Issue Number 185 - February 2012

Giving a voice to the Wayland community

Ambassadorial Scholar visits Rotary

Left to Right Rotarian Nigel Neville, Ambassadorial Scholar Jacob Cox, Watton Rotary President Andrew Barwood
February 23rd is Rotary day, celebrating the founding of Rotary International by Paul Harris in Chicago 107 years ago. Crocuses come into flower on or about this date and last year we were one of five clubs in Rotary District 1080 to have planted Red Giant (actually purple) crocus corms the previous autumn in a challenge to have 5 million blooms all around GB at that time. The reason for the challenge was an awareness campaign about Polio, and the fact it is now on the point of extinction through the efforts of Rotary International since 1985 and the joint challenge with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since 2009. Why crocuses? Their colour is the same as the dye used to mark a childs finger when given the sugar lump vaccine to show they have been immunised. We planted some 10,000 crocuses in various locations in and around Watton, so look out later this month for the purple displays, and remember why! On Friday March 9th we are presenting the first Jazz at the Queens Hall event of the year, featuring the six-piece combo DixieMix. Despite rising costs we are keeping the ticket price at 10 good value for an evening of superb entertainment. Pop into Adcocks from 1st February to purchase tickets, or call 01953 884224 for enquiries and reservations. Last month we received the first of two Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars invited to speak to our club. Jacob Cox, from Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, WV, is studying for a masters degree in pathology at Trinity College, Cambridge. Of an air force family, apart from the VMI, he claims to be of no fixed abode, having travelled the world with his United States Air Force father, who is currently at Ramstein AFB in Germany. During his years of medical study, Jacob spent 6 months in the Camaroons pursuing his interest is in parasitic diseases especially trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly. His hope is to enter a career finding treatments for African sleeping sickness and other neglected diseases and to work with such as the World Health Organization to develop health care in sub-Saharan Africa. His presentation and communication skills are excellent and he expressed a deep appreciation of the opportunities given to him through the Rotary Foundation award of a scholarship enabling him to complete his masters studies at such a prestigious university. Nigel Neville, a Cambridge Rotarian and past district governor, is Jacobs counsellor and accompanied him, providing the necessary transport. Early in February we are entertaining another Rotary ambassadorial scholar, from Japan, who is studying at the UEA. We will report the visit in the next edition of The Wayland News. No need to follow us on Twitter, or any so-called social networking site; anything you may like to know about Watton Rotarys activities is available as a pictorial history, covering the last 7 years, on our website: www.wattonrotary.org.uk

Sausage & Mash Bash at Ovington Village Hall

On Saturday, 11th February, there will be a 'Sausage & Mash Bash' at Ovington Village Hall starting at 7.30pm. Tickets (advance bookings only) priced at 7 per head are available from Christine on 01953 885848. The price includes main course (of sausage, mash and veg) plus dessert (various), followed by tea or coffee. There will be a bit of a quiz to keep everyone awake and a raffle. All proceeds go to village hall funds. No bar is available, so BYOB please.

Editorial Comment

FIGHT! For your High Street

Comment from the Editor on Car Parking Charges . . .
lead officer also promoted the review through an interview given to Wayland Radio on 14 July 2010, although unfortunately no publicity about the review was included in this publication. A key paragraph in the report on Watton* (Page 3, Para 22) says: Breckland Councils long-standing policy in relation to charging for public parking in its car parks is that parking is provided free at source across the District. Historically the Council has recognised that maintaining the commercial viability of market towns through having a non-charging regime is the prime driver behind its policy position. Even in the economics of the good times, Breckland recognised that that the viability of our town was to some degree dependent of free parking, and that was before Tescos expansion and the deteriorating economic climate which together have increased significantly the pressures on businesses here. Although the report was not to look specifically at whether to charge or not for parking there can be no doubt that it was considered because the very first recommendation on page 5 of the reports states: Recommendation 1 The Group recommends that the Council retains its policy of providing free parking in all three Breckland-owned car parks in Watton. In light of the decision to spend up to 25,000 on another study of parking, I was curious as to what it cost to produce this review, which, by any judgement, is very comprehensive and included public consultation meetings. So I asked. The response was as follows: Breckland paid 5,000 to UEA for the Attleborough car parking study. We were fortunate to get this study done at a very competitive rate, as it was carried out by students as part of their course. There were no costs for any of the other studies we were not charged any room hire for the open meetings so the only expenses would have been travel costs for any officers or members who attended, and the cost of that would be negligible. Remember this was just 16 months ago, so what has changed to require that this exercise is repeated. And how is it that excluding Attleborough, the last reviews cost was negligible and yet that the new review was to cost 50,000 but which has since been restricted by Brecklands Cabinet to up to 25,000 I really do believe they have decided to impose car parking charges and the only thing that will stop them is if we make enough noise. When asked about the review, our Conservative Councillors say we must have the full facts before we can make a decision this view is repeated in both Councillors columns this month (See page 7); they assure me they are not speaking from a text prepared by the ruling Conservative group, and they are honourable people. Our Independent Councillor has clearly

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stated his opposition already. But given that Breckland has to trim its budget by a considerable amount of money, how can it be decided that Car Parking is the place to look to make savings when there has yet to be a comprehensive review of ALL spending by Breckland Council? To our District Councillors I say this: You will be breaking your own mantra if you decide car parking charges are to be imposed before you are in possession of a full and comprehensive review of every penny Breckland spends. I challenge you to support the people of Watton who voted for you who have already said clearly that they do not want car parking charges imposed. I challenge you to represent the views expressed by the Town Council, the other lead organisations in the town and the more than 60% of the eligible electorate, who, by the middle of January, have already signed the petition. I challenge you to resist by all means possible the introduction of these damaging charges even if it means voting against your party line. Are there alternatives to the proposed charges? I am told by Breckland that an extra 7 on the council tax would cover the shortfall in the car parking budget. The Council Tax on a Band D home in our area for 2011/12 is 1,562.10. An extra 7 on that amount represents an increase in your council tax of about 0.004% If I parked in Watton more than 7 times in one year and I paid, lets say, 1 each time for the privilege, I would be saving money in real terms if I accepted an increase in my Council Tax of 0.004% Unfortunately, of that 1562.10 in tax paid, Breckland only gets about 61 so an extra 7 imposed by them represents an approximate increase of 9% (the maths are not exact because of the way Council tax is calculated but this is the increase Breckland have indicated). Even more unfortunately, under the Localism Act (remember that wonderful Act in relation to planning consent?) any increase in Council Tax over 3.5% means Breckland would be forced to hold a referendum to get your approval. This has an estimated cost in excess of 100,000 which would have to be met by another increase in council tax which Breckland have told me would likely be of the order of 16 or a 25% increase. I dont think this idea will be considered! I believe that under the self-same Localism Act, Breckland could be persuaded or forced to transfer ownership of the car parks to our Town Council; I wonder what they would make of that? Being a monthly publication it is very difficult for me to keep you up to date with this subject. Mr Huggins has promised that No decisions have, or will be made, without the Council first seeking the views of residents and businesses. So please keep your eyes open for notices of a public meeting, which is the very least I would expect Breckland to do in the process of consultation, when we will be given the chance to put our views on this contentious subject. * Parking Task & Finish Group Report Watton October 2010 and published on Breckland Councils website at: http:// democracy.breckland.gov.uk/ mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=12076

I am going to state straight away that I am as cynical as one can get about Politics and Politicians (note capital P); I know I am going to be accused yet again of trouble making and stirring people up before the full facts are known. But I believe we are faced with a done deal over parking charges whatever the reassurances of Brecklands Chief Executive, its Leader or its councillors. Why? Heres a most curious thing a Parking Task and Finish Group was established under the direction of and reporting to Breckland Councils Overview & Scrutiny Commission in the summer of 2009. Initially the Group was charged with exploring issues relating to the Councils own car parks in its market towns. However the review was subsequently refocused in September 2009 to take account of a request from Attleborough Town Council to examine the pressing local issue of parking and congestion in that town. At the first meeting on 27 July 2009 the Group agreed its terms of reference and from the outset the Group agreed that each town would be judged on its respective merits and thus a one size fits all approach was regarded as untenable. After completing its review on Attleborough (March 2010) the Group then turned its attentions to Watton in May 2010; holding five formal meetings of the Group including a visit to Watton on the morning of 15 June. The Chairman of the Group and the

News

Letters to the Editor

placed to comment on the proposal to consider the ending of free car parking in Watton and the other Breckland market towns. Without question this is the toughest, prolonged period of challenging retail trading that we have faced for many years. The combination of the squeeze on consumer spending, fierce competition from the supermarkets, multiples and the Internet and poor support from the banks has created an extremely difficult time for those of us on the High Streets. When even the Government is concerned about the survival of the High Streets it seems incredible that anyone in the current economic climate could even consider a proposal that would put the boot in to High Street trading even more. We are collectively trying to attract customers into the town and the last thing you need are barriers to put people off. The prospect of having to pay for car parking in Watton would play straight into the hands (or tills ) of the out of town shopping centres. Surely it does not take a 25,000 feasibility study to prove that fact. Our customers have been very keen to sign the petition against the proposal to introduce car parking charges as they recognise the enormous economic damage that the charges would inflict on an already fragile High Street. Market Towns need support and rejuvenation from our local authorities, not obstacles and barriers. I recall, not so long ago, seeing an article in the local newspaper with Breckland Councillors proudly reporting that Breckland had one of the lowest council taxes in the country. If they go ahead with their proposal they might end up with the High Streets with the lowest number of shops!! Paul Adcock Adcock & Sons Ltd A traders view I cannot believe that Breckland Council are going to waste 25,000 of taxpayers money on a ridiculous survey to assess whether they should charge for car parking in Watton. If they have this money burning a hole in their pocket I suggest that they think about spending it on something worthwhile that will help the whole community. My partner runs a local business here in Watton, and it is hard enough to attract people to the market towns as it is. We already have to contend with the out of town shopping centres near Norwich with their FREE car parks. I fully support Keith Gilberts views in relation to this, and like him I would volunteer to carry out the survey. I believe that this idea should be buried in a very large skip I suggest Breckland Officers sitting in their nice warm offices in Dereham, travel to Fakenham on a Saturday (which is unfortunate enough to come under North Norfolk council) and get stung on car parking charges, so that they can see for themselves what a ghost town Fakenham is. Do we really want our market towns to go this way? Sarah Dagless, Watton Resident The shop-workers view As a local shop-worker I feel penalised for working in a small town. With the councils intention for parking fees in Watton, how should I travel to work ? I live with my wife and young son just out of town in Carbrooke and although I'm not quite on the bread line I do not earn a fortune working in retail and like many people find the current economic situation difficult and another few pound a day, on top of fuel costs, would definitely impact on the welfare of my family. So why would the council wish to make this worse by penalising me to pay for parking for work? I could of course, make use of the bus stop at the end of my estate. Catching the no 3 bus at 8.33 from the Flying Fish into town would be a very cost effective solution until I want to come home and the last bus out of Watton leaves at 16.30. Not good as I work until 18:00! I could use good old fashioned shoe leather, it's only a mile and a half. Lovely in the summer I'm sure but as the building contractors on Blenheim Grange have decided to blockade the foot/cycle path between Adland Road and Teddar Close (by the ATC building) it would involve either trudging through a muddy wood and climbing through a hole in a fence or risking my safety by trespassing on the airfield just to reach the lovely new footpath at Griston Road/Lovell Gardens locally known as 'muddy lane.' A bicycle may be another option. Good for my health and kind to the environment - except where do I park it? Whilst the council seem happy to spend up to 25,000 on researching car parking options (how much does it cost to stand in the High Street with a clip board on market day?) they have not yet invested in a secure, covered parking shelter for bikes in the town centre. I must question the councils commitment to local business and workers. They certainly do not appear to be encouraging people to use Watton high street and support its various independent shops, cafes and businesses with experienced and local staff whose livelihoods depend on that trade when consumers can of course, shop slightly out of town at a supermarket which offers free parking ? As for me, it looks like I will still have to use my car and pay yet another form of tax just to work. G Collinson The Wymondham experience Although a Wymondham resident, I am particularly interested in the current problem of car parking charges in Watton. After complaining at length about the sorry state of our Central Car Park here in Wymondham, I was pleased when it was resurfaced and turned into a car parking area to fit in with the new library and refurbished Central Hall. However, charges for parking were levied; and now as I often walk through on my way into the town centre, it is very sparsely used except for market days. The upshot is that cars are daily parked along the roads surrounding the town centre, in the case of Orchard Way which is a winding road with speed bumps, it is difficult to navigate with vehicles taking up space on both sides. It will be interesting to learn the result of Breckland Council's decision on this matter. Edith Pleasance. The Romiley experience Further to the article in the January edition of Wayland News re car park charges, we feel that it may be useful to read of our experiences whilst living in the dormitory town of Romiley when Stockport Council introduced car park charges. As you can imagine, the local traders were violently opposed to the introduction of these charges as they were fearful of losing out to the local supermarket, Kwik Save where there was free parking. This situation is not unlike Watton where the losers would be the local traders, due to the free parking at Tesco. In around 2003, when Stockport Council finally decided to introduce car park charges in Romiley, the cost to the public was 10 pence. Not to be beaten, the local traders agreed amongst themselves to refund the 10 pence to all customers who purchased any item from their shop. This scheme worked fine until Stockport Council increased the cost of parking to such a level that the local shopkeepers could no longer afford to refund the car parking cost to their customers. At this stage the fun started! Motorists were determined not to pay for parking and left their cars at Kwik Save. This is not a very large car park and once all places were filled, then the motorists would cruise around the town to find a space on the street. Consequently we had cars parked on corners, outside the local primary school and across house gateways making it impossible for the house owner to get in and out of their driveway. The most serious problem was indiscriminate parking at the Medical Practice where, from quite early in the morning, there were no spaces vacant for those members of the public who had an appointment to keep at the Practice. It was not unknown for shoppers to park in the Doctors and Ambulance Bays whilst they were just running to post a letter. Very quickly local shops were forced to close and the high street began to look run down. Last evening we telephoned a friend of ours who still lives in Romiley to ascertain the situation since we came to live in Watton. Before we were able to explain fully the developing situation in Watton, our friend blurted out that they will never pay for car parking in Romiley and now go to Morrisons where they have free parking. Rumour has it that the only people to be seen on the high street are the extra Traffic Wardens who have had to be recruited to deal with illegal parking and serving parking notices!!! Our experience tells us that if car park charges go ahead the losers will not only be the local traders, but also the people who have supported them in the past. The only trader to gain will be Tesco. Yours sincerely, Ian & Winifred Allen Charlotte Harvey Trust Playing Field There appears to be growing concern about the dictatorial manner in which the Charlotte Harvey Trust has fenced off the playing field at the rear of the Watton Youth and Community
(Continued on page 4)

