Village News

The president welcomed over 60 visitors and members who had dressed for Ascot. The speaker, Mrs Barbara Faulkener, entertained with her talk about Ascot and awarded a badge to the best hat worn at each table.

Cakes for the village fete on Saturday 21June may be taken to Mesdames Chittenden, Hollock or Fuell beforehand or after 1pm to the W I stall at Heathlands Primary School on the day.

The July outing is to Wrabness for a ploughman’s lunch followed by a visit to Harwich or a garden centre. Members will use cars and there will be no meeting in the Orpen Memorial Hall on Wednesday 2 July.

A programme meeting will be held at the home of the president on 25 June at 2pm.

The meeting on Wednesday 6 August beginning at 7.15pm will be Gordon Bailey on “Treasure Beneath Our Feet.”

The Parish Plan Consultation exercise is now completed and the results have been analysed. Headline results are that:

• Approx. 150 household, clubs, organisations and businesses replied.
• Marginally more men than women filled in the form.
• Equal number of working and retired people participated in the survey.
• Households in survey sample have 233 adults and 58 children between them
• Priority categories (top 3):
• Housing and Planning;
• Environment;
• Democracy and Services.

This and much more is available to review in detail on our website here.

Colne Valley Flower Club will be celebrating its 55th anniversary on Wednesday 18 June with an Open Meeting beginning at 7.30 pm in the Orpen Memorial Hall. The evening is free for members with tickets for guests at £8.50. Pat Dibben a national demonstrator from Hillingdon, Middlesex will be welcomed to this special occasion with her arrangements entitled ‘This Magical Earth’. Telephone Pat on 01206 240581 for tickets.

(Note: Picture is of ‘Rose Lady Hillingdon’)

The next Methodist coffee morning is on Wednesday 11 June from 10am to 11.30am in the Methodist church hall. Coffee/tea and biscuits 50p. Gifts for cake and general stall would be appreciated. Greetings cards will be on sale.

There will be a Nearly New Sale from 10am to 12 noon on Saturday 14 June in the Methodist Church Hall Chapel Lane.

The president Joyce Woolhead had received a letter from St Helena Hospice thanking members who had made cakes for them. A team will be taking part in the annual village quiz next month. Cakes and preserves will be welcome on the W I stall at the annual PTA village fete in June. Members listened to the two resolutions and voted to support the non-imprisonment of the severely mentally handicapped who should be treated elsewhere.

Kay Beighton with the aid of slides gave a talk entitled ‘Splendours of the Nile’. She and her husband had made their own way down the river in various modes of transport.

Next month is Ladies Day at Ascot and members are asked to dress accordingly including hats. Rosettes will be awarded for the best dressed ladies for Ascot by speaker Barbara Faulkner.

The Colne Valley Flower Club are holding its annual plant sale on Wednesday 21 May at 7.30pm in the Orpen Memorial Hall Lexden Road. Donations of plants and seedlings would be appreciated with proceeds going to the club’s charity for 2008 The Acorn Trust. Demonstrator for the evening is Christine Makings from Stock with her arrangements entitled ‘My Favourite Things’.

Following the Association’s very successful plant sale last month the club welcomes Pat Welsh from Barnplants (Gardens & Antiques Centre, Turkey Cock Lane, Stanway), who will be demonstrating ‘Hanging Basket Culture’ in the Orpen Memorial Hall on Monday 19 May at 7.30pm.

The new duck house was installed in the Queen’s Head pond yesterday and David Bull was there to record the event in pictures:

‘Getting Deeper’

‘Removing the old house’

‘Adjusting the new house’

‘The final installation’