was as precarious as its physical location. In 1987 it was one of five lighthouses to be declared redundant, and was due to be decommissioned (and eventually demolished) the following year. Happily, local resident (and marine geophysicist) Kay Swan thought the lighthouse was worth saving and organised a petition opposing its closure, also founding the registered charity Friends of Happisburgh Lighthouse. However, saving the lighthouse wasn’t as easy as it sounds. A law dating back almost a century meant that it would require an Act of Parliament, an expensive process which necessitated a major fundraising campaign. The efforts of villagers and supporters were helped by NatWest, which was asked for an
interest-free loan and donated the necessary £15,000 to cover the legal costs. Since the Private Member’s Bill received Royal Assent on 25th April 1990 the lighthouse at Happisburgh has been the only independently-run operational lighthouse in the whole country. And for most of that time it was in the care of Peter Martin, who spent 12 years at the lighthouse with his wife Melanie before retiring towards the end of 2018 - and was everything you’d expect from a lighthouse keeper – except for one thing. “People would come to the lighthouse from all over the country and they’d always refer to me as the lighthouse keeper,” he says. “But that would only be true if I worked for Trinity House - it’s actually looked after by an ‘attendant’ because it’s run by a trust.” Living in one of the old coastguard cottages across the field from the lighthouse, Peter never tired of seeing it - or climbing the 112 steps to its top. “It’s probably one of best views in Norfolk at all times of the year,” he says. “I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been up and down those steps, but being able to see so much of this lovely coastline made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every single time!” It costs almost £10,000 a year to run the lighthouse at Happisburgh, which comes from fundraising efforts, donations and membership fees from the Friends of Happisburgh Lighthouse. And although the lighthouse is still used by fishing boats and inshore craft travelling between King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth, it faces a rather uncertain future. It’s now more than twice as close to the clifftop than it was when it was built, and unless some way can be found of halting the rate of coastal erosion this iconic coastal landmark could well disappear from our local horizon.
ABOVE: Just a few of the 112 steps that climb the interior of the lighthouse at Happisburgh - and end with an astonishing view of the surrounding coastline (below)
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Join us - and become a Friend of KL magazine Join our community of loyal readers and keep up to date with the latest news from KL magazine - including how to pick up your next copy
I
t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and it’s also probably the most famous opening dozen words of any book ever written - but it’s hard to imagine that when Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities 160 years ago he had any idea his words would be as applicable to the world of 2020 as they were to the days of revolutionary France. To say that we’re living in uncertain times seems something of an understatement at the moment. Words such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘extraordinary’ and ‘unparalleled’ have lost much of their impact over the last few weeks, and people can be forgiven for reaching for the nearest thesaurus. The devastating effects of
Coronavirus (COVID-19) are taking place on a global scale, but they’re inevitably filtering down to a national, regional and ultimately local level - even to the point where they’re affecting the magazine you’re holding in your hands. Current guidelines on workplace interactions and social distancing have meant the production, publication and distribution of KL magazine has become increasingly challenging and is likely to do so for some time to come. During the current situation, we may not be able to produce the magazine on a monthly basis. It may not be published on the usual date - and it almost certainly won’t be available from the usual outlets.
Central to this is the fact that the magazine is solely funded through advertising from local businesses - and with so many retail and servicebased companies closed (or unable to operate normally) for the foreseeable future, that funding has been seriously affected. In a world that changes on a daily basis, it’s very difficult to work on a magazine that needs to printed ahead of time - and written and designed in advance of that. When you can’t anticipate what may happen tomorrow, it’s virtually impossible to talk about where we may be in a few week’s time. Which you’ll have undoubtedly noticed from April’s magazine, which was in the process of being printed towards the end of March as events
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overtook parts of its content on an almost hourly basis. With our regular distribution network significantly disrupted, we were inundated with enquiries from devoted readers asking where they could pick up the latest issue of the magazine - or if we’d been able to print it at all. There’s a good reason why so many people - despite everything going on around them - were so eager to read April’s edition. For the last 10 years, KL magazine hasn’t just become part of the community - it’s become a community in itself. Every month we’ve shared some amazing stories about local people and featured stunning photographs of local places with you, and you’ve got in touch to let us know of even more amazing things your fellow readers would be interested in reading about. If the current situation has taught us anything, it’s that we need some way of keeping that community in touch. We need to be able to keep you up to date with the latest news regarding KL magazine, to let you know of any changes, to help ensure you can easily (and safely) pick up the next available issue. It’s now more important than ever that we’re able to contact you, which is why this month we’re launching Friends of KL magazine so we can keep in touch with you - not just during these increasingly challenging times, but in the future as well. It’s entirely free to become a Friend of KL magazine - in fact, the only thing we’re asking for is some way of contacting you and keeping you up to date, whether you prefer that to be by post or e-mail. We certainly
won’t be asking you for any sensitive information, and you can rest assured that we won’t be sharing your details with any third parties. That’s what friends are for, right? In return, we’ll make sure you never lose touch with KL magazine - and we’ll also give you plenty of reasons to remain one of our friends. If you enjoyed the mammoth Norfolk-based quiz on page 20 of this month’s issue, for example, it’s the perfect way to get all the answers. In the event that printing physical copies of KL magazine becomes impossible, we’ll be able to send you features to read and photographs to enjoy. And once current restrictions on public gatherings are lifted, we’ll be able to invite you to special previews and privileged access to some of the events covered in the magazine. To become a Friend of KL magazine, all you need to do is complete the online form at www.klmagazine.co.uk, or fill out the printed form enclosed with this month’s magazine and post it back to us.
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Keep connected: SIMple when you know how... Rural Broadband offers an easy and effective way to keep you and your business connected - wherever you live
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orfolk has long been regarded as a black hole as far as the internet’s concerned, with sluggish speeds and annoying buffering plaguing rural households across the county – especially along the north Norfolk coast. The current coronavirus pandemic has brought that into sharp relief, with families relying on technology to keep in touch and local businesses needing reliable connections more than ever. “We’re not just talking
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about being able to download films on Netflix anymore,” says Richard Dix of Heacham-based Rural Broadband. “At the moment, the most important thing is to keep people in rural areas connected - and we’ve got the technology and the technical expertise to do that. Perfectly safely!” Rural Broadband is currently offering unlimited data SIM cards, installing them in easy-to-use routers and sending them out to customers (with full instructions) as a temporary fix until Richard can visit to complete the physical installation. “People are finding that the main networks can’t help at the moment because their helplines are all cut off and many are working on web-based chat sessions,” says Richard. “We’re a small local company, but we’ve got
Our satellite-based internet was poor and we went looking for an alternative. Richard and his team at Rural Broadband understood exactly what we needed to run our business, and got us working within a week. We’re delighted! - IAN REID, FBR Servicing
plenty of stock and we can respond to enquiries very very quickly.” Whether you’re working from home or keeping the family together remotely, contact Rural Broadband today for an effective and trouble-free solution. And above all, stay safe!
Unit 1, Marea Farm, School Rd, Heacham PE31 7DH Tel: 01485 572253 / 07786 887750 www.ruralbroadband.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
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IMAGES: AUTHOR’S COLLECTION ABOVE: Lady Anne Glenconner with a happy Prince Philip on the island of Mustique in 1977, and (right) enjoying an impromptu haircut from Princess Margaret - “I’m not sure my hairdresser Simon would have approved!” she says.
A lady in waiting and an amazing life in writing The term ‘publishing sensation’ is rather overused, but there’s no other way to describe Lady Glenconner’s memoir - which features everything from Holkham Hall to 30 years service with Princess Margaret...
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lived most of my life being invisible,” says Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner, “and now suddenly bang - I’m a household name. It’s an extraordinary feeling.” It’s also the only adjective that adequately describes the reception of the 87-year-old’s debut book, which has become an international best-selling phenomenon since its publication in October. So far, Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown has sold at least 250,000 copies in hardback (Hodder & Stoughton had to reprint it six times in a fortnight) and at the time of writing, apart from children’s educational books it’s the second most popular book on Amazon. Today she’s at her home in a charming farmhouse in north Norfolk,
but over the last few months she’s been on ITV’s Loose Women, BBC’s Breakfast, Radio 4’s Today programme and - most famously - The Graham Norton Show. “I was on his radio show and told him that there were a few stories in the book that weren’t suitable for a morning audience but that they would be appropriate for his late night chat show on Friday,” she says. “Next thing I knew I was on the red sofa alongside Helen Bonham Carter and Olivia Colman - and I’m told that the show went viral, although I’m so ancient I’m not entirely sure what that means.” Anne’s view of herself as having lived an ‘invisible’ life is delivered with a healthy pinch of salt, because her story is a quite remarkable one. The eldest daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester, she was brought up on the
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and it was a position (and friendship) that would last for the next 30 years and see her travelling around the world - even standing in for Princess Margaret on a trip to the Philippines to meet with Imelda Marcos. “Margaret was the most wonderful friend to me,” she says. “She’d come and visit me in Norfolk and take great pleasure in making up the fires (unlike me she’d been ABOVE: A young Prince Charles holding Lady Glenconner’s son Henry at Holkham. Beside him is Princess Anne, and the woman in the a girl guide) and dusting my background is Ladey Glenconner’s mother, Lady Elizabeth Yorke bookshelves - she even cleaned my Holkham Estate with her two sisters and car once, because she’d never cleaned was a regular playmate of the young a car before. We used to have such fun princesses Elizabeth and Margaret from here!” nearby Sandringham. In fact, Anne’s close relationship By the time she was a teenager, the family estate featured a prisoner-of-war with Princess Margaret was one of the reasons she decided to write her book. camp. “I’m so upset and angry about people “At first they were Italians (who who didn’t know her writing horrible were charming) but then the Germans things about her,” she says. “I thought it arrived,” she says. “To be honest, we was about time that someone put the were quite frightened of them.” record straight, and I think I’ve done my One of the German prisoners, bit.” however, was a gifted potter - which Admitting that she’s always been gave Anne’s mother the idea of setting “full of stories” Anne says that it was a up a pottery at Holkham’s longpublisher’s casual suggestion over a established brickyard. It soon employed Sunday lunch that inspired her to start around 100 people and was the biggest writing. light industry in north Norfolk. “I’d never written anything in my life, “My mother thought it would be a and I think my publishers were very good way of keeping her daughters brave in taking a punt on me - it could away from London and out of have been the most frightful flop,” she trouble,” says Anne. “It was a very large says. “I’ve been asked whether or not I operation, even though my father
had writer’s block, but I think my biggest problem was having writer’s diarrhoea!” Central to the incredible success of Lady in Waiting is Anne’s voice - she’s perfectly charming, highly eloquent, and has managed to commit her personality to the page, even when she’s refreshingly (and sometimes shockingly) open and honest. Take her memories of her son Henry’s funeral after he died from AIDS in 1990, for example. “I couldn’t help a tiny smile, because as is Buddhist custom, his coffin was covered with pineapples and other tropical fruit,” she says. “It looked like a giant fruit salad as it came into the crematorium.” Anne is currently writing her second book, a murder mystery set on Mustique, and has a typical laissez-faire attitude to her present state of isolation. “Having to hibernate in my house for the next three months is actually a marvellous opportunity for a writer,” she says. “I’m getting plenty done and I’m enjoying myself no end.” She may have been a lady ‘in waiting’ for most of her life, but Lady Glenconner’s time has well and truly come.
rather irritatingly referred to it as the ‘potting shed’!” In 1953, Anne was selected to be a maid of honour when her childhood friend was crowned Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey (“we were treated like a 1950s version of the Spice Girls,” she says) and married Colin Tennant, the son of the 2nd Baron Glenconner three years later. In 1958, her husband bought the island of Mustique in the West Indies for £45,000, and when Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 the couple generously built the newly-weds a house on the island. In 1971, Anne entered the princess’s service as her Extra Lady-in-Waiting, 16
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Our daughter has grown so much academically and has found her confidence at Kip McGrath. Her grades have improved at school, which has helped her pass her mock exams. We wouldn’t hesitate to use Kip McGrath to further our children’s learning in the future. - Tracey Gordon, North Wootton I think Kip McGrath is great! I’ve boosted in my grades up and I’m feeling way more confident in my school work because of it too! - Ella (16)
Learning doesn’t need to stop when schools close During these uncertain times Kip McGrath is here to support your children’s continued learning with interactive lessons
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lthough ‘home schooling’ hit the front pages when schools closed in the middle of March, Kip McGrath has been developing an online learning resource on their own secure servers for almost ten years - which means your children don’t even have to leave home to access high quality and fully-qualified tuition in subjects such as English, reading, spelling, comprehension and maths. “What we do is both supplementary and complementary to in-school education,” says Heather Rugg, who has over 25 years’ teaching experience and opened the Ofsted-registered King’s Lynn branch of Kip McGrath last November. “Students love the concept of an online classroom, and it’s a very dynamic learning environment. We can see each other, we can speak to each other, I can see the work the students are doing, and I can give them real time feedback and support.” For over 40 years, Kip McGrath has
been providing individualised teaching for primary and secondary students that targets child-specific needs - and uses a combination of written and computer-based activities together with one-on-one time with a qualified and experienced teacher. Virtually all you need is a computer with access to the internet. And the results speak for themselves. “We’ve had some really encouraging feedback from parents and teachers about the improvements and progress our students have made, and it’s not unusual for children to make a year’s progress (and more) in only 12 weeks,” says Paul Rugg, Heather’s husband and fellow director. “We recently worked with a 16-year-old dyslexic student who increased their reading age by two years in only eight weeks!” Kip McGrath isn’t an alternative to school (in normal circumstances at least!) and Heather’s very keen to maintain links with local education, even recently sponsoring a student at Downham Market Academy for 12 weeks’ free tuition. “It’s something we’ll be looking to
repeat at other high schools in the area once they’re open again,” she says. “We’re hoping the local business community will become involved with it too, because by sponsoring a student for as little as 12 weeks they’re genuinely making an investment in the future.” If you’d like to improve your children’s academic performance and boost their confidence with Kip McGrath, contact Heather using the details below and book a free online assessment - which will form the basis of a fully-personalised learning programme that can be delivered in the comfort of your own home.
17 Norfolk Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1AN • Tel: 01553 611876 Email: kingslynn@kipmcgrath.co.uk • Web: www.kipmcgrath.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
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Celebrate our county with the Big Norfolk Quiz Exercise your brain, have some fun, learn something new, test yourself against your friends and family, and discover just how amazing Norfolk is by answering 74 questions and identifying 32 pictures... 1 When Bishop’s Lynn changed its name in 1536, it didn’t become King’s Lynn what was its new name? 2 Only two placenames in Norfolk begin with the letter Q. One is Quarles (four miles south of Wells-next-theSea) but what’s the other one? 3 There are 6,329 miles of them in Norfolk, but what are they? a) Beaches b) Hedgerows c) Roads d) Rivers 4 The first council estate outside of
London was built in Norfolk - but where? 5 Norfolk is famously ‘flat’ but at 338ft above sea level, where’s its highest point? 6 Talking of which, Norfolk has the highest concentration in northern Europe of what? a) Landscape artists b) Medieval churches c) Fields of turnips d) Birdwatchers 7 What did the 1st Earl of Leicester build in 1764 at a (today’s equivalent)
cost of over £10 million? 8 Who moved an entire village because it spoiled the view from his new home? 9 What did the Prince of Wales buy for £220,000 in February 1862? 10 Which town featured prominently in the films The Silver Fleet (1943), Operation Crossbow (1965) and Revolution (1985)? 11 Which location in Norfolk was turned into a Vietnamese paddy field for Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket in 1987?
