Strengthening the Community
FREE North Weald Bassett Community Magazine Circulation: Monthly
Issue: 114 JFEBRUARY 2016
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
NORTH WEALD VILLAGE LIFE About North Weald Village Life North Weald Village Life is an independent magazine and website, owned and published by a local resident who is dedicated to strengthening the local community, improving communication and promoting local businesses and suppliers to local residents.
As I write this, we actually have some cold weather—a typical winter’s day, blue skies and icy paths and pavements. Although I am cold and have to remember to put a coat on, it now feels like Winter. Snow has even been forecast and we got a little sprinkling on a Sunday morning, I wonder if that will be all this winter.
This year started on a stressful note, having found out that somebody had kindly made some payments online from my bank account to the tune of £300. Having spoken to the fraud department of my bank they informed me that it was more than likely made possible by clever systems just getting lucky and getting my card number and security number correct and if I hadn't picked it up so early more The magazine is available free of charge monthly and is money may have been lost. The money has been refunded so luckily I am not out of pocket and it could have been worse I guess, not quite how I had planned distributed from 20th of each month. the start of 2016 though!
Circulation
Copies can be collected from: .
North Weald Post Office News Shop, High Road Kings Head Garage, High Road North Weald Library Art Nursery, Vicarage Lane Newsagents, Coopersale Happy Grow Nursery, Thornwood Davis Estate Agents, High Road North Weald Chemist
A lot of talk about the buses coming to and from the village has been taking place. You can read more about this on page 6, but it appears some companies have had to cease, including Townlink and at least one other bus company will be providing buses, so please be aware bus timetables and fares may be subject to change in the next few weeks. I have included a lovely feature that should provide a bit of inspiration for those of us who have been considering embarking on a diet this year. North Weald resident Jo Hoyles has lost nearly 10 ten stone in 12 months and this has made a big difference to her life. You can read more about this in the magazine.
Please be aware that burglaries are still taking place in the neighbouring area and thefts from vehicles have also increased over the last few weeks. Please remember not to leave valuables on show in your car and make sure your car is locked when you leave it. Also make sure keys are removed from locks at home and not If you would like to guarantee your personal copy or perhaps in sight from the door or window, including car keys, as this may encourage buryou have relatives or friends who would like to receive their glaries.
Subscription
own copy, you can subscribe for £18.00 for 12 issues. Please email me, download a copy of the form from the website or write to me at the address below.
Advertisers Advertising rates start at £19.00 for quarter page, £36.50 for half a page and £68 for a full page. Colour advertising rates are now available and there are some premium positions available at this current time. Please contact us for more information. The deadline for booking is the 5th of each month.
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 at the address below or via email.
Contact Details Telephone: 07814 863955
I am feeling a little older this year, especially as Andy bought me an exercise DVD which features a lot of dance and when the girls saw it they announced that yes it would be a good idea and it was an ‘old lady’s exercise dvd’ !! I did make a suggestion on Facebook that I would like to share with you, I think I may implement a parent’s strike as we are all overworked, underpaid, under valued and have to continually work a 24/7 shift without any increase in pay or overtime! I would love to think of how the children would survive with no food, clean clothes, no taxi service, no help with homework, parent’s bank would be closed, counselling service would be disabled and no-one to blame or shout at. Only for one day - well to start with! As the magazine reaches it’s 10 year anniversary later this year, I want to continue to develop the magazine and would like some ideas from you. What else would you like me to include in the magazine, for example would you like more features, more recipes, a kid’s corner, or even more competitions. I do need your input as it is important that I include things that my readers would like.
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk Address: 49 York Essex CM16 6HU
Road,
North Weald,
Epping,
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
June Editor
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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Weekend GP appointments get off to roaring start A new pilot Weekend GP Service has been operating in Epping since October and has received very positive feedback from patients. Over 1,000 patients have visited the service with the majority being people of working age who may not be able to access appointments during the week. The NHS service is based out of Loughton Health Centre and Waltham Abbey Health Centre. Appointments are accessed through a patient’s own GP surgery for a booked appointment only, it is not a ‘walk-in service’. All GP practices in Epping Forest are taking bookings for the service which allows patients to see a GP, practice nurse or healthcare assistant for a routine appointment. These appointments are available for people with long terms conditions, such as asthma and diabetes, as well as routine healthcare for patients who are unable to access weekday appointments. In their feedback, one Epping patient said: “Weekend appointments are a lot easier when you work full time. I was seen a lot quicker than normally would have been.” Another said following their appointment: “Good knowledge and thoroughness and good explanation of the way forward.” Debbie Bodhanya, Chief Executive of Stellar Healthcare, one of the organisations which runs the service said: “We are incredibly proud to have launched this service which will allow people greater access to GP appointments. Our GP practices can book these appointments as part of their normal processes, which will provide greater choice to fit in with busy lifestyles. “GP practices are under extreme pressure nationally and the demand for GP appointments is increasing and this service will help relieve that demand.” The service is funded through a grant from the Prime Minister’s Access Fund and is a pilot managed by two local GP companies; Stellar Healthcare and Uttlesford Health. These two companies have been set up by the GP practices in the area. For more information
please go to www.weekendgpservice.net.
