North Weald Village Life Strengthening the Community
FREE North Weald Bassett Community Magazine Issue: 181 SEPTEMBER 2021 Page
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Is Summer over? I think we spent the two week summer on repairing and redecorating our home as we haven’t had the same weather since. However I don’t mind sun and clouds and a temperature not too hot but just not the rain. A very quick burst or rain of a night is fine but not during the day. it catches out so many of us out and puts us off going out the for the day. I haven’t managed to get to see the sea this summer and I am missing it, I only saw it last year for about an hour when I was dropping my daughter off in Brighton. I must make time to go and spend some quality time, even a few hours, just enjoying the sea. I don’t think my youngest dog has ever seen the sea.
I don’t know if it is because of the weather, but I have seen so many butterflies around, quite large ones too. I do love to sit and watch these if I get a chance. Also love hearing the buzz of bees, not to keen if they come near me although I usually sit still if they do. My mum always said if you talk to them and tell them to fly away they do, I seem to talk to most things, but I can’t tell you if it works. So this month, we have arranged a meeting to talk about anti social behaviour. This is not a blame and shame meeting but more of a meeting to discuss this subject as it covers so much and to share with you the resources that are available to help, what you should do, where you should report it and if you have any questions there will hopefully be resources available to provide some help. Anybody could experience anti social behaviour and the idea of the meeting is to provide the information so that you have the knowledge of what to do. The North Weald Bassett Parish Council are kindly funding the hall but it is residents that is organising this meeting specifically for residents. I really hope that people attend, I am involved with arranging this meeting and ensuring it goes ahead. The reason behind this is that over the years and months I have heard how so many people have had problems with neighbours, youths, experienced distressing or alarming behaviour so I thought that it would be a good idea if we all had the opportunity to find out more and what resources are available to help. There is talk of a late summer in September, I hope there is and that we can continue to enjoy the fresh air, our gardens and our wonderful surrounding area for longer. Although everything is still is picturesque in colder and wetter weather - we just have to remember to put a coat on. Hope to see you at the meeting or walking around the village.
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Cover photo: Chosen as so many people have said they have found hedgehogs in their gardens and now is the time for apples to be ready to eat.
Contents September Issue Page No.
4. Brain Teaser 5. Local Car Park Scams 7. Events 8. Planning applications 10. Objection to second storage of London taxis 14. Cunningham House recognised with award 16. Air pollution migration 17. Volunteer with St Clare 18. 100th Anniversary of Epping war memorial 19. Citizen Advice—Benefits 24. Wildlife Competition Results 25. Photos of the month 26. September at Epping Ongar Railway 27. Poem 29. Gardening Hints 30. The tip we live in 33. Birds Column
Editor June Peachey june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk 07814 863955 Write to: 49 York Road, North Weald, Epping, Essex CM16 6HU www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk Subscription: If you would like to guarantee your personal copy or perhaps you have relatives or friends who would like to receive their own copy, you can subscribe for £25.00 for 12 issues. Contributions & Editorial: If you would like to contribute editorial, poems, recipes, letters or anything else, we would be delighted to receive these. Please send them to us via letter or email. Advertisers: Please email or telephone us for full advertising rates and sizes. Booking
Disclaimer: Whilst every care has been taken to ensure any data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor it’s editorial contributors can accept and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party, or loss or damage caused by errors or resulting from negligence, accident or any other concerns. North Weald Village Life does not officially endorse any advertisement material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reported, stored in retrieval systems or transmitted in any form electronically. Mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher.
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SEPTEMBER BRAIN TEASER —Win a bottle of wine • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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Thank you to Mrs M. Phillips who won last month’s brain teaser. Just search and find the words, ring them and then send your completed wordsearch to me by 20th September. Please send it to:- September Brain Teaser, NWVL, 49 York Road, North Weald, CM16 6HU. This month’s prize is a bottle of wine. Don’t forget to include your name, telephone no or email address and home address.
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Local Car Park Scams Scams involving fraudsters stealing motorists’ payment cards have been reported in more local car parks this week. Warning notices are being posted on all Cash Only machines in EFDC car parks telling motorists not to try to put their payment cards into these machines. The fraudster’s ploy is to approach people at the machine and tell them they can only pay by card in the ‘cash only’ machine. They help them ‘insert’ the card…claim it is stuck ….and by sleight of hand, make off with the card. It seems the scammer is working across car parks in the Epping Forest district, so we urge all motorists to be on the alert:
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Do not to engage with anyone who offers to assist with paying for parking
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Do not give anyone your card to put into the machine, even if they have some form of ID Parking attendants will never insist you use your credit/debit card to pay for parking. Call the Police immediately. Then call the EFDC Customer Contact Centre to tell us about the incident on 01992 564000.
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Councillor to set up Flood Network group A Neighbourhood Watch-style Flood Network group is to be established by Ongar & Rural county councillor Jaymey McIvor. He wants to see a united approach to flooding issues across all 18 of the town and parish council areas included in his Division which stretches from The Rodings to Stapleford Abbotts and from Norton Heath to North Weald. Speaking at Thursday's Ongar Town Council meeting, councillor McIvor said: "Ongar Town Council on its own is not a strong enough voice but all 18 Ongar & Rural Division councils supported by the MP, county councillor and district councillors could sign a letter to central Government and have a strong voice." He added: "I don't think we should accept that we have to live with flooding. I want us to have a very robust response." Councillor McIvor said the Flood Network would issue key messages and warnings and give updates on where sandbags and help, such as people who have 4x4 vehicles and are available to collect prescriptions, is available.
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If you run a community event or charity event, don’t forget to let me know so I can share the details with readers—just email me June@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk North Weald WI Referred Annual General Meeting Weds 1st September - 1.45pm North Weald Village Hall. The deferred Annual Meeting. `
West Essex Flower Club Mon 13th September—1.45pm Thornwood Village Hall. They are glad to be reopening. The demonstration by Vikki Hearse is entitled ‘A Village Affair’. All Welcome, visitors pay £6.00 on the door
North Weald WI Meeting Weds 6th October - 1.45pm North Weald Village Hall. Return to normal meetings.
Farmers Market
The Theydon & Abridge Jazz Club (TAJC) meet bi-weekly at Abridge Village Hall on Tuesdays 2.00-4.30 pm 39 Ongar Rd. RM4 1UD Featuring Live Traditional Jazz Bands Entry is £10 members or £12 Non Members Membership fee for 2021 is only £5( reflecting that the year is half way through
Sunday 5th September 10.00-14.00 Sunday 3rd October 10.00-14.00 Library Cark Park, Ongar
North Weald Airfield Museum Annual Open Day Sunday 5th September from 11am to 4pm Entry charges—donation only and Displays and attractions will be found outside the museum . Including Classic Cars, refreshments etc
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Battle of Britain Anniversary The 81st Anniversary of the Battle of Britain is on the 19th September. North Weald airfield played a vital role in the war effort with fighter planes, mainly Hurricanes, flying from there in the Battle of Britain. Page 7
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Planning Applications Application No: EPF/2113/21 Officer: Marie-Claire Tovey Applicant Name: Rapid Prop Limited Planning File No: 004581 Location: Brickfield House, High Road, Epping, CM16 6TH Proposal: An application to determine if Prior Approval is required for a proposed: Change of Use from Offices (Class B1(a)) to Dwellinghouses (Class C3). Application No: EPF/1843/21 Officer: Zara Seelig Applicant Name: Mr Martin Tribe Planning File No: 026579 Location: 32 Tempest Mead, North Weald Bassett, Epping CM16 6DY Proposal: Application for a proposed garden room & the repositioning of fence.