12 In Betjeman Goes by Train (1962) the famous poet got on the train in King’s Lynn and got off where? a) Ely b) Norwich c) Downham Market d) Hunstanton 13 What TV-based greeting would be appropriate if you visited Lynford Hall? 14. Where can you find the only complete town gasworks in the whole country? 15 What world-famous event was created by the late George Cushing MBE? 16 Who is the RNLI Museum at Cromer dedicated to? 17 How many ships did King’s Lynn provide to fight off the Spanish Armada? 18 Who said “I am myself a Norfolk man, and glory in being so”? 19 Private Henry Ward of Harleston was the first Norfolk man to receive what? a) A knighthood b) An OBE c) The George Medal d) The Victoria Cross 20 John Mason founded the American state of New Hampshire, but in which Norfolk town was he born? 21 Which queen of Henry VIII is thought to have been born at Blickling Hall? 22 When famous King’s Lynn explorer
George Vancouver discovered the area now known as Alaska, what did he call it?
31 Who started his business from his home in 1950 with 20 eggs and a second-hand incubator?
23. Anna Sewell was born in Great Yarmouth and only wrote one book which is now famous all over the world. What is its title?
32 Which product would you associate with the Norfolk companies Morgans, Steward & Patteson, Youngs Crawshaw and Bullard’s?
24 Where can you find the only remaining stage in the world on which Shakespeare (almost certainly) performed?
33 For the first 15 years of its life, the venue for the Royal Norfolk Show alternated between Norwich and which Norfolk town?
25 Which King’s Lynn woman wrote the first autobiography in English literature?
34 If a 19th-century west Norfolk farmer said “Yan, Tan, Tethera, Pethera, Pip...” what would he be doing?
26 Everyone knows Norwich City FC’s nickname is ‘The Canaries’ but it wasn’t the club’s first. Was it: a) The Birchers b) The Farmers c) The Citizens d) The Sparrows 27 Which world-famous rock drummer was born in King’s Lynn in 1949? 28 Which location in Norfolk is mentioned in David Bowie’s 1971 classic Life on Mars?
35 Which famous composer played a series of concerts in Norwich in 1840? a) Ludwig van Beethoven b) Richard Wagner c) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart d) Franz Lizst 36 What do The Regent (Downham Market), The Electric Theatre (King’s Lynn) and The Palace (Thetford) all have in common?
29 The well-known Sherlock Holmes’ story The Hound of the Baskervilles was inspired by which local legend? 30 The man who invented perforated postage stamps (Charles Wilkinson) was born in which Norfolk town?
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37 What began broadcasting at 5.55pm on 11th September 1980? 38 Esther Rantzen once failed an audition for which famous children’s show produced by Anglia Television in the 1960s/70s?
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39 What is the modern name for the headwear created by London’s James Locke for Lord Coke of Holkham Hall in 1849? 40 Where can you find the church of St. Nicholas, the largest (23,000ft2) parish church in England? 41 Similarly, where can you find another St. Nicholas - which is the largest chapel in the country? 42 Which of these English kings did NOT visit the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham? a) Henry III b) Edward I c) Henry VIII d) Richard III 43 Sixteen species of bat can be found in the UK, but how many can be found in Norfolk? 44 If the Norfolk coastline starts at The Wash, where does it finish? 45 There are seven ‘Burnhams’ - but can you name them all? 46 John Fryer and Robert Tinkler are both buried at Wells-next-the-Sea - but in which famous event of 1789 did they participate? 47 When Henry Le Strange created the seaside resort of ‘new’ Hunstanton, what was the first structure built? 48 In her novel Emma, what did Jane Austen call “the best of all the sea bathing places” in England? 49 Where was the famous Bronze Age timber circle commonly known as Seahenge exposed by the sea for the first time in almost 4,000 years? 50 Which of these did NOT feature on
Hunstanton’s original 830ft long pier? a) A miniature steam railway b) A roller-skating centre c) A small zoo d) A miniature golf course 51 What name did The Daily Telegraph writer Clement Scott call the flowerfilled area between Sheringham and Sidestrand?
52 What South American animal was introduced to the Broadland area in 1929 but became such a pest that the government set up a special control committee - which exterminated the last one in 1989? 53 What is extremely odd about the railway signal-box in Happisburgh? 54 In 1987 the streets of King’s Lynn were the first in the country to feature what? a) Cash machines b) CCTV c) Push-button pedestrian crossings d) Mobile telephone points 55 Which beach in Norfolk has appeared in an Oscar-winning film, was voted Beach of the Year by the BBC, and Best Beach in the UK by a panel of international travel writers? 56 What local delicacy is officially known as Salicornia Europaea? 57 Which National Trust property in Norfolk was featured in the 1968 Dad’s
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Picture Quiz 1 All of these people can be described as being ‘from’ Norfolk as they were either born in the county or brought up here. How many can you identify?
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Army episode called Museum Piece? 58 What did architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner describe as “one of the most perfect buildings ever built”? 59 What family name connects over 200 village signs in Norfolk and a pharaoh’s tomb in Egypt? 60 Located in the centre of King’s Lynn, it has the largest secular tiled floors in the country, a unique (and towering) feature, and its cellar is the oldest brickbuilt structure in Norfolk. What’s the building? 61 Which of the following concerts in Norfolk never actually took place?
a) The Beatles (1963) b) Nirvana (1989) c) Jimi Hendrix (1967) d) The Rolling Stones (1965)
was published in Norwich in 1701, but what was it called - The Norwich Post, The Norwich Mercury or The Norwich Telegraph?
62 One of the world’s most expensive spices is now being grown on the north Norfolk coast - what is it?
69 Glandford is home to Norfolk’s first purpose-built museum, but does it exhibit pencils, manuscripts, shells or children’s toys?
63 The world’s first football stand still exists - and it’s in Norfolk! - but where would you find it? 64 What was once affectionately called the ‘Gingerbread Town’ because of the distinctive colour of its buildings? 65 The ‘fish finger’ was invented in Norfolk in 1952 at which seaside resort? 66 Famous cook and passionate supporter of Norwich City FC, Delia Smith is often described as coming from Norfolk - but in which county was she actually born? a) Surrey b) Devon c) Leicestershire d) Hertfordshire 67 The fossilised skeleton discovered at West Runton in 1990 is the world’s largest nearly complete example of a certain animal - but what’s the animal? 68 The first provincial newspaper in England
70 Which American food company built its first major factory outside the USA in King’s Lynn in 1959? 71 Did Horatio Nelson suffer from arachnaphobia, seasickness or a nut allergy? 72 What iconic and world-famous brand made its home in Norfolk thanks to Colin Chapman? 73 The Minster in King’s Lynn is dedicated to which saint? 74 In which month was the first issue of KL magazine published? a) August 2015 b) October 2010 c) January 2012 d) December 2013 ANSWERS Whether you’ve learned something new or taken pleasure in demonstrating how much you know about Norfolk and its unique claims to fame, we hope you’ve enjoyed this quiz. Space limitations prevent us from printing all the answers, which is even more reason to become a Friend of KL magazine. See the feature on page 10, join us, and we’ll confirm just how clever you are!
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Picture Quiz 2 These are some of the most famous buildings in the area, but we didn’t have space to print the entire pictures. Given the details and features you can see, how many can you identify? There’s an ‘odd one out’ as well - which one, and why?
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Support for business in these difficult times...
I
An important update from Clive Dodds FCA of Stephenson Smart…
n the 100 years that Stephenson Smart has been providing accounting services in East Anglia we have never had to deal with something so disruptive to normal and business life as the current coronavirus pandemic. The impact that the outbreak is having on all of us is significant in virtually all areas of our lives, and it’s especially hard on local businesses. The good news is that there is plenty of help and support available from central and local governments to minimise the impact and lessen the long-term consequences. What follows is a short summary of some of the most important guidance – you’ll find a much more in-depth guide on our website at www. stephenson-smart.com
THE CORONAVIRUS JOB RETENTION SCHEME The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been set up to allow UK employers to access support to help with paying the salaries of employees who would otherwise have been laid off during Covid-19. If you cannot maintain your current workforce because your operations have been severely affected by coronavirus, you can ‘furlough’ employees (give them a leave of absence) and apply for a grant that covers 80% of their usual monthly wage costs up to £2,500 a month. The grant includes the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum automatic enrolment employer pension
contributions on that wage. Furloughed employees are defined as workers whose employer can’t cover staff costs due to the coronavirus crisis.
SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME SUPPORT SCHEME HMRC will be in contact with those who are eligible for the scheme by the beginning of next month (June) and invite them to apply online. HMRC will use data on 2018-19 returns already submitted to identify those eligible, and will risk assess any late returns filed before the 23rd April 2020 deadline in the usual way. The support will take the form of a taxable grant which will be 80% of the average profits from the tax years where applicable (2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19).
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If you’re due to pay a self-assessment payment on account by 31st July 2020 but the impact of coronavirus is causing you difficulty in making payment by that date, then you may defer the payment until January 2021. HMRC has a helpline set up for any business or self-employed individual who is concerned about paying their tax due to Covid-19 to get practical help and advice. You can call it on 08000 159559. The helpline is open from Monday to Friday between 8am-8pm (excluding bank holidays) and on Saturday between 8am-4pm.
To work out the average, HMRC will add together the total trading profit for the three tax years (where applicable), divide that figure by three (where applicable), and then use the result to calculate a monthly amount. It will be up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for three months but it may be extended if needed and if circumstances change. The grant will be paid directly into bank accounts in one instalment, and it will be taxable.
STATUTORY SICK PAY The Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will repay employers the current rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) that they pay to current or former employees for periods of sickness starting on or after 13th March 2020. If you’re an employer who pays more than the current rate of SSP you can only claim the current rate amount. The scheme covers all types of employment contracts, including full-time and part-time employees, employees on agency contracts, and also employees on flexible or zerohour contracts. Those who are not eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (for example the selfemployed or people earning below the Lower Earnings Limit of £118 per week) can now more easily make a claim for Universal Credit or Contributory Employment and Support Allowance. For the duration of the outbreak, the requirements of the Universal Credit Minimum Income Floor will be temporarily relaxed for those who have coronavirus or are self-isolating according to government advice, ensuring that self-employed claimants will receive support. People will be able to claim Universal Credit and access advance payments upfront without the current requirement to attend a Jobcentre if they are advised to self-isolate.
BUSINESS RATES The government has agreed to a 12month business rates ‘holiday’ for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England (2020-21 tax year) with a rateable value of less than £51,000. There are also grants of up to £25,000 available for those with rateable values of £15,000-£51,000. In addition, there are also one-off grants of £10,000 available through local authorities for small or rural businesses that pay little or no business rates.
If your business is eligible for SBRR or Rural Rate Relief, you will be contacted by your local authority – you do not need to apply.
BUSINESS LOANS There is a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to support small and medium sized businesses. The temporary scheme supports small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance of up to £5 million and for up to six years. To apply, you should talk to your bank or one of the 40 accredited finance providers as soon as possible. The government is also offering support for larger firms through the Covid Corporate Financing Facility. Under the initiative, the Bank of England will buy short term debt from larger companies. All non-financial companies that meet the criteria set out on the Bank of England’s website (www.bankofengland.co.uk) are eligible.
I hope this information goes some way towards explaining the financial help and support that is available to businesses and individuals during this period of disruption. As always, myself and the teams of experts at Stephenson Smart are on hand at this difficult time to try and find a successful path through. Hope you are keeping safe and well.
- Clive Dodds
PAYMENT OF TAXES The government has put in place two forms of assistance for the payment of tax to help businesses and the selfemployed during the coronavirus outbreak. All businesses with a UK VAT registration have the option to defer VAT payments due between 20th March 2020 and 30th June 2020 but please note that all deferred VAT payments will need to be paid by 31st March 2021.
Clive Dodds FCA Chairman of Directors
KING’S LYNN 01553 774104 FAKENHAM 01328 863318 WISBECH 01945 463383 MARCH 01354 653026 DOWNHAM MARKET 01366 384121 GREAT YARMOUTH 01493 382500 www.stephenson-smart.com
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ABOVE: The setting of Castle Rising is perfectly idyllic today, but at one time it was a perfect example of 19th century political corruption
A beautiful village and a ‘rotten’ borough In 1832 Castle Rising had a population of less than 1,000 - but two MPs more than Manchester, which had none. Russell Lyon looks at the history of a democratic system that was everything but democratic
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ost people who live in and around King’s Lynn and northwest Norfolk will know Castle Rising well. It’s a tranquil and picturesque village in a conservation area with a dominant medieval castle and a Norman church with a quaint row of almshouses opposite it. Why, then, would anyone ever consider describing it as a Rotten Borough - especially when it has nothing to do with the state of the drains! The word ‘rotten’ was used to describe a Parliamentary constituency which had a very small electorate, and there is thought to have been a total of 57 of them, mostly concentrated in the south and southwest of England. The term had unfortunate connotations, but it was widely
recognised that the democratic process in these boroughs was very flawed. They were also called ‘pocket’ or ‘nomination’ constituencies, which hardly sounded much better. These boroughs could be used by a patron (usually the Lord of the Manor, who owned the voters’ houses) to gain an unfair influence in the House of Commons. The constituency boundary of Castle Rising included North Wootton, South Wootton and Roydon, and today it’s hard to believe historians’ claims that Castle Rising was once both a market town and a seaport. As late as the 15th century, seagoing vessels could sail up the river to the north of Castle Rising all the way to the now-forgotten village of Babingley. However, the ships grew larger, the
river silted up, the sea receded - and navigation became far too difficult, which meant all the trade went to King’s Lynn. It should be noted that modern research has cast doubt on the tradition of Castle Rising as a viable sea port, and it’s still a matter of debate. Regardless, from 1558-1832 the borough had a Royal Charter and the right to elect two MPs to the House of Commons. It had been granted this privilege in the 16th century because it was then a large and prosperous community - a ‘burgage’ borough. This meant that voting powers were given to the occupants of properties known as burgage tenements which were owned in most cases by a single landlord. It meant that the ability to nominate both MPs could be bought and sold with the houses, and in the
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ABOVE: The castle at Castle Rising played a part in the country’s politics during the 14th century when Queen Isabella was confined there and 500 years later the residents of the village’s charming cottages (right) were involved in another political storm
“For 300 years, Castle Rising had a Royal Charter and the right to elect two MPs to the House of Commons...” borough of Castle Rising the number of voters was kept as low as possible to control the electoral outcome. As a result, contested elections were very rare - the great diarist Samuel Pepys and our own Robert Walpole (who would become the first British Prime Minister) were both elected unopposed. After all, it was a brave voter who who’d go against the wishes of his landlord. Especially since there was only one polling station and the voting was done
by a show of hands. A tenant who voted for the ‘wrong’ candidate (if one existed) could easily find himself and his family evicted from their home. A very extreme and notorious example of this political chicanery was Old Sarum. It had been a busy cathedral city in the 12th century, reliant on the wealth generated by its cathedral, which was abandoned when the present Salisbury Cathedral was built nearby. A new town grew up rapidly around it, but despite the rapid depopulation Old Sarum still retained the right to elect two MPs. In fact, before the Reform Act of 1832, Old Sarum only had three houses - and a mere seven voters elected the two MPs. By that time, the borough of Castle Rising comprised less than 170 houses and had a population of 888. The problem was that as communities changed, the electoral boundaries didn’t alter to reflect shifting populations. For instance, it was ridiculous that by 1832 the little town of Manchester had grown into a large city. It had a population of some 60,000 people who were totally unrepresented in Parliament because they didn’t have their own MP!
