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Colchester Council Services Closed on Monday

Affecting Numerous Colchester Council Services & Buildings

The Queen's portrait used by Colchester Council on their announcement was painted by local man.

Queen Elizabeth II visited Colchester on many occasions during her 70-year reign, her last visit being in 1985 where she had lunch at Colchester Town Hall before officially opening Colchester General Hospital. 

Colchester Council has issued the following guidance:

As a mark of respect, and to allow council staff to mourn the nation’s loss, the following council buildings and services will close or run a limited service on Monday 19th September for The Queen’s state funeral:

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Chair’s Statement on the Death of the Queen

Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

 

 

On behalf of West Bergholt Parish Council, I know all my fellow Councillors and staff join the millions worldwide in mourning the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and sends its condolences to the Royal Family.
 
The Union Jack is being flown at half-mast at the Orpen Memorial Hall and flowers may be laid at its base, we only ask that you remove all plastic wrappings first. There will be no formal notices by the Council until after the funeral, but a Book of Condolence is open for all at St Mary the Virgin Church in New Church Road.
 
This year’s village festival in June with its royal theme, beacon lighting and tree planting was part of the nation’s celebration of Her Majesty’s seventy-year reign but seems a lifetime away now with the sad news in the last week.
 
I write this some days after the condolences of others have been published, and for that I offer apologies having been out of the country but stood not yards from the President of Italy when a holding a minute’s silence, recognition perhaps of the respect that leaders around the world had for her.
 
It is also perhaps as poignant for me as many others in that my mother was the same age our Queen but died at half her age, although both her and my father had the privilege of meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace because of their charity work.
 
We will remember the Queen for her unfailing devotion to public life and the stability she has offered over the last seventy years, and that we must still celebrate whilst mourning her loss.
 
Book of CondolenceLike many others I wish King Charles III’s reign will be as successful as his mother’s whilst we offer him our thoughts at the loss of not only his Queen but his mother and grandmother to his sons.
 
 
Brian Butcher
Chair – West Bergholt Parish Council

 

  
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Commemoration Service & Cancelled Event

Commemoration Service for the Late Queen Elizabeth II

Commemoration Service for Queen Elizabeth II

There will be a Commemoration Service for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in St Mary’s. It will start at 6 pm on 18th September.  It would be great to see representatives at that service from all the organisations within the village. This is a service for the whole community to come together.

A Book of Condolence is open at the New Church from 9am to 7pm each day. Flowers can be left by the flag at the Orpen Hall (no plastic wrappings please).

Old St Mary’s Cancels Event & Updates on Internal Renovations

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Mourning the Passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II

West Bergholt Participation in the National Period of Mourning

Mourning the loss of The Queen

From today, we ask all in the community to take a moment to pay our individual respects during this time of national mourning. 

Tributes

The flag outside the Orpen Memorial Hall will be at half-mast until 8 am the day after the State Funeral and there is an area at the base of the flagpole where residents may lay their floral tributes, if they wish. 

Flag lowered to half-mast during mourning period

Book of Condolence

The official West Bergholt Book of Condolence will be available for residents to sign at St Mary’s Church. There are also candles for those who might like to light one whilst they sit and reflect. The church will be open each day between 9 am and 7 pm.

Light a candle
Sign the book of condolence
Book of condolence table

Timetable

The timetable of events during this period of mourning is as follows with an educated guess based on recent announcements for the lying in state & Civic Services:

8th SeptemberDate of Death
10th SeptemberProclamation Day in London when the new Sovereign is proclaimed
11th SeptemberProclamation Day:
@ 12 noon in Belfast, Cardiff & Edinburgh
@ 2 pm High Sheriff’s read County Proclamation
@ 4 pm or after Civic Leaders read local proclamation
11th September?Middle Sunday – Civic Services
14th – 17th SeptemberLying In State in London
19th SeptemberDate of Funeral (which will be a Public Holiday)

Once official dates are announced this page will be updated.

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Open Gardens 2022 & Other Gardeners Updates

Open Gardens 2022

After the delay of two years the Open Gardens 2022 Event finally took place on Sunday, 12th June. Organised by the Gardeners Club, eleven generous owners, together with the allotment holders, opened their beautiful gardens or vegetable plots to almost a thousand visitors (lots of photos to view on the West Bergholt Hub).