London & Essex Kent’s Farm Boarding Kennels and Catteries
Open: Mon - Sat 9.30am - 12 Noon & 2pm - 4.30pm Sun 9.30am - 12 Noon Closed to the public on Bank Holidays Family run business since 1970. Professional caring staff Extra large kennels, heating Door to Door collection and delivery service Export worldwide. Imports worldwide Quarantine Kennels & Cattery Pet accessories (www.dapperpets.co.uk) Grooming Parlour Kent’s Lane, North Weald, Essex CM16 6AX Tel No: 01992 522183/523499 Fax: 01992 522705
New School Headteacher Epping St John secondary school has welcomed a new Headteacher and he has spoken about his vision for the school and his aim to turn all his pupils into “good, global citizens”. Allan Osborne, five days into his new role, says he has been “absolutely taken aback” at the positivity being displayed about the school in the town and around the school itself. Having students who are a part of the local community is just one element of school life that Mr Osborne is keen to develop. He said: “My vision is to create a good local school for the local community. I believe that Epping is a moral, accepting, diverse community that deserves a good local school, and the students and parents deserve a good local school
.”
Mr Osborne, who joins Epping St John’s having previously been Associate Principal of Mark Hall Academy in Harlow, has already introduced new initiatives. "The vast majority of students have had no sanctions of any kind, no detentions. Those children need to be celebrated and I won’t have those children left behind. We need to be celebrating their work. Gift Vouchers can be provided Please see website for block booking rates
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“I’ve been absolutely taken aback by the positivity especially from parents and the community. I went into the town over the Christmas holiday to try and assess what the perception of the school was. It was very positive.” www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
Changes to bus companies, services and fares Many residents may already be aware that there are changes to the bus service. Some may have been waiting for a bus that has not turned up, others may have seen the bus number 419 coming through the village. On Thursday 8th January, it was confirmed that a number of bus operators will lose their licence to operate and amongst these is the Townlink company. However, commuters to Epping and Ongar have been reassured a complete service will be retained and will be provided by Trustybus who have confirmed a revised timetable with extra services and other bus companies are also looking into this. Since November you may have already seen the Trustybus' 419 and 420 services as they have already provided competition to the Town Link buses operating on the route. The 419 is from Harlow to Epping via North Weald and the 420 runs from Harlow to Ongar via Epping, North Weald and Thornwood. Residents have become confused over fares with some being charged lower than others. Local residents have telephoned Trustybus and discussed fares with them and hopefully this is now resolved. Originally, the extra services were expected to come into force from 26th February when Town Link's license will be revoked. However I have been advised that a lot of bus drivers working for Townlink have already been served redundancy notices and buses are not running on a regular bus already. Town Link were one of three Harlow bus companies that were handed fines totalling more than £25,000 and had their licences revoked.
New Essex Police Online Service Essex Police have a new website page called Online Service. This covers subjects such noise nuisance, street lighting, pot holes and road repairs, abandoned vehicles. There is a link to Ask The Police, where you can find a range of popular questions and answers that can be searched and may assist you by providing information you need.
The traffic commissioner for the East of England announced this week that the licences for Olympus Bus and Coach Limited, Road Runner Buses Ltd and Townlink Buses Ltd, all of Burnt Mill Industrial Estate in Elizabeth Way, had been revoked. The firms were also fined £4,800, £14,250 and £6,000 respectively. The announcement followed a public inquiry in Cambridge in November last year. Both Olympus transport manager Carmelo Antonio Marino and Road Runner transport manager Martin John Upton were found to "not to be of good repute" and disqualified at the same hearing. Marino was disqualified for 12 months from 26th February while Upton was disqualified for six months from 1st February . The licence will be revoked at 11.59pm on 26th February. Thank you for Francis Messenger for all your input on this subject and for everybody else’s comments and advice on the North Weald Village Life facebook group.
There is a link to Crimestoppers and you can provide information online. You can report a fraud, attempted fraud, scam or virus online on this website. here are also links to the following - Ask the Police, Crimestoppers, Action Fraud and True Vision - Select the following link for further details - http://www.essex.police.uk/ contact_us/online_services.aspx There are also resources to report an abandoned vehicle or report a pothole, a streetlighting problem or ask us about a previously reported problem using your reference number. This is a great way to report a problem or find some information when you need to and at your convenience. Page 6
Tel: 07814 863955
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
LOCAL EVENTS Every Monday
Ballroom and Latin American Dancing Classes
8.15pm & 9.15pm
North Weald Village Hall. Beginners at 8.15 and intermediate at 9.15. Contact Debbie on 07872 427946.
Every Monday
Taoist Tai Chi
10.30am —12.30
Epping Hall, St Johns Road, Epping. Tel: 01992 523854.
Every Tuesday
Brilliant Books
3.30— 4.30pm
North Weald Library, in partnership with Brambles Childrens Centre. For 0-5 yrs and their parents/carers Come and join us for a story, singing, and explore the world of books further through activities and toys.
Every Tuesday
Baby & Toddler Group
1.15 – 2.45pm
Queens Hall, School Green Lane. £2 per family (Term time only)
Every Tuesday
Taoist Tai Chi
7.30pm— 9pm
Queens Hall, School Green Lane. Tel 01992 523854 for more information
Every 1st Tuesday
Ongar Flower Club
7.30pm
Zinc Arts Centre, High Road, Ongar. A floral art demonstration given by a qualified and experienced demonstrator. guests/visitors £4.50 members free. If you love flowers, why not come along?
Every 3rd Wednesday
Crib Evening
7.45pm
North Weald Village Hall Lounge.£3.00 entrance includes snacks, and the bar facility.
Every Thursday
Bingo
7.30pm
Wheelers Farm Gardens, 9 games for £4.00, Good money prizes available. All welcome (over the age of 18 years)
Every Thursday
Baby & Toddler Rhyme Time Sessions for under 5’s.
10.30am
North Weald Library. for under fives and their parents/ carers.