The obvious need and increasing pressure to alter this status quo culminated in the much-contested Reform Act of 1832, when the ‘rotten boroughs’ (including Castle Rising) were abolished. Overnight, the new law took power away from the landed aristocracy and vested it in the urban middle classes. It established the principle that each parliamentary constituency should have roughly the same number of electors. The Boundary Commission was established to maintain this principle in line with changing demographics, and it continues to this day. A final reform came in 1872 when The Ballot Act was passed, introducing the ‘secret’ ballot which finally put a stop to candidates influencing elections by ensuring they could no longer know who the public was voting for. At the same time, the practice of paying (or “entertaining”) voters was made illegal and the associated election “expenses” fell dramatically. After all this political turmoil, Castle Rising was finally allowed to settle back and become the peaceful and beautiful (and democratic!) village we know and love today.
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KLmagazine May 2020
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE this Spring/Summer With well-priced, distinctive outdoor furniture and accessories from market leading brands.
To view our catalogue of current stock please visit our website
www.norfolkleisure.com For up-to-date information on availability and delivery call us on 01553 811717 or email sales@norfolkleisure.co.uk to speak to a member of our team.
Derma Vida CREATING BEAUTIFUL SKIN Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic we are unable to see clients in clinic however we hope that all our clients are keeping well and safe. In the meantime we have set up a Video consultation facility where clients old and new are able to book to see Dr Deol for any advice on treatments we offer, or concerns regarding their ongoing treatments. To book you appointment go to our website www.dermavida.co.uk You can also register to be contacted once we are able to re-open by calling Victoria on 07795425140 or 01553 696886 or by emailing dermavida@yahoo.co.uk We are very grateful for all your support and understanding at this time, and hope you all keep well and healthy.
We are a local firm of solicitors and our professional lawyers can offer you specialist legal advice and make sure your needs are met. We are experienced in; Conveyancing, family, residential and commercial lease, debt recovery, litigation, wills and probate, and personal injury, contract and professional negligence and dispute matters. We can often offer fixed fees so you know where you stand on costs and an introductory 1/2 hour free of charge. (not available for fixed fee arrangements)
Staveley, Johnson & Procter Solicitors Waverley House, 37 Greevegate, Hunstanton PE36 6AB Telephone: 01485 532662 Fax: 01485 534802 DX: 95250 Hunstanton | info@sjpsolicitors.co.uk Solicitors acting in the North Norfolk area, including King’s Lynn and Norwich
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30-38 Blackfriars Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1NN Tel: 01553 768751 | FREE CUSTOMER PARKING 32
KLmagazine May 2020
We’re still here for you and your home... Putting the safety of their customers and installation teams first, Eastern Frames continues to rise to the current challenge
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lthough Eastern Frames’ two showrooms in Wisbech and Hunstanton are closed at the moment, the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t stopped the company helping people across the region improve their homes with a superb range of windows, doors, conservatories and bi-folds. “The health and safety of our teams and our customers remains one of our primary concerns,” says Business Manager Matt Barton, “which means
we’re working within the government’s latest guidelines and completing jobs that can still be done within them and we’re remotely offering many of our customer services, including emergency repairs to windows and doors.” Installations are being carried out entirely at the property owners’ discretion, but can be reassured that Eastern Frames’ installation teams are putting everyone’s safety first travelling in separate vehicles, wearing NHS-equivalent facemasks, cleaning work areas and equipment with sanitisers and anti-bacterial wipes, and maintaining social distancing by working from opposite ends of the property. “We even provide the customer a work schedule of what we’ll be doing and in what order,” says Matt. “That helps them decide whether to alter their movements accordingly so they’re not coming into contact with our operatives.”
As for new projects, Eastern Frames remains fully operational in providing new quotations and estimates although those are now being done electronically through plans, customersupplied photographs, and video calls. “Technology is even helping us talk through ideas with new customers,” says Matt. “If they want to look at sample products and see how they operate, video calls allow us to give them a virtual tour of our showroom and see what options are available.” And since all Eastern Frames’ brochures are electronic, they can e-mailed to customers - or posted as hard copies to people without access to e-mail. These are challenging times for everyone, but by making the most of modern technology and putting everyone’s health and safety first Eastern Frames is more than rising to the challenge.
HUNSTANTON 12 King’s Lynn Road, Hunstanton PE36 5HP | T: 01485 522050 WISBECH Unit 3 Grass Gate Lane, Lynn Road, PE14 7AN | T: 01945 586816 W: www.easternframes.com | E: info@easternframes.com
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- Joshua Gardner
IMAGES: ©JOSHUA PAUL GARDNER
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The only limit is the film maker’s imagination. It’s all about the story and director’s vision when it comes to our approach to aerial cinematography. It’s not just about getting the shot, but about the emotions conveyed through the visuals we create.
From mountain trails to aerial adventures... Local commercial drone pilot and photographer Joshua Gardner has got his business off to a flying start - and the sky’s the limit
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oshua Gardner loves the great outdoors, and thanks to his stunning outdoor photography it’s possibly never looked greater. After completing his studies at the College of West Anglia, the 25-year-old went on to complete a degree in Graphic Design and Creative Advertising - but his first love has always been outdoor hobbies such as kayaking and climbing. Actually, it was while Joshua was working towards his Mountain Leader qualification and working in the French Alps that he developed a passion for photography. “I spent a lot of time taking people
through the mountains in Scotland and Wales, and I started using a drone to help me use social media to share what I was lucky enough to be experiencing,” he says. “The drone gets a genuine bird’s eye view that’s impossible for us, and I try to capture images that convey the real feeling of beauty and space that exists in every part of the country.” When Joshua set up his aerial and ground-based video and photography business, he also completed his CAA commercial licenses so he could work professionally - a move which brought him to the attention of several holiday companies, hotels and corporate bodies such as John Lewis.
“Last year I even found myself flying in the middle of the North Sea filming a big offshore wind project,” he says. “I also flew a trial at a major UK airport for two weeks to see if drones could help protect aircraft from bird strikes during take-offs and landings.” As the technology has developed, the work drones are capable of doing has increased, and Joshua’s found himself working in some very unexpected areas - even flying fixed-wing drones with cameras and software to help farmers improve crop yields. He’s also worked with Norwichbased company Hexham on mapping, asset inspections, photogrammetry
ABOVE: A stunning view of the river Great Ouse and West Lynn taken looking north along the river with Josh Gardner’s drone carrying a wide angle lens. The proximity of West Lynn to the town centre is clear and is only separated by a narrow strip of water and the famous ferry.
surveys and creative photography and video. He’s even produced panoramic photography and time-lapse video for construction and energy projects. With over 250 hours flying time, Joshua has already completed building surveys in central London this year and the mapping and 3D modelling of the cliff landslide near Cromer. And now he’s focusing on producing creative aerial films. “It’s not just about the aircraft and the technology but how we use the images in the studio,” he says. “It’s always exciting to get the drone in the air when there’s something spectacular to film such as the firework displays in King’s Lynn and Hunstanton last November and the Lights Express train on the North Norfolk Railway in December. People always talk to me when I’m flying and it’s great to be able to share what I’m doing, because our monitors relay what the drone is seeing in real time – that’s pretty cool if it’s the first time you’ve seen this kind of photography!” Joshua’s fully aware that the increasing use of drones has been quite controversial, and regulations have tightened over recent years. “As drones have become more accessible there have been some problems, but for those of us who are properly licensed, qualified and know the rules they can be a real commercial asset,” he says. “They’re cheaper, quicker and safer than many traditional alternatives - and they let us capture amazing images from areas and positions that were previously inaccessible.” As for the future, it’s hardly surprising that Joshua’s rather excited about it.
“I think drones will be delivering your shopping one day, although that might be some time off,” he says. “But as technology develops and more automation means that drones are flying for longer and flying a lot further, the possibilities are virtually endless. You could say the sky’s the limit!” You can see more examples of Josh’s work on www.joshuapaulgardner.com or on his Facebook page, and he can be contacted on 07896 278811 if you’d like to talk about a future project.
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A digital presence has never been so important Discover how the digital specialists at This is Fuller can help you and your business reach your customers during these challenging times...
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hen Jason Fuller started building websites in his bedroom while he was still at school, he had no idea that ten years later his creative and digital services would be in demand from so many local businesses forced by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic to maintain their presence virtually entirely online. The company he founded - This is Fuller - now employs a team of five digital marketing professionals who’ve produced innovative and dynamic work in a number of different fields - from branding and graphic design to websites, social media and marketing campaigns. “We’ve got
Jason Fuller
clients in Europe and North America, and we’ve completed film shoots in Hollywood and Australia - but at the moment we’re concentrating on helping support local businesses,” says Jason. “Many local companies are now realising they weren’t quite where they needed to be digitally, and that’s more important now than it’s ever been.” Jason’s quick to point out that marketing is one of the first things to be cut in difficult times, but he’s equally quick to say it’s the worst thing a business can put on hold - especially when suddenly it’s the only way they have of reaching their customers. “Our varied skillset and range of services can benefit pretty much any industry at a time like this,” says Jason. “In fact, over the last few weeks we’ve helped local businesses maintain a turnover instead of shutting down completely - and we’ve even put some in touch with new markets they haven’t reached before!”
The team at This is Fuller can introduce your retail operation to online sales, improve the way you communicate with your customers, and show you how to retain a competitive presence - to ensure that when current restrictions are finally lifted, your company, your products and your services are still in front of people’s minds. “Our clients use as many or as few of our digital solutions as they need to suit their needs,” says Jason. “Some use us for a simple one-off website, others use us solely for social media, and several use almost all our services on an ongoing basis.” If you’d like more details and information on how Jason and his team can help you and your business through this difficult time, please arrange an initial consultation using the details below and discover the possibilies. This is Fuller. And this is the future.
WWW.THISISFULLER.AGENCY • HELLO@THISISFULLER.AGENCY 01553 766111 • 14 TUESDAY MARKET PLACE, KING’S LYNN PE30 1JN KLmagazine May 2020
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KLmagazine May 2020
New drives, new roads, a new way of working With WN Surfacing the roads (and drives) to success are now safer...
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y now, we’re all aware that we should only be going to work if we can’t work from home - but that’s virtually impossible for Richard Moore and his team at WN Surfacing, whose business takes place almost entirely outdoors. For over 30 years, WN Surfacing has been providing a full surfacing reinstatement and contracting service throughout East Anglia - and even further afield - and several of their ongoing projects classes them as essential workers.
“We do a lot of emergency work for Anglian Water and we’re still busy repairing roads - which is obviously easier and safer at the moment,” says Richard. “The same is true of projects involving schools, commercial properties and car parks - and since our teams travel in separate vehicles it’s relatively easy for us to work and still follow rules on social distancing.” The same applies to domestic projects, with the current situation lessening the impact of relativelydisruptive work such as new drives, patio areas or roadway access into multi-property developments. “In an industry such as ours, the health and safety of our staff and our customers has always been a big factor in all the work we do,” says Richard. “We’re still as consistent, reliable and environmentally-friendly as we always were - and now we’re even safer.” WN Surfacing can even complete the initial stages of a project (from designs to choice of materials to costings)
remotely by using e-mail and online resources to study architectural plans, drawings and photographs. For high quality surfaces of all types, for all purposes and all properties (together with a professional aftercare service) contact WN Surfacing today and get your project on the road to success - professionally, costeffectively, and safely.
Just a few of the services from WN Surfacing Surface dressing Asphalt with decorative chippings Resin-bound surfaces Resin-bonded Porous asphalt Coloured asphalt Block weave drives and pathways Sports surfaces
Riverside Farm, Garage Lane, Setchey, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE33 0BE Tel: 01553 811531 | Web: www.wnsurfacing.com | E-mail: richard@wnsurfacing.com
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If you’re indoors, take the garden with you... We spend a lot of time and effort ensuring our gardens are full of colour and variety, but as Wendy Warner explains, there are plenty of ways to bring all that hard work into the home
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e all appreciate the flowers in our gardens, and there’s no better way of prolonging that appreciation than by bringing them indoors. Few of us are lucky enough to have the space for a dedicated area of flowers where they can be grown in formal rows for every season before being cut for the house. Saying that, unless you have a stately home, you’d probably only need a couple of bunches per week - and this could easily be produced from your existing borders with a little adaptation. Suitable plants for cutting come in all shapes, all sizes and all plant groups, and most gardens will already have some appropriate varieties. If you intend to grow specifically for cutting,
you may want to allow slightly more space for these plants. Where originally you have grown one plant, put in three of them (always plant in odd numbers to give a less regimented look) and you’ll be able to pick a few stems from each plant rather than decimate the single (unfortunate) one. The garden will still look good, and you’ll have plenty for indoors. Many annuals make super cut flowers and can be sown in patches throughout the garden or on an area of the vegetable patch that isn’t being used. In fact, the beauty of annuals is that you can try new or different varieties each year until you find your favourites. When considering which plants to grow for cutting, it’s very much down to individual choice and style.
Some people like to create elaborate arrangements with strong frame and structure. Personally, I prefer a more informal, natural-looking bunch of flowers just popped into a vase. Sometimes this will feature all the same species, but different varieties or colours such as daffodils or tulips, or in summer an array of whatever’s looking good at that moment - which could include cosmos, larkspur, salvias and the beautiful ammi majus (a delicate white cow-parsley type flower) along with some ferny foliage. Many bulbs actually lend themselves to cutting. For spring choose early-, mid- and late-flowering daffodils and tulips to give weeks of flowers, and don’t forget that alliums can be used in late spring. Summer flowering gladioli
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arrangements (even if they’re only a bunch in a vase) will look best if there’s a variety of flower shapes in it such as rounded, spiky, bell-, star- or cupshaped. Fillers will also add to the look with gypsopila and alchemilla mollis being good examples. And don’t forget the foliage which will make a great backdrop for the flowers. There are many plants that provide great leaf colour or texture - eucalyptus, euonymus, ferns, grasses, cotinus, pittosporum or various conifers. For a more dramatic look, choose hostas or fatsias with their large individual leaves, phormiums with their sword-shaped leaves, or even the coloured stems of dogwood in the autumn. Cut your flowers first thing in the morning or late in the evening and place them in a bucket half full of water and a sugar-based plant food. They should then be left for a good number of hours to take up the water and food before arranging. You probably won’t need to add any more food to the water, but you can add a small quantity of bleach or sterilising fluid to kill any bacteria and stop the water clouding. Bringing your garden indoors is a great idea at any time, but as we’re finding ourselves spending more time than usual in our homes, there’s never been a better time to brighten your surroundings - outside and in! - with some natural colour.
YOU AND YOUR GARDEN and lilies are classic cut flowers - try successional planting of gladioli over a few weeks to prolong the flowering period. Dahlias come in a huge range of colours and sizes, and will provide flowers right through to the autumn - but when choosing plants for cut flowers it would be best to go for small- to medium-headed types such as pompom or decorative. Going into summer, there are some beautiful larger flowers such as paeonias, oriental poppies, hydrangeas, delphiniums and roses that can be used as the centrepiece of your display. By midsummer, many of the annuals that can be sown direct into the garden as seed in the spring will be coming into their own. Cosmos is invaluable as are cornflowers, nigella (the delightfully-named Love in a Mist), zinnias, sunflowers and tobacco plants. In the right conditions, these can grow very quickly so may require some staking or support to prevent them getting damaged in windy or wet conditions. Another annual that’s grown mainly
as a cut flower is the sweet pea with its wonderfully scented flowers. These will need a specific growing area because they’re climbers. Try them on trellis, encourage them up an arch or obelisk, or use mesh or netting attached to a wall or fence. Remember to feed and deadhead sweet peas regularly to prolong flowering. A great tip with scented flowers such as roses, lilies, stocks, carnations or sweet peas is to have just one variety per arrangement or vase - otherwise it can be become a little overpowering. In late summer and autumn, you’ll find that Michaelmas Daisy type asters, chrysanthemums, echinaceas, rudbeckias and sedums will all give a great splash of colour. Most flower
Wendy Warner is the Manager of Thaxters Garden Centre in Dersingham, which is closed at the moment but is taking telephone orders for delivery and contactless collection. See the website at www.thaxters.co.uk or telephone 01485 541514 for more details. If you’d like some inspiration for your garden or have a particular issue or variety of plant you’d like Wendy to look at, please contact us at info@klmagazine.co.uk.