Any representations on the above applications should be made in writing, by Monday, 6th September 2021 Application No: EPF/1852/21 Officer: Marie-Claire Tovey Applicant Name: Tim Heaney Planning File No: 012732 Location: Honeysuckle Cottage, Woodside, Thornwood Epping CM16 6LH Proposal: Erection of a freestanding traditionally-jointed oak-framed gazebo with plain clay tile roof. Application No: EPF/1920/21 Officer: Alastair Prince Applicant Name: Mr A. Khan Planning File No: 009598 Location: 22 Pike Way, North Weald Bassett Epping CM16 6BL Proposal: Single storey rear extension plus green oak porch. Application No: EPF/1924/21 Officer: Zara Seelig Applicant Name: Mr & Mrs Loder Planning File No: 031282 Location: 65 Thornhill, North Weald Bassett, Epping CM16 6DW Proposal: Proposed demolition of existing rear extension & conservatory. New single storey rear extension & a new flat roof to the existing single storey accommodation to match the new rear extension.
Any representations on the above applications should be made in writing, by Monday, 13th September 2021
Epping Forest District Council www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk Comment online at www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/iPlan or by post to: The Director of Planning and Economic Development, Epping Forest District Council, Civic Offices, 323 High Street, Epping, Essex CM16 4BZ Any enquiries should be made to the Application Processing Team
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Main Modifications to Local Plan The Epping Forest District Council consultation seeks views on changes being proposed to the 2017 Local Plan Submission Version which is currently under independent examination. These are changes that the Local Plan Inspector considers necessary before the Plan can be adopted. These changes are known as Main Modifications. The Local Plan outlines proposed development across the District until 2033. This Main Modifications stage follows the public examination hearings that took place between February and June 2019 and the Inspector’s initial advice of August 2019. This stage of consultation is limited to the changes (main modifications) proposed to the 2017 Plan and supporting documents that have informed these changes. It is not an opportunity to comment on parts of the 2017 Local Plan that are not proposed to be changed. Supporting documents include the Sustainability Appraisal addendum and the 2021 Habitats Regulations Assessment. Consultation Some of the changes to the proposed 2017 Local Plan Submission Version include: Removal of underground car parks at Epping, Loughton and Debden station (EPP.R3, LOU.R1 & LOU.R2) Reduction of homes in the South Epping Masterplan Area to 450 homes. (EPP.R1 & EPP.R2) Increase in capacity of land at Hainault Road (CHIG.R11) Full details of the consultation and supporting documents are available on the Eppowebsite. The quickest and easiest way to respond is via the online form but responses can also be made by email or post. All responses will be collated and sent to the Planning Inspector for consideration once consultation closes 23 September and will be uploaded to the Local Plan website — www.efdclocalplan.org.
Pride in Epping Forest
Councillors agreed to the motion for Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) to support a litter picking and awareness campaign called ‘Pride in Epping Forest’. The campaign will include annual recognition of individuals, community groups and town and parish councils who litter pick throughout the year. EFDC would join the nation-wide Keep Britain Tidy campaign and aim to work with Transport for London and City of London Corporation to help keep the Tube stations in the district and forest clear of litter. The motion also contains plans to: • provide more recycling bins subject to a mapping exercise • explore the use of dashcams on EFDC vehicles to help capture footage of those who throw rubbish from their vehicles • work with schools and community groups to raise awareness Page 9
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Parish council objects to second storage location for London taxis A North Weald Bassett parish councillor is calling on the district council to take "immediate enforcement action" against a company which has moved dozens of London taxis onto open land in North Weald without planning permission. GB Taxi Services has submitted a planning application for permission to temporarily store the vehicles which are not required because of the COVID-19 pandemic on land at Chase Farm, off Vicarage Lane, North Weald, until July next year. The applicant has confirmed that vehicles have been moved onto the site since April. It follows a previous application, which is still to be determined by Epping Forest District Council, for more than 200 taxis to be stored at Weald Place Farm, off Duck Lane in Thornwood. Parish councillor Sheila Jackman, speaking at Monday's parish council planning committee meeting which voted to object to the Chase Farm application, said: "I think it's completely unacceptable. We objected to the other one (Weald Place Farm) and I would object most strongly to this one. "It's most unfair on the residents looking out on ranks and ranks of taxis when they had open fields before." She added: "When we had the first application we put it to the district council that we didn't agree and for enforcement action (to be taken). I feel very, very strongly that we object to this on the grounds of overlooking and the green belt." Councillor Anne Grigg said: "They are asking for a temporary time period for a year. I don't want them there at all. We don't think any time should be granted and Epping Forest District Council should take enforcement action immediately." Council chairman Alan Buckley said planning consent should have been obtained for both sites before the taxis were moved onto the land. He said: "They've not got permission, it's all retrospective. My personal view is that we should refuse it as out of hand." Local resident David Sisson told the meeting he could see "a field full of taxis" from his property. He said the first taxis arrived on the Chase Farm site in April, since when many more have been taken onto the land. He expressed concern about potential vandalism. He told councillors: "It's quite a sight, especially as planning permission hasn't been granted for all of them to be here. "We believe they have been moved there from Thornwood because of vandalism. We have already had some of the taxis here vandalised. "If someone was to set fire to one of them, what on earth would happen? It's just frightening."
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HOME GLAZING REPAIR SERVICE LTD The Local Company You Can Really Trust! We specialise in the repairs to all makes of windows and doors
Broken Down/Misted Sealed Units Replaced Locks/Hinges Renewed Conservatories Cleaned/Repaired Cat & Dog Flaps Fitted Front Door Panels Renewed Handles Replaced Letter Plates Replaced Guttering Replaced/Cleaned Full Maintenance of UPVC & Aluminium
Epping High Street Consultation Pavement widening in Epping High Street is reported to have helped to make the town centre a more appealing place to visit and shop. Initially introduced to support social distancing during the Covid19 pandemic the changes have brightened up the town centre and made it easier to navigate.
A Complete Service To All Windows & Doors FOR A FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE CALL FREEPHONE 0800 917 2794 Or VISIT US AT www.homeglazingrepairservice.co.uk Eight parking spaces were lost by widening the pavements, but none of these were disabled spaces. Epping Forest District Council would like to know your views on the improvements and whether they should stay, or go! Epping Forest District Council is considering applying to Essex County Council to make the changes permanent, and the Town Council has even suggested a designated space should be allocated in the new, wider pavement for a busker! What do you think? Should the wider pavements/planters/ seating go, or stay. Send your comments by 10th September to: Email eppingsaferspaces@eppingforestdc.gov.uk
Tesco give donations to Norway House Earlier this month, Tesco Epping donated £125 worth of non-perishable food and hygiene products to Norway House in the village. The items were chosen after checking with Norway House what they needed.
