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Issue No. 152 A Free Paper Supporting Mid-Norfolk Communities December 2009

Attleborough High School

Sixth Form Presidents

Lincoln's Tea & Coffee Shoppe

& Bistro Of Hingham
(situated on Fairland Green)
Tel:01953 851357
This Christmas why not let Lincoln's:
 Make you a 6 inch square fruit cake (marzipan, iced &
boxed) for only £10
 Greet you to meet friends & enjoy a 2 course Christmas
lunch for £13.50 per head
 Welcome you on Christmas Day for a 5 course meal for
£51.95 per head (please enquire)

Entertaining friends before Christmas?

Book for our special buffet evenings at Lincoln's Bistro on Friday
11th & Saturday 12th December for only £12.95 per head
(inc free glass of mulled wine)
December Special
View Arlene Bartlett's Artwork & enjoy a cup of filter coffee &
homemade de-luxe mince pie for only £2.25
Open Tuesday - Sunday 10 - 4pm
Bistro Friday & Saturday 6 - 9pm
Visit www.lincolns-of-hingham.co.uk
For our Festive Celebration Menus
Picture Submited
2009 - 2010 Sixth Form Presidents With Mr Brian Hunt, Head of Sixth Form
Back Row (left to right): James Chapman, Frank Garrod, Laurence
Grunbaum, Will Copland. Front Row (left to right): Catherine Mitchell,
Charlotte Taverner, Nic Jackson, Laura Gipp, Amy Stanton, Amy Webb.
Attleborough High School is reaping
the benefits of having recently
introduced a Sixth Form Presidential
Team.
At Attleborough for many years a
Head Boy and Girl and pairs of House
Captains for each of the four school
houses have been elected from the
Year 11 Prefect Team. Elections for
Year 11 House Captains have recently
been held by whole school student
virtual voting through the school‘s
award winning Virtual Learning
Environment.
Whilst these important roles will
continue to thrive and have a
prominent impact on the school, the
fast growing Sixth Form has presented
a need for Sixth Form representation
too. Hence the innovation of a Sixth
Form Presidential Team - consisting
of ten students whose role is to
involve Sixth Formers and main
school students both in the life of the
school and the wider community, and
to provide exemplary role models for
younger students.
The students have attended training
on mentoring and leadership and
will have the opportunity to carry
out the diploma in leadership during
their tenure. Students have already
made an impact in the life of the
school: organising a Christmas Ball
for all of the Sixth Form, liaising
with staff to improve the study
resources available for the Sixth
Form, exploring extending their
social opportunities, developing
links with specific subjects and
faculties, speaking at school Open
Evening and in assemblies and
becoming involved in organising
sporting and charity events.
Acting Deputy Headteacher Carmina
McConnell commented: ―Our Sixth
Formers are a highly talented and
motivated group of students. The
students who were chosen as the first
of the Sixth Form presidents for this
school have the ability to inspire and
support the rest of the student body
both at Sixth Form and Main School
level. This is an exciting development
for the school‖
Lead President Laura Gipp
commented: ― We have the
opportunity to develop our
individual interests and strengths
when carrying out this role. For
example, it is a great opportunity to
develop the resources in my
specialist area of Drama.‖
Watton Town
Council sets low
increase budget
Watton Town Council has set a budget for 2010/11 that
will mean a typical Band D property precept will rise
by only 4p per month; but only after a last minute
intervention by the Town Clerk, Mrs Jacqui Seal.
This year, for the first time, individual committee
budgets were set by councillors and an overall
administration budget was set by all the committee
chairs. The resulting planned budget was £159, 659.
During discussions at the full council meeting on the
24th November, as a result of the Clerk‘s intervention, a
total of £10, 600 was trimmed from the amount set by
councillors leaving a total budget for next year of
£149,059 an increase of less than 1%.
Among the items trimmed from the budget was £1,600
of the amount set aside for civic regalia which was
reduced from £2,100 to just £500. Another major cut of
£5,000 was made by making provision for the cleaning
maintenance costs of the town toilets, from the interest
received from the commuted sum given by Breckland
Council when the toilets were first handed over. This
sum, which amounted to £165,000 left after
refurbishment costs, was placed into a bond at Clerk‘s
recommendation, a move which has since proven to be
financially prudent and highly beneficial to the town‘s
council tax payers.
Councillors were delighted at being able to set such a
low increase. Councillor Alf Harvey said he felt able to
―go home happy after being so worried about it‖.

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Mid-Norfolk Times Page 2
Christmas &
All That Jazz
Thetford Singers are proud to
present a very different Christmas
Concert this year with some
breathtaking arrangements of
favourites old and new. There are 2
performances both starting at
7.30pm :-
Garboldisham Village Hall on
Friday 11th December and
Methodist Church Hall, Tanner St,
Thetford on Saturday 12th
December.
All choirs associated with
www.BBCchoirs.com have been
asked to celebrate the 300th
anniversary of Handel`s birth by
singing the Hallelujah Chorus in
Nov/Dec this year, but as an "extra"
Do-Down-Under-Day
This year, at Christmas, do
different - Do Down Under Day.
This is a chance to experience some
of the sights, sounds and tastes of
Christmas on the other side of the
world, in New Zealand. Some
members of the Methodist Church
are hosting this alternative 'take' on
the Festive Season on Saturday
19th December at the Christian
Community Centre from 10am -
2pm. There will be a continuous
programme of slides, films,
Jewellers
Engagement & Wedding
Rings Specialist
Christening & Wedding gifts
Anniversary Gifts
Insurance Valuations
Loose certified Diamonds
All Watch
& Jewellery Repairs
Pearl & Bead
Re-stringing
TRY US FOR THAT SPECIAL
CHRISTMAS GIFT
64 High Street, Watton, Norfolk IP25 6AH 01953 883448
Thetford Singers are performing the
complete Messiah condensed into 3
minutes! Other works include Bob
Chilcott`s Little Jazz Mass, some
Breezy Bach, a medley of Andrew
LLoyd Webber`s songs from shows
and unusual arrangements of
several well known seasonal
numbers guaranteed to make the
evening go with a swing. To help
music director Chris Wray keep the
whole thing together will be Pip
Jepson on piano and a Jazz Trio of
local musicians.
Tickets priced £6 (£5 concessions)
are available from TIC Thetford on
01842-751975 or Village Shop,,
Garboldisham.
puzzles, music and dance and an
exhibition of photographs, maps
and souvenirs. Tea and coffee will
be served throughout the day with
light lunches from 12noon- 1:30.
Entry is FREE and there will be an
opportunity to donate to the
Meningitis Research Foundation.
This is a 'Spirit of Caroline' event.
Drop in for a little while or stay for
longer but please do COME and
support this worthwhile cause.
News
Watton & District Royal British Legion Week
The Remembrance Week Parades
started off at 12:00 hrs on Saturday 7
RAFA and a very good turnout from
the people of Watton and surrounding
her sister Kathleen was in the Land
Army.
November at the War Graves in St
Mary‘s Churchyard when the Standards
of the Royal British Legion and 864
(Watton) ATC were present when
poppy crosses were laid on all the War
district.
THE WALSH CHILDREN OF
NEATON REMEMBERED
There was an especially poignant
A second wreath was laid in memory of
Samuel Alfred Ward who was killed at
Passchendaele in 1917 by his namesake
Samuel Walsh who is aged 11. Sam
Ward was the brother of Maureen‘s
moment during the Remembrance
Graves which were in pristine condition mother and was well known locally and
Parade at Watton in November. 90 years
due to the efforts of Mr and Mrs Andy along the Norfolk coast as a singer and
old, Maureen Walsh, the last surviving
Hubbard from Lakenheath, a task which entertainer.
member of the Walsh family who lived
they have now carried out for at least The Chairman and Members of the
at Neaton in the 1920‘s honoured her
two years. The crosses were laid by Watton & District Royal British
brothers and sister by laying a wreath at
ATC Cadets and members of the public Legion would like to thank all
the Memorial. The wreath was laid by
who attended this moving ceremony. organisations who took part in these
Maureen and Christopher, aged 9.
On Sunday 8 November Poppy Parades but mainly the people of
Maureen, who is pictured in her
Wreath laid on Tottington War Watton and surrounding districts who
wheelchair, served in the ATS from
Memorial, Legion Standard Bearer once again gave their whole-hearted
1939 to 1945 working as a team-leader
and Legion representatives present, support, not only in memory of those
in radiolocation and later as an MP. Of
plus members of the public. fallen in past conflicts but right up to
her brothers, Sam, served with the
The main Parade was at 14.15 hrs on this very day when our Servicemen
Parachute Regiment and was taken
Sunday 8 November at the Thetford and women are once more sacrificing
POW at Arnhem while Charles fought
Road War Memorial where their lives for our freedom.
and was wounded at Monte Casino and
representatives of the voluntary
organisations in Watton plus Mayor and
Town Council, military representatives
from RAF Honnington and USAF RAF
Lakenheath and RBL and RAFA
branches were present and appropriate
Wreaths laid. After a short Service at
which the Last Post and Reveille were
played by Miss A M Nichols the Parade
under the Parade Marshall, Mr Pat
Murphy, marched to St Mary‘s Church
for a Service of Remembrance.
The RBL Standard was then present at
Griston Church at Griston on Sunday
evening for the Remembrance Service.
The week‘s Parades then ended with
the Two Minute Silent Tribute at the
Thetford Road War Memorial at 11:00
hrs on 11th November with Standards
from RBL and RAFA present plus
detachments from Watton RBL and
Picture: Richard Crabtree
News
Hingham
Veterans
Badminton
Club
Don't be a couch potato now the
evenings have drawn in. It's the time
to act and be active. Played
badminton in your younger years?
Well come out of retirement and get
some fun exercise on a Tuesday
afternoon from 3pm to 5pm. The
club plays at Hingham Sports
Centre on the Watton Road where
excellent facilities exist with three
courts available for use. It's a pay as
you play arrangement at £3 per
session with the occasional £1 for
shuttles. Ages range from 40 to over
80 with the latter showing skill
acquired with age and the younger
with speed. It's a fun session where
you also get exercise. Much better
than a rowing machine, static cycle,
weight lifting etc. Why not come
along and recapture your old skills.
For further information please
contact John Roach on 01953
600019 or just turn up at 3pm on
any Tuesday ready to play. You will
be made most welcome.
Countdown
to
Christmas
Christmas can be a busy time of
year, especially for your rubbish
bin, and the last thing you want to
be thinking about is recycling!
So this year, Breckland Council
want to say a big thank you for all
your recycling efforts. On every
recycling collection day in
December, a recycling bin will be
picked at random, and if all the
items in the bin can be collected
through our kerbside collection
scheme, the lucky householder will
receive a £20 shopping voucher.
Here‘s a quick reminder of the
items which can go into your black
recycling bin:
 Paper
 Cardboard
 Plastic bottles
 Steel and aluminium cans
 Aerosol cans
So for the chance to receive a £20
shopping voucher, all you need to
do is continue recycling and placing
your black bin out for collection!
For more information about the
Countdown to Christmas, contact
Environmental Services on 01362
656878.
Quiz Night
Saturday 6th February
7.30pm start
At Great Ellingham
Recreation Centre
£2 per person - teams of four
To book a table ring Jean
on 01953 453 375
In aid of Great Ellingham (St James)
Scout Group
Charity Number 1062603
Plymouth to
Dakar Challenge
People do some crazy thing for charity, but
Brian Martin and Terry Young (pictured
above) are pushing the boundaries of
craziness even further in their efforts to
help ―The Suzie Wright Leukaemia Fund‖.
As Terry said ―you only live once and I
think this will be safer than our last
challenge, White Water Rafting on the
Zambezi
―Brian and I are taking part in the
Plymouth - Dakar Challenge, and we start
at Plymouth on January 3rd and expect to
cover 4,000 miles ending up in Banjul
some 3 weeks later hopefully in one piece.
―In doing this challenge we shall be doing
something we always wanted to do and at
the same time raising money for local
charities in the Gambia and for "The Suzie
Wright Leukaemia Fund".
The challenge is to nurse a ‗knackered‘ car
all the way to destinations that people
Brownies Adventure on!
1st Watton Brownies have been working
very hard this month towards their
Adventure 100 badge. In fact, we have
been so busy, we nearly forgot what the
inside of the Scout Hut looked like! We
started the month with our Ice Cool
challenge and spent the evening tasting
some unusual ice-cream flavours
- stem ginger was the favourite
and cardamom the least. The
week of Halloween was just the
right time to take on the In the
Dark challenge and we spent the
evening blindfolded, playing
hunting games and picnicing in
the dark. The blindfolded picnic
had a mixed response - some of
the girls were brave enough to
eat whatever they were given,
others were less trusting! As if
Brown Owl would really feed
you cats eyes in bat poo ....!
Bonfire Night was a very special
evening as we had a campfire
evening and 2 new Brownies,
Georgie and Beth, made their
Promise in front of the bonfire.
We have also been busy with
lots of outings this month and
have been to the Theatre in
Norwich and attended the
Remembrance Sunday Parade in
Watton. (pictured right).
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 3
It’s Your Paper
It’s Your News
01953 858 908
julian@midnorfolktimes.com
Cartoon by Lindsay Keir Wise in aid of Quidenham Children’s
Hospices and sponsored by The Wayland News
Picture: Submitted
would normally only consider flying to.
―We begin at Plymouth, then onto
Southern Spain where it really starts. We
then head South through Morocco,
Western Sahara, and Mauritania but after
the Sahara Desert crossing the route heads
inland to Mali, Senegal and onto Banjul in
the Gambia. In total some 4,100 Miles.
―On arrival our Vehicle is sold by the
Rotary Club Control Committee and the
funds raised will be passed to local worthy
causes.
―This is a very expensive challenge so we
are asking for help by way of Sponsors,
2/3rds of the money we raise will be
donated to our chosen local charity, and
1/3rd will help us with our expenses.
If you would like to sponsor Terry and
Brian please get in touch with Terry at:
Keepers Corner, Wretham, Norfolk IP24
1RD. Tel: 01953 499955.
Our latest new Brownie, Dannii, made her
Promise on the stage of the Maddermarket
Theatre, before the show, which was
A Merry Christmas from “The Original Plaice”
A Merry Christmas from “The Original Plaice”
certainly an adventure! We are now over
half way through our 10 challenges and
look forward to completing the badge in
THE WATTON PLAICE
the New Year. 9 Middle Street, Watton
“THE ORIGINAL PLAICE”
Now in our 6th Successful Year
Paul and Steve wish all our
Customers a Happy & Peaceful
Christmas and New Year and
we thank all of you for your
continued support.
Frying on Tuesday to Saturday
from 11.30am to 1.45pm
and 4.30pm to 8.00pm
Closed Sunday and Monday
Don’t forget our Thursday Lunchtime Delivery Service
for the Housebound and Elderly only. There is no
charge for delivery - you pay only the normal
take-away prices.
Plaice your order before
11am on a Thursday
WET FISH available from 9am daily
Picture: Submitted
Tel: 01953 882401
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 4 Advertising

WATTON PANTOMIME GROUP

presents an amateur production of

SNOW WHITE
And the Seven Days of the Week
Written by Stephanie Easter

At the Queens Hall, Watton

Thursday 28th, Friday 29th, Saturday 30th January at 7.30pm
Saturday Matinee at 2pm
Tickets £6 Adults £5.50 Children Family Tickets 2 x 2 £20
Available from Smiths Clothing, 36 High Street, Watton.
News Mid-Norfolk Times Page 5

What a picture, what 'Candlelight Service'

for Christmas Eve
a Photographic Club
A Candlelit Carol Service will be held at Watton Methodist Church
on Christmas Eve Thursday 24th December at 7.00pm. We would
like to invite folk to join us on this special occasion and to enjoy
carols, some of which will be accompanied by Watton Silver Band
who are always such a favourite. Our organist will accompany the
remainder of the singing.
Our Minister, the Rev. Barbara Winner, will lead the worship and
various members and friends will be reading the familiar Christmas
passages.
Donations received on this evening will be divided between two
charities, 'Mercy Ships' and ''Christian Aid.'
This is an evening in which all can participate and celebrate once
again the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. Come just as you are
- you are all welcome.
Every blessing to you at Christmas from the Minister and members
and friends at Watton Methodist Church.

Breckland Cats Protection

Picture: Caston Camera CLub
The winners left to right with their awards are Bob Darts, Diana Graham, Colin Stone, Martin Kemp, Francesca Shearcroft.
It‘s now three full years since Caston
Camera Club first opened its doors to
members and since then it has now
become, probably, the most popular club in
Norfolk with a standard of photography
that continues to impress.
At the recent AGM held in November,
club chairman Brian Brooker congratulated
the members on their high level of activity
and participation in various events, but
particularly the Wayland Show where the
club was appointed Official Photographer
and at iSports International where the club
was asked to provide images for their web
site. But he went on to say that while the
club is really keen to attract quality
photographers they also want and pay a
great deal of attention to beginners too, as
the beginners are at the very heart of the
club.
Some very attractive, engraved, crystal
awards were presented to the winners of
the club‘s annual competition and an
additional award was made to Diana
Graham for achieving Best Improved
Photographer of the year.
Also run on the night was the club‘s Image
of the Year Competition where members
chose the winner and this year it went to
Martin Kemp for a superb picture of a
Golden Eagle. Impressively Martin has
now achieved this award for the second
year running.
You can see these winning photos and find
out more about the club and joining it at
www.castoncameraclub.co.uk or by calling
Brian on 01953 488 477 (Caston by the
way is so easy to get to being just 3 miles
south of Watton off the A1075)
We would like to thank everyone who has supported us during 2009,
either by coming to our Fayres or adopting a cat/kitten from us. From all
the volunteers and cats please have a happy Christmas.
We have 31 kittens and 5 adults in our care at the moment and as we
stop homing from 18th December to 2nd January we would like to
find homes for the majority of them before then so that they are
settled in their nice new homes by Christmas. This would mean we
could take in some of the cats on our waiting list and they would
have a warm bed and food during this cold, wet weather.
Katy is a friendly girl and is 20 months old. She is vaccinated,
neutered and micro chipped. Katy likes to drink from a running tap
and sits on her fosterers walker to
be pushed from room to room.
She will come and have a fuss
and likes being stroked but does
not like to be picked up. Katy
would like a home without other
cats and no young children. If
you would like a little companion
please call us. 01842 810018

candles? They are a real hazard. It‘s too

R.S. Plumbing &
Christmas Keep Safe easy to forget about them and go out or to
bed. Make sure candles are secured in a
proper holder and away from materials
All your plumbing
and heating needs
Heating
at Watton in Your that may catch fire – like curtains. Put
candles out when you leave the room,
and make sure they are put out
Boiler Servicing, Installations and

Library Home completely at night.

