Wereham News - June

Where have all the Flowers Gone?

Wereham Open Gardens and St Margaret’s Festival are two established events for Wereham village and the surrounding community. The funds raised at these events contribute to the upkeep of the parish church; St Margaret’s is mostly medieval and an English treasure in our midst. At these events our village church, will be open to the public...on show...compared to other local churches....much admired (we hope!). It will have been spruced up, polished and flowers arranged. Could you help to make St Margaret’s look splendid? We seek contributions of flowers and greenery; also unwanted house plants (perhaps those which are overlarge for your home!). A few flowers from your garden or a supermarket ‘cheap deal’ could help us make the church outstanding; creating a welcoming space for visitors and village folk alike. Contributions can be left in the buckets provided, outside the church doors, from the Thursday before these events. There is no church budget for flowers and so we are reliant on the community to support us. Just one or two blooms with greenery can make the world of difference. Open Gardens 20th& 21stJune. Garden & plant enthusiasts (as well as tea drinkers/cake eaters! ) visiting our village/gardens/church. So ...Flower buckets will be at the ready from Thursday 18th June.

Festival Sunday is 19th July. So ...Flower buckets from Thursday 16th July. We look forward to seeing you in Wereham in June and July, and remember to visit the church and the village hall........you will see.... ......... Where the Flowers have gone! Thank You... Sue (01366 858237) Ivy, Ronnie, Lizzie and all.

Community Partnership Team working for the community to make a difference ‘We’re Wereham, We’re Together’ and we need you on Thursday 25th June!

It’s wonderful to hear the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund have progressed the Wereham Village Hall Project Team’s submission, to the next stage. Now is the time to get involved and have your say about the way a new hall should be used.

Come along to Wereham Village Hall on Thursday 25th June, 10am to 1pm and let us hear your views on what Wereham and the neighbouring villages need regarding learning new skills in the community. Please tell your friends about this and bring them along too as the session promises to be great fun.

Gilly, Community Development Manager for Norfolk County Council’s Adult Education Service, will be facilitating one of the activities to discover our aspirations and needs for the future. She has lots of experience helping communities set up new projects and will share with us some great techniques to build a plan focussing on “our community, our challenge, and our wish list”. This promises to be entertaining as well as informative.

She will be accompanied by Cookery Tutor, Sandie who will be encouraging us to get involved in creating some tasty but simple dishes. This will take the form of a free cooking activity to produce food to take home or eat on the day.

The session is free to attend and includes refreshments. Let me know if you require transport as we may be able to assist. Ideally we hope you will be able to take part in one, or better still, both activities, but if you can’t commit to a full 3 hours, it’s fine to just drop by, dip your toe into the action and see what we are all up to. Although it is not necessary to book, a rough idea of numbers attending would help us organise catering. If you can give me a call (leave a message if unavailable), register your interest via the Wereham Village Hall Facebook page, or speak to one of the Village Hall Committee, it will ensure there are biscuits for all!

We value your opinion, so have a think about your own needs for learning in the community. Whether you’re from Wereham, Barton Bendish, Boughton, Beachamwell, Fincham, West Dereham, Stoke Ferry, Crimplesham, Whittington, or further afield – this is your chance to make your views heard. We are already aware there is a requirement for developing IT and Cookery Skills, but the aim is to address all elements of the community’s needs.

Please come -this is your opportunity to have your say. I look forward to seeing you on the 25th.

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

May Update from Wereham Village Hall Committee

Update from the New Build Project Team

We're Wereham, We're Together!

We are thrilled to announce that our Stage 1 application to the Big Lottery Fund has been approved! We now have to submit the Stage 2 application by 28th July; lots more hard work and preparation ahead. We need your support to complete the Stage 2 application. The lottery expect us to hold focus groups to find out what you need from the following activities we're planning in the new hall to meet your needs (in response to your feedback on surveys):

· Older Person Social Group - managed by Sue Candler & Rosemary Pease · Youth Group - managed by Nikki Loake · Learning New Skills - managed by Sue Smith, focus group booked for 25th June · Physical Activities - managed by Liz Howard. · Village Cinema - managed by Cliff Goddon

Please lend your support by attending the focus groups for these activities and use the opportunity tell the organisers what you want out of each group. Dates to follow.

Thank you all for your continued support from the project team - Victoria Gray, Helen Richardson, Rachel Barron and John Eastgate.