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Watton Ballroom Dancing Association

Queens Hall, Watton
8 to 11.00 Admission 3.50

Ed: Never in my experience has any single issue generated so much concern and anger in town. I have decided to print all the letters I have received on car parking and other important subjects this month and I apologise for the somewhat boring layout of these pages! Car Parking Charges The Wayland Partnership view Very few issues in our Wayland community create as much comment, concern, even anger as that of Parking it has been a hot topic throughout the life of the Wayland Partnership. Ten years ago the issue was too few spaces and so after lengthy consultation, and generous contributions from local businesses and residents, we created 70 more spaces to add to the 110 existing public parking spaces. Since then parking in residential areas, parking near the schools and parking on both sides of the High Street have also been issues, and there has been more than one review in that time, the most recent being the Breckland Task and Finish report in 2010. Despite all the other concerns, the one consistent view held by all local people has been the importance to both the town itself and the rural hinterland it serves, of the provision of free parking and this was also the recommendation of the Task and Finish Group. Of course we all understand that parking is not free. We understand that such spaces have to be maintained and supported, but we also understand that this cost is met from the council tax and the rates that both residents and businesses pay and that they need to be assured that this hard earned money is spent wisely and for their benefit. If there is to be a further review it needs to be relevant to the town in the current economic climate where almost every high street business is struggling for survival. It needs to look at how public parking spaces can be managed to benefit the retail and service businesses and encourage the local community and, just as important, the tourists, to visit and use the high street businesses. This may mean that in town centre parks, charges are introduced after two or three hours as recommended by the 2010 report, or there may be other, better strategies for managing parking and for supporting local businesses to ensure that our market town and the other Breckland towns survive. The cost per head that makes up the recently quoted figure of 300,000 to maintain the Breckland Car Parks in the five towns seems like good value for money when you consider the alternatives loss of business to supermarkets with free parking, rogue parking on private land, village communities paying more to access services and employment, the cost of installing and maintaining equipment and so on. If we want our local businesses to survive and then thrive we need to support them in every way we can and we need our District to help us. Jan Godfrey MBE Chair, on behalf of the Trustees of the Wayland Partnership Development Trust A family businesss view Our family business celebrates its centenary this year. Having traded for 100 years in Watton High Street (not personally!), I think we are well

No dance in February Saturday March 3rd Mike 01953 882799

ROGER TURNER
07759 948 830 01953 881 382

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Centre in Harvey street They have also erected signs which state that there should be no trespassing on the land, no dog walking or any other activity at all times. It is incomprehensible that the trust has decided to deny access to the only open, green space in the town centre to the very people that Charlotte Harvey had chosen to support with her gift. This is especially considering that one of the Charlotte Harvey Trust's objectives is: T " o provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life." I have lived in Watton for nearly six years, and at no time have I witnessed any "anti-social" behaviour in the field. In fact the opposite has been true with many good natured, impromptu, games of football. During the summer months very often younger children are seen playing and riding bicycles around the area pretty much as I imagine Charlotte Harvey had intended. It appears that the fence has been erected with the sole purpose of "proving" that the land has not been used for recreational pursuits for a period of two years thus making the granting of planning permission a lot easier. It is time for the young people in Watton to reclaim Charlotte Harvey's legacy from the developers and make a stand for the preservation of this valuable open space. Tony Fowler Christmas Lights I should like to reply to the Mayors comments in The Wayland News re my letter and the Christmas Lights. Firstly, I intentionally used the comment to encourage an exchange of ideas; I did not want to be seen to be complaining in an unconstructive way. In 2011, Watton seemed to hold its own despite the recession. Regrettably some people did lose their jobs but otherwise all seemed well in comparison to other small towns. But there are many things Watton yearns for a sk8park for the young, a Bonfire Night, Swimming Pool, some intercommunity contact with the foreign nationals, a Film Club, a New Year Celebration and so on.. Some of these are beyond the control of Watton people and WTC but some are not. The Wayland Partnership, Watton Carnival, Watton Society and The Wayland Show are examples the success that can be achieved from a seemingly bottomless pot of energy and enthusiasm and a belief in what they are doing. And then there is Christmas. Christmas means many things to many people but no one really begrudges the build up in Advent, the Carol Service, .the turkey and people are allowed to get on. However, if you were a stranger to Watton driving through the town in December what impression would you take away? Two LED cables of lights and a Christmas Tree. And what of our children? What do they think of it all? If we want them to grow up with a sense of Civic awareness and of pride, will two LED light cables help to do that? Surely it is our responsibility to set the example for them to cherish and preserve when they are adults? We need to give them good memories. What is Civic pride? And who is really proud of our quirky little linear town? Hurray for the Council who saved the lights. Hurray for the two Councillors and their families. Hurray for the Councils careful management of the Annual Allowance. But where is the leadership? Where is the Management? Who is the Business Manager? Who is responsible for the Publicity? Christmas Lights have a message both Civic and social, they arent just about the installation. They are about the Town, Watton, celebrating Christmas. They should be fun; they should have drama and imagination. The WOW factor if you like. The Clock Tower should be illuminated to show its place at the (almost) centre of town. But above all they should be the result of genuine community cooperation. Schools, Luncheon Club, young families, foreign nationals all could be encouraged, traders could be persuaded or incentivised to contribute. A Civic presence at Carnival or Wayland Show to fund raise or recruit is well worth the effort and fun to boot! I fear your appeal for people to come forward is a demonstration of a lack lustre approach to the problem and how not to sell your product. It was hidden at the end of a letter in a (fine) newspaper. By doing this you assume that everyone will read that far. If this project is to be re launched with vim and vigour then it has to be promoted with vim and vigour and colour and enthusiasm with a clear message. It needs to be sold in a positive way to possible volunteers and organisations and then it has to be managed. Why not take the initiative by inviting all the organisations in Watton to send a representative to an exploratory meeting? What is the Chamber Directory for? How could the Shop Locally leaflet be used even further? Finally, I need to take issue with your Point 4. I already volunteer for 2 charities and one community organisation. I have offered help to WTC as a volunteer/spare pair of hands. My offer of help to Loch Neaton Group was almost totally ignored and I stopped the work I had been doing. I also offered help to Mr Ivory when he was Mayor and when he was part of Wayland Radio, on neither occasion did he take my contact details. Your criticism of my lateness in commenting on the lights is due entirely to not knowing what was in store until the switch on. I was away for the installation. I wanted to avoid writing a letter of this type on the assumption that there was leadership within the WTC who would pick up on the problem. Yours sincerely, B Robertson aka Kernow Hearing Aid batteries Your readers may not be aware that the service for acquiring replacement batteries for their hearing aids which was available at the Health Centre in the High Street has been withdrawn. A Notice in the Health Centre informs patients that replacement batteries can be obtained in Wymondham or Attleborough or from the Hearing Bus which visits Watton every two months. But a small leaflet placed nearby suggests that the Doctors Surgery can supply replacements between 2pm and 4pm in the afternoon. As this service does not appear to be particularly labour intensive, one wonders why it has been withdrawn; and whilst new batteries may still be obtained in Watton I would suggest that the High Street was a much more convenient venue. B Anderson. Senior Citizens Party A big thank you to Wayland Community High School for the Senior Citizens Christmas Party on Saturday December 10th for all the hard work that was put into it and everyone was so friendly and nice and great entertainment from pupils. It was lovely to meet up with old friends of many years. Sylvia Frazer

