Issue Number 221 - April 2015

Care Quality Commission

report praises Watton
Medical Practice

An inspection team from the Care Quality Commission has found that
Watton Medical Practice is delivering a high standard of care in all areas.
The report of the inspection of Watton Medical Practice by the Care
Quality Commission (CQC) - the regulating body which checks whether
hospitals care homes and GP surgeries are meeting national standards of
care - has just been published.
It shows that the practice is deemed good across the complete range of
care and services it provides.
Key findings were that the practice which has 11,700 patients - was:
safe, effective caring and responsive and well-led; has a clear vision and
set of values which are understood by staff and made known to patients;
that there is a clear leadership structure in place; quality and performance
are monitored; and risks are identified and managed.
At the top of the report Professor Steve Field, the Chief Inspector of
General Practice, noted: Staff recognised and understood the needs
of patients and tailored access to care and treatments to meet these
needs.
It was also stated that the practice was working in partnership with
other health and social care services to deliver individualised care.
The practice provided a safe service in an environment which was
well managed and risks to staff and patients were identified and
minimised. Staff were trained and supported to deliver high quality
patient care and treatment and to improve outcomes and experiences
for patients, he added.
Five key questions inspectors asked were: are services safe, are services
effective, are services caring, are services responsive to peoples needs,
and are services well-led?
Inspectors can determine this by using a rating of outstanding, good,
requires improvement or inadequate.
These key questions were then specifically applied to the care
offered for: older people; people with long-term conditions;
families, children and young people; working age people and
recently retired; people in vulnerable circumstances; and people
experiencing poor mental health.
In every single area, the level of care was found to be good.
However, inspectors noted that there were several areas of
outstanding practice.
These included the practice paramedic providing / Continued Page 2

in digital & online at www.thebrecklandview.com

1st Saham Toney Brownies are

going on Brownie Adventures

Members of 1st Saham Toney Brownies with representatives from The Wayland
Show, which has so kindly donated money to the unit. Back Row: Show
Secretary, Claire Bowes; Molly Greenwood; Bryony Horn; Julie Jennings; Helen
Crane Organiser of the Shows Home Crafts and Cookery Section
Front Row: Lottie, Paris, Lola, Abbie, Lily, Ellena, Emma, Amelia, Laviniah.
Thanks to a donation of 220 from the
Wayland Agricultural Society, 1st Saham
Toney Brownies have been able to
purchase the new Brownie Adventure
books and Adventure bags for every
member of the Unit.
The new Brownie Adventure book has
replaced the Adventure and Adventure on
books making it into one book and the
content has also been revised and updated.
As soon as the Brownies received the

books they were down on the floor filling

in the details about the Brownie Unit and
themselves. Such was their excitement we
didnt even have time to get tables out!
Soon they will be planning their
Adventures and activities under the titles
of You, World and Community from
their books.
Thank you so much members of the
Wayland Agricultural Society because we
can all now work from the same book.

The Players Blithe Spirit

Roles have been decided and rehearsals are under way for the Wayland Players
spring production Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward and directed by Jenny Mann.
In Blithe Spirit, one of Coward's biggest successes, novelist and socialite Charles
Condomine, (Graham Mitchell) is living happily with
his second wife, Ruth, (Sharon Scott) and their eager
but somewhat clumsy maid Edith, (Liz Lucas). As
part of the research for a thriller he is writing about a
homicidal medium Charles decides to hold a sance
and invites Madame Arcati, (Melanie Hindley) a local
medium to his house. Both the Condomines and their
guests Dr and Mrs Bradman (Richard Hindley &
Dawn Dewar) are convinced she is a fake. But he gets
more than he bargained for when Madame Arcati
conjures up the ghost of Elvira (Corinna Wilmoth)
Charles first wife. Caught between one live wife and
one dead wife both jealous of the other Charles
thinks matters couldn't be worse. What follows is a
spectral variation on the eternal triangle, with Charles
torn between two equally demanding women.
Blithe Spirit will be performed at the Queens Hall,
Watton 14/15/16 May.

