Community, Parish Council & Village
General news items
Colchester and District Model Railway Club are holding an Open Day on Sunday 6 April in the Orpen Memorial Hall from 11am to 4.30pm.
There will be displays, layouts and a second hand stall.
Admission free, light refreshments available.
Photo courtesy of freefoto.com
The president Joyce Woolhead was delighted to give two new members Pat McSweeney and Mary Fulford a W I welcome pack. Members were thanked for giving toiletries for George Mills to send to the orphanage in Chernigov.
The crossword for 2008 is now available at 75p.
The committee then handed over the meeting to the members. Guest speaker Mrs Avril Taylor
entertained with her talk entitled ‘From the Kitchen Sink Upwards’. Her audience later enjoyed her samples of food.
Stall items that were not sold are being donated to the local branch of the Alzheimers Society.
Fresh not frozen cakes for St Helena Hospice can be brought to the April meeting for delivery the following day.
(Photo courtesy of freefoto.com)
Wesley Guild meetings restart from March to September in the Methodist church hall at 7.30pm. On Friday 28 March, Martin Hill will speak about his visit to Kenya.
Everyone most welcome.
This Sunday St Mary’s church welcomes the Arch-Deacon of Colchester,the Reverend Annette Cooper, who will take the Family Communion service beginning at 9.30am.
The Methodist church service starts at 11am led by Mr Phil Bingham. All children are welcome with crèche facilities if required.
(Picture courtesy of freefoto.com)
The West Bergholt Concert Band recently announced this to be their 30th Anniversary Year. As reported in the Village Bulletin:
Welcome to the band’s 30th Anniversary! We’ve certainly got an exciting year ahead, with seven concerts of our favourite music at our favourite venues, with musicians from seven local schools joining in with the fun!
We’ve already started the year’s activities, with Training Band leading a number of weekend workshops for local primary schools, which have proven a huge success.We’re then into our first full concert of the year, featuring music from Phantom Of The Opera, Dvorak’s New World Symphony, Big Bands In Concert, Hoe-Down from Rodeo, and, ah-hem, The Stripper. That’s what happens when the band get to request their favourite pieces!
Sunday 16th March – 3:00pm – West Cliff Theatre, Clacton (in aid of the Royal British Legion)
After a short break for Easter, we’re then performing another “Instant Concert” with four Colchester secondary schools as a commemoration of the band’s founder Sid Cooper, who taught at those schools. The programme includes music from Sinatra, The Sound Of Music, Gershwin, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto (Adagio), Joseph, Mars…and Deep Purple (the band’s choice again!).
Saturday 19th April – 7:30pm – St Botolph’s, Colchester (in aid of the Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding)
The rest of the year is equally busy, with our “Summer of ‘78” concerts featuring music linked to the year the band was started, such as Copacabana, Grease, Star Wars, Abba, and Bolero.
Saturday 14th June – 7:30pm – West Cliff Theatre, Clacton (in aid of St Helena Hospice) – with the Sweeting Swing Band.
Saturday 12th July – 7:30pm – St Botolph’s, Colchester (in aid of Essex Air Ambulance (TBC))
As you can see, we’re looking forward to our best (and busiest) ever year, so if you’re after a fun afternoon or evening’s entertainment and a programme of great music…come along to one of the above !
Everything you need to know about the band (including concert details and directions, and how to join us) is on our website (www.wbcb.org), or you can call Graham on 01206 824157. We look forward to seeing you at some of our concerts…and wish you a belated happy new year !
Essex County Council has given notice of its intention to close Newbridge Hill in West Bergholt to all traffic starting on 26 March 2008 for 2 days.
This is to facilitate the replacement of BT poles and cables.
An alternative route is available via B1508 Colchester Road, Braiswick Road, Bergholt Road, North Station Road, Westway, A1333 Colne Bank Avenue, Cybeline Way (Colchester by pass), London Road, Halstead Road, Chitts Hill. Access to property will be maintained during the closure.
Any queries to Area Highway Manager on 01206 838600
This Sunday (16th March) St Mary’s church will commemorate Palm Sunday with a ‘Procession of Witness’ from the Queen’s Head pond at 9.30am. led by a donkey. The service in church should begin at about 10am.
The village Gardeners’ Association next meeting will take place on Monday 17 March at 7.30pm in the Orpen Memorial Hall, Lexden Road. Rick Vonk from the RSPB will give an illustrated talk on ‘Garden Birds’.
Please note the annual plant sale will be a month earlier on Monday 21 April.
Congratulations to West Bergholt Bowls Club member Paul Leech on becoming the Essex County Singles Champion.
Paul will now compete in the Eastern Counties Final in Norfolk and represent Essex at Blackpool in the All England Finals later in the year. This is a first for the village bowls club.
The WEA are running a special early summer course this year and everyone is invited to a series of six lectures on ‘Weather and Climate’ by an old friend of the WEA, Adrian Wright.
The weather is an enduring topic of conversation and a subject for newscasters. This course aims to look into the topic in greater depth and will include collecting weather data, origins of weather patterns which affect Britain, better understanding of forecasts, and a look at tropical climates.
The course starts on Tuesday 1st April at 8.00 pm in the Methodist Hall in Chapel Lane. Standard fee £24 Concessions £20.40.
If uncertain whether this is for you, come and sample the first evening for free with no obligation. For further info. ring the WEA Secretary on 01206 240791.