News

It Might Have Been Me

By Ken Knowles As I set out to write something completely different my eye lighted upon an obituary in my national paper describing the experiences of a chap who in his youth had been one of the Bevin Boys during World War 2. In around 1943 the government decided that there was a shortage of personnel in the coal mining industry, and in view of the necessity to maintain supplies, recruitment of miners would be made by means of a ballot each month amongst chaps awaiting call-up for the armed services, and those men selected would be compelled to go down the pits. It so happened that I was then approaching the age when I would be required to register, but at that point this new coal-mining recruitment had not yet come into effect, so I the possibility of a career in coal did not occur to me. Like many other young men I viewed the prospect of joining the army as something to be avoided, with an image of mud-filled trenches on the Somme foremost in mind, while life in the navy offered the chance of finishing up in the ocean at some point. So the apparent glory offered by the air force seemed the best bet, and the recognised method of ensuring enlistment therein was to volunteer three months before my eighteenth birthday. The alternative was to wait for actual call-up and express a preference for the air force, though there was only a one-in-three chance of success. So it was that in June 1943 I presented myself to the R.A.F recruitment office, and in due course had a medical examination. To my surprise I was graded B and told I wouldnt be an airman. So, waiting for the normal call-up, I again expressed a preference for the flying branch, and again had a medical and again was rejected as I was grade B. Some weeks passed before I was again contacted, this time being told I would be joining the army, subject to medical examination. For the army I was graded A.1, so perhaps they are not so fussy. I was told I would be a soldier in about three weeks. Enter Mr. Ernest Bevin and his scheme to grab men for the mines. Though I am not usually lucky in lotteries and other draws, my name came out in the next ballot and I was told to prepare myself to be a miner within a month. Though I was horrified at this prospect all my friends thought this to be highly comical, not least because at that age I was quite a skinny individual, so that everyone assured me that I would be used as a pit-prop. My future having been set out for me in a coal mine, I was surprised a fortnight later to receive a letter saying that after all I would be joining the navy, and even more surprised when my papers eventually arrived instructing me to report for the ARMY. If one wonders how we won the war, this was just a single example of the crazy things that happened at that time. Another came upon joining the ranks, when I was presented with a rifle, with the notification that this would be with me throughout my army life, and on no account would I ever part with it. Six weeks later when, at the end of basic training, I was sent to join the Royal Artillery, the first thing they did was to take away my rifle (for ever). Even joining the R.A. was not as simple as one would expect, for I was sent all the way from Berwick- on- Tweed to join the driving course at Rhyl in North Wales, only to find that it had moved to Whitby in Yorkshire. This type of thing was typical of the British Army. Whenever we moved camp we always arrived AFTER all the catering staff had gone off duty, or else we were not expected at all. Even when I was eventually sent out on a rush draft to India, our unit was not expected and was never to be used, luckily for my sake as the war soon finished without my interference. So muddle persisted throughout my early service years and ensured that my joining the coal service was avoided. Having read through the afore-mentioned obituary I can only thank it for allowing me to serve elsewhere for it is obvious that young Bevin Boys got a hostile reception from the mining community where everyone assumed them to be dodgers from real service, besides often being (like me) ill provided by nature for such heavy work. Whether I would have managed to survive in such a tough environment I dont know, but I am thankful I never had to find out. To the muddlers in the Home Office I offer my most grateful thanks. It was a narrow escape.

News

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Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue

Jumping into Norfolk's ice cold rivers and mill pool's throughout the months of December and early January may be most people's idea of hell; this however is just what members of Norfolk's very own Lowland Search and Rescue team have been doing in preparation for a training course in January. Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue (NORLSAR) has for the last eleven years been providing Norfolk Police with its own very specialised search team, on call 24/7, 365 days a year to search for vulnerable missing people. 'We carry out the same specialist search work as the more well-known Mountain Rescue teams, but without the high bits' said Mr Stephen Postle, the team's Chairman. 'With so many inland waterways and the high risk of flooding within the county it was a natural step to develop our water search and rescue capabilities. We have a specialist water search team, who are now extending their skills into flood rescue' The water search team are about to complete the final element of their flood rescue training that ultimately could see the team declaring themselves as a national asset on the UK flood rescue asset register, alongside Mountain Rescue, RNLI and Fire Service rescue teams. The team are the first of the 20 Lowland Search Teams in the UK to complete the DEFRA approved training course and have their own flood rescue team in place. This is a real coup for Norfolk' said Paul Chamberlain, a member of the water team. 'We have been working hard to develop our skills and abilities in a range of water conditions, from slow moving shallow rivers to fast moving weirs.' The training will allow NORLSAR to expand its role, providing further capability within the county in the event of either river or coastal flooding. Mr Postle added 'We are working hard to develop

our capacity, as a voluntary organisation, we rely on our members to give up time to attend training and fund the costs of travel themselves. Working alongside professional organisations such as the Fire Service put's an even greater pressure on our members, they are expected to perform to the same professional standards dispute being volunteers.' NORLSAR is always on the lookout for any opportunity to raise funds or attract new members, and regularly hold induction evenings throughout the year, give talks to any interested community group or school and attend numerous local fetes to promote our work and raise valuable funds. More information is available on www.NORLSAR.org.uk

Ovington Carpet Bowls Club

The Ovington bowls club is actively seeking new members, sadly over the past few months we have lost members who have passed over to the big bowls carpet in the sky and others through age related illnesses. The remaining members are a very friendly bunch and do not impose any strict rulings on how you play the game but are ever ready to offer help and advice to newcomers to the sport. The club meets in Ovington Village Hall at 1.45pm every Monday and play for about two hours giving everyone a chance to have several attempts to break the club record, currently standing at an all time low. Light refreshments are included in the fairly modest subscriptions, with the occasional social event to enliven proceedings. So please come along and see how to have loads of fun without spending a fortune, there is no obligation if you feel it is not for you, but we are confident that once a few woods have been dispatched with unerring accuracy, you will want to return time after time. Look forward to seeing you there.

Watton & Wayland Visitor Centre

We plan to reopen the Visitor Centre, in the Dragonfly Gallery at Wayland House, at the end of March, and we are keen to recruit more volunteers. The duties are not onerous and no experience is necessary; we rely on common sense! Visitor Centre volunteers also look after sales of locally produced artefacts and artists displayed works whenever an exhibition is taking place. Call 01953 884224 or call in to Wayland House reception. The AGM of the Wayland Tourism Association is planned to take place at 11am on Tuesday 13th March, to which all volunteers, and full and associated members are invited to attend. Full members include accommodation providers who paid a joining fee (some 90% of such businesses in the area are full members). Associate members dont have voting rights but include all other hospitality providers who are automatically co-opted (if we know about them) unless they opt out, and any other interested parties upon request. Even though the Centre is closed for the winter, our information output is kept right up to date. As the data changes, updated editions of our accommodation, refreshments, and bus timetable leaflets are produced - they can be obtained via reception at Wayland House. Our website www.waylandtourism.org.uk is also regularly updated.

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NHS Summary Care Record

Your emergency care summary
The NHS is introducing a new electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR), which will be used to support your emergency care. Almost 20% of patients in the NHS Norfolk area now have an SCR. As the phased national roll-out continues, over 139,000 have been created in the NHS Norfolk area so far and more than 9 Million across England.

About Summary Care Records

The Summary Care Record will give healthcare staff faster, easier access to essential information about you, to help provide you with safe treatment when you need care in an emergency or when your GP practice is closed. It will contain important information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicine that you have had.

What are my choices?

If you choose to have a SCR, you do not need to do anything. If you choose not to have a SCR, you need to let your GP practice know by filling in and returning an opt-out form. You can obtain an opt out form from your surgery or by contacting the Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300 123 3020.

Whatever you choose - you can change your mind at anytime. You will need to let your GP practice know.

Children and the Summary Care Record

Children under 16 will automatically get a SCR created for them unless a parent or guardian decides to opt out on their behalf.

Where can I get more information?

Phone the Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300 123 3020; Visit www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk or Contact NHS Norfolk Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Monday - Friday from 9am to 5pm, on 0800 587 4132 or email pals@norfolk.nhs.uk For a list of practices that have already uploaded within NHS Norfolk please visit our website www.norfolk.nhs.uk/summary-care-records

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News
car parks in Breckland cost, we are told, 300,000 per year to run. Because of the financial situation, the national government has had to reduce the support grant that it makes to Breckland District Council by about 1.1 million this year compared to last year. So the effect of that is going to be felt and the purpose of this review as well as the other reviews that are going on is to try and establish the best way to mitigate those effects. One thing that people may not be aware of is that Breckland District Council has to pay business rates on all of its car parks, even though no charge is made for the car parks. That is the true of course for all owners of car parks, free or otherwise. So that money, along with the other operating costs has to come from somewhere. At present it comes from the council tax that residents of Breckland pay. The only people who get car parking free are those using the Breckland car parks, who either do not live in the district or for some reason do not pay council tax. Additionally of course, all those residents who do not own or use a car are still paying for the car parks through their council tax. I want to emphasise that no decisions have, or will be made, without the District Council first seeking the views of residents and businesses as part of the review process. Watton Town Council will have an input into this, which I am sure will reflect the views of the town. Without knowing the results of the review I do not see how informed comment can be made as to how the costs of car

Mayors Mardle
Cllr Michael Wassell Firstly may I start by hoping that you all had an enjoyable Christmas and that the New Year brings you all that you desire. The Christmas and New Year period was very busy in terms of civic events to attend both within the town and further afield. It was a great honour to be allowed to be part of peoples and organisations Christmas celebrations, and something that Jan and I will always remember. Things have quietened down since 2012 has started, but I am sure that this will not last for very long. One thing that is going to be finalised in the next few weeks is the moving of the council chamber, to the main hall in Wayland Hall. The main reason for this move was to allow Watton Town Council to provide access for people with physical disabilities to Town Council meetings. The constraints of operating from a listed building with the majority of facilities available on the second floor have proved to be challenging. However, with the current provision of a stair lift and hopefully in the future a hearing loop, both physical and sensory access will be improved. Additionally the new location gives us a much larger venue that will accommodate more people in a much more amiable environment. I am delighted that after the Town Council talking about this project for what seems to be a very long time, it has come to fruition whilst I am Mayor. My thanks to the Town Clerk and her staff for their assistance and forbearance during this whole process. Car Parks The hot topic in the town at present is, without a doubt, the review by Breckland District Council as to whether car parking charges should be introduced across the district. This is understandably an emotive subject, and needs careful consideration. Unlike many other councils, and virtually all other Norfolk councils, Breckland has sought to maintain a policy of not charging for car parking, despite challenges from the Audit Commission, which considered that the Council was failing to maximize its income opportunities. Unfortunately, since the financial crisis in 2008, which has been compounded by the massive increase in the national debt, local authorities, like every other organisation, have had to adjust to a new financial reality. I think that it is unfortunate that assumptions have been made regarding the outcome of the review before it has even started. Obviously if one is asked the question do you want to pay car park charges the answer is going to be NO, in the same way that if one were asked, do you WANT to pay income tax or council tax the answer would be NO we do not want to. The real issue is that the

parking should be met, therefore I am going to keep an open mind until the results of the review are known. Remember that all of Watton Town Council meetings are open to the public. I would encourage Watton residents to attend so that they are more able to hold their elected representatives to account. If you cant attend please do not hesitate to contact me or any other Town Councillor with your concerns. Without your input we cannot be sure that the decisions that are made by the council reflect the opinions of the majority of the people of Watton. And that is what you elected us to do! Michael Wassell. Chairman, Watton Town Council 01953 882884 michael.wassell@wattontownco uncil.gov.uk

Councillors Chat
Cllr Claire Bowes A lot of comment has been made about Breckland's proposed review of its car parking policy over the last few weeks and this has understandably raised concerns and questions from residents. I hope I can address a few of these here. Firstly, at this point in time no changes have been decided on. At last week's Cabinet meeting, after a considered debate, it was agreed to carry out a feasibility study to investigate and identify the viable options to the Council, should it consider introducing a charging policy. The Cabinet also agreed, at the suggestion of Cllr William Nunn, Council Leader, that the cost of the feasibility study should be reduced by at least half of what was originally suggested in the officer's report. At present with a 1.3 million reduction in grant from central Government for 2012/13 alone, Breckland is looking stringently at where it can reasonably make economies across all areas. It is only fair that no stone is left unturned and it would not be right to avoid looking at our car parking policy, however unpopular the move might initially be. Each market town has its own

particular parking issues and the study will take these into consideration. Of course until it is completed it would be wrong to speculate too much on what the options might be but I would hope to see an element of free parking time suggested, before a charge is made, so as not to penalise local, regular shoppers and to continue to encourage residents and visitors to support local business in Watton. The cost of maintaining Council car parks to Breckland residents

is around 260,000 per year. Council Car Parks are not only used by shoppers but by commuters who car share and by employees of local businesses. On the other hand there are a significant number of people who don't use the car parks at all and still pay for them through their Council Tax so it could be argued that some people derive benefit from the current arrangement whilst others do not. The only people who actually get free parking in Breckland are those who work in, shop in, or visit one of the Breckland Market towns but do not live in or pay tax in the district. So to sum up, I feel that it is only fair to all council tax payers that we look at costs across the whole Council, including car park costs, to focus on managing and using the Council's resources effectively. The important thing is that Breckland is able to continue to provide quality community services and assistance to individuals and businesses, particularly in the current economic climate. I am more than happy to listen to and take on board any views and comments residents may have on this. Please email me on claire.bowes@breckland.gov.uk or call 07789796937

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Advertising

Wayland & District Photographic Club

Tuesday 13th March 2012 at 7:30pm Wells Cole Community Centre, Bell Lane, Saham IP25 7HD

A presentation Beyond the moment of capture by guest speaker Brian Beaney, FRPS
Visitors are welcome to attend. Tickets available at door (3.00 for nonmembers, includes tea/coffee and biscuits)

Did you know? . . .