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William Blair Pattullo On 25 October 1940, 9-year-old Geoff Walton was helping a milkman on his round in Harold Park, now in the north-east of the London Borough of Havering but then on the border of the Borough of Romford and the Urban District of Hornchurch, along the A12. That day the air raid siren sounded: when it ceased they carried on with their round. They turned a corner and saw a plane, a Hurricane Mk.1, with the engine firing erratically and streaming a line of black smoke which crashed on the main road. They raced to the crash site, the first to arrive, but soon a number of men had arrived, including a special constable who took the pilot from the plane. The event proving too much for Geoff, he ran home but he would remember the event for the rest of his life. The fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain triggered Geoff to try and find out more about the crash. His initial enquiries revealed that the pilot was 21-year-old Pilot Officer William Blair Pattullo who had been taken to Oldchurch Hospital where he died from his injuries the next day. Having flown from Stapleford Tawney, a satellite aerodrome of North Weald, he was buried at St Andrew’s Church, North Weald Bassett. But then the trail grew cold. At a school reunion at Redden Court School, Harold Wood in 1994, Geoff, a former pupil, met Norman Jennings, a former teacher and they decided to reactivate the search for information about the pilot and his family. The Revd Trevor Thorpe, then Vicar of St Andrew’s, North Weald Bassett, found from the burial records that his parents were Patrick William Pattullo and Jessie Hood Blair Pattullo. Norman and Geoff continued with their search before, eventually, locating William’s sister, Annette “Pat” Pattullo Martin, and her son, William Douglas Martin. The results of Norman’s and Geoff’s endeavours was the publication in 2001 of a 40-page booklet: The Search for One of the Few by Norman Jennings and Geoff Walton (ISBN 0 9528725 1 X). I knew nothing of the above until I attended the funeral of Norman Jennings on 8 October 2013. Norman and I were fellow pupils at the Royal Liberty School, Romford in the same year group. In those pre-internet days it was relatively easy to lose contact with school friends after university and employment came upon us. However, in the 1990s a number of fellow pupils were able to bring together a number of us, through the wonders of email, and we had a number of reunions, although conversations tended to be about school events of long ago rather than of more recent activities. I am, therefore, pleased to have this opportunity to publicize the painstaking work of one of my old friends. That I am currently a Churchwarden of St Andrew’s, North Weald Bassett adds another link to the story. Copies of the booklet are available from me. Please send a cheque for £5 payable to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and a C5 SAE to 40 Albany Court, Epping, Essex, CM16 5ED. J. Alan Smith
LETTER Dear Editor, I am hoping that readers of your magazine may be able to assist me. Here is a brief resume of my story. The attached picture was taken somewhere near North Weald in 1954. My father Sergeant William (Bill) Porter is shown in the foreground; he was a member of the 51st Battalion, Essex Home Guard, in South Chingford. He and his fellow soldier are firing Bren guns; you will see the Home Guard shoulder flashes of the two standing officers. The Home Guard was “stood down” in December 1944; it is little known that it was re-formed from 1952 to 1957. I was able to accompany my father to the rifle range and assist in raising and lowering targets in the butts. A great privilege but under the strictest supervision! Current and older Ordnance Survey maps do not show a location for the range. I wrote to the local historical society but never received a reply. I know there were (and are) ranges at North Weald Aerodrome and there is a North Weald based pistol club. Neither of these are likely to be the location I am seeking. As a boy I think I can recall taking a road or track off the main road (probably opposite where the RAF station gatehouse used to be) and seeing the underground train in the distance and, I seem to remember, going under the track to get to the range. I wonder if a small piece in your magazine might request information from local people who know the area to help find out where the range was actually situated? As a North Chingford lad, North Weald (usually via High Beech) was one of my holiday bicycle rides. Older readers of your magazine and former RAF people will remember Lightning jet aircraft briefly used at the airfield; one of which took off so low one day that I fell off my bike! As soon as Covid-19 fully permits I will be coming down to North Weald (I live in Lincolnshire now) but, I hasten to add, not on my bicycle. Kind regards. Trevor Porter Page 12
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Dance Factory puts a show on Despite the fact that some children were isolating the show still went ahead. Children from the Dance Factory , which takes place weekly in the Queens Hall, joined Mandy the owner and teacher and put on 2 small displays just for the parents during July. The children wanted to show their families how hard they had worked despite all the disruption to classes. At the same time there was a collection for St. Clare Hospice and raised £25.
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Cunningham House, Pike Way recognised at regional Great British Care Awards Cunningham House, a dementia-friendly residential care home in North Weald, has been announced as the winner of the Care Home Team Award at the South East Regional Great British Care Awards (GBCA) 2020. Cunningham House provides dementia specialist care and support for up to 54 older people. Services that the residents can enjoy include a varied year-round activities programme, a hair salon, a sensory room, exercise classes with a personal trainer and a personalised care package. They also have the opportunity to help take care of the house pets, including chickens, cats and the resident Peacocks!!!
The awards ceremony, which took place on Friday 23rd July at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, was delayed from its original date in October 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. A number of Cunningham House staff were present to accept the award, including Operations Manager Melanie Kemsley and Heads of Care Ann Bird and Jade Shaw. The GBCA judges were extremely impressed by Cunningham House’s nomination, commenting, “The team from Abbeyfield exhibited an infectious sense of humour, brand and passion for caring for their residents in their care home.” Operations Manager Melanie Kemsley said, “I am so very proud of each and every member of the team at Cunningham House, the last 18 months have been such a challenging time but the team have just rolled their sleeves up and carried on. They are a delight to work alongside. The Care Team at Cunningham House will now be shortlisted for the GBCA national awards, and will compete against the other Care Home Team Award winners from around the UK. The ceremony will take place at the ICC in Birmingham on Saturday 25th September.
Effects of the ‘Pingdemic’ Cllr Nigel Avey, Cabinet Member for Environmental and Technical Services, Epping Forest District Council, alerted members to Biffa – our waste contractor’s – shortage of drivers, made worse by the current ‘Pingdemic’. He said they are doing a good job of coping but he will be keeping the situation under review. Waste and Recycling is one of the Council’s most important frontline services. Councillor Avey undertook to keep all councillors up to date ‘in real time’. Page 14
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Road traffic collision Woman rescued On Sunday 22nd August, firefighters were called to a road traffic collision on Mount Road in Theyon Garnon early this morning. On arrival, crews reported that a car left the roadway on the wet roads and had collided with a tree leaving a woman trapped. Crews worked to rescue the woman by 3:57am and she was left in the care of the Ambulance Service. Source: Essex County Fire & Rescue Services Ltd
No objection to restaurant/take-away plans Plans to turn the former Santander premises in Epping High Street into a "tastefully fancy" restaurant and take-away have met with no objection from Epping Town Council. Councillor Grahame Scruton told the last planning and general purposes committee: "As a town council we would rather have an occupied shop than an empty unit."
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A document submitted with the planning application states that the proposals are to provide a "tastefully fancy destination for the community" which would "make the area lively". A minimum of ten full-time jobs would be created.