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KLmagazine May 2020
Lo
ca Fre lD e el ive
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ry
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KLmagazine May 2020
The professional way to light up your home... Bring your home out of the darkness and enjoy your outdoor space all year round with the expert team at Bircham Electrical
Y
ou won’t need any reminding that we’re spending a lot more time at home these days, and as the nights get longer and warmer we’re focusing more than ever on our outdoor spaces - and how they look once the sun goes down. Highlighting your home’s best features and turning your garden into an all-year and roundthe-clock living area has never been easier with the expertise of the team at Bircham Electrical. “It’s only natural that people want to enjoy their own outdoor space as much as possible at the moment,” says general manager Darren Goldsby. “The
good news is that with a carefullyplanned and professionally-installed lighting design, the exterior of your home can look just as good as the interior!” From simple low-level patio lights to elaborate installations that show your entire home and garden in an entirely new light (literally!), Bircham Electrical have many years’ experience in designing, installing and maintaining outdoor lighting - and it’s something that can still be done under current restrictions and social distancing. “The safety of our teams and our customers is at the very heart of our business and it’s second nature to us,” says Darren. “Outdoor lighting obviously means that we don’t have to spend time in the property itself, and if we do need to access the fuseboard for any reason we’ll do it quickly, responsibly and safely.” 4 Wymans Way Industrial Estate Fakenham NR21 8NT
Bircham Electrical uses high-quality and energy-efficient British suppliers such as Davey (who’ve been lighting people’s homes for over 130 years) and architectural lighting specialists John Cullen - who’ve lit up everything from superyachts to the Marylebone Hotel in spectacular fashion. “It’s entirely down to the look you want to achieve,” says Darren. “We can light a small patio or outdoor dining area, or we can light up your entire house - and it doesn’t mean that you’ll have to live with cables all over the garden. If it’s planned and installed professionally, you won’t see a single wire!” For an easy and affordable way to light up your home, talk to Bircham Electrical today.
Tel: 01328 851824 Web: www.bircham-electrical.co.uk E-mail: admin@birchamelectrical.com
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How to grow your own even without a garden There’s nothing quite as rewarding as growing and enjoying your own vegetables, and it’s the perfect activity under current circumstances. And as Wendy Warner explains, you don’t even need a garden!
H
ow lovely would it be to harvest your own homegrown vegetables, this summer? If you live in a flat or apartment or have no access to a suitable garden you might think it impossible, but it’s not necessary to have a huge space to grow vegetables. In fact, you don’t even need bare ground - a pot or other container would suffice just as well, because there are many varieties of vegetables that will thrive in containers. These could be pots, troughs, hanging baskets or window boxes. If you don’t have any of these (or like the idea of recycling) have a look for objects hidden away in the garage; wooden crates, an old barbecue or galvanised bathtub, old tyres, a broken wheelbarrow or even old children’s toy trucks with open backs. Basically, if you’ve got something in which you can put a reasonable depth of compost and make some drainage holes, you can use it! Even better, growing in moveable containers allows you to position them in the best position for the plants’ requirements such as making sure your tomatoes are in the sun. Ideally, compost made specifically for vegetables would be the best growing media to use, but otherwise choose a mix of multi-purpose compost with top soil or clean garden soil, well-rotted home produced compost from your compost bin, or just plain garden soil if nothing else is available. It’s important to make sure your container has good drainage - make holes in the bottom and if possible add some broken crocks or stones to ensure the compost doesn’t get waterlogged, causing roots to rot. Most vegetables are easy to grow from seed - you just need to follow the instructions on the seed packet. Some of the easiest and quickest crops to grow are ‘cut-and-comeagain’ salad leaves - various lettuce leaves (those that don’t make a heart), spicy mustard or rocket. The baby leaves can be cut over a period of weeks and will regrow. They only require a shallow container, even if that’s just a seed tray or foil roasting tray. Fill it three quarters full with your compost or soil and water it well, leave to soak in, and then sprinkle the seeds thinly on the surface before covering with ½cm compost. Dependent on the weather, stand the tray on a cool windowsill, in a greenhouse or in a sheltered spot
ABOVE: Vegetables are remarkably easy (and hugely satisfying) to grow and you don’t even need a garden - balconies and windowsills will work perfectly well
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“It’s not necessary to have a huge space to grow vegetables. In fact, you don’t even need bare ground...” outside. Beware, however, because birds like to investigate trays or pots of bare soil - so it’s worth putting a piece of net or horticultural fleece over to protect them. Peashoots can also be grown in this way; sow peas into a seed tray and let them grow a few inches tall and then harvest the shoots and leaves to use in salads. Tomatoes can be grown from seed on a windowsill or bought as small plants. Transplant into 30cm pots and keep moist (but never waterlogged) and provide good ventilation. If you allow the soil or compost to dry out and then flood it, the change in water content will cause the fruit to crack - so always aim to keep plants evenly moist. All tomato plants will benefit from regular feeding with a high-potash tomato feed such as ‘Tomorite’ once the fist fruit start to set, and most tomatoes require support with a cane, tying the central stem to this as they grow taller. There are some compact
varieties of cherry tomato such as ‘Tumbler’ or ‘Sweet and Neat’ suitable for growing in hanging baskets or window boxes if space is at a premium. Other fruiting plants that won’t take up a great deal of space are peppers, chillies and aubergines. These will all need to be started indoors, grown in individual pots and then moved out to the patio as temperatures warm in late May - or kept in a greenhouse where they will fruit sooner. Courgettes will be very productive, but require more space as they produce large spreading leaves and the fruit will need support. It’s best to harvest them regularly when they are small and crisp. Outdoor cucumbers will need a very sheltered spot with good support and don’t be tempted to start them too early, because they won’t take off until there’s little difference between day and night-time temperatures. If you have green-fingered neighbours, they may well have grown too many tomato, courgette, pepper or cucumber seeds and be looking for someone to take them off their hands ask around! Carrots are a good crop to grow in deep containers. After sowing the seeds, cover the container with horticultural fleece or a very fine insect protection mesh as the temperature of the compost will be raised slightly to aid germination - and it will protect the young seedlings from being attacked by carrot fly. The fleece or mesh can be removed once the carrots are well established. Your carrots should be ready to harvest after about 12 weeks, but they don’t all need to be pulled at once leave the remainder in the soil to grow larger. Radishes and beetroot can be grown in a similar way but they won’t require such deep containers.
Beans can make a great show in pots with their pretty flowers and attractive leaves, but will require a sheltered position out of the wind. If you want to grow climbing runner beans they will require a large container (75cm diameter for 9 plants) with a wigwam of canes or framework to support them. Climbing French beans will not need as large a container (45cm) and dwarf French beans or bush runner beans can be grown in smaller containers (30cm) with shorter supports. Most beans will need to be grown indoors or in the greenhouse before planting out unless you are planting them very late - or they can also be bought as young plants. Pick your beans when they’re young and tender and they’ll have the best flavour. Peas can be grown in containers in a similar way, but are better supported using more twiggy sticks. Remember that all your vegetables will require regular watering and feeding to produce the best crops, but it can be a very relaxing and therapeutic experience. Have fun growing your own vegetables in containers this summer, and if you have success and enjoy it, who knows - you could always progress to a small raised bed next year!
YOU AND YOUR GARDEN Wendy Warner is the Manager of Thaxters Garden Centre in Dersingham, which is closed at the moment but is taking telephone orders for delivery and contactless collection. See the website at www.thaxters.co.uk or telephone 01485 541514 for more details. If you’d like some inspiration for your garden or have a particular issue or variety of plant you’d like Wendy to look at, please contact us at info@klmagazine.co.uk.
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KLmagazine May 2020
Become a friend of KL magazine Under current circumstances, it’s more important than ever that we can keep in touch with our readers - to keep you up to date on the latest news from KL magazine, to let you know when the next issue is available, and how to be sure of your copy. That’s not the only reason why we’re inviting you to become a Friend of KL magazine, however - see the special feature on page 10-11 in this issue for more details and information.
Let’s stay in touch! Become a Friend of KL magazine by visiting www.klmagazine.co.uk and completing the online form, or fill in the special insert enclosed in this issue and post it to us.
KITCHENS • BATHROOMS • TILES • BEDROOMS • PLUMBING SUPPLIES
Our doors are always OPEN
even virtually! Our showroom may be temporarily closed at the moment, but we’re still here at the end of the phone. Send us your measurements, ideas and wish lists and we can offer you a virtual consultation via video call. It’s easy to make your dream kitchen or a bathroom a reality - a ray of sunshine to look forward to after the current storm has passed.
al l
Address 28-31a North End, Wisbech, Cambs, PE13 1PE | Tel 01945 476797 Fax 01945 463495 | Web www.quaycentre.co.uk
Serving a vital link in the food supply chain...
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How the 4 Way Group is working safely with local supermarkets, shops and food outlets to keep our food supplies cool and fresh...
f the last few weeks has taught us anything, it’s how important our food supply chain is for our access to healthy and safe food - and that’s partly due to the expertise of the 4 Way Group in King’s Lynn. The 4 Way Group has over 15 years’ experience in the design, supply, installation, maintenance and repair of commercial refrigeration systems from regional supermarket chains such as the East of England Co-op to local food retailers such as Bakers & Larners and Budgens in Holt. And this professional service is backed up by a fully-qualified team of mobile engineers on call 24 hours a day.
“Health and safety has always been central to every area of our work, so the current guidelines on social distancing haven’t seriously impacted our services,” says Steve Simpson of the 4 Way Group. “Most of the stock in food outlets relies on refrigeration in some form or another - and maintaining correct temperatures and keeping food fresh has probably never been more important.” That’s why the 4 Way Group insists on supplying the highest quality and most energy-efficient equipment available on the market today - and continually invests in staff training and up-to-date product knowledge. “If your whole business depends on
fresh food and high hygiene standards, you need to have total faith in the people who supply and maintain your refrigeration equipment,” says Steve. “We’re on call 24 hours a day, we can respond within hours to any breakdowns, and through our regular service schedules we can even identify and prevent problems before they arise.” If you’d like to talk to the 4 Way Group about your commercial refrigeration and the available servicing options, please contact Steve Simpson and his team using the details below - for an experienced, professional and safe service from a local company that’s always been full of fresh ideas.
t 01553 767878 w www.4waygroup.co.uk e sales@4waygroup.co.uk Recognised and accredited throughout the industry:
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NEW OPENING TIMES: Tuesday-Saturday 7am-2pm
We’re still
providing fresh local fish to our community Cromer crabs Wild sea bass Local oysters & shellfish Jumbo raw prawns Wide range of fresh & smoked fish Free range eggs & local honey
Deli counter with quality local cheeses and olives
D NALDS NS A fresh taste of the sea
Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 772241
ORIENTAL PALACE
CHINESE RESTAURANT Peking Szechuan & Cantonese Cuisine
Choose as many dishes as you want from the à la carte menu and they’ll be freshly cooked to order - all for one set price!
Crawfish Inn
Thai Res tau rant and Bar
We are still open for
Takeaway Service We are following government guidelines ~ We can take payment over the telephone ~ Restaurant quality food in a takeaway box View our menu online at:
OPENING TIMES
Please visit our website www.orientalpalacewestwinch.co.uk or Facebook page for up-to-date news on our opening times
204 Main Road, West Winch, King’s Lynn, PE33 0NP 01553 842255 | DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE
www.crawfishinn.com tel: 01328 878313
Holt Road, Thursford NR21 0BJ
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Pan fried mackerel
with pickled cucumber, rhubarb, Dashi & horseradish crème fraîche INGREDIENTS 1 whole mackerel (filleted and pin-boned) 2 sticks of rhubarb, cut into 2-inch batons ½ cucumber, cut into 2-inch batons 100g crème fraîche 50g horseradish 20g Dashi powder 100ml water
1 Lightly poach rhubarb in orange juice and sugar until just cooked and keeps it shape.
7 Add some horseradish crème fraîche dotted around the plate.
2 Bring 100ml white wine vinegar and 50g sugar to boil and pour over cucumber batons and let cool.
8 Heat a frying pan until very hot, add a little bit of oil then add mackerel fillets skin side down and cook for 2 minutes, when crisp turn over and cook flesh side down for a coule of minutes until cooked.
3 Mix horseradish and crème fraiche together and season. 4 Bring 100ml water to boil and add dashi powder and stir and take off boil. TO SERVE 5 On a plate arrange cucumber and rhubarb criss-crossed in the middle of a plate. 6 Put over some of the cold dashi stock.
Recipe by The Berney Church Road, Barton Bendish PE33 9GF 01366 347995 www.theberney.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
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b
the berney
WE’LL BE
Back open soon! We’re all missing you here at the berney, and we can’t wait to have you back serving you our delicious food & drinks. In the meantime stay safe and try out our pan fried mackerel recipe on page 53 to have your very own taste of the berney at home!
Church Road, Barton Bendish PE33 9GF E Q 54
KLmagazine May 2020
Forget-me-not prune & chocolate cake INGREDIENTS 200g prunes 60ml armagnac (or other spirit or juice) 300ml water 225g butter 2 eggs beaten 200g dark chocolate 225g caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 250g self raising flour Pinch of salt 2 ¼ tsp baking powder 100g cocoa powder FOR THE TOPPING: 100g dark chocolate 200ml double cream ¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 Pre-heat the oven to 170°c and grease a deep 9-inch ‘loose bottom’ cake tin. 2 Place dried prunes in water with the armagnac or alcohol/juice of your choice. Simmer for 15 minutes, strain the prunes and save the liquid. 3 Melt the dark chocolate in the hot liquid along with the butter. Mix well until smooth. 4 Add sugar and whisk until smooth. 5 Add the beaten eggs and vanilla and mix.
8 Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. TO MAKE THE TOPPING 9 Heat the cream to just below boiling and take off the heat. Add the vanilla extract. 10 Pour and spread over the cooled cake. Sit back, make a cup of Folly Violet tea and enjoy!
6 In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder. Add the liquid mixture and combine. 7 Chop the soaked prunes and add to the mixture.
Recipe by Folly Tea Room Hoppers Yard, Bull Street, Holt NR25 6LN 01263 713569 www.follytearoom.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
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We hope all guests, old and new are keeping safe and well, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon!
Keep up to date with us on our social media:
thedukesheadhotel
dukesheadhotelkingslynn
The Dukes Head Hotel, 5-6 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn PE30 1JS T: 01553 774996 E: reception@dukesheadhotel.com W: www.dukesheadhotel.com
Thinking of changing your floor or carpet? We understand with this extraordinary time at home you may be thinking of revamping your flooring. While we are unable to invite you to our showroom at the moment, we’re still here and available to chat about future projects via our contact details below. In the meantime stay positive and stay home, and we’ll see you as soon as it’s safe to do so.
