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Village News

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Nicenstripy helps Scouts ‘Be Prepared’!


Lawn care and garden maintenance company, nicenstripy stepped in to make sure the local scouting group could live up to their ‘Be prepared’ motto, when the West Bergholt Monday night Badger Pack were on the search for a suitable vehicle to provide transport for a trip to the Thorrington Scout Camp.

Andrew Ross, owner of nicenstripy says “we were delighted to be able to help out the local scout group to make sure they could get all their kit safely to their camp. We have always been keen to support the local community and indeed some of the boys involved in the camp are related to nicenstripy’s clients. As an outdoor based business we think it is important for the younger generation to appreciate the benefits of an active outdoor lifestyle. Perhaps we should talk to the Scouts about creating a Lawn Care and Garden Maintenance Badge next year!!”

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Volunteers – The Heartbeat of our Village

The Parish Council was invited to recognise the volunteers and their organisations that make such a difference to our village. The Colchester Community Volunteer Service held a thank you lunch for those volunteers nominated by the various communities in the Borough. Those attending were greeted by the Deputy Mayor in the Moot Hall and treated to lunch and presented with certificates as a thank you for their community spirit and involvement.

The Parish Council were faced with the difficult task of selecting the volunteers and organisations that make West Bergholt such a special place to live in. We had a maximum of 4 nominee invitations and with more than 20 volunteer organisations in the village this was not an easy task. I am always amazed and proud of the number of people who happily give up their free time to help and assist others. I view our volunteers as the heartbeat of the village whether they have just began to operate a new organisation or are part of one that has operated for many years. Our nominates were David Bowden, Murray Harlow, Bob Gooden and Susan Walby representing the BYG, Youth Football, Luncheon Club, the Church, Allotment Holders and First Responders to name just a few (they are pictured above).

Thank you to all our volunteers.

John Gili-Ross

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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30 New Homes, Change of Land Use – Consultation

Consultation Opportunity
The Parish Council are to consider two sites submitted for consideration by the Agents in preparation of the Colchester Borough Council Local Development Framework Site allocations.
The Sites being considered are:

  • Land between Armoury Road and Maltings Park – proposed 30 new dwellings (approximate site highlighted brown in map to right).
  • Pattens Yard – Nayland Road – Change of Use to Local Employment Zone

The Parish Council’s comments to these proposals will be agreed at the Parish Council Meeting on:

WEDNESDAY
23rd June 2010 at 7.30p.m.
In the John Lampon Hall

A “Have Your Say” session is held prior to the meeting for the public to comment on the above or any other matter. This session will not normally exceed 15 minutes.

To find out more about these applications including documents submitted by the applicants advisors, visit the village website at http://www.westbergholt.net/pc_minutes.htm.
This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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8pence per metre makes big money


Congratulations to Rick Cranfield, assistant headteacher at Heathlands Primary school, who completed 600 hours of training over 6 months which enabled him to run the London Marathon in 4 hours 11 minutes.

Rick raised £3,500 for Leukemia and Lymphona Research which equates to 8.3p for every metre of the 42.195 kilometres run (26 miles & 385 yards in old money of course).

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Hillhouse Wood News Update

Various activities have taken place in the wood including a bluebell walk attended by 60 people, an early morning dawn chorus and next month a summer butterfly, dragonfly and insect walk guided by Joe Firmin and Philip Smith is planned.

A grant has been secured to enable the clearance of the overgrown top pond in the Autumn.

Find out more about Hillhouse Wood on the village website here.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Over 2 grand of aid

Christian Aid Week, which ran from May 9 to May 15, raised £2,001.2 from collections around the village and the Hunger Lunch.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Change of Direction – BBC takes interest

West Bergholt businessman Andrew Ross was a guest on the Dave Monk show on BBC Essex on 13th May, 9am – noon.

The broadcast was a special live edition from Basildon library which centred on giving positive advice to people who are facing redundancy or looking to change their career. Andrew who has run nicenstripy, a garden maintenance company, since 2006, joined speakers from Essex organisations such as Business Link to talk about the sources of support available to those in the job market as well as what to look for when considering buying a franchise.
The Dave Monk show is available to listen to again via BBC iPlayer.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Dawn Chorus


On Sunday 16th May, Joe Firmin and Philip Smith will lead a walk, offering a chance to see nightingales and many other brilliant dawn choristers. If you haven’t tried this you’ll find it a rewarding and delightful experience at a very special time for the wood’s varied birdlife. Please bring warm clothing, stout footwear, a flask of hot drink and a torch. Meet at the Old Church at 3:45am.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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No Salt & Lineker here

The next meeting of the Gardeners’ Association is on Monday 17 May at 7.30pm in the Orpen Memorial Hall.

Wormingford farmer Robert Strathern will talk about the successful development of Fairfields Farm Crisps under the title “Potato Growing and Crisp Production”.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Womens Institute – May Report

President Pat Moran welcomed members to the meeting. A letter had been received from St Helena Hospice thanking everyone for their home made cakes.

Letters and phone calls from visiting WI’s thanked our W I for the enjoyable Fashion Show.

There will be a stall at the village fete at Heathlands Primary school on Saturday 19 June. Helpers and contributions of cakes and preserves are required.

The resolution for food to be labelled with the country it comes from not where processed was unanimously carried. The president will attend the National AGM in Cardiff to vote for this.

Ancient Greek Jewellery

Simon Gallup, a blue badge holder spoke about Flatford and Constable Country. With the aid of two screens his audience could compare Constable’s paintings and how in some cases the countryside has changed.

The annual outing on July 7 is to Carter’s Vineyard which includes lunch; £15 payable next month. Congratulations to member Marie -Louise Fuell who won the Essex Tea Time Quiz.

June 2 meeting welcomes Mrs Diana Pettit with her talk on the ‘History of Jewellery.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net