For more information: Tel 07956 279558 or visit www.wdpcnorfolk.co.uk

By Rosalie Davis Gibb Saint Valentines Day has been celebrated since the Middle Ages? 496 AD to be precise, when the first official Saint Valentines Day was declared on the 14th of February by Pope Galasius, assumed to be in memory of a 3rd century martyred Roman priest. However, since there have been three saints named Valentine, or Valentius, all of whom were martyred, this is, indeed, assumption rather than known fact. It may well have been in honour of one of the others one being the Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), the other Saint Valentine apparently suffering in Africa with a number of companions. As nothing further is known about these two, the Roman Saint Valentine has become the most widely acclaimed saint associated with this ancient rite of romance. Valentine lived and served as a priest in Rome during the third century, under the rule of Emperor Claudius II. At that time, Claudius was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns and having a difficult time recruiting enough soldiers for the huge army he wanted. He believed one of the reasons for this was that the men were loath to leave their wives and families, another that single men made better soldiers, so he outlawed marriage for young men, thinking they would then be more likely to join his militia. Valentine was incensed at this injustice, as he saw it, and continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies. Unfortunately, he was caught and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and beheaded, the execution taking place on the 14th of February 269 AD. Legend has it that many young lovers visited the priest whilst he was in prison awaiting execution, throwing notes and flowers up to his cell window, one of whom was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit Valentine and they would spend many hours talking together, the young lady no doubt helping to raise his spirits. Valentine is credited with having sent the first Valentine greeting himself,

having fallen in love with the guards daughter, writing her a letter on the day of his execution signed With love from your Valentine. Whatever the truth, Valentine was portrayed as being a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure and one of the most popular saints in England and France by the Middle Ages. Another theory is that Valentines feast day was introduced by the Christian church in an attempt to Christianise the pagan Lupercalia festival held in February, beginning with a fertility festival on the Ides of February, February 15th, dedicated to Faunas the Roman god of agriculture and to the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. Members of the Luperci, an Order of Roman Priests, gathered at the sacred cave where Romulus and Remus were believed to have been cared for by a shewolf, or Lupa, sacrificing a goat for fertility and a dog for purification. The goats hide was sliced and dipped in the sacrificial blood and used to gently slap women who took to the streets in great numbers and with even greater enthusiasm! The women welcomed this strange ritual, believing it would make them more fertile in the coming year. (Ill stick with the bunch of flowers and box of chocolates!) The young women of the city would then write their names on pieces of paper and place them in an urn, to be later drawn by the young men, which resulted in many pairings and marriages, thereby becoming the forerunner of choosing a partner on Valentines Day. Sometimes the women would wear their names pinned to their sleeves, possibly being the origin of the term wearing your heart on your sleeve. Dwellings were swept and sprinkled with salt and spelt as part of the festivities also by way of purification. Quite why this particular day should have been called Saint Valentines Day with no apparent connection to anyone called Valentine remains a mystery, although it may well have been that the Christian Church substituted the name of a Christian saint in order to do away with the pagan element.

During the Middle Ages it was commonly believed in England and France that the middle of February February 14th was the beginning of the birds mating season, adding to the general air of romance, maybe explaining the popular Valentine theme of a pair of amorous doves. Cupid needs no explanation, being the son of Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love, his Greek counterpart being Eros, the winged god of Love who causes both gods and humans to fall in love by wounding them with his arrows. Closer to home, here in Norfolk we have a character known as Jack Valentine who traditionally knocks on the back doors of houses, leaving sweets and presents for children (but not in evidence during my childhood!) The oldest known Valentine greeting still in existence, part of a manuscript collection in the British Library in London, is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife, during his 25 years imprisonment in the Tower of London (1415-1440) following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. During the early part of the 20th century, Saint Valentines Day was associated with a conflict between two powerful criminal gangs, but what was the event known as and who were the notorious gangsters involved? Answer in the next issue.

News

The Wayland News Page 9

Inner Wheel Club Of Watton

10th January is our International Inner Wheel Day and members throughout the world are encouraged to do something to mark the day. We have done various things in the past last year we went to Linden Court and entertained the residents, other years we have held frugal lunches and donated the profits to charity or held a church service. This year our President decided we would do a Litter Pick, which turned out to be very enjoyable for the ten members who decided to do it. Well equipped with plastic bags and Hi-viz jackets, gloves and long-handled tongs by Breckland, Recycling Dept. (pictured right), and allocated Norwich Road as an area in need, we set off to our patches and dutifully picked. Luckily it was a mild, dry day and an hour and a half later, with fifteen bags of rubbish deposited in our Presidents husbands car we returned to the Methodist Church, where we had started. Here, two church members, Robert and Mary Barrowman, gave us some delicious homemade soup and bread and a welcome cup of coffee to finish off our morning. Our thanks to them for such a generous gesture and to Bryan Leonard for sorting and disposing

of the rubbish. The speaker at our January meeting was Jayne Winterbone from the Community Library Service. She gave us a very interesting talk about the jobs she had done prior to becoming a librarian, then she took us through the history of the library service, and finally, she gave us an insight into the many different aspects of being a modern librarian, due largely to the development of technology certainly no longer limited to lending books. Our next event will be the Barn Dance with Shinanikins at the Queens Hall on 10th February. Do come along and have a go no dancing skills necessary as George tells us exactly what to do, sometimes with disastrous results, but we all have a great time trying! Tickets to

include a salad supper available from Mullengers at 8. On 22nd February we will have another Lunchtime Concert at the Queens Hall at midday, this time featuring Seriously Saxy, a saxophone quartet, who will be playing a selection of jazz numbers including Black and White Rag, New York New York, Summertime, Alexanders Ragtime Band, Lady Be Good, Little Brown Jug, Crazy Rhythm, When the Saints Come Marching In and Memories of Glenn Miller. Tickets 5 including lunch, from Mullengers. There will be another Lunchtime Concert on 28th March featuring radio plays by a group including June and John Garratt more details next month. Jenny Simons (Club correspondent)

Share your Jubilee memories!

The Queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee with a massive party in her back garden with pop stars galore and a spectacular firework display. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee at St Paul's Cathedral with 2,700 specially selected guests. Across Great Britain people put flags out and celebrated the day. But how was the Jubilee for you? Did it go with a bang and a massive street party? Or did you have a quiet one watching the celebrations on the TV? Breckland Councils memories festival will involve people of all ages by looking at memorabilia and stories from the Queens Coronation in 1953 up to and including her Diamond Jubilee this year. Creating an archive to pass on to future generations is important and the Council need your help to build an exhibition of memories, stories and pictures from the past 60 years to celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee. The exhibition will visit each library in the district for a week at a time, starting on 30 April at Thetford library. If you are a community group, school, or individual who would like to take part in the Councils workshops and events, or if you have any memorabilia that the Council could borrow or copy please contact Laura Apps Green, Community Development Officer on 01362 656870. The next meeting considering Wayland Jubilee Celebrations will be on February 29 at Wayland House at 7.00pm. Call Jan on 880202 if you would like to be there.

Shellrock Circle For The Over 50s

The first meeting of 2012 was held on the 11th of January and was a Surprise activity afternoon, organised by Mrs. Pat Fox and helpers. Members could choose between sewing a craft item, board games, dominoes, reading or having a good oldfashioned mardle. These engaged everyones attention and they were soon busily occupied. The task for the afternoon set by Mrs Joyce Briggs was to make a snowman. This was won by Mrs Theresa Sills. Tea/coffee and biscuits together with the raffle run by Mrs. Gwen Martin completed the interesting afternoon. Whats On For February. 8th Feb. Shellrock Circle Club 2pm till 4pm at the Village Hall, The Street, Rocklands. Entertainment will be by Soul Harmony. The task for the afternoon is open to your ideas about Valentines Day so please make something for Valentines Day. 21st Feb. Lunch with Marion at White Lodge. Contact number for Marion is 01953 483431. Christmas Cracker: Q. What is the most popular wine for Christmas. A. I dont like Brussels Sprouts. Want to start something new for 2012? Why not join our club! New members are always welcome.

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The Wayland News Page 11

Where Dragonflies Play

17,000 to Local Charities from the Wayland Show

17,000 has been distributed amongst local charities from funds raised at the 2011 Wayland Show. Local organisations were encouraged to apply for funding after the August Show and the following were successful in their bids for a variety of projects. Pregnancy Choices Norfolk, Great Cressingham Parish Council, Necton Little Oaks Playgroup, Loch Neaton Recreation Ground, Rockland's U12 Football Club, Swaffham Lions, Carbrooke PreSchool, Eco Bugs (Wayland High School) West Norfolk Riding for the Disabled, Club 99 (Attleborough Summer Play Scheme) Watton Thursday Disabled Club, 1st Swaffham Scouts, Wayland School's Cluster, Swaffham and Litcham Home Hospice, Gooderstone Rainbow Pre-School, Wymondham Lions, 864 Squad Watton ATC Cadets, Wayland Area 1st Responders, Necton and Holme Hale 1st Responders, Pickenham 1st Responders, YANA Farmer's Crisis Helpline. Sincere thanks go to all who support the Show every year, visitors, Sponsors, Members and participants alike whose enthusiasm and hard work make it a show for all to enjoy. The Society's next fund raising event will be our Annual Dinner Dance held at Lynford Hall in March. This year we will be raising funds for The Teenage Cancer Trust East Anglia Appeal. For further details please contact Claire Bowes, email: secretary@waylandshow.com or 07789796937

Where Dragonflies Play by Martin Jarvis the first entry in the Dragonfly Gallerys first Exhibition of 2012 starting on April 14th when we will be celebrating everything to do with Dragonflies.

Ovington Crower
How yer gitten on tergetha, hev yew got oova Chrismus yit? Cor blarst ware still got sum wittles left, rekkun we shant hev to goo inta Tescoos fer munths yit. Not thetll be eny hardship as far as oim consarned. Thas bin kwiet ina tha willage leartly, cos thas bin suffin gooin abowt agin an thas laid moost onnem sorta low if you ketch my drift. Orl yew kin Hear if you walk up the strit is a hackin an corfin, cor thas suffin bad if Horry hent bin arownd ter hev a glass or tree. My missus tuk him a pleart o teartas an greavy tha otha day an she sed he coont hardly lift his spoon, so I went rownd arta tha missus went owt and tuk a bottle a whiskey, cor he wus best pleased an wos sune puttin tha warld ter rites arta a cuppla glarss, I hed a helluva job to git owta tha howse wi wos left o my whiskey, he

rekkuned he wos hevvin a relapse wen I got up ter goo hoom, so I topped up his glars an got owt kwik. He wos arown ours tha next day, an sed tha ole corf wos back an did oi hev eny more of thet medsin, crarfty ole devil. Tha pore ole bowls club hev lorst a few membas leartly, an thar lookin fer sum new folk to hoss a few woods alonga tha carpit. Me an Horry a gooin along tew tha next meetin, rekkun we cud show em a thing or tew, cos tha mawthas allus put on a bit of grub, so we git suffin ter eat iffen we doont win orl tha ends. Shooden like to see tha club fowld uip cos thar a happy crowd an thas allus hevin a larf wen I bin up tha horl of a monda. Wot dew yew rekkun tha horl commity are a gooin ter dew now, tha gooin ter put them soola panels onna tha horl roof, cos tha rekkun itll meark no enda munny. Thas orl rite as long as thet gret ole tree doont carst a shadder oova tha roof. Gotta moove wi tha toimes i spose. I sed thet hev bin quiet leartly well I forgot thar ware a rite ole bust up tha otha day,

two of tha ole mawthas hed a rite hellup, thort thar wos gooin to sool inta wunanutha. Jist wunda wot thet wos orl abowt. Hent gotta lot ter tell yer tha munth, but ile let yer no wos the owtcum o tha wummins war and iffen tha bowls club keep a gooin, nex time. So mind how yer goo tergether and dew yew kip a troshin.. Boy Sid

Craft Market News . . .

