Village News - Page 111 of 200

January 10, 2015January 9, 2015

Trees for Years 2015

Blossom of the Bird Cherry – one of the varieties on offer

Trees for Years 2015

Colchester Borough Council have 2015 free trees and fruit bushes to give away as the popular annual Trees for Years initiative returns for the ninth year in a row.

The free plants are available to Colchester Borough residents, community groups and parish councils. Residents can collect up to three plants per household and up to 15 per community group, school or parish council.

This year’s initiative includes a variety of fruit bushes, decorative shrubs and trees to help create a greener Colchester for all. Species available this year are:

Raspberry Canes
Gooseberry Bush
Acer campestre – Field Maple
Betulapendula – Silver Birch
Cornusalba ‘Siberica’ – Red Stem Dogwood
Cornusstolonifera ‘Flaviramea’ – Yellow Stem Dogwood
Blackcurrant Canes
Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spectabilis’
Prunuspadus – Bird Cherry
Corylusavellana – Hazel Cob Nut

The 2015 bare root trees and fruit bushes will be available on a first come first served basis.

Cultivation guidance will be available so that trees can be selected, taking into account the ultimate size and form of mature trees.

People collecting trees need to bring their own bags to put them in.

Trees must be planted on private property. Postcodes will be recorded to monitor the distribution.

The event, which is funded through sponsorship by officeis takes place on Saturday 7 February, from 10am to 1pm, in the car park of Colchester Borough Council’s offices at Rowan House, in Sheepen Road, Colchester.

January 9, 2015January 9, 2015

December Crime Report

December Crime Incidents

After a prolonged period in which there has been no crime to report, although lots of advice, December brought a distinct lack of Christmas spirit to some residents with 4 crimes reported in the month!

Criminal Damage to a vehicle – New Church Road

An unknown suspect has, by unknown means, damaged the victim’s vehicle causing a dent and a scratch to the offside rear wheel arch of the vehicle.

Burglary in a dwelling – Donard Drive

At some time between 10:55 and 14:30 on 19th December, suspects unknown smashed a window in the rear door to gain entry. Once inside they conducted a messy search throughout the house and exited by the same means having removed various items.

Burglary in a dwelling – Pirie Road

At some time between 23:00 on 19th and 09:30 on 20th December, suspects unknown entered secure premises via the front door and removed keys to a vehicle and exited by the same route. No damage was caused but the vehicle was removed from outside the property.

Criminal Damage to a vehicle – Mumford Close

At 21:45 on 25th December, an unknown suspect caused damage to the front offside window of the victims vehicle by smashing it with a punch.

January 9, 2015February 15, 2018

Happy time at Christmas

The West Bergholt Methodist Church report that their Christmas celebration events certainly went well and provided a happy time for all involved.

Posada

Mary and Joseph travelled extensively around the villages of West Bergholt and Great Horkesley visiting a wide variety of groups. They visited 10 meetings of the various uniformed organisations throughout November. They then joined all the youngsters from the uniformed organisations at the Gift and Parade service in the West Bergholt Methodist Church on December 7th. Following a lively and enjoyable service, with contributions from the young people which included the construction of a shelter, the gifts were distributed and gratefully received by Colchester Womens Refuge, The Night Shelter and Beacon House. Mary and Joseph continued their travels in December visiting some carol singers

20 groups before returning to the Methodist Church for the Candlelight Carol service on December 21.

Carol Singing Friday 19 December

A hardy band of carol singers were outside the Coop store from 18.15 to 19.30. They entertained shoppers, some of whom joined in with the singers, and Coop staff with a range of popular carols. Thanks to the generosity of the shoppers, and the singers, the sum of £37 was raised for Action for Children. The hot drinks and mince pies enjoyed after the singing were most welcome.

Candlelight Carols Sunday 21 December

The service by candlelight, led by Rev Ruth Ridge, provided a very special Christmas celebration atmosphere with a mix of traditional carols and readings. Many of the congregation were also able to enjoy a chat with coffee and mince pies in the hall after the service.

Coffee and Craft Monday 22 December

This again proved to be a popular morning for families. Thirty-eight children, together with accompanying adults, enjoyed a range of Christmas crafts. There was also time to enjoy a chat and the drinks and cakes proved popular also. We will be looking to provide further Coffee and Craft mornings in the Easter school holidays – look out for our publicity nearer the time.

Thanks to all who supported and worked to make possible the above events and best wishes for the New Year.

December 29, 2014December 29, 2014

Allotments December 2014 Update

veg-seed-guide — Sowing & Harvest Guidelines – Click to view full size

Allotments December 2014 Update

The West Bergholt Allotment Holders committee have recently announced Important Allotment Dates for 2015 which have now been published on their webpage and the village calendar. Other important news updates, with more details in the latest minutes published on the webpage, are as follows:

Committee Vacancies

There are currently 2 vacancies on the committee, if any plotholders are interested in becoming more involved they should contact one of the current committee members who will be able to advise them on what is involved.