01553 773938 sales@lynncarpetcentre.co.uk lynncarpetcentre.co.uk
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Image reproduced by permission of
KLmagazine May 2020
Flavour of the Month
How The Crown at Gayton is helping the country’s NHS heroes
W
e’d always planned to feature The Crown at Gayton in this month’s magazine. It’s a charming country pub just a few miles from Sandringham, and it’s recently been beautifully refurbished. Neil and Lisa Staples have created a uniquely warm and welcoming atmosphere, and their great selection of well-kept ales is complemented by a fabulous menu that’s packed with true pub classics and inventive chef’s specials. It would have been a pleasure to recommend that you sample a taste of The Crown as soon as possible (especially its fabulous Sunday roasts!) but your visit will obviously have to be put on hold for a while - but trust us, it will be well worth the wait! However, there’s a very good reason
why The Crown is still in this month’s magazine. When the government advised pubs, restaurants and cafes to close last month it looked as though The Crown wouldn’t be welcoming anyone for some time to come - but Neil and Lisa had other ideas. “We started hearing about doctors and nurses from all over the country being drafted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn to cover staff shortages and carry on their incredible work,” says Lisa. “We have three luxury bedrooms at The Crown, and since they have to stay empty at the moment we decided to offer them to NHS staff for free as a way of thanking them for their amazing efforts.” Within days The Crown was providing a temporary (and safely isolated) home to NHS staff from the Midlands and Manchester, including ICU and critical care nurses - and Neil and Lisa were inundated with enquiries. “Our rooms have been full from day one,” says Lisa, “but we’ve only got the three bedrooms - we could have done with ten times that amount to help all the people who were contacting us!” Lisa and her husband then realised their background with creative websites offered the perfect opportunity to
extend The Crown’s helping hand. Neil designed and built a website inviting other pubs and restaurants with available rooms to support the NHS in a similar way. Based on areas determined by the location of the nearest hospital, www. freenhsrooms.co.uk is already covering the whole country - and is making a huge difference to the lives of frontline medical staff. “It’s not just pubs and restaurants who are helping,” says Lisa. “Several people with holiday homes or second properties are also offering accommodation, and it’s really heartwarming to see so many people coming together to help us through this difficult time.” The Crown already had a great reputation as a genuinely lovely pub that offered truly fabulous food, but it’s now being recognised for its generosity and its admirable community spirit. And we can all say cheers to that.
THE CROWN Lynn Road, Gayton King’s Lynn PE32 1PA Tel: 01553 636252 Web: www.gaytoncrown.co.uk
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IMAGES: THE FORUM ABOVE: Margaret Seaman has been knitting since she was six years old - and her amazing work is now being featured on national television
Margaret Seaman and her wool-based wonders She’s been knitting for the best part of 80 years, but don’t expect Margaret Seaman to produce the odd scarf or jumper - she’s far too busy painstakingly recreating some of the area’s most iconic locations
K
nitting is nothing new. Although the exact origins of the practice/hobby/craft are unknown, the earliest known examples are some cotton socks that were found in Egyptian pyramids. And for the last 5,000 years, knitting has been associated with jumpers, scarves, booties for the newborn and the odd (sometimes very odd) cuddly toy. But a 90-year-old woman in Norfolk has taken knitting to a completely new level. Last year, Margaret Seaman used her needles to recreate Great Yarmouth’s ‘Golden Mile’ during its heyday in the
1970s. Eventually stretching to 14 feet, the wool-based wonder included the town’s Britannia Pier, Anchor Gardens, the former outdoor Marina theatre, the bathing pool, the famous ‘snail ride’ and the skating rink - where Margaret’s daughter Tricia used to appear five times a week. Displayed at The Forum in Norwich (before being carefully transported to venues in Birmingham and London), Margaret’s incredibly detailed work raised over £13,000 for the Louise Hamilton Centre, which is based at the James Paget University Hospital where Margaret joined a knitting group following the death of her husband
Fred seven years ago. It wasn’t her introduction to the craft, however - the great-grandmother of 13 was taught to knit by her brothers when she was six years old. But spending up to 15 hours a day for the best part of a year knitting one of the county’s favourite resorts (and only taking a break to have a bath or get dressed) was only the start. “I can’t do the gardening or walk too far,” says Margaret, “but I can still knit!” Last spring, one of Margaret’s grandsons took her on a birthday trip to Sandringham - and that was all the inspiration she needed. She spent the next six months knitting an intricate
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ABOVE: Margaret Seaman with her 14ft recreation of Great Yarmouth’s ‘Golden Mile’ - which wowed local audiences last year before going on a nationwide tour
“I usually knit for about nine hours during the day and then go to bed and knit for another three or four hours...” recreation of the royal estate, taking in the lawns, trees and paths, the lake, the entrance, the rhododendron walk and even the figures of the Queen and Prince Philip. “It wasn’t particularly easy because we were in the process of moving at the same time,” says Margaret. “I usually knit for about eight or nine hours during the day and then go to bed at 9pm and knit for another three or four hours.” Perhaps one of the most remarkable parts of the project was Margaret’s approach to the design - which was refreshingly relaxed. “It’s all in my head normally and I don’t stop to write things down because I think that’s a waste of time,” she says. “If I got stuck and couldn’t think of what to do next, I’d leave it
and start on something else. I’d have five or six pieces on the go at the same time and I’d work on whichever one my brain told me to.” The finished work was unveiled at the Norfolk Makers Festival at The Forum in Norwich at the start of this year, and helped raise almost £5,000 for the treatment of Anna Poppy, a young local girl diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer. “I don’t think I ever had any courage in what I was doing,” says Margaret, “and it never seemed to be a good way of raising money, but I was wrong. I can’t quite believe what’s happened, but I’m very pleased about it!” But there’s a lot more to knitting than that. A recent report by the HMS Mind and Body Institute found that knitting encourages the body’s natural relaxation response and can lower the heart rate by an average of 11 beats per
minute - meaning it could even help with lowering blood pressure. “There’s an enormous amount of research showing that knitting has several physical and mental health benefits,” the report revealed. “It slows the onset of dementia, combats depression, distracts from chronic pain, and is an activity that can be continued into extreme old age.” You don’t need to tell that to Margaret Seaman, who joined Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on ITV’s This Morning in early March to bring her ‘stitch one purl one’ passion to a national audience. “Knitting isn’t hard and you should never wonder if you can actually do it,” she says. “Pick up some needles and a ball of wool, and get some help to start you off with the basics. It’s like riding a bike, really - it’s easy when you know how!”
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KLmagazine May 2020
Why we’re taking a closer look at our carpets As we’re spending more time at home and thinking about a new look for our floors, Metric Carpets has all the help and advice you need...
I
t’s a long while since we featured Boris the dog, but it seems an appropriate time to mention him at the moment. He’s no stranger to being at home for most of the day, but over the last few weeks he’s been joined by the rest of the family. They’ve been doing the gardening, spring cleaning and tackling all those outstanding jobs around the house - and they’ve been paying more attention than usual to their carpets, realising it may finally be time they were replaced. Although the Metric Carpets showroom in the centre of King’s Lynn is temporarily closed, and official guidelines on social distancing has impacted on the in-house fitting team, that doesn’t mean they can’t help you
find the perfect carpet to suit you, your home and your lifestyle. “There are plenty of things you can do at home before you visit us to browse our vast range of carpets,” says Alistair Allen, who’s been fitting carpets professionally for over 30 years. “Look at the areas of heavy foot traffic and look at how you use the rooms - that will help you decide if you require hard-wearing loop carpets, luxurious deep-pile carpets, or luxury vinyl tiled floors.” Look at how much natural light reaches your carpet during the day as well - if they’re lucky enough to enjoy plenty of sunlight you may want to choose a more fade-resistant design, whereas rooms that never see the sun are more suited to synthetic fibres as they’re less prone to mould and mildew.
It’s also worth getting a general idea of the overall cost involved by taking your own measurements - but Alistair has some very useful words of wisdom. “Calculating how much carpet you need is a lot more complicated than simply adding up a room’s square meterage,” he says. “You need to allow for features such as doorways, steps and alcoves, bearing in mind pile direction and the set carpet roll widths - but we’re happy to do video calls for more accurate help and advice.” You’ll find plenty of inspiration on the Metric Carpets website at www. metriccarpets.co.uk, and try to avoid being tempted by lavish images of pristine white carpets in glossy magazines - they may not actually work with your lifestyle. Especially if you have a dog like Boris!
36 Norfolk Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1AH | Tel: 01553 775203 Email: info@metriccarpets.co.uk | Web: www.metriccarpets.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
floors designed for life
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Windows Doors Conservatories Orangeries Roofline Guttering Fascias Flat roofing Garage doors Carports Porches Double, triple and secondary glazing
Call 01553 763164 for a free quotation Hereford Way, Hardwick Narrows, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4JD
www.westnorfolkglass.co.uk *Image used is for illustrative purposes only. Terms and conditions apply.
Call us for a quote
01553 772689
High Security Self Storage in King’s Lynn • 24 hour monitored CCTV, intruder and fire alarms • Secure access by individual PIN entry system • Access 7 days a week, 7am-8pm • Large variety of rooms sizes available • No minimum stay • No notice needed to vacate • Book or reserve for free • Forklift service available
Now offering a mobile storage collection service
We sell boxes and bubble wrap
East Coast Business Park West Lynn, King’s Lynn PE34 3LW
www.eastcoastselfstorage.co.uk
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Breaking up during lockdown...
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Hayes + Storr look at the options available
elf-isolating - even with the family we love - can be tough at times. Many families currently self-isolating are in the middle of painful separations and are likely to be feeling despair about what to do next and where to go. BREAKDOWNS If your relationship has broken down irretrievably and living together has become intolerable, the best option might be for you to physically separate. This could come at extra financial cost with two accommodations to run, but it may well be the best option. MOVING OUT This may be difficult at the moment, but it’s not impossible and is the best option if your mental or physical safety is at risk. Your housing rights will depend on what type of housing you live in and your marital status. WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN? It’s in your child’s best interests to continue
seeing both parents regularly unless there are genuine safety reasons not to. There are no set rules about arrangements for children, so it’s up to parents to make arrangements that work best for you and your child(ren). ABUSIVE PARTNERS Government guidance confirms that isolation and social distancing measures do not apply to victims of domestic violence. If waiting isn’t an option, then get out and find a place of safety. Remember, it’s a parent’s duty to protect their children. If your partner is violent and refuses to leave, a solicitor can help you apply for an order for you to remain in the home and to force your partner to leave. WHAT NEXT? A good solicitor will encourage couples to attend mediation meetings which can be achieved during the lockdown using Skype or a virtual ‘round table’ discussion led by solicitors. Be open-minded - If it means you walk away with an agreement you can both live with, it will save a huge
amount of stress, time and money on court costs. GOING TO COURT In the current crisis, court cases are being adjourned and should always be seen as a last resort. With the average divorce taking over 12 months due to government cuts (even before the lockdown) many couples are choosing to recognise a financial agreement in the interim with a separation agreement - which can take only a matter of weeks. Most importantly, don’t worry. Solicitors are offering confidential legal advice during the lockdown by telephone or video call - and Hayes + Storr are offering a reduced rate fixed fee for initial advice. Call Rob Colwell on 01328 850729 to find out how we can help.
ROB COLWELL
Head of Family Services
This article aims to supply general information, but it is not intended to constitute advice. Every effort is made to ensure that the law referred to is correct at the date of publication and to avoid any statement which may mislead. However no duty of care is assumed to any person and no liability is accepted for any omission or inaccuracy. Always seek our specific advice.
The Old County Court, County Court Road, King’s Lynn PE30 5EJ W: www.hayesandstorr.co.uk | E: law.kingslynn@hayes-storr.com OFFICES AT: KING’S LYNN | HUNSTANTON | FAKENHAM | SWAFFHAM | HOLT | WELLS | SHERINGHAM
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Animalmatters Our monthly look at the issues concerning you and your pets with at London Road & Hollies Vets... our Clinical Director
Jennifer Sinclair
Smallbites We are able to provide telephone and video consultations for nonurgent cases, and are still seeing urgent and emergency cases face to face, following strict social distancing guidelines. We are also able to still provide your pet with their normal medications and flea, worm and tick treatments, either by posting them to you, or by collection from our car parks if you are passing the practice when going to work/ travelling out for essential supplies/ passing during your daily exercise. Please contact the practice for more information on our current protocols, or visit our Facebook or Instagram pages for updated advice.
New beginnings and sulky sheep
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pring is finally upon us, even though we are restricted with what we can all do with the current COVID-19 situation. Traditionally this is a time for new beginnings, and we always think of animals being born at this time of year, especially farm animals. Wanting to try and bring some laughter to homes during these trying times, I thought I would share one of my own hilarious experiences during my veterinary career (of which there are many!). Vet students have to undertake a number of clinical and non-clinical placements during their studies, with one of the requirements being to spend time on sheep farms during the Spring, to assist with lambing. This quickly became one of my favourite placements, due to it feeling so incredible bringing so many new lives into the world, and who doesn’t like spending time with lambs?! I did two consecutive Spring placements at a large sheep farm in the Midlands, working twelve hour night shifts. Spending time with so many different sheep, it was easy to see how different
in character they could all be, from very affectionate, to incredibly stubborn! One particularly stubborn ewe decided she would stand dead still in her pen, and not follow me with her lambs to the freshly made individual pen I had made up for her and her newborns. Trying everything I possibly could to move her, she would not budge. She was adamant she was not going to leave the pen with her friends in to spend time alone with her lambs. Those of you having had to isolate with your families may be thinking right now how relatable this feeling is. While standing next to her I saw I had dropped something the other side of her out of my pocket. Being sleep deprived, I naturally did not do the sensible thing of walking round her – I decided to just gently lean over her to pick up my dropped item. This clearly was the final straw for her with regards my unwanted presence, and she took off at warp speed, knocking me off my feet so I was being dragged along on her back. When she finally decided to stop, I was able to dismount my woolly steed, and terrified that I could have caused her
LONDON ROAD Hospital Walk, King’s Lynn • 01553 773168 HOLLIES Paradise Road, Downham Market • 01366 386655
harm, I promptly checked her over fully to see if she was injured, thankfully she was not. The only injury was the bruising to my ego. I have never been happier that I was working a lone night shift, and the farmer was not able to see what happened. I hope you are all managing to find things to smile and laugh at, and now is the ideal time to partake in new pastimes, and invest in new ways of thinking. We will continue to be here for you and your pets, despite changing the way we see pets and owners, and wish you and your animals good health.
info@londonroadvets.co.uk www.londonroadvets.co.uk
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Why Kim is literally a very hard act to follow... Despite being born with a hole in her heart, Kimberley Morrison is one of the country’s leading triathletes, her exceptional cycling abilities having already earned her 22 first places and 10 course records
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he writer William Arthur Ward once said that “adversity causes some men to break; others to break records” - but it’s something that’s equally true of women as well. When she was only three years old, Kimberley Morrison was found to have a hole in her heart. She had open heart surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and although she still has a small hole in the bottom chamber of her heart, that hasn’t stopped her from having a full and active life - so active, in fact, that she’s now in the world’s top echelon of women triathletes. Kim was always sporty at school, and her life since then has always been focused on sport. She did a maths degree at Loughborough University, but had to choose a sport to specialise in, so she chose field hockey and ended up playing for the university team. Moving to London to work for a banking group, she continued to play hockey before deciding to take a break and try triathlon. “It makes me laugh to say I took a career break after only four years working!” says Kim, “but I started to fall in love with triathlon while in London, so found myself a coach, and after reading a book by Chrissie Wellington (another local woman triathlete), I decided to give it a go.” Kim’s first triathlon was The Corby Supersprint in 2012. On a bike
borrowed from her uncle, and in race gear copied from Chrissie Wellington, she finished third - to her amazement - and was the first female to complete the course. “I thought that was quite good considering there were some experienced athletes there and I just swam, biked and ran as fast as I could,” she says. “But that really ignited a fire in me, and I thought I could be good at the sport.” With this early success, Kim decided she definitely wanted to continue. “In triathlon you get put in an age group team where you can represent your country,” she says. “I was in the 25-29 category, and if you finish a qualifying race in the top three, you get invited to the European and World Championships. In 2014, I won gold in the European Triathlon championships.