Busy Hub

The weather was fine and sunny and the village was buzzing as people walked between the various sites. The Orpen Hall was the busy central hub with the plant stall and refreshments. It proved to be so popular that preserves sold out and most of the plants and the supply of cakes had to be topped up on more than a few occasions!

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St Mary’s News – Goldilocks Edition

This edition of St Mary’s News starts with a Revd Heather’s Message looking at Goldilocks, and continues with other news including:

Revd. Heather’s Goldilocks Message

Just Right!

Goldilocks

Many of you, I am sure, will be familiar with the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. There is something in this fairy-tale which speaks into our very human nature.

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Road Closures & Fear of Crime

Fear of Crime

CBC's Fear of Crime Survey

Colchester Borough Council have launched a ‘Fear of Crime’ survey. They are keen to understand people’s feelings around public safety, and whether residents have either been a victim of, or fear becoming a victim of crime. Fear of Crime means different things to different people, this could include:

  • not feeling safe in the community,
  • fear of burglary, or
  • possible violent or physical harm.

The survey takes about 10 minutes of your time to complete and will help them learn about experiences in the area. The survey is open until 19th September.

Road Closures

There are two upcoming road closures:

  • Newbridge Hill – 11th September, and
  • New Church Road – 22nd September

More details below:

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Cricket Festival 2022 Starts Next Week

West Bergholt Cricket Festival 2022

West Bergholt CC Festival 2022

West Bergholt CC are running the week-long Cricket Festival 2022 at their home ground on Manor Road. Every day will see the bar and BBQ open for some much-needed fundraising. If you enjoy your cricket, why not pop along – the fixtures are as follows:

  • Tuesday 23rd August 1 pm start – a 40-over friendly between:
    West Bergholt XI vs Armed forces
  • Wednesday 24th August 5:30 pm start – a 20/20 match between:
    West Bergholt XI vs Bures XI
  • Thursday 25th August 5:30 pm start – 20/20 format again between:
    West Bergholt XI vs Queen’s Head XI (don’t bring your own beer!)
  • Friday 26th August 1 pm start – a 40-over friendly between:
    West Bergholt XI vs Suffolk XI
  • Saturday 27th August 1 pm start – a 45-over league match between:
    West Bergholt 2nd XI vs Maldon
  • Sunday 28th August 9 am start – a ‘Sixes Tournament‘ this promises:
    “Fast & exciting cricket with teams battling for supremacy”
  • Monday 29th August 1 pm start – a 40-over friendly between:
    West Bergholt Saxons vs East Anglia vets.
Continue reading “Cricket Festival 2022 Starts Next Week”
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Good News for Neighbourhood Plan

Colchester Local Plan Gives a Boost to our Neighbourhood Plan

Logo of the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan project

Colchester adopted Section 2 of its’ Local Plan (CLP) on 4th July 2022, this is good news for our Neighbourhood Plan. You may well recall the upset when, on appeal, the Planning Inspectorate granted NEEB approval to develop the site off Armoury Road. The Parish Council, and villagers generally, felt that the decision was irrational but such a decision should not be able to made again thanks to the CLP.

The Parish Council have been successful in getting the following changes included in the CLP:

6.227 The West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan was made in 2019. It sets out the planning policy framework needed to support the delivery of 120 houses to 2033 and to guide and meet all other development or community needs identified by the community in West Bergholt.

Policy SS15: West Bergholt:  All development proposals in West Bergholt parish will be determined against and be required to comply with policies in the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan and any relevant Local Plan policies.

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Chitts Hill & Chapel Road Closures

The next few weeks will see Chitts Hill closed for through traffic twice and Chapel Road just once. All dates are indicative and may vary according to operational needs. The following are in date order, but in inverse order of severity.

Chitts Hill – 28th July

Map locating two closures at Chitts Hill and diversion route

This closure is to permit Openreach to complete some works. Chitts Hill will be closed from its’ junction with Argents Lane in a southerly direction for around 170m. The recommended diversion route is via Argents lane, Spring Lane and Halstead Rod (or, of course, vice versa).

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