Available Plots

There are approximately half a dozen plots currently available; precedence will be given to those on the waiting list, but should you be interested in acquiring a plot for yourself (think of all those home grown veggies!), then please contact Terry Claydon on 01206 241256 or by email to [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].

Vehicle Restrictions

The committee has recently agreed that, in order to protect the pathways, there should be no vehicular access to the allotments between the months of November and March, this is because of typical weather conditions at these times. Any access must be expressly approved by the Allotment Committee Chair, Terry Claydon.

Rents

Given recent trends in income & expenditure, the Allotment Holders Committee are recommending to the Parish Council that there should be no increase in rents for 2015. This recommendation will be considered by the Parish Council Environment & Highways Sub-Committee.

Manure update

As previously advised (September news update), whilst some limited supplies were secured for 2014, there is, as yet, no ready source of supply for 2015 and plot holders may have to organise their own supply. Should anybody be aware of a supply that would provide adequate quantities with minimal transport issues, please let a committee member know.

Happy Gardening for 2015

Last, but not least, seasons greetings for the upcoming New Year!

December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

Quality Standard for Parish Council

The Essex & National Association of Local Councils (EALC & NALC) have recently accredited West Bergholt Parish Council as one of the first to be awarded their Foundation Quality Standard under a pilot scheme which is being launched formally on 6th January 2015. The new Local Council Award Scheme has been designed to celebrate the successes of the very best local councils, and to provide a framework to support all local councils to improve and develop to meet their full potential. The scheme offers councils the opportunity to show that they meet the standards set by the sector, assessed by their peers, and to put in place the conditions for continued improvement.

The Award Scheme has been designed to provide the tools and encouragement to those councils at the beginning of their improvement journeys, as well as promoting and recognising councils that are at the cutting edge of the sector. It is only through the sector working together, to share best practice, drive up standards and supporting those who are committed to improving their offer to their communities that individual councils and the sector as a whole will reach its full potential.

Commenting on the West Bergholt application the judging panel said:

Panel Members agreed that this was a good application and the Council had provided excellent information on its web site. The web site was well organised and easy to navigate.

The Bulletin was excellent giving up to date information.

The Panel unanimously agreed that Foundation Level of the Standards of Practice Scheme were met.

The Quality Standard will also have 2 further levels of accreditation, including a ‘Gold’ level, when launched but this was not a part of the pilot scheme that West Bergholt participated in; the Chair of the Parish Council, John Gili-Ross, in response to the award notification, said:

Achieving the foundation level is very satisfying from a Councillors perspective but our community deserves a “Gold Quality” Council and it is our objective to give them one in 2015.

December 16, 2014

Christmas Coffee & Craft

Following the popular summer and half term Coffee and Craft mornings, West Bergholt Methodist Church are offering a special Christmas Coffee and Craft morning for young families on Monday December 22 from 10.30 to 12.00. This will take place in the Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Lane and ALL ARE WELCOME but, sorry, we are unable to accept unaccompanied children.

With lots of fun activities for the youngsters the charge is just £2.50 per family. To find out more please contact Rev. Ruth Ridge on 01206 242183

December 12, 2014

Neighbourhood Plan Funding

The Neighbourhood Plan Group have been successful in their application for funding for their project which is great news for the village. The following was the letter received confirming this success:

On behalf of The Department for Communities and Local Government, I would like to congratulate you and your organisation for being selected as one of the recipients of a Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning grant.

You have been awarded a grant of £3,390 and the first installment of your grant (£3,051) has been approved for payment. Please ensure that you have read the Terms & Conditions of your grant thoroughly to ensure you are clear on the requirements of the grant, including the reporting required to release the final installment. Guidance on how to complete the grant monitoring forms is attached below.

Please accept our warm congratulations on the success of your application. We look forward to working with you on this important project.

With best wishes,

Alice Wilcock

Director, Partnerships & Innovation

Since this project is a key project for the future of the village the funding is a critical success so well done to the team behind it!

December 11, 2014December 11, 2014

The Orpen Players’ seasonal Open Sesame

Open Sesame with Ali Baba

The Orpen Players of West Bergholt presents Ali Baba a traditional family pantomime with a brand new script by Peter Cox. This is Peter’s fourth pantomime with the group, so the audiences can expect the usual highly colourful show with plenty of slapstick and humour, balanced with a little romance, dancing and spectacle. As is Peter’s custom, there will be a link to a contemporary TV show and the audience is encouraged to be actively involved.

Tickets

Tickets available by calling Roger Milne 01206 241048 NOW!