Remembering Brian On Thursday 26th August, Brian Perry lost his fight with illness and died peacefully in hospital. Many people will know the man who was always in Art Nursery Garden Centre, and was very talented and made all the trellis, wooden planters, wheelbarrows etc. Nigel from Art Nursery Garden Centre said that Brian helped him so much when he took over the Garden Centre many years ago. Brian has also helped Nigel’s son Tom who runs Little Art Nursery. Brian will be sadly missed by the team at Art Nursery Garden Centre and it’s customers. Brian leaves behind a wife, two sons and their families. I met Brian regularly when I was in the Garden Centre and he was a great guy, very helpful and was always busy despite retiring 15 years ago. My thoughts and sympathies go to Brian’s family.
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North Weald Airfield Museum Open Day
Mobile: 07885 871508 www.nmonkplumbingandheating.co.uk
Air pollution Mitigation Strategy At a recent Epping Forest District Council Cabinet (EFDC) Meeting, Cllr Nigel Bedford Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability highlighted key points and updates from the Advisory Group on Air pollution Mitigation Strategy. He said latest Government figures show that EFDC has strengthened its position as the second highest user of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) in Essex. There are plans to introduce electric rapid-charging points at Oakwood Hill East carpark with a focus on taxi drivers who will need electric charging as they switch to ULEV.
EFDC is also working with Essex County Council to develop proposals for using lampposts as charging points to support those residents without driveway or garage parking to be able to charge their vehicles. Cllr Bedford said ‘Discussions are ongoing with Transport for London (TFL) to encourage them to introduce electric charging points at all underground stations, in addition to the ones at Theydon Bois.”
As a move towards normality we are again holding our annual Open Day on Sunday 5 Septemberwhere entry charges are on the basis of ‘Donation only’ and additional displays and attractions will be found outside the museum from 11am to 4pm. We expect Classic Cars and refreshments and have an expanded exterior shop facility. Lots of aviation books, magazines, framed limited edition paintings and some original Clive Kidder oil paintings to attract all sections of the public – enthusiast and passer by alike. No need to book, but we may need to restrict the flow of those entering the six museum display rooms from time to time. Details of the exhibitions on the website www.nwamuseum.co.uk The museum is open and practicing an optional mask policy [staff in mask] and single bubble visitors having the option while in the museum. If there is more than one group present we advise all should wear masks in the confined space. Generally the flow of visitors means that during normal opening times (Saturday and Sunday 12-4) most groups can go without masks if they wish. The Open Day in September may well be more challenging. Nearby are the Epping and Ongar Railway and of course the airfield. You can expect to see many aircraft flying on fine days. Any local groups that wish to bring a gazebo and or table and display outside the museum on the day (without charge) please contact the secretary.
The council is also working towards electrification of its refuse fleet. Climate Change was also on the agenda with consultation taking place later this year. Cllr Bedford said: “Every little bit of change will make a difference and we are starting to see people’s behaviour change across the district.” Among the initiatives – councillors also discussed making District Council and Corporation of London carparks free for electric vehicles. Council officials are also encouraging local businesses to make plans for the change to electric vehicles as soon as possible. Cllr Bedford stressed that this is not just a district, London or UK issue – it is a worldwide issue. Page 16
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Volunteer with St Clare! Volunteers play an integral role at St Clare Hospice, helping to ensure that nobody in West Essex and East Hertfordshire has to face their journey alone. From supporting our patients on our Inpatient Unit, to helping tackle loneliness and isolation amongst local people; and from tending to the Hospice’s beautiful gardens, to lending a hand in the offices; volunteers are a valued asset within the organisation helping in the delivery of ‘Outstanding’ care to those who need it. “Volunteering with St Clare Hospice gives you the opportunity to join a friendly and welcoming community of local people,” saiys Stacey Towler, Volunteer Manager at St Clare Hospice. “Whether you’d like to make new friends; develop your own skills; make a difference in your local community; or connect with your local hospice charity; joining St Clare Hospice’s volunteering team will offer you an immense sense of reward and value in your own life.” Voluntary roles available: Volunteer Gardener Put your green fingers to good use in St Clare’s beautiful gardens and meet others who enjoy gardening for a great cause. Key skills: • Some experience of maintaining a garden or allotment • Basic knowledge of plants • Good at working under instruction or without supervision Journey starter volunteer Support people to are visiting St Clare Hospice by assisting them with their journey to and from the Hospice. Key skills: • Five years’ driving experience • Non-judgemental • A good listener
For more information, call the Volunteer team on 01279 773700 or email: volunteer@stclarehospice.org.uk or visit St Clare Hospice’s website
07926987207 Call for a free quotation
Based in North Weald. Essex CM16 Page 17
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100th anniversary of the Epping war memorial Wreaths were laid and the names of the fallen who are remembered on plaques on the memorial on the Town Green were read recently at a rededication service to mark the 100th anniversary of the Epping war memorial. Wreaths were laid and the names of the fallen who are remembered on plaques on the memorial on the Town Green were read at the service. John Duffell, a town councillor and Royal British Legion Remembrance Day organiser, said: "At the end of the First World War the people of Epping looked for a suitable way to commemorate the young men from the town who had given their lives for their country. "After much discussion a cross bearing the names of the Fallen was chosen. It was originally going to be erected in the market place, but it was decided that the town green offered a more prominent position." The £600 cost was raised by public subscription. The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on Sunday 8th May 1921. Mr Duffell said: "Sadly it was necessary to add more names after the Second World War. Two new tablets were fixed to the memorial and these were unveiled in November 1948. "In 2004, it was discovered that some names from the First World War were not included and these were added. More from the Second World War were added in 2009.” "Another name, added in 2009, was that of Georgie Sparks who had lost his life in Afghanistan the previous year." Mr Duffell added: "This memorial is now the focal point for Remembrance in Epping. "There are 150 men from the town listed on the memorial. They fought and died in some of the most famous battles in history - Ypres, Loos, Gallipoli, Jutland, the Somme, Passchendaele and Arras in the First World War, and Dunkirk, El Alamein, Normandy, the crossing of the Rhine and Burma in the Second World War. "They are buried or commemorated in countries across the globe but on here they are all together." Wreaths were laid by Mr Pegrum, Mr Wright, Mr Duffell, Freemen of Epping Ruth Benjamin and John Batchelor, and Epping Town Council's Young Townspeople of the Year Julie Turrell and George Sack. The service included a two-minute silence. service.
