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Essex Supports Ukraine Families
M11: Appeal after unexplained death
Essex Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after officers were called to an incident on the M11 on the evening of Monday 11th April. Officers attended reports of an unattended dark-coloured van on the hard shoulder of the M11 between the Redbridge roundabout and Loughton shortly after 8pm. Once at the scene, officers found a man within the vehicle who required hospital treatment. He was taken to a nearby hospital. He has now sadly died, and we are treating his death as unexplained. If you have any information please contact Essex Police, you can submit a report online or use the ‘Live Chat’ button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm. You can also call 101. Please quote incident 1121 of April 11.
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Essex supports Ukrainian families
New arrangements for the Ukraine donation hub at the Civic Offices in Epping. The donation hub, now called the Essex Support for Ukrainian Families opened at the Civic Offices, Epping in early March 2022 and the generosity of the public has been overwhelming. As donations continue to be given the hub has changed its opening times to allow for the donations to be sorted more efficiently. Donations can be made Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm until the end of June 2022. Please do not leave any items outside the Civic Offices when the hub is closed. Our volunteers running the hub asked for: • Tea / hot chocolate / coffee • Canned meals / tinned fish and meat Powdered soups Pot noodles Nuts Fruit / energy / protein bars Fruit pouch desserts Long life bread Biscuits / chocolate Baby food / formula
Water purification tablets Sanitary items Medical / first aid • Military clothing / items Items no longer needed are bedding and duvets, men’s, women’s and children’s (over 5 years) clothing, and towels. If you would like to volunteer at the hub, please call 07810 283676 drop in or message via the Essex Supports Ukrainian Families Facebook page. The pay and display car park at the Civic Offices in Epping will remain closed until the end of April. The car bays and motorcycle bays will be suspended while staff and volunteers organise your generous donations for the people of Ukraine.
Dedicated Epping Forest policing team
If you have a printer at home, Essex Libraries are now offering you an eco-friendly way of disposing of your empty ink cartridges. Instead of throwing them away in your rubbish bin, take them to your local library instead for recycling.
Every library has a new Ink Bin recycling box to put your empty home-use ink cartridges in. Once they are collected, they will be sorted, refilled and put back on the market as remanufactured ink cartridges. This will stop them ending up in landfill.
The Ink Bin company is an Essex business set up in 2019 by local teacher Becky Baines. Their main aim is to return ink cartridges back into the Circular Economy.
At the Epping Forest District Council on 11th April, an annual budget of £180,000 was agreed for 3 years, to fund the provision of 3 full-time Police Officers by Essex Police – a sergeant and 2 police constables from June 2022 to June 2025, to be jointly tasked and directed by the Council and Essex Police.
It has also been agreed that Essex Police will supply an additional officer at no cost to the Council, increasing the number of dedicated officers from 3 to 4.
This is a dedicated police resource for the district, which the Council introduced in 2018. Their work has been invaluable in supporting the EFDC community safety team to deal with various issues, especially anti-social behaviour during the pandemic. So, start saving and recycling your empty cartridges now and you’ll have the satisfaction knowing you are doing your bit to save the planet!
Don’t forget to visit our website: www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk Or sign up to the Facebook Group www.facebook.com/groups/ Northwealdvillagelife
Copy Deadline for Event Details For the June Issue
15th May
St Clare Hospice is looking for anyone with an interest or experience in retail – either in our shops or virtually:
One area of volunteering that has grown over the last year is in our e-Commerce team – eBay, Depop, and Vinted. Jacqui and Anne have volunteered in e-Commerce for 6 and 8 years. They are part of the life cycle of a donation, from the time it arrives in eBay to the time it is packed and ready for its new home. At the start of their shift, they sort through donations, checking for unusual or valuable items, research them, and check things like Lego sets or jigsaws are complete. They photograph the items, write the wording for the listings, and when sold, pack the items carefully, so they are ready to be posted to the buyers. Anne said she liked the social aspect of volunteering and feeling that you’re contributing. Jacqui added “You feel as though we are doing some good.”
Volunteer Shop Assistants Needed!
Volunteering in St Clare Hospice’s charity shops is a great way to make new friends, do something for your local town, and learn new, or brush up old skills. Would you like to join our shop volunteering team? Your role could include:
Operating a till
Helping customers
Sorting stock
Filling shelves Go to stclarehospice.org.uk/volunteer to find out more or ring 01279 773729
Many local people will know of Jaine from AbFabFit Club who is known to run a ladies gym based in Thornwood along with two other sites in Waltham Abbey and Bishops Stortford.
