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Category: Voluntary Groups

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SpeedWatch Report

Community Speed WatchSpeedwatch Report

Many readers will know that  West Bergholt have a SpeedWatch Group.  This is a group of volunteers, trained by the police to use an approved radar speed device.  Members are able to go, at a convenient time, to approved sites and monitor the speeds of the traffic.  Any motorist exceeding a threshold speed has their vehicle details written down, with time and date, and this is passed to Essex Police.  The keeper of the vehicle will then receive a letter from the Police asking them to obey the speed limits in future.  The Police state:

“Persistent high violators will be targeted by Essex Police resulting in prosecution.”

Intimidating

Many people have been concerned about the speed of traffic along the B1508, Colchester Road, and Lexden Road in particular.  Lorries and other large vehicles can be particularly intimidating where the footpaths are so narrow. Most of these vehicles are not exceeding the speed limit, but even then they create frightening turbulence.

The rail company paints yellow lines on the platform, to separate people from the trains.  Most of our footpaths are not wide enough to allow such a gap.  The B1508, Colchester-Bures Road in West Bergholt has similar issues.  Many people also complain about the skip lorries.  Again most of these are within the limit, but when we went at 6 am on September 30th, the first one we saw was doing 44 mph, in a 30 mph limit!  Miraculously all the others were within the limit.

Town Event for SpeedWatch

A Town event was held in Colchester on 18th September 2013, which involved several speedwatch groups.  I would like to share with you the final results for the day;

Road Safety staff gave advice and showed education videos to 51 offenders at enforcement sites, 300 people on community wheels outside the Town Hall with road safety staff and staff from the fire brigade giving advice, and 66 drivers were recorded traveling between 36 mph and 49 mph in Fingringhoe, Langenhoe, Peldon and West Bergholt by your local Community SpeedWatch Teams who conducted 5 sessions during the day.

One resident reported to me that their cat had been killed by a speeding and hit-and-run driver.  It could easily be a child or an old person next time!

Nuisance to drivers?

If you are a motorist who regularly speeds and thinks we are a nuisance, I would just ask you to do a simple experiment.  Try driving within the speed limit and see how much longer it takes.  Inevitably we have to slow for junctions and traffic lights, so the actual maximum speed has a surprisingly small effect on total journey time.

If you would like to come and join us, please let me know, so that you can receive the police training. Once trained members can go when they are able to find another volunteer(s) to join them.

Anthony C Robin
Spring Lane,
01206 571910.
[antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]

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Heathlands Fireworks 2013

Heathlands Fireworks 2013Fireworks 2013

The Heathlands School PTA annual fireworks display(sponsored by Hatfields Home Furnishers) is taking place on Saturday 9th November.  With advance purchase of programmes at just £3.50 this is great value (available from Heathlands Primary School, local businesses & other schools in Colchester).  Entry at the gate will cost £5 for adults and £4 for children.

With the gates opening at 5:30 there will be plenty to keep you occupied before the display:

  • bonfire lit at 6pm;
  • barbecue;
  • hot drinks;
  • real ale;
  • live band;
  • mulled wine;
  • glow sticks;
  • sweets.

To find out more visit www.heathlandsblog.co.uk or email [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].

Heathlands School PTA is a registered charity (10377284).

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Coastal Ecology & Conservation

Signs at Abbotts Hall Farm where coastal ecology is evolving
Coastal Ecology at Abbotts Hall Farm

This autumn the WEA will be running a ten-week course on the subject of ‘Coastal Ecology and Conservation’.  Being really quite close to some of the most recent experimental approaches of coastal management (see picture right), this course has a real local flavour as well.

Fred Boot is a well-known speaker the local WEA have hoped to hear for some time, and he will give an introduction to:

  • the different and contrasting areas of coastal East Anglia;
  • the pre-historic and historical development of the East Anglian coastline;
  • the  current coastal ecology with its rich plant and animal life; and
  • examining the conservation and management challenges it faces in the immediate and longer-term future.

Fred  has an extensive photographic collection of familiar creeks, estuaries, beaches, marshes, towns and ports of East Anglia and the South Coast to illustrate every aspect of this course.

The course starts on Tuesday 24th September at 8.00 pm and is of one and a half hours duration.  As usual the venue is the Methodist Church Hall and the cost is £45.30 for the ten weeks.  Everyone is welcome and you may attend the first evening before committing to the course.

A previous attendee on this course was obviously enthused by it:

Many thanks go to Fred for sharing his local knowledge and enthusiasm developed over many years as a volunteer, Chairman and Trustee of Essex Wildlife Trust.  We now look forward to a field visit to Abbot’s Hall Farm and Abberton Reservoir in July, when Fred will show us some of the coastal features we have discussed first hand, and also some the work being done by Essex Wildlife Trust to conserve our coastline and wildlife for generations to come.

Terri Amory, Little Waltham Branch WEA

For further information ring the local WEA secretary on 01206 240 791 or e-mail: [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”] Hope to see you there!

 

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Speedwatch Campaign

Speed sign - 30 NOT 50

Are you concerned with Speeding traffic through the village?

Your Village needs YOU.

Many people in the village have complained about the speed of some motorists as they drive through the village.  Speedwatch is a small group of volunteers who have been trained by the local Police, and who are able to check speeds of vehicles using an official radar speed gun.  We are able to go, when we are able, to locations which have been assessed as safe, and to note the details of cars or other vehicles travelling above a speed threshold.  These motorists will then receive letters from the Police.