Wednesday 3rd February
North Weald WI Meeting
1.45pm
North Weald Village Hall. Speaker Mrs Pauline Obee— Working in the East End.
Monday 8th February
West Essex Flower Club
1.45pm
Thornwood Village Hall. Come along to a warm welcome on a winters afternoon to see arrangements entitled “Design Focus” by Patricia Bashford. Visitors pay £5.00 on the door.
Tuesday 9th February
Pancake Day
Saturday 13th—Sunday 21st February
Kids for a Quid—EOR
Sunday 14th February
Valentines Day
Saturday 20th February
The Jack Free Show
Epping Ongar Railway —bring the kids to the EOR and child fares are just £1.
8.00pm
North Weald Village Hall. £8 on the door. Come along to the party.
If you know of a local event, please let me know and I will include this in the events calendar and at www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk.
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Tel: 07814 863955
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
WINTER BRAIN TEASER —Win a box of chocolates
Snowflake Ice Frost Freezing Cold White Slippery Coat Scarf Gloves Drift Slush Sleet Melt Thawed Snowman Ski
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Congratulations to Mr Rich won last months prize and will be celebrating with a box of biscuits. This month the lucky winner can also celebrate with a box of chocolates. To enter this month, please send your completed entry to Winter Teaser, NWVL, 49 York Road, North Weald, Essex CM16 6HU’. Entries need to be received by 10th February 2016. Please ensure you put your name, address and telephone number on your entry so that I can telephone you if you are the lucky winner. Good Luck.
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www.eppingtreecompany.co.uk Email: info@eppingtreecompany.co.uk Page 4
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Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
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No objection to fitness centre plans No objections have been lodged by North Weald Bassett Parish Council to plans to use the Something Furniture premises at Esgors Farm, High Road, Thornwood Common, as a fitness and training, rehabilitation and performance centre. Monday’s parish council planning committee heard that 20 parking spaces are proposed as part of the application submitted by Cross Fit Raeda. A final decision will be taken by the district council.
Superfast Essex Rural Challenge Project As the first property in Essex to benefit from a new ultrafast pure fibre network rolled out as a result of the Superfast Essex Rural Challenge Project, the Venditti family from the village of Bobbingworth in Ongar can now enjoy broadband speeds of up to 1Gbps, meaning they can download a full length HD feature film in less than a minute. Local residents and representatives from Essex County Council, Gigaclear, and Epping Forest District Council were joined by Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey to witness the launch of the new speeds at the Venditti’s home. Internet speeds of up to 940Mbps upload and up to 940Mbps download were reached, making it the best connected home in the county, and among the best connected properties in the UK. Thousands of other homes and businesses in rural villages in the district will also soon be able to connect to the same ultrafast service, as the new pure fibre network deployed by Gigaclear goes live. The £7.5 million pilot Rural Challenge Project is part of the Superfast Essex broadband programme being co-ordinated by Essex County Council. The family has access to internet speeds up to 30 times faster than the UK average, thanks to Gigaclear’s pure fibre network. The Superfast Essex Rural Challenge Project contract was awarded to Gigaclear in June 2015 and work began last month. The project is scheduled to complete by December 2016. Rainier Jarman, Landlord of The Nag’s Head pub in Moreton nr Ongar, has also signed up for Gigaclear’s ultrafast service. He said: “Mobile phone reception is limited in the area and the Internet speeds can be slow when many people are logged in to our Wi-Fi, so we’re looking forward to being able to offer our customers ultrafast broadband. They will be able to download a full HD film quicker than it takes to pull a pint! The benefits are double sided, as from a business perspective, we will be able to update The Nag’s Head website far quicker than ever before, while also using social media more to communicate with our customers.” Residents and businesses can register their interest or place an advance order atwww.gigaclear.com/superfastessex and read more at www.superfastessex.org/ ruralchallenge.
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Changes at Weald Common Over the past few years, the quality of the some of the wooden pieces of play area equipment at what we now term 'the old play area' at Weald Common has begun to significantly deteriorate. This is mainly due to the exceptionally wet ground on Weald Common during the winter months. This has led to rot appearing on almost all pieces of play equipment and the play are being closed on a number of occasions for Health and Safety reasons. This issue has been discussed by both the Parish Councils' Environmental Committee, and the Parish Council itself, with consideration given to how best to deal with these concerns. Thanks to the hard work and effort of the North Weald Mums, a brand new play area is now sited at Weald Common, and as such the decision has been taken to remove in its entirety the old play area, which to all sense and purposes has become superfluous. The play area will be removed during January. Wooden Shelter It is with extreme regret that less than 6 months after being installed, the decision has been taken to remove the Wooden Shelter on Weald Common. Within a month of being installed, the shelter was being vandalised on a weekly basis, with sides being ripped off, fires set graffiti, and damage caused to the seat and structure itself. The creation of of this Shelter was made possible by months of hard work by Peter Collins, who was a Councillor at the time, who wanted to provide a place f o r youths in the village to be able to sit and spend time together without getting wet.