Jaine prides herself on not only focusing on exercise but also health and happiness of all of her members.
Due to popular demand, Jaine is now launching a new local men’s only bootcamp based at Upper Clapton Rugby Club in Thornwood. She is looking forward to using her skills and experience to help local men feel fitter, lose a few pounds & reduce aches and pains and even encouraging a few local friendships.
Climate Change Action Plan
The Climate Change Action Plan presented to the Epping Forest District Council Cabinet on 11th April set out actions being taken by the Council to deliver its pledge to do everything in its power to be carbon neutral by 2030.
The Climate Change Action Plan public consultation run from 12 October 2021 to 26 November 2021.
During this time the Council has been able to make progress on various actions including:
• Supporting residents make their homes more energy efficient through grant funding • Over 2250 trees have been planted in Debden and Chigwell • 2 electric vehicle charging stations have been installed in Oakwood Hill car park
At a recent Epping Forest District Council Cabinet meeting held on 11th April, members discussed a report concerning the potential impact of residential development on the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in relation to additional visitors using the Forest for recreational purposes.
A partnership agreement between EFDC, the Conservators of Epping Forest and the London Borough of Redbridge has been approved while other neighbouring authorities are progressing reports through their committee processes.
It covers the delivery of site access management and monitoring measures (SAMM) for the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
The SAC is an area within Epping Forest containing land subject to international protection for its biodiversity value and the Council has a legal duty to protect it from the effects of development.
Members heard about the Council’s proposal to secure funding from development to meet the SAMM Strategy costs apportioned to the district.
Ongar Wildlife Society (OWLS)
In May we welcome Professor Tim Sparks with a talk on climate change entitled Spring Forwards, Fall Back; are the Seasons Changing? This is a topical subject that will have wide appeal and impacts on all forms of wildlife in this country as well as ourselves. A few words about recent meetings. In March, professional nature photographer, Bob Johnson gave a fascinating presentation entitled The Kingdom of the Ice Bear in which he told of his excursions to the arctic on a small ship based in Spitsbergen. He featured a host of unique photographs and video recordings showing the wildlife of the area with emphasis on polar bears –their features, family life and antics. In April local wildlife enthusiast and historian, Martyn Lockwood told us all about The Yew Tree and its Place in Mythology. The Druids held the yew tree sacred in preChristian times because of its qualities of longevity and regeneration. Drooping branches of old trees are able to root and form new trunks where they touch the ground. Thus the yew symbolised resurrection in Celtic culture. These themes continued into the Christian era when yew was buried with the deceased and boughs of yew were used in processions and to decorate churches at Easter.
Other talks this year will focus upon apples, African wildlife and more. You are invited to join OWLS this year. Visitors pay just £5 but you can become a member for an annual fee of only £25. To help you locate our venue, Toot Hill Village Hall, the post code is CM5 9LR.
Keith Snow
Update on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme
The latest data as of 11th April, indicates there have been 803 requests from Ukrainians matched with 544 sponsors in the Essex County Council (ECC) area. All these applications are at various stages of checking and approval. DBS checks for sponsors continue with both adults and children’s social workers involved.
The first editions of the ECC Sponsor packs are now online, including the translated versions of the packs for Ukrainian families.
Accommodation checks are being carried out by district, borough and city councils.
Safeguarding guidance has been issued to 142 Social Workers from ECC’s Children and Families service, who have been briefed to assist. Over 90 Social Workers have come on board to undertake safeguarding checks and social worker visits have commenced.
Translation services are being made available by the Essex Welfare Service.
Stansted Airport is seeing greater numbers of Ukrainian arrivals, with on average 177 coming through arrivals every day last week. Up to 20 Ukrainian arrivals per day are now arriving at Harwich, with low numbers also set to arrive via Southend. Most Ukrainians are being met by a family member or sponsor and do not need support on arrival. Central government are to advise regarding the issue of guests arriving without accommodation, but not necessarily presenting to the Housing Authority of the Port of Entry. Guests need to be sympathetically supported to ultimately get to the area where family live and be accommodated. Border Force are looking into collecting improved data on arrivals, the Red Cross can then look to see how many volunteers they can provide to meet demand.