The library is full of books with ideas
for festive food, cards, decorations,
crafts for children and some lovely
Christmas stories. Or maybe you'd
like to think about escaping the winter
altogether and browse our travel
guides? It's free to join the library and
borrow books, or use our computers
for some online Christmas shopping.
We also stock DVDs, Wii and
Playstation games which are available
for loan for a small charge. Just pop in
or visit www.libray.norfolk.gov.uk for
more information.
Christmas Card Making: Saturday 12th
December from 10.30 -11.30 A free fun
event for families
Recycled Christmas: Monday 21st
December from 2.00 - 3.30 A free fun
event with Breckland Council's
Recycling Team Make original
Christmas decorations from recycled
materials.
Children must be accompanied at both
events.
Christmas Opening Times Thursday
24th Closed; Friday 25th Closed;
Saturday 26th Closed; Monday 28th
Closed; Wednesday 9.00am - 8.00pm;
Thursday 31st 2.00pm - 8.00pm; Friday
1st January Closed; Saturday 2nd
9.00am - 1.00pm
Wishing all our customers a very Happy
Christmas!
Do you know someone
who has had a home fire? If
not, you are very fortunate –
there are fires happening every
day in the UK. It has been proved that home
is a place where fires start most often. How
can you keep safe at home then? There are
many tips given for fire safety, some well
known but some less so. Do you, for
example, close the doors at night?
By following the simple advice you can
help to reduce the risk of having a fire in
your home this winter.
Smoke Alarms. Did you know you are
twice as likely to die in a fire if you do not
have a smoke alarm that works!!! This is the
easiest way to protect your home and family
from fire. However, there are still people
who do not have them and do not realise its
importance. Once fitted, test your smoke
alarm weekly and replace its batteries once
every 12 months.
The kitchen is your home’s biggest fire
hazard: over half of home fires are caused
by cooking accidents. Remember that
scalding temperatures and forgotten pans
make a recipe for disaster so cook safely!
Do not leave children and saucepans
unattended. Take special care in this room
and keep it clean, because greasy residue
catches fire very easily. If you have a chip
pan think about changing it for a deep fat
fryer which is safer.
Take care with candles. Do you know that
more than 5 fires a day are started by
Be Vigilant. Common causes of fire
are: overloaded sockets, unattended
General Plumbing All work undertaken.
CORGI Registered
matches or lighters, cigarettes that Telephone 01953 883829
were not properly stubbed out, and
appliances left on standby, so keep an eye
07836 267 419
out for these hazards.
Make a bedtime check. As you are more at
risk from fire when asleep it is good idea to
check your home before you go to bed. Shut
all your inside doors at night to stop a fire
from spreading. Turn off and unplug
electrical appliances unless they are
designed to be left on – like your freezer.
Keep door and window keys where
everyone can find them.
What if the worst happens? Get out, stay
out, and dial 999. Make sure everyone in the
house knows the escape routes, and where
to find door or window keys. Talk to your
family about emergency procedures – how
will they get out safely? Have your own
―Fire Plan.‖
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service make sure
our community is as safe from fire as
possible. They offer free smoke alarm fits
and free Home Fire Risk Checks to all
residents of Norfolk, especially to elderly
people over 65 years of age.
For a free home fire risk check call us on
free phone 0 800 9178137 or email:
home.safety@fire.norfolk.gov.uk.
If you require further details on fire
safety contact Norfolk Fire and Rescue
Service on 01603 229023 or visit your
local fire station. The phone number is
also in the telephone book (not 999).
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 6
Letter from Australia Christmas at the
By Chris O’Connor
And so it is Christmas and in many
parts of Australia this year people
will be on their guard like never
before. There will be no forgetting
the dreadful bushfires which ripped
through parts of Victoria earlier this
year killing 200 people and there is
good reason not to forget; if the
forecasters are correct this year is
going to be far worse than any other
year on record and as temperatures
soar people will be watching the sky
for any wisp of smoke that signals a
fire has begun. In Adelaide (South
Australia) where I live we have
already experienced our hottest
November on record with 10 days
exceeding 35 degrees; on most nights
the temperature dropped to 25 – not
pleasant if you don‘t have air
conditioning. My daughter in law
lives on a farm 300 kilometres north
of us and the other day the
temperature reached 45 degrees. She
Full Takeaway Menu at:
01953 884141
www.italianjobs.co.uk
Voucher Terms and Conditions: You must mention the voucher
when ordering and present the voucher when paying. Offers available
for delivery are subject to a £1 delivery charge.
LARGE CHEESE &
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Stuffers
and her family are sheep and wheat
farmers, farming thousands of acres
of land – but one spark on a hot
summer‘s day could write that all off
in minutes, plus the $400,000 home
they live in.
Throughout the southern states of
Australia we have all been warned
this may be ‗the‘ season when
firefighters will be unable to control
a blaze and any sensible person
(particularly those living in hills
which are densely forested) have
been told simply to pick up their
important possessions plus animals
and head to safety points where
hopefully the fire will not reach.
You don‘t realise how serious the
situation is until you remember that
the bushfire in Victoria earlier this
year was on the edge of Melbourne
our second largest city and if the
wind and weather had not changed it
would have entered the suburbs and
caused even more serious damage.
e-mail: sales@bobsmobiles.co.uk
BUY ONE PIZZA &
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Collection or Delivery. Valid on Mondays
to Thursdays until 31st December 2009
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Valid until 31st December 2009
Terms and Conditions apply
I have by sheer necessity had to fight
bushfires and I will admit they terrify
me. On one occasion as I worked in a
large paddock trying to extinguish
flames in the long grass I saw a giant
gum tree explode; it was as if it had
been hit by lightning but instead was
the oil inside the tree igniting in the
same was as petrol does when it gets
a flame. I have lost friends in the
fires, one of whom took eight weeks
to die from the extensive burns he
received when blocked by a fence as
the flames overtook him. When my
son was younger he stood with a
hose beside our house as the flames
came with two metres of the home;
we were lucky that day for on that
day 173 people were killed and
hundreds of thousands of homes
destroyed.
They were more than 100 bush fires
reported throughout South Australia
on November 20th, predominantly
caused by more than 25,000
lightning strikes. The
highest recorded
temperature in Australia
was a body shrivelling 50.7
C (123.3 F). That was in
Oodnadatta in the far north
of South Australia. During
November the temperature
in Adelaide set a new
record with ten days over
35 degrees, rarely dropping
below 25 at night. However
the 35 degrees was an
average and on several days
the temperature exceeded
40 degrees. Many country
towns north of Adelaide sat
around 43 during the day
and the Weather Bureau is
predicting an above average
hot summer for the whole
continent.
However, let us hope it will
not be all doom and gloom.
Already my wife and I are
preparing for the Christmas
lunch which will include
the obligatory fresh prawns
cooked on the barbeque
along with cold cuts of
turkey and ham along with
fresh salads and enough
champagne to cheer the day
but not dull the mind.
There is one thing my wife
and I will do; we will raise
a toast to our troops in
Afghanistan remembering
their courage. Perhaps you
might like to do the same
too. Merry Christmas from
the bottom of the world!
Country Market
All the producers thank you, our
customers, for your support and
encouragement through the past year
and wish you all a very happy
Christmas and prosperous New Year.
The market looks more festive every
week as gift items, cards and special
Christmas foods and jams appear on
the stalls. As usual we shall be
running a raffle during the first
weeks of December and the draw
will be made at the start of trading on
23rd December so the lucky winner
can enjoy their prize before
Christmas.
Remember: we can answer many of
your gift problems - etched glass,
carved wood, toys, knitwear, bags,
jewellery, plants, and greetings cards
The Wayland Chamber
of Commerce
The Committee met on 21st October.
It was agreed that the Chamber would
again fund the cost of the Town
Christmas Tree to be erected on 15
November. Discussion took place on a
variety of issues affecting businesses at
this time, particularly those in Watton
High Street. Wayland Partnership
Development Trust particularly feels
that in the current financial climate
continuing professional development is
tending to be neglected. It was
decided to invite Business Link to
attend an Open meeting on 18th
Hackers, Tackers
& Stuffers news
On the 19th September twelve
members had a most enjoyable day
making a fabric rooster. On the 16th
November nine of us met to
construct a fabric monkey. Not only
did we learn new skills but enjoyed
good company and much laughter as
we sewed. At the evening meeting
on 20th October a member
demonstrated needle felting with
some very attractive results. On 24th
November there will be another
demonstration with an opportunity to
make a ribbon Christmas decoration.
News
of all kinds. We also have fresh eggs,
poultry for Christmas (order at the
egg stall), winter produce, jams,
jellies, chutneys, sweets and baked
goods for your festive table. Please
try to let us have any special orders
during the first week of the month:
we need time to fill your requests to
our usual high standard!!
The Country Market takes place
every Wednesday at the Watton
Christian Community Centre and
will close promptly at 11.30 a.m.
on 23rd December and our
producers will be taking a well
earned winter break in January.
The market reopens in the New
Year at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday,
3rd February, 2010.
November at Wayland House to which
any local business is welcome to
attend. Business Link is a FREE
business advice and support service,
available online and through local
advisors. A donation was also agreed
to Watton Senior Citizens Christmas
Party. The next edition of the
Information, Trade and Services
Directory will be labelled 2010/2011
to reflect that it is published well into
the calendar year. Heather Nunn,
Secretary, Wayland House, High
Street, Watton, IP25 6AR
We have some exciting plans for
2010 including workshops led by
nationally known professional tutors
as well as others from within the
membership. In March we are
holding an open evening when we
will welcome the return of Rob and
Verona from Sew and So‘s in
Bungay with fabrics for sale and an
update of their charitable work with
the orphanage in Thailand and the
local Project Linus coordinators to
whom we will hand over finished
quilts for ill and traumatised
children.
Our annual Christmas
lunch will be on 14th
December.
Details of our meetings
and projects plus some
photographs can be
found on our blog at
htsqgroup.blogspot.com
If you are not yet online
and require information
call Sue on
01362 822536.
We continue to meet on
the 2nd and 4th
Tuesdays of each month,
apart from August in
Watton Christian
Community Centre in
the High Street from 7-
9p.m.
News
Book Week at
Watton Westfield
Picture: Submitted
The pupils of Watton Westfield Infant
and Nursery School have enjoyed a busy
and interesting ‗Book Week‘. They have
had a visit from the famous children‘s
author Nicola Baxter, who taught them
all about writing, editing and printing
books. They have had visits to the town
library to look around and listen to
Christmas news from Diabetes UK
Saham Toney Pre-School
Well, Christmas is here again and this is
always a busy time of year for the
children at pre-school. They will be
busy doing Christmas craft activities
and practising for this year‘s Christmas
Sing-along!
Thank you to those of you who have
brought in your Morrisons vouchers. We
have collected 352 which will go
towards small gardening items. We have
also had a compost bin donated by a
member of the community.
The Pre-school is proud to report that
we have been awarded a Safer
Workplace, Better Business Award from
Breckland Council. We are only 1 of 5
o r ga n i s a t i o n s t o r e c e i ve t h i s ,
highlighting our commitment to the
health and safety of our children, staff
and volunteers. We are also pleased to
report that the pre-school was successful
in its application for a Sustainability
Grant from Norfolk County Council.
This money is strictly to be used for the
day to day running costs of the pre-
school, however we will be applying for
a further ‗Quality‘ grant to buy new
outdoor and indoor equipment soon.
So far this term we have raised £277.59
thanks to the Car boot, Race Night,
Clairvoyant Evening and the Halloween
Activity Day. The fence pencil
sponsorship scheme has been very
successful raising a grand total of £176
to date. Look out for the new brightly
stories. The school would like to thank
Jane the community librarian for her
help and gifts of stickers, pens and book
marks for the children.
Some older pupils from Watton Junior
School came to read to the Reception
classes and the older children at Westfield
visited the Junior School‘s super library.
coloured pencils soon! If you have not
yet sponsored a pencil but would like to
do so, you still can. It is £2 per child, £5
per individual or £10 per business. Visit
our website at www.sahamtoneypre-
school.co.uk .
The pre-school has also signed up to a
new online fundraising scheme through
easyfundraising.org.uk. This is free
service where you can choose from over
2000 of the UK's best-known retailers
including many popular names such as
Amazon, Next, Argos, M&S, John
Lewis and HMV, and when you shop
using the links on the site up to 15%
from every purchase you make is
donated to the Pre-school. To use this
service:
1) Visit www.easyfundraising.org.uk .
2) Click on the ‗Find a cause‘ tab 3)
Under S – find ―Saham Toney Pre-
School – Thetford‖ 4) Register under
this cause 5) Start Shopping
We have only a few spaces available at
the moment but if you have a child who
is two or over (or soon to be two) and
would be interested in finding out more
about our excellent Pre-School, then
please speak to Lisa, our Supervisor, on
07749 756831, alternatively you can
email info@sahamtoneypre-
school.co.uk .
Finally we would like to wish everyone
a very happy Christmas and a
prosperous New Year.
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 7
Holme Hale Pavilion
Ch rist mas Bazaar
Saturday December 5th 10am
Art/craft stalls ~ live music ~ raffle ~ Grand Draw ~ games ~
cake stall & more! Refreshments available. plus Santa with a
difference! Free admission. See you there!
ANDREW HYDE
BUILDING CONTRACTOR
Refurbs New BuildsExtensions
Maintenance
Telephone: 01953 451458
Mobile: 0788 784 7588
The children have had an amazing time
bringing their story book characters to life
in writing, drawing, painting, cooking and
even dressing up to look like them. Some
of the children are pictured above in
costume. The school would like to thank
the parents for all their excellent support
with this special week.
Our meeting in November was our AGM. 25
members attended and we welcomed a new
member too. We have had a good year, with
more new members and more advertising,
(thank you to all the people who let me put
posters up in their premises every month!).
Some new members learn about us from
people in the group, others from the posters
and contacting me, so despite what John &
Rod say I must be doing something right!!
The committee was voted in again "en
masse" and we also welcomed two of our
members onto the committee too. We also
paid tribute to two of our founder members
who passed away earlier this year, Jim
Dutton in March and Flo Jones in June. They
will be sadly missed.
I would like to thank all the people who
attended our stands at the Carnival and
Christmas Market this year. On a personal
note, I would also like to thank the Chair and
the fellow members of the committee for
their support over the past year. It is much
appreciated.
Our final meeting of the year, on December
14th, is our Christmas Party. There is no
speaker, just a chance for the committee to
thank all members for their contributions
throughout the year with a Christmas theme!
On that note on behalf of the group, I would
like to wish your readers a Merry Christmas
and a Healthy, Happy and Peaceful New
Year. Also a big thank you to the Pentecostal
Church for the continued use of their
premises.
Our next meeting will be on January 11th @
10.15 am, at the above named Church.
Please phone Helen on 01953 884713 for
more information.
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 8 News

It’s Your Paper In the garden with Lotta Potts Ovington

It’s Your News Christmas
December - Or should that be number of veg you actually eat or well. After we moved house and
01953 858 908 Decembrrrrr? flowers you like. You really don't shed I found some seed packets
julian@midnorfolktimes.com There is a delusion that December is
days of crisp blue sky and frosty
nights. The reality is more likely to
want 8 packets of carrot seeds. One
early and one main crop are going
to be more than enough. Ignore the
dated well before 2000. As a
listener to Gardeners‘ Question
Time I had heard Bob Flowerdew
Bazaar
WATTON PHARMACY
Don't forget to come along to
be damp or rainy days and similar advice to get fresh seed every year recommend testing old seeds by Ovington Village Hall on Saturday
nights, only dark. This month has so don't neglect those half packets sowing a few in a tray of compost.
CHRISTMAS ROTA depressingly shorter days in the run- you have in the cupboard. If you've I gave it a go and lo and behold up
5 December between 12 and 3 to
join in with the fun at the Christmas
Thursday 24th Dec Christmas Eve up to the big one - no, not Christmas kept them cool, dry and dark many they came. Next problem, where to Bazaar. All the usual attractions,
Total Health Pharmacy 8am - 8.30pm but the shortest day. After that we seeds retain their ability to put them as I couldn‘t possibly some beautiful crafts (ideas for
Boots 8.30am - 5.30pm can plant onions on Boxing Day! germinate for more than one throw out plants that were actually Christmas gifts!) plus lunch in the
Friday 25th Dec Christmas Day You can still plant and move season. One exception - it is thriving. Goes against the 'Soup Kitchen'. What more could
Total Health Pharmacy Closed deciduous shrubs and trees. A good alleged that old parsnip seeds are gardening grain doesn‘t it? Same you want to brighten a dull winter's
Boots Closed one is roses as they arrive as never any good. This is not sainted Bob also recommended day? All proceeds from this event
Saturday 26th Dec Boxing Day miserable bits of stick that give necessarily the case as I have throwing out any packets dated are split between the Village Hall
Total Health Pharmacy Closed you beautiful blooms and scent in spoken to people who have before 2000... and Ovington Church.
Boots 8.30am - 5.30pm June. Maybe an ‗occasion‘ rose successfully grown seed ‗past its Another fun job for December is to
Sunday 27th Dec could be added to your Christmas sell by date‘. As there are 2000 write your Christmas list. Do you
Total Health Pharmacy
Boots Closed
8am - 8.30pm list. Many of the established ones
like apple, pear, acer, birch and
seeds in the average packet it
surely has to be worth a go. On the
really need some more socks?
Thought not. If you have room or a
Macmillan
Monday 28th Dec Bank Holiday
Total Health Pharmacy 12.30pm - 2.30pm
vine should be pruned before
Christmas to prevent bleeding.
subject of content, most seed
packets hold enough to cover entire
greenhouse with power a heated
propagator is a perfect present. If
coffee
Boots Closed
Thursday 31st Dec New Years Eve
A warmer task is putting the seed
order together. The table is covered
villages with flowers or veg but in
recent years suppliers have
no greenhouse is available, a light
windowsill out of strong sunshine morning
Total Health Pharmacy 8am - 8.30pm
Boots 8.30am - 5.30pm
with catalogues and then the fun
starts. Now the seed merchants
acknowledged the fact that those
little brown bits of dust will keep
(in December?) is good - in the
spare bedroom perhaps. Your thanks
Friday 1st January New Years Day really sell their wares. Each variety for a year or two and put ‗sow by‘ guests might be a little startled, but The coffee morning held at 95,
Total Health Pharmacy Closed looks better than the last and the dates on the packets. This is an if they know you well enough to Nelson Court, raised £245.45. Our
Boots Closed new varieties promise better results improvement but still, there are far stay under your roof they know thanks to everyone who supported
Saturday 2 January with finer tasting crops than ever too many for the average garden or you are a gardener. The always the event either by attending or by
Total Health Pharmacy 8am - 8.30pm known in the history of the world. even allotment. Your bean seeds welcome present is a pair of giving donations. Particular thanks
Boots 8.30am - 5.30pm So you think, 'I must try that' and will be good for another year and secateurs. Ignore the expert who to our helpers on the day - Sue and
Sunday 3 January 'that looks a must have'. By the end your carrots and tomatoes will last abides by the top of the range. Trevor Bunce, Jill Beech, Beryl
Total Health Pharmacy 8am - 8.30pm of the process you have a list as another beyond that. Most of your These are expensive and just as Brannan, Ann Akister and Pam
Boots Closed long as your arm and a bill that brassicas are good for 4 or 5 years prone to being mislaid as the Challand. Sue also kindly donated
N.B. This information was the best available to us would give the bank manager and cucumbers 7. I read of a packet cheaper versions. A garden journal one of her pictures and guessing the
at the time of going to press but MAY be subject apoplexy, not to mention a very of courgette seeds once that were 7 and the discipline to keep it up is a cat's name created considerable
to change. large estate to accommodate it all. years old. As an experiment, they two-for-one - gift and New Year interest and swelled the coffers
Total Health: 01953 881157 Time for a cup of tea or something were sowed the whole packet and Resolution. This is my favourite. accordingly. Many thanks, Sue!
Boots: 01953 881258 stronger and a rethink! Be firm and guess what? Yes, they all came up! May I wish you all a very Merry Dave and Jenny Simons.
cut things down to a reasonable This is good for flower seeds as Christmas.
News
Rotary Roundup
On 12th November, the Watton Rotary
Club had Charlie Davis as a guest at its
weekly meeting. Charlie (just 18) lives
in Watton and went to Wayland
Community High School. He is now in
his final year at Wymondham College
and told us he is hoping for a university
place to read geography in Autumn 2011
after a gap year. He has successfully
applied to The Project Trust (based in
Argyll) to spend a year teaching maths
and science in a poor and primitive area
in Guyana. Although he will be paid by
the government of Guyana, albeit at the
low local rate, he still has to raise some
£4,600 for his training, travel, insurance
and so on. If anyone would like to know
more or is willing to help Charlie, he can
be contacted on 01953 885917 or
through Watton Rotary. All donations
are channelled through The Project
Trust. [The picture shows Charlie being
congratulated by President Richard for
his confident presentation at such a
young age].
Our Christmas activities include a Disco
Party at the Watton Sports Centre on
Saturday 12th December. Although
mainly aimed at the younger generation,
the organisers have said that the disco
will be playing all kinds of music so
there should be something for
everybody. Tickets are just £5.00; they
The Ovington Crower
Dear Sah
Well, how ya gittin on tergitha, thas a
tarned cowld leartly, I reckon thas cos
we tarned them ole clocks back, thas if‘n
yew ‗membered to do it. Old Horry he
dunt bother, he say ―Wen thas lite Ile git
up, when thas dark Ile goo in‖ So I say
―Wot about ya dinna bor?‖ he say ―Well
I dunt need no clock to tellus wen to eat,
my belly dew that‖ He like tu kearp
things simple du Horry.
I see them from thet ole fish and no chip
shop in tha willage got theirselves on tha
telly larst month. Dint reckon much
onnit meself, but they did git a grat ole
pitcher of boy Barry‘s shid, an thet wore
afor he pearnted it tew, I bet he‘s rare
pleased, and I reckon he‘ll hafta charge
fer his taters next year now.
I dunt know abowt yew but we hev had a
marsta crop o apples this year, me an tha
missus hev bin a hossin them inta us fast
as yew loike, cos my ole granny allus
sed thet a apple a day kep thet ole dokta
away.
Weell thas as maybe but thet dint wuk
fer my missus cos she wor took suffin
queer, got an ole tissick wot wunt goo
away, then blarst me ifn she dint loos har
chatta, coont say a wud.
Well thas a gitten serius now so I got on
tha phoon tew tha doctas sargry. Thas a
rummin int it, thet little owld mawther
kep a sayin du yew press tha butten fer
this, n press anutha fer thet, then she say
―We know yer awaitin‖ but dint dew
northen abowt it, then to hell ifen she
dint start a playin moosic. I dint think the
sargry were big enuf fer a band ta be a
playin.
Howsumeva I wus fed up wi alla tha
squit so I got on tha owld bike and
hossed up tew tha sargry tew ha a wud
wi tha docta hisself.
Wen I went up agin tha cownta ole
can be obtained
from Paul
We a t h e r i l l on
07930 565026 or
Gary at Gary‘s
Plaice (fish & chips
shop), High St,
Watton: 01953
881116. There will
be a bar and raffle,
and the event is in
aid of the Teso
Development
Trust, a charity that
builds wells and
manages clean
water projects in
the Teso area of
Uganda (for more
information about
this cause see webpage:
www.teso.org.uk
Once again some of our members will be
out on Christmas Day morning assisting
Father Christmas delivering special
presents to special people. Anyone
wishing to avail themselves of this
particular service can take their ready-
wrapped presents to Watton Post Office
by midday Saturday 19th December.
Parcels should be clearly marked with
recipients name and full address (incl
postcode to help FC find locations
Missus P J set thar, why she hatter hev
tew nearms fer I dunt know. She say
―Hello Sidney‖ (she allus tork posh)
―Wot dew yew wont‖ I reckon thet ware
a daft qwestun, cos yew dunt goo in tew
tha doctas fer a tin o peas, dew ya?.
I towld har tha missus wos suffin bad an
she orta see a docta. She say ―Hev yew
got an apointment?‖ I say ―No‖ She say
―Yew cant see a docta wi‘out an
apointment‖ I say ―Less hev one then‖
She say ―No‖ I say ―Woi‖ She say ―Cos
ya gotta phoon up afore half arter nine,
else yew carnt hev one‖ I say ―Ire bin
tryin tew dew thet since afore brekfass,
but thet dint git me anywheres‖
She say ―Dunt blearm me I ony wuk
hare‖
I give har a rite owl luk and she say
―Yew mite be able tew see tha narse‖ I
say ―Rite oh, when?‖
She say ―Week Tharsda‖
My hart I ware gittin suffen raw, and I
give har one o them looks thet my
missus say tarns milk sour. Missus P J
looked like she were gooner blah then,
so I hossed over to the chemist an got a
bottle o fisik, then corled inta Steve tha
bootcher and he giv me a grate ole lump
o goose fat, ta rub on har chist yew
unnerstand.
Anyhow she wos sune up n abowt n
given me an earful, so I rekon tha ole
medsins are tha best.
Corse were had anutha o them ole hot
grub nites in tha willage hall, my missus
she say ―Yew arnt hevin any tea cos yew
ont eat yar dinner in tha hall‖ I say ―Wot
about my forses?‖ ―Well ony one pork
pie then‖ she say.
Thas gitten poplar an we had trubble
gitten all tha starvin peeple in thru tha
door.
Horry he say ―Allus new tha owld pitch
fork wud cum in handy agin‖ I dunt
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 9
Saint Andrews Quidenham
A Christmas Festival
Designs by Breckland Flower & Garden Club and Friends of Saint
Andrews Church. Thursday 3rd - Monday 7th December
11am - 3pm daily. Sunday Festival Carols and Readings at 4pm
Christmas Craft Stall
Proceeds to Saint Andrews and Air Ambulance
Picture: Submitted
quickly – yes, he is right up to date with
the technology!). There is a small cover cv
charge of just £1 per item, payable when
depositing parcels.
Finally, readers and the public at large
James Ball
have been really generous and SHOWROOM: 49 High Street, Watton
supportive during this past year. Many
individuals and charities, locally and
worldwide, have been supported through
01953
the funds Rotary has raised with your
help, and we thank you for this. A very 883288
happy Christmas and prosperous New
Year to you all. Martin Anscombe Very Competitive Prices
Most Makes of carpets
& Vinyl Supplied and Fitted
reckon summa the new folk wos best
pleased wi Horry‘s method of
perswashun!
Ya gotta hand it tew tha mawthers wot
dew tha cookin, thar know the way tew a
mans hart, an orl tha blooks went hoom
hed oova heels in luv thet nite fer sure.
We hed a whule lotta difrunt food, sum
wos a bit forren but tearsted orlrite,
then there wos a lotta owld fashuned
dishes thet stuck tew yor ribs, there
were plenty o taters n grearvy, a pleart
ful o swimmers, (one or tew sinkers an
orl) sossiges, faggots n peas, cor blarst
we et till we nearly bust. Horry bort
along sum o his beer wot he meark in
his shid, thas a good job tha lites ware
a bit dim cos there wor suffin floatin in
tha beer thet yew dint wonta know
about.
Thet tearsted wery nice tho, but yew dint
hafta hev more than tew afore yew wos
fallin orfa yar chair.
We‘re orl lookin forward tew tha next
big feast, but I expec we shall hatter
waert until arta Christmas now.
Tha owld bonfire nite wos a bit quiet this
year, tha only fire I saw wos Horry‘s, he
allus searve up all his ole rubbish and
hev a grate owld fire on Nov 5th, he say
―Ole Missus P can‘t keep a mobbin
about tha smook when there‘s fires orl
oover the plearce‖ Horry wos wrong tha
year, his wos the oonly fire in the
willage, so Missus P was a bangin on his
front door afore the fire went out. Horry
hed orlready gone up tha pub, wen he
saw which way the wind wos a blowin.
I see tha boy Julian hev given tha old
pearper a new name, hoop thet warnt
suffin I sed.
Well thas time for suppa, so I‘ll say fare
yew well together, an dew yew keep
a‘troshin. Boy Sid.
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 10 News

