THE VILLAGE NEWSLETTER

Les looks at the options for local villae newsletters

Here at Methwold we have recently welcomed a new Editor to The Times and many will wish her stay a long and happy one. Not long ago a former Editor posed the question, "Does Methwold deserve a Newsletter?" I could pose a question, "Why should Methwold have a

Newsletter?" Or I could ask another question, "Where is The Times Going?" All good questions worthy of debate.

Most villages in this area have a Newsletter; Methwold, Hockwold, Northwold, Mundford, Feltwell, etc. But some other local villages are grouped together under one "banner" called the Village Pump; this covers Stoke Ferry, Whittington, Wretton, Wereham, Boughton, and West Dereham.

It was Sir Winston Churchill who said something like, "United we stand divided we fall" and that is why I favour the collectiveness of the Village Pump as opposed to the individuality of separate newsletters.

Today's world is different from the past. In sport, for example, each village was a separate entity, each having their own football and cricket teams but not today. How many villages had their own Churches and Chapels? Just about all of them, yet today we see that so many Chapels have been sold off to the domestic market. When will it be Methwold's turn? Not if, but when.

We are living in today's world whether we like it or not. Yesterday's world has gone, never to return. We should, therefore, be thinking not just of today, but more importantly, the future. I can think of nothing more exciting than posing the question, "What of Tomorrow?"

It doesn't matter if we have in mind The Times, or any aspect of our village life, or indeed our own individual selves. If we are fortunate enough to wake up tomorrow the world we find ourselves in will owe much to what we have planned today, the seeds you sow today will surely be the harvest that you reap tomorrow.

When as a young man I enjoyed sport; I did so because I was part of a team. Individually I was of no importance; as part of a team I had a part to play. The same applies today, but not a "Methwold Team" because the days when each village stood in isolation have long gone. Our village has a part to play, that is collectively.

Methwold High School epitomises all I am saying. It just happens to be situated here in Methwold, but more importantly it branches out to incorporate many of our surrounding villages. Staying with education over the years we have seen a number of our Primary Schools close; Wereham springs to mind. This trend will continue as places of education become more and more centralised.

We have a choice. We can, and it doesn't matter if you have in mind, yes the Methwold Times, we can embrace the future, or we can try and go our separate ways. And if you do that then be prepared to eventually succumb to the inevitable.

Les Lawrence