Although no guests have arrived at Southend as yet, this is expected to change, so a welcome point may be established. There is a focus to look at a at a more sustainable way to access interpreters. The districts, borough and city councils are looking at the best mechanisms for distributing the £200 payments for guests. This will be issued via pre-paid card. ECC continue to support Ukrainian families and their sponsors to help them settle into their new communities. This includes meeting any welfare needs as well as children and young people’s educational needs. All families arriving from Ukraine will need to follow the established process for mid-year school admissions.
ECC continue to work closely with schools to ensure that all children are placed in schools within a reasonable distance from their homes. The educational needs of all children living and arriving in Essex remains our top priority and we will continue to support both families and schools with school admissions along with other needs the families may have.
Summer I recently read “Into The Wild”, which details the true story of Chris McCandless who, in April 1992, gave all he had to charity, burned the money in his wallet, and took off for a life of wandering. For two years, he walked and boated and hitch-hiked and lived off the land as much as he could. His letters tell the story of a young man fiercely in love with the wild and in search of a Truth-Beyond-Truth. ne of his letters reads; “God has placed [joy] all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living”. After two years of wandering, Chris McCandless was discovered dead in an old bus in the wilds of Alaska. Before he met his end, he discovered something powerful about living and God; something he would never have known if he hadn’t taken that risk. Two thousand years earlier, another walked away from all he knew to wander and live in God’s love. He, too, ended His journey with death, this time on a cross. One more, in the name of love. As the earth begins to wake up, as summer breaks over us like the dawn, the call of the wild only seems to grow stronger. There is something strange and other and yet home about the wild. It calls to something primordial and almost-forgotten in us. Some people believe that God is fully present within creation, as well as without it. Perhaps it is the GodWithin-Wild who calls to us, who plucks at the heartstrings of the soul and unspools our longing, and challenges us to take risks. Perhaps, around and underneath and within the sunlit leaf veins and the creeping moss, in the rain-on-river droplets and the soft munching of the fallow deer; perhaps in the blush of the mushroom, and the aching cry of the fox; perhaps within all of these things there is the hum of the Divine. If we listen, we can hear it calling to us. With love and blessings, Jaime
St Andrew’s Church Events - Sundays
10am: “Sunday Morning Church”: an informal, all-age service with crafts and songs. 3pm: Holy Eucharist: a contemplative, prayerful service.
- Weekdays
Every Tuesday, 7.30-8.30: Bible & prayer group via zoom. First Wednesday of the month @12: Rosary Group. A calming and meditative prayer group. Beginners welcome.
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.
ONGAR NATURE WATCH
Regenerative farming
BBC Countryfile recently featured a dilemma facing farmers, including those in our area. In the face of pressure to become green and take more responsibility for the countryside, how can farming habits change while remaining economically viable? Presenter and farmer, Adam Henson spoke to his neighbour David Wilson, who is a regenerative (and proudly organic) farmer, to find out more about one of the big new trends in agriculture called regenerative farming, to see what ideas might work on his farm. Farmers not only produce our daily food, they can also influence conditions on the planet by employing farming methods that lock in carbon as well as providing places for wildlife to thrive. Farmland covers a vast area of the countryside in UK, accounting for 72% of the total area of land, so any change in farming practice will have a huge impact. Regenerative farming provokes strong opinions and passionate debate. There are those who are sceptical of the claims being made, while others believe that it is the future of farming, and the way to solve climate change. Soil health is at the heart of regenerative farming. Soils that are structurally sound and rich with organic matter and micro-organisms are better able to retain water and store carbon. The theory is that healthier soils lead to healthier plants and, hopefully, healthier profits, while helping to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Typically, most regenerative farmers follow these principles: 1. Minimize soil disturbance 2. Soil micro-organisms create soil fertility, but disturbing them through tillage or by using chemicals destroys the soil structure that is their home. Interestingly, there are more micro-organisms in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on Earth. 2. Maximize crop diversity By increasing the range of crops and animals, pest and diseases are reduced while, at the same time, biodiversity and soil health are enhanced. 3. Keep the soil covered This protects it from wind and water erosion, while preventing moisture evaporation and weed seeds from germinating. 4. Maintain living roots year-round Most growers keep soil covered by maintaining living roots in the soil as much as possible through the year – typically by growing cover crops between cash crops. This also retains nutrients for the micro-organisms in the soil. 5. Integrate livestock Livestock grazing of cover or cash crops on arable land provides a natural source of organic matter in the form of their dung, which encourages new plant growth, so stimulating the plants to add more carbon to the soil.