I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to all those who came into the Craft Market at the Queens Hall in 2011. We managed to raise 740 for Macmillan Cancer Care and Support. The charity ASD-Helping Hands, who were providing the refreshments, raised 650. Our first event for this year is on 3rd March and then on the 1st Saturday of every month until and including November. Admission to these events is free of charge although a donation to Macmillan Cancer would be appreciated. There will be up to 20 stalls of locally handmade items including cards, knitwear, wooden items, jewellery, sewing and some unusual items as well. Refreshments available. If you require any further information please call Brenda on 07776 364456 or look at the website www.wheelerevents.co.uk.

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Advertising

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News

In your garden with Lotta Potts

to be carried out according to the weather, not the calendar, at least to a point. Some things need to be done before the onset of spring. These are not necessarily fun. Look upon the whole thing as a massive saving if you are inclined to join a gym. The digging should be finished as long as the ground isnt frosted or waterlogged. This is really good cardio-vascular exercise. If the weather really is mild the grass can be cut. OK for those of us with power mowers this is merely a bit of a walk. Ride-on mowers dont count. Pruning can be done now - large-flowered clematis can be cut right back to a bud about 12-18 from the ground. Old shrubs, deciduous hedges and climbers can be pruned to get rid of dead, dying or diseased wood and crossing branches. Roses can be pruned now. This is normally done in March but wont do too much harm towards the end of February. If you really need to work out, this is the time to move deciduous shrubs and trees. Again, this ideally should be done in November or early March but this is where the weather really does rule. The dreaded wisteria can be pruned back now as well. It always provides nervous reactions but if the plant was pruned correctly in summer it will now have lots of side shoots that should be cut back to about 3-4. Even if it wasnt pruned correctly it will probably have more sideshoots anyway. Bulbs start to flower in February snowdrops, iris, some daffodils. Sometimes these are available in flower in pots in garden centres and its not a bad idea to buy now as you can see exactly what you are getting in the way of flower. The bulb catalogues illustrations are good, but sometimes you can get a surprise when the person with the labels had an off day. The shrubs that flower in January should still be going strong and early March ones will join in together with the always welcome forsythia. Its amazing how this plant can be pruned into shapely bushes and spectacular hedging. It doesnt seem to mind how hard it is pruned or into what shape. What a stunner. There is also a white version whose name is Abeliophyllum distichum. Ive never seen one but had to get that name in. (Ed: I found a picture for you Lotta!) The veg patch can be warmed up by putting polythene down, ideally for four weeks but can be left longer. This has the other advantage of keeping weeds down if black is used, or forcing them up if clear is used. They can easily be pulled out once the plastic sheet comes off. Early sowings can be made if you have a propagator but dont be too

The Wayland News Page 13

February fill dike is what we used to call it. Otherwise popularly the month of the thaw. The only problem with that is you need some snow to thaw in the first place. Apart from a couple of reasonably hard frosts in the middle of January the winter has been remarkably mild with all sorts of flowers popping up all over the country when they should be snug underground or buds on the bough until March. Silly things. It remains to be seen if the mild weather continues or if January ends and February begins with the winter we havent had yet. At the time of writing (bang on the deadline again) the forecast is for snow at the end of this week. This leaves the gardener with all sorts of dilemmas. At the end of last week (13th wouldnt you know it) I received some hardy plants. These are ready to be planted out as long as its not frosty. Its been frosty ever since so the only thing to do is get some soil less compost and pot them up. Thats all very well and easy but they also need to be cool but frostfree. Thats the hard part as the greenhouse is not frost-free and the house is too warm. Oh the joys of central heating. As far as gardening is concerned in February its anyones guess what can be done. As always, tasks have

enthusiastic as the plants will be ready to go out before the soil is ready and youll end up with drawn plants instead of the short bushy ones you want. I know, I do this every year! I have read that early sowings can be made outside in February but frankly I wouldnt chance it, certainly not on our light Breckland soil. Still, if all else fails unless there is a good covering of snow, theyll grow so keep weeding!

Say Yes to Better Broadband in Norfolk Campaign

The Say Yes to Better Broadband in Norfolk Campaign spearheaded by Norfolk County Council is all about improving the speed and quality of internet access across the county. More than 50,000 private and commercial properties in Norfolk receive broadband speeds of less than 2 Megabits per second (Mb/s). Now 2Mb/s is ok if you want to surf the web or order your groceries on-line, but many people want more. They want to watch on demand TV, play online games with friends and use live video links to catch up with family. They also want to do business multi million pound business in fact all through the touch of a button. Additionally of course many people just want to be able to access a broadband service, which currently they cannot. Large parts of the UK already have broadband speeds of 20Mb/ s, 40Mb/s and even higher in some cases. This means individuals and businesses across the country can surf the web or do business over the Internet much faster than us and quite simply this puts Norfolk at a disadvantage. Thanks to previous campaigns Norfolk has been awarded 15 million by the government, matched by an additional 15 million from the county council. The Say Yes campaign is all about attracting suppliers to bid for the installation of the necessary infrastructure to enable better broadband in Norfolk. In order to attract competitive bids from a number of telecoms partners they need to know what the actual demand in Norfolk is not just where broadband services are currently lacking. The more people who register their interest now, the more attractive Norfolk will be to potential private sector partners and this means we will be in a stronger position to provide superfast broadband in as many areas as possible. Once a private sector partner wins the contract a further significant financial contribution is expected from them. There are a number of ways in which people can register their interest in receiving better Broadband. You can fill in the form there is one for residents and one for businesses online at the campaign website norfolk.gov.uk/sayyesnorfolk where you can also find a lot more information about the campaign. Hard copies of the forms will be available in all Norfolk County Council libraries and mobile libraries or you can register over the phone by calling the councils customer service centre on 0344 800 8023. So in order to secure future improvements in our Broadband service here in Watton and Wayland please get involved in The Say Yes to Better Broadband in Norfolk Campaign. Michael Wassell, Ward Member Watton Breckland District Council. Chairman Watton Town Council

News from the Ovington Gardening Club

The January talk on 'Exhibition Vegetables' by Trevor Last gave an in-depth insight into exactly what you have to do to grow the best veg. It involves a lot of manual work, time, materials and attention to detail from the sowing of the seed, transplanting and growing on with supports for each plant. To get the best from each plant is the objective and then you have to match the right number of each vegetable specimens to obtain your exhibit of as-near identical items. This talk gave a brilliant insight into what is required to win shows by a member of the National Vegetable Society, and left us with a sense of awe at the work and dedication involved. The February meeting is a talk on 'The Horticultural Year' by Ben Potterton and will take place in Ovington village hall at 7.45pm on Wednesday 1st February. Further details can be obtained from Ed on 01953 885848 or Carol on 01760 440719.

Country Market re-opens on 1st February

The Country Market producers look forward to welcoming back old customers and meeting new ones when we reopen on Wednesday, 1st February, at 8.30 a.m. From then on we shall again be open every Wednesday morning in the Watton Christian Community Centre from 8.30 to 11.30 a.m. Prize winning farm fresh eggs, baked goods, jams and chutneys, honey and fresh produce will all be there to whet your appetite; our crafters have a big variety of knitted and crocheted goods, bags and patchwork cushions, wooden toys, jewellery, and greetings cards for all occasions. Special orders are welcomed by all our producers - just ask at the appropriate counter.

The Wayland News Page 14

News

"An Evening of Caston Memories"

A unique and rare opportunity to see a pictorial show of postcards and photographs of Caston through the ages. Buffet supper to include a glass of wine. A very informal evening taking you back in time through the changing scenic views of Caston. An evening not to be missed! Caston Village Hall on Saturday, 25th February 2012 7pm for 7.30 pm All proceeds raised will be for Holy Cross Church, Caston. Tickets 7.50 from Bridget Hall 01953 483751 Numbers will be limited so do book your place early!

Hello, I'm in the car

Letter from Australia by Chris OConnor There's a word for those people who choose to drive and phone: idiots. Two months ago the federal agency responsible for road safety in the United States adopted an extraordinary new policy that called for a complete ban on mobile phone use in cars. At the time, just weeks before Christmas, it seemed an overreaction, another civil liberties infringement in the totalitarian state otherwise known as the motor car. But after a summer holiday's motoring that included a trip to Sydney and back on the Hume Highway, (one of the busiest in Australia) I'm starting to think America's National Transportation Safety Board has a point. My summer road trips taught me there are few things more dangerous on the roads than people who use mobile phones illegally while driving. Like the man texting while trying to merge from his lane into mine on the approach to a particularly congested bridge in Sydney; or the B-double driver making 90-degree left and right-hand turns while talking on his hand-held phone in peak hour traffic. Then there were the frightfully busy and important drivers in various suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney conducting conversations that I'm pretty sure could have waited till they got home. They didn't look like they were dealing with emergencies or running Fortune 500 companies. Not that that would excuse them from obeying the law that, as in the US, now allows hands-free phone use but not hand-held. There is some precedent for a complete ban here: we don't let learners or first-year probationary drivers use mobiles in cars. My observations tell me existing law is being flouted by a lot of people and police statistics bear this out. Victoria Police's (Australias second largest state) just-completed Summer Stay enforcement campaign across Victoria suggests illegal use of mobile phones in cars is now a ''bigger'' problem than drink-driving or failure to wear seatbelts. In fact, it runs only second to speeding. Victoria Police detected 5734 mobile phone offences in the six weeks of the operation, from November 18 to January 9. By contrast, they detected 2610 drunk drivers and 3584 seatbelt offences. More than 23,000 motorists were caught speeding. (I wouldn't mind betting there's a few who sometimes do two, three or all four at once.) Almost 6000 offences in six weeks - that's 110 a day - is pretty disturbing, especially when you consider these are only the offences police observed. When you factor in all those drivers who text or email with phones on their laps or converse with hand-held devices on speaker but out of sight, it's a major issue. The Transport Accident Commission estimates that in a 100km/h zone, you'll travel more than 80 metres in the three seconds you are distracted by reading or typing a text or looking down at a phone - plenty of time to rear-end a vehicle, veer into oncoming traffic or run off the road. A 2009 Monash University study suggested that at any time up to 5 per cent of drivers are using phones and most of them are doing so illegally. The observational study, which involved researchers staking out certain Melbourne intersections, found: ''Despite legislation prohibiting the use of handheld mobile phones while driving, a significant proportion of drivers (3.4 per cent) were observed engaging in handheld mobile phone use, including text messaging (1.5 per cent). Conversely, only 1.4 per cent of drivers were observed to be communicating via a legally allowed, hands free, device.'' This is particularly concerning given that other studies have estimated mobile phone use increases the risk of accidents fourfold. One British study published in 2006 by researchers from the Transport Research Laboratory in Crowthorne, Berkshire, even went so far as to suggest driving ability is impaired more by having a phone conversation than by having a blood alcohol level of .08. Of course, any conversation in a car is distracting, but at least if you're talking to a front or back-seat passenger you can tell them to shut up if road conditions demand it. It's

Carbrooke Sequence Dance Club

We meet every Thursday from 8pm to 10pm at Carbrooke village hall Admission is 2(first time free) and includes some tuition For details contact Brian Wells 01603 412809

not always that easy on a phone. All of this is playing out as the car industry adds more and more gadgets to keep us occupied while driving Bluetooth connectivity, GPS systems, and DVD players. Yet we need less driver distraction, not more. It's worth remembering our road toll went up last year. Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, told The New York Times the board's call for an all-out ban was motivated in part by increasingly powerful phones. ''People are tempted to update their Facebook page, they are tempted to tweet, as if sitting at a desk,'' she said. ''But they are driving a car.'' Why do we do it? I don't think it has anything to do with communication and everything to do with our appalling attitude to driving. We take the risks for granted and, because of the state of traffic these days, we're often bored behind the wheel. In that environment, the ping of a text message or email or the ring of a phone call is downright irresistible. But if we're honest with ourselves, probably 99 per cent of calls or messages could go unanswered for a while and it wouldn't matter. At present, misusing a mobile phone while driving in Victoria will cost you $234 and three demerit points. (You need ten to lose your licence) A cash-strapped government might consider doubling or tripling the financial penalty. Better yet, when you're next driving why don't you try that little bit of technology that now comes with all mobile phones it's called the off switch. And a happy and safe New Year to you all.