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From Citizens Advice: Benefits: we can help At Citizens Advice our largest area of work is in connection with state benefits of one kind or another. Many of the people we help used to be able to work but have had to give up because of long-term, debilitating health conditions such as fibromyalgia or depression. Often they are invisible conditions, which can make proving that you are suffering difficult. Having a diagnosis isn’t enough: you have to show the impact the condition is having on your life, such as your ability to walk or to do basic domestic tasks. The government’s system for assessing who qualifies for benefits is not, in our view, well-suited to people, and there are thousands of them, with this sort of condition. So if you know someone who is really struggling to get by financially because of a health condition encourage them to get in touch with us. Another group of people who we always look out for are people of pension age who may be eligible for a top-up on their pension called pension credit. The government estimates that about 30% of people who could claim this benefit are not doing so, almost certainly because they are not aware of it. It is well worth checking this out if you or your spouse is getting less than the full state pension. It’s easy to apply for it and it can mean you are automatically entitled to other benefits. Nowadays no pensioner should have to struggle financially. A third group of people we look out for are those who have come to the benefits system for the first time in their lives, usually because they have lost their job, or have greatly reduced earnings. We’re expecting to see more people in this group as the furlough scheme winds down. They may well have come to us for another reason entirely but our volunteers are trained to find out if there are other, related, issues. Many will have worked all their lives. They may well not have had good advice about what they should do. Regrettably, officials at the Department for Work and Pensions don’t always get it right and so people can be misled about their options. If you’ve lost your job you can claim New-Style Jobseeker’s Allowance. This is based on your having paid the required amounts in National Insurance. It is not enough for you to live on if you have children, or rent to pay, in which case you will need to claim Universal Credit as well. That benefit is also available to people on low earnings. The calculation as to how much you get is complicated and mistakes are made. You also need to bear in mind that the standard rate will go down by £20 per week in September. Existing claimants should be getting information about this by text or via their online journal. We’re happy to advise as to whether any decision is right and to help you challenge a wrong decision. Or you can check online at our national website www.citizensadvice.org.uk. If you want our advice we have a telephone service available from 9.30 to 2.30, Tuesday to Thursday. We hope to be able to offer face-to-face appointments in the not-too-distant future – watch this space. If we are busy when you call you will be connected to a backup service elsewhere in the country. They will try to resolve your issue but if they can’t they will arrange for one of our staff to call you back. The number is 0808 278 7855. Calls are free.
5,000 more LED streetlights to be installed across Essex Essex Highways remains on track to install an additional 5,000 LED streetlights across the county by the end of August. Essex Highways’ LED rollout is well underway with 800 old streetlights currently being replaced across Essex each week. The move to LED will bring benefits for residents and the environment as the lights are more efficient, saving on average around 60% energy usage and thousands of tons of carbon emissions involved in generating electricity. The lights also contain negligible toxic materials and are expected to last 20 years, whereas half of all sodium lamps fail after five years and must be replaced. Replacing the current lights with LEDs will mean a better service and more effective use of taxpayer’s money. After 25 years it is estimated the net savings for ECC will be around £39 million. Over 5,000 replacements will be made by the end of the month and Essex Highways plan to complete 25,000 by Christmas. This three-year rollout is the final phase of Essex Highways’ LED replacement scheme, with 82,000 lights to be replaced in total on residential roads across Essex. Page 19
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Community growers celebrate allotment launch Epping Forest District Council’s community gardening project in North Weald kicked off in April 2021. Since this time, volunteers have been working hard to transform their plot at Wheelers Farm. With guidance from EFDC Community Development Officer Victoria Robertson, Clare, Nicola, Christina and her three children have been able to learn and grow together. The good news is, there’s room for plenty more to come along!
Parish Council Garden It’s hard to believe that it’s now 12 months since I last sent out an update regarding the village garden at the parade of shops in North Weald. Last year was a very difficult time for everyone and we were unable to properly maintain the garden as would have wished. However that is all behind us now and we are back to regular weeding and planting this year. A number of the plants are now getting past their best and we intend to plant new ones over the next few months. The maintenance of the garden has now been taken over by Gary Woods who also maintains the flower beds at the cemetery and we would like to give a huge thanks to our previous volunteers, George Mulliner, Margaret Mulliner and Daphne Buckley who have spent many backbreaking hours weeding over the last 5 years. I would like to pass on our immense gratitude to our local business sponsors namely: Stuart Poulton—The Family Funeral Directors Greenacres Woodland Burials Davis Homes—Estate Agents Cinnamon Indian Restaurant LVM—Painters and Decorators North Weald—who are new to our team of sponsors And last but not least North Weald Bassett Parish Preservation Society who maintain the box garden on the village green at Wheelers Farm Gardens for their continued support over the next 12 months 2021/22, which is greatly appreciated. Cllr Alan Buckley Chairman North Weald Bassett Parish Council
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Parish Town Clerk Susan Du Luca has been a major contributor to the allotment’s success as she has been responsible for helping the team gain access and work with local tradesmen to prepare the site before it was ready for the delivery of four tons of soil which later became the fantastic raised beds you see today. All of this would not be possible without the funding secured with the support of Councillor Bedford. On Thursday July 29th, the group had a chance to speak with local councillors and staff at Epping Forest District Council about the no dig style they have adopted on the allotment. A wide variety of produce was on show including pumpkins, sweetcorn, runner beans and tomatoes to name a few. If you’d like to learn more about sustainable, no dig growing you can get in touch with Victoia .at vrobertson@eppingforestdc.gov.uk to express an interest in joining a session. The group meets every Thursday, 2-4pm.
Specialising in plastering, external rendering and K rend
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IMPORTANT Defibrillators Recently I understand defibrillators from both Thornwood and North Weald have been needed to help people who have become unwell whilst awaiting emergency services. So to ensure all residents are aware of the location of our defibrillators, here are the details. Once you ring emergency services to inform them of someone needing emergency assistance, they will give you the code required to access the defibrillator looked in coded cabinets.
North Weald:- Outside the Methodist Church Hall. Thornwood—Outside the Parish Hall.
Kitten rescued from under floorboards On 13th August, Station Manager Steve Wintrip from Ongar Fire Station rescued a kitten that was trapped under floorboards in Ongar in the morning. The curious cat had been exploring when she became trapped under the floorboards. Steve rescued the kitten by 12:27pm and she was left in the care of her owner. The kitten had yet to be named and her owner asked Steve if he wanted to name her. He called her Millie and left her happily eating her food. Could you be an on-call firefighter? - Ongar Fire Station is recruiting on-call firefighters. If you live or work within 5 minutes of Ongar Fire Station, you could be paid to protect your community as an on-call firefighter.
Source: Essex County Fire & Rescue Service Page 22
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Government request for support Local councillors are being asked to urgently approve the provision of housing for Locally Employed Staff (LES) who worked for the UK and risked their lives alongside British troops in Afghanistan. The move comes in response to an urgent Government request to all councils to support the relocation of Afghan refugees following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. Epping Forest District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, Councillor Holly Whitbread is asking councillors for support with an offer of 2 family-sized homes for the Government relocation programme. Other Essex councils are making similar offers while Essex County Council coordinates the local contribution to the national response. Councillor Holly Whitbread said: "Many of the people working for the British Army and associated agencies in Afghanistan are good English language speakers, although members of their families may not be. Many will have experienced trauma and loss. "All will receive support as they seek to rebuild their lives with the aid of the resettlement programme." Subject to no objections through the Council’s internal decision call-in process, Councillor Holly Whitbread’s report recommends: To actively support the British Government’s Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and welcome Afghan Locally Employed Staff (LES) who have worked for UK and risked their lives alongside British forces in Afghanistan, and are now relocating to the UK with their families following NATO’s decision to withdraw military forces from Afghanistan 1. To work collaboratively with Essex County Council (ECC) to provide a co-ordinated response to the Government’s urgent appeal to assist with accommodation and support for approximately 3,000 affected adults and children by September 2021 To offer 2 qualifying LES households fixed term tenancies of Council owned homes of a suitable size, on the understanding that ECC will administer the 12-month Government funded support to enable the households to integrate and become self-sufficient as soon as possible
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Wildlife on our doorsteps Focus of the competition was wildlife on our doorsteps – photos that really tell a story about wildlife in the district. It ran for three months during lockdown with public votes collected during May. The competition was part of the first Epping Forest District Council Festival of Culture which provided a platform for diverse, community led cultural activities across the district. During the four months of the festival there were 82,564 engagements with the programme, 40 covid-secure events working with 26 partner organisations across the district. Winners are invited to a private view of the Natural History Museums Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition coming to the district for the first time in 2022. Their images will also be displayed at Epping Forest District Museum in 2022. In addition the under 10 winner received free workshops in this year’s EFDC summer programme while the other winners received drawing packs.