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“Some people love to train, but I just love to race. I’m often one of the fastest cyclists in the Ironman events...” And that’s when I thought maybe I could race professionally.” Kim chose to concentrate on racing middle distance, as she realised her running capabilities were more suited to that and weren’t going to get her as far as competing over the Olympic distance, although that’s always been the ultimate dream. “I have a diesel engine rather than a petrol one!” she says. She went on to win several of the races she entered, which qualified her to apply for a professional licence in 2016. Kim’s professional status meant she could now win prize money and gave her the opportunity to support herself in racing. In her first race in Buenos Aires (she was at the back of the pack and no one knew about her) she went on to win. “That gave me an amazing boost and proved it had been a worthwhile transition to being a professional.” says Kim. The dream of all triathletes is to
ABOVE: Kim Morrison is now one of the country’s leading triathletes, overcoming a serious health condition to literally lead the field
compete at the World Championships, which are held every year in Hawaii. Kim qualified to enter last year and, although she was disappointed to finish in 26th, was delighted with the experience. In order to qualify, the athletes have to win an Ironman event, so Kim’s target this year is Ironman Frankfurt in June. Kim explains that Ironman is a brand, and an Ironman race is simply a triathlon organised by Ironman. Now, an Ironman has come to be synonymous with a triathlon consisting of a 2.4 mile run, followed by a 112-mile bicycle ride, followed by a 26.22-mile run. It’s widely considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world. In preparing for the challenge, Kim plans to do two or three full races and up to seven or eight half races. “Some people love to train, but I just love to race,” she says. ”Cycling is my strength and favourite, and I’m often one of the fastest cyclists in the Ironman events.” As a professional, Kim trains full-time; her day might consist of a 7am training session in the gym before a 4-5km swim, up to six hours on the bike, and an evening run with her dog. She’ll then (finally) end the day with some yoga. She still works at Wensum Pools (her family’s business), where she helps with the marketing, and is quick to point out how supportive her family has always been over the years - as is her husband Ben, who attends all her events. Kim also puts her trust in her coach David Tilbury-Davis, with whom she’s in contact every day and who sets her
daily schedule. “The Norfolk Sports Academy based at the UEA have been very valuable in my career to date,” she says. “They also enable me to engage with local businesses to build positive and productive partnerships, and I’m looking forward to exploring more new local partnerships in 2020.” Kim plans to continue for as long as she can while she’s enjoying it and is still competitive. She’s set herself several goals for the future, including the 100-mile British Time Trials and cycling the Land’s End to John O’Groats Race, for which the current record time (set in 2002) is two days, four hours, 45 minutes and 11 seconds. “But that might be a five to six year plan!” says Kim. For more details and information on Kim’s latest results, please visit her website www.kimberleymorrison.co.uk
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Insuranceinsights Our monthly look at insurance issues for you and your family with the experts at Adrian Flux...
How we’re keeping you and your property safe... These may be uncertain times, but you can always rely on definite answers and professional help from the team at Adrian Flux
T
he coronavirus crisis has cast the country into a state of uncertainty, but we’re here (as always) to answer your questions about the impact on your household and motor insurance. Will my insurance be valid if I volunteer to drive for people who can’t leave home? If you’re using your own car to collect and deliver medicine or groceries to support people affected by coronavirus your cover will automatically be extended to include this. I’ve been advised to self-isolate. Can I pause my car insurance? It’s a legal requirement to have valid car insurance unless you register your vehicle as being off the road. However, you may want to consider ‘laid-up’ motor insurance which protects your car while not in use and is cheaper
because no third-party cover is needed. I want to drive to work instead of using public transport. Will I still be covered? If you need to drive to your workplace because of COVID-19, your insurance will be automatically extended to include this. What is Adrian Flux doing to help NHS staff? Adrian Flux is waiving all mid-term administration fees for NHS workers. We’re also automatically extending cover to include driving to more than one workplace. Will my home insurance be affected if I have to work from home? Generally, working from home should be covered by your standard home insurance. If you have visitors in the course of work, check with your insurer as there may be restrictions.
Am I covered if something happens to my work equipment at home? Equipment your employer has provided is usually covered by their business insurance. Your own property should be covered under your home insurance, but it’s best to check. What’s the impact on my insurance if I lose my job due to coronavirus? The first thing you should do is let your insurance provider know your circumstances, though please note that Adrian Flux is not adjusting any premiums due to unemployment caused by COVID-19. For over 40 years, we’ve been helping people with insurance matters and we’re always here to help. For more coronavirus FAQs handled by our customer service team, please visit www.adrianflux.co.uk.
TEL: 01553 400399 | EMAIL: contact-us@adrianflux.co.uk WEB: www.adrianflux.co.uk
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Celebrate a virtual VE Day 75 safely at home 75 years ago this month, we celebrated the end of an international crisis. Now, during another difficult time the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk is helping people mark the event safely
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uesday 8 May 1945 started off as just another day for many people in the country. People went to work and children went to school only to discover that it was suddenly a Bank Holiday and the start of a twoday celebration to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe. It didn’t come as a total surprise to everyone. Hitler had been dead for a week and the German government had finally surrendered in the early hours of
7 May. It had been announced by the BBC at 7.40pm that night, but many people missed the broadcast - having been told that the end of hostilities would be marked by a mass ringing of church bells. For six years, the country had faced the defeat, disappointment, privations and daily dangers with remarkable fortitude - but now the time had arrived to celebrate. Local communities quickly swung into action. Streets were decorated,
food and drink quickly prepared, and everyone dressed their best. At street parties in virtually every town and city children were treated to a lavish tea, and enjoyed treats that had been carefully stored away for just such a day. Homemade paper hats and decorations were commonplace, as were the inevitable queues at the shops, with everyone scrambling for last-minute provisions. At 3pm on that Tuesday afternoon the church bells stopped ringing and
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ABOVE: This was one of the many VE Day parties held in King’s Lynn – and throughout the country as well. This image is from the archives of the town’s True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum, and if you recognise the location, we’d love to hear from you!
major cities, and generally only ended when the last of the beer had been served. And so ended VE Day, a day of reflection and in most cases great relief that the years of fighting and bloodshed in Europe were at last over. Families could look forward to seeing their menfolk return from the fighting - at least those who had survived. For families grieving the loss of loved ones, the day was a very bittersweet occasion. The 75th anniversary of this momentous occasion has also become somewhat bittersweet, as all the planned public events have now been deferred until VJ Day (15 August) due to the national impact of Covid-19. However, Rachael Williams, Learning and Engagement Officer at Stories of Lynn has teamed up with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Norfolk Museums, True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum, the Mayor of West Norfolk and the King’s Lynn & District RAFA to assemble a programme of virtual activities to enable everyone
KLmagazine May 2020
IMAGES LEFT & ABOVE: TRUE’S YARD MUSEUM, LYNN
the country listened to Prime Minister Winston Churchill remind the country that the war was still not completely over (it was still taking place in the Far East) but that closer to home “the evildoers now lay prostrate before us.” He closed by saying “Advance Britannia!” after which the Last Post was followed by a mass singing of the national anthem. The BBC’s all-day broadcast culminated with the King’s speech at 9 pm , which at 13 minutes would be his longest-ever speech to the nation. It was a cue for many in the country to prepare for bed, but celebrations continued through the night in most
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to celebrate a virtual VE Day 75 in the safety of their own homes. Online activities include making table decorations from recycled materials, making paper hats, baking a 1940s recipe, planespotting with an ARP Warden’s chart, taking a 1940s dance class, and (naturally) having a party in your house or garden. And the country will be raising a teacup or glass of something stronger at 3pm to toast our heroes – both past and present. True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum has produced a gallery of archive images from the time, and there’ll be a talk that people can tune into. The Mayor of West Norfolk will be making virtual visits to people’s homes, and there’ll be a prize for the best decorated house or garden - the Mayor will invite the winning family to a special tea in the Town Hall when it’s ultimately safe to do so. From 1 May there’ll be a countdown to 8 May with a different activity every day to help people prepare for the big day - starting with a ration book containing a series of challenges. It’s a real opportunity for the whole community to come together while staying apart. For more details and information, please visit www.storiesoflynn.co.uk/ VEDay75 and the museum’s social media channels on Twitter and Facebook @storiesoflynn
TOWN CRIER TRADITION CONTINUED Jeannie Savage, widow of former King’s Lynn Town Crier John Savage will be ringing his bell at 3pm on 8 May to mark VE75 - and as a tribute to John himself. The last time John rang the bell was on 11 November 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, so this occasion holds much significance. Jeannie lives in Hunstanton and over the last few weeks has been ringing the
8-DAY COUNTDOWN ACTIVITIES 1 May RATION BOOK Download your Ration Book (pictured right) or pick up a copy with Lynn News or Your Local Paper. Put your name on it and check out the challenges
2 May MENU CARD Download the suggested menu and have a look at the recipes you could choose from that you can prepare for the party
3 May MAKE BUNTING Use the template to make bunting to decorate your house or garden
4 May MAKE A PARTY HAT Using recycled paper and the online link for how to do it
5 May LOOK AT THE STREET PARTY LEAFLET Plan how you will arrange your party table.
MAKE A TABLE DECORATION – use your recycled materials you have been collecting and include a Union Jack and a Rainbow flag if you want
bell at 8pm every Thursday while all her neighbours clap and cheer for our carers.
6 May MEMORIES AND CONVERSATION DAY Chat to those around you about what they remember and read Dot’s memories of King’s Lynn in 1945
PLANE SPOTTING CHART Download the chart and try the online quiz
7 May MAKE DO AND MEND Repair some old item of clothes and choose your outfit to wear at the party
LISTEN TO THE AIRFIELDS TALK By Lyndsey Bavin on Zoom
8 May HOLD YOUR PARTY Celebrate and raise a toast for our heroes past and present – send photos to the social media channels with the hashtag #VEDay75WN
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Join our community of loyal readers • It’s easy to become a Friend of KL magazine • Keep up to date with our latest news • Be informed when the next issue is available • Receive a complete list of the latest distribution points • Help us keep the KL magazine community together See the special feature on page 10-11 in this issue for more details and information
Let’s stay in touch! Become a Friend of KL magazine by visiting www.klmagazine.co.uk and completing the online form, or fill in the special insert enclosed in this issue and post it to us.
Lettingbetter Our monthly round up of the latest news and legislation concerning landlords and tenants in the private rented sector with Edmonton Estates Director
Damien Simone
Quickfact During the lockdown annual gas safety inspections should still be carried out on rental properties unless tenants report that they are isolating due to illness.
Home but not away
F
ollowing our article last month jubilantly describing our firm’s return to St Ann’s House, in accordance with the instructions from The Ministry of Housing & Local Government that property agents are non-essential businesses and should not be operating, we closed our doors to the public and resumed our maintenance and payment services from a homebased position. All our contractors are continuing to ensure that all of our essential repairs are handled in an efficient manner whilst maintaining suitable cleansing and social distancing from our tenants when in their homes. Presently, all home moves have been placed on hold unless critical and viewings and property inspections have also had to be suspended as well to limit the transitional spread of the virus between homes. Considering viewings, property inspections and landlord meetings we visit between 40 and 60 homes in an average week through the course of conducting our normal business.
When the lockdown is lifted there will be a lot of catching up to do but in the meantime observing these measures, as all responsible letting and management companies are, will mean that the virus will not be circulated by professionals in our industry needlessly. These are very worrying times both due to the current health crisis as well as the financial uncertainty that has been placed upon a lot of people during this time. Understandably concessions have to be made but the government needed to be clearer when making their announcements concerning the suspension of evictions for the 3 months within the Coronavirus Act 2020. Many tenants have mistakenly believed this to be a suspension of their payment obligations during this period without consequence and the number of telephone calls and e-mails that our agency alone has received in respect of this was quite considerable. To be completely clear, all that the legislation states is that evictions cannot take place within the 3 month
Edmonton Estates Ltd, St Ann’s House, 18 St Ann’s Street, King’s LynnPE30 1LT 01553 660615 • www.edmontonestates.co.uk • info@edmontonestates.co.uk
period specified. That aside, any concessions relating to rent payments need to be mutually agreed with the individual landlord. Every situation is different and whilst some landlords will have the option to take advantage of a 3 month payment relief from their mortgage lender to allow them to balance a reduction in rent received from their tenants, this won’t be an option for those landlords who either don’t have a mortgage or operate as a limited company. Communication is going to be crucial during this period and tenants who are going to find themselves in financial difficulties need to present to their agents or landlords early so that a suitable arrangement can be reached for all parties. The recurring phrase “We are all in this together” couldn’t be more accurate. Stay at home and stay safe.
Independent Lettings & Property Management Specialists
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Zeppelins were the height of luxury travel before the war but nobody imagined the death and destruction they could bring to Britain’s streets
ABOVE: This L20 Zeppelin (locally referred to as the “Raider of Loughborough”) which crashed off the coast of Norway is typical of the ships that visited the north Norfolk coastline in early 1915
The night that modern warfare came to Norfolk
On a Tuesday night in January 1915, the people of Norfolk became the first civilians in the whole country to experience aerial bombing as two Zeppelins made their way from King’s Lynn to Great Yarmouth...
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n the same way that not all vacuum cleaners are Hoovers, not all rigid airships are zeppelins, but the hydrogen-filled invention of Ferdinand von Zeppelin is inextricably tied to his name. He also founded the world’s first airline, but while his airships were originally used as passenger craft they were put to a more malevolent use in 1915 when the German Kaiser sanctioned their use to bomb military and industrial targets in England. Within days, on the morning of 19th January 1915 three Zeppelins took off from their bases in Germany and headed for England - each carrying 16
men, eight 110lb high explosive bombs and 11 25lb incendiary bombs. The world would never be the same. The Zeppelins were supposed to travel to coastal towns in the northeast and fly up the river Humber, but things didn’t go to plan. Because of either weather conditions or navigation errors (or both) one of the craft had to return to Germany, while the other two found themselves off the coast of Norfolk arriving at roughly the same time. Zeppelin L3 dropped a few flares between Happisburgh and Winterton to help the crew navigate, and before long was hovering over the denselypopulated working class district of St
Peter’s Plain in Great Yarmouth. It would be the first time British civilians were killed by aerial bombardment. Samuel Smith (a 53-year-old shoemaker) and Martha Taylor (72) died instantly, and a blue plaque on the spot was unveiled in their memory in 2012. The Zeppelin caused extensive damage to the town and docks, although it could have been worse - local butcher William Mays later recovered an unexploded bomb from his stable. L3’s final bomb killed a black dog and destroyed a fence behind the town’s racecourse before it headed back out to sea.