Wereham Village Hall Bonus Ball Club

The lucky winners in April were Anna Bearman and Sheila – congratulations to you both!

There is just one number free at the moment; number 1. 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 quickly before it’s snapped up! 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. 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 2nd June and Tuesday 7th July. 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. Learning New Skills Focus Group – Thursday 25th June, 10am-1pm. For more details see article in this edition of G4 or contact Sue on 01366 501224. Indoor/Outdoor Car Boot – last Sunday of the month, 9am-1pm. Next dates Sunday 28th June and Sunday 26th July. Café with bacon rolls, bric-a-brac and book stall. £5 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 Wereham Messy Church Thursday July 2nd 4pm -5.30pm Starts in the church followed by activities and a free meal in the Village Hall The next Wereham Messy church is on July 2nd. The theme is the story of The Battle of Jericho. It will again be informal, fun and enjoyable. It will include stories, singing, activities and FOOD don’t miss it. We are looking forward to seeing you there. Please put these dates in your diary 17thth September Harvest 27th November Advent Look out for further details

To book places or for further information please ask Debbie or Ian Rye telephone 502083 or call in at The Old Chapel by the pond or just come on the night and see for yourself.

Afternoon Tea

Are you retired? Do you live in Wereham, Bexwell, West Dereham, Fincham, Barton Bendish, Boughton, Oxborough, Whittington, Wretton and Stoke Ferry? In exchange for a complimentary & scrumptious afternoon tea, we should like your ideas and thoughts on - Hobbies & Interests, Health & Well-being and Life Skills for Retirement. The purpose of the event is to find out what you like and need, then create those activities in the new hall. There will also be a £20 prize draw for a tick box survey to provide vital data for the Project Team's Stage 2 lottery application. To book your place at Wereham Village Hall, 3pm on the Thursday the 18th of June, RSVP to Rosemary Pease on 01366 501330 or email on rosemary.pease@btinternet.com (assistance with transport available). Sue Candler and Rosemary Pease look forward to welcoming you to this event and hearing your views!

The Annual Wereham Parish Meeting was held on 12th May. Wereham parishioners present welcomed a presentation by the Local Development Framework team from the Borough Council which provided information on the process so far and also received a speech from the Parish Council chair celebrating parish achievements throughout the past year.

This was followed by the Annual Wereham Parish Council meeting where we welcomed our new Council with some Councillors carrying on from their previous term; Jo Bruce, Gail Koopowitz, Brian Bruce, Nikki Loake; and a new Councillor Jacki Hitching. There are still two vacancies left on the Council – these will be filled through 'Voting by Council on Casual Vacancy (“Co-Option”)'. So if you, or someone you know, are interested in becoming a Parish Councillor you now have another chance to get involved!

All you need to do is state your intention in writing to the Parish Clerk and at the next Parish Council meeting the Councillors will take a vote on the candidates. The elected Councillors can get involved straight away.

To be able to stand as a Parish Council candidate you must:

• be at least 18 years old on the day of your nomination • be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union • meet at least one of the following four qualifications: 1. You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the Wereham Parish from the day of your nomination onwards. 2. You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in Wereham Parish during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election. 3. Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been in Wereham Parish. 4. You have lived in Wereham Parish or within three miles of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election. (Note some disqualifications apply – see the electoralcommission.org.uk for further details.) Any intentions to fill the vacancy should be sent in writing to werehampc@gmail.com or to the Parish Clerk at Clavering House, Stoke Road, Wereham PE33 9AT by the deadline of Friday 12th June. If you have any questions please ask!

Further information will be sent to those interested.

Draft minutes of both May meetings can be requested from the Clerk as below. Once again a reminder for all to use the dog waste bins and clear up after their pets. 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. Please check the Wereham Parish Council notice board and its Facebook page for the date of the next meeting, as agenda item 7.7 meeting (meeting not held at the time of article submission), is to discuss whether the Council should meet monthly, rather than bi-monthly, in future.

The Agendas for the meetings are always published on the Wereham Village Notice Board three clear days before each meeting and also on the Wereham Parish Council Facebook page. If you have any items that you wish to be discussed by the Parish Council please always ensure that these are with the Clerk, Mrs N Cooper at werehampc@gmail.com or Clavering House, Stoke Road, Wereham PE33 9AT or 01366 500527 by the end of the month before the meeting to ensure that they are included on the agenda.

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

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