Two votes – by the public, and expert photographers – decided winners in the three categories. In the under 10 category Harriet Papps was a unanimous choice with her image of Grass Snake. Judges said: The grass snake was a hard image to capture. Well seen, good focus on eyes and body of snake.
Photo Source:
Another unanimous decision in the 11-18 years category was Tallulah Dean’s Red Fox. The image received the highest score of 180 votes from the public. Judges commented:
Grass snake by
Patience gives you this interesting photograph.
Harriet Papps
The final category 19+ delivered a split vote with the public choosing Red Dog Fox by Jimmy Waters and the judges Frogs in The Lake in the Lower Forest by Keith Dark. Judges said that all the frog entries were good shots, but chose the winner because it had a feeling of aliens and a surreal painting in some way. The composition was good with lots to look at and keep your interest. Also the colours being of a range of dark and browns and blacks work well. Professional photographer John Price and Alan Martin from Loughton Camera Club gave the judges votes.
Photo: Frogs in the Lake in the Lower Forest by Keith Dark
Photo Source: Red Dog Fox by Jimmy Waters
Red Fox by Tallulah Dean Page 24
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PHOTO GALLERY
I am often told how much people like seeing the photos sent in by readers. Please send in your photos to me at June@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
Photo: This photo taken by Ken Care,
Photo: This is another taken by Ken Care and he has provided some interesting facts about his photo. This is a Jersey Tiger Moth, quite rare in Essex. Until recently it was restricted in distribution to the Channel Islands and parts of the south coast. On the mainland it is commonest in south Devon, but colonies have recently appeared in Dorset and the Isle of Wight, and it has also been found in other southern counties.
Photo: We are lucky enough to have another photo sent in by Terry Taylor who takes some wonderful photos of birds.
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SEPTEMBER AT THE EPPING ONGAR RAILWAY Regular visitors will be pleased to know that the Railway is now running a full range of services. September is a particularly busy month and we have plans for themed events each weekend: 70 Years of the RF - This event will be based at the Railway’s North Weald Station commemorating 70 years of the iconic RF class AEC Regal IV, with visiting vehicles and a surprise or two! Steam Gala -– Our annual Steam Gala will involve an intensive steam hauled service. It’s just over 50 years since the last regular steam hauled service ran on the London Underground, hauled by pannier tank locomotive L94. We are delighted to welcome sister loco, L92, to the Railway for this gala*. Dinosaur Weekend – Come and meet Baxter the T-Rex, he’s normally GWR 0-6-2PT in London Transport Livery as L92. Courtesy of very friendly, except when hungry! Autumn Real Ale Train – Our Real Ale the South Devon Railway and Worcester Locomotive Society Trains are back running as part of the Autumn Diesel Gala. Autumn Diesel Gala – Join us for 37029’s 60th birthday. The diesel fleet comes to the fore for a weekend of action over some of the steepest gradients in railway preservation*. Full details of all our events can be found at: www.eorailway.co.uk *All locos subject to availability. We are actively recruiting volunteers to join our Carriage & Wagon restoration team who normally work on Tuesday’s and Thursdays at Ongar or North Weald. They are currently carrying out an extensive refurbishment of our brake coach, BCK No. 21059. If you are interested in this project, please contact our Membership Secretary on membership@eorailway.co.uk and mention BCK 21059. Adult membership costs just £20 per year. Our member Roger Bray is also looking for volunteers to join his Class 45 diesel locomotive restoration team. They normally work at weekends; the locomotive is currently based at North Weald. If you have engineering skills or are a competent DIY person, please email Roger at 45132.d22@gmail.com All members of Roger’s team are also members of the Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society. If you would like to learn more about us, and receive a complimentary copy of our quarterly magazine Mixed Traffic, please send an email with your postal address to mixedtraffic@eorailway.co.uk and please mention North Weald Village Life. Robert Good. Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society
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Summer 2021 Well what can I say? That hoped for long hot sunny weather appeared, then quickly went away. The hope to bask and lounge in glorious sunny days on the trot, Soon let us know that this year sadly we would not. So turning our attentions elsewhere, June decided we’d sort out our home, With the two week deadline and the needing to sort every room, even the dogs let out a groan. Though with the first of two skips killing off my manicured grass, The sorting began as we realised the magnitude of the task. Skip number 1 was filled in two days, but with so much still to do, It was inevitable that we would need skip number 2. With our eldest’s boyfriend volunteering to fit a new bathroom suite, The anticipation and rumours soon ran up and down our street.
Although I managed to upset some of our neighbours and caused concern, As for lots of confidential documents for safety I decided to burn. With that aside everything else seemed to go to plan, Though it was truly very hard work and manic, as we all had to lend a hand. But at the end of two weeks, we did it and the inside of our house looked like new, Except the outside was so tatty and run down, unless you came in no-one knew. So with a check on finances, June arranged for the front of our house to be transformed, In came Home Glazing Repair Services and Brian and the miracles he managed to perform. Soon the house looked as good out as it did inside, Leaving us all so happy and rightly bursting with pride. Maybe we didn't get the summer weather we wanted or those trips to the sea, As we worked so hard and long though to see my wife smile and be content - well that’s enough for me. Source: Andy—resident poet.
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Gardening Hints for September What happened to the weather for July and August, so dull, wet and miserable and below average temperatures. The weeds have had a great year and as a bonus our lawns are looking the best for a few years. If we get a dry and settled September, it is worth picking over your hanging baskets, tubs and pots, cut back straggly bits and this will encourage new growth and flowers for a late September display. Its been a very bad year for blight on potatoes and tomatoes, if your plants are affected, dig them up and dispose, do not put on the compost heap. September is the time to plant your spring flowering bulbs, daffodils, tulips, crocus, snowdrops, hyacinths, wallflowers and sweet William. I have a large selection in the garden centre at present. September, October and November is a great time to dig in well rotted manure to your vegetable plot, this will improve the structure of your soil as well as adding important nutrients. It is a good time to prune back shrubs that have finished flowering, give hedges a final trim to keep them tidy for winter, prune back blackcurrants, red and white currents and gooseberries to encourage new growth. Its on this new growth that next year’s crop will grow. If you have a greenhouse, use September to tidy and declutter and disinfect ready to accept your tenders. Continue until the end of the month to feed and water all shrubs, trees, plants, displays that are in pots, by growing plants in pots you are restricting the roots from finding necessary nutrients and moisture so you must add these to the pots. This year blackspot on roses and photinia (red robins) has been particular rife, strip the roses of all affected leaves and pick all those that have ready fallen and dispose. Do not put affect foliage on the compost heap, either burn them or put them in the green waste to be disposed off. To prevent further black spot, spray with Roseclear as soon as new leaves and shots appear. You will need to do this two or three times. This is particularly important in the spring as the roses begin to grow again, but can still be carried out in August and September. As always please come into the garden centre to share your experiences, good and bad, that way we will all continue to learn by sharing tips and advice. I will be particularly interested in the results people have achieved with peat free compost, this is the future so we all need to share our experiences of growing with it, so we grow and move forward with confidence. As always during warm summer evenings, (if we get any) sit back, relax and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of your garden with a drink of your choice, mine has to be a cold beer or two. Cheers (No comments from the Editor on the last paragraph)!!! Source: Nigel, Art Garden Centre
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This time I’ll try to show where the responsibility for clearance of rubbish from particular land lies.