Crash exercise for airfield fire crews North Weald Airfield’s Fire and Rescue Crew were put through their paces in a simulated crash, known as incident response training, involving a car and a plane. In the exercise on 17th December 2015, a vehicle strayed onto the runway and collided with a light aircraft. This resulted in the plane catching fire and the driver of the vehicle being killed and the passenger seriously injured. Once the crew had extinguished the fire, they turned their attentions to the casualties. One person was trapped in the vehicle with a serious head laceration and possible blunt trauma injury. The casualty was extracted using a speed board and placed on a scoop stretcher. He was taken to the designated casualty clearing area where he was stabilised until handover to the paramedics. Incident response training is vital for the Airfield’s Fire and Rescue crew. It helps to hone the crews skills in team working, dealing with fires, extracting casualties and performing life-saving trauma treatment. Page 9
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Waste site plan abandoned A proposal to use land next to the M11A414 junction at Hastingwood as a waste site has been abandoned, North Weald Bassett Parish Council has been told. The parish council says it welcomes the decision after it branded the idea "completely unacceptable". Essex County Council had suggested that the green belt land next to the McDonald’s restaurant could be used for open-air disposal of inert construction, demolition and excavation waste. Parish council chairman Cyril Hawkins, speaking last July when the parish council considered the proposal, said the use near housing, St Clare Hospice, Harlow Garden Centre and the McDonald’s restaurant - was “completely unacceptable”.
Unsung hero gets award Congratulations to Christopher Bullock from Epping Green on receiving a highly commended award in the unsung hero category in the Pride of Essex Awards 2015. Chris is the Handyman Project Coordinator for Voluntary Action Epping Forest (VAEF), a service funded by Epping Forest District Council (EFDC). He is a handyman who does jobs for tenants of EFDC properties who are over 60 and or disabled who often have no one else who can help them. Chris does basic jobs like replacing tap washers, flat pack assembly, fitting curtain rails and putting up shelving, plus a lot more! Chris was nominated for the award by Mr and Mrs Burton. They moved to the Epping Forest district in 2013 and asked EFDC if anyone could help with basic jobs as both are registered disabled. They were referred to the Handyman Service and introduced to Chris. The couple now regard Chris as a personal friend and describe Chris as “Extremely courteous and invaluable.” Mrs Burton added: “We cannot thank him enough for all he does, we wanted him and his work recognised, which is why we’re nominating him for an award.” At the Pride of Essex Awards Chris said: “I am genuinely humbled by the nomination. I was really taken back by the incredible efforts nominees had gone to in order to help others, many in the face of their own adversities.” “The Burtons are just one example of many whose situation compels me to go even further, often working into the evenings in my own time, just to improve their lives. I was the only person nominated who provided a hands on practical support service which highlights how rare the work we do really is.” “This Award should be shared by all who support the Handyman Service at EFDC and VAEF, as really I’m just the front man. Without this team I wouldn’t have known of their struggles and been able to help them, so thank you from me.” If you would like to find out more about volunteering please contact Voluntary Action Epping Forest visit www.vaef.org.uk or call 01992 564178. Page 10
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The parish council had feared the waste use could have seen eight lorries entering and exiting the site every hour every day of the year. Epping Forest District Council’s overview and scrutiny committee had said the plan should be rejected amid concerns that the use would increase traffic congestion around the junction 7 roundabout.
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North Weald Bassett Parish Council's planning committee meeting scheduled for Monday, January 18, has been cancelled as there are no planning applications to be considered. The next meeting of the committee will be at North Weald Library, High Road, North Weald, at 7pm on Monday 1st February.
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Students buy presents for care home residents Sixth Form students at Epping St John's School have bought Christmas presents for residents and staff at the Ashlar House care home in Epping. . The students ran their own 'Santa for a Senior' event by contacting the home to get a Christmas 'wish list' from the full-time residents. They then circulated the requests among their year group inviting them to each buy a present for one of the residents. The 36 gifts, which included presents for the home's staff, were presented to the home on Wednesday. Sixth Form student Georgina Peachey said: "We believe that charity starts at home and our priority was to make sure that the elderly had a good Christmas too." Head of Sixth Form Ryan Tooze said: "I am extremely proud of our students with this totally selfless venture. Not just Larissa, Lauren and Georgie for organising it, but also the fact that almost every Sixth Form student contributed to the scheme. It is something very close to my heart with an elderly relative in a similar Care Home and knowing they brought some joy into the lives of these elderly residents is heartwarming." Day care manager Catherine Newland said: "We would like to thank the students and anyone else involved in the delivery of gifts to our residents. It brought happiness and many smiles which is always fantastic to see. The girls who came in were wonderful and everyone enjoyed the time they spent here." Tel: 07814 63955
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
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An inspiration to us How many people say ‘it’s the start of a New Year so now is a good time for a new me.’ One North Weald resident, namely Jo Hoyles decided that the time was wright this time last year. Jo joined the local North Weald Slimming World group and kick started an eventful year. In her words, Jo shares with North Weald residents how the last 12 months have been for her. ‘What a year, I joined slimming world second week of January after eating up all Christmas food, feeling large and sluggish, I can't believe how different I feel now after losing 9 1/2 stone. A friend from school, had put a slimming world leaflet through my door, and mentioned how well she done at slimming world, and I thought to myself that enough messing around saying that must loss weight. I did slimming world years ago before having my son. My other half had said he like to loss weight, that it was terrible we couldn’t get on the rides with our son. So I said I am going to go back to slimming world. So I joined. I have never looked back, I have made a number of really good friends, we support each other, and learn many secrets to losing weight at slimming world. I love the food, and that no measuring and can eat to my appetite, never feeling hungry. I stay every week, getting help and support from each other, another secret of my success. One best bit of my weight loss is getting on the rides at Southend with my son, I love going on the rollercoaster, now I fit on the rides I have a year pass, so we've been many times, my 9 stone loss got me on more and more rides, even on rage. I n August we went on holiday, and we went to a theme park in Somerset and more roller coasters, would never done that before. We even booked Blackpool next year, can't wait, to go on more rollercoasters with my other half and son. Am also looking forward to going to Spain in June, not having to worry about plane seats now, and wearing swimming costume out of the water, where I'm looking forward to going to a water park. The other week i took my son roller skating at Harlow, reliving my youth, certainly would dreamed of that a year ago. Looking forward to the new year and losing rest of the weight.’
