St Mary’s News – The Lambing Edition

Revd. Emma Barr is used to lambing - seen here with one of her lambs — Revd. Emma Barr & Lamb

St Mary’s News – Lambing & Flocks

This Lambing edition of St Mary’s News starts with Revd. Emma Bar’s seasonal message about God’s Beloved Flock and then continues with:

Bible Course
Run in to Easter, Lent events, Messy Church, Mothering Sunday, and
The usual listings of services and contacts.

Message from Revd. Emma Barr

God’s Beloved Flock

Spring is making an attack on winter with the now lighter mornings and drawn out evenings, something I always rejoice at as we are in the middle of lambing and it makes it so much easier and cheerier having light.

This year with 103 ewes scanned in lamb we were set for a busy time. It is always a time of waiting and watching, with excitement and anticipation knowing there will be the amazing success stories of lambs being adopted to other mothers and little ones making it against all the odds, but as with all things there are also the sad stories of loss.

February 23, 2024March 27, 2024

Do you have a garden to be proud of?

Collage of exhibits from the 2022 Open Gardens event

If you have a garden to be proud of why not show it off?

Unfortunately Open Gardens has been cancelled since too few gardens were available. It is hoped that it will now run in 2025. Other events remain listed below.

It doesn’t matter whether it is small, large, tidy (or even not so tidy), if you are proud of your garden, the Gardeners Association (WBGA) would love to hear from you.

This year their Open Gardens event is taking place on Sunday 9th June. The event is always popular (nearly 1,000 visitors in 2022) & this year, its’ chosen charities are:

WBGA could really do with a few more gardens to show off this year. If you think your garden may be of interest, contact WBGA by email – [email protected] for further information. June seems a long way off, but WBGA have to get programmes printed in advance so they would love to hear from you as soon as possible.

February 22, 2024February 28, 2024

Winter Bird Walk & Fungus Foray

The Next Guided Walk at Hillhouse Wood is a Winter Bird Walk

Following the successful Fungus Foray in November (see report and video below) the next Guided Walk is the annual Winter Bird Walk on Saturday 2nd March.

Steve Hallam will lead the winter bird walk in and near Hillhouse Wood, offering a chance to see resident woodland and meadow species and some winter visitors.

Image of great spotted woodpecker — Great Spotted Woodpecker Seen in 2022

The walk will take in Hillhouse Wood and surrounding hedgerows. Strong boots or wellies should be worn, as we may encounter wet conditions underfoot! To join the walk meet at the Old Church ready to leave at 10 am.

Check other upcoming events here.

Fungus Foray – Ian Rowling Reports

The first Fungus Foray for several years took place on 25th November on a crisp, bright ‘n breezy morning. Seventeen took part, hunting down fungi ranging from bellcaps, measuring perhaps a couple of millimetres across their caps, to these birch polypores which are up to 20cm across. They feature in an Alpine tale of a bronze age killing. Among the deceased’s possessions were strips of the very same fungus we were observing 5,000 years later, demonstrating the value he placed upon it. It exposes things which our modern educated minds have largely forgotten, things like:

February 18, 2024February 18, 2024

Pylons Site Visit in West Bergholt

Say no to pylons and say yes to offshore grid

View of pylons route along Highfield Farm Valley

West Bergholt continues to actively campaign against the National Grid Pylon project as part of the Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk Pylons Group (ESN). On Tuesday 13th February we were pleased that Cllr Brian Butcher and Parish Clerk Laura Walkingshaw were able to host a site visit from James Ryan, NSIP¹ Project Manager, Colchester City Council (CCC) and CCC Cllr Sara Naylor.

Statutory Consultee

As many of you may know, the CCC are the statutory consultee on the Parish Council’s behalf to the Government on this project. Given that, our working relationship with James and his colleagues are vital to being able to explain the impact that it will have on rural life for us and our neighbouring villages.

February 13, 2024February 13, 2024

Environment & Highways – 8th February 2024

The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 8th February 2024 with topics including:

On 8th February 2024 the E&H Committee discussed speeding issues & a possible trial with police to address them.

Paper recycling used at Newbridge Mill Farm,
Litter issues around Uncle Kams Fish & Chip shop,
Possible involvement in a speeding control trial,
Tree Planting, and
Handymen’s report including:
- Replacing some saplings that had been disturbed,
- Litter picking,
- Truck repairs went well,
- Highways preliminary sweep of Argents Lane.

Environment Committee Minutes

Meeting held on Thurs 8th February 2024 at 4.30pm in SC Mtg Rm

Members present:	Cllrs Katie Pulford (KP), Harry Stone (HS), David Short (DS) and John Gili-Ross (JGR) (via Zoom),
Also present:	No members of the public

1. Welcome & Apologies

Apologies were received from Cllrs Manya Barrow and James Owers.

