Category: News

This section of the website contains village and club news as well as news from the Parish Council and Borough Councillors.  If you have news to contribute please contact the parish clerk.

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Summer Reading Challenge 2015

guinness-world-recordsSummer Reading Challenge 2015

Help make this a record breaking summer

Every year the national Summer Reading Challenge aims to keep the country’s children reading throughout the holidays and as this year’s theme is ‘Record Breakers’, Essex Libraries wants as many pledges of support as possible to set a new Guinness World Record™ for ‘the most number of pledges received for a reading campaign’, and to contribute to an Essex record.

Children pledge to visit their local library, read six books of their choice and collect stickers in six categories to secure medals. Adults and volunteers pledge to support children to read. Older children can take part in a reading and arts programme called ImagiNation.

Councillor Roger Hirst, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Libraries, Planning and the Environment said:

Getting more children to read for pleasure during the summer holidays will be a fantastic achievement. This record attempt will be used to highlight the importance of reading for pleasure as well as the importance of libraries in communities. I want to see Essex playing its part in creating this new world record.

The Summer Reading Challenge is produced by The Reading Agency in association with Guinness World Records™ and delivered by libraries, bringing together fact and fiction and helping young readers to discover some wonderful and truly amazing records from around the world.

Record Breakers and ImagiNation run from 11 July to Saturday 5 September in all Essex libraries and mobile libraries.

Note – the Mobile Library’s next visits are scheduled for 29th July, 12th August, 26th August and 9th September visiting The Glebe (Peldon), Creek View Cottages (Gt Wigborough) and The Street (Salcott)  on each of those mornings.

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Wigs Village Hall Delayed AGM

Date of Annual General Meeting

Our Governing Document states that:

 …. if in any year an AGM shall not be convened and held in the month of June the AGM for that year shall be held as soon as practicable after the month of June.

Since the previous AGM in November 2014 the committee has struggled with agreeing a recommended way forward for what has become a very challenging problem.

Given the schisms in both the community and the committee we sought help from the Charity Commission in the good management of the Charity and advice from a lawyer who specialises in Charity Commission work.

The lawyer stated that the Charity has been in breach of its objectives since the hall first became unusable over 20 years ago because the trustees have not managed the hall for residents to use nor provided the alternative benefits which the Governing Document allows for.  He therefore advised that selling the land to enable the release of alternative benefits was a priority task to comply with the objectives of the Charity.  Further that if residents did not agree to sell the land the Charity would effectively become  ungovernable because the trustees would be unable to take action to correct the breach of duty.  In that case the Charity Commission would advise on what action should be taken.

We are currently seeking further help from the Charity Commission and the lawyer.

The committee and the community have suffered from ill-founded rumour in the past and the trustees want to be sure that any information given is both correct and legal.

We feel that although this is delaying the AGM it is in the best interests of the Charity to resolve the outstanding issues before moving forward.

 

Jinny Gale
Chairman WVHMC

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Music on a Summer’s Day

July 4th – Music on a Summer’s Day

Thanks to Robert & Liz Davidson, the Peldon Village Hall and Cancer Research UK will benefit from this great evening of music.  

Relax, dine & dance with the

Crissy Lee All Stars

featuring:
Liz Oki (from The Voice), and
Victor Bynoe (of The Drifters)

PLUS

The Rachel Clarke Steel Band

The event takes place at Brickhouse Farm, Lower Road, Peldon with the gates opening at 5:30pm. Tickets are £20 including supper.  There will also be a Grand Auction & Licensed Bar.  Parking is free.

Tickets to be booked in advance from Bob Holmes on 01206 735510.

 

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Seawall Repairs at Tolleshunt D’Arcy

Damaged Clay Embankment
Seawall Repairs – Old Hall Farm, Tolleshunt D’Arcy

The Envionment Agency have advised that during a routine survey they have identified a section of sea wall that is in poor condition and requires repair.  This work will be taking place over the next few weeks (weather permitting).  The following are extracted from their factsheet.

 

Where is this work happening?
We will be carrying out repair works to
approximately 20m of clay seawall adjacent to
the steel piled defence wall at the end of Old Hall
Lane, Old Hall Farm.

Where is this work happening?

The Agency will be carrying out repair works to approximately 20m of clay seawall adjacent to the steel piled defence wall at the end of Old Hall Lane, Old Hall Farm.