Massage Treatments
Swedish Massage and
Hot Stone Massage
Air Cadets Rock Useful
information
Question - I had a long journey to
Appointments available at make and because it is usually
cheaper to travel by coach rather than
rail, I tried to book a ticket for myself
BROOM HALL and my wheelchair with a coach
company. However, they were unable
Country Hotel to accommodate me because their
coaches had not as yet been updated
Saham Toney to being wheelchair friendly. I thought
Your Local Three Star Hotel all travel companies now had to
comply with the Disability
Discrimination Regulations?
Answer - All bus and coach operators
have to comply with the Disability
Discrimination Act 1995 but they do
have a time period in which they do
have to comply. In respect of coaches
Telephone: 01953 882125 compliance has to be met by 2020.
www.broomhallhotel.co.uk Progress is being made, for example,
in 2008 approximately 62% of all
local service buses have met

IAN WILTON compliance for low floor and

GENERAL BUILDER
For all your building needs....
NEW BUILD, EXTENSIONS,
GARAGES, RENOVATIONS,
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FENCING .
No job too small
Local friendly service.
Call Ian for a free estimate
07917 284098/01953 483192
For the second time this year
cadets from 864 (Watton) were off
to Gibraltar for some fun in the
sun. Cadet Warrant Officer Rachel
Fincham and Flight Sergeant
Louise D‘Aeth were part of a 30
strong party from the Air Cadet
Organisation staying at RAF
Gibraltar. The air cadets spent a
week discovering the history and
culture of Gibraltar and southern
Spain as well the work of the RAF
and all the British Forces based in
Gibraltar.
Cadet Warrant Officer Rachel
Fincham said, ―This was my second
visit to Gibraltar this year, after
having such a great time earlier in
the year. I really enjoyed doing
some different things this time
around, especially the safari park!‖
The air cadets had a fun and
informative time discovering the
roles and duties of the Royal
Navy, Royal Gibraltar Regiment
and Royal Air Force in the historic
military base. Long rewarding
days saw the cadets take the Gun
Turret tour, the Mediterranean
Steps and Ape and Cable Car
walks. The local ATC Squadron
hosted the camp cadets for an
evening of initiative exercises.
However, the camp was not just
about Gibraltar and the cadets and
staff visited Seville and Selwo
Aventura Safari Park on the Costa
del Sol. It was not all cultural either
and they had plenty of time for fun
with visits to a large water park near
Seville and evening spare time was
spent playing sport and sunbathing
on the beach. Other fun time
included Ten Pin Bowling, ice
skating and the usual shopping trips.
Flight Sergeant Louise D‘Aeth
said, ―I had a fantastic time, it was
the best camp I have been on and I
am not letting the hungry, cheeky
Rock Ape who stole my bag of
Hula Hoops spoil it!
―I am looking forward to more
foreign travel with the air cadets.‖
accessibility requirements.
Question - Do you know where I can
buy shoes for my elderly Father who
has a left foot that is not the same size
as his right foot? In addition he also
has a skin problem so needs footwear
that is soft rather than hard.
Answer - A company called Simple
Way is a small business, established
for over thirty years in Newcastle
upon Tyne. They make their own
shoes and can make shoes for a person
with odd sized feet which do not have
any stiffeners in and are non irritant.
Question - My elderly Father lives on
the South Coast. Although I visit him
once a month I am not able to go over
during the week and this is causing
problems if he is not well. Last time
when he said he was poorly, I rang his
surgery to arrange a home visit, but
this was refused. Can I insist that his
GP comes out to see him as he is over
eighty years of age?
Answer - The decision to make a
home visit rests entirely with the GP.
Most GPs will agree to visit patients
who would find it difficult to get to
the surgery but is it the GP who
decides on the course of action, to

Watton Relief in Need Charity visit or not, but he/she is obliged to

The Trustees of this Charity will
be meeting on the 9th December
to consider applications from
residents of Watton for financial
support this Christmas. It is
hoped, therefore, that applicants
will contact the Clerk to the
Trustees prior to that date so that
the Trustees can fulfil their duties.
The Charity is an amalgamation of
Charities set up many years ago to
support those in need. The
Trustees have a duty to distribute
the income of the Charity to
relieve, either generally or
individually, persons resident in
the town of Watton who are in
conditions of need, hardship or
distress by making grants of
Ashill WI
Annual Carol Concert
Ashill Community Centre
With Watton Silver Band
In aid of Cancer research UK
3pm Sunday 13th December
Adults £1 Children 50p
To include homemade refreshments
justify the reason for not making a
visit.
It may be a good idea to speak to the
money or providing or paying for distress. surgery to see if there are any
items, services or facilities No preference is given to any volunteer car schemes in the area
calculated to reduce the need, section of the community but which your Father could make use of
hardship or distress of such there will be times when at such times.
persons. Institutions or applicants will be required to give Question - I have a disabled son who
organisations which provide or full personal financial details and in 2010 would like to go to university.
undertake in return to provide provide whatever information the My husband and I have always helped
items, services or facilities for Trustees require before decisions him get ready for school each day and
such persons may also benefit. can be made. Any information we again are here to help him when he
In the past few years, grants have, given will be treated in the returns as he need help with some of
in the main, consisted of support strictest confidence. his personal care and with other
for the elderly to help with the Applications for assistance should aspects of his life. We are trying to
extra costs of Christmas and/or be addressed to:- find out if there would be any help
heating costs. However, the Derek I Smith, Clerk to the available for him should he go to
Trustees are most willing to Trustees - Watton Relief In Need university?
consider applications from other Charity, 39 Dereham Road Answer - The Government recognises
age groups provided they are Watton IP25 6ER that English students with a disability
residents of Watton and they are Tel: 01953 884044 Email: are likely to have additional needs and
in conditions of need, hardship or derek@frenzymail.co.uk therefore the Disabled Students'
Allowances provide extra financial
help and are available on top of the
Norfolk Wildlife Trust standard student finance package. The
To ask a question about the Norfolk’s Wildlife please call the Norfolk Disabled Students‘ Allowance does
not have to be repaid. The Allowance
Wildlife Information Service. Wildline 01603 598333 9am to 5pm Mon - Fri.
E-mail wild@norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk is available to eligible students who
Website http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/naturalconnections are studying full-time, part-time and
Further details and Membership enquiries 01953 498467 also postgraduate students can apply.
Tuesday 15th December 7.45pm to 9.30pm. A Talk Conserving the Information supplied by Able
Wensum Valley for Wildlife and People. A talk by Steve Daliston of Community Care, The Old Parish
the Wensum Valley Trust followed by Seasonal Buffet, refreshments Rooms, Whitlingham Lane,
and raffle. Venue: Watton Christian Community Centre, High Street, Trowse, Norwich NR14 8TZ
Watton. Cost £5 members and £6 non-members for NWT funds. Website: www.uk-care.com
Note: Next group meeting will be on Tuesday, 16th March, 2010.
News Mid-Norfolk Times Page 11

Watton’s best
kept secret for
Christmas
surprises
With Christmas fast approaching, we
all need a little inspiration when it
comes to finding that special gift for
friends and family.
Venture just a few minutes‘ walk
from the High Street and find
inspiration with Total Health
Pharmacy. Situated opposite the
Watton Medical Practice, the
pharmacy has a wide range of gifts
and present ideas for Christmas and
all year round.
Choose from bags, scarves and
jewellery and luxurious gift sets for a
real treat. There are delightful music
boxes and snow globes and a magical
gathering of fairies specially captured
in jars! Beautiful glass and fragrant
candles and diffusers make a gift
with a difference. Or choose from
cheeky mugs, jigsaws and a host of
stocking fillers as well as some very
bold Christmas decorations – just
watch out for the moose!
There is so much to choose from but
if you can‘t decide what to buy, gift
vouchers are available and can be
redeemed at Total Health Pharmacy
and also Total Health Therapy. Total
Health Pharmacy is open 7 days a
week from 8am until late.
Students share stage with Diversity
Sixth Form Students and Dance Group (L to R) Francesca Izzo, Charlotte Buck, Jescina Thorpe and Hayley Briggs.
Four Attleborough High Students are
celebrating their success after being
one of the lucky acts chosen to
perform in Norwich last week.
Hayley Briggs, Francesca Izzo,
Jescina Thorpe and Charlotte Buck
who are all Sixth Formers at the
school enjoyed the excitement of
sharing the stage with ‗Britain‘s Got
Talent‘ winners ‗diversity‘ after
winning a competition to perform
through ‗Heart Radio‘ during the
Christmas Light switch-on.
The four skilled dancers were
thrilled to be chosen for this event.
The initial thrill of their success
was followed by weeks of hard
work devising their dance routine
and rehearsing their presentation to
ensure that the large audience saw
Picture: Submitted
a superb performance from the
girls. After the performance at
Chapelfield the girls were
exhilarated, having enjoyed the
support of friends and family and
the enthusiasm of the large crowd
that came to watch them. They
commented: ‖It was an amazing
experience and we wish we could
do it again.‖
It’s Your Paper
It’s Your News
01953 858 908
julian@midnorfolktimes.com
The Hare &
Barrel Hotel
Originally an old manor house dating back
to 1806, we offer 16 en-suite bedrooms,
10 of which have been converted from
the old Coach House Stables
‘Noted for Good Food’
Extensive Bar & Restaurant Menu
bookings advisable at all times
A relaxing Conservatory ~ Beer Garden
Patio ~ Bar ~ Restaurant
Games Room ~ Car Park ~ Courtyard
Try our Traditional
Sunday Lunch
Discounts for large bookings always negotiable
Children Always Welcome
80 Brandon Road, Watton.
Tel: 01953 882752
DY-FIT FOR LIFE
EXERCISE TO MUSIC CLASSES
Watton Sports Centre, Dereham Road.
All the sessions are designed to promote stamina,
strength and flexibility whilst taking into account
the fitness level and ability of participants.
General Aerobics Mondays 7pm

Watton Festival 2009

The aim of the ninth Watton
Festival, which ended on October
31st, was to celebrate the interest
and enthusiasm for the arts of all
interested individuals and groups in
Watton and the surrounding district,
and to give the opportunity for local
people of all ages to enjoy high
quality professional performances.
Judging from the favourable
comments received by the
Committee the Aim was achieved
and the Festival was a resounding
success.
The professional performances
were augmented by the wealth of
local talent that helped to produce
the two productions of The Good
Old Days. Once again, the format
of Peter Walmsley as the Chairman
and a varied programme put
together by the Producers and
Directors of the Show, Ken &
Brenda Davis proved to be a recipe
for success. An excellent start to the
week‘s festivities.
Junior Startime, organised by Jenny
Mann, was again popular and
attracted many talented young
people. A capacity audience
appreciated the work that went into
the making of a first class talent
show.
Other highlights of the week
included the Viennese Gala
Evening starring Keith Hobday and
his Strictly Strings Orchestra, the
film shows presenting ―The Wind
in the Willow‖ and ―The
Philadelphia Story‖ and ―The
Feathers, Flounces and Fantastic
Rhythms‖ evening which included
Jose Ferrera and Afrocan‘s Afro
Cuban music.
The two one-man show evenings
were particularly well received.
First we had Robert Lloyd Parry
producing ‗moments of pleasing
terror‘ with his two ghost stories by
M R James, and then Alison Neil
bringing to the Queens Hall stage
the true story of a group of Ladies
of Quality in Georgian London who
determined to make Shakespeare
fashionable.
Thursday was a very busy day with
a most successful return visit by
Professor Jingles with his Punch &
Judy and Magic Show. The Show
was so well received by the adults
in attendance that thoughts of an
evening‘s entertainment were
voiced. In the afternoon a good
audience loved Doreen Reed with
her Facts, Fibs & a Pinch of Salt.
Her amusing poems and tales of
everyday life caused many a titter
and indeed full blown laughter.
Norfolk‘s own Pam Ayers.
This was the first Festival to
include a full comedy evening and
we were lucky in having Winston,
The Singing Farmer. He hit just the
right spot and provided an evening
of fun and laughter. Now that‘s
what I call diversifyin‘, boy.
My own special favourite of the
week was Chris Smith and the
String of Pearls Orchestra. From the
first Glenn Miller number, through
tunes and songs made famous by
Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra,
Count Basie and others too
numerous to mention I was hooked.
An evening to remember and
savour.
Another first for the Festival and a
real success this year was The Big
Picture. The Art Project was based
on the lines of a Rolf Harris TV
Show where a painting, in our case
a Lowry, was divided into squares
and painted by different people.
The result was quite impressive as
were the other pictures produced
and designed by pupils at Wayland
Community High School.
The Library joined in with activities
for the younger children and the
Wayland Partnership ‗chipped in‘
with Touch Wood - an Exhibition
of Art in Wood. We also welcomed
George Cushing with his Bursen
Street Organ on the first Saturday
morning in Chaston Place.
The Festival Committee were able
to thank Friends, Sponsors and
helpers at the start of the Festival
when they were invited to the
Launch Party and were entertained
by Annette Jude & Suzie Turner.
Breckland Council Community
Festivals Fund sponsored the Art
Project. Watton & District Rotary
Club (Junior Startime) and
Breckland Funeral Services (The
Good Old Days) were the other
Event Sponsors whilst Adcock &
Sons, Bowes of Norfolk Ltd,
Broom Hall Country Hotel, Green
Cuisine Food Products Ltd, Mike
Harper Tax & Accountancy
Services and W F Smith & Co were
our General Sponsors. Our helpers
are really too numerous to mention
individually but perhaps particular
mention should be made to John
Reed for his Lighting expertise,
Roy Ivory (Sound), Martin
Anscombe (Festival sign)and his
staff at the Tourist Information
Centre for their help with ticket
sales, Janet Lundie for the Web-site
and the production of posters, the
Queens Hall personnel, particularly
Rita and George, and last but not
least the Friends of Watton Festival.
The overall result of this year‘s
An hour long, as energetic as you wish!**
Nifty Fifties Fridays 11am
A challenging workout for
"recycled teenagers"**
Gentle Option Fridays 10am
40 minutes duration, no floorwork. Problems such as
arthritis and joint replacement are taken into account.
Festival has given the Committee Please note the current term ends on Tuesday
members great satisfaction and the 15th December (the last class is the 2pm Nifty-
knowledge that their hard work and Fifties at Hingham Sports Hall)
careful planning over a two year ** Please bring a mat for floorwork
period was not wasted. For further details, please contact
A Biennial General Meeting will be
held at The Crown Hotel on
Diane Cuthbert
Wednesday 27th January, 2010
when the results of this year‘s
01953 850275
RSA/YMCA Qualified Teacher
Festival will be published and the
future discussed. All interested
persons will be welcome. I shall be
reminding the Friends in the New
Year that they have voting rights
for a new Committee if the Meeting
decides to proceed with another
Festival in two year‘s time. If you
have any suggestions, criticisms,
advice, views or whatever
concerning the Festival activities
now is the time to speak out. Please
come to the General Meeting or
contact any of the following:
Chairman & Secretary: John &
Judy Kerr 01953 882613; Vice-
Chairman: Brenda Davis 01953
881792; Treasurer & Friends‘
Secretary: Derek Smith 01953
884044.
In the centre spread of this issue of
The Mid-Norfolk Times there are
photographs of most of the events
but have a glance at the Web-site
on http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/
wattonarts or Google ―Watton
Festival‖. It is a good reminder of a
most successful week. If further
reminders are required the
following sites are worth a visit
www.nunkie.co.uk (Robert Lloyd
Parry), www.alisonneil.co.uk ,
www.bryanclarke.co.uk (Professor
Jingles), www.singingfarmer.co.uk
and www.stringofpearls.co.uk.
(Derek I Smith, November 2009)
Mid-Norfolk TimesPage
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Short Story
Scraunge’s Boots by Lindsay Keir-Wise
Mr Bertram Small was a mild
mannered man who lived in
comfortable retirement with his wife,
Bessie, occupying a pleasant house in
what they considered one of the
nicest parts of rural England. They
both enjoyed gardening, and although
Mrs Small's contribution was almost
entirely supervisory, nothing gave
them more pleasure than to survey
t h e i r h a nd i wo r k fr o m t h e
conservatory or from the patio where
they would take tea on sunny
afternoons.
Mr Small would be regarded by
many as an ideal husband. He was
industrious in the home environment,
but deferred to Mrs Small in all
domestic matters. Whilst he did not
always agree with her administrative
decisions, he had learned to bend
with the wind. Mrs Bessie Small,
however, had two sources of
discontent in her life. The one
concerning Mr Small's lack of
advancement during his long service
in the Audit Office was common
knowledge in the family. Lesser men
had been promoted, she said, and he
had spent much of his time sorting
out their mistakes. He should have
asserted himself more. But this advice
did not, of course, obtain in the home
environment.
The other source of discontent was a
secret and irrational one. Some years
ago she had been shopping in a
department store, but the dress she
favoured was not at that time held in
stock. 'Would Madam care to leave
her name?' asked the smart saleslady.
She did. Mrs Small was, and is, an
optimistic size 22, and the slow smile
that played about the lips of the
saleslady and her young assistant cut
her to the very soul.
She avoided giving her name
whenever possible thereafter. Her
maiden name had been Hammond,
and though she would deny it, even to
herself, she secretly blamed her
husband for diminishing her status
and leaving her open to ridicule. Mr
Small was ignorant of this unhealed
wound, and would probably have
shown only mild surprise if it were
revealed to him. But he himself, in
spite of what I have said about his
character and the apparent harmony
of their existence, was an angry man.
He did not vent his spleen on any of
the targets primed by the popular
press for our vilification; not the
government or the Health Service,
nor yet the fat cats of industry, but on
one cat in particular. The object of Mr
Small's anger was Scraunge, a
malevolent off-marmalade tomcat
who lived over there somewhere, but
who regarded Mr Small's well-kept
garden as his personal playground.
Each day he would stroll in and
amuse himself catching imaginary
butterflies, scratching up the
seedlings, sunbathing in the salvias,
doing his poopies in the poppies
and reducing Mr Small to heart-
pounding, eye-popping fury. There
was a time when a clap of the hands
and a cry of 'Shoo!' would send him
scurrying, but Scraunge grew
bolder and more insolent as time
went by. On one occasion Mr Small
leaped from his chair waiving his
arms and shouting, and advanced to
within a yard of the animal, who
merely sneered over his shoulder
and sauntered into the shrubbery.
Mr Small was furious that he
should be reduced to such indignity,
and Mrs Small was even more
furious, because Mr Small,
unmindful of the proximity of the
neighbours, had been so carried
away as to unleash a torrent of
invective more suitable to the
barrack-room or the football
terraces than to the normal quietude
of a country garden. Mrs Small was
mortified. 'Wherever did you learn
such language, Bertie?' she asked.
'I've never heard anything like it,
not even on the telly!'
The neighbourhood was rich in
retired solicitors and ladies from the
Inner Wheel, and she was sure that if
Mr Small's outburst had been
overheard, she would never live it
down. Mr Small was apologetic. 'It
just slipped out,' he said.
He resolved to keep his anger in
check, but the very next day, when he
removed his garden boots on the
kitchen steps, Scraunge appeared,
strolling unconcernedly not a dozen
paces from where he stood. Mr Small
silently took aim, and with practice
born of many hours on the bowling
green, hurled one of his boots to pass
close to the ear of the surprised
Scraunge, who turned quickly away
to head for the six foot close-board
fence. As he did so, Mr Small let fly
with the other boot, skilfully flicking
it heel over toe so that it landed a foot
behind the animal's tail in the
verisimilitude of a herd of rampant
buffalo.
At this, Scraunge took off like a
rocket, clearing the fence with ease
with all four legs akimbo like those
flying squirrels you sometimes see in
the National Geographic Magazine.
Mr Small was very pleased to have
found so effective a weapon and
decreed that thenceforth his older pair
of cast-off garden boots would be
designated Scraunge's Boots, and
would have a permanent place of
readiness under the garden seat on the
patio. Mrs Small, who had witnessed
the display, and who was secretly
pleased to see this more dominant
side of Mr Small's nature, concurred.
For some weeks Mr Small appeared
to be getting the upper hand. His skill
increased and he was able to lob the
first boot to land a little in front of the
cat, and then, as the animal veered off
in a new direction, place the herd of
rampant buffalo where it would cause
the maximum confusion and disarray.
Mrs Small complained that the
destruction wrought among the
flowerbeds by Scraunge's Boots was
greater than that by the cat himself.
Mr Small would have none of this
defeatist talk. He muttered something
about friendly fire and how you
couldn't kill chickens without
breaking some eggs, a sentiment he
attributed to Mr Churchill.
Scraunge, however, had obviously
thought about the situation, and it was
not long before he came up with a
new tactic. One night – or rather, in
the early hours of the morning – he
presented himself at the front of the
house, strolling up and down the
driveway, switching the security
lights on and off and howling as only
a nocturnal cat can. When, for the
umpteenth time, Mr Small flung open
the bedroom window to hiss and shoo
in an attempt to see him off, Scraunge
stood his ground and stared balefully
up at him. He knew his Boots were
round the back.
The next morning, a tired Mr Small
resolved on a more drastic plan. He
sat on the patio seat with the Boots on
his lap, pretending to be asleep while
Mrs Small busied herself in the
kitchen. Scraunge's first incursion
was a tentative one, but seeing the
somnolent Mr Small – whose
pretence had by now become a reality
– he ranged further afield. He jumped
in and out of the cold frame, and was
about to enter the open door of the
greenhouse, when Mr Small awoke
with a start and loosed off a hurried
and ill-judged boot. He stared aghast
as it sailed high in the air, heel over
toe, to land with a crash and a tinkling
of horticultural glass.
The cat retreated a little and stopped
to stare at the destruction, but this was
his undoing, for Mr Small, realising
that he had the other boot in his hand,
was galvanised into action. Scraunge
leaped away only just in time to avoid
a fearful blow, and in his haste made
for the end of the garden that was
bordered by a twelve foot quick-thorn
hedge. The hedge was judged
impenetrable by all but the smallest
bird, but it was too late for Scraunge
to change direction – he marshalled
all his strength for a mighty leap,
landed half way up, and then, with a
slow over-arm crawl, disappeared
from Mr Small's view.
Mr Small inspected first the shattered
panes of his greenhouse, and the
lacerated tomato plants inside, and
then the site of Scraunge's exit. He
was somewhat mollified to find
several handfuls of ginger fluff, and
peering into the darkness of the
hedge, saw that there was a good deal
more deposited within. Mrs Small
had come out by now and seeing the
destruction of the greenhouse was
about to berate her husband for his
foolishness.
Mr Small silenced her with a
wave of his hand. 'See this!' he
cried, throwing the gathered fluff
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 13
Christmas Art Exhibition (Mixed
Media) Seasonal Theme
to the ground. 'There is enough
Sat. 5th - Sat. 19th December
there to make a new cat!' 13 artists to include
'Good Heavens, Bertie,' she said,
'you've never killed him?' Isobel Bartholomew
'I bloody hope so,' replied Mr Small Her work is featured in a number of
grimly. publications including the R.H.S. 'New
Mr Small was not normally a Dictionary of Gardening' and Dr. Shirley
bloodthirsty man, and cruelty to Sherwood's book 'A Passion for Plants -
animals in any other person would Contemporary Botanical Masterworks'
distress him. He was against blood
sports on principle and would always Dragonfly Exhibition Centre
leave out pieces of bacon rind on his
bird table, cutting it first into easily
Wayland House, Watton
digested morsels with the kitchen 01953 880205
scissors. It is just when anger is upon
a man he loses a sense of reason and
proportion.
I can record that Scraunge, who in his
home circle was known as Timmy,
reached the loving arms of his family,
distressed and somewhat bedraggled,
but he was cosseted and nursed back
to health with cream and proprietary
whale meat enhanced with vitamins.
Had he been a philosophical cat,
which he was not, he may have
reflected on the fate of the whale
whose sacrifice was instrumental in
his recovery. He would certainly have
pondered the injustice that had
brought him to his current sorry
condition, particularly as his
grandfather, also known as Timmy,
had been free to play and hunt in the
fields thereabouts long before Mr
Small and his bungalow had appeared ROGER TURNER
on the scene. But he, the current 07759 948 830
Timmy, after the trauma of the
impenetrable hedge, was content to 01953 881 382
lie on the window ledge and idle the
days away.
Mr and Mrs Small enjoyed the
pleasures of a cat-free garden; the
greenhouse was repaired at the cost of
something over twelve pounds, and
the blackbirds and sparrows became
more numerous and fed fearlessly on
lawn and patio.
But one morning, to the chagrin of
Mr and Mrs Small, Scraunge
reappeared in a particularly prized
flowerbed. The Boots came out of the
shed and were placed again under the
patio seat, and in the words of Mr
Chamberlain, a state of war existed
between them.
How the matter will end, we do not
know. The cat may murder any
number of sparrows, or may himself
be felled by a mortal blow from one
of his Boots. Mr Small may succumb
to an apoplectic seizure, brought on On (01953) 883143
by sheer frustration, or in his fury he
may take a carving knife to Mrs Mobile 07721 535 285
Small. Such things are reported in the
newspapers in lurid detail on any day
of the week.
It would be very pleasant to report
that a reconciliation, or, as they say
in the newspapers, a negotiated
HARMONY
settlement between the parties had
been reached. But this drama is but
a microcosm of those played out all
over the world, ever since the Old
QUILTING
Testament taught us how we should
conduct ourselves, reiterated by the A Professional Machine
lessons of Coronation Street and
Albert Square. Quilting Service
And we know that in the green and !!! You do the patchwork !!!
pleasant gardens of England,
somewhere, rustling among the I do the quilting
flowerbeds, there will always be a
malevolent, off-marmalade, scratchy, For Quilting
scraungy cat.
And a calm, inoffensive and
Wadding & Backing Prices
otherwise peace-loving man will be www.harmonyquilting.co.uk
bent on its destruction.
Tel: 01953 882484
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 14 Advertising