This photo (from the web) shows responsibilities for roadside maintenance but can also be used as a guide to the removal of litter and fly tips.
A
From the these two photos, do you know who is responsible for cleaning this lot up?
A. Is quite straightforward as the asbestos is lying on the highway and verge of Upland Road so is the responsibility of the local council. Even so this Hazardous Waste remained for nearly a week before removal!
B
B. Shows two discarded traffic cones in the ditch alongside the B.1393 High Road Thornwood Common. Now if I were the landowner, technically I’d be responsible for their removal and safe disposal. I could contact highways and ask them to recover their property or give me details of any contractor that was working that area to remove what is theirs. Things become more of a problem when you discover half an office has been dumped into your ditch!
The law seems unfair to penalise innocent parties into clearing away other people’s discards, this is why we must stamp out this abhorrent behaviour urgently. On the right I give a useful guide (from the National Fly Tip Prevention Group) as to whom to contact if you discover a fly tip while out walking. If you come across a fly tip taking place – call the police on 999. Jimmy Waters. (North Weald Bassett Citizen of the Year 2016) Page 30
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Cyril Hawkins Close Cyril Hawkins Close – a new development of council homes in North Weald – was officially opened by Epping Forest District Council Chairman, Helen Kane last week. The 12 two and three-bedroom homes were built on a former garage site and named in honour of one of North Weald’s hard working and long serving Parish Councillor, Cyril Hawkins. His widow Shirley cut the ribbon as guest of honour, along with Housing cabinet member Holly Whitbread and some of the residents now living in the houses. The new development forms part of Phase 3 of the Council’s housebuilding programme which aims to provide around 300 new affordable rented homes by 2024. Many local people will remember Cyril Hawkins, who sadly died in 2017, was chairman of North Weald Bassett Parish Council for 11 years and an active member in the North Weald Bassett and Thornwood Common community for many more. Among many activities he welcomed veterans to North Weald Airfield’s 100th anniversary, opened memorial park shelters and campaigned for safer roads.
Kendal Avenue parking meters plan could be "slippery slope" A plan to introduce parking meters along Kendal Avenue in Epping is unnecessary and could be a "slippery slope" to the introduction of meters elsewhere in the town, the town council fears. North Essex Parking Partnership has drawn up a scheme for parking charges to be introduced in Kendal Avenue from September. However the town council is calling for the meters to be put on hold. Councillor Hugh Pegrum told the meeting: "I can't quite get my head round what problem they are trying to cure. "We've already seen a loss of parking in the High Street. Every house in Kendal Avenue has off-street parking. Kendal Avenue is wide enough to take four lines of traffic so why can't we use some of that for parking? " ”
"Most of the places where they propose 'no waiting at any time' restrictions are quite capable of accommodating parking.” He added: "We are on a slippery slope if we allow parking meters in the town. The hour between 10am and 11am when people can't park there seems to be satisfactory." Town Mayor councillor Michael Wright said: "If it isn't broken why use a sledgehammer to crack a very small nut." Page 31
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EVENTS
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BIRD FEATURE - SEPTEMBER 2021 Hello, here are my jottings for the month of September which heralds the commencement of autumn and will see most of our remaining summer migrants winging their way to their wintering grounds. Of course for some of these birds it will be the first time they have undertaken their migration and numerous perils will be faced before they return to the UK next spring. Needless to say not all of them will make it. I have to say 2021 has been quite a good year for the total number of species I have seen in the North Weald area with 84 thus far. That is a few more than in most previous years. In the last couple of weeks or so I have added two to the year's list ... Tree Pipit and Turtle Dove. You may recall in the June edition I mentioned possibly seeing a Tree Pipit, well I made a few repeat visits to the site and eventually was able to get a definite sighting. Turtle Dove has declined in numbers massively in the UK but this is the 6th year running I have seen one, always in the general area of Weald Common. Both species are in fact summer visitors to the UK and I suspect that's it for any sightings this year. Frustratingly I believe I saw a Spotted Flycatcher last week (mid August) but it was very elusive and pitched up behind some fencing so I couldn't get a close up view but I'm pretty sure what it was, however I never add a species to the list unless it is a 100% view. I'm hopeful of adding one or two more to the list over the next four months, maybe Yellow Wagtail, Tawny Owl or even Waxwing but we shall see
.
