January Editorial

The Editor brings the readership up to pace on the many proposed happenings in Stoke Ferry planned for 2006

A Happy New Year to all our readers, contributors and Advertisers. So what does 2006 offer to our local community?

As you will see from the Liaison Minutes on Page 46, Grampian have announced that, due to the loss of a major contract and other factors, they are cutting their weekly production at the Stoke Ferry Mill by almost 30%. This will result in some 4 or 5 lorries being withdrawn which offers the village the bonus of a significant reduction in heavy traffic next year. The down side of this, of course that some redundancies have been announced among the drivers and office staff.

Readers of The Lynn News (23rd December) will note that a Planning Application has been re-submitted for the building of 9 dwellings and the conversion of three existing buildings to four new homes on the old Wood Yard Site. Meantime, work is moving apace on the large pit off The Furlong where the construction of nine environmentally friendly homes has been approved. Final purchasing arrangements for the site opposite the Mill are likely to be completed early in the New Year bringing further development to the Village. Other planning applications have been submitted or are in the pipeline ensuring a hive of activity is guaranteed around Stoke Ferry throughout 2006.

From the Pump perspective, regular readers will note the absence this month of pages from Boughton and Wereham; this is a temporary loss since the material provided for these pages comes from Group 7 who do not publish a January edition. But I am pleased to report that we can now expect two new regular contributions: Stoke Ferry Events (see page 25) and News from The James Bradfield School (see page 37). William Alderson is co-ordinating the former and Carol Nicholas-Letch the latter. So if you have events planned that would fit into these monthly announcements, please do let the co-ordinators know.

Finally, I must applaud the initiative of Zoe and Darren Ager at the Corner Shop for bringing their Christmas Market to the village during the weeks preceding Christmas. Despite the bitter cold, many local residents enjoyed the hot mulled wine and roast chestnuts while they browsed the heavily laden stalls for those little Christmas extras.

Ray Thompson