Watton and District University of the Third Age (U3A)

Revised membership application forms that have been recently sent to prospective members should be returned to the Membership Secretary by the 31st January 2012. The Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 22nd March 2012 at 2.00pm. Committee Nomination forms are available from the Secretary. The next Pub Luncheon Group meeting will be at The Willow House Watton on Thursday 9th February. Due to the popularity of this group it would be beneficial if a second group could be formed. If any member would wish to lead this group please contact Allan Bickers. We also require a Group leader for the Solo Group. The coach for the Holiday On Ice show at Peterborough will leave the Queens Hall car park at 1.45pm on Sunday 5th February. The final payment for the Anniversary Holiday to North Wales is due by the end of February. Please ensure that you present your numbered tour itinerary leaflet with your payment to obtain a receipt. A trip is being planned for Wednesday 4th April to Wroxham Barns and then on to lunch at the award winning Waterside Restaurant on Rollesby Broad. Also included is a 30 minute tour on Rollersby Broad by electric launch. Further details and list at the February meeting. The next monthly meeting is on Thursday 23rd February at 2.00pm, with Peter Salt presenting East Coast Resorts For further information on the National U3A visit www.u3a.org.uk

The Wayland News Page 15

News
On a more general note, it has been noted with interest, having in mind their rather strange appearance that the notorious Bendy-bus has arrived in Norwich, operating on the Costessey Park & Ride service. They had a controversial innings in London, but have now been sold off all over the world, and, apparently, now in Norfolk. It must require quite a lot of skill negotiating the turn into the Norwich bus station with such a vehicle, and it is obvious that other routes would have to be vetted quite carefully, since there are some quite frightening corners in our local villages. Last month I asked for information regarding the origin of the name Skipping Block Corner, but it seems that no-one has any certain know-ledge on the subject. It has been suggested that it may have referred to a large erratic (a boulder left behind by a glacier in the last ice age) that may have been used a step for riders to mount their horses, though why they should have been dismounted at that point I cant think. If that is true, bang goes my thoughts of yokels trolling down the road with ropes, singing One, two, three, olairy I am told that there is one of these boulders on the Green at Great Hockham, that is turned on the occasion of every Royal Jubilee. Well there is one on the horizon, so we shall see.

A Quick Look Round

By Orbiter

Now that the new year has really got going there seems to be quite a lot of topics that warrant attention, both locally and for the nation as a whole. Firstly there is an indication that the speed limit for motorways will be increased to 80mph, and this proposal has been welcomed by many, but seen by others as a very bad thing. Any encouragement for motorists to go even faster should be avoided at all costs it is said, and one can appreciate those sentiments, which would seem to make common sense. But the fact is that, especially on motorways, most traffic travels at well over 70 (when normal flows are possible) and with literally hundreds of cars involved, compulsion to keep speeds down to even 80 m.p.h is not practicable with the forces of law at their current manning levels. Anyway with the efficiency of modern cars it is difficult to see why they should be governed by rules introduced when vehicles were, by comparison, rubbish. No, I am not advocating that everyone should tear about the country at top speed, the self-imposed limit at any one time should reflect the conditions appertaining

sometimes as low as 10 m.p.h. might be suitable. Crime has been prominent in all news bulletins recently, with particular reference to metal thieves, and although the government talks about various controls being introduced, it is difficult to find an answer to the problem. While there must be some scrap dealers who are honest, it is obvious that many are not. If one is offered memorial plates from gravestones, or manhole covers, half-mile lengths of signal wire, etc., by ordinary private jobbers, can there be any doubt that it has been stolen ? I think not. Another subject that has caused much angst is the proposal to cull badgers in an effort to control tuberculosis in cattle, as well as grey squirrels in order to save the reds. Opinions seem to be sharply divided between those who think culling should be carried out without delay, and those who think badgers and squirrels are cuddly creatures and should not be harmed. Arguments on the subject are no more likely to cease, any more than the case for hunting foxes is likely to find unanimity. But locally we have the possibility

that the Breckland towns will be subjected to parking fees. Our Editor put his views most forcibly in the last issue of this paper, and it is obvious that to bring in such fees would result in much less footfall through our local shops. But one can appreciate that the Council, subject to all the latest cuts, will be forced to consider any measures that are available. But I would suggest that income from parking fees in Watton would be too small to be worth collecting, since the majority of people shopping in our High Street park in the Cooperative store car park, and if charges were introduced the others would try to do so too, or divert to Tesco. The same cannot be said for Dereham, since their car parks, particularly the one in Theatre Street, are nearly always full, meaning that hundreds of vehicles use them continually. Similarly the throughput of cars in Swaffham is considerable, offering the chance for a large income. Obviously no-one wishes to see parking fees in any of our local towns, as we all know that once a charge is introduced, even at the most nominal rate, it would not be long before increases would follow.

BRECKLAND HARMONY
Welcomes new lady singers for the New Year. Join us at our rehearsals in Ovington Village Hall Monday evenings 7.30 9.30. pm All ladies who enjoy singing in harmony are welcome. NO AUDITIONS

Telephone Hazel Bingham 01953 483771 or Julia Grover 01953 483654

Look Whos 80

Florence Alderton
Happy 80th Birthday to a very special Sister, Mum, Nan & Great Nanny With lots of love from all your children, Grand Children & Gt Grandchildren Not forgetting pets too!

Wayland Shipdham & District Book Group Happy

At the meeting on 20th December 2011 members read a poem or prose extract of their own choosing. Although this was not prescribed most had a seasonal flavour. Examples included :The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore; The story of John Chapman, the pedlar of Swaffham; A Ghost Story by Dylan Thomas from A Childs Christmas in Wales ; Christmas Thank Yous, a poem by Mick Gowar; an extract from The Morville Hours by Katherine Swift; Friendship, a poem by Dinah Craik, sometimes mistakenly attributed to T.S. Elliot; Christmas Dinner by Michael Rosen; Winter by Walter de la Mare and an extract from the novel A Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. This was accompanied by mulled wine and followed with Christmas nibbles and tea. The ensuing conversation, some of which touched on books, was conducted in a mellow, relaxed atmosphere which made an enjoyable break at a busy time of year. For our first meeting of 2012 on the 17th January we welcomed old friends from Mattishall with whom we were amalgamated for some years. They had chosen Findings by Scottish poet and Creative writing teacher Kathleen Jamie. It is in the form of poetic, prose essays rather than short stories. The language and imagery used to describe the landscapes and nature of Scotland together with the domestic reality of family life are wonderfully crafted using all of the writers talents with words and acute observation. Most of those at the meeting enjoyed the book commenting on the clear concise style; descriptions of darkness and light; the Gaelic character of the writer and her background revealed; her sharp eyed revelation of detail and much more. Passages concerned with darkness in the northern extremes of the British Isles were particularly striking. Less favourably a member remarking on the mannered self consciousness and introspective nature of such writing. A passage concerned with a visit to the Playfair Hall in Edinburghs royal College of Surgeons describing preserved body parts, usually in glass jars and in various stages of decay and disease was found to be unnecessary by some. Several said they prefer a narrative and would never have chosen this book although they had enjoyed it and all agreed that this is why we belong to a Book Group. The discussion was followed by tea with chocolate cake and mince pies as we had guests. Members please note that we are now all seriously dieting and that was the end of frivolity. We will return to the usual fair of tea and biscuits, until the next occasion of course. For our next meeting on 21st February we are reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, winner of the 2009 Man Booker prize. There is every possibility that this will be accompanied by more refreshments. Members should be warned that the following meetings will settle down to whatever passes as normal with tea and biscuits. Good luck and good health in 2012 and good reading, or whatever you enjoy to occupy spare moments.

Circle

Our January meeting was attended by 18 members who enjoyed a trip to South Africa by way of a film provided by Ron and Margaret Upton; our thanks to them for an interesting insight into that country about 20 years ago. Members had been asked to bring their Annual Subscriptions, which most did and they were also asked to provide addresses and birthday months to keep records up to date. After tea and a raffle Jenny read an amusing poem and the meeting closed at 3.45pm

The Wayland News Page 16

How to write a Life on a country estate biography

A local archive that reveals a fascinating insight into the day-to-day life of one of Norfolks largest country estates over the centuries went on public show for the first time at The Archive Centre in January. The historic Harbord of Gunton archive details life on land that later became the Gunton estate from the 13th to the mid20th century. Norfolk Record Office rescued the archive from one of the semiderelict buildings next to the hall. Now, after years of painstaking conservation work by the Record Office, a selection of documents from the Harbord of Gunton archive will go on public show in the exhibition, A Norfolk Estate: Its People and Places at The Archive Centre in Norwich until 30 April. Visitors to the exhibition can go behind the scenes of this Norfolk estate over the course of several centuries, courtesy of the collection of archive documents that includes menu books detailing the dinners eaten by the family living at Gunton Hall in the 19th Century, pay sheets for work done on the estate, rental records from estate cottages as well as a surveyors report from 1894 that offers a startlingly graphic insight into the living conditions of the tenants living in the small estate cottages. Additional highlights include a colourful book of maps made in 1784 that depicts every field, road and wood on the estate, and a game book that contains a weekly record of every rabbit and game bird killed in 1911. Volunteers at the Record Office have also worked on the exhibition: creating a model to enable an architect's drawing to be made of a 19th century lookout tower at Overstrand that can be seen in 3D, as well as provide transcripts for a number of the archive's manuscripts. This exhibition marks a key stage in the Record Offices long-term programme to safeguard the Harbord of Gunton archive, and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the V&A Purchase Grant Fund and the Friends of the National Libraries. Norfolk County Council Chairman, Shelagh Hutson, will officially open the exhibition at 3pm on 27 January. She said: I am delighted to be asked to open this exhibition, which reveals so much about the landscape of a major country estate and the people, from aristocrats to labourers who lived and worked there over the centuries. Derrick Murphy, Leader of Norfolk County Council and Chairman of Norfolk Records Committee, said: This exhibition is yet another demonstration of the boundless riches within Norfolk Record Office and the continuous insight it offers into our countys, and indeed, our nations rich history. The meticulous work of the Record Office has not only preserved these precious historical records but also revived centuries of Norfolk history by giving us a behind the scenes look at a Norfolk country estate, and allowing us to see the rich detail of the lives of those who lived and worked there. This archive is both fascinating and utterly irreplaceable, and I am thrilled that it will soon be on public view. Dr John Alban, Norfolk County Archivist, said: The Norfolk Record Office is privileged to have this opportunity to showcase material from an archive of such exceptional importance. We are therefore deeply grateful to our funders, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the V&A Purchase Grant Fund, and the Friends of the National Libraries, without whom this would not have been possible. Gunton Hall was the home of successive Lords Suffield, who had great local significance and also held political office nationally, from the early 18th century until the late 20th Century. The hall was one of many imposing country houses in Norfolk set in gardens and parkland, and surrounded by a large landed estate. The estate covered 11,000 acres of land in north Norfolk and included a swathe of parishes in the area between Cromer, Aylsham and North Walsham. At the centre of the estate was Gunton Hall, which was designed by Matthew Brettingham in the 1740s and extended by the Wyatt brothers in 1775. In addition to the archive material on Gunton Hall, the exhibition also includes papers of the Harbord family, including the fifth Baron, Charles Harbord (1830-1914). It reveals much about the changing landscape of north Norfolk, and indeed the fifth Lord Suffield's role in developing Cromer and Overstrand into a seaside resort. Sir Harbord Harbord, baronet (1734-1810, is represented in the archive by a copy of a portrait of him when he was MP for Norwich, painted by Thomas