Trixie

Your small, local branch, in its 107th

year, is opening a charity shop at

13 High Street, Watton

Darcy IP25 6AB
Lisa Tel 01953 886613
Opening Hours 10am to 4pm Mon to Sat
Lady
Please help us to continue to rehome over 500
unwanted companion animals each year in the
Mid Norfolk area some of whom are shown here.
We also give a wide range of advice, assistance
and support to owners on low incomes,
pensioners and others in need of help with their
much loved animals.
We NEED good quality clothing, all sizes, shoes,
accessories, toys, furnishings, bric-a-brac,
Melissa books, DVD's, furniture and other saleable items
in good condition.
Kiros
Do you have a few hours to spare each week to
help us run our small, friendly shop?

A driver with own van is also needed

occasionally. Expenses paid.

PLEASE HELP
US TO HELP
THE ANIMALS
Contact out of shop hours:
Jaffrey Marion on 01603 43 83 60 Marley
News
Irene finally takes a Break
Irene Warby (right), Manageress of
the Break charity shop in Watton is
finally taking her well earned rest by
retiring from the post she has held
for 16 years.
Irene, who retired on the 14th
November, has managed the shop
since Bryan Gunn performed the
opening ceremony there on the 13th
November, 1993. She lives in
Watton but originates from
Christchurch in Cambridgeshire.
Irene says she has really enjoyed
looking after the shop, ―All the
volunteers I have worked with have
been wonderful and are like an
extended family to me. And I would
really like to pay tribute to the help
and support they have given me
over the years, without them I
couldn‘t have managed. I really
would like to thank them all.‖
And what does the future hold now?
―My grandchildren‖ said Irene
laughing. ―I have three
grandchildren from 3 to 12 and I am
looking forward to spending more
time with them.‖
Local produce featured at Banham
This Christmas, Londis Banham is
featuring many of its local producers, in
a special Christmas promotion. The
range being promoted includes bread,
cakes & savouries from Linzers bakery,
and a new sparkling soft drink range
from Breckland Orchards. Local beers
are represented by Wolf & Elmtree. Both
companies have a Christmas gift pack,
which is ideal for the 'man who has
everything'!
Two cider companies are promoting very
different cider ranges. Crones have 3
different organic ciders, while Norfolk
Rollercoaster first year for Salena
It would take a brave person who set up a
new business at the beginning of a
recession in a small market town in
Norfolk. But Salena Dawson, who
originally comes from Coventry, had the
courage to do that and has now
Cider offer a range of 3 refined ciders.
This is as well as the nationally
renowned Aspalls who's best selling
'blush' cider is part of their range.
Our meat, will again this year, come
from our local butcher FL Edge, and the
store will be supplying a full range
including Turkey, Chicken, Goose etc.
with orders already being taken.
The latest local supplier to join the
range, is the English Whisky Co,
supplying both fruit & cream whisky
liqueurs. It is also hoped to include
Chapter 6 English Malt Whisky.
celebrated her first year as an
independent solicitor specialising in
Employment Law and Commercial work.
―It has‖ she says, ―been a rollercoaster
ride.‖
After qualifying and training, Salena
All this is beside the normal range
offered by the store!
To kick off the promotion, the store is
having tasting activities on the 5th &
6th December, to give customers a
chance to try before they buy. And
they will also be selling raffle tickets,
to give customers a chance to win a
£50 hamper of local goodies, with all
monies raised going to support
Banham Church.
For further information contact the
store on 01953 887320
took a position in the commercial
department of a Norwich based firm, but
always felt that she wanted more from
her career. The looming recession meant
that the threat of redundancy was
hanging over her. While considering her
options and whether she could set
off on her own, as sometimes
happens in life, lots of things just
suddenly fell into place and there she
was on day one, no clients, no work,
but her own boss. Very quickly, as a
result of her reputation and skills,
work started coming in and although
it has not been easy, the completion
of her first successful year has
delighted Salena.
With her from the beginning, as her
personal assistant, has been Alex
Slade. Alex had been Salena‘s first
secretary and the two have, as it
were, grown up together, offering
clients an efficient and cost effective
service. Indeed Alex is now
approaching the end of her training
and will become the company‘s
Elderly Client Consultant.
Salena who lives in Thompson, is a
dedicated mum to her three children,
Daniel, Ellen and Luke and has other
talents and is also a local author
writing and publishing the regional
bestselling books, based on the
children's character Clay the Cromer
Crab.
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 15
Watton Art Group
Invite you to an Art Show
in the
Watton Christian Community Centre
Preview Thursday 10th December, 7.30pm
Friday 11th and Saturday 12th, 9am – 3pm
Refreshments available
If you are interested in Art come along and see painters at work, chat and find
out more about an interesting hobby.
Sponsored by The Village Florist, Watton
Coffee at the Queens Hall
9.30am to 11.30am
Sat Dec. 7th Farmers Market Day
Inner Wheel Christmas Charity Stall
CHRISTMAS PRIZE BINGO
Saturday 5th December Eyes down 7.30pm
Great Ellingham Recreation Centre
Proceeds in aid of Great Ellingham (St James) Scout Group
Charity Number 1062603
SALEC TRAVEL LTD
Saturday 5th December Ipswich 9am Adult £9 Child £6
Wednesday 9th December - Thursford - Adult + Child £37 SOLD OUT
Thursday 10th December - Christmas Seaside Special - Adult & Child £20
Saturday 12th December Lakeside or Bluewater 8am Adult £14 Child £9
Fri 18th Dec. - Snow White on ice at King Lynn Matinee - Adult & Child £25
Sun 20th Dec Christmas Lunch at The Green in Aylsham Adult & Child £22
Wednesday 30th December Christmas Circus 10am Adult & Child £19
Saturday 9th January Ipswich Sales 9am & 4pm Return Adult £9 Child £6
Thurs 14th January Fakenham 9.30am & 1.30pm Return Adult & Child £5
Sat 23rd January Bury St Edmunds 9.30am & 3pm Return Adult & Child £5
PLEASE NOTE: WISBECH CHRISTMAS MARKET DATE CHANGED TO
MONDAY 21st DECEMBER. ALSO FAKENHAM IN DECEMBER
CHANGED TO THURSDAY 3rd DECEMBER
Holidays 2010
(Please ring for Itineraries)
Country & Western Weekend ~ Emmerdale Weekend
Brighton Weekend ~Isle of Wight ~ Lake District
Turkey & Tinsel Folkestone
2010 Brochure Out Now!
For more details please phone:
01953 881159
PRIVATE COACH & MINIBUS HIRE ALSO AVAILABLE
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 16 Mid-Norfolk Times Page 17
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 18
Caring for our forces
T
hree months ago we asked a
serious national question in
relation to Afghanistan.
Presenting both sides of the
story, we asked if Britain had mired
itself in a war that nobody, no matter
how powerful their army, could win.
Now, three months on, while the
support for our troops could not be
greater, more people, politicians and
high ranking military people are asking
quite simply ―should we be there?‖
Another question that has been on the
lips of many is ―could this be our
Vietnam?‖ While the citizens of the
United States know only too well about
the Vietnam War; it is not widely
recognized that Australia was also
involved in the war and those who
were sent to the jungles of Vietnam had
no choice. Conscription was still in
force and if your number came out of
the lottery barrel you knew you were
off to fight in a war very few people
knew anything about.
So we asked our Australian writer,
Chris O‘Connor, to look at how the
war in Vietnam impacted on the nation,
the families and the soldiers who came
home different men, and how
thousands of people marching in the
streets forced the government of the
day to withdraw from a war that most
people now agree was fought because
of a simple fear of communism.
When I first arrived in Australia 40
years ago I received a letter from the
government telling me to register for
military service. The fact that at the
time I had no intention of staying in the
country meant nothing and I duly
registered. A few months later I
received another letter from the
government advising me that I was
exempt from military service simply
because my date of birth had not come
up on one of the balls in the lottery
draw. It was that simple – wrong date
of birth and you were off to Vietnam to
fight.
The Vietnam War was the longest
major conflict in which Australians
have been involved; it lasted ten years,
from 1962 to 1972, and involved some
60,000 personnel. A limited initial
commitment of just 30 military advisers
grew to include a battalion in 1965 and
finally, in 1966, a task force. Each of
the three services was involved, but the
dominant role was played by the Army.
In the early years, Australia’s
participation in the war was not widely
opposed. But as the commitment grew,
as conscripts began to make up a large
percentage of those being deployed and
killed, and as the public increasingly
came to believe that the war was being
lost, opposition grew until, in the early
1970s, thousands began to register
their anti-Vietnam protest.
Involvement in the war cost more than
500 Australian servicemen their lives,
while some 3,000 were wounded,
otherwise injured or were victims of
illness.
And it is the ‘victims of illness’ that
Britain will soon start to notice. The
dead are honoured and their final
march is over; but for those living on,
who have seen the atrocities: young
children blown apart, women raped
because they spoke to the wrong man
or having to cradle a comrade in your
arms as his dies is something they will
never forget.
I recall sitting at a barbeque with an
SAS soldier – the toughest known to
Australia and watching tears roll down
his eyes as his thoughts went back to a
fire fight he’s been involved in. He
didn’t want to tell us about it but
suddenly it all came out, he talked of
the women he’d killed when blowing up
a village, of mangled arms and legs
and bodies blown beyond recognition.
He remembered the first time he killed
a man and afterwards, checking his
body for booby traps had found photos
of his wife and children in a cheap
wallet. Remember, this was a man
trained to kill, a man who had done
more serious warfare training than the
average soldier and, to put it mildly, he
was a wreck. He felt guilt, fear, and
lack of control of his life. And instead
of receiving counselling he was told by
his commanding officer that his role
was ‘To seek out and close with the
enemy; to kill or capture him; to seize
and hold ground; to repel attack, by
day or night, regardless of season,
weather or terrain."
This young man of 22 had what we
now recognise as Post Traumatic
Stress Syndrome (PTSD). British
soldiers are no different to Australian
soldiers when it comes to emotion and
stress and many of the soldiers who
return will feel anger, regret and major
depression. When Major Nidal Malik
Hassan went on his shooting rampage
at Fort Hood Texas killing 12 people
General Peter Chiarelli the US Army
vice-chief of staff called PTSD ‘a
painful mixture of anxiety and
depression, one of the signature
wounds of war.’ In the US this year at
least 128 troops have killed themselves
following duty in Afghanistan. But it is
not just PTSD that will impact on
Britain. The war in Afghanistan will
start to divide the nation. It will bring
about demonstrations the
size of which you cannot
imagine. In Australia in
1970 200,000 people
marched through the
streets of Melbourne to
protest at the war.
Postmen who delivered the
letter telling men they
were going to war were
spat upon; a man I know,
a Quaker and genuine
conscientious objector
spent six months in prison
for refusing to sign up.
Apart from the
psychological damage
inflicted on the veterans,
by the late 1970s many
believed they had also
been poisoned while
fighting in Vietnam. Between 1962 and
1971 over 17 million gallons of
herbicide and insecticide were used in
Vietnam to clear vegetation so the Viet
Cong had nowhere to hide. Agent
Orange was only one of the many
insecticides used but that name has
come to represent them all. This action
was known as Operation Ranch Hand.
During Ranch Hand, American and
Australian soldiers were exposed to the
chemicals.
In 1978 a report appeared that linked
Agent Orange with cancers of the soft
tissues and blood, birth defects in
children born to those exposed to the
herbicide and toxic brain
dysfunction. Don’t think for a minute
lethal chemical substances are not
being used in Afghanistan.
Those who served in Vietnam have
23% higher mortality rate and 14%
elevated rate of cancer incidence
compared to those who did not serve in
Vietnam.
The legacy of the Vietnam War lingers
to this day, but at least the Australian
government has realised the value of its
military. When the dead return home
now they are met by the Defence
Minister; in America Barak Obama
helped carry coffins from a military
plane recently; And in Britain?
We do not condemn Gordon Brown for
misspelling a soldier‘s name but quite
frankly it is not good enough for him to
express his ‗sorrow and sadness‘ when
British casualties occur. So far as I
have seen, no government
representative has had the courage to
get together with the families when the
bodies of our military personnel killed
in action are brought home for the very
last time. Contrast that with Australia
where the latest victim was met by the
Minister for Defence who then
attended the full military funeral. The
Australian Parliament also stood for a
minute in respectful silence.
Whether we like it or not, the dead are
dead. The wounded now become part
of our society and our responsibility to
look after them in their time of sickness
should never end – and I believe that
through the organisations like The
Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes
and Troop Aid, it never will. But it
worries me that that I don‘t feel our
government has the same commitment
that these organisations do and appears
to betray the military covenant.
According to the Army website: The
Military Covenant is the mutual
obligation between the Nation, the
Army and each individual soldier; an
unbreakable common bond of identity,
Comment and Puzzles
loyalty and responsibility which has
sustained the Army throughout its
history.
Soldiers will be called upon to make
personal sacrifices - including the
Letters
ultimate sacrifice - in the service of the
Nation. In putting the needs of the
Nation and the Army before their own,
they forego some of the rights enjoyed
to the
by those outside the Armed Forces. In
return, British soldiers must always be
able to expect fair treatment, to be
valued and respected as individuals,
Editor
and that they (and their families) will Christmas lights
be sustained and rewarded by Dear Sir,
commensurate terms and conditions of The Christmas Lights! As this is the
service.‖ event of the moment I feel that there
In the same way the unique nature of should be some understanding in the
military land operations means that the Town as to the efforts behind this
Army differs from all other institutions, year‘s display.
and must be sustained and provided for For very many years we have had
accordingly by the Nation. This Martin Anscombe doing the job,
mutual obligation forms the Military starting equipment work in the
Covenant between the Nation, the summer, with a push with
Army and each individual soldier; an volunteers from the Chamber of
unbreakable common bond of identity, Commerce and the Town Council
on the erection days late November.
loyalty and responsibility which has
sustained the Army throughout its A couple years ago due to Martins
history. retirement, from the Chamber
It has perhaps its greatest manifestation Secretariat and from 'being up a
in the annual commemoration of ladder' the Job was taken on by Roy
Armistice Day, when the Nation keeps Ivory on behalf of the Council. At
covenant with those who have made this time a legal arrangement was
the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives drawn up between the Council and
in action. the Chamber in that the Chamber
The duty of care towards troops would pay for the electricity and
implied by the covenant includes supply help on erection. This year‘s
paying towards healthcare, which can payments to the couple of shops
be physical care for injuries or mental involved have been done at the 11th
support for Post Traumatic Stress hour, 10 months after they were due.
Disorder and other problems. The And to add insult to this attitude
Ministry of Defence also provides there has NOT been one person
support for bereaved families. coming forward from the Chamber
British law gives our government to assist, during manufacture of the
'combat immunity', which prevents new lights nor on the many days of
soldiers from claiming compensation erection (mostly last Sunday, in the
for injuries they received in combat rain). The job has so far been done
except under official compensation by a couple of councillors, Roy
schemes. Because soldiers cannot take Ivory, his son and my Fiancée
the Crown to a civil court, the covenant Sandra and a friend from Dereham.
is viewed as important in protecting This band has so far contributed
soldiers' rights to compensation. some 300 Man Hours. We have also
Is it not obscene – I can think of no had vehicles parking on my leg and
stronger word - to see billions poured a contra taunt in the High St with
into the gaping hole of our banking town‘s youth that has led to Police
system, lining the pockets of the super and statements!
rich, whilst ex-soldiers live in I am extremely disappointed that the
cardboard boxes on the streets of our Chamber of Commerce of this town,
cities? which used to have a very good
The Nation holds the Covenant with reputation, has totally failed to
the Soldier; and Mr Brown, your job is support this endeavour. We all like
to lead and to do the Nation‘s will. We our Christmas lights and surely most
demand that you uphold that Covenant of the Towns' Shop Keepers will
and should there be one widow, one benefit due to the lights bringing
fatherless child or one ex soldier good cheer and people into the
suffering for the want of the care of our Town. So where is the Chamber
nation this Christmas, then you, Prime when it is needed?
Minister, should hang your head in A Osborn Member of Chamber of
shame. Commerce and Town Council.
MID-NORFOLK TIMES
The deadline for the January issue will be 12
Noon on the 16th December
Page space is allocated strictly on a first come, first served basis. Deadline is
the latest date and time that copy will be considered for inclusion. Arrival of
copy before deadline does not guarantee inclusion, if you wish to be certain
your entry gets to print then please make sure it arrives in plenty of time.
If you are submitting on paper you MUST sign and include your contact
details with each item. If you do not, the item will NOT be published.
You can contact Julian by ringing (01953) 858908. You can write to 32 High
Street, Watton IP25 6AE Or you can leave copy in the bin at Adcocks, 32
High Street, Watton.
The e-mail address is julian@midnorfolktimes.com
All views expressed in the Mid-Norfolk Times are those of the contributors
and not the publishers. While every care and effort has been taken to ensure
accuracy the publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.
This issue of the Mid-Norfolk Times was published by:
Julian Horn, 32 High Street, Watton IP25 6AE and
printed through www.quotemeprint.com 0845 1300 667
Comment and Puzzles
Boy Sid
Dear Sah,
My ole sister an‘ oi wud loike to say how
much we enjoy yer new look pearper.
Tha‘s keepin us up ter date with was a
goin orn and the loike. We particular
loiked that there bit from Boy Sid – us
being both true bred Naarfolk.
Them people was a compainin about Sid‘s
ole cokkerell! Wos they expectin ter hear
in the countryside? Woi dew people come
ter live in bootifull Naarfolk places and
then start a complainin‘ about the
countryside noise? Tha‘s loike them wos
moved in aside that there airfield and then
complain about the gliders. Dew you go
on back to where yew cum from is wot oi
say!!
Now Sah, dew yew think thas a good
oidea fer yew t‘ hev a letter‘s section in
yer pearper, sew we can complain about
the folk wos complainin?
Tha‘s us dun now. Jo and Gloria.
The “Ovington Crower” in his prime
From the Ed: Oi welcome leerters on any
subject, whether yew is complainin or
praising. But oi think for the serke o’ them
wos a readin about them wos complianin
about them wos complainin, we ort t’ stick
to tha Queen’s English - in this bit
anyway. But oi dew enjoy a bit of ribbin!
Watton Festival
May I say through your newspaper,
please, what a pleasure it was for me to
perform my One Woman Show ―Facts,
Fibs and a Pinch Of Salt‖ at the Queens
Hall Watton, Thursday 29th October. The
Festival committee members were so
supportive and so well organised. They
clearly have worked very hard to put on
such a successful festival. Well Done!
Doreen Reed, Writer &
Storyteller. Heacham
SUDOKO JUST FOR FUN!
Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be
reached logically without guessing. Enter digits from
1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain
one of each digit. So must every column, as must
every 3x3 square. © www.ukpuzzle.com
Walsingham Gates
Watton
We would like to make public our thanks
and appreciation for the attention being
given to the Walsingham Gates in Watton
which are in the middle of being painted.
In particular our Mayor, Margaret Holmes,
who supported our application; Richard
Wills (Pride in Breckland) who arranged to
supply the paint, but mainly the gentleman
who is doing the actual work. He has been
working through a cold and windy spell,
taking great care and pride in his job.
Take a trip along to see the first set of gates
which have been completed, opposite St
Mary's Church, then walk through Church
Walk to the second set of gates and you will
be able to see the amount of work which is
entailed. On the right hand side as you leave
the walk you will find a small plaque placed
in the ground which explains why they are
there.
The walk itself is very well taken care of by
council employees: the trees, the grass and
the seats receiving attention in their turn.
They also deserve a big thank you.
Ian and Winifred Allen, Watton.
When Charity
(shopping) isn’t
enough
So, it would appear that there is to be
another charity shop opening in Watton. I
have no objections to charity shops, and
indeed, use them frequently, both donating
books and clothes I no longer need or want
and obtaining replacements at affordable
prices. The ethical aspects of buying second
hand books, from which an author makes no
money at all, we shall leave for another day!
Charity shops are a good thing, providing a
financial lifeline to organisations that fill in
the gaps in State provision, providing often
vital services that simply don't interest the
for profit sector, or would cost too much for
government to provide. They allow people
on low incomes to buy such essentials as
clothing, crockery, bed linen and furniture,
as well as books and children's toys which,
while not essential, give much needed
pleasure in any kind of life, whether it's that
of the family of a single mother on benefits
or a multi-millionaire businessman. They
reduce the pressures on landfill, where,
without them, many more perfectly useable
items would probably end up.
However, when small market towns,
particularly at times of economic hardship,
know they can always rely on depressing,
empty high street units being taken on by a
charity shop at some point, and without
much effort on the part of the Town Council
to woo them, what incentive is there to try
and attract non-voluntary sector businesses
that would bring paying jobs to the area?
I am 23, currently unemployed and living in
Shipdham. I am unable to drive, which, as
past experience has shown, many employers
in Norwich are anything from ambivalent to
downright hostile to the idea of a potential
employee travelling in by public transport,
means I either have to lie on my
applications, saying I have my own transport
and hoping, that if I get the job, that I can
sort something out quickly, or look for more
local work in Dereham or Watton. In order
to live a financially independent life and to
have any kind of real future, I would need a
full time job paying at least £6 an hour.
Unfortunately in Mid-Norfolk, those jobs
don't appear to exist, with the last lot of
excitement for the unemployed being the
chance of 16 hours a week at Poundland on
the minimum wage. Fine if you're just
looking for some extra cash while you're at
college, or to top-up the family kitty, but less
than I could realistically afford to accept.
I enjoy living in the area, as I don't have
massive requirements for late night
entertainment and enjoy walking, cycling,
peace and quiet and being outdoors. If I were
in the position of having or wanting a family
of my own, I would much prefer to bring up
children here than in a large town or city. I
would like to stay here but, unfortunately, it
is looking increasingly likely that I will have
to move at least to Norwich, if not further
afield, in order to find work.
Charity shops have their place, and can
prevent a high street full of empty units
looking depressing, rundown and putting off
potential consumers or investors. However,
they must be limited, especially in a small
town such as Watton, and a real effort and
focus put on attracting quality businesses
who are committed to providing positive,
long term employment to local people, based
on their ability to do the job, rather than their
age, how many bits of paper they can wave
at someone, and how they plan to get to
work – that really isn't any concern of an
employer, so long as their staff get to work
on time, and do not have to rush off at dead
on 5.30pm in order to get home.
If this issue of long term employment
opportunities is not addressed, then
government demands that areas such as Mid-
Norfolk increase their provision of social
housing, an issue which is almost always
divisive in a community, sometimes bitterly
so, are pointless – most people who would
be granted social housing either can't afford
to run a car at all, or if they can afford a car,
can't afford the amount of petrol required for
a daily journey to and from Norwich, and so
would need local jobs. Without reasonable
wages and full time, permanent hours being
the norm, such people will remain trapped in
dependency on State benefits, resenting and
LAST MONTH’S
PUZZLES
Here are the answers to both last month‘s
Crossword and Sudoku puzzles.
There was no winner last month, so this
month‘s prize stands at £20.
For a chance to win, simply send in your
completed crossword, with your name,
address and telephone number to Mid-
Norfolk Times, 32 High Street, Watton,
Norfolk IP256AE before 16th December.
Scribble Pad
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 19
resented by the more pe r ma n ent e mplo yme nt
prosperous members of the offering a wage on which a
community in roughly equal reasonable standard of living is
measure. possible without incurring debt
Being in a strong position when are far greater. Once people
Britain comes out of recession have moved to the cities, once
doesn't mean having every they have made friends there,
retail unit in a high street filled once they are enjoying the
by someone, anyone. It means provisions of the cities for
having provision for the long whatever they class as
term future of an area, having recreation, be it nightlife,
training, employment and professional theatre, sports or
recreational needs for the whatever, can the rural area
people who will require them they left guarantee they will
not just in 5 or 10 years time return? Of course not. The
but in 25 and 50 years time, more likely scenario, if changes
when the retired are no longer are not made now, is that many
with us, the second home rural towns and villages will
owners have had to sell their simply become ghost towns,
second home in order to live perhaps the site of a nursing
through their twilight years, and home or two, somewhere to
rural Britain is dependent on come for a week or so a year on
my generation and the holiday. I do not want this to
generation after me – young happen to Mid-Norfolk, which
blood, energy, passion and deserves far more, but I can see
creativity that, if viable local it coming to this end if the
employment opportunities are decision makers continue to
not created now, will have been focus solely on the short term
lost to the cities, where fu t u r e . A s hl e y F or d,
opportunities for full time, Shipdham
ITS A ROLLOVER!!
£20 PRIZE CROSSWORD
It looks like we made the clues too tough last month as there was no
winner - so we have rolled over the prize to be a £20 Christmas
Prize. To be in with a chance of winning a £20 Adcocks voucher,
Simply complete the crossword below and post it to: Mid-Norfolk
Times, 32 High Street, Watton, Norfolk. IP25 6AE with your name,
address and phone number before the 16th December. All correct
entries will be put into a draw and the winner will receive a £20
Adcocks voucher to spend. In the event of any dispute the decision
of the Editor will be final.
Across 27 Sounds like I arrive at an
1 Unlike the Good Samaritan airport surrounded by water (6)
(4,2) Down
4 Peters already on his marks (6) 1 I pray thee will get this (7)
9 Its needles are not for sewing 2 She uses a bit of England to
(4) get a polish (5)
10 One who lives there (10) 3 London's fate in 1940/41 (7)
11 New Zealand chit for some 5 You might find a yellow one
fabric (6) on an old oak tree . . . (6)
12 Strangely tailored he 6 This accolade will be blue
worships the idol (8) generally (9)
13 It's taxing when you die! 7 Ratio of the opposite to the
(5,4) adjacent side of a right-angled
15 A special one for Christmas triangle (7)
(4) 8 Where all those needles come
16 An angel sang the first (4) from! (9,4)
17 Put the rep in a trance and 14 The money's safe with them
he'll make you a table. (9) (9)
21 That old one! (8) 16 One who has given up? (2-5)
22 This butter's gone off (6) 18 Seraphs sing the musical
24 They'll tell you the worth passages (7)
(10) 19 Iced vet is homeless (7)
25 Just a short one to let you 20 Bless with oil (6)
know (4) 23 In Jan's mutant turtle we'll
26 It isn't that common (6) find a skilled assassin! (5)
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 20
A year of
changes
Or a Very Merry Christmas
from the Editor
What a year this has been! The
Wayland News has stepped up a gear
and made the transition from what
was previously a low key, safe format
to the Mid-Norfolk Times, a much
more grown up paper with proper
journalistic values, which somehow
and, at the same time, retains the ethos
of the Wayland News and provides
exactly the same opportunities for the
community to get their news across.
I hope you are enjoying it as much as
I am. Its something of a tradition that I
take this opportunity of thanking
everyone who helps make this the
success it has been and this year is no
exception, so in no particular order . . .
A really big thank you for the content
that has been submitted by Chris
O‘Connor, Edith Pleasance, Lotta
Potts, Helen Quinn, Frank Wilder,
Adam and every other contributor
whether as individuals or on behalf of
their organisations.
The advertisers who actually pay out
real money so you don't have to!
To Bryony who helps me get this
offering out to you; to the businesses
across mid-Norfolk who stock the
paper and to the organisations within
the villages that have set up their own
distribution schemes, thank you too
for all your help in making the Mid-
Norfolk Times what it is.
Edwards in Watton particular get a
special mention, thanks Chris.
This year I took the most frightening
step of changing printers from
Rollmark to Sharman and Co in order
to go to colour. I was always delighted
with Rollmark and I am pleased to say
that Sharmans and Co have proven to
be just as nice to deal with.
Lastly I want to especially thank a
contributor who‘s work I adore,
Lindsay Keir-Wise. Lindsay is retiring
from contributing this month and I am
very sad to see him go but, I still have
one or two cartoons to print.
Lindsay‘s sense of humour has had
me giggling away while preparing the
paper and for that alone he deserves a
medal. No wonder then, that he has
been published in Punch magazine.
Thanks Lindsay and I hope you enjoy
your well earned rest.
Lastly to you dear reader, thank you
for your feedback, I value every
sentence of it, good and bad.
I wish you a peaceful Christmas and
a Happy and prosperous New Year
and I look forward to seeing you in
January when we‘ll do it all again!!!
Watton Westfield Competition Winners
The manager of the new Co-op Store in Watton presented children at Watton Westfield Infant and Nursery School with prizes for their Halloween Art Competition.
The children are pictured above showing their prizes and pictures. The store has also donated a very generous £200 to the school as a thank you for helping to open
the new store last month. The school would like to thank the new Co-op Store in Watton for their friendship and generosity.
Norfolk to lead on Thanks from Jan
coastal access
Norfolk is set to become one of the
first counties in the country to
develop new coastal footpaths after
Norfolk County Council was
chosen as a lead authority to
improve coastal access under the
Marine Act.
The Act - which received Royal
Assent in mid-November - gives
authority to Natural England to
create a long distance path around
the coast of England. Natural
England has chosen six lead
authorities*, including Norfolk,
where work will be concentrated
and has launched a 12-week
consultation on its overall approach
to the task.
Once underway, the task of
extending coastal access in Norfolk
will be taken on by the
Environment Operations team in
the county council's Planning &
Transportation department.
Ian Monson - Cabinet Member for
Environment and Waste says, ―I
am delighted that Norfolk County
Council has been selected to lead
this exciting project. It is a once in
a life time opportunity to create
such an iconic trail. The track
record of Norfolk County Council
in delivering access to the
countryside make us ideally placed
to work in partnership with Natural
England and others to establish the
first phase of this project.
"We have considerable experience
in working with landowners and
local communities to establish
paths that benefit everyone.
News
Picture: Submitted
It was a wonderful day! The weather was glorious, the Prince was charming
and everything worked perfectly. But none of it could have happened without
our wonderful Wayland community, both collectively and individually, for
Peddars Way and the existing putting my name forward in the first place and then for all the acts of
Coast Path already bring in some enormous kindness since the award was first announced in the Birthday
£2m a year to the local economy, Honours list, closely followed by the freakiest storm ever. Our neighbours in
providing full time jobs for over Broadmoor Road provided labour, sustenance and friendship throughout; Judy
100 people. Extending coastal and Angie helped to organise ‗THE HAT‘, Domini dealt with the hair under
access will spread this economic the hat, Jean and Geoff looked after us when the flood happened and took care
benefit, but with minimal impact of the dog on the big day and more people than I can mention have sent their
on the environment." good wishes.
Norfolk County Council But special
environment and public rights of thanks must go to
way teams, are already highly Eirlys Johnson of
experienced in: Breckland
Funeral Services,
 Developing and managing 13
who provided us
long distance paths including
with a limousine
Marriotts Way, Weavers Way,
and driver for the
Angles Way, Paston Way and
day. It was just
Wherryman's Way
wonderful to be
 Managing the Peddars Way and
driven in such
Norfolk Coast Path National Trail
comfort and
 Overseeing a further 2,500 luxury right to the
miles of Public Rights of Way.
main entrance of
With walking proven to be beneficial the Palace to
to people's physical and mental
alight on the red
health, the opportunity for creating carpet and then
more short and long distance walks
later to sweep out
through this programme is good of the Quadrangle
news for Norfolk's wellbeing.
with the Tourists
Crucially, the new coastal access snapping away,
trail will also provide considerable
certain that such a
economic benefits. Nationally, the car must contain
proposed English coastal path will
someone
generate around £2,572 million per important!
year for the local economies and
Left:
support 100,000 full time jobs. And Jan and Ken
with quality of life outside the work
Godfrey at
place being a major factor for Buckingham
employees, close proximity to leisure
Palace after Jan
features like accessible pathways received her MBE
provide an excellent reason for
businesses to locate to Norfolk.
Picture: Submitted
News Mid-Norfolk Times Page 21