I know Jo and you can see how well she is looking and is definitely an inspiration to us all. Cara, Slimming World Leader, said ’Jo is an amazing member, always so positive and inspiring for the whole group and that we're all so very proud of her’ . The North weald group takes place at the Ongar and bantham bowls club on Tuesdays at 7.30pm and from January 5th there is a new 5.30pm session added.
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Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
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Christmas Cheers! It all started with a comment from Paul on the North Weald Village Life Facebook group commenting about what a good job the local street cleaner does and from there an idea was born based on Christmas spirit and just three days before Christmas. Residents had so many good things to say, that an idea for a Christmas thank you to Stephon, who many will know, walks around North Weald and the neighbouring roads in his yellow High Vis jacket, pushing his truck with brooms come rain or shine. Chris and Georgina at Davis Estate Agents offered to be the central place for donations, donations ranged from 50p to a bottle of champagne. A kindly resident named Paris (who was also very pregnant) braved Lakeside and took with her all the money collected and shopped for a wide range of Christmas and luxury items plus of course very practical items such as scarf, gloves, flask etc. She made up two lovely hampers with all the items.
Photo above: Stephon with Paris who did all the shopping Photo: Stephon reading the card with everybody’s comments
Photo above: Stephon with Chris and Georgina from Davis Estate Agents Photo left: Hamper, Gifts and money collected for Stephon
Stephon was asked to come to Davis Estate Agents at midday on Christmas Eve. He had no idea why he had been summoned. On Christmas Eve, a group of local people watched in delight as Stephon was presented with the hampers, gifts and cash. When he heard that residents had donated all of this to say a big thank you to him for all his hard work, forever helpful and polite attitude he was speechless. Stephon was so touched and overjoyed, he said he would have a fantastic Christmas now. He confirmed that he was a quiet person who just got on with his work and never expected anything like this at all. He asked that I say a big thank you on his behalf to everybody for their kind thoughts, comments in the card, and of course for the presents. I must also add a big thank you to Paris who did all the shopping and put together the hampers and of course Chris and Georgina for opening up on Christmas Eve to allow for the presentation and for allowing so many adults and children to cram into their warm office. This was a fantastic idea not only for Stephon but it did bring the community together and made us remember the spirit of Christmas. Well done Stephon.
everyone
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February Gardening Column Hello fellow gardeners and readers of this fine magazine, which is all down to the continued hard work of the Editor June – well done. At the time of writing, winter has finally arrived with night time frosts and crisp cold sunny days. I am sure the plants in the garden and allotment don’t know if they are coming or going, following the extremely wet and mild autumn and early winter. You should now be planning your seed sowing for your allotment. Using cloches to warm the ground is an invaluable way to begin early sowings of broad beans, carrots and onions. February is the best month to begin chitting seed potatoes, this is the process which encourages the seed potatoes to begin to sprout. Place your seed potatoes in a cool but frost free place with plenty of light (not direct sunlight). I generally find egg boxes an excellent way to store the potatoes for chitting. Onion sets can be planted in February under cloches to give them a good start. Rhubarb crowns can be covered by large pots, this will give you an early crop which is generally very sweet. With the recent cold snap, continue to keep your semi hardy plants wrapped in fleece, and if they are in pots move to a sheltered position away from north easterly winds. If the forecast is for an hard frost say -4°C, it’s worth wrapping the pots in bubble wrap to protect the roots in pots. If you have fruit trees you can still spray them with a winter wash and this will help eradicate overwintering aphids, sucker eggs, some fungus and diseases. Don’t forget to continue to feed the birds especially during the cold snap. If you are new to this gardening lark and you are wondering how or where to start, please come into the nursery and I will be happy to give any advice I can to get you on your way to a successful and fulfilling hobby of gardening which, if started right, can be very rewarding. If it’s still too wet and cold to venture out, continue planning your garden/allotment inside, with a few magazines and a nice drink of your choice (mine’s a nice up of tea because I’m still dry!). Source: Nigel – Art Garden Centre, Vicarage Lane
ART NURSERY GARDEN CENTRE North Weald ‘s Hidden Secret Family Run Business
SEASONED LOGS COAL GALOR GAS Seed Potatoes Shallots, onion sets Giftware Trees Fruit trees & shrubs Terracotta & glazed pots
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TELEPHONE 01992 523346 Vicarage Lane West, North Weald CM16 6AL
Rockery stone & gravel
(on the same road as
Vegetable plants & seeds
St Andrews Church)
Tel: 07814 863955
Home made snacks, cakes & soups Wide range of coffees always available
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(Open weds to Sun 10.30am—4pm)