News

If your New Years resolution is to write a biography, a creative writing workshop in Wymondham could be the way to get started. Norwich-based creative writing specialist Jax Burgoyne will be running a three hour study session called Heart to Heart at the Town Green Centre in Wymondham from 10.00am on Saturday, February 11. Ms Burgoyne was the creative practitioner for the towns recent Lemon Day activities and has a wide range of creative writing teaching experience, from working with children at Chapel Break Infant School, Norwich to running adult education courses in Acle (see her website at www.jaxburgoyne.com). The workshop will be a beginners guide to writing a biography, including tips on how to get started, the potential pitfalls and how to draw out memories and then bring them to life. There will also be opportunities to share ideas with fellow participants and to do practical writing exercises. The session, being a biography session, aims to encourage sharing between people, and will be particularly relevant to anyone wishing to document the life experiences of a close family member or friend. The fee is 15, to include light refreshments and advance booking is requested. Tel: 01953 605434.

Gainsborough, and there are also papers of Edward Harbord, the third Baron (17811835). Although Edward Harbord, the third Lord Suffield, is most famous for his involvement in the movement for the abolition of the slave trade; his papers also demonstrate his interest in wider parliamentary issues. A Norfolk Estate: Its People and Places is open to the public from 9am to 5pm Mondays, and Wednesdays to Fridays, from 9.30am to 5pm on Tuesdays and from 9am to noon on Saturdays. Admission is free. The Norfolk Record Office is a joint service of Norfolk County Council and the district councils in Norfolk. For more information on the services it provides, visit www.archives.norfolk.gov.uk. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage through innovative investment in projects with a lasting impact on people and places. As the largest dedicated funder of the UK's heritage, with around 255 million a year to invest in new projects and a considerable body of knowledge. For further details on this please visit the website at www.hlf.org.uk *The V&A Purchase Grant Fund is a government fund that helps regional museums, record offices and specialist libraries in England and Wales to acquire objects relating to the arts, literature and history. The annual grants budget, currently 600,000, is now provided by Arts Council England (ACE). Visit the website: www.vam.ac.uk/purchasegrantfund. *The Friends of the National Libraries, a voluntary organisation consisting mainly of individual members, was founded in 1931. Its purpose is to help libraries in the United Kingdom acquire books, manuscripts and archives, in particular those which might otherwise leave this country. Libraries which can receive grants include the British Library, the National Libraries of Scotland and Wales and any university, county, local authority and other library, record office, museum or gallery to which the public has access, and which in the opinion of the trustees, constitutes a proper repository for a proposed acquisition. Visit the website: www.friendsofnationallibraries.org.uk

Its not easy being a teacher . . .

School teachers have a high risk of developing disorders in the neck, back and shoulders according to a study published today. The report found that stressful working conditions due to large classes, a lack of educational resources, and limited reward for their work was a likely cause of the high prevalence rates of self-reported musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among teachers. The study compared a variety world-wide research projects into the prevalence of MSD among teaching staff. In terms of physical symptoms it found that nursery school teachers are more likely to be involved in tasks which involve sustained periods of kneeling, stooping, squatting or bending which means they are more likely to suffer from lower back pain. However school teachers are often involved in tasks which mean they spend a significant amount of time in a head down posture such as reading, marking of assignments, and writing on a blackboard. Therefore school teachers are more likely to suffer from a wider variety of problems including pain in the back, neck and upper limbs. Psychosocial factors have also been positively associated with MSD among school teachers, and the current review suggests that psychosocial factors such as high workload/demands, high perceived stress level, low social support, low job control, low job satisfaction and monotonous work are most likely associated with MSD among school teachers.(p19) According to data from the Health and Safety Executive over 175 million working days were lost to the UK economy due to sick leave with one in eight patients diagnosed with MSD symptoms such as neck, back and shoulder pain costing the UK economy between 103-129 billion. Osteopath Sharon Gibbons, of Osteopathic and Sports Injury Clinics Watton says, Physical stress imposed on the body by protracted periods of poor posture, sitting on chairs designed for children not adults etc will produce muscle and joint imbalances, strains and soft tissue stresses which become habitual leading to more chronic recurring pains and episodes of pain. It is the chronic build up of strain and habitual bad posture that leads to many of the problems that osteopaths frequently see related to the teaching profession particularly towards end of term. Osteopathy as recommended by NICE guidance for low back pain can have a very beneficial outcome both in the acute period of pain but more importantly, reducing the chronic episode from turning into a chronic condition. Ergonomics are important in any occupation and it is interesting to note that health and safety have not actioned research into more practical arrangements for primary school teachers particularly where they rely on sitting with children either on the floor or on child seats. Some preventative approaches might be breakfast clubs or after school exercise classes aimed at stretch and flex of the spine, neck and shoulders - not for the children but for the teachers.

News

Carnival 1963

The Wayland News Page 17

February is always very quiet because organisations dont get up to much over Christmas and the New Year! So, as I have a bit of spare space I thought it would be fun to publish a few pictures from the archive. These come from Carnival 1963. I recognise a few faces, but I wonder if you can name any? If you can I would love you to call in with a list of those you can remember. It is a great pity to have all these pictures and not have the names to go with them. Call Julian on 01953 858 908.

Church Times and News

Watton Churches Together

St. Marys Church, Watton 1st, 3rd & 4th Wednesday at 9.30am Holy Communion, 2nd Wednesday Morning Worship. Church Office opens Tues, Wed & Thurs 9am-1pm Tel: 01953 881252 margaret@churchadm.freeserve.co.uk www.stmaryswatton.org Sun 5th 8.00am Holy Communion in the Church Room 10.00am Holy Communion at Watton CCC 7.00pm Informal Worship at the Colin Mackenzie Centre (CMC) Sun 12th 8.00am Holy Communion in the Church Room 10.00am Holy Communion Watton CCC 7.00pm Informal Worship in the Church Room Sun 19th 8.00am Holy Communion in the Church Room 10.00am Holy Communion Watton CCC 7.00pm Informal Worship in the Church Room Sun 26th 8.00am Holy Communion in the Church Room 10.00am All Age Worship Watton CCC 6.30pm Praise and Worship with Shine at St Nicholas Church, Ashill 7.00pm Informal Worship at the CMC Watton Methodist Church Every Wednesday the Church is open for quiet reflection and prayer between 10.00am & 12 Noon Its your quiet place. At 10.30 there is a half-hour Midweek Service in the Large Vestry led by the Minister or a Church Member. www.wattonmethodist.btik.co.uk Sun 5th 10.45am Rev B Winner - Education Sunday 6.30pm Rev D Lloyd Sun 12th 10.45am Rev D Greenaway - Holy Communion 6.30pm Mrs S Moore Sun 19th 10.45am Mrs S Greenaway 6.30pm Rev V Spencer Sun 26th 10.45am Mr B Lawrence 6.30pm Rev B Winner - Holy Communion Roman Catholic Community Each Sat 5.30pm Mass at Watton Methodist Church Pentecostal Church, Dereham Road, Watton Sunday School for children up to 11 years meets during the morning services Sun 5th 10.30am Guest Speaker, Dama Safari shares his vision Sun 12th 10.30am Being a Christian in South Africa in the 21st Century Sun 19th 10.30am Being a Christian in India in the 21st Century Sun 26th 10.30am The importance of mutually beneficial relationships St. Nicholas Church, Ashill Tuesdays at 10.00am Said Holy Communion 9.30am Lay Led Morning Worship 9.30am Morning Worship Education Sunday 9.30am All Age Worship 9.30am Holy Communion 6.30pm Praise and Worship with Shine St. Georges Church, Saham Toney 10.30am Benefice Service of Holy Communion 11.00am Morning Worship 11.00am All Age Worship Ash Wednesday 7.30pm Group Service of Holy Communion 11.00am Holy Communion S.S. Peter & Pauls Church, Carbrooke 10.30am Holy Communion 10.30am All Age Worship 10.30am Lay Led Morning Worship

Breckles, Caston, Great Hockham, Griston, Merton, Stow Bedon, Thompson Worship Calendar for February Sunday 5th February 10:30 am United Holy Communion Sunday 12th February2nd before Lent 9:00 am Matins (BCP) 10:30 am United Holy Communion Sunday 19th February1st before Lent 9:00 am Matins (BCP) 10:30 am United Holy Communion Gt. Hockham Merton Griston Gt. Hockham Stow Bedon

Thought for the Month Weve Done It Again!

The Wayland News Page 18

Wednesday 22nd FebruaryAsh Wednesday 7:00 pm United Holy Communion Caston (with Imposition of Ashes) Sunday 26th FebruaryFirst Sunday of Lent 9:00 am Holy Communion (BCP) Merton 10:30 am United Holy Communion Thompson Sunday 4th MarchSecond Sunday of Lent 10:30 am United Holy Communion Breckles

Wednesday Pram Services

For parents or carers with children aged 0-5 10:15 am, Caston Primary Schools Hall

The WAY Youth Group (ages 11+)

Sundays 5th and 19th February 7-8:00 pm, Rectory

Enquiries: The Revd. Bob Nichols: Tel.: (01953) 483222; Email: revbobnichols@gmail.com

By Barbara Winner, Methodist Minister Yes, weve done it again! When we moved here over eight years ago we were horrified at the amount of stuff we had accumulated over the years much of it unnecessary. We said, We will not do that again! We will not collect stuff we do not need and then moving house next time will be so much easier. But guess what! Weve done it again! Why, I ask myself, have we got all these plastic bags, an out of date Ordinance Survey Touring Atlas, 6 cans of de icer, keys which dont fit any locks that we know of, and many other things beside? The season of Lent begins in the church calendar this month. Lent can be a time, not just for clearing out cupboards, but a time for making changes in our lives which make us healthier, happier, and freer not just physically but spiritually. This year, it being a Leap Year, we have an extra day in which to do this! Lent can be a time when we take stock of our lives as individuals and as a community to see if there are aspects of our lives which are not in keeping with Gods way in the world as shown us in Jesus Christ. And it can also be a time of bringing into our lives aspects of living which are in keeping with Gods way, aspects such as faithfulness, kindness, courtesy, reconciliation and justice. Jesus summed it up like this, You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength and your neighbour as yourself. Now this is something I find I cannot do on my own. Every day I need to remind myself of Gods love and mercy, and every day I give thanks for the life of the church to encourage and challenge me, whatever the season.