Watton Senior Citizens Available now at Edwards,

th
Party 12 December
Watton Senior Citizens Party
takes place again on the 12th
December at Wayland
Community High School in
Merton Road (N.B. please not the
date printed last month was
incorrect). Free tickets are at
Mullengers Estate Agents in the
High Street, Watton, and as for
so many years the evening will
include good food, entertainment
from youngsters at the school and
the fellowship of old friends.
With around 100 people involved
in looking after 200 visitors this
is a true community event with
the funding and staffing provided
freely from within the town and
the school. Watch out for the
posters.
High Street. Watton £1.50
This may be the last time we
organise this as out of the 200
tickets issued last year, so many
people didn‘t bother to turn up or
return tickets so we could reissue
them.
The first 200 will get the tickets
for this early Christmas evening,
enjoyed by many over the past 40
plus years.

Watton Medical Practice Newsletter

We have said goodbye to Dr Tim
Bosworth after 4 months of
excellent care to patients in our
practice. We wish him well as he
continues his career. We will be
welcoming Dr Kim Tomlinson in
his place. I am sure that she will
be every bit as popular as Dr
Bosworth has been.
We will be altering the
appointment system from the
beginning of February, in line
with patient feedback and
discussion. We will be making
another 20% of our appointments
available to pre-book. That will
make approximately 80% of all
doctors‘ appointments bookable
in advance. Of course, this is
providing your health need is
suitable for a doctor to assess.
Often, one of our experienced
nurses or the Nurse Practitioner
can do this, for requests such as
mild or minor illness or injury,
contraception, blood pressure
monitoring, respiratory illness,
back pain, sinus problems etc.
To enable this increase in
advance appointments, the
doctors have asked the reception
team to ask you for an very brief
indication of your health need so
that you can be directed to the
most appropriate clinical person
to help you with your condition.
You can now, and will still be
able to book a suitable
appointment up to 3 weeks in
advance with a doctor and up to 8
weeks in advance for a nurse.
This change will mean that we
hope that more of our patients
will be able to plan their health
care needs and health monitoring
in advance. We feel that in
addition to our 2 early morning
sessions on a Tuesday and a
Thursday and our late
Wednesday evening session, we
will be providing an even better
range of appointments.
From February, we will also be
changing the way in which we
handle our same day or "urgent"
appointments. Patients who call
in on the day that they wish to be
seen will no longer be able to
have a choice of clinician, no
matter how early they contact us.
Instead, these patients will be
assessed by a same day team
which will be led by our Nurse
Practitioner Stevie. Patients may
not necessarily see a doctor
unless it is assessed as necessary
to do so. Again, the doctors have
been giving the reception team
some detailed training in this new
system and they will be acting
totally on their training and
instructions.
We hope that you will work and
help us in getting this new
system in place as this may take a
few weeks to get right.
We have started our Swine Flu
campaign. The NHS has been
very specific about who is
entitled to the vaccine and in
what order we can administer it.
We have only had a very small
delivery of the vaccine but we
understand that over the next few
weeks we will be receiving some
more. You will be invited to
attend by letter if you are:
over 6 months old but under 65
years old AND you have a
chronic health condition such as
respiratory or heart disease or
diabetes or you are
immunosuppressed or live in the
same house as someone who is
immunosuppressed or If you are
pregnant or if you have a chronic
neurological disease.
It is IMPORTANT to remember
that the Swine Flu vaccine is
different to Seasonal flu vaccine
and if you are entitled to you
should have both. If you are
OVER 65 you should definitely
have the seasonal flu vaccination.
Please call in or phone for an
appointment
Please remember to stock up
your medicine cupboard with
medicines for the Christmas
period. Your local pharmacy will
give you advice. Also remember
to order your repeat prescriptions
for Christmas time well in
advance as we will not be
running normal surgeries from
24th December - 4th January
inclusive.
Did you know that we have a
website that you can order your
prescription through?
www.wattonmedicalpractice.co.u
k This is also useful for a range
Norwich Road, Watton, Thetford,
of other health information.
Everyone at Watton Medical
Norfolk. IP25 6HW
Practice wishes you a wonderful Tel: (01953) 881343 Fax:(01953) 882923
and healthy Christmas.

Notes from Ashill Garden Club

Our October meeting was rather less well attended We now have all dates fixed for 2010 and these are
than usual, probably owing to some confusion as follows
regarding club dates. However we were treated to a January 21st; February 18th; March 18th; April 15th;
very interesting and informative talk on the growing May 27th; June 24th; Sunday 27th June the Annual
and propagation of Streptocarpus by Alison, who has Flower Show; July 29th; August 26th; September On your PVCu Replacement
specialised in these plants for many years. I am not 23rd; October 21st; November 18th; December 16th Windows, Doors and
sure that many of us will have the patience to try Don‘t forget to make a note of these in your diaries
growing our own new hybrids from seed as she does, please. Anyone wishing to join this informal and Sunlounges.
but who knows . . . friendly club should come along to the Ashill Plus!We have no pushy sales
In November we will be having a visit from Paul Community Centre, where they will be made most reps, all appointments are
Payne who will talk to us about daffodils. He is an welcome at any meeting.
expert in growing and showing these bulbs, and undertaken by
hopefully he may bring some for sale. Ray Harman(Proprietor)
Our December meeting will be a purely social
occasion, a chance to get together over tea and It’s Your Paper
refreshments, and exchange wishes for a Happy
Christmas.
It has still not been decided on the venue for our
lunch in January, but members will be notified in the
It’s Your News Unit B, Yaxham Rd,
near future and invited to book, This month will also
bring a visit from Bill le Grice the famous rose 01953 858 908 Dereham
(behind Halfords)
grower. Something to look forward to in the flatness
of the after Christmas and New Year period. julian@midnorfolktimes.com
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 22
DEREHAM &
DISTRICT Songs in the key of Stig
CAT ADOPTION Auddy Award winning Steve
CENTRE ―Stig‖ Denson, is a self taught
acoustic singer-songwriter who
Hoe Road, Longham, Dereham NR19 2RP has been playing the guitar for
Rehoming Cats and Providing more than 40 years. But it is only
Advice & Help With Neutering now that Stig has finally recorded
his own CD entitled, ―Songs in
OPEN 7 Days a the Key of Stig‖. Living in Great
Week 11am to 3pm Hockham, Stig is one of the East
Anglian music scene‘s best kept
Telephone . . . secrets, performing his own
01362 687 919 brand of romantic love songs
with his versatile voice and
gentle folk guitar at gigs in local
folk clubs and more recently on
Attention All Sunday Folk Show on Wayland
Community Radio which is on
Sunday nights between 7pm and
Gardeners! 9pm.
The CD, which was recorded in
September at the Rose Cottage
Improve your soil, keep weeds Studios at Sporle, near
down and keep moisture in with Swaffham, is described as a
collection of contemporary folk
Sterilized Mushroom music from East Anglia and
Compost contains his signature song ‗Cry
of a Seagull‘ which received rave
The ideal mulch and reviews on the leading folk
website EZFolk and was voted no
soil improver 1 in their playlist and which has
just achieved a Silver Auddy
Only £1.40 per Bag Award. Another track, 'Changing
Wind', has gone one better by
Delivered free (min 5 bags) winning a Gold Auddy Award.
Watton area An album to relax to, Songs in
the Key of Stig is a collection of
01953 881969 sixteen songs comprised entirely
of his Stig‘s own work. With
lyrical inspiration drawn from
life, love and his own childhood
the CD contains a range of tracks
such as the wistful ‗My Lost and
Long Ago Wilderness‘ reflecting
the now disappeared landscape of
the area where he grew up to
‗Wild Track‘ described by Stig as
less enthusiastic to take part and get
Swaffham Rec’s fit. Keeping physically active can
prevent major illnesses and is the
basis for a healthier lifestyle.
Lottery Success
It is recommended that adults should
do at least 30 minutes of moderate
activity on five or more days of the
Swaffham Town Council
Recreation Ground Committee have
₤10,000 and ₤600 from the Friends
of the Rec will enable the ‗fitness
week and that children and young
people do 60 minutes every day.
Regular exercise will not only
been successful in obtaining a ‗Big for all‘ project to be in place by the improve general health it can reduce
Lottery‘ grant of ₤8,161.00 to Spring of 2010. high blood pressure, stress and
provide outdoor gym equipment for Each piece of equipment will improve peoples self esteem.
their Haspall‘s Road Recreation provide exercise for individual Chairman of the Recreation Ground
Ground. This grant together with muscle groups. The equipment will Committee Jerome Stockdale said
section 106 planning gain funding of encourage regular exercise and the ―This is a great project for the Rec
as it is for all ages; anyone
can try out this equipment
COUGHTREY BDK Ltd. and hopefully get hooked
Unit 2, Coughtrey Industrial Estate and want to join a gym.‖
Church Road, Griston. IP25 6QB Deputy Town Clerk
Michelle Meyrick
Fitted Kitchens ―I am delighted with the
news of the Big Lottery
Bathrooms grant for the ‗fitness for
all‘ project. This is one
Internal Doors more example of the good
work being carried out by
the Rec Committee. It‘s
another step forward to
making the Rec a place for
the whole community of
all ages and abilities.‖
Friends of the Rec
spokesperson Sheila Lister
said
―The Friends are really
Free Quotations & pleased to be a small part
Full Planning Service of this project, but it shows
what can be done if we all
01953 881243 work together.‖
News
having its roots in the Norfolk
Hillbilly Folk tradition! The
delightful ‗Nothing is Forgotten‘
is a sublime example of his talent
and can‘t possibly fail to move
the listener along with his other
ballads.
Influenced by the likes of James
Taylor, Ralph McTell and Marc
Bolan, Stig‘s work is most often
compared with Donovan although
he says his lyrics are ―not as
flowery as Donovan‘s‖.
A strong believer in live
performance, they did not employ
the orchestral and vocal backing
tracks often heard on other
musician‘s work. Studio work on
the CD was kept to a minimum
with only minimal backing to
maintain the purity of the
performance and that certainly
comes though in the listening
experience.
If you would like to sample some
of the music, including Cry of a
Seagull, go on the Internet and
visit www.stigd.co.uk He can
also be hired for local gigs and
events where thou gh tful,
romantic music is appropriate to
an occasion.
Or if you want to buy the CD – it
would make a great Christmas
present for anyone who likes
contemporary folk or just easy
listening, contact Stig on
stigd@aol.com or call into
Adcocks in the High Street,
Watton where you can pick up a
copy for £6.99 – not bad for
sixteen original songs by
someone who is sure to become a
much better known performer in
Norfolk in the future.
The
“Old Bill
Barrow”
In a novel attempt to bring the
general public into closer contact
with their local Safer
Neighbourhood Team, the Watton
team are setting out their stall
from 9am to 12 Noon at the
Farmers Market which is held on
the first Saturday of every month
in Watton High Street.
Sergeant Lance Ogbourne of
Watton Police Station said ―We
want to provide the public with an
opportunity to engage with their
local Safer Neighbourhood Team
and discuss any policing issues or
concerns they may have.
―My team looks forward to being
able to meet people in the market
stall atmosphere that exists every
month this event takes place.
―But it is not just about chatting,
we will also have available the
wide range of crime prevention
products and advice that we
normally have at the ―Cops and
Coffee‖ morning which take place
at the Surge as a part on the
Wednesday ―Seniors at the Surge‖
drop in.
Attendance at both events is
subject to operational
requirements.
News Mid-Norfolk Times Page 23