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CHURCH CHAT St Andrews Church First of all, a rather belated Happy New Year to you all! The Christian calendar is a rather strange thing: no sooner have we celebrated Christmas than we’re busy thinking about Easter! Or rather, we’re already, by the second week in February, starting the time known as Lent, our period of preparation for Easter. (And Lent starts very early in 2016 because Easter is very early: and the date of Easter, as you may know, is “the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox;” so it can vary by up to four weeks. I hope you’re still with me!) But for Christians, the important thing isn’t so much the date of Easter as such, but the fact that we should prepare properly for it. And Lent, for many centuries, has been a time of reflection, especially reflecting on those aspects of our lives where we know we have done wrong (or, as Christians would put it, where we have “sinned against God and against our neighbour”); this is known traditionally as a time of penitence. To mark this, Christians often give something up (alcohol? cakes? chocolate? I think I’ll be on for all three this year!), both as a sign of our ability to live perfectly well without these luxurious things, but also to give us space, if you like, to get closer to God in prayer and in our lives more generally. There’s too much in our modern world that can get in the way of God; or rather, get in the way of our chance to understand what God wants for us, so Lent can be seen as a period of “decluttering” in both our hearts and our minds. But Lent shouldn’t, I think, be a miserable time, to go around with gloomy faces (even if we are missing our chocolate!). As I said earlier, it should be a chance to focus on the things of God in preparation for the amazing events of Easter, which I’ll talk more of next month. But Lent can also be a good time to reflect on our lifestyles, our engagement with the world and how we can make a difference to what’s going on around us. You don’t need me to tell you that much of our world is a less than happy place as we start 2016: but God calls each of us to play a part in changing all that. What is it that you might be able to do? We start Lent with a service in church on Ash Wednesday, February 10th, and of course all are welcome. Fr James. (contact me on jwerodley@yahoo.co.uk or 01279 451065)
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Winter health and safety advice As our weather turns cold and winter seems to have finally set in, it is important that you take steps to make sure you and your family remain as healthy as can be. Here are some steps that may help: In winter, we naturally sleep more because of the longer nights, and often sleep when we can for the seven to nine hours that is recommended. Use this time to ‘hibernate’ and catch up ready for the summer months. As we all know it is more common to get a cold in the winter, so making sure your immune system is healthy is important. Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and fromage fraise are all good sources of protein and vitamins. They are also a good source of calcium which, as many people will know, keeps bones strong. Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk and low fat yogurts are recommended. When it's cold and dark outside, it can be tempting to fill up on unhealthy comfort food, but it's important to ensure you still have a healthy diet and include five portions of fruit and veg a day. There are many winter vegetables such as carrots parsnips, swede and turnips which can be roasted, mashed or even made into a nice soup or family meal for the whole family. Make sure you all have a nice hearty breakfast that provides the warmth. In addition to health, it is important to make sure you stay safe on the roads when you are travelling to and from work, school, shopping etc. Make sure you have adequate antifreeze and the mixture is correct in your car this will avoid severe engine damage. Keep the windscreen and other windows clear, make sure your vision is not obscured by dirt, snow, ice as this could both be dangerous and could cause you to face a hefty fine. Clear snow from the roof as well as the windows as this can fall onto your windscreen when driving or cause a hazard to other drivers. Dazzle from a low winter sun can be a problem too. Use your headlights when visibility is seriously reduced and make sure that all bulbs are working and lenses are clean. When roads are mucky you might need to clean your lights. Keep your number plates clean too as you could be fined if they are dirty or illegible. Allow extra time before you start on your journey, firstly to prepare your car and make sure all windows are defrosted and clear and secondly to allow more time for your . .
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The Thin White Duke Now with so many fantastic and great tunes Running through my head, I still can’t quite believe or actually compute That the ‘Starman’ himself is dead. With so many different stages of his music So clearly defining the different stages of my life, The fact that a hero/legend of mine could actually die Cuts into me like a knife. How could someone that held so many in his hands, Just be gone and lost from this world, It’s as if it was the ending of a great story book That you were being told. Of course his legacy and music will live on for ever As yet new fans will discover the great talent that we have lost, Though it’s so very sad that for the great man to achieve immortality He has had to pay the ultimate cost. I for one have so many great memories of his music Linking to special times I have had, Coupled also with the fact I actually got to see him live Something for which I’ll always be so very glad.
RAISING THE ROOF
Have you registered to hold a Coffee Morning, Afternoon Tea or other social event to help Copped Hall in the month of February 2016? There is a plan to build a glazed roof over the light well at Copped Hall so they can restore this area of the house and eventually build a staircase up to the currently inaccessible second floor, but they need YOUR help to achieve this. PLEASE register your interest to help by emailing them on: committee.focht@outlook.com or text Phil McKinder on 07850 989071 or write to us at: Coffee Morning, Committee FOCHT, The Stables Courtyard, Copped Hall, Epping, Essex CM16 5HS.
So sadly with a very heavy heart I must say goodbye to the great ‘Thin White Duke’, Strangely happy though that through his music and many other accolades, I can always just reopen that great musical book. RIP David Robert Jones ‘Bowie’ 1974 – 2016 Source : Andy – resident poet. The death of Bowie as one of Andy’s legends hit him hard and was a big shock.
