Village News Edition 22

Village News Edition 22. May/June 2015

West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan

The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group held 3 exhibitions in March and April explaining the development of the Plan. They were well attended by many village residents and by Parish Councillors from other nearby villages and were most successful. This has resulted in more questionnaires being completed – the more we receive the more we can represent village views. The collection box will remain in the Post Office in the Coop until 21st May. So, if you haven’t sent yours in yet – do it now!!! Alternatively, you can complete it online (which will save the Steering Group time transcribing paper copies).

The results will be collated and analysed by the steering group to produce a definitive Neighbourhood Plan and will be made public to all residents later in the year.

For further information on the NP contact :- Chris Stevenson NP chairperson at:- cdstevenson @gmail.com or visit the Neighbourhood Plan webpages.

The White Hart

It is great to see this local village Pub is now doing well. It has been taken on by Mark Killick as the landlord and you will always receive a cheerful welcome from him and his staff. Mark has seen the pub refurbished and it now looks very bright and inviting and very family friendly.

Mark is a trained chef and has previously worked in several Essex village pubs as a chef so you can be sure the meals on offer will be really good.

The opening times of the pub are:-

Monday to Saturday, 12md – 11pm.
Sunday, 12md – 6pm.
Lunches are served on Mondays and Tuesdays from 12md – 4.0pm
Meals served on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12md – 8.30pm
The famous Sunday roasts are from 12md – 4pm.

The beers on offer are also very good with a great selection!!

More Village News

Read archive Village Bulletins and News on the Village Bulletin & News webpage.

February 4, 2015February 4, 2015

Your Village Bulletin Needs You!

Your Village Bulletin need you - Kitchener 50p — Your Village Bulletin Needs You!

Your Village Bulletin Needs You!

OK, it’s not 2014 any more but that memorable image of Lord Kitchener pointing his finger lingers, especially since it now graces a 50p coin.

So, since I’ve been webmaster for the village I have posted over 30 editions of the Village Bulletin online which ensures that there is a live archive, but what about those paper copies you receive through your doors? What about the energy that goes into creating them in the first instance? This is all down to the hard work of a small group of committed individuals creating and distributing the bulletin, they are now after some local support:

We are looking for a new Committee member to join the existing group but who will also be able to get involved and organise bundling of the Bulletins to give to the distributors each quarter and to organise holiday cover and find new distributors as and when required.
Please contact Bernard Colbron 240297.

I hope you are able to lend your support on this,
Dave, (webmaster).

November 3, 2014November 3, 2014

Who’s been carping?

The latest Village News is now on-line along with all archive copies of both the Village Bulletin and News, one update was of particular interest & it seemed worth picking out for the news-feed:

Maintaining Open Spaces in the Village

The open areas in the village, Poors Land, the Heath, Orpen Hall Field and the allotments have had their annual hedge cutting and bracken clearing.

The ponds in the village at Queen’s Head, Lexden Road and Hall Road will have their autumn tidy-up in November. The Parish Council employs the services of The Conservation Volunteers from Essex.

We were surprised to see that someone had donated a large Koi carp to the Queen’s Head Pond. This is not ideal as the carp will make short work of a lot of the wild life in the pond.

Anyone who would like to have a Koi carp for an ornamental garden pond would be welcome to get in touch, please call Jenny on 240792.

April 20, 2014April 20, 2014

Pot Holes

Pot holes are the leading item of this months Village News. After all the wet weather we have experienced this winter some of our village roads and surrounding area have been badly affected. It is really easy to report a road problem to Essex County Council on their web site – http://www.essexhighways.org/report-a-highways-problem.aspx.

You can phone to report a problem on 0845 67 430 430. If we do not report problems they will not know what needs doing.

Other items addressed in the latest news update are:

Emergency Planning in West Bergholt;
Details of Annual Meeting on 21st May;
Change of management at the White Hart.

March 19, 2014June 25, 2021

Deanna Walker BEM & other news online

The latest Village Bulletin is now on-line and available for download/reading on-line on the Village Bulletin page. News updates not previously reported here include:

Deanna Walker BEM

A West Bergholt woman has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours awards for her services to Higher Education. Deanna Walker has been awarded the BEM (British Empire Medal) for her work at the University of Essex where she is administrator in the Registry Department. She joined the university staff 25 years ago in the Admissions Department working in several administrative roles before reaching her present position as Senior Academic Officer. Her work has included mentoring junior colleagues which, she believes, also contributed to colleagues recommending her for the award.

Deanna is modest about her achievements. She says:

The award came out of the blue. When the letter came notifying me, I couldn’t understand why I was chosen as I just do an ordinary working job.