What will we be doing?

The existing clay embankment has eroded and slipped reducing the current standard of flood protection it provides to the local area. We will re-profile the clay seawall back to the correct height and install Gabion basket scour protection to the seaward face of the seawall. The rock filled Gabion’s will provide toe and anchor support to the seawall preventing further erosion and slippage. Gabions also provide a useful refuge for many types of wildlife. To complete these works safely and efficiently, it will be necessary to use some machinery both on the site and to access the site. We appreciate that this may be unsightly and we will work hard to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum.

Why are we doing the work?

This important work is being delivered to help safeguard people, property and arable land in the local area of Tolleshunt D’Arcy.

 

 

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Job Vacancy with RCCE – Rural Housing Enabler

Full Time – 35 hours per week
Salary circa £24,000

Job Vacancy with RCCE
Rural Housing Enabler

Rural Community Council of Essex (RCCE) is a leading charity working in Essex for over 85 years. We provide assistance to people and communities throughout rural Essex to build a sustainable future.

RCCE is looking for a new Rural Housing Enabler to help rural communities in Essex provide the housing they need.

You will promote and advise on affordable rural housing, working with parish councils, registered providers and local authorities to achieve this. You will attend community events, deliver presentations at parish council meetings and undertake housing needs surveys.

You will also have the opportunity to work on other community engagement projects that include wider housing and development priorities or needs.

You will be a confident communicator, able to prioritise and problem solve and be enthusiastic about rural communities, especially in terms of affordable housing. This role will require flexibility, as it involves some out of hours working. We are particularly interested in hearing from applicants that have experience of affordable rural housing or planning/development.

Application deadline: 12 noon Wednesday 3rd June

Interviews: Wednesday 10th June

Contact: Sarah Sapsford (Community Engagement Manager) – 01376 574 330, [email protected] or www.essexrcc.org.uk.

RCCE registered charity no 1097009 Registered company no 4609624

To apply you must complete an application form and an equality monitoring form, which can be downloaded from RCCE’s website: www.essexrcc.org.uk/Working_for_us  or can be provided by contacting us (see above).

For any queries relating to the posts or application process, or informal discussion please call 01376 574 330.

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Colchester Events – Half Term & Early Summer

Colchester Events – Half Term & Early Summer

Colchester Borough Council have just issued details of a number of events and activities, including some for this half term, as follows: 

Half term fun with Colchester Museums

Banish half term boredom with Colchester Museums this May, as we host activities that are a break from the norm!Get your creative juices flowing with the twisted history of Colchester in cartoon, enjoy a feast for the ears with tales of Roman Food or prepare your very own shell-fishy hand puppet to take home! Find out more here.

Summer Screen

Two weeks of Summer Screen in Castle Park between 29 June and 12 July will be covering everything from live Wimbledon, Amélie, Mamma Mia and Shaun the Sheep: The Movie; all accompanied by a licensed bar, pop up food kiosks, bands and more! Wimbledon is FREE, film tickets just £2, under 3yrs FREE. Find out more here.

King of Pop, The Legend Continues

‘NAVI’ the world’s No.1 Michael Jackson performer will be recreating the magical classics from the early Jackson 5 songs to the mega-hits such as Thriller and Smooth Criminal. A great night of entertainment suitable for the whole family. Tickets £17 and £10 for children 16 years and under. Find out more here. 

Street wiseBe more streetwise about your well-being

Street Wise, is offering all things ‘street’ and more, for families to enjoy for free this summer – in a bid to help local people become more streetwise about their health and well-being.Street dance, street food and street sports such as football, basketball and skipping are just some of the free activities and attractions on offer at the event on Saturday 13 June, 10am-4pm at the Colchester Institute. Find out more here.

 

Full Listings

Even more events are listed at http://www.visitcolchester.com/.