VILLAGE FEET Mrs Rita Smith DipCFHP MPSPract
07464 698273 Don’t forget to visit the website: www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk To find out details of the latest new & events
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Professional Qualified Foot Care Home Visits for: Toenail cutting & treatment for corns, Callus, verruca, ingrown toenail & other foot conditions
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Struggling to afford your rent or council tax? The CAB has some suggestions If you go to the CAB for help on a benefits or tax credits issue you may well find the adviser looking for an answer in a book produced by the Child Poverty Action Group. The present edition runs to no less than 1800 pages! That gives you an idea of how complicated the benefits system is. What I want to do here, this month and next, is to mention a few features which in our experience are not as well-known as they should be. Housing benefit helps people to pay their rent. There are three important features of housing benefit which you need to be aware of. First, you don’t have to be retired or not working to get housing benefit: in fact most housing benefit recipients are working but are on low pay. Secondly, the benefit is means-tested. Most (but not all) types of income and capital or savings are taken into account. Thirdly, Housing Benefit may not cover all the rent because of various restrictions which put a ceiling on the amount payable. In public sector housing there is the well-known “bedroom tax” (or “the spare room subsidy” as the government prefers to call it). In the private rental sector there is the rather less well-known “local housing allowance”. This is a particular issue in our area because market rents in the private rental sector are well above amounts payable by way of local housing allowance. There is also the “benefit cap”, which restricts the total amount a family can receive in benefits. To bridge these gaps the District Council has a fund to provide what are called discretionary housing payments. If you are struggling to pay the rent, whether in public or private sector housing, and you are already claiming all the state benefits or tax credits to which you are entitled, you should consider asking the Council for a discretionary housing payment to help you make ends meet. Another area the Council can help with is on council tax. People of working age, whether they have a job or not, have to pay at least 20% of the council tax for their home, no matter how low their income is. This will rise to 25% in April. The Council have an exceptional hardship fund for council tax so if you are struggling you should apply for help from this fund. You can apply for both a discretionary housing payment and an exceptional hardship fund payment. In February we expect a new benefit from the DWP called Universal Credit to become available in our area. This replaces a number of means-tested benefits including housing benefit but at first it will only be available for single people of working age with no children. As I’ve mentioned before, the Loughton branch of the CAB is moving to the Loughton Library. The branch will be closed for the first week in February while we move and we open for clients again on Monday 8 February. Meanwhile the building work at the new Epping branch is going ahead and we hope to open there in March or April. The Waltham Abbey branch continues to open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and you can always get advice via the Citizens Advice website (www.citizensadvice.org.uk) or our Adviceline – 03444 111 444. Source: Paul Stockton
Freeze on council tax precept North Weald Bassett Parish Council has voted to freeze its share of council tax for the next financial year. It means the council will have a precept of £172,034 for 2016-17.
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Volunteer website goes live Finding volunteering opportunities in Essex is easier than ever with the launch of the Volunteer Essex website. The website was simultaneously launched across Essex on 14 January 2016, the Epping Forest launch taking place at Loughton Library. Give volunteering a go and search for volunteering opportunities throughout Essex by postcode, interests and activities. The website is : www.volunteeressex.org,
A disrupted nature Will it turn cold with the prospect of snow soon to be here, Or will it all amount to nothing just like it did last year. The seasons are lost and it seems that even nature is confused, With flowers and buds appearing amongst things leaving even gardeners truly bemused. What’s happened to the world, what have we done to cause all these unnatural states, Is it something that we can put right before it’s all too late. I’m lucky as I can still remember snow at Christmas and long hot summer breaks, Though unfortunately the kids of today, are seemingly paying for all our mistakes. Can we put right this unbalance and let everything return back to it’s norm, Or as a society as a whole have we created an ever destructive storm. Source: Andy – resident poet referring to our mixed up weather conditions!
Prosecution for unlicensed taxi Robert Wilkinson of St Mary’s Way Chigwell was fined £150 and ordered to pay the Council’s prosecution and investigation costs of £677.83 after he pleaded guilty by post to an offence of standing or plying for hire as a Hackney Carriage without the appropriate licence. Officers from the Council’s Environment and Neighbourhood Directorate carried out spot checks on unofficial taxi ranks at Loughton and Epping in the early hours of 21st June 2015. Officers witnessed a Citroen Belingo owned by Mr Wilkinson in both locations apparently standing or plying for hire. It was noted that the expiry of the Hackney Carriage Licence plate on the vehicle was 19 March 2016. However it was found that the Licence had expired on 19th March 2015 and had not been renewed and there also appeared to be an indicated that a marker pen had been used to change the date. Further CCTV evidence was also obtained to show that Mr Wilkinson had been “ranking up” in Epping and had also displayed his illuminated “For hire” sign in Loughton.