The two villages of Eight Ash Green and West Bergholt work jointly on this and our locations include  the A1124 (Halstead Rd), Spring Lane, B1508 (Colchester Rd), sharing people and equipment.  Any session requires a minimum of two volunteers but extra people are helpful to collect details.  If you could spend a hour or so, when convenient to you, and would be interested in joining us, then could you let me know as soon as possible.  If we receive enough volunteers, then we can arrange another training session with the local police.

We are not anti-motorist, most of us are motorists ourselves.  We aim to get all to obey the speed limits, for the safety of all road users.  There are many places with restricted views in these villages, one motorist well in excess of the limit at one of these motivated me to get involved with this project.

If you are interested and would like to join us, please contact me as soon as possible by phone on  (01206) 571910 or email [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].

 

Anthony C Robin

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Update from Annual Parish Meeting

Parish Meeting recognized volunteersThe Annual Parish Meeting was held on 24th April and it was most encouraging to have more than fifty village residents present.   The focus this year was “Celebrating our Village Volunteers” as we all appreciate the village has much to be grateful for and to be proud of.   The opportunity was also taken to make those present aware of the importance of the Neighbourhood Plan and the village survey which takes the form of a questionnaire which will be accompanying the next edition of the Village Bulletin.  Your views are vitally important so please look out for this and spend a few minutes by responding.

The meeting was also an opportunity to mark the retirement of Bernard Colbron from the Parish Council after twelve years of dedicated and loyal service.  Bernard has been Chair of the committee responsible for the Village Halls for most of his time as a Parish Councillor.  We have only to reflect on the part played in our village life of these halls to appreciate the importance of Bernard’s contribution to the community.  We are very grateful.

In a previous Bulletin, and on this website, the position of editor was advertised.  Although not directly linked to the Parish Council, this is a role that Bernard has also filled for many years.  It is good to know that Bernard is only semi-retiring from village life as having left the Parish Council he is prepared to continue as editor, at least for the time being. We look forward to many more informative publications.

 

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Every Minute Counts – Defibrillator to arrive at the Co-op

Every Minute Counts - Defibrillator to be located at West Bergholt Co-opThe residents of West Bergholt will soon have 24 hour access to a defibrillator unit, thanks to the East of England Co-op.

Working in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service, the Co-op is funding 100 defibrillators to be placed in communities across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, as part of the Every Minute Counts Campaign.

A defibrillator is a potentially life-saving machine that gives the heart an electric shock in some instances of Cardiac Arrest.

If you suspect somebody to be in Cardiac Arrest you should dial 999 so that an ambulance can be sent to you. If there is more than one person with the casualty, you will be directed to the defibrillator whilst the other person performs CPR.

The defibrillator will be in a yellow cabinet situated at the Co.op Store, West Bergholt . The operator will provide you with an access code to get into the cabinet. The defibrillator should be taken out and taken back to the casualty and the operator will provide guidance over the phone.

If someone is able to administer CPR or use a defibrillator in the first four minutes, whilst the ambulance is en route, there is a significantly higher survival rate.  Once the ambulance has arrived the paramedics will take over.

The East of England Co-op and East of England Ambulance Service will be holding defibrillator demonstrations across the region, so you can see how it works and ask any questions you may have. Visit the Co-op website, www.eastofengland.coop/everyminutecounts.

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West Bergholt celebrates its volunteers

Poster for Annual Parish Meeting 2013The Annual Parish Meeting takes place on 24th April starting at 7pm in the John Lampon Hall.   As well as affording an opportunity for informal discussions with your local Parish & Borough Councillors this is an ideal opportunity to join them in celebrating our many local volunteers who help make West Bergholt as good a place to live as it is.

Other items for the event include:

  • a report on Neighbourhood Planning, and
  • light refreshments!
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Care Network cares for you but still needs support

Care Network logoCare Network AGM

The Care Network is holding its Annual General Meeting in the John Lampon Hall on Wednesday 10th April at 7.30pm.  Please note the change of venue from previous years. All residents are welcome to attend including those that use the Care Network Service or may be considering becoming a volunteer.

The Care Network is there to help any residents of the village, whatever their age, to get to appointments if transport is needed and other means are not possible or available.  Most of our journeys are to the Doctors’ Surgeries or the Hospitals but other local appointments can be considered.

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Snow Joke

Members of West Bergholt Snow Patrol pictured in early 2012
Members of West Bergholt Snow Patrol pictured in early 2012

… but every time we get heavy snowfall, whilst great fun for many, it still brings hazardous conditions underfoot.  So we offer our congratulations and thanks to the group of 20 volunteers who worked hard to keep pavements in key areas of the village cleared during the snow and ice that came in January, helping to keep the areas safer for all of us.

We always welcome more volunteers to help keep our village safe if we have any further snowfall this winter.

If you want to help please contact – Harry Stone (Organiser ) Tel. 241026

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Conflict in the 19th Century Essex Countryside

19th century threshing machine
The type of machinery targeted by the Swing Rioters

This subject of the WEA’s next 10-week course is led by tutor, Ted Woodgate who intends to use Essex newspapers of the time to help investigate such areas as:

  • the drama of the West Bergholt fires,
  • the Swing riots,
  • the formation of a national farm workers’ union, and
  • the birth of political rights for rural workers.
The venue is the Methodist Hall in Chapel Lane CO6 3EF and the course starts on Tuesday 15th January 2013 at
8.00 pm.
Everyone one is welcome and if you’re not sure whether this is for you, why not come along without obligation on the first night before deciding if to enrol?  Cost for the 10 weeks is still £45.  Further information from our Secretary on 01206 240791 or e-mail [email protected].