Community, Parish Council & Village
The “Taylor Maids” referred to are, of course, Ann & Jane Taylor, authors of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. They lived in West Stockwell Street in the 1800’s and Peter Jones of the Local History Group will be talking about them at their next meeting.
Because of the continued uncertainty about COVID-19, this meeting will not take place in the Orpen Hall but will, instead, take place on Zoom. Continue reading “The Taylor Maids – History by Zoom”
West Bergholt (Not) Open Gardens 2020This is a more complete update of an earlier Open Gardens post with new material from the allotments; thanks to Peter Noakes for putting these collages together.
The West Bergholt Open Gardens has been a biennial event since 2014 and has raised thousands of pounds for local charities. This year it didn’t happen for obvious reasons, but the plan is it will return next year. We would like to share a few photos of the gardens & allotments that were due to be open on 28th June. Hopefully you will find them uplifting and will encourage you to join in next year. Gardens and donkeys are further down so keep scrolling!
We would like to thank Steve for providing Continue reading “West Bergholt (Not) Open Gardens 2020”
Day 114 since LockdownOn day 114 we get an update on the village’s Swift project. In other news:
This summer, villagers may have noticed an increase in the numbers of swifts wheeling about at speed, high up in the sky with their unmistakable scythe shaped wings and forked tail.
Thanks to funding received last year, we are now in the process of installing a total of 32 swift nest boxes at various sites around the village. As well as Orpen Hall and Heathlands School, eight private households are also taking part.
Continue reading “Day 114 since Lockdown – the ‘Swift’ edition”
Day 107 since LockdownOn day 107 we see Essex opening a free bus travel scheme. In other news we have:
Stop. Swap. GO! campaign launchedA new sustainable travel campaign aiming to make it easier for people in Essex to switch from cars to sustainable travel, such as walking, cycling and using the bus, is launched today. Continue reading “Day 107 since Lockdown – the ‘Free Bus Travel’ edition”
Day 100 of (flexible) LockdownOn Day 100 of lockdown Colchester Borough Council looks at launching a Garden Club. Meanwhile not to be outdone, Essex are launching:
… and we end with a bit of fun
Another news short – Colchester Zoo will be opening indoor & play areas from Saturday 4th July.
New Garden Waste OptionsProposals for a new options-based garden waste service are being published by Colchester Borough Council. Councillors will Continue reading “Day 100 of (flexible) Lockdown – the ‘Ton-up’ edition”
Day 98 of (new balls) LockdownOn Day 98 of lockdown Wimbledon doesn’t start, yet another sporting casualty of the pandemic. A few topics today, most addressing your mental or physical fitness:
We’ve reported on Colchester Museums’ Museum from Home initiative before but they keep coming up with new activities so it is worth a reminder. Some of the newer ideas are: Continue reading “Day 98 of (new balls) Lockdown – the ‘wot, no Wimbledon’ edition”
Day 91 of (flagging) LockdownDay 91 lockdown coincides with Windrush Day commemorating the Windrush generation and their legacy. You can find out more about this on Wikipedia and I ‘tip a hat to it’ at the end of the update. The day also sees the start of a week of activity leading up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday which is where we start; other items:
Continue reading “Day 91 of (flagging) Lockdown – the Windrush edition”
Day 79 of (bubbling) Lockdown – the Zoo editionOn Day 79 lockdown becomes bubbly as some will soon be able to have a full contact social bubble of 2 households! Other news kicks off with:
Colchester Zoo has announced their intention to reopen next week. They have yet to confirm Continue reading “Day 79 of (bubbling) Lockdown – the Zoo edition”
Day 65 of (un?) LockdownDay 65 and, settling down, no new updates from Essex or Colchester councils so far. Instead, we have some local news and some national news for local application.
Continue reading “Day 65 of (un?) Lockdown – the 3D Printing edition”
Day 53 of LockdownDay 53 sees the first tentative steps towards sporting normality in West Bergholt as the MUGA opens for tennis. Other news:
Following the latest government advice, the MUGA is now open for playing tennis only. To protect the health of our staff, the parish council is not currently charging to hire the tennis court, however, you must book the court in advance of playing to ensure social distancing is adhered to.
To book the court for an hour, call Victoria Beckwith-Cole on 07434 949631.
in order to use this tennis court, you must:
For the avoidance of doubt, playgrounds/play parks remain closed at this time.
CBC – Share Your RainbowsColchester Borough Council is encouraging residents to share photos of their home-made rainbow creations that demonstrate the borough’s support and gratitude to key workers throughout COVID-19.
Residents are being asked to share photos of their colourful and creative rainbow creations – whether it’s a hand-drawn rainbow, a chalk drawing on their driveway, or even a floral display in their front garden. The competition is open from 15 May until 7 June and will be judged by Cllr Mark Cory, Leader of Colchester Borough Council.
The winning photo will be awarded a family pass to visit Colchester Castle, a family swim pass at Leisure World Colchester and will feature on the council’s Facebook page as a cover photo.
To enter the competition, visit: www.colchester.gov.uk/rainbow
The winner will be announced the week following the competition’s deadline of 5 June 2020.
ECC – International Day of FamiliesWe’re using this year’s International Day of Families to remind you of the support available across Essex if you need help managing the extra pressure that the COVID-19 pandemic has put on family life.
We understand that while trying to make sense of this new world, you also need to support your child with their understanding. This will be unfamiliar territory and it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed by this and trying to navigate the current circumstances we’re all living in.
With so much information out there, we know it can be hard to find what’s right for you, so we’ve collated key organisations and resources that can help support you and your family at this time.
We are continuing to share these with you through our Every Family Matters campaign, so that you know where you can get the help you need on subjects including children’s mental health and wellbeing, social distancing and young people, and how you can keep your child safe online.
Visit our Staying Well Children and Families page for more information and stay up-to-date with regular Every Family Matters news on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
https://youtu.be/MDQNVNwNxHg