One thing of note during this middle of August has been the steady increase in gull numbers. In fact I wonder if any of you noticed the flock that went over the village during the latter part of the afternoon on Friday 20th ? There must have been well over 1,000 in total in groups of 100 to 300 or so. At one point so many went over that they looked like giant ants in the sky. It appears they were feasting on what must have been a massive swarm of flies or other flying insects, quite high up. There was a mix of Black-headed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls and Common Gulls. As I say, I do wonder if some other people noticed this, if you'd looked up as they went over even someone with zero interest in wildlife would have surely taken a second look. And whatever they were after - well, there must have been millions of them. Many hundreds will have been predated but of course as the swarm is so large the actual percentage of casualties is very small. Had this been 2 or 3 weeks earlier then I am sure a good few Swifts would have been joining in but they tend to leave the UK that bit earlier than Swallows and I have only seen one or two in the last few days. Gulls can feed on the ground but they are also very adept fliers and chasing down some insects at considerable height is no problem for them. After all they can survive out over the ocean so a calm summer's day in the UK is a doddle for them. You may get some interesting visitors to your garden in the next few weeks, especially if you have a few large shrubs or a tree or two, and even more so if some of them are berry bearing. Warblers will be feeding up prior to migration and will avidly seek out insects in the foliage and some will snaffle up berries. Two commoner warblers are the Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler which look virtually identical. Indeed at one time they were believed to be the same species until the Rev Gilbert White studied them and noticed the songs and calls were entirely different. The Chiffchaff has a monosyllabic 'hweet' call and tends to flick its tail downwards whereas the Willow Warbler has a hoo-eet call and doesn't flick its tail. Listen out for the calls and see if you can I.D. which species it is. Whitethroats, too, will be on the move as autumn approaches and could well check out a block of gardens with bushes. Some of the wildlife we see around here strictly speaking doesn't belong here !!! Of this year's bird list Egyptian Goose, Canada Goose, Pheasant, Little Owl, Red legged Partridge and Ring necked Parakeet were either brought here and deliberately released or escaped into the wild. And don't forget the Fallow Deer and Muntjac Deer are not native to the UK and of course the very common Grey Squirrel is only here because of man's intervention. It would be hard to envisage the countryside without any Pheasants or Grey Squirrels. Some species spread here through natural expansion of their range, for instance the Collared Dove pitched up in the UK in the mid 1950s as part of a general colonisation of Europe. Even then, this is a species with an affinity to human settlements and farming communities. Little Egret has colonised the UK since the mid 1990s mostly due to the gradual warming of our climate. Other birds are now spreading due to RE-introductions. For example the Red Kite was confined to a small population in Wales but it was once common throughout England and is now spreading far and wide again due to the release of birds in some parts of the country. There are estimated to be 400 or so beavers in the UK, again this is an animal that was native to the UK but after becoming extinct here it has been re-introduced and is apparently thriving. There is a plan to release some White tailed Eagles in England, I believe that Norfolk is on the 'destination' list. If that happens then a wandering eagle could well find its way over our part of Essex and ten years from now it could get a mention in the Village Life magazine ! Of course all these decisions are not without some controversy and no release scheme can take place without careful planning and subsequent monitoring. And sadly you have to think of security at any release site - as shown by the recent incident where an Osprey's nesting platform was destroyed. If you feed the birds in your garden then just a reminder to practice good hygiene. Keep any feeders or bird table clean and move the feeding station from time to time to prevent the build up of mouldy food or excessive bird droppings. Clean, fresh water can be just as important. Although the weather hasn't been fantastic there have still been plenty of butterflies, crickets / grasshoppers and dragonflies etc to be seen. Numbers of crickets and grasshoppers seem to have peaked during August and on one recent grassland walk I seemed to see (or hear) one every few feet. Unfortunately my I.D. skills for these are still lacking and I can never quite get a handle on certain individual species. Of course with grasshoppers you tend to get limited views as they bound off into the long grass but their presence on a warm summer's afternoon can be quite therapeutic as they chir away from the cover of the meadow. Anyway, enjoy any time you can get out and about in the local area (or anywhere else for that matter) and just keep your natural history detectors - eyes and ears ! - tuned to what is going on around you. More birds will be in flocks over the coming weeks - tit / finch groups, crows (Rooks / Jackdaws), Starlings - oh and ... gulls. Take care and see what you can spot. Paul Corbet Page 33
Tel: 07814 863955
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
Advertiser Directory New directory of advertisers with page numbers so you can find their details easily.
Aerials & Satellites T J Aerials & Satellites
5
Furniture RSL Interiors—Kitchens & bedrooms
26
CJA Upholstery
13
Garden Centre/Gardening
Beauty Nail Couture
27
Business The Epping Connection
22
Art Nursery Garden Centre
28
GTF Tree Care
16
Ernest Doe
18
Glazing
Car MOT & Servicing Kings Head Garage
34
GGC Glazing
21
Matts Motorz
17
Home Glazing Repair
11
Kennels & Catteries
Carpets & Flooring Little Carpet Co
2
5
Online Shopping
Cleaning Maid in Essex
10
Steve’s Window Cleaning
20
Andrews Computers
19
Council North Weald Bassett Parish Council
Local Bodyshop consultant—Sparkle & Shine
29
Jim’ll Paint It
13
S I Painters & Decorators
14
Pest Control G J B Pest Control
Dancing Hamilton School of Dancing
7
29
Estate & Letting Agents Montagues
36
Events EOR Railway
7
Mini Shooters
6
Fitness J D Fitness
4
Flowers House of Flowers
24
Funeral Services Daniel Robinson & Sons
14
Stuart Poulton Ltd
23
Tel: 07814 863955
27
Plastering G F Plastering
Electrical Services A&P Electrical Services
17
Painting & Decorating
Computer Services
Page 34
London & Essex Kents Farm
20
Plumbing & Heating N Monk
16
Pikes Plumbing & Heating
9
Robert Rayment
11
Property Services Tony Carter
15
KLF Property Services
31
Handy Andy
26
Bassett Building
15
Residential Home Abbeyfield Cunningham House
29
Roofing R J S Roofing
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
17
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
Essential Local Numbers The Alzheimer Society
01992 717676
North Weald Chemist
01992 523887
Cats Protection
0333 200 1484
North Weald Methodist Hall
01992 522143
Citizens Advice Bureau
0808 278 7855
North Weald Library
033301 32683
Crimestoppers
0800 555111
North Weald Village Hall Bookings
01992 523731 www.northwealdvillagehall.org/
Doctors High Street, Epping
01992 579270
North Weald Parish Council
07572 507591
Doctors The Limes, Epping (visits/emergencies)
01992 566500
Queens Community Hall Bookings
07522 473024
Doctors The Limes, Epping (appointments)
01992 573838
NHS Urgent help & advice
111
Doctors The Limes, North Weald 01992 524383
Essex Police
0300 333 4444
Epping Forest District Council
01992 564000
Police, Neighbourhood/local
101
Epping Town Council
01992 579444
Police, Emergency
999
EFDC & ECC Cllr Chris Whitebread
01992 573557
Police Online reporting
www.essex.police.uk/doitonline
MP Alex Burghart
0207 2191613
RSPCA
01279 306058
(MP for North Weald)
alex.burghart.mp@ parliament.uk
MP Mrs Eleanor Laing MP
020 8508 8608
Samaritans 24 Hours a day
116 123
MP For Thornwood
Eleanor.Laing.mp@parliament.uk
Hospital, St Margarets, Epping
01992 561666
Stuart Poulton
01992 522607
24 Hour
01992 572607
Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow
01279 444455
St Andrews Church
01992 577168
London & Essex Boarding Kennels & Cattery (Kents Farm)
01992 522183
St Andrews Primary School
01992 522283
North Weald Airfield
01992 564200
Traveline
0870 6082608
LOCAL CLUB DIRECTORY 3rd North Weald Beavers
North Weald Preservation Society
Queens Hall Charity
Tel: 01992 524672
Tel: read 01992 522618/522630
Tel: 522910
British Legion, North Weald Branch
North Weald Cricket Club
Rapier Cycling Club
Tel: 01992 614415
Northweald.play-cricket.com
Tel: 524631
Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer
North Weald Scouts Group
Taoist Tai Chi Society
Tel: 01277 365200
01992 524672
Tel: 01992 523854/07803243625
Harlow Badger Group
North Weald Seniors Society for over 70’s
Theydon Jazz Club
Tel: 07941 185171 Friends Force Hertfordshire/Essex
Tel: 522196
Thornwood Seniors
Tel: 522464
Tel: 577872
Epping Forest Rotary Club
North Weald Wireless Station Bowls Club
Tel: 07855 911323
Tel: 522803
Forest Highlanders Pipes & Drum
North Weald Women’s Institute (Afternoon)
Tel: 01279 415563 www.3valleymvc.org.uk
Tel: 01708 250820
Tel: 522700
West Essex Flower Club
North Weald Angling Club
Queens Hall Bowls Club
Tel: 524631
Tel: 01992 522303
Tel: 523375 or 522052
Page 35 Tel: 07814 863955 www.nwdas.co,uk
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
01945 588325/davedyer24@gmail.com
Three Valleys Male Voice Choir
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
Page 36
Tel: 07814 863955
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