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ABOVE: Zeppelins caused untold (and unprecedented) damage and misery to towns across England during the First World War - and below is an extremely rare photograph of a Zeppelin over King’s Lynn that’s believed to have been taken in the area of The Walks
Meanwhile, its sister craft L4 was making its way along the north Norfolk coast. It dropped a number of bombs on Sheringham, in a field between Brancaster Staithe and Hunstanton, somewhere close to Brancaster church, a couple on Heacham (where several people had a narrow escape) and one that landed in a field and failed to explode. A further bomb missed the church at Snettisham before the Zeppelin flew between Wolferton and Sandringham although there’s no evidence to suggest the royal estate (or its occupants) were ever intended as targets. In fact, the Kaiser had actually banned bombings on London because of the fear it may have endangered his relatives in the royal family. Eventually, L4 used the railway line at Wolferton to reach King’s Lynn at around 10.50pm, where it dropped two bombs - in a field and on some allotments behind Tennyson Avenue. The next bomb hit a row of houses on the town’s Bentinck Street, killing Percy Goate (14) and Alice Gazely (26) - who had lost her husband to the Western Front only three months previously. Both are reported to have died of shock and are buried in adjacent graves in the Hardwick Road Cemetery in King’s Lynn. “I saw a bomb drop through the skylight and strike the pillow where Percy was lying,” said Percy’s mother at
the inquest. “I tried to wake him but he was dead. Then the house fell in. I don’t remember any more.” L4 went on to damage some houses in Cresswell Street, destroy blacksmiths and cause significant damage to the Alexandra Dock - injuring a further 13 people in the process. Finally it turned east, ignored Norwich (or missed it because of the fog) and headed back towards the coast. Interestingly, people were generally unaware of the exact nature of the threat above them. The following day’s edition of The Times, for example, reported that “it was plain that the source of the disturbance was aircraft, though precisely of what kind could only be conjectured. The opinion is generally held that it was a dirigible, for what appeared to be searchlights were seen at a great altitude. Others, however, say that the lights were not the beams of a searchlight, but the flash of a magnesium flare.” Regardless, it was a hugely significant event, and is thought by many historians to be the first time civilians were bombed from the air anywhere in the world. It brought the terrible effects and experience of war home (in a very literal
sense) to the British people, and morale dropped as people waited for the next inevitable raids. As it turned out, Zeppelins would visit England over 50 more times before the end of the First World War, killing 557 people and injuring 1,358. The coloured images of England’s Zeppelin raids seen in this feature were painstakingly produced by professional photographic ‘colourist’ Tom Marshall working from the original negatives, and he’s in no doubt as to the event’s importance. “Zeppelins were the height of luxury travel before the war but nobody imagined the death and destruction they could bring to Britain’s streets,” he says. “You have to remember they were like no other weapon ever encountered before. They were impossible to spot in the night sky, they flew higher than any aeroplane could reach, and they were out of range of any guns. It really was the moment that modern warfare arrived on our shores.”
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When it’s time for a clean, it’s time for Xtraclean... By the time it’s safe to call on the professional services of Xtraclean your stone and tiled floors will be craving that ‘good as new’ look!
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ou won’t need reminding that we’re having to spend much more time at home than usual at the moment, and all that extra activity and foot traffic will inevitably take its toll on your floors. Hard floors, ceramic tiles and natural stone have a natural tendency to attract dust and debris at the best of times, and it has an annoying and unsightly tendency to work its way into the floors’ contours and grout lines. That’s when you’ll need to call on the amazing cleaning services of Martin King and his Swaffham-based team at Xtraclean. The good news is that when it’s safe to do so, Martin can bring your floors back to their very best and give them an ‘as new’ look - usually in less than a day! “If your stone or tiled floors were fitted professionally they deserve an
equally expert approach to cleaning,” says Martin. “For over 25 years we’ve been restoring floors all over Norfolk – using the most advanced and powerful cleaning system currently available in the UK.” Xtraclean’s highly skilled, trained and experienced technicians offer a reliable, fully-insured and friendly service (they’ll even move your furniture for you!) and following an initial survey and test of your floor they’ll get to work – breaking down ingrained dirt and loosening surface soiling. “Our state-of-the-art turbo ‘clean and capture’ system pressure cleans the floor using its own water supply,” says Martin, “and it even captures all the waste in the process – means you have with no mess and no fuss.” Xtraclean doesn’t use harmful chemicals or procedures such as grinding and resurfacing (which can
actually damage the floor) - but does use professional anti-bacterial cleaning agents for to keep you and your family safe. The results are truly spectacular. “These aren’t the easiest surfaces in the world to clean,” says Martin, “but our powerful system and professionalgrade products can bring even heavily-soiled floors back to their very best!” Xtraclean can even help you ‘lock in’ those good looks specialist sealing products and keep them for even longer. “To be honest, you’ll have to see the results to believe them,” says Martin. “Just ask our customers – they can hardly believe it’s the same floor!” When it is finally safe to get your floors back to their best, contact Xtraclean using the details below for extra-professional cleaning and an extra-special service.
Unit 3, Jack Boddy Way, Swaffham PE37 7HJ Tel: 01760 337762 Web: www.xtraclean.co.uk E-mail: sales@xtraclean.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
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“ Inbe anicewaytoitputwould
ourselves out of business, but while there are people who are blind or who have failing eyesight, we’ll always be there to help them...
“
- Keith Leedell Chairman, Vision Link
ABOVE: Members of Vision Link recording a recent edition of the King’s Lynn Talking Newspaper
The friendly voices keeping people in touch People have been relying on newspapers and magazines for decades to keep up to date with local events - but what can you do if you’re unable to read them? Thankfully, a team of local volunteers has the answer...
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ast December, the King’s Lynn’s Talking Newspaper service celebrated its 40th anniversary. Known as Vision Link, the newspaper is a lifeline for blind or partially-sighted local people who want to keep up with what’s going on in west Norfolk. The weekly newspaper began life as a joint venture between David Gifford of King’s Lynn Lions Club and John Greyson from Hospital Radio King’s Lynn - and in those early days was recorded on reel-to-reel tapes and sent to listeners on audio cassettes. Eventually, about 15 years ago, David and John were invited by the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind
(now Vision Norfolk) to use one of the association’s rooms on the North Lynn Industrial Estate - and they remain there to this day, working closely with Vision Norfolk who provide most of the referrals for new listeners. At first, the newspaper was edited by various members of the Lions Club, but as time went on it was decided it should become a community project, and volunteers were sought to become part of the team which now records, edits and distributes the weekly ‘newspaper’. Local groups such as the King’s Lynn Soroptimists and the Probus Group rallied round to help and to keep the King’s Lynn Talking Newspaper moving forward. A committee was
formed and the name Vision Link was the winning entry in a competition that ran in The Citizen newspaper. The original tapes and recording equipment were expensive to maintain, and it was eventually deemed necessary to make the move to digital recording. “We spent about £8,000 on the conversion, including the computers, copying machines and memory sticks,” says Keith Leedell, chairman of Vision Link. “We provide the players free to our listeners, and the memory sticks are posted out every week.” Although most recordings are sent to addresses throughout west Norfolk, some make their way as far away as Glasgow - people who move out of the
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area will often ask to continue receiving it. “Fortunately we get free postage, which was actually enshrined in law after the First World War,” says President Elizabeth Harrison. “That was because the braille documents being sent to servicemen who’d been blinded were much heavier than ‘normal’ documents.” Vision Link consists of stories taken from local newspapers, community messages and notices, and is now starting to include articles from KL magazine. It’s also part of the Talking Newspaper Federation, a national body which provides liability insurance and offers a lot of advice. Every Monday, an editor will prepare a script of local news articles and a team of four readers will aim to assemble an hour’s recording. A recording engineer is also present, who ensures the recording is as clear as possible and adjusts the levels of
the different speakers. There are currently six teams of four readers and five editors who work on a rota system. The recording is then copied onto memory sticks which volunteers place into plastic envelopes ready to be sent to the current audience of around 100 listeners. Each envelope includes a return address label for the newspaper on the reverse. In line with modern advances, users can now listen to Vision Link online or download it as a mobile phone app in addition to receiving the memory stick each week. And all the equipment needed by listeners - the players and the memory sticks - is provided free of charge. Vision Link is registered as a charity and is totally self-funded. The team does some fundraising for equipment, but the organisation is entirely run by volunteers who are drawn from across the area and do it for a variety of reasons - some have a family member with sight problems, some do it because they’re simply grateful for their own sight, and all of them find it immensely satisfying. “Some people volunteer because they have experience,” says volunteer and deputy chair Louise Smith, “and
some because they feel their sight is so precious. They can’t imagine what it must be like to be unable to see, and they want to do everything they can to help.” Although the majority of listeners are older Vision Link does have some younger users, although the number of listeners has dropped over the years from a high of 300 - but that has nothing to do with the quality of Vision Link - it’s thankfully due to improvements in cataract surgery and other advancements in eye surgery. It means that there are fewer such local services in the country as a whole - with the demise of the branches at Downham Market and Hunstanton, the Lynn branch now covers those areas. Vision Link is one of the remaining successes, and listeners really appreciate having a local audio newspaper to keep them up to date with news. It provides an invaluable service for blind and partially-sighted residents of west Norfolk. “In a way it would be nice to put ourselves out of business,” says Keith, “but while there are people who are blind or who have failing sight, we’ll always be there to help them.” For more information on King’s Lynn’s Taking Newspaper, please see the website at www.kingslynntn.co.uk
ABOVE: Vision Norfolk provides a vital service to blind and partially-sighted people, but it’s entirely self-funded and is run completely by a team of volunteers 86
KLmagazine May 2020
Take care of your eyes while in quarantine... W
ell, what extraordinary times we are in! As I write this piece I am sitting in my dining room, which due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has had to become an office, a secondary school and a primary school! At one end of the table is my laptop, files and piles of paperwork. At the other are crayons, markers, rulers and glue sticks! I am however, lucky enough to be able to enjoy spending more time with my children. Helping them with their school work and getting a lesson or two from them in using technology at the same time!. Like me, for many of us, this time during lock down will mean we are spending an increased amount of time using laptops and tablets whilst working from home. For others it might mean keeping in touch with friends and family online or just the chance to read a good book. All of these tasks can
put increased strain on our eyes as we ask them to focus at near for prolonged periods. Symptoms of eye strain include dryness, redness and feelings of tired eyes. Take a look at our top tips for reducing eye strain. At the time of going to print, the government advice is for us all to stay at home. Whilst we are not running our usual clinics we are still able to offer emergency advice and a repair service and we will resume routine sight examinations as soon as we are able to. For details, call the usual practice number below. In the meantime, we all wish everyone continued good health and patience during these difficult times.
-Andrea & the team
D.A Seaman Optometrists
| 01760 751050
44 Market Place, Swaffham PE37 7QH | www.daseaman.org.uk
EYE STRAIN TOP TIPS
• Take breaks from long periods of close work. • Ensure that you have your scre en brightness adjusted to a comforta ble level. • Good lighting, directed onto the page of your book can help huge ly, even during the day. • Wear the correct prescription for the distance you are trying to work at. • Varifocals offer clear vision at all distances, try to have your screen as low as possible and your chair as high as possible so that you naturally have a ‘downward angle of gaze’. • Single vision reading spectacle s will give you clear vision at a fixed distance. Moving the screen of your device a little closer, to where you would normally hold a book, shou ld ensure the best vision.
We are currently open for emergency appointments only. Please call 01553 762405 for more details. We hope all of our patients are keeping safe and well and we look forward to welcoming you back to the clinic when we are able to reopen again soon.
The only expert Denture Clinic in your area... • Highly qualified & registered denture professionals with over 30 years experience • We make all dentures in-house in our laboratory in King’s Lynn • A personal service & the best fitting dentures • Free initial consultations
NEW FULL DENTURES
NEW PARTIAL DENTURES
CHROME & FLEXIBLE DENTURES
DENTURE REPAIRS
RELINING & ADDITIONS
Find us at: 31 London Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5PY | Website: www.schoolhousedentureclinic.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
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TheBigRead Few things are better than a good book - especially if they’re this good! HUMBLE PI Matt Parker
There’s a very good reason why this is the first-ever maths book to be a No.1 bestseller. One of last year’s most surprising books, this is a simply fascinating look at what happens when maths (which runs our world from computers to finance, from sports to engineering) goes wrong. It’s a hugely entertaining history of glitches, near-misses and mishaps involving the internet, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman empire and a hapless Olympic shooting team - and contains a number of puzzles, several challenges, some (actually funny) jokes about binary code and three deliberate mistakes.Maths has never been such fun.
JENNIFER JUNIPER Jenny Boyd
Jenny Boyd lives in a perfectly tranquil setting in rural Norfolk, but her extraordinary life is the stuff of movies and novels, a story of incredible people and places experienced at a pivotal time in the 20th century. She was the inspiration for Donovan’s most famous song (hence the book’s title) and her sister Pattie was the subject of one of the most famous love songs ever written. She became part of the counter-culture in San Francisco during the Flower Power era and married Mick Fleetwood. Twice. Jenny has spent her life in the company of some of the greatest musical and cultural influencers of the last 50 years, and this is her captivating and inspirational story. Brilliant.
DELETE THIS AT YOUR PERIL Neil Forsyth
Spam is the plague of the electronic age, comprising 90% of all emails sent and conning over £150 million a year from British victims. On a oneman crusade to clean up our Inbox comes Bob Servant, 62-year-old window cleaner and Dundee’s former cheeseburger king - and he’s about to wage war on the scammers. This hilariously funny and original book features the anarchic exchanges between Bob and the hapless spam merchants who offer Bob lost African millions, Russian brides and get-richquick schemes - but end up getting a lot more than they bargained for.
THE FIVE Hallie Rubenhold
Fully deserving of its wealth of praise and prizes last year (including seven History Book of the Year awards), this astonishing book tells the story of five women in Victorian London. They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales, and they wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers. They never met, but they have one thing in common - they were all killed in 1888 by the figure known as Jack the Ripper. This is a powerful, important and revealing book that in many ways gives these women back their lives.
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OUR MUTUAL FRIEND Charles Dickens With more time to read, now’s the perfect opportunity to tackle some of Dickens’ longer works, and this (his last completed novel) is very possibly the best one of all. To quote one of the book’s characters, it’s about “money, money, money, and what money can make of life,” and though it may be one of Dickens’ darkest books it’s also one of his funniest. The depiction of London is macabre and atmospheric, and the labyrinthine plot twists and turns as much as the menacing Thames that features so prominently in it. Sadly over-analysed since it was first published, at its heart this is a very thought-provoking and satisfying story.
THE MIRROR AND THE LIGHT Hilary Mantel It’s time for the third (and final) volume in the highly-acclaimed ‘Wolf Hall’ trilogy. Anne Boleyn is dead, Cromwell is triumphant, and Henry VIII is settling down with his third queen. In tracing the final years of Cromwell (the archetypal boy from nowhere who climbs to the heights of power) Mantel paints a definitive portrait of predator and prey, and offers a fascinating contrast between present and past, between royal will and a common man’s vision. Mantel’s style may not be for everyone, but it’s worth persevering with but don’t jump in at the end. If you haven’t read Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies yet, now’s the time to start.
HITLER II: DOWNFALL Volker Ullrich Seven years after the publication of Ascent, the second part of Volker Ullrich’s magisterial biography of one of history’s most despised figures brings the story to a close. Incredibly, this is only the 5th serious biography of Hitler published since the 1930s, and it’s by far the best. Past historians have been more interested in his rise to power and methods of leadership than in Hitler the person - and some have even declared the Führer had no private life. Here we see Hitler the man - and it is perhaps the complexity of his personality that explains his enigmatic grip on the German people more convincingly than the facile and clichéd image of the monster.
THE SONG OF ACHILLES Madeline Miller It’s nearly ten years since Madeline Miller’s debut novel was published (it took her ten years to write) but it’s going through something of a renaissance at the moment. It’s been called an academic’s tribute to The Iliad, but it’s more accurately described as a startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist. Most people are familiar with the story of the Torjan War and its incredible cast of characters, but Miller manages to bring this world to life. Be ready to experience that breathless sense of the’ ancient-yet-present’ you felt when you first heard about this incredible cast of timeless mythological figures.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR READERS...