February 4, 2024February 5, 2024

St Mary’s News – The Wake-up Edition

St Mary’s News – A Spiritual Wake-up

After Revd. Heather’s reflections around her personal Wake-Up call, this editions includes:

FiSH – Food in school holidays,
Lent events (pancakes and more),
World Day of Prayer, and
The usual listings of services and contacts.

A Spiritual ‘Wake-up call’.

Back in September, I was sent a letter from my GP. Following some routine blood tests, I was being encouraged to sign up for a pre-diabetes course, which would run over 9 months, a course, which I knew, as my father was already 6 months into it, took up a lot of time. Mindful of the time commitment, I was reluctant at first to even attempt to join a course, but having logged in to sign up, I found I could opt for a virtual course via an app, meaning I could fit it around my other commitments.

January 26, 2024January 26, 2024

West Bergholt’s Methodist Church Sold

Methodist Church Sold

The Methodist Church site was sold on Friday September 15th 2023 after a protracted and complex sale. This was not helped by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

The final service in the West Bergholt Methodist Church as it was sold

Many villagers will recall the Methodist fellowship ceased to worship in West Bergholt in September 2018 some 139 years after the first service! Membership had been declining for some time leading to the difficult decision to cease holding services in the Chapel. The final service took place at the end of a weekend of activities and reminiscence. The remaining members now worship at “The Well Methodist Church“, in Mile End.

Change of control

From this point, the site became the responsibility of the Methodist Church. The Colchester Methodist Circuit handled the sale of the site..

January 19, 2024January 22, 2024

Planning and Development Committee – 18th December 2023

Map of housing & planning - Planning Minutes 18th December 2023

Meeting on 18th December 2023. the Planning & Development Committee discussed the new Levelling up & Regeneration Bill which introduces some new practices to be reviewed.

Six planning applications were then discussed and three were supported, two objected and one no comment. These applications were for properties in Garling Walk, Fordham Road, Nayland Road, Cooks Hall Road, Poors Land and Armoury Road.

There was also discussion about potential ‘community contributions’ of £5,602.02 which might be allocated to the Community Hub if received.

Read the official minutes below:

Planning and Development Committee Meeting

Meeting held on Monday 18th December 2023 at 7.30pm in the John Lampon Hall

It is the aim of the Parish Council to seek a high standard of design for all new developments and extensions in the Village.

The Parish Council will take into account the Village Design Statement, the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan, Government National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and CBC Planning Policies when commenting on individual applications.

Planning Committee Members:

Cllrs Bob Tyrrell (Chair), Sara Cullis (Vice Chair), Andrew Savage, Brian Butcher, Paul Chamberlain

Also in attendance:

Laura Walkingshaw (Clerk) and one member of the public.

Agenda items:

1. Welcome & Apologies for absence:

Apologies were received from Julie Gillott (Asst. Clerk)

2. Declarations of interest:

There were no declarations of interest, other than item 6, PA232678, the Parish Council’s own Certificate of Lawfulness application for the Poor’s Land Servery.

January 18, 2024January 18, 2024

Environment & Highways – 11th January 2024

AI generated image showing a broken down truck, falling Xmas Tree & some snow coming

The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 11th January 2024 with topics including:

Severe flooding recently experienced & how mitigated or being mitigated.
Repairs needed to the village truck.
Handymen activities including:
- planning for snow,
- dealing with compacted leaves and
- hedge planting at the Armoury Road / Colchester Rod junction.
Reviewing the 2023 Christmas Tree for lessons learnt.

Environment Committee Minutes

Meeting held on Thurs 11th January 2024 at 5.00pm in SC Mtg Rm

Members present:	Cllrs Katie Pulford (KP), Manya Barrow (MB), Harry Stone (HS), David Short (DS) and John Gili-Ross (JGR) (via mobile phone),
Also present:	No members of the public

1. Welcome & Apologies

Apologies were received from Cllr James Owers.

2. Declarations of Interests

None.

January 5, 2024January 6, 2024

St Mary’s News – The Great Expectations Edition

St Mary’s News – Great Expectations

After Revd. Heather’s reflections around ‘Great Expectations’, this editions includes:

Great Expectations - Pip starting his journey to Germany - AI generated

A Happy Sustainable New Year!,
January Events, and
The usual listings of services and contacts.

A New Year Reflection from Revd. Heather

Great expectations

For those that enjoy Christmas movies, the season for watching them, which appears to span anytime from the end of October to December is finally over. One book, which seems to feature over and over again in Christmas films, albeit under many different guises, is that great Charles Dickens novel, A Christmas Carol.

Another novel of Charles Dickens is Great Expectations.