More This and That

By Edith Pleasance Last summer my daughter and I took a drive out to one of our favourite venues, Wroxham. We enjoy having lunch on the terrace of The Hotel while watching the boats come and go as well as seeing the families of ducks and swans. Not only during the warm seasons, we have also visited when part of the broad there has a covering of ice. It is still a lovely, busy area. As a youngster we had a variety of crockery, mostly bought from Woolworths, including lots of Willow Pattern plates, cups, etc. I had no particular feeling for it but must admit to not seeing so much of it about these days. However, we called in at a Sue Ryder charity shop for a look around and spotted two neat little fruit bowls in this particular pattern. They were in perfect new condition so I snapped them up to serve as my breakfast plates. There are many similar patterns but these definitely were genuine. As I tendered my one pound I asked the assistant if she knew the rhyme attached to Willow Pattern. Not only had I got her attention, but a couple of customers seemed interested so I related the following poem, told to me by my mother-in-law, as I remember it:Two little bluebirds flying high, painted vessel sailing by. Willow tree with willows oer, three men passing, if not four. Chinese temple there it stands, in the view of many lands. Apple tree with apples on, rows of railings all along. In mid-December I attended our usual Christmas lunch for the office pensioners which, as usual, was held at Park Farm Hotel. The crackers they supply are of good quality with surprise items inside. Three of the ten people at my table were gifted with yo-yos, real ones that worked. I asked around if anyone knew the old song, Ive been and gone and lost my little yoyo. To my surprise no-one did, so I sang it softly into the ear of the lady sitting next to me, who had been a lucky recipient of this toy and between you and me I dont think she was very impressed! Well, Im no singer! It is the sort of song George Formby would have sung although I dont think the record we learned it from was one of his. We children were good at being word perfect from our gramophone records, usually bought from Woollies, and especially entertained our parents and any other listeners to the words of the Sandy Powell recordings. There were Doctor Sandy, Sandy the Barber and several others. What we werent so good at was being word perfect from our school lessons! Mind you we did play the records over and over, being mindful to change the needle and wind up the gramophone each time. We missed out on the pictures, our nearest cinema being about two miles away, but occasionally got a treat to the main new picture house in town where the Wurlitzer organ would rise up out of the floor and change to different colours. That was magic! ---o0o--- 14.1.12

Sun 5th Sun 12th Sun 19th Sun 26th

Sun 5th Sun 12th Sun 19th Wed 22nd Sun 26th Sun 12th Sun 19th Sun 26th

DEREHAM & DISTRICT

CAT ADOPTION CENTRE
Hoe Road, Longham, Dereham NR19 2RP Rehoming Cats and Providing Advice & Help With Neutering OPEN 7 Days a Week 11am to 3pm

St John the Evangelist Church, Ovington Thursdays at 9.00am Said Holy Communion Sun 12th 9.30am Holy Communion

All Saints Church, Threxton

Sunday 5th February 10am All welcome

01362 687 919

Telephone . . .

SUNDAY AFTERNOON TEAS

Hosted by St. Marys Church in February
Sunday 19th at Watton Christian Community Centre 2.30pm until 4pm Brighten up a Winter Sunday Afternoon by joining us, a warm welcome awaits you and your friends.

Watton Bereavement Support Group

Wed 1st February 2.00pm Meeting Tea and Chat at Watton Christian Community Centre Mon 20th February 12.00 for 12.30pm Lunch at Griston Wagon & Horses.

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Even more good news for SSAFA Norfolk

Last month it was a pleasure to tell you about the ingenuity of Ben and David and the Just Trains project to raise funds for SSAFA Norfolk. This month I can tell you about another piece of good news! Are you sitting comfortably? Well you have probably seen it in the Watton and Swaffham already but our delightful Divisional Secretary, Michelle Salter, has been awarded the MBE for 20 years voluntary service to SSAFA FH. SSAFA Norfolk is divided into several Divisions, Watton coming under Breckland!, and each Division has its own Secretary (Line Manager in commercial speak). Michelle has been with SSAFA for over 20 years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience for us beginners to draw on when we have a problem. Not only is she Secretary but she is an active Case Worker, liaison person with Robertson Barracks at Swanton Morley where SSAFA has a presence at the Healthy Living Expo in the Gym. Then she is responsible for the Fund Raising at Morrisons in Dereham where this year she raised with help, I hasten to add, from two hunky soldiers!!! - 1600. She says she had 20 happy years in the Army with her husband Simon and is pleased to put something back in. Something I think we all feel especially with all the changes which Service families have to cope with now. But there is no doubting that with all that enthusiasm she has achieved a lot and she stills smiles and always has time for a word. Congratulations Michelle. And dont forget you can help too. Whatever your talent, marketing, accounts, admin, case work, occupational therapy, counselling all your skills are welcome and can be put to good use. Just phone the Norwich Office 01 603 403322 (mornings) and leave your details. So just time to tell you that the latest edition of SSAFA News and Views is now available and you can find your copy in the Watton Surgery and various other shops etc in Wattton. Theres a lovely article about the Big Brew Up of 2011 with details of how to organise one in 2012, perhaps you could tie it in with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations? Also I notice that Breckland Council are running workshops on how to organise a Street Party see latest edition of The Voice. Must go, nice to chat Dont forget One Days Service is all you need to ring SSAFA on 01 603 403322

WAYLAND EVENTS DIARY

February
Fri 10th 7.30pm Barn Dance. Queens Hall, with Shinanikins. Tickets 8 from Mullengers (see IW article) Sat11th Great Hockham Farmers'/Craft market 9-12pm IP24 1NT Sat 11th Saham Hills Methodist Church Coffee Morning 10 - 11.30 Wed 22nd 12noon Queens Hall Lunchtime Concert Tickets 5 from Mullengers (see IW article)

March
Fri 9th Queens Hall Jazz with DixieMix. See Ad Sat 10th Saham Hills Methodist Church Coffee Morning 10 - 11.30 Wed 28th 12noon Queens Hall Lunchtime concert (see IW article)

The Watton Society Talk

Wednesday, February 15th
7.45 p.m. at the Christian Community Centre David Skipper. Apple and Pear Juicing, the year of the orchard and the machinery and other items used. Juice will be mulled with spices on the evening and provided free. Entrance fee is 1.50 for members and 2.50 for non members, who are very welcome to attend. Contacts for more information on the Watton Society are John and Judy Kerr, 01953 882613.

News from the Wayland Partnership

The Christmas break, though lovely as always, was all too short and we are back at the office and completing the final reports for the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Capturing our Wayland Heritage project. It took Partnership Trustees Bronwen and Jan, two years to develop the concept of the project and write the successful Lottery bid and they are committed to seeing it through to its conclusion. As with every long project involving so many people there have been high points and low ones, times of frantic activity and times of gentle research but without the groups and individuals from the town and the Wayland villages who gave their enthusiasm, their knowledge, their research, their time and much, much more to the project, it could never have happened. The Lottery asks that there should be a legacy to the projects they fund something special that celebrates the achievements and keeps it going in our case, not only the13 books and the schools pack but also the continuation of the research and writing leading to even better knowledge of our area. In many cases we have only been able to scratch the surface of the history and heritage of the area and there are Wayland -wide topics such as the coming (and axing) of the railway, agriculture, education and so on which will make fascinating topics for research, as well as a further study of village/town people, events, buildings etc. The first meeting of 2012 will take place at Wayland House at 7pm on Monday 23rd January. The group will be funded from the small surplus made from the sale of the books and there is no shortage of ideas for future research. The books will continue to be available for sale from reception at Wayland House and from Heritage Groups in the villages. The Dragonfly Gallery and Wayland Visitor Centre The Gallery is closed for the winter months but will reopen in April with a celebration of Dragonflies. Over the years since the Partnership logo was adopted, a wide variety of dragonflies has been gathered gifts from Jans family and friends as well as clients and a small number purchased. We thought it would be fun to start the new season by making this collection the focus of an exhibition. Our database of artists has so far taken to this idea with enthusiasm so we are looking forward to a really special exhibition in April. We are also planning a schools exhibition, to celebrate 25 years of twinning with Weeze and the Jubilee. In addition we will have a range of solo and group exhibitions, craft weeks and our usual summer and Christmas exhibitions another varied and creative year in our very special Gallery.

News from the Hackers, Tackers and Stuffers

We held our AGM at our meeting on 10th January. Officers and committee were proposed and elected; our general finances appear in good order and we confirmed our programme for the year which will appear on our Blog. It was agreed that our charity fund needs boosting and hopefully this will happen through donations, sales and a bag draw at our Quilts5 Exhibition at the Dragonfly Gallery from 12th19thMay. There will be further details of this over the next few months. Without money raised through this event we would not be able to fund the quilts for Project Linus and Heart Cushions for those having surgery for Breast Cancer. On 24th January a member will demonstrate making a zipped purse and on 28th February another member the making of decorative fabric pears. We hope to have a Linus workshop on the 27th February. Non-members wishing to participate in our day workshops whether charity or with visiting tutors are reminded that they need to pay a 10 annual subscription plus fees for insurance purposes. For details and confirmation of this and all other activities check our Blog on http://htsqgroup.blogspot.com or ring Jane on 01953 884215

THE WAYLAND NEWS

Page space is allocated strictly on a first come, first served basis. Deadline is 12Noon on 16th of the month preceding publication and that is the last date and time that copy will be considered for inclusion. Arrival of copy before deadline does not guarantee inclusion, if you wish to be certain your entry gets published, then please make sure it arrives in plenty of time otherwise you may still be disappointed. If you are submitting on paper you MUST sign and include your contact details with each item. If you do not, the item will NOT be published. You can contact Julian by ringing (01953) 858908. You can write to 8 Princess Close, Watton IP25 6XA The e-mail address is julian@waylandnews.com Views expressed in articles in The Wayland News are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers or printers. While every care and effort has been taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.
This issue of the The Wayland News was published by: Julian Horn, 32 High Street, Watton IP25 6AE and printed by

The Best In Country Music 8 til late

Sharman & Company Ltd, Newark Road

Peterborough PE1 5TD. Phone: 01733 424 949

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Richmond Park Golf Club Ladies Section Results

3 Clubs & a putter Comp - 9th January 1st: Chris Bailey - 34stableford points; 2nd: Jan Bone - 30 "; 3rd: Margaret Lockwood - 28 " Stableford Competition: 16th January Division 1 1st Mary Wakeford 38 points (c/b); 2nd Rosa Musgrave 38 points (c/b); 3rd Margaret Lockwood 38 points (c/b) Division 2 1st Dorothy Stephenson 45 points; 2nd Margaret Taylor 41 points; 3rd Chris Bailey 39 points (c/b) Division 3 1st Cherrie Lawn 32 points

Richmond Park Golf Club Seniors

Diabetes UK Watton News

After the festive break it was nice to welcome our members back, with the addition of two new members, at our January meeting. We had as our speaker Rhada Chilleystone, Podiatrist, who talked to us about the essential care of feet for the Diabetic person and the care that needs to be taken when choosing socks and shoes as well. Rhada was able to answer some of our members varied questions and she also brought along several different leaflets for our members. She was warmly thanked. Even Rod was well behaved because his regular playmate was not there!! Our speaker next month will be Firefighter Tim Catt and he will be talking about Fire Safety in the Home. The meeting will be on Monday February 13th at 10.15am at the Pentecostal Church, Watton, and we thank them, as always, for the use of their facilities. For details of this or any of our meetings, please phone Helen, 01953 884713, leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

At the Richmond Park Golf Club Seniors Christmas Luncheon Immediate Past Senior Captain, Tony Fowler, presented a cheque for 1,235.52 to Margaret Fox, who is a Trustee of the Addisons Group. The self-help group was set up about 25 years ago and provides help and assistance through meetings and

discussion groups with medical specialists. The money had been raised during the previous year by the Senior Section through a variety of events ranging from raffles to Lost Ball Sweeps. The Addisons Group relies on donations. Margaret expressed the

charity's gratitude said that the donation would do much in raising the awareness and support for the sufferers of this disease. Richmond Park Seniors had provided much needed funds to help further the aims of the group, which are to offer advice, information and invaluable support to all Addisonians.