Keith Snow
AN EXCITING SUMMER OF EVENTS AT THE EPPING ONGAR RAILWAY
The big one! Our 10th Anniversary Event and Steam Gala will take place on 2, 3, 4 & 5 June. To commemorate the occasion the Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society has produced a 44-page booklet, priced at just £3.50, to chart our progress since reopening in 2012. We hope you will find this to be a fascinating insight to our work. Copies will be on sale at our shops in North Weald and Ongar. 19 June our Father’s Day Classic Car Show will take place at North Weald. The Father’s Day car show is being staged and organised by the MG Car Club Anglia Region, with members cars on show from Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Hertfordshire. The Anglia region is one of the largest of the 12 regions that make up the MG Car Club. We expect a good selection of cars on show at North Weald, covering the MG story from sports to saloons; spot the car you always wanted, the bedroom poster cars of years gone by and the car your dad had back in the day. All the owners are approachable and don’t be afraid to ask them questions! 26 June come and meet the roaring, walking Dinosaur - he's normally very friendly, except when hungry! Plus meet the baby dinosaurs on board the train! Don’t forget the Penny Salon Micro-Gallery at Ongar Station, they will be showing ‘River Thames: Docks and Shipping’ up to 22 May. An interesting and entertaining programme of presentations is planned for the future: 10 years of the Epping Ongar Railway, 50+ Years Behind the Lens - A Transport History in Photographs and Esoteric Steam 2 This Steam and Pleasant Land. Please visit our website at: www.eorailway.co.uk for full details. Why not come along and volunteer on the Railway to help us operate these events? We have opportunities available in all departments, including catering, track maintenance, buildings and infrastructure maintenance, steam and diesel locomotive operation and maintenance, carriage & wagon restoration, together with numerous customer facing roles on operating days. You can obtain further information by emailing: volunteering@eorailway.co.uk or if you are ready to join go to: www.eorailway.co.uk/membership/ where you will find the membership application form at the top of the page under ‘Join the Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society’.
Robert Good Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is raising awareness of its free offer to fit sensory smoke alarms that can alert people with reduced hearing to a fire in their home. The Fire Service offers a free home visit to all Essex residents where staff visit your home to give safety advice on how to prevent a fire. You can book a free visit for yourself or someone you know by calling 0300 303 0088 or by visiting www.essex-fire.gov.uk/book. When booking your visit, a member of the team will ask a series of questions to understand your level of vulnerability to a fire and to see if you need smoke alarms fitted at the property. The Fire Service recommends you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home and can supply and fit smoke alarms as well as sensory smoke alarms for free if required. A sensory smoke alarm is fitted to the ceiling in the same way as a regular smoke alarm and is wirelessly linked to an additional device.
This device is placed in the line of vision of the person who requires the sensory alarm while in bed (i.e. on the bedside table or wallmounted nearby). This additional device is attached to a vibrating pad that is placed underneath a pillow in the bed. Multiple linked alarms can be placed throughout the home, so that all alarms activate in the event of one alarm being set off. When a smoke alarm on the ceiling is activated, a high-intensity flashing strobe light is set off inside the bed-side device and subsequently, the pad will vibrate underneath the pillow, alerting the person and enabling them to be aware of what actions they need to take which may involve evacuating the property. Between April 2021 and March 2022, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service’s Prevention team fitted 7,540 smoke alarms and 1,125 sensory alarms. Paul Pemberton, Inclusive Prevention and Partnership Manager at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “We recommend that every home has at least one working smoke alarm on every level of the property. “We understand that many of our residents might not be able to hear a regular smoke alarm. Essex has one of the highest numbers of sensory impaired communities across the country outside of Metropolitan areas and it’s important that we recognise that the standard smoke alarms we provide might not be suitable for all our residents in Essex. Whether that’s because of their reduced hearing ability, or maybe medication that they take, it would make it harder for them to be alerted by just an audible smoke alarm on its own.
“We want to make sure that everyone in our county has the same protection from working smoke alarms. We work with numerous partners to provide the appropriate solutions and equipment to alert someone in the event of a fire, if they would have difficulty in doing so. If you want to book a free home fire safety visit for yourself or someone you know, please call 0300 303 0088 or visit www.essex-fire.gov.uk/book.