The Wayland News Page 2

April 2015
From Page 1/ monthly basic life support and
defibrillation training at the practice, which
staff could attend as often as they felt they
needed to, and the practice paramedic offering
basic life support and defibrillation training to
patient groups and local organisations.
This meant that the practice was proactively
offering health education around emergency
response to staff and the local community,
the inspectors noted.
The inspection team also spoke to patients
during the process with patients praising the
level of care and support they received at the
practice, stating that the appointment system
was improving and that they liked the
continuity of care they received.
The CQC inspection was conducted in
November at the end of a challenging year for
the practice in which it had to de-register 1,500
patients in April to help maintain consistent and
safe levels of primary care within Watton after
the resignation of two GPs.
But in the period since, the practice has been

successful in recruiting additional medical

staff to ensure high levels of patient care are
maintained.
The Partners at Watton Medical Practice have
issued a statement saying: This report from
the Care Quality Commission demonstrates
the practice is safe, caring and effective across
a wide range of areas.
It also reflects how hard our staff have
worked in recent months to deliver high
quality medical and care services.
We are very pleased with the findings of the
CQC, in particular that patients are happy with
the services we provide, and the extent of
those services.
But we will endeavour to build on these
findings and continue to offer a high level of
care to our patients in the future and work to
see the services we offer within the practice
develop and evolve to meet the ongoing needs
of our patients.
You can read the full report here:
www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-544018179

Watton Medical
Practice

Patients told us about their experiences of

care and praised the level of care and support
they received at the practice. The patients we
spoke with said they were happy and they got
good treatment. Patients we spoke with told us
the GPs and nurses always gave them plenty
of time during the consultation to explain
things. Patients told us that the GPs were very
supportive and they thought the practice was
well run. Patients indicated that they had no
concerns with regard to hygiene and the
cleanliness of the practice.
Patients told us the appointment system was
improving. Most patients felt that they were
able to access the service within a reasonable
timeframe, although four patients commented
that it was not always possible to get through
quickly on the phone or to see the GP who
knew them best. Patients told us they did not
know how to complain and had not had reason
to complain. However we were told they
would firstly speak with the receptionists.
Patients told us they liked the continuity of
care they received. Patients also knew they
could get a same day appointment for urgent
care when required. Patients told us they felt
the staff respected their privacy and dignity
and the GPs were very approachable and
supportive.
Patients told us they were happy with the
supply of repeat prescriptions and satisfied
with the practice facilities.
There was health care and practice
information on display around the waiting
room area.

From the Editor

I have printed much about Watton Medical
Practice over the past year or more.
Because I have tried to reflect what readers
have told me, I feel, in the interests of fairness,
you should be able to read just as easily what
patients at the Practice told the Inspectors
from the Care Quality Commission during
their inspection and the following is
reproduced from the CQC report (Page 10).
What people who use the service say
We spoke with twelve patients during our
inspection. The practice had provided patients
with information about the Care Quality
Commission prior to the inspection and had
displayed our poster in the waiting room.
Our comments box was displayed prominently
and comment cards had been made available
for patients to share their experience with us.
We collected 11comment cards, all contained
detailed very positive comments about the
caring and compassionate attitude of the staff.
Comments cards also included positive
comments about the skills of staff, the way
staff listened to their needs and being pleased
with the on-going care arranged by practice
staff. These findings were also reflected
during our conversations with patients. The
feedback from patients we spoke with during
our inspection was positive.

Mayor of
Watton urges
Wayland
smokers to be
quitters on
No Smoking
Day
Mayor of Watton, Councillor John
Rogers visited Total Health
Pharmacy in Watton to help
encourage smokers in the Wayland Pictured are Geoff Ray, Mayor of Watton Councillor
John Rogers, Balazs Varadi,
area to take the first step in giving
up cigarettes for good on No
successful than going it alone.
Smoking Day which took place in March.
Weve helped over 100 local people to quit
This years No Smoking Day theme was
and are here to help anyone who wants to take
Proud to be a Quitter. In life were told never
that first step to quitting.
to give up, to keep going but when it comes
No Smoking Day is the perfect opportunity
to smoking, being a Quitter is a good thing.
to inspire smokers in to quit for good but
Geoff Ray, smoking cessation advisor at Total
whatever date works for you, come and find
Health Pharmacy said: We understand that
out how we can help you to quit when you
the majority of smokers want to stop smoking,
feel ready
but many find the task too daunting. With
To receive information and support on
support, smokers are more likely to succeed in
stopping smoking visit Total Health Pharmacy
their quit attempt. A combination of one- toin Watton or visit the website
one support and nicotine replacement
nosmokingday.org.uk
therapies has been shown to be more

