Wereham News for May

WEREHAM NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH, ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, TUESDAY 17TH MARCH 2015 Nominations were taken for Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, the current committee were all nominated and seconded by the meeting, and agreed to continue standing. We also have two new co-ordinators Barbara and Richard Plant.

Crime Figures are down to eight. Burglary other than dwelling (2), theft from motor vehicle (1), crimes not classified elsewhere (1), violence against person (3), drugs offences (1).

In 1996 Wereham Neighbourhood Watch was set up, so next year 2016 will be our 20th anniversary. We are looking at ways in which we could celebrate this, and would welcome suggestions. Please contact Tom Golden on 01366 500052, or Doreen Rolph on 01366 500218 with any suggestions you may have.

Our secretary will be retiring after our September meeting. There are just two meetings a year, the AGM in March and a further meeting in September. Should you be interested in taking on this role please contact Rosemary on 01366 501023 who will give you relevant information.

April Update from Wereham Village Hall Committee

Fundraising is still moving on apace with two of our annual Spring events drawing in the crowds! There were bargains galore at the Spring Sale and, as usual, the cake stall and refreshments were both sell outs. The event raised a fantastic £282! The Easter Family Prize Bingo was another success and with more than 60 attendees creating a great atmosphere it really was a ‘Full House’! This eggstravaganza also raised a further £378 for the Village Hall. As always, thanks go to the Friends of Wereham Village Hall and other volunteers, all those who donated prizes/cakes/goods to sell, and of course, all those people who supported the events.

Update from the New Build Project Team

Following the frenzied activity to submit the Stage 1 Lottery Application last month, there is now a short lull whilst we await notification of whether we have been successful. We should hear by the end of April. In the meantime, there is still much work to be done as we look for additional funding sources and our mini-project managers continue to investigate exactly how we can deliver the needs of the ‘We’re Wereham, We’re Together!’ project in the new Community Hub.

We are still in need of a mini-project manager to get involved in the provision of an Older Persons Social Group; if you would like to find out more about this opportunity, please contact Victoria Gray on 501277 or darren.gray@tesco.net.

If you would like to be one of the first people to know if the Lottery say YES! click the 'Follow' link on www.facebook.com/werehamvillagehall.

With best wishes from the project team - Victoria Gray, Helen Richardson, Rachel Barron and John Eastgate.

Wereham Village Hall Bonus Ball Club

Wereham Village Hall Committee, Friends of Wereham Village Hall and volunteers raise valuable funds every year for the running of Wereham Village Hall. Money raised is used to maintain the hall for the benefit of all users. By joining the Bonus Ball Club you can help ensure Wereham Village Hall remains open as a resource for all the residents in our community; as well as having a chance every month to win a cash prize of £50!

The lucky winners in April were Terry Bearman and Maurice Methyen – congratulations to you both!

The Wereham Village Hall Bonus Ball Club is a private lottery and is open to anyone over 18. Those joining can have one bonus ball number or more. Numbers are non-transferable and cost £2 per number per month. Each month there is a draw for the winning number, taken from the National Lottery (Lotto), which is drawn on the first Saturday of every month. The lucky holder of the winning number is awarded £50 with the remainder of the collected money going to the Wereham Village Hall Charity (in the event that any numbers are not allocated or have not been paid for in any month, they will be purchased by the Wereham Village Hall Charity and won by the charity should one of these numbers be drawn). Winners will be contacted personally and names posted in the G4 news. We prefer for members to pay in advance but, if not, money can be collected every month by Helen. Get in quickly to pick your lucky number(s), it’s first come first served and we currently have numbers 1 and 33 available.

If you would like to become a member of the bonus ball club with the chance each month of winning £50 (whilst helping to raise vital funds for the Village Hall), contact Helen. Helen Richardson, Secretary (07795006811 or helenar82@outlook.com)

Ink Cartridges - collection boxes for ink cartridges are on the piano in the hall, open 10-12 Fridays. Or alternatively, leave them in a bag at the door of the village hall.