Also available at Ash’s Store from 17th January, online and on the door subject to availability.

Supper & Show

Supper & Show in conjunction with The Treble Tile of West Bergholt – £20 (£10 child under 11) buys you a show ticket and supper from special menu – for details contact The Treble Tile 01206 241712 http://www.thetrebletile.co.uk/.

Show Times

Friday 30th January 2015 – doors open 7pm for a 7:30pm curtain,
Saturday 31st January 2015 – doors open 1:30pm for a 2pm curtain,
Saturday 31st January 2015 – doors open 7pm for a 7:30pm curtain,
Friday 6th February 2015 – doors open 7pm for a 7:30pm curtain,
Saturday 7th February 2015 – doors open 1:30pm for a 2pm curtain,
Saturday 7th February 2015 – doors open 7pm for a 7:30pm curtain,

December 9, 2014December 9, 2014

Safe Roads for Christmas 2014

Essex Police Christmas Anti-Drink-Drive 2014

“Help us keep the roads safe this Christmas”

Essex Police are asking everyone to help keep the roads of Essex safe this Christmas by:

Stopping family and friends getting behind the wheel if they’ve had an alcoholic drink.
Dialling 999 if you know someone is drunk and you see them getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Giving information about people who regularly choose to drink and drive by calling Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Adam Pipe, Casualty Reduction Manager, is heading up this year’s campaign. He said:

Every year I am shocked that some selfish and foolish people still choose to put lives at risk by drinking and driving.

Sleeping it off after a night out or drinking a strong coffee doesn’t mean you’re fit to drive. Alcohol takes time to work its way through your system and you could find yourself over the limit the morning after.

Christmas is a time for fun and celebration. We don’t want to spoil that but are asking everyone to remember the message of our campaign because the consequences of drink driving really do last much longer than a hangover.

Drinking driving risks lives, not just that of the driver and their passengers but other innocent people using the road. It can result in a criminal record, the loss of a driving licence or a fine of up to £5000. More seriously, it can kill or injure someone and leave the driver facing up to 14 years in prison and having to live with their actions for the rest of their lives.

Please be a safe and responsible driver this Christmas, please don’t drink and drive.

Ann Scott, Eastern Regional Manager for Crimestoppers, said:

Too many people lost their lives last year due to drink drive incidents. But, there are still people out there who regularly drink drive and refuse to change their behaviour. We want to make the roads a safer place for everyone and we would urge you to give information to Crimestoppers anonymously about anyone who is regularly drink driving.

Crimestoppers never ask for your name or take any personal details, we cannot trace calls or track information given online and we do not record our calls. You will not have to give a statement to police or go to court. We don’t want to know who you are, just what you know. By taking action you could be helping to save a life – whether it’s the driver or an innocent victim.

December 9, 2014December 9, 2014

Essex Energy Switch – 2014/15

Essex County Council are running another Energy Switch auction in 2015, register interest now and share the savings that they hope to achieve for residents:

Earlier this year thousands of households and businesses signed up to participate in the Essex Energy Switch. It helped many people reduce their gas and electricity bills at a time of rising energy prices – with an average saving of £200 per year. Essex County Council are now offering residents another chance to make sizeable savings on their gas and electricity bills.

You have from 3rd December 2014 until 2nd February 2015 to register your interest (without any obligation) at www.essex.gov.uk/energyswitch. It is a completely free, easy, safe and secure way to cut your energy bill without wasting valuable time endlessly comparing prices on comparison sites.

Once everybody has registered their interest an auction will take place on 3rd February 2015. The auction works by getting energy companies to bid against each other to offer the lowest rate for gas and electricity contracts. On 13th February 2015 you will receive an email containing a new gas and electricity offer, valid for one month. This offer will be calculated using your existing energy usage and costs.

Please be aware that if you have recently changed supplier, the savings may not be as big as for those who haven’t proactively managed their energy supplier. Only when you receive the offer will you need to decide whether or not to accept.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, Infrastructure, Waste & Recycling and Member for Stanway and Pyefleet on Essex County Council said:

This year we hope that even more residents will benefit from making the switch and to achieve this I urge you to play your part in making residents in your area aware of the Essex Energy Switch whenever you are able to do so.

This is a fantastic opportunity to help householders and SMEs to save money without obligation in a safe, secure and proven manner. I hope that we can all work together to make this a success for residents, businesses and Essex as a whole.

If you are not connected to a gas main then Rural Community Council of Essex (RCCE) has an Oil Buying Scheme for domestic heating oil. It brings communities together to make the most of joint buying power so that significant savings can be made when purchasing oil. RCCE work with a national network of similar schemes in many other counties. If you would like to know more about the scheme and the potential saving for households, businesses and community organisations please visit: www.essexrcc.org.uk/oil.