[More… in the Bulletin]

Concert Band’s Christmas Concert raises £1,500 for St Helena Hospice

The Concert Band’s 2013 Christmas Concert was a huge success, as one audience member commented:

the most enjoyable Christmas Concert I’ve been to in many, many years.

The report continues to tell how they have raised nearly £30,000 in recent years and about their plans for 2014.

[More… in the Bulletin]

Voluntary Group & Club Updates

Well, there were quite a few including:

Friends of St Mary’s Old Church;
Hillhouse Wood;
Care Network;
Friendship Club;
Women’s Institute;
History Group;
Bergholt Heath YFC;
Workers’ Educational Association;
Gardeners;
Indoor Bowls;
First responders;
Allotments;
Badminton;
Churches; and
Orpen Players.

[More… in the Bulletin]

Last, but not least, the weather

As if we needed reminding, 2013 was pretty much the wettest we can recall – the following chart tells you just how wet West Bergholt was:

December 3, 2013

Xmas Bulletin now online

The Xmas Bulletin is now available on-line here, highlights are:

First Responders (crucial emergency care) are in danger of collapse.
Village Traffic Safety Plan updates.
Crime Prevention update, preparing for Xmas.
NHS report on cancer services at Colchester being investigated.
Round-up of the West Bergholt Concert Band’s 35th Anniversary year.
Update on ways of handling a shortage of rectors in our area.
Colne Valley Flower Club celebrated its diamond anniversary.
Neighbourhood plan update.
Updates from many of the village clubs and associations.
News on street lighting, and
Dairy events and contacts.

October 18, 2013

Results of Village Bulletin Annual Quiz 2013

Orpen Players - Winners of Annual Quiz 2013 — Orpen Players – Winners of Annual Quiz 2013

Bernard Colbron presenting runners-up prizes

Village Bulletin Annual Quiz

The Quiz Night organised by the Village Bulletin Team was held in September and was a great success, with twelve teams entering. They were all from local organisations or a groups of friends, as the criteria for entry is that at least part of the team must be residents of West Bergholt.

The quizmaster was Susan Leng who also wrote the questions. Some teams surprised themselves with how much they knew on certain subjects – and when they did well, they wished they had played their joker, which doubles the team’s points in that round! However, each team distinguished themselves in some way and the team with two teenagers congratulated themselves on having someone who knew an answer about “Grand Theft Auto V”.

Bernard Colbron, editor of the Bulletin, kept the scoreboard up to date. Other members of the team ably assisted with marking, and distributing answer sheets as well as refreshments and a big raffle. With two extra helpers the evening ran very smoothly, and, thanks to the Parish Council who kindly allowed the use of the Orpen Hall free, the evening raised £270 for “The Teenage Cancer Trust” which is very dear to the hearts of many people in West Bergholt.

The final winners, after a closely run contest, who went home with the Challenge Cup, were The Orpen Players. They were also the previous winners – will they make it a hat-trick next year ? The runner-up prize went to a family team from Albany Road – they too are determined to capture the cup next year ! Come along and join us next time, and see if you can be “The Brains of Bergholt”

July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

Latest Village News Online – Focus on Traffic Plan

Heathlands-Primary-Road-Markings — The Traffic Safety Plan focuses strongly on congestion around the school

The latest village news has been made available locally and is also posted here online together with other News Bulletins. As well as a reminder to respond to the neighbourhood plan survey, this issue draws attention to the West Bergholt Traffic Plan which was discussed at a Public Meeting on 4th July. All residents are encouraged to read the plan and those who attend Heathlands are strongly encouraged to consider walking to school wherever possible..

April 11, 2013

What do buses & dog’s poo have in common?

Well, they are both subject of the latest newsletter issued by the Parish Council and posted on this site here.

It seems that some dog walkers are giving others a bad name by their poor behaviour in either failing to pick up their dog’s business or are doing so, but then disposing of it improperly.

On the buses the question is are they arriving when they should be and what can you do to help improve the service.

To see this issue and other archive Village News letters and Bulletin editions visit the Bulletin page of this site.

March 5, 2013April 15, 2013

Download the Bulletin to put news on your tablet…

The latest Village Bulletin is now online for you to read or download news onto your tablet or other device to read at leisure. Updates this quarter include:

report of the farewell to June Mayhew after 27 years serving the community;
review of the Sports Club’s first year;
updates on new neighbourhood planning and traffic safety;
lots of club updates and reports, and
perhaps the bargain of the month in April – news of FREE admission to the annual Model Railway Show in Orpen Hall! (Editors note – I like steam railways, hence choice of picture for this article).