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Colchester Events

cbc-logoColchester Events

Colchester Borough Council run numerous events throughout the year, some upcoming events are:

Bandstand Concerts in Castle Park

The concerts take place on Sunday afternoons (and the occasional Saturday) through the summer from May to September. Highlights areThe Band of the Parachute Regiment, The Colchester Band and Sweeting Swing Band.
Find out more here

Half term activities at Colchester Museums & Leisure World

Colchester Museums: live animal encounters, Roman food, puppets, kites and more!
Fine out more here

Leisure World Colchester: badminton, short tennis, swimming, arts, crafts, dance and more! 
Find out more here

Celebrate the Moot Hall Organ restoration

Celebrate the restoration of the Moot Hall Organ with a mix of great events at firstsite and Colchester Town Hall. Meet the Organist,  make your own organ pipe, join the Big Pipe Busk, Organs in the Archives and Organs in the Movies. Don’t miss the inaugural recital on 24 May!  Find out more here

 

There are lots of great events taking place in Colchester – why not take a look at the Visit Colchester website

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The Wiggys go Yankee

Saturday 4th July – The Wiggys Go Yankee

Starting at 12:30pm at St Stephens Church, Great Wigborough, this afternoon event promises to be a fun family event with food, drink & entertainment from a Barnershop Quartet.  Early booking is recommended as space is limited, contact Ann Coates by phone, 735340 or email [email protected] – tickets are £8 adults or £15 for families.

This event is being organised jointly by members of the church council and others from the village.  We are very sad that the Friends of the Wigboroughs has had to close through lack of a Chairperson, but hope that village events can still be enjoyed and funds raised for both the fabric and running costs of the churches.

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Abberton Rural Training Spring 2015

Both Short & Long Courses Available

abberton-rural-trainingAbberton Rural Training – The Rural Skills Centre for Essex has just launched new Short Courses!  Ranging from one day to a few weeks, there are lots of options to choose from.  For more information, or to book, contact us on 01206 738609 or through our website at: www.abbertonruraltraining.org or by email to: [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you! Take a look and just some of the courses on offer:

Short Courses

19th March (1 day course) – Make a natural bee skep

Use willow and cob to make your own strong and natural bee skep. Learn what to do next and how to start making honey.

26th March or 23rd April (1 day course) – Basic Plastering

Introduction to basic plastering techniques, tools used, background surface situation and preparation prior to plastering, along with care and maintenance of tools. Mixes of various plasters and finishes will also be covered.

16th April (1 day course) – Felt applique

Learn the art of applique using felted wool to make a small reverse applique sachet! Learning traditional needlework. All materials provided.

23rd April (1 day course) – Make a natural trellis

Use local native wood to make a robust and attractive plant support/trellis. Learn how to choose and shave your wood, then use green joins to combine it

18th June (1 day course) – Make a traditional gate

Using native wood such as chestnut, ash, and oak to make a garden gate. Learn to choose, shave and prepare the wood, using green woodworking skills.

Longer courses

17th April – 22nd May (6 weeks) and 5th June – 10th July (6 weeks) – Introduction to Basic Carpentry

This 6 week course will cover use and proper care of tools, introduction to basic joints, fixings and finishes. Uses of different timbers (hard, soft and man-made). Design and construct your own small project.

16th April – 14th May (4 weeks, no class on 07/05) and 11th June – 9th July (4 weeks, no class on 16/07) – Spinning

Learn to spin in 4 weeks – learn about the quality of fleeces and carding. Learn how to wash, card and spin natural wools. Each person works on their Individual spinning wheel, giving plenty of hands on practice.

17th April – 22nd May (6 weeks) and 5th June – 10th July (6 weeks) – Creative Textile Techniques

Learning basic sewing skills on the sewing machine and more advanced techniques, such as machine embroidery and quilting, to create contemporary textile designs.

17th April – 22nd May (6 weeks) and 5th June – 10th July (6 weeks) – Fruit & Veg for Beginners

An introduction for new allotment holders and home growers, covering what you need and how to do it. Focusing on setting up systems within your allotment or garden, seasonal planning, management and composting.

23rd April – 21st May (5 week course) – Interior Design Accessories

Using colour, historical design and textures this course is about how to adapt and redesign small interior accessories. Collage and moodboards creates a design sketchbook without the need for drawing skills. 

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Peldon Highland Fling 2015

highland fling 2015Peldon Highland Fling

Being organized by the Friends of St Mary’s, Peldon, this will be a truly Scottish night with Scottish dancing and haggis & neaps for supper (alternatives available)! So get out your tartans and dancing slippers this 7th February for a really enjoyable evening! Everyone is welcome.

Tickets £10.00 Adults and £6.00 under 12’s are available from Sally Abbott on 01206 735931 or by email [email protected]. Please state if Haggis, Chicken or Veggie option is required. Bring your own wine and glasses.

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