Events list

Bingo - Wereham Village Hall "Cash Prize" Bingo every Wednesday, doors open 6.45 eyes down 7.30pm (under new management). Teas/coffees available with complimentary biscuits. For enquiries please contact Doreen on 01366 500218. Pop up Café – first Tuesday of the month, 10.30-12. Next dates are Tuesday 5th May and Tuesday 2nd June. Join Jacqueline and friends for a slice of homemade cake & a hot drink for just £1. Join us for a natter and a read of the daily papers. Cake donations/queries to Jacqueline 500880. Yard Sale and Car Boot – Sunday 24th May, 9am-1pm. For more details contact Jacqueline on 01366 500880 or Nikki on 01366 501111/ 07789 695783. Indoor/Outdoor Car Boot – last Sunday of the month, 9am-1pm. Next dates Sunday 31st May and Sunday 28th June. Café with bacon rolls, bric-a-brac and book stall. £5 a pitch or, if you have earned time credits, there are two tables available at a cost of 4 time credits each. To book call Nikki/Chris on 01366 501111. For all the pictures and feedback from our events, log onto www.facebook.com/werehamvillagehall. By clicking on the ‘Like’ option, you will be kept up to date on events, pictures and the progress towards a new village hall.

If you have any queries with regards to the plans for funding a new village hall, or anything we’re doing, please contact Victoria Gray, Chair, Wereham Village Hall Committee Home: 501277 Mobile: 07725513583 Email: darren.gray@tesco.net or via www.facebook.com/werehamvillagehall

YARD SALE / CAR BOOT....Sunday 24 May 0900-1200.

For the first time we are going to combine a Yard Sale with a Car Boot at the Village Hall on Sunday 24 May 0900 - 1200. The Annual Village Yard Sale has always proved a Massive Success both for Sellers & Buyers. How easy is it to just sit on your Yard and sell unwanted items that we all have whilst enjoying the sunshine and just popping in to make a cuppa?? No cars to pack, driving to do, early wake-ups and then re-packing what you haven’t sold and driving all way home!!!! Yards have to pre-booked so I can annotate them on maps and advertise amounts etc. - we will do all advertising, leaflets so on and so forth, with all profits going to our Village Hall. Please, please dig deep and find things to sell, clear out for summer…. Yards £7.00 Boots £5.00..... All Enquiries Jacqueline 500880 or Chris 501111. Keep an eye out for Posters...

Wereham Parish Council News Update

Your Council is committed to pursuing best outcomes for the village and always welcomes your input and your attendance at meetings. Items regularly discussed by the Council include: planning applications and policies; play area management; village maintenance; highways issues; grant funding opportunities; plus any other issues that you wish the Council to discuss. The Council can only make decisions on items that are included on the agenda. To get an item on the agenda contact the Clerk via werehampc@gmail.com / Clavering House, Stoke Road, Wereham PE33 9AT with an overview of what you would like to be discussed, at least two weeks before the meeting, and it will be included.

Your new Parish Council will be formally welcomed at the Annual Parish Council Meeting on 12th May!

Meeting dates coming up (All will be held at Wereham Village Hall):

Tuesday 12th May 2015 7:00pm Annual Parish Meeting followed by the Annual Parish Council Meeting (Approx. 7.30pm) Tuesday 14th July 2015 7:30pm Ordinary Meeting Tuesday 8th September 2015 7:30pm Ordinary Meeting Tuesday 10th November 2015 7:30pm Ordinary Meeting Tuesday 12th January 2016 7:30pm Ordinary Meeting Tuesday 8th March 2016 7:30pm Ordinary Meeting

The Agendas for the meetings are always published on the Wereham Village Notice Board three clear days before the meeting. They will also be posted on the Wereham Parish Council Facebook page.

*Ongoing reminders * Please use the dog waste bins and clear up after your dogs! There are three dog waste bins in Wereham, one on the playing field by the Village Hall, the second at the Flegg Green end of Lammas Meadow Lane and the third along Cavenham Road, please pass by one of these and use it to dispose of any dog waste responsibly at all times. When visiting the Village Hall by car please avoid parking on the playing field where possible. The grass gets churned up and damaged in bad weather, please look after the field to avoid the need for costly repairs. May Miscellany with the Fincham chorus and guests at St Margaret's Church Wereham Saturday May 23rd 7pm-8.45pm

St Margaret's Church proudly presents and May Miscellany Come and enjoy an evening of music, poetry and prose.

