Community, Parish Council & Village
Join the Friends of Hillhouse Wood for a Butterfly, Dragonfly & Summer Insect Walk on Saturday 17th July. Joe Firmin and Philip Smith will lead a summer insect walk in and near the wood, offering a chance to see whiteletter hairstreaks and other special
butterflies plus some unusual dragonflies and damselflies.
Meet at the Old Church at 2:30pm (weather permitting).
Vice president Bea Girkin took the meeting as the president attended the National Federation AGM in Cardiff. A delegate is required to report on the County Annual Meeting in Clacton later this year, 3 other members may attend at £5 each.
After the committee meeting at the president’s home on 29 June a programme planning meeting follows at 11am. Please bring along suggestions for 2011.
Contributions to the stall at the school fayre can be brought at 1pm or taken to the president’s home the day before.
Maureen Williams from SAGA spoke about the various services and holidays available from the company. 
Various activities have taken place in the wood including a bluebell walk attended by 60 people, an early morning dawn chorus and next month a summer butterfly, dragonfly and insect walk guided by Joe Firmin and Philip Smith is planned.
On Sunday 16th May, Joe Firmin and Philip Smith will lead a walk, offering a chance to see nightingales and many other brilliant dawn choristers. If you haven’t tried this you’ll find it a rewarding and delightful experience at a very special time for the wood’s varied birdlife. Please bring warm clothing, stout footwear, a flask of hot drink and a torch. Meet at the Old Church at 3:45am.
The next meeting of the Gardeners’ Association is on Monday 17 May at 7.30pm in the Orpen Memorial Hall.
President Pat Moran welcomed members to the meeting. A letter had been received from St Helena Hospice thanking everyone for their home made cakes.
Letters and phone calls from visiting WI’s thanked our W I for the enjoyable Fashion Show.
There will be a stall at the village fete at Heathlands Primary school on Saturday 19 June. Helpers and contributions of cakes and preserves are required.
The resolution for food to be labelled with the country it comes from not where processed was unanimously carried. The president will attend the National AGM in Cardiff to vote for this.
Simon Gallup, a blue badge holder spoke about Flatford and Constable Country. With the aid of two screens his audience could compare Constable’s paintings and how in some cases the countryside has changed.
The annual outing on July 7 is to Carter’s Vineyard which includes lunch; £15 payable next month. Congratulations to member Marie -Louise Fuell who won the Essex Tea Time Quiz.
June 2 meeting welcomes Mrs Diana Pettit with her talk on the ‘History of Jewellery.
At the recent Colne Valley Flower Club meeting National demonstrator, David Thompson, made a return visit with his arrangements entitled Pot Luck. He impressed his audience with exotic blooms and a stunning array of containers which he had collected during his career.
Members brought along arrangements on the theme of Fit For a Queen. These varied from traditional to crowns, handbag and a delicious cake. Although not a competition, members voted with coins for their favourite design which will be added to the club’s chosen charity for this year.
The next meeting at 7.30pm in the Orpen Memorial Hall on 19 May will see Julie Woods from Cambridge with her title Popcorn. Members are reminded that the annual plant sale takes place this month so all contributions most welcome.
President, Pat Moran, welcomed members to the April meeting.
Only one match yesterday:
Under 11
Bergholt Heath 0 – 3 Lexden Saints
… Girl Guiding in the UK is celebrating its centenary this year. The Guide Associations objective is to use the Centenary year to go all out, push some boundaries, pick up challenges, live a dream and remind themselves and the wider world what they’re really made of.
To find out more about Guiding (& Brownies & Rainbows) locally visit their page on our website here.
To find out more about the National Programme, visit the Centenary website here.