Historic parish churches of Norfolk
By Frank Wilder
It doesn't even have a lych-gate.
The way to this little remote Saxon
church is through a gap in the
hedge running along a North
Norfolk lane and then across a
wide grassy track which leads to a
small churchyard and the 1000 year
old church of All Saints, Waterden.
Not so many years ago this little
church was in danger of becoming
just a ruin, but action by the
Norfolk Churches Trust has,
thankfully, rescued it from such a
dreadful fate. As it is, the tower,
which fell down untold years ago,
is just a heap of rubble and has
been replaced by a small wooden
turret with a single bell. The south
aisle was demolished and the
arcade filled in, as can clearly be
seen today, and the original east
window was blocked up and
replaced by one in the Tudor style
with lancet windows formed by
moulded brick mullions. Several
other windows have been so
modified.
Throughout Norfolk there are some
640 parish churches of which my
wife, Brenda, and I have visited
some 572 over a period of about 40
years and yet, of all these churches,
some of which are wonderful
buildings of almost cathedral-like
proportions, this isolated little
Saxon church is the one of which
we are most fond. Perhaps because
of its age and isolation but certainly
because of the atmosphere of peace
and calm, which percolates and
surrounds it. We are not the only
ones to love this little church, for
on a visit in 2002 we met up with
an artist creating a lovely
Caston winner in Smith
and Pinching competition
Smith & Pinching, one of the largest
firms of independent financial
planners and insurance brokers in
East Anglia is committed to putting
something back into the community.
With this in mind they have recently
asked children across Norfolk to
Design a Charity Christmas Card.
―We were delighted to receive over
150 entries and the decision to
choose a winner was a difficult one‖
said Janina Dingwall, Financial
watercolour picture. He turned out
to be a Canadian, who by chance
found All Saints whilst on a visit to
England and Norfolk in 1993 and
has been back every 3 years since,
on a kind of pilgrimage and to
paint another picture.
Strictly speaking, this little church
should not feature in a series
devoted to "Historic Churches of
Norfolk", simply because it is not,
as the dictionary has it, 'famous or
important in history'. In fact,
famous events and famous families
have passed it by and yet, here it
has stood century after century,
whilst momentous events were
and tour of the Air Ambulance
helicopter. The runners up, Leticia
aged 4, from Briston and Bethan,
aged 7, from Sheringham will each
receive a box of craft and colouring
materials.
This design has been made into The
Smith & Pinching Charity Christmas
Card for 2009 and is available now
from Smith & Pinching branches in
Cromer, Holt, North Walsham,
Norwich and
happening. On that basis I feel it
right to include it in the series –
particularly since Brenda and I are
so fond of it and the magic that
seems to permeate the place as one
touches those ancient stones.
Architecturally it is a patchwork of
alterations down the centuries.
There are upper windows with
tapering sides and double splays
which look decidedly Anglo-
Saxon. The doors are either Saxon
or early Norman and the east
window was blocked up to take
four Tudor lancets in a brick frame.
Inside a simple font on a plastered
brick column is fitted between the
Watton Ballroom
Dancing
Association
Queen’s Hall, Watton
8 to 11.00 Admission £3.00
Saturday
December 5th
Mike 01953 882799
north wall and the back pew, one of
a set of 19th C deal box pews
grained and varnished in yellow
ochre. Over the harmonium is a
text: "Lo, I am with you always".
The earthworks of a deserted
village lie in a valley to the north
east of this little church, from
which it is clear that this was never
a large village.
Sitting in the peace and quiet of the
magical atmosphere of this little
church, the text seems particularly
appropriate as though the church is BROOM HALL
waiting for the return of the village
congregation. Country Hotel
Perhaps - one day.
Saham Toney
Your Local Three Star Hotel
Wednesdays Steak Night
Sirloin or Rump with chips £10.00
Fridays Pie & Mash Night
Pastry Pie & Mash with Dessert £9.95
New Ivy Room for Bar Meals
Monday to Saturday 6.30 – 8.30
Tuesday to Saturday 12.00 – 2.00
01953 882125
www.broomhallhotel.co.uk

QUINTON HOUSE
Services Manager at Smith & Watton, priced
Pinching. ―Meleah‘s winning design at £2.50 for 10.
with its vibrant colours and attention All proceeds
to detail, captured the eye of the from the sale of

Retirement Home
judges.‖ these cards will
Maleah aged 6 from Caston, has go to East
received a box full of craft and Anglian Air
colouring materials and will visit the
East Anglian Air Ambulance hanger
Ambulance.
“HOME FROM HOME”
Incorporating The Cardinal
Free money Respite for Adults with Learning Disabilities

Only two minutes walk from Watton Town centre, our

home has friendly, caring staff, excellent food and
The Wayland Agricultural Society is giving charities free
money! It‘s that time of year again when we invite local warm comfortable surroundings, providing full 24 hour
charities to apply for funds to help with new projects or care. Many single en-suite rooms. All enquiries
for new equipment needed. Please apply in writing to Mrs
Lyn Lake, Millstones, Threxton, Watton, Thetford, IP25 welcome - short stays catered for.
7LT. All applications will be looked at and discussed by
the committee, so come on, write that letter and you might
be lucky, it‘s worth the price of the stamp at least!
Telephone Watton 01953 882101
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 24
CHRISTMAS BINGO
Thursday 17th December Eyes down 7.30pm
Great Ellingham Recreation Centre
Proceeds to Great Ellingham Recreation Centre
Charity Number 303957
MOTs £35.00
VEHICLES FROM V 99 ONWARDS. £40 FOR OLDER VEHICLES
IVAN CHUBBOCK GARAGE SERVICES
SHIPDHAM
Tel: 01362 820416
Boarding Kennels, Cattery
and Grooming Parlour
Our fully Qualified Personnel Now
Provide Dog Grooming Services
Bath, Nail Clip and Ear Clean
from £10
Price dependant on dog breed and size
Bath, Nail Clip, Ear Clean and
Full Groom from £15
Price dependant on dog breed and size
Collection & Delivery Service available
Phone 01953 498419
to arrange an appointment
Little Brick Kiln Farm, Shropham,
Norfolk, NR17 1ED
Tomato - Tomaytoe
Gardening in Navasota, Texas By Helen Quinn
The first major event of the ―holiday
season―, Thanksgiving, is behind us and
now we are preparing our digestive
systems for Christmas. This time of year
it is especially important continue
gardening, in order to help control those
excess pounds! I usually try to start
planting my refrigerated bulbs for
succession blooming, and onion sets, on
Boxing Day. Lots of bending and
stretching there!
Cut-your-own Christmas Tree farms are
becoming more popular, and the children
always enjoy a hayride to and from the
site of ―their‖ tree! Holly with berries is
not readily available due to soil and
climate problems. The most common
source of twigs with berries is Yaupon
(Ilex vomitoria, aptly named for its
adverse effect if ingested). Yaupon is an
invasive small tree which can easily take
over pastures and landscapes if not
diligently kept in check. Incidentally,
Yaupon is the only native (to Texas) tree
with caffeine in its leaves, and a fairly
decent cup of coffee can be brewed from
the roasted leaves. And of course, birds
love its berries. Ivy grows all over the
place, as does mistletoe. The Poinsettia
is the most popular living Christmas
decoration, and they now come in every
colour of the rainbow, and even some
colours that have been invented by man
and sprinkled with glitter! In this part of
Texas and farther south, Poinsettias will
grow quite happily out of doors in a
shady environment, and with occasional
protection from frost. They revert to
their natural green colour, but in
Treetots
News
Hello everyone. We hope that you
enjoyed the ‗Indian summer‘, thanks to
the prolonged good weather in early
November, the Playgroup children were
able to access our outside play area in the
dry!
We have been busy bunnies this term.
Currently staff are encouraging the
playgroup children to think about their
environment, exploring the effect an
individual might have on the community.
We are specifically linking this to
rubbish and recycling- hoping this will
have a positive impact on the behaviour
of future Watton teenagers and adults. In
December we will also be enjoying some
Christmas Festivities, including a concert
for parents/carers, a party for the
children and joining with some of
Watton‘s older residents to sing with
Nove mbe r and
December the
leaves will take on
a reddish tinge –
not suitable for
potting up and
bringing back
inside as they can
grow up to 10 feet
high in the right
conditions. The
other most used
living decoration is
the Amaryllis –
these do beautifully
in the ground the
next year. For
anyone with an
enormous amount
of patience, a great way to expand your
Amaryllis collection is by ―bulb
chipping‖. With a very sharp, sterile
knife, cut the bulb into quarters, eighths,
sixteenths and so on, until there is
nothing left. Each piece, as long as it has
even a hint of a section of the bulb‘s
basal plate – even a single hair of a root
– has the potential to become a new
flowering bulb. Plant all these chips
close together in a shallow pot of
vermiculite, and dampen. Check the
moisture every once in a while, and in
six months to a year what had looked
like shriveled, brown, and dead chips,
will start sprouting green. One to two
years later you will have what looks like
spring onion plants, and one day they
will be big enough to flower. Mine are
four years old now, and I‘m not sure I‘ll
them.
Our Committee has been active too. A
Children‘s Halloween Disco during the
half term holiday was enjoyed by all and
added £127 to the funds. Parents have
been able to attend our Open Evening to
talk with staff about their child‘s
development and Alex, our regular
photographer was on hand to take family
portraits. A Ladies night, with chocolate,
jewellery and cosmetic products
provided Ladies with the opportunity of
a night out whilst sampling a range of
products for pampering themselves or
purchasing as gifts.
We have also been fortunate to receive
another generous donation from the
Masons at the Great Eastern Lodge. A
huge thanks goes to them.
Treetots Playgroup is a Community
Playgroup, run by parents and carers.
During the past year the members of the
Voluntary, unpaid Committee have
worked very hard to ensure the
continuation of the Playgroup. Sadly,
four members of the committee have
now left. We would like to thank them
for their input and support. The Good
news is new parents and carers have put
themselves forward to become part of the
Treetots Team. So watch this space for
all the exciting events to come.
The number of children on our register
has increased. We are looking to appoint
extra staff. If you are interested in
working with children, have the relevant
qualifications or are prepared to train for
them please contact us for further details.
Treetots Playgroup is open Monday -
Friday term times only. We take children
from two to five years old offering families
morning and/ or afternoon sessions,
together with lunch time supervision.
We can be Contacted at The Blenheim
Centre, Tedder Close Watton, IP25 6HU
Tel; 07743097618 email
treetotsplaygroup@live.co.uk
News
live long enough to see them bloom –
did I mention ―patience‖?
pictured were ―chipped‖ in 2005!
Those
In the garden we can continue planting
carrots and cabbage, but most planting for
the spring vegetable garden will begin in
January for the hardiest of plants.
Landscape shrubs and trees, perennials and
fruit trees continue to be planted in
December, and also the cool season
annuals such as pansies, violas,
snapdragons, alyssum, calendula, etc. The
little amount of frost we have in a normal
year will not harm these plants – while we
do have freezes, the length of time below
zero is minimal. I intended to try growing
Swedes (they are called Rutabagas here),
Rhubarb, Leeks and Parsnips this year, but
missed the planting date. If planted in the
spring, they wouldn‘t have time to mature
before the hot weather zapped them. They
are sometimes available in the ―Big City‖
supermarkets, but who knows how many
thousands of miles they had to travel to get
there!
Friends of East
Anglian Air
Ambulance
Lottery
Week 16 20.11.2009 £1,000 Mrs
Janet West March, Cambs £250 Mrs
Marion Dawson Wells Next The Sea
£100 Mrs Ivy Empson Attleborough,
Norfolk £100 Mr Paul Tricker
Huntingdon £100 Donald Palmer
Thetford, Norfolk £100 Marion
Sargent Bury St Edmunds £100 Mrs
Vera Ive Norwich, Norfolk
Week 15 13.11.2009 £1,000 A Gould
Dereham Norfolk £250 Mrs Ruby
Pettit North Walsham Norfolk £100
Mrs Janet Brammer Norwich Norfolk
£100 Mrs Vallee Dewar Fakenham
Norfolk £100 Mrs Janet Daniels
Roydon Diss Norfolk £100 Mrs A H
Smith Overstrand Cromer Norfolk
£100 Mrs Vanessa Sharman Ingham
Bury St Edmunds Suffolk
Week 14 06.11.2009 £1,000 Mrs
Evelyn Hutchcraft Huntingdon,
Cambs £250 Mrs S Kerr East Harling,
Norwich £100 S Loomes Ipswich,
Suffolk £100 R Manders Holt,
Norfolk £100 Mrs Jennifer Brown
Peterborough £100 Mr David Caley
Bungay, Suffolk £100 Mr David
James Cambridge
Week 13 30.10.09 £1,000 Mrs Anne
Bender Girton Cambs £250 Terry
Hubbard Blofield Norwich Norfolk
£100 Mrs June E Parkes Great
Chishill Royston £100 Mrs Ann West
Sheringham Norfolk £100 Mrs B
Carter Southwold Suffolk £100 Mr
Chipp Sparham Norwich Norfolk
£100 Mrs Heather Pell Wisbech
Cambs
News Mid-Norfolk Times Page 25

Great Hockham Attleborough High School’s

Gardening Club
HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN &
FANCY DRESS COMPETITION
SUNDAY 1st NOVEMBER
We had a really super afternoon,
despite dreadful weather; the hall had
plenty of villagers enjoying our lovely
home-made refreshments. The children
enjoyed taking part and created some
amazing well decorated pumpkins as
well as some really spooky costumes.
Entering into the ‗spirit‘ of the event,
Patsy Peachey and Ed Szczepanowski
outdid themselves with their costumes,
I couldn‘t even work out who the guy
in the weird costume was for a while!
All good fun! Congratulations to
everyone who took part, you were all
great! Prize-Winners of Best
Decorated categories:
5 & under: Linus Dobbin, 6-7yrs: Tom
Childs,8-9yrs: Megan Williamson, 10-
11yrs: Jennifer Caiten-Smith, 12-
13yrs: Kyfer Murton, 14-16yrs: Sophie
Garrod, Adult: Paul Dixon
Biggest Pumpkin Prize-winner: 23lbs
this year Ken Garrod
Fancy Dress Prize-Winners: Girl:
Eloise Maxey, Boys: Tom Childs. (See
photos on our website)
Thanks to everyone for your help and
support and to Trevor Mason for the
loan of the scales again.
WEDNESDAY 11th NOVEMBER:
TREVOR BANHAM, who gave us a
wonderful talk and presentation on
the history and the flora and fauna of
Thetford Forest. His talk was full of
funny local anecdotes and his
photography captured the beauty and
variety of our area, a wonderful
reminder of how privileged we are to
live here. We were so pleased that 42
came to this meeting, the hall was
full and we welcomed another new
International Languages Award
member.
Mike Hall, again, very ably stepped in
to Chair the evening and did a great
job. The raffle raised an incredible £52
so we even managed to cover the
expenses! Many thanks to those who
brought prizes along.
Flower Competition, judged by our
speaker, was won again by Claudine
Garrod, 2nd: Sue Cunningham, 3rd:
Jane Dalton The meeting closed at
10.15pm.
Annual Dinner on Saturday, January
30th:
Cost £22 at Park Farm Hotel,
Hethersett, 7.30 for 8pm. If you can‘t
make the NEXT club meeting please
book your place by telephoning or
emailing me, asap. Thank you.
For more information look us up on
our website:
www.greathockhamgardeningclub.org.
uk.
Check out our fantastic new design
web-site with ‗Kids Club‘!
NB. If you are ordering gifts from
Amazon for Xmas this year please
give us a thought and order through the
link on our webpage, this costs you no
extra but earns the club some
commission, thank you.
Or ring me on the number below. We
are a very active, friendly club, always
keen to increase our membership and Attleborough High’s Head of Modern Foreign Languages receiving the International
now is a great time to join. Languages Award from BBC Newsreader, George Alagiah in London.
If anyone would like a lift to meetings Attleborough High School is exchanges, Projects in geography/ their own work in German, trips to
please give me a call. On behalf of the celebrating receiving the full science/ history and art conducted France, Germany, Spain, Iceland and
gardening Club I would like to wish International School Award for the and shared with French and German Morocco, and curriculum study of
everyone a very happy Christmas and outstanding International work across partner schools via the school‘s international poetry and prose - all
New Year and to thank the In-Touch the school. award winning Virtual Learning which provided the evidence for this
team for their support throughout the Head of Modern Foreign Languages Envirnoment, the school‘s European International Languages award.
year. Mrs Wind-Avery travelled to London Day of Language celebrations, Mrs Wind-Avery commented: ― I am
Jane Dalton (Secretary) with Assistant Headteacher Mr charity work linking to Kenya and proud of the achievement of the
01953 498694 David Bartram to receive the British New Zealand, performance from school and it has been a pleasure to
Council award. visiting musicians from Brazil see how much work my colleagues
The school has developed an highlighting the plight of street contribute to provide our students

Watton Evening W.I. extensive range of International

initiatives: from students‘ foreign
children in Rio, Year 9 students
writing, acting, filming and editing
with a broader understanding of the
world at large.‖