Start the evening with a glass of sparkling wine or soft drink (Served from 6:30 PM) Enjoy the singing of the Fincham Chorus, listen to the readings and singing from our experienced performers many of whom took part in the First World War evening in November. Interval refreshments and nibbles will be provided along with the opportunity to win some wonderful raffle prizes. Come and enjoy the material carefully selected for a spring evening in the beautiful surroundings of our parish church Tickets available from Tom Golden, Debbie and Ian Rye £6 each Proceeds to St Margaret's Church Wereham. For more information please tel: Ian or Debbie Rye 01366502083 or Tom Golden on 01366500052

ST. MARGARET’S FESTIVAL Stallholders, organizers and any interested members of the public are invited to a meeting in St. Margaret’s Church, Wereham on Monday 11th May at 7. 00 pm.

We need to make arrangements for the annual St. Margaret’s Festival to be held on Sunday 19th July.

WEREHAM OPEN GARDENS .....it’s not too late to say I’ll open my garden on June 20th & 21st or just one of the days. Do we have any new gardens in the village? Visitors would be interested to watch your garden evolve over the years. Please think about opening, this is our 13th year and it would be great to add some new gardens to the day. The day is a major fund raiser for the church and helps to keep the church running. If gardens aren’t your thing, why not just come and have lunch or afternoon tea at the village hall one of the days? If you would like to know more please don’t hesitate to contact me, Lizzie 500233. As always donations of cakes and bakes, plants, rooted cuttings, garden bits and pieces, and any help you would like to give on or before the day are always appreciated too.

Community Partnership Team

working for the community to make a difference

Adult Education Focus Group Day

Residents of Wereham and surrounding villages are invited to attend the forthcoming Focus Group meeting in Wereham Village Hall on Thursday 25th June between 10am and 1pm. Please drop in for coffee and refreshments – we’d love to see you and share thoughts and ideas.

The session will be facilitated by Gilly, Community Development Manager, for Norfolk County Council’s Adult Education Service, who has considerable experience in helping communities set up new and exciting projects. She is very enthusiastic and has lots of fantastic ideas to share. However, we can only make this work if we get sufficient numbers of people involved NOW, at this early stage. Your feedback is vital as this project cannot get off the ground if people don’t show their support and interest. The project needs to be tailored to what local residents want, so get your thinking caps on and make a special space in your diary to join us on 25th June.

Suggestions from the door to door village survey highlighted a need for IT and Cookery Skills.

For you, the former might include getting to grips with your laptop, iPad or tablet. Perhaps keeping in touch with friends and relatives using email and Skype? This support is already available at Downham Library, but for those without transport, it is easy to feel left out and isolated.

There are countless cookery programmes on TV, but it’s hard to be inspired if you are unfamiliar with techniques or the ingredients, or if you lack the confidence to know where to begin, especially if you are new to cooking. Most of us lack the wealth of fancy gadgets used in TV cook’s kitchens, but there are ways of creating the same dishes using everyday equipment, even if it takes a while longer. Maybe you are already motivated to join a Wereham version of the ‘Great British Bake Off’, but if you are more sceptical, feel your culinary skills need help or stimulation, or just don’t know where to begin, we need you with us on 25th June to discuss possibilities. Ideas for the above might include: - • Cooking on a budget. • Cooking for one. • Replacing ready meals and takeaways with home cooking. • Family Meals. • Cooking for special diets, allergies etc. • Healthy eating. • Using spices.

At the end of the day, it is important to know what you want. There are barriers and hurdles to cross before we get a new Village Hall, but we already need to be planning how we would want to use it to make that more than a dream.

There will be more to follow in next month’s edition. Meanwhile, feel free to contact me if you have any queries.

Sue Smith, Wereham VH Adult Education Mini Project Co-ordinator 01366 501224