For obvious reasons, it may not be possible to pop to your local bookstore to enjoy these titles - but don’t worry. All these books are available in digital versions that you can purchase from your normal online bookstore. Moreover, all Norfolk County Council libraries offer a huge range of eBooks, eAudio books, eNewspapers and eMagazines that library members can download and read (or hear!) on your computer, smartphone, tablet or eBook reader. You can download six eBooks straight away through the Libby App and read thousands of newspapers and magazines for free using the RBdigital and PressReader apps. To access them, you simply need a library card number and PIN. To find out more, visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/ebooks KLmagazine May 2020
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Studio 11 Architecture is a creative practice delivering bespoke design solutions to our clients’ brief. We produce distinctive, functional architecture with a commitment to sustainability.
Norfolk Studio Holkham Studios Longlands Holkham Estate
Telephone 01328 854110 Email design@studio11architecture.co.uk Website www.studio11architecture.co.uk
NR23 1RU
EDQ
While the government’s guidelines on social distancing remain in place, our offices are temporarily closed. However, if any of our existing customers have any questions or new customers would like to talk about their future home improvements, please call me on 07305 188477 and we’ll do everything we can to help. We’ve been offering a superb service for the last 25 years - and we still are! Stay safe, Rob
www.fenlandwindows.co.uk
Thurlow House, 71 Sutton Road, Walpole Cross Keys, King’s Lynn PE34 4HD 90
KLmagazine May 2020
New technology designed for a new world... From entertainment to security systems and fire protection, Core Technology Projects puts you in total control of your home
F
or the last few years, modern advances in technology have been largely concentrated on entertainment (deeper sounds, sharper visuals, better games) but we’re now beginning to realise just how much we rely on it in virtually every area of our lives, from shopping to keeping in touch with our friends and family. The world has changed enormously since Jim Garrett launched Core Technology Projects almost ten years ago - and the changes forced upon us over the last few weeks means that his services have never been in so much demand. “When ‘smart’ technology was first developed it was seen as a luxury item, but for many people it’s now become an essential way of life,” he says. “Many people in and around Norfolk (and further afield) have second homes along the coast, and they’re currently
unable to visit them. With our stateof-the-art systems, however, they can use their phone to turn the lights or the TV on and off, they can operate the sprinkler system, and they can even check who’s on the doorstep if the doorbell rings.” It’s not just about holiday homes and video calls with your loved ones, however. Core Technology Projects also offers cutting-edge security solutions (on a temporary or permanent basis) to the commercial and retail sectors to cover valuable assets at critical times - from intruder alarms and CCTV to biometric recognition and handsfree access control. “In fact, control is exactly the right word to use when talking about modern technology,” says Jim. “It
gives you control over your home and your office even when you’re not there - and it gives you control over your life, and being able to do that remotely is now more important than ever.” No one is better placed to show you how to keep connected with the things that matter than Core Technology Projects - and Jim and his team are available to answer all your questions and queries remotely, virtually, and safely. Whether you want to explore the idea of turning your garage into a stunning cinema room or you simply want to keep an eye on your office, contact Core Technology Projects using the details below. And discover why the idea of ‘staying at home’ doesn’t have to mean you have to stay out of touch.
1 APS House, Oldmedow Road, Hardwick Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn PE30 4JJ Tel: 01553 776413 Web: www.coretechnologyprojects.co.uk E-mail: enquiries@coretechnologyprojects.co.uk KLmagazine May 2020
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ABOVE: As part of the nationwide Recording Britain project , artist Barbara Jones painted several locations in King’s Lynn - including Bank House and (opposite) the entrance to Clifton House
How Lynn played a part in Recording Britain
In 1942, a young artist from Croydon called Barbara Jones arrived in King’s Lynn. Alison Gifford explains a mission to capture a landscape and a way of life that was in danger of disappearing forever...
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t the outbreak of the Second World War, there was fear that our way of life and ‘Britishness’ was in danger of being swept away by German invasion and aerial bombing - and an ambitious scheme was set up to employ various artists to record everyday life on the home front before it disappeared. The result was a collection of more than 1,500 watercolours and drawings (most now held in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum) that make up a fascinating record of British lives and landscapes at an uncertain time. The brains behind the scheme was director of the National Gallery Sir Kenneth Clark, who wasn’t only concerned about the destruction and loss caused
by the war - but also passionate about helping artists and traditional British art survive during wartime. Under the name ‘Recording Britain’ the project was intended to boost national morale by celebrating the country’s natural beauty and architectural heritage (“something worth fighting for”) but it was also a memorial to the war effort itself with paintings recording the work of agricultural and factory workers, many of whom were women at this time. The earliest pictures show the landscapes of southern England which were under immediate threat from bomb damage and invasion; but in due course the remit expanded to include landscapes, buildings and ways of life that were vulnerable to the destructive
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ABOVE: Barbara Jones’ painting of this house on the Tuesday Market Place features a sign over the the side access reading Pattrick and Thompsons, whose modern timber yard is just a few yards away on Page Stair Lane
forces of the home war effort - for example, building airfields that meant the removal of ancient copses or medieval ruins. This was allied to an anxiety about the changes to the landscape already underway, such as the rapid growth of cities, road building and housing, the decline of rural ways of life and industries, and new agricultural practices - which together contributed even then to the idea of a ‘vanishing’ Britain. One young artist chosen for ‘Recording Britain’ was Barbara Jones, one of only a handful of women whose work was considered ‘right’ for the scheme. Other artists commissioned for the project included some of the country’s finest watercolour painters, such as Sir William Russell Flint, Charles Knight, Stanley Spencer, John Piper and Evelyn Dunbar. Barbara Jones was intrigued by English popular art – everything from fairgrounds and follies to topiary and inn signs - but painting and drawing architecture was her main focus. King’s Lynn was an ancient historic town under the flight path of German bombers on their way to carpet-bomb Coventry and other midland industrial towns and cities. Although not itself a target, returning German aircraft often lobbed any spare bombs on the town hoping to hit the docks or railway while lightening their load for the flight home. Barbara Jones came to King’s Lynn with her easel and paints in 1942. She had been born into a comfortable middle class family on Christmas Day in 1912 in Croydon, Surrey. Her father had a saddlery and harness business at a time when Croydon was still a rural suburb. Barbara graduated from the
Department of Mural Decoration in 1937 and began seeking commissions, but realised that building up a freelance reputation would take time - so she took a part-time teaching post. Following the outbreak of the Second World War she accompanied the school on its evacuation to Luton, from where she was picked to join the ‘Recording Britain’ scheme. King’s Lynn provided ideal subjects for her brush, and her poignant picture of a Savage galloper fulfilled all the ambitions of the project. Late 19th-century King’s Lynn had been a major centre for the manufacture of merry-go-rounds and other fairground attractions. Savage’s Yard was nationally regarded as the mainstay of the trade, developing and building magnificent steam-powered fairground organs and attractions. By the time Barbara Jones painted this desolate scene, however, the traditional fairground had been superseded by more sophisticated
amusements and Savage’s workers were building secret prototypes for the Admiralty. The brightly-painted horse in the centre of the picture would have been placed in the inner circle of a roundabout; horses in the outer circle were elaborately carved as well as painted. The two figures in eighteenth-century dress perched on the organ are automata which would strike bells or drums in time to the organ’s music. In the background are the legs of a horse literally put in the bin. Barbara chose the ‘Old House’ on the Tuesday Market Place because of its unique artisan decoration of sea shells and painted Bank House because it epitomised the architecture of provincial Georgian England stable and assured, and very much at peace. The quirky doorway of nearby Clifton House also caught her attention. After the war, Jones created murals for the 1946 ‘Britain Can Make It’ exhibition, and the 1947 ‘Enterprise Scotland’ exhibition. She worked for P&O, creating murals for passenger liners as well as hotels, restaurants and schools. In 1945 The Architectural Press commissioned her to illustrate a booklet, Bombed Churches as War Memorials and many books containing her artwork remain in the form of dustjackets and illustrations. Here own book The Unsophisticated Arts was published in 1951, and she even worked on the popular children’s television show The Woodentops. Barbara Jones died in 1978, but her art (and the world she captured within it) lives on. Her eye for the unusual combined with a clear artistic ability captured the spirit - not of grand landscapes, but of the modest expressions of everyday art and architecture so easily lost for ever.
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Puzzles
It’s time to relax and put your thinking caps on - and don’t forget to become a Friend of KL magazine for all the answers and solutions (see page 10 for details)
CROSSWORD ONE
ACROSS 1,14d Film involved heathen temple worship, largely set around Hungary (3,5,3,9) 7 Without slowing down, write book’s plot (3) 9 Flower is touching, darling maintained (5) 10,21d One often appearing in court nearly succeded getting agreement from German family to do the slalom with actress (9,6) 11 Upriver it overflows with a sudden inrush (9) 12 Scary movie finally imported by Ireland in retrospect (5) 13 Leader of hockey team bursts into song, finding Joseph’s birthplace (9) 15,23d Film lands former husband Spike in court (4,5) 17 Angel’s love depicted by French art Eliot collected (4) 19 Pet returning hot, covered in his prey’s whiskers (9) 22 National flag seen by rugby post (5) 24 Reddish purple flower out West is no hybrid (9) 26 Ocean-going ships, at the outset, each will need testing at the ship-builders we are told (9) 27 Friend with good sense organs (5)
28 I call for silence to some extent (3) 29 Quite recently suggesting Robin as opposed to Doris? (3,5,3) DOWN 1,16 Film achieving top rate in the fall (8,8) 2 Foolish European expedition I’d mounted (7) 3 Exaggerates about league in Cantona’s country? (9) 4 Boredom is something of a rotten nuisance (5) 5 A fortune’s potentially made by horror film (9) 6 Earl in Roller to constantly change lanes? (5) 7 Idler used to be lively, though not first up (7) 8 Bearded man is a dambuilder (6) 14 See 1 15 Film showing escape plot foiled with seconds to go (3,6) 16 See 1d 18 Pathe reels about religious memorial (7) 20 Tell Edward to go after opener for champagne kept on ice (7) 21 See 10 23 See 15 ac 25 Allowed to run off (5)
CROSSWORD TWO ACROSS 1 See 7d 6 A lot of fish (4) 9 Used one’s brains and had a party in Japan? (10) 10 Henry needs internet address for Chuck (4) 12 Scout leader knocks back beer and spirit (5) 13 Statesmen are buried here in northern town (not the capital) (9) 14 One suffering harm associated with God? (6) 15 Scatter random platitudes, chiefly about Earl, to try to impress (4-4) 18 Getting rid of heroin from shiploads caused difficulty (8) 20 A sweetheart catches cold in recess (6) 23 See 7d 24 Nicaragua valley bears fruit (5) 25 You will be spotted with this in London borough, as Cockney says (4) 26 Defeated in fight, as Blair was in two capitals (4-3-3) 27 River in centre of West Bank city (4) 28 Most excellent wine collection mentioned in popular book (4,6)
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DOWN 1 Recovered with medical care, not half outstanding (9) 2 Without show of hesitation, pay out painter (7) 3 Advanced reading? (7,5) 4 One goes to pot and is then in hot water (3-3) 5 Reveal third of plot twists following on next page (8) 7,1a Trounce in fight against coup? (7-10) 7,23a Turning back (about face) (7-9) 7,11d Information obtained at the bar? (7-12) 8 Peeress exchanges parts with northern singer (5) 11 See 7d 16 Extract from American writer? He’s hardly Wordsworth! (9) 17 Singer in pub replacing intro to hit single (8) 19 One fishes out dude, according to him? (7) 21 Enjoying a winning streak when included in list (2,1,4) 22 Topless woman carried by black horse (6) 23 Make engraving of hunt (5)
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Sudoko: ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
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Michael Middleton’s
WildWestNorfolk
I
think all of us have been simply stunned by the events of recent weeks, but one of the most incredible things I’ve witnessed is how these unprecedented times seem to be bringing out the best in people. For many years the man who lives opposite the old post office in our village has been notoriously unwilling to take part in (or contribute) to any community-based activity. I mean, I know Mrs Middleton’s cupcakes aren’t the tastiest in the world, but surely they’re worth 10p? Especially when they’re being sold to help the local primary school. But like Scrooge on Christmas morning he’s now a changed man, helping young families with free deliveries of food, calling his neighbours to ask if they need anything, and even offering his Volvo estate to people without transport of their own. For too long we’ve focused on the less attractive side of human nature and we’ve forgotten just how kind people can be - and how uplifting it can be. Captain Tom Moore, anyone? Similarly, take Jordan Cox of Essex. He’s 23 now, but when he was 16 he started cutting out discount coupons to help his mum, who was working as an NHS administrator at the time. In fact, Jordan spent so much time with his scissors he also managed to cut around £2,000 from her annual grocery bill. But he didn’t stop there. It was while Jordan and his mum planned their Christmas shopping that he decided to help other low-income families in the area. He took almost 500 carefullycollected coupons to his local Tesco
and filled no less than three shopping trolleys with discount food including chicken, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables, cheese and desserts. “It’s not an exact science,” he said at the time, “and you can never really work out ahead how much the total is going to be.” When all the food had finally passed through the till, Jordan was faced with a bill of 4p. He’d managed to save £572.12 - and he then donated everything to the charity Doorstep, which provides food to disadvantaged families. Extraordinary. But then so is the story of 27-year-old Welshman Dan Black, who’d been severely injured and disabled in a cycling accident. In 2013 he was in the process of raising money to fund a stem cell operation that might help him walk again. But then he read about a five-yearold boy called Brecon Vaughan, who was suffering from cerebral palsy and had only ever walked with the aid of a frame. Dan gave the entire amount that he’d raised for his own operation - some £22,000 - to Brecon’s parents, who flew to America for specialist treatment. Today, the youngster walks to school and plays with his friends – all thanks to the incredible generosity of a total stranger. I think my favourite story about acts of total selflessness concerns the American Glen James, who worked as a court clerk in Boston. At least he did until he lost his job. And then his home. Not wanting to be a burden on his family, Glen ended up living on the
streets for seven years. As is the case for most people in his situation, Glen survived by foraging through bins and piles of rubbish - which is where he came across an abandoned rucksack containing the dollar equivalent of £28,000. It was a life-changing find, or at least it would have been - but Glen took it to the nearest police station, from where it was eventually reunited with its owner. Naturally, the story made the local newspaper, and people started contributing to a reward for Glen’s astonishingly honest act - a reward which rapidly totalled £82,000, over four times the amount he’d found and handed in - and more then enough for him to get his life back on track. In a review of Mrs S Hall’s novel Marian; or a Young Maid’s Fortunes in 1840, the journalist Katty Macane said “there’s a silver lining to every cloud that sails about the heavens if we could only see it” - and it’s become a popular proverb ever since. We’re currently all under a particularly large cloud, but that saying has never been more true. I hope you’ll all take care and keep safe over the coming weeks, and I know that we’ll continue to see heartwarming acts of generosity and extraordinary levels of kindness. My greatest hope is that when we get through this (and we will get through it) that renewed sense of altruism will carry on. In the meantime, please stay in touch with us all here (including myself!) by becoming a Friend of KL magazine see page 10 for more details.
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KLmagazine May 2020
Help us keep in touch with you At the moment, there’s only one way to guarantee you’ll know when the next issue of KL magazine will hit the shelves - and on what shelves you’ll find it. Become a Friend of KL magazine, and we’ll be able to contact you with our latest news and developments - including when the next issue is available and how you can get your copy. That’s not the only reason why we’re inviting you to become a Friend of KL magazine, however - see the special feature on page 10-11 in this issue for more details and information.
Let’s stay in touch! Become a Friend of KL magazine by visiting www.klmagazine.co.uk and completing the online form, or fill in the special insert enclosed in this issue and post it to us.
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STAY HOME SHOP ONLINE WE DELIVER!
Our stores are temporally closed, but aldiss.com is OPEN to take your order Our stocked items are available for contactless FREE DELIVERY (see details) to help make life right now a little more comfortable
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