At the end of October, 4 ladies joined
members from WIs from all over
Norfolk at the annual WI Advisers‘
quiz evening in Dereham. Well, some
of the questions were quite hard! but
we didn‘t disgrace ourselves and came
around the middle of the leader board
of about 25 teams – not bad really.
Several ladies had a very enjoyable
evening at Caithness Crystal in Kings
Lynn doing a bit of early Christmas
shopping.
This month we had our annual meeting
which was preceded by a fish and chip
supper.
Our president for 2010 is Pat Holdcroft
with Sandra Howard as Treasurer and
Barbara Bristow, Secretary. Also on
the committee is Carol Robeson, Ruth
Stapleton and Lynne Tarbard..
On Monday 7th December (at 7.30
pm) we will be holding our annual
It’s cheap and easy to
advertise your business in the
Mid-Norfolk Times
This size, in colour, only £20
Ring Julian 01953 858 908
Group Carol Service, this year at St
Mary‘s in Watton – why not come and
join us. It is hoped that the Windmill
Handbell Ringers will be with us on
this evening.
To conclude our year we will be going
to the Chequers for our annual
Christmas dinner. We would like to
wish each and every one of you A
Very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful
and Healthy New Year.
We have an interesting programme of
speakers and events for next year and
look forward to welcoming new
members - 7.30 pm in Watton
Christian Community Centre on the
2nd Thursday of the month is when we
meet and any lady interested in finding
out more about our WI can just pop
along as a guest at one of our meetings
or ring Pat on 01953 882275 or
Barbara on 01953 882595
Inner Wheel Club Of Watton
Supports The Air Ambulance
Our November Meeting held at the December 9.30—11.30 Homemade friends will entertain you, and you
home of June Garratt was given an produce for Christmas Tombola Bric will have a turkey bap and salad,
interesting talk by Hannah Clay from -a-Brac and more coffee and mince pie all for £5 00.
The East Anglian Air Ambulance. It Lunch Time Concert Queens Hall Tickets available from Mullengers or
was explained that since its Watton Wednesday 9th December 12 ring Brenda on 881792. Hope to see
foundation in 2000, the charity has - 2pm, where June Garratt and you there.
expanded to provide a 365 day a
year service covering the 5,500
square miles of Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and
Suffolk.
It is one of the busiest Air
Ambulance Services in the
country flying an average of 4
missions per day. A donation of
a £100, was given from the club,
and members were offered
lottery membership forms for a
weekly draw, to support their
funds which rely totally on
charity donations.
Pictured right President Helen
Glibbery and Hannah Clay
from East Anglian Air
Ambulance
Future Events: Charity Stall at
the Christmas Coffee Morning in
the Queens Hall on Saturday 5th
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 26 Advertising
News
Bradenham & District
Horticultural Society
Our November meeting, held on
Thursday 19th, was treated to a talk
by Ian Howard from the Woad Barn
at Beetley. Several of our members
had already visited Ian‘s farm and
were interested to hear more about
the ‗nuts and bolts‘ of his
production. It all started with a
meeting of five local farmers to
discuss the possibilities of
diversifying into crops that could be
sold at the side of the road. They set
up various small trials with echium,
valerian, hypericum and woad. Due
to scientific/medical problems
arising with the first three, Ian
decided small scale trials of woad
weren‘t too productive so planted
five acres. He was contacted by
several interested research groups to
act as contractor, just for growing the
plant. The first small commercial
trial was for an inkjet cartridge to be
used in food labelling. Unfortunately
this didn‘t last so Ian‘s wife
Bernadette researched fabrics and
market research while he
experimented with the dyeing
process. He had already been
involved with researchers into the
dyeing but the knowledge was
incomplete. Although woad has been
used as a dye since the Stone Age -
seeds were found in some cloth and
leather wrapping in France that were
positively identified as Neolithic -
and we have all heard of Boudicca‘s
people using it as body paint - they
did not keep proper records of the
methods of production! Another
fascinating fact is that the only part
of the Bayeux Tapestry that has kept
its colour was worked in woad dyed
yarn. Woad is widely grown and
used in France, with a lot of
Government support, and a striking
example is the fixative (obtained
from the sap when the leaves are
crushed) which is used in paint and
thus we get all those blue shutters
across France. Woad was obviously
a high-priced commodity across
Europe as Amiens Cathedral has a
statue of two men with a bag of
woad balls and it was found that the
Cathedral was built from the profits
of the woad trade. It is certainly a
fascinating plant whose properties
have not been fully explored. It has
been found that the oil from cold
pressing the seeds is rich in Omega
3, 6 and 9 and is a wonderful
moisturiser. Ian uses this in soap,
shower gel and hand wash. I can
certainly vouch for the moisturising
qualities of these products as being
helpful in easing eczema and general
Watton University of
the Third Age (U3A)
The Christmas lunch at the
Richmond Park Golf Club on Friday
4th December at 12.45am is now
fully subscribed with thirty six
members.
A Christmas tea will be served to
members following the speaker at
the December 17th meeting.
Members who were unable to list
their names for this tea at the
November meeting are asked to
dry skin. There is ongoing research
into woad‘s potential medical uses in
cancer and Alzheimer‘s. That was a
surprise. In the meantime, following
Bernadette‘s research, they have
concentrated on the fashion and
fabrics side of their business,
producing exquisite garments in
natural fabrics using natural woad
dye. This is obviously not cheap as
many items are hand made as well.
The yarns used range from bamboo
through wool to silk, cotton, alpaca
and mohair. He showed us a sample
of fabric from a Harris jacket in wool
so fine it looked more like fine
cotton. These garments are exported
all over the world, even to the Far
East where they also grow the plant,
even though they are different
varieties.
The Magic of Woad. Ian took us
through the production of washing
several times, addition of hot water
and lime for alkalinity (in days gone
by this process was done in one ‗hit‘
by using urine but let‘s not go there),
cooling and finally extracting a
suspension of indigo. Oddly this is
green. However, the magic bit comes
in as demonstrated with a small silk
handkerchief as when the fabric is
removed from the dye bath it is in
contact with air and turns almost
instantly from green to blue. The
longer it is left in the air the more the
blue develops. This was before our
very eyes. There‘s nothing like a
demonstration of how something
works than something like that.
Apologies to Ian for leaving out all
the science bits as it would take up a
great deal of room and I am not too
sure I have it all down accurately.
One thing is for sure, this small
company producing wonderful niche
market products and a passion for
research and teaching is well worth a
visit. The Woad Barn itself is a
modern, attractive farm conversion
at Beetley, about two miles past the
Gressenhall Museum entrance. For
those of you with internet access the
website is www.woad-inc.co.uk
Once we had got our breath back we
had the results of the mini-show - A
Christmas Decoration. The winner
was Violet Simmons and second was
Michael Simmons.
Our December meeting is a members
-only Christmas Party but we shall
have the usual open meeting in
January, details will be in next
month‘s paper.
Merry Christmas to all readers and
potential members.
phone Margaret on 01953 889951 by
Friday 4th December.
The next meeting is on Thursday
17th December with speaker Mike
Wabe ―Christmas Stories and Songs‖
Visitors and new members are
welcome. The membership secretary
can be contacted on 01953 881109.
For further information on the
National U3A go to www.u3a.org.uk
Lime Tree Walk Halloween
Fancy Dress Party
Held at the Community Room, Lime
Tree Walk, Watton on 31st October.
The Chairperson would like to thank all
residents and friends for a nice
afternoon of entertainment. Shaun Sayer
SSAFA FH
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen’s Families
Association Forces Help
1. Ranger Andy Allen, who lost both legs
and most of his sight, has raised over £10k
for SSAFA Forces Help by organizing a
Land Rover pull in his home city of
Belfast. His girlfriend and baby son
regularly stayed with him at the Norton
House at Headley Court while he received
extensive treatment.
2. 60 young people affected in some way
by disability enjoyed a week long action
packed holiday with SSAFA Forces Help
Holiday Services. They are all children of
personnel from all 3 services. Jannine
Tempest, mum of George aged 8 who has
cerebral palsy, hemiplegia and epilepsy,
said ―….he did things we never thought he
would do and he has a beautiful diary of it
all‖
3. SSAFA Christmas Cards are on sale
now at The Assembly Rooms in Norwich.
Don‘t forget every penny benefits Norfolk
branch funds!
4. SSAFA Forces Help has its own
support groups – one for Families of
Injured Servicemen and another for
Bereaved Families. Although the groups
were formed as a direct result of the
conflict in Afghanistan, they offer help,
support and a listening ear to families of
servicemen no matter how they were
injured or lost their lives.
5. 20 volunteers from Colchester
Committee raised £950 at the Colchester
Military Festival. 13 February 2010 is
National Collection Day for SSAFA
Forces Help and we shall need lots of
volunteers for the street collection. Watch
out for details next month!
If you would like more information about
SSAFA Forces Help or if you need help
and you think you are eligible (including
National Service and TA and Reservists)
please ring 0160340332
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Ovington
Gardening
Club
The November meeting was on the
question of 'Squash it or not?' which was
answered by Robert Maidstone in a most
informative way. We all learnt that the
answer was never simple because of the
lifestyle of garden pests, what they
actually did in the garden and the way that
they interacted with other creatures as part
of a complex life cycle which was actually
beneficial to gardeners. In many cases the
results were a real eye-opener! The next
meeting is the Annual General Meeting of
the Club, which is not a onerous as it
sounds. The main positions all have
volunteers to be voted in and the evening
is mainly a social celebration of the year
with refreshments, so please come along!
This meeting is on Wednesday 2nd
December at 7.45pm in the Village Hall.
For further information, call Ed on 01953
885848 or Carole on 01760 440719
The wolf in your
living room
All of us that own dogs know that
they are simply domesticated wolves
who share our home with us, and that
in order to maintain control over
them we have to behave as alpha
male wolf pack leaders. We know
this because everybody around us
tells us this so. So it must be right,
right? Some of us know this and feel
guilty because we sometimes let our
mini-wolf up on the sofa for a
cuddle! Not very alpha male hey?
Dogs are indeed genetically almost
identical to wolves, but, and it is a
big BUT..... most of you out there
have happy, loving pets who are
probably very well behaved (most of
the time!) despite you making no
attempt to "dominate" them
whatsoever. So how does that work?
It works because dogs simply do not
need to be treated like wolves
because they are not wolves. If they
were you really could not safely live
with one! They are in fact a
completely separate species, related
yes, but not identical, in the same
way that you and I are closely related
to apes. There may be similarities in
some of our behaviour but I am
assuming here that you do not go
home at night and swing in the
branches of trees or dig up termites
to eat with sticks? We are in fact
very different to apes as indeed are
dogs to wolves.
Just suppose for a moment that the
often heard theories about wolf and
dog pack hierarchies are true and
your dog does behave just like a mini
wolf. Would this mean that he
automatically sees YOU as a wolf
too? Doubtful. The old cliché that
dogs look like their owners does not
usually extend that far! However, it
is not uncommon to hear people who
are having problems with their dog
to be told that they need to behave
like an alpha male - because their
dog pulls on the lead they should
make sure that they always walk
through doorways first and always
eat before their dog does - or even
pretend to eat some of the dog's
dinner before giving it to him.
Curious stuff when you think about it
and stuff which will never teach your
dog to walk on a slack lead (for that
you must train him!!).
The truth is that studies of wild wolf
packs show that in times of plenty
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 27
alpha males will always let cubs and
weaker pack members eat first and
that they are very tolerant of young
pack member‘s juvenile behaviour
So on either level, wolf or dog, lot
of popular theories do not hold
water.
The plain fact is that you are not
wolf and, although similar, neither i
your dog. If you are a responsibl
dog owner it is your duty to ensur
your dog is well socialised as
youngster, provided with simpl
clear ground rules at home and
trained to listen to you. Acting ou
mythical rituals of dominance ar
irrelevant. "Ahh" I hear cried "but i
my dog growls or barks at me he i
trying to gain control and he must b
trying to dominate me". Afraid not
You just need to train him. Problem
generally arise when we do no
understand normal dog behaviour. A
dog that growls when you approach
his food bowl is not being dominant
he is simply communicating a worry
that you are going to take his food
away. And often he is right and th
owner ups the stakes by doing jus
that. So the next time the situation
arises, the dog snaps or even bites
That same dog, correctly trained, can
easily be taught to be as pleased a
punch that you approach and touch
his food bowl. When it comes to
human and dog interactions it's all in
the training - no matter what th
issue.
That wolf in your living room
certainly has wild ancestors and he
himself is certainly similar in many
ways, but he is also very differen
in many others. A distant cousin o
the wolf but also a separate
species; a complex, emotiona
people companion, who, given the
correct input and training will be a
devoted best friend to the end. So
do him and yourself a favour
forget wolves, just socialise him a
a youngster, provide him with
simple rules at home and, above
all, train him to listen to you.
Danny Childs is trainer and
behaviourist with Dogs Trust, th
UK's largest dog charity. He also
provides private training and
behavioural consultations through
Old Dogs New Tricks. He may b
contacted on 07919 502392 or a
childsjachi@aol.com
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 28
Watton Town Council backs
Churchill Close residents
Over 40 residents of Churchill Close
attended the latest meeting of the
council‘s Planning and Forward
Development Committee to register
their protest at an application that
would, they say, turn the previously
quiet cul-de-sac into a scene of
congestion and trouble during the
Residents of Churchill Close are concerned about potential nuisance if plans go ahead
school run times. whose vision is a ―world in which
The fear comes about after a people choose to travel in ways that
submission to Watton Town Council benefit their health and the
of behalf of Norfolk County Council environment.‖
and Sustrans who are developing a The application would see, as a part of
cycle track to Watton from Griston. the wider project, the establishment of
Sustrans describes itself as ―the UK's a footpath and cycleway from Thetford
leading sustainable transport charity‖ Road along the edge of the field to a
Picture: Submitted
 Large spacious, en-suite rooms
 Several Communal areas with self
catering kitchenette’s
 Long, Short Term Care, Respite
 Dementia Day care 7 days a week,
(evenings included)
 Close Town Centre, ample parking
 Book early for Christmas Breaks!!
 Social Services rates, no top up
Dorrington House (Watton) Tel: 01953-883882
73 Norwich Road, Watton, Norfolk IP25 6DH
Web: www.dorrington-house.co.uk e-mail care@dorrington-house.co.uk
new entrance at the rear of Wayland
Community High School and, at the
same time, provide a new access into
Churchill Close and from there to the
town centre.
The residents‘ main concern is that
parents on the school run will see
dropping their children off in or near
Churchill Close as a shorter and
quicker option than negotiating the
mêlée of Merton Road.
This, they claim, will result in even
more chaos on Merton Road than there
is at present, severe congestion in
Churchill Close itself as parents try to
negotiate the narrow roads and
hundreds of school children passing
though their estate with the inevitable
increase in litter and noise.
Further concern was expressed by
Thetford Road residents that a Toucan
Crossing, near Victoria Court, would
be of the type that makes a loud
beeping signal and there are fears that
this will cause considerable nuisance.
After hearing their concerns,
councillors at the meeting added their
own voices to the protest saying that
whilst they acknowledged the need to
divert traffic from Merton Road, it
made no sense to put this link into
Churchill Close.
The Council voted unanimously to
register their objections and also asked
that the Thetford Road crossing be of a
non audible type and synchronised with
the other crossing near Tesco and the
Memorial Way traffic lights to avoid
News
further congestion; that the footpath/
cycle track be adequately lit; that it be a
vehicular access to the rear of Wayland
Community High School; and that the
hedge between the track and Churchill
Close be reinforced to prevent
unofficial use being made of the short
cut.
Councillors also added that a previous
comment made by Norfolk County
Council and registered in the Local
Development Framework document
(ID: 188662) which says ―Visibility
from Churchill Close onto Merton
Road is substandard and not suitable to
cater for any increase in vehicular
movements‖ should be reinforced.
Sustrans Regional Director Nigel
Brigham said ―There are two distinct
aims of the proposals. One is to provide
a new route to the High School to give
people a really good walking and
cycling route to the school and reduce
car traffic. The second aim is to provide
a short link to Churchill Close that
would make access to and from the
town centre easier by foot and bike for
everyone in the Thetford Road area.
As far as we are aware, everyone
supports both of these aims, but people
are understandably worried about what
they think will be the unintended
consequences‖.
“We do not think it will be the problem
the residents fear, the narrow roads
there will deter drivers dropping their
children at the opening because of the
difficulties in turning and we will work
with the school to discourage it, but we
understand concerns.‖
Sustrans would like to find a solution to
the problem and alleviate the fears of
the residents.‖
It is understood that Norfolk County
Council are to consult with the public
in the affected areas and will take
account of the consultation before
deciding what to do next.
News Mid-Norfolk Times Page 29

Peace at Christmas
WATTON CHURCHES TOGETHER
SERVICE CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER 2009

St. Mary’s Church, Watton

1st, 3rd & 4th Wednesday at 9.30am Holy Communion 2nd Wednesday
Morning Worship. Church Office opens Tues, Wed & Thurs 9am-1pm
Tel: 01953 881252 margaret@churchadm.freeserve.co.uk Thought for the month from the Rev. Roger Pawsey, Watton Pentecostal Church
www.stmaryswatton.org
Sun 6th 8.00am Holy Communion Prayer may be the way to experience And the eyesight to tell the difference‖ Have a great Christmas and be at peace
10.00am Holy Communion calmness, and peacefulness of mind and - Author unknown this year for that is the declaration of
Mon 7th 7.30pm Wayland Group W I Carol Service
spirit this Christmas. The serenity prayer ―God grant me the serenity to accept the Christmas, ―peace to mankind‖. It is a real
Sun 13th 8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Holy Communion has been used by many people and became people I cannot change possibility you can discover more at one of
7.00pm Town Carol Service, Queen‘s Hall well known when it was adopted by Courage to change the one I can change, the town‘s carol services.
Tues 15th 1.00pm Wayland Comm. High School Carol Service Alcoholics Anonymous in 1941 as part of And wisdom to know it‘s me.‖ Let me leave you with a pun or two:
Sun 20th 8.00am Holy Communion their 12 step programme. Try the prayer –author unknown She was only a whiskey maker, but he
10.00am Holy Communion yourself this Christmas But my favourite prayer is known as ‗The loved her still.
6.30pm Carol Service ―God grant me the serenity Woman‘s Prayer‘ and goes like this: Two silk worms had a race and ended up
Thur 24th Christmas Eve To accept the things I cannot change; ―Dear Lord: in a tie.
4.00pm Christingle Service with Shine!,
Courage to change the things I can; So far today, I am doing all right. I have Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a
especially for children and families
11.30pm Holy Communion And wisdom to know the difference‖ not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, banana.
Fri 25th Christmas Day There are also humorous versions of the grumpy, nasty, selfish or self indulgent. I I wondered why the football kept getting
10.30am Family Holy Communion Serenity prayer in circulation have not whined, cursed or eaten any bigger; then it hit me.
Sun 27th 10.30am Group Service - Morning Worship ―God grant me the senility to forget the chocolate. However, I am going to get out Two hats hanging on a rack; one said to
Watton Methodist Church people I never liked anyway, of bed in a few minutes and I will need a the other, ‗you stay here, I‘ll go on ahead‘.
Every Wednesday the Church is open for quiet reflection and prayer The good fortune to run into the ones I do, lot more help after that. Amen.‖
between 10.am & 12.00noon