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BIRD FEATURE - FEBRUARY 2016 Welcome to the report for February. I am writing these notes towards the end of the second week of January. The weather is just starting to turn cold with the forecasts suggesting there could be some wintry, sleety showers followed by some clear, frosty days. The onset of some colder conditions will probably force more birds to seek out food sources in our gardens. The mild weather so far this winter has enabled them to forage successfully in the countryside, exploiting the berries, fruits, nuts and seeds that are still available. Once hard frosts set in the birds find these items that bit harder to obtain and often the easiest thing to do is visit gardens where bird tables and feeders offer easily accessed food. I mentioned in the last report that I had started to need to top up my bird feeder that much sooner than had been the case during the autumn and early winter and this is likely to become even more frequent as the temperatures drop away. Currently the most numerous species that I have visiting my garden is the Goldfish with up to 15 or so turning up at a time. This has been the case nearly every day for the last 2 - 3 months. This is a beautiful finch, very colourful and lively. In recent years they have become far more frequent garden visitors than in previous decades. There is an ongoing research project looking at all aspects of this species in gardens, including times of year, numbers and even what food they most use. This is an example of "citizen science" with much of the data provided by members of the public who register to submit their sightings relevant to this project. One bird that makes occasional visits to gardens in our area is the Bullfinch. This is a stunning looking finch with the male resplendent in plumage of red, black and grey with a white rump. They may use feeders but they are more likely to peck at buds on trees and shrubs. They are regarded as a pest by fruit growers as they have been known to devastate orchards when they target apple, pear and other fruit trees. Once they find a suitable source of buds they can return on several days running so you could have a better chance of seeing one if they are coming to your garden. Gulls have been in evidence over the last few weeks. I have seen as many as 200 or so flying over the village, especially an hour or so before dusk. They are always travelling in a westerly direction and I would speculate that most of them will be heading for roosts in the Lea Valley area. The gulls were flying in extended, loose lines and quite low. The vast majority have been Black-headed Gulls with a few Lesser Black-backed, Common and Herring Gulls. We often view them just as 'seagulls' but in fact closer views reveal them to be very attractive birds with lovely white plumage and contrasting light or dark grey wings. There are often flocks to be seen at the airfield and another regular location is one of the fields adjacent to the M11 bridge. I mentioned in the January report that during 2015 I saw just over 70 different species of birds in our area. That is quite a good total considering the restricted habitats inn our area. To give you an example of the numbers of birds that can be seen in an area that has mixed habitats the 2015 total for Rainham Marshes RSPB reserve was just over 180. That site has a river (the Thames !!!), marshy areas, rough grassland, scrubland, copses etc. I would imagine that every single species seen in our area was also spotted at that bird reserve during the course of the year. A couple of weeks ago I saw three Ring-necked Parakeets near to Epping, they were in trees about half a mile from Stonnards Hill. I still expect them to become regulars in our area but sightings continue to be very sporadic. I haven't been in Epping during an evening for a while but I understand there is a roost of Pied Wagtails in trees along the High Street, possibly numbering as many as 70 birds. They then spread out during the day and we do get a few around North Weald. I have not seen the Grey Wagtails in the village for the last 2 - 3 weeks, maybe they have moved on or I have just not been at the right place at the right time to see them. Anyway, let's see what the cold spell brings. Just a reminder that if you are looking to feed the birds, please remember to keep any feeding area clean, if possible it is prudent to change the location of feeders and bird tables from time to time. This prevents the build up of any uneaten food and also bird droppings. Some species, especially Collared Doves and Greenfinches are prone to diseases which can be spread via contaminated food which has either gone mouldy or has been fouled by bird droppings. Whenever handling feeders etc it is good practice to make hygiene a priority to protect yourself from the potential risk of infection. Water is vital to birds, especially at this time of year when there are few insects to eat, which usually provide a good source of moisture in their diet. Never use any sort of anti-freeze or other chemical to thaw out water in a birdbath etc. It has been done before, with the best intentions, but lethal to birds or indeed other animal life. My one hope is for a flock of Waxwings to turn up in the village but there haven't been that many coming to the UK so far this winter. If you are out and about then keep your eyes and ears open, you just never know what wildlife could come into view. Source: Paul Corbet.
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Essential Local Numbers The Alzheimer Society
01992 717676
North Weald Methodist Hall
01992 522143
Cats Protection
01992 579539
North Weald Library
01992 522896
Citizens Advice Bureau
0844 257 1909
North Weald Village Hall Bookings
07870 465129 northwealdvillagehall.org/
Crimestoppers
0800 555111
North Weald Parish Council
01992 523825
Doctors High Street, Epping
08445 769797
Queens Community Centre Hall Bookings
01992 522910
Doctors The Limes, Epping (visits/emergencies)
01992 566500
NHS Direct
0845 4647
Doctors The Limes, Epping (appointments)
01992 573838
Police, Epping Station
0300 333 4444
Doctors The Limes, North Weald 01992 524383
Police, Neighbourhood/local
101
Epping Forest District Council
01992 564000
Police, Emergency
999
Epping Forest Burial Park
01992 523863
RSPCA
01279 306058
Hospital, St Margarets, Epping
01992 561666
Scribbles Pre School
01992 523846
Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow
01279 444455
Stuart Poulton
01992 522607
24 Hour
01992 572607
London & Essex Boarding Kennels & Cattery (Kents Farm)
01992 522183
St Andrews Primary School
01992 522283
Early Years—St Andrews
01992 522283
North Weald Airfield
01992 564200
Traveline
0870 6082608
North Weald Chemist
01992 523887
The Red School
01992 522073
North Weald Golf Club
01992 522118
Village Pre School
01992 572662
LOCAL CLUB DIRECTORY 3rd North Weald Beavers
North Weald Angling Club
Queens Hall Bowls Club
Tel: 01992 524672
Tel: 01992 524071
Tel: 523375 or 522052
British Legion, North Weald Branch
North Weald Preservation Society
Queens Hall Charity
Tel: 01992 522955
Tel: read 01992 522618/522630
Tel: 522910
Coopersale Horticultural Society
North Weald Cricket Club
Rapier Cycling Club
Tel: 574945
Northweald.play-cricket.com
Tel: 524631
Dance Factory
North Weald Kickboxing
Taoist Tai Chi Society
Tel: 07976 786404
Tel: 07433 2843128
Tel: 01992 523854/07803243625
Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer
North Weald Scouts Group
Thornwood Seniors
Tel: 01277 365200
01992 524672
Tel: 577872
Epping Forest Badger Group
Three Valleys Male Voice Choir
Tel: 576038
North Weald Seniors Society for over 70’s
Friends Force Hertfordshire/Essex
Tel: 522196
Tel: 522464 Epping Forest Rotary Club
North Weald Wireless Station Bowls Club
Tel: 07855 911323
Tel: 522803
Forest Highlanders Pipes & Drum
North Weald Women’s Institute (Evg)
Tel: 01708 250820
Tel: 522258
Tel: 01279 415563 www.3valleymvc.org.uk West Essex Flower Club Tel: 524631
Inside the February issue you can find more information on:-
Christmas Cheer! Bus route changes
Inspiration to lose weight
Weekend GP Service
Local News
Brain Teaser
New Head Teacher for local secondary school
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