EDWARDS OF WATTON
It‘s your quiet place. At 10.30 there is a half-hour Midweek Service in
the Large Vestry led by the Minister or a Church Member.
www.wattonmethodist.btik.com Poppy Appeal 2009
Sun 6th 10.45am Rev B Winner—Baptism The total amount collected from this year‘s Poppy Appeal WATTON’S SPECIALIST NEWSAGENT
6.30pm Mr R Hompstead collection for Watton & District (up to 22nd November), is now
Sun 13th 10.45am Mrs J Roebuck over £11,000. However, there are still a few more collecting
7.00pm Town Carol Service, Queen‘s Hall
Sun 20th 10.45am Carol Service
tins to come in and donations to be received. The final figure
6.30pm Mr B Lawrence will be in the next edition. We would like to thanks everyone
Thur 24th Christmas Eve who has supported us so generously this year. Mrs Jo Myers,
7.00pm Candlelight Carol Service Poppy Appeal Organiser for Watton and District.
Fri 25th Christmas Day
10.00am Christmas Day Family Worship "Pick & Mix Sweets" now
Sun 27th 10.45am
6.30pm
At Hingham, No Watton Service
No Service at Watton New Sunday Busses available in store
Roman Catholic Community Following representation from Watton Town Council and others,
Each Sat 5.30pm Mass at Watton Methodist Church Konnect busses are launching a new Sunday Service to and from We are also pleased to offer News Deliveries 7 days
Thurs 24th Christmas Eve Dereham and Norwich. Residents will be able, at last, to visit a week in the following areas Griston, Northacre,
4.30pm Vigil Mass at Watton Methodist Church
11.30pm Carols, followed by Midnight Mass
loved ones in hospital or pop over to Dereham for that little bit of Caston, Stow Bedon, Breccles, Great Hockham, East
shopping on a Sunday.
at Swaffham—our Lady of Pity
The service commences on the 29th November and will be
Wretham, Larling, Snetterton, Shropham and
Fri 25th Christmas Day
officially launched at Watton by the Mayor at 9.30 on 6th Mount Pleasant
9.30am Mass at Swaffham
December. For more information and timetables please visit
Pentecostal Church, Dereham Road, Watton
www.konnectbus.co.uk 50 High Street, Watton. Tel: 881234
There is a Noah's Ark Sunday and King's Kids for children to age 11 —
Sunday mornings 6th, 13th & 27th Dec
Established in Watton for four generations
Sun 6th 10.30am Morning Worship The Joy of the Season to You
Breckles, Caston, Great Hockham,
Lusher Coach Excursions 2010
6.30pm Prayer Service
Sun 13th 10.30am Morning Worship The Joy of the Season to You Griston,
Sat 19th 10.30am Carol Singing & Mince Pies, Chaston Place
Sun 20th 10.30am Family Carol Service & Noah‘s Ark Prize Giving
Merton, Stow Bedon, Thompson
Coming Soon!!
Fri 25th Christmas Day Worship Calendar: December 2009
11.00am Christmas Worship Sunday 6th December—Advent 2 Our 2010 Excursion List –
Sun 27th 10.30am Morning Worship The Joy of the Season to You 10:20 am Sunday Club Griston will be available from Mid-December.
3.00pm Christmas Family House Party (ages 4-11, ‗Manorcourt‘ Day Centre, Manor Rd.)
10:30 am United Holy Communion Griston To get your copy – please call us on 01760 440589
St. Nicholas’ Church, Ashill
Sun 6th 9.30am Lay Led Morning Worship Sunday 13th December—Advent 3 or e-mail excursions@lusher2000.fsnet.co.uk
Sun 13th 9.30am Morning Worship 9:00 am Matins (BCP) Merton
Fri 18th 7.30pm Carol Service 10:30 am United Holy Communion Stow Bedon
FINE BOOKS
J.C. BOOKS
Sun 20th 9.30am Crib/Christingle Service 5:00 pm Candlelit Lessons and Carols Breckles
Thur 24th 10.00pm Holy Communion BOUGHT AND
Friday 18th December
Fri 25th 9.30am All Age Worship SOLD
6:30 pm Candlelit Lessons and Carols Merton
St. George’s Church, Saham Toney Sunday 20th December—Advent 4 & Applestore Gallery
Sun 6th 10.30am Benefice Holy Communion 10:30 am Crib Service (non-Communion) Griston
Sun 13th
Fri 18th
11.00am
7.30pm
Morning Worship
Carol Service
3:00 pm Candlelit Lessons & Carols Gt. Hockham Telephone/Fax 01953 883488
6:30 pm Candlelit Lessons and Carols Caston 55 High Street, Watton
Sun 20th 11.00am Christingle Service
Thur 24th 11.30pm Holy Communion Thursday 24th December—Christmas Eve For quality out of print books, Fine Bindings and
3:00 pm Christingle Gt. Hockham
S.S. Peter & Paul’s Church, Carbrooke Collectable Editions. New Books including local and
3:00 pm Christingle Family Service Thompson
Sun 13th 10.30am Holy Communion 5:00 pm Christingle Caston children’s classics.
3.00pm St. John Ambulance Carol Service 8:00 pm Lessons & Carols Stow Bedon Visit the Applestore Gallery on the first floor,
Tues 15th 6.30pm Carbrooke School Carol Service 11:30 pm Midnight Holy Communion Thompson exhibiting the Paintings of Kevin Robinson and his
Sun 20th 10.30am Crib Service
Fri 25th 10.30am Family Holy Communion Friday 25th December—Christmas Day complete range of East Anglian prints including Watton
10:30 am United Holy Communion Griston and Wymondham.
St John the Evangelist Church, Ovington Sunday 27th December—First Sunday Of Christmas
Thursdays at 8.00am Said Holy Communion
9:00 am Holy Communion (BCP) Merton
Sun 13th 9.00am Holy Communion
10:30 am United Holy Communion Thompson
Mon 21st 6.00pm Carol Service
Fri 25th 9.30am Family Holy Communion For all our parishes…
‘The WAY’ Youth Group (ages 11+)
Fountain of Life
Sunday, 3rd January, 2010, 7-8:00 pm, Rectory
Meets in The Well Christian Centre, Swaffham Rd, Ashill.
A missionary congregation of the Church of England. Pram Services: Wednesdays, 10:15 am
Details on www.fountainoflifeonline.org Caston School Hall. For parents or carers with children aged 0-5.
Groups for children and young people of all ages Short Holy Communion, kiddies‘ Christian songs, social & play
Sun 6th 10.00am Holy Communion time. (No Pram services on 23rd and 30th December.)
6.00pm Feed the Soul worship teaching on Mark‘s Gospel Enquiries: The Revd. Bob Nichols: Tel.: (01953) 483222;
Sun 13th 10.00am Service of the Word
6.00pm Feed the Soul
Sun 20th 10.00am
4.30pm
No Service
Tea
All Saints Church, Threxton
5.30pm Carol Service followed by mulled wine
Holy Communion Sunday 6th December at 10am
Fri 25th 10.00am All Age Service to celebrate Christmas Day Christmas Carols with Watton Silver Band,
Sun 27th 10.00am Christmas Communion Sunday 20th December at 6pm
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 30
Bales Browne Accountancy
Services Limited
Accounts preparation for Sole traders,
Limited Companies and Partnerships
Personal, Limited Company, and Partnership Tax Returns
Book-keeping PAYE
Karen Bales ACCA MAAT Bsc (Hons)
Telephone 01953 884019
118 Norwich Road, Watton, Thetford, Norfolk. IP25 6DU
Email: balesbrowneaccountancy@yahoo.co.uk
HJC Ltd Motor Engineers
Servicing & MOT preparation to all makes of
modern cars & light commercials
Tyres, Exhausts, & Batteries supplied and fitted
Courtesy cars available
Ask for Steve at: 5 Linmore Court Threxton Rd
Industrial Estate Watton
Tel: 01953 889924
£3.5m CCTV
rollout underway
The installation of digital
cameras at town centre
locations across Breckland
has begun, heralding the roll-
out of a new £3.5 million
CCTV system for the
Breckland district. Over the
next 2 months, new CCTV
cameras will also be installed
in Attleborough, Dereham,
Swaffham and Watton, and
several ‗roving cameras‘ will
be available to provide
additional flexibility.
The new dome cameras will
provide high quality images,
are able to operate in low
light and poor weather
conditions and can be
moved easily to new
locations to respond quickly
to changing circumstances.
Supplied by specialists
AMS (Advance Monitoring
Solutions), the new CCTV
system uses the latest
wireless technology, and
images picked up by
cameras can be transmitted
digitally to local storage
devices; this does away with
the need to store bulky
tapes. With 24 hour remote
access to images, CCTV
operators in the Control
Centre and local police will
be able to respond quickly to problems
or act to take preventative action.
Breckland Council‘s Executive Member
for Sustainable Communities, Theresa
Hewett said: ―The council has been
looking forward to this major upgrade for
some time. We are confident that the Axis
VAT Returns cameras will make a major contribution
towards improving safety and helping to
reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in
No bank account?
Norfolk Credit Union Ltd. has now
introduced a Current Account to help you
save and manage your money, and to pay
bills by Direct Debit, etc. Wages, benefits,
pensions and cheques can be paid directly
into your account, and although there is a
necessary small weekly charge for running
this account, much of this may be offset
by the discount offered by some
companies for paying their utility bills etc.
by Direct Debit or Standing Order.
There are no overdraft facilities so you can
only pay for things with the actual money in
your account, however you will be provided
with either an ATM cash card, or a Visa
Debit Card. So long as there is money in
WEA Learning for pleasure
The Watton and District Branch of the
Workers Educational Association is offering
a 10 week course on "The 13th Century"
with tutor Brian Statham.
The course will start on Tuesday, 26th
January 2010 from 2pmto 3.30pm at the
Watton Community Centre.
The cost of the course will be £50 but for
those on means tested state benefits the
course will be FREE. Everyone aged 16 and
over is welcome. There are no exams to sit.
This course will explore the main events and
characters in 13th century England,
Breckland, and will take our plans for
community safety and business support
well into the future‘.
Grahame Green, the Community Safety
officer for Breckland District Council
leading on the project, explained the
benefits of the new system: ―The new
wireless system offers a level of
functionality and flexibility that our
existing system is unable to provide. It
will be cheaper and easier to relocate the
wireless cameras and the new system will
not be so reliant on costly fibre optics;
offering an extremely cost-effective
solution in the long term‘.
Once deployed, the council plans to offer
businesses throughout Breckland and East
Anglia the chance to access the system for
their own surveillance needs. The council
hopes businesses and residents will take
advantage of the system to enhance their
own security requirements, thereby
helping to expand the system‘s sphere of
influence and enhance community safety
in the area for everyone.
A series of road shows, open to the public
and business community, are to be held
and Council and AMS officers will
explain the benefits of the scheme, and
how residents and businesses in the
district can buy into the new system and
have their own monitored CCTV or
intruder alarms. Dates and venues are as
follows:
WATTON at the Wayland Partnership, 76
High Street Wednesday 2 December 2009
from 7-9 pm
ATTLEBOROUGH The Breckland Lodge,
London Road Friday 4 December 2009 7-
9pm
Pictured are (Left) Grahame Green,
Breckland Council Community Safety
Officer and M artin Spooner,
Principal Engineer of Advance
Monitoring Solutions Ltd. with one of
the new digital cameras
your account your will be able to draw cash
from it with your ATM card, or to make
some purchases and withdraw cash using
'cashback' with your Visa Debit card.
For further information you can telephone
or visit your local branch, the Wayland
Commuity Bank at Wayland House in the
High Street, Watton, or contact Norfolk
Credit Union in Long Stratton tel: 01508
533842 info@norfolkcu.co.uk
www.norfolkcu.co.uk
Wayland Community Bank is open
Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Thursdays
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tel. 01953 883915
email contact@wayland.org.uk
www.waylandbank.org
including Magna Carta, the first Parliament
and the forming of Britain.
To join the course no previous experience of
qualification is necessary, just a willingness
to learn.
The WEA is committed to promoting
learning for life on behalf of adult learners.
The topics covered are very diverse and a
friendly welcome is waiting. Why not join
us? For further information please
telephone: Audrey Donovan 01953 885208
or Sheila Bingham 01953 882467
Reg Charity No: 1112775
News
Troop
Aid
A charity
we should
all support
Troop Aid was founded in
November 2006 by three ex
servicemen, Captain (retired) Al
Sutton, Derek Joss and Ray
Warren as a result of a visit to
Selly Oak Hospital‘s Alexandra
Wing in Birmingham. This is the
home of the Defence Medical
We l fa r e S e r vi c e s who a r e
responsible for the welfare of all
Armed Forces Personnel, male and
female who have been injured
during the conflict in Afghanistan
or elsewhere.
When Troops return to the United
Kingdom from the war zones they
arrive back without their personal
effects or clothing. The objective
of Troop Aid is to supply the
―basic essentials‖ when service
casualties return from serving their
country overseas.
Examples of what Troop Aid
supply are a Grab Bag containing
washing and shaving kit, towel,
face flannel, shower mules, socks,
underwear, t-shirt and shorts.
Female requirements are also
provided. Our Grab Bags are
currently being sent out to the UK
Medical Stations in Afghanistan.
In addition to this emergency pack
Troop Aid also supply on demand
to the injured service personnel
many other items of clothing and
footwear.
The Charity deals directly with the
Defence Medical Welfare Service
and other military medical
establishments in the UK where
there is a need. They have
sponsored two rooms at Selly Oak
Hospital for the families of Armed
Forces Personnel who are in
intensive care.
Their funds come entirely from
fund raising events and donations
from organisations such as Help
for Heroes, Rotary International,
Lions International, The Monday
Club Kuwait, Masonic Lodges, ex
Service Associations plus the local
business community and the
general public.
Troop Aid understands that
everyone who joins the Armed
Forces may one day go to war and
fight for their country. They
believe that when injured Troops
return home they should be cared
for. At Selly Oak Hospital injured
servicemen and women receive the
very best medical care.
We would like to thank everyone
who has contributed to this
venture and with continued
support we will give our Troops
the support they deserve.
How can you help ? If you would
like to make a donation, however
small, please make Cheques
payable to TROOP AID and send
to: TROOP AID, PO BOX 14482,
SOLIHULL, B91 9LD or visit
www.troopaid.info
News Mid-Norfolk Times Page 31

Getting a kick out of competing Christmas Art Exhibition

(Mixed Media) Seasonal Theme
Saturday 5th - Saturday 19th December
13 artists to include
Isobel Bartholomew
Her work is featured in a number of publications including the
R.H.S. 'New Dictionary of Gardening' and Dr. Shirley Sherwood's
book 'A Passion for Plants - Contemporary Botanical Masterworks'
Dragonfly Exhibition Centre, Wayland House,
Watton 01953 880205

SUNDAY AFTERNOON TEAS

Hosted by St. Mary’s Church
Sunday 20th December 2009 at Watton Christian Community
Centre 2.30pm until 4.00pm
All welcome—please come along and bring family and friends

WATTON BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP

Wed. 4th 2pm Meeting with Tea and chat at Watton Christian Commu-
nity Centre Speaker: Rosie Gibb, subject ‘Lighthouses’
Mon.16th 12.30pm for 1pm Lunch at the Wagon & Horses, Griston

The Watton Society

Left to right: Marsha Noble, Billy Carlton, Conrad Sellers, Ian Draycott
Four members of the Watton School of
Kickboxing recently attended a
Kickboxing Show in Bury St. Edmunds,
Suffolk. This was run by Pete Dunnett,
5th Dan Combat Kickboxing Academy.
This proved to be a busy day for all
concerned. Up at 7am, pick up minibus
at 8.15am and weigh in for 9.30am.
Once all fighters were in, off we went.
With three rings operating and with over
80 plus fights to get through this was
going to be a demanding day. I take my
hat off to all of the students competing
for really proving themselves in the ring.
For three out of four, this was their first
fight. A special mention has to go to
Billy who got matched up twice on the
day and came out victorious in both
fights.
Clubs came from all over for this event:
Brighton, Birmingham, Newark,
Norwich, Ipswich and local clubs from
Watton, Dereham, Harleston, Diss and
more.
If you would like to give Kickboxing a
try, please come along to the Watton
Youth and Community Centre on
Thursday evenings. Juniors 7 – 16 years
6.30pm – 7.30pm, Adults 7.30pm –
8.30pm. First lesson is free. Call Matt
Featherstone, 3rd Dan Black Belt on
01953 889313. Instructor is fully insured
and first aid trained.
Programme – December 2009 to February 2010
7.45 p.m. at the Watton Christian Community Centre
Wednesday, December 16th June Garratt and Friends Entertain.
£3.50 members, £4.50 non members, includes mulled wine and
mince pies.
Wednesday, January 20th Julian Horn. The History of Watton. £1.50
members. £2.50 non members.
Wednesday, February 17th Stephen Pope. Norfolk Aviation. £1.50
members. £2.50 non members.
For more information on the Watton Society and a programme to
December 2010 telephone Judy Kerr 01953 882613 or email
johnkerr36@yahoo.com.

Richmond Park Golf Richmond Park

Club Ladies Section Golf Club
Seniors
The AGM of Richmond Park Seniors took place on
5th November. A well attended meeting welcomed
Peter Ford as Captain for 2010 and Tony Fowler as
Vice-Captain. Outgoing Captain, Mike Hosier 20
thanked everyone for their support during his year (Corner of High Street and the old Dereham Rd.)
and announced that his chosen charity, Macmillan
Nurses, will benefit by over £1300, collected from
various events held during the summer months.
The Seniors Section has over 80 active members
enjoying a mixture of social golf and friendly
KRH CARPENTRY SERVICES
competitions.
After the AGM over 45 members played in the
Keith Huish
annual 3 Club challenge. 1st place went to Roy
Dolman with 35 points,2nd was Terry Hannon,34
Skilled and Experienced Carpenter
points, 3rd was Phil Barrall 33 points and 4th was
Gerry Knox also 33 points.. Need small home improvements?
October Stableford winners: John Crowdy,Doug Doors, windows, locks . . . No job too small
Atkins,John Weaver,Reg Knowles,Tony Free, no obligation quote
Fowler,Dave Packard,Phil Barrall.
Call Keith on
Saham Cinema Club (01953) 882484 or Mobile 07746 114285
held at the

CARPETS, 3 PIECE SUITES

Wells Cole Community Centre
Friday December 18th

& LEATHER FURNITURE

On 26th October we played a unique Greensomes of which the winners
were Barbara Coverdale and Jean Barrall (39) 2nd Lesley Matthews and Valkyrie
Karen Ralph (38) 3rd Fran Parker and Mary Wakeford (37). Our Annual
Saham Cinema is open to all in the Wayland area. Safely and Professionally Cleaned
general meeting was held on the 2nd October with a very good turnout.
Doors open at 7 for 7.30pm start. Tickets £4.00
This was followed by the New Captain's drive in and a game of one,
Available from Saham Post Office
two ,three. This was won by Karen Ralph, Jan Bone, and Chris Bailey (38)
2nd Margaret Middleton, Elaine Aberdeen and Lesley Matthews (37). We or call Mike Barrett at Clean-Tech
For a FREE no obligation quotation
played a medal the last before the winter Div 1 1st Ann Bell(75) 2nd Mary 01953 883394
Wakeford(77) Div 2 1st Dylis Gibbs (75) 2nd Jeanette Fowler (78) Div 3 Bar, Raffle, tea and coffee. One lucky ticket
1st Dorothy Stephenson (83) 2nd Eileen Chard (85)
Pictured: Ladies Captain handover between outgoing Captain Rosie
holder wins the film. Telephone 01485 609 223
Wheel chair / buggies welcome Tea, Coffee and Red Wine stains removed totally 100%
Sutterby (right) and new Captain Sheila Hill.
All profit go to the WCCC Saham. Payment by major credit and debit cards welcome
Mid-Norfolk Times Page 32
Watton football roundup
Watton United FC Veterans
Sun 15 November Norfolk Veterans
Cup Scole 3 Veterans Firsts 2
Another game - Another cup exit!
Watton started brightly and thanks to
the industrious Mark Ward were 2-0 up
at half-time. They were rarely troubled
throughout the half and looked likely to
comfortably make it through to the next
round. However, things aren‘t always
what they seem and the break gave
Scole a chance to reorganise. They came
out for the second half a totally different
side and from the whistle caused Watton
all sorts of problems. It didn‘t take long
for the hosts to pull a goal back when
the Watton defence failed to clear the
ball from their own 6 yard box. Within a
few minutes they had drawn level and
from there it was Scole all the way.
Watton gave away possession in the
middle of the park too often and were
punished time and time again as Scole
poured forward in numbers, leaving the
defence hopelessly outnumbered.
Scole's third goal inevitably came with
about 15 minutes to play and, despite a
valiant late effort, Watton simply
couldn‘t find the style of play that had
seen them so comfortably outclass their
opponents in the first half.
Watton United Reserves
Friday 6th November League Spixworth
United Reserves 1 Watton United
Reserves 4
Watton Reserves returned to winning
ways at Spixworth United Reserves,
turning in a impressive performance in 4
-1 win. With Watton‘s management
team of Wilkins and Griffith ringing the
changes after a poor performance in the
last league fixture, they decided to go
with a trio of Under 18 players Luke
Jones, Sam Fincham and Harry Brown
starting at right back.
It was an inspired formation, with Jones
scoring two in his first start of the
season, Sam Fincham dominating the
large Spixworth pitch with his energy,
and Brown turning in calm and cultured
man of the match performance at right
back. Another new signing Luke Cooper
coolly dispatched the fourth coming off
the bench.
Watton Junior U18 Football
Tue 17 Nov League Watton Junior
Under 18's 3 Wisbech Town 2
Watton were up against a top of the
table clash against Wisbech who so far
Prayer of the Heart Activities at
Watton Methodist Church
Comprising Christian Meditation, Bi Monthly Worship, and Bi-
monthly Spiritual Book group. For those seeking reflective prayer,
mid-week worship with a more reflective and contemporary feel,
and those who enjoy exploring their faith by reading spiritual
books old and new. Christian Meditation - 7.45 in the Vestry – 7th
Dec., 21st Dec. (Christmas reflections) 4th & 18th Jan.
Monday Evening Worship – Next Service in February
Spiritual Journey Book Club – 25th Jan, 7.45 in the Willow House
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
Welfare Contact Number:
01328 864543
WATTON & DISTRICT
BRANCH
Contact Number
Captain Glyn Bellamy:
01953 880188
are unbeaten this season. Both teams
started fairly even eachhaving chances
and playing some decent football.
Watton conceded an unlucky free kick
on the edge of the area, which the
Wisbech Captain converted in to a
lovely goal.
The game continued with both teams
matching each other, Matty pulled off a
lovely save only for Wisbech to follow
up with the rebound to score a goal. Last the best games he has ever had, not
season would have seen Watton drop
their heads and carry on being defeated,
but this year they
seem to have
more spirit and
this was shown
when Harry sent a
good ball into the
box for Luke to
get on the end of
and head home.
Minutes later,
after some good
build up play
Eddie latched on
to the ball and put
it past the keeper
and into the back
of the net to make
the halftime score
2-2.
The second half
saw both teams
battling hard Watton Junior U18 Man of the Match - Luke Jones
trying to play
some nice football. Watton secured the
win with an attempt on goal from Lozza
which hit the bar but found its way to
Jonno to put the ball in the back of the
net. Watton kept their cool and held out
for the win, taking the full time score to trying to get the forwards involved.
3-2. This was a very good win for
Watton and hopefully something they
can build on when they play at home to
Newmarket next week. Man of Match -
Luke Jones
Starting Line Up: Matty Colley, Harry
Brown, Kevin Holt, Sam Fincham,
Kieren Brown, Jonathan Franklin,
Jordan Scent, Jake Scent, Luke Jones,
Eddie Mc Donagh, Sam Lawrence.
Tuesday 03 Nov (League) Wisbech St
Mary 0 Watton Junior Under 18's 2
Watton played away to Wisbech St
Mary, who beat Watton on their home
ground when they last met. Watton
weren‘t to beaten again by this side
though as right from the start, Watton
were in control playing some of the best
football they have played all season.
They played like a team that looked like
they had been playing together for
years, and it was a pleasure to watch.
They had chances in the first half with
both Luke and Jonno, who you could
normally rely on, unable to find the
target. As it happens Watton could have
gone in a halftime 1 -0 down, but Matty
made an excellent save having one of
because he had to do a lot but he was
quick off his line and acted as a sweeper
to the back four, who were also on top
form.
The second half started the same as the
first with the defence standing solid and
midfield playing some great football
Watton‘s persistence finally paid off
when from a corner, Jake claimed a
loose ball and hit the back of the net.
Not long after Jake once again was on
the score sheet.
This was a great win for Watton and it
showed what a great team they can be.
Man of match was Luke Jones, who
himself should have scored 2/3 goals,
but was always a constant threat and
never stopped running.
Starting Line up: Matty Colley, Harry
Brown, Kevin Holt, Kieren Brown, Sam
Fincham, Sam Lawrence, Luke Jones,
Jordan Scent, Jake Scent, Eddie Mc
Donagh, Jonathan Franklin.
News
EVENTS DIARY
ACC = Ashill Community Centre, Hale Road, Ashill; Watton CCC =
Watton Christian Community Centre; Wells CCC = Wells Cole
Community Centre, Saham
December
Thurs 3rd } A Christmas Festival at St Andrew‘s Quidenham
Mon 7th } 11am to 3pm Daily See ad.
Sat 5th Holme Hale Christmas Bazaar - See ad
Sat 5th Ovington Christmas Bazaar 12 Noon to 3pm See art
Sat 5th Great Hockham Christmas Fair - see ad
Sat 5th Christmas Prize Bingo Great Ellingham See ad
Sat 5th } Christmas Art Exhibition at the Dragonfly Gallery
Sat 19th } Wayland House, Watton. See ad
Wed 9th Queen's Hall Inner Wheel Lunchtime Concert See art.
Thurs 10th to Sat 12th Watton Art Group Show - See ad
Fri 11th }Christmas & All That Jazz Garboldisham Vill. Hall
Fri 12th }Christmas & All That Jazz Thetford - see ad
Sat 12th Watton Senior Citizens Party See article
Sat 12th Watton Rotary Christmas Disco See ad
Sun 13th Ashill WI Annual Carol Concert - See ad
Sun 13th Watton Churches Together Christmas Carol Service at
The Queens Hall, 7pm
Tues 15th 7.45pm to 9.30pm NWT Talk Conserving the Wensum
Valley. Watton CCC.
Thurs 17th Christmas Bingo Great Ellingham See ad
Fri 18th Saham Cinema Club - See ad
Thurs 31st Freeloader at Carbrooke Village Hall - see ad.
H. BRETT & SON
Monumental Masons ~ Craftsmen in Stone
Call for our Brochure or
Visit our SHOWROOM and WORKSHOPS
Home visits can be arranged
also Fireplaces, House Names etc.
75 NORWICH ROAD, WATTON,
NORFOLK, IP25 6DH Tel: 01953 881501
FUNERAL DIRECTORS
SERVING WATTON & DISTRICT
W.C. LITTLEPROUD & SON
of BRADENHAM
‘A genuine, family owned & run business
offering a caring, traditional & affordable service’
Written estimates always provided Memorials supplied
Personal supervision Pre-Paid Funeral Plans available
Arrangements may be discussed in the privacy of your own home
Tel: (01760) 440269 (24 hrs)
Established over 60 years