April 2015

Old Rover

I'll tell you a tale, it's a funny old tale

It's all about my friend's dog Rover
He had to have one of his legs taken off
And the poor chap, he kept falling over
We tried using cardboard to make a false leg
Used staples and string to attach it
But that wasn't strong enough.
Also, we thought
If his ear itched then how would he scratch it?
So then we tried plywood and fixed it with glue
Made sure it was hinged at the knee
We gave it some shape and painted it black
And honestly you couldn't see
Until you looked closely, that it wasn't real
It bent and supported his weight
It worked really well for a couple of weeks
Old Rover - he thought it was great!
He'd walk down the road (if wobbly at first)
Quite proud of his new wooden leg
And people would comment, they'd point and
they'd stare
They nicknamed him Rover the Peg
But it came to an end one terrible night
When the dog got too close to the fire
His leg was burnt off all the way to the top
It's a good job it didn't go higher!
We managed to peel off the charcoaled remains
And cut out some badly singed hair
He wasn't the best looking dog in the world
Now this gives them more cause to stare
At least his fur, though, will grow back in time
That's more than can be said for his limb
He walks, and he wobbles, and he keeps falling
down
You have to feel sorry for him
My friend seems to think that he's suffered
enough
And thinks we should leave well alone
So now, poor old thing, he doesn't get out
Spends most of the day on his own
We've all clubbed together and bought him a
bitch
A playmate for lonely old Rover
So what if he can't walk, or run, or go out?
At least he can get his leg over.
By Stacy Wilkinson
Stacy is a very talented poetess who writes
personalised poems to individual requirements.
As you can see above, she is even able to write a
poem about a three legged dog!
She also writes more personal poems for your
loved ones, perhaps on a special occasion?
For more information see
perfectlypoetic.weebly.com

Dereham Bowls Club

Dereham bowls club will be open throughout the

summer with leagues Monday and Friday
mornings plus a novices league Thursday
afternoon. There will be roll ups every Tuesday
and Thursday and a singles competition
Wednesday afternoons.
Coaching will be available for anyone wishing
to learn the game. For more details contact Terry
or Yvonne on 01760440563 after 7pm

Ashill Community
Centre

Coffee Morning
April 17th
10 - 12 am
In aid of Community Centre

WATTON ROTARY
COFFEE MORNING
& SOUP KITCHEN
QUEENS HALL
Saturday 4th April
9.30am - 1.30pm
In association with the
CRAFT MARKET

The Wayland News Page 3

Shipdham
and District
Book Group
At the meeting on 18th February we
discussed The Accidental by Ali
Smith. On the face of it this is about
a middle class family on holiday in a
small village in Norfolk with
accommodation which is less than
satisfactory. They are visited by
Amber, an uninvited guest who
moves in on them and has a profound
effect on all the family members.
Like most families there are secrets.
This was not particularly well
received within the group with only
two people finishing it. The stream
of consciousness style without
chapter headings and conventional
punctuation made it difficult to
follow. Most felt they would have
preferred to spend their time
reading other books. That it won
several awards remains a mystery.
A participant who did read the
whole novel suggested that it was
like an impressionist painting where
everybody saw it differently, she
also confessed to having only
managed to finish it by staying in
bed for a whole day with no
distractions. Both the members who
read it all felt it did improve further
into the book and one enjoyed the
poetry written by the stepfather.
Nobody feels inclined to read more
of Smiths work.

Christian Aid
Week 2015
10th-16th May

Christian Aid Week is approaching

and I am hoping, through the columns
of our excellent local paper, to let you
know how and when we will be
collecting this year. In order to give
as many people as possible the chance
to donate, we shall be distributing
Christian Aid envelopes at the
churches and members will be asked
to take an extra envelope (or more
than one if possible!) to give to a
friend.
This year the week will start with a
United Service for Christian Aid to be
held at St Marys Church at 10:30 on
Sunday 10th May.
On Wednesday 13th May a soup
lunch will be served at the Christian
Community Centre from 12:15

The book discussed at the meeting

on 18th March was Miss Applebys
Academy by Elizabeth Gill. This
tells of a single woman brought up
in New England, left with no
money, an adopted child and little
love or care. In 1906 she travels to
the village of Tow Law in County
Durham where she believes her
parents grew up. She is regarded
with deep suspicion by all but Mick
Castle owner of several pubs. The
local schoolmaster is struggling and
inadequate and she opens an
academy which provokes an even
more disapproving response.
Most people had little positive to say
about this novel which did not live up
to expectations described as : a
downmarket version of Catherine
Cookson full of desolation and
desperation; syrupy and fluffy with
no substance; lacking in historical
accuracy; totally unbelievable and
tedious.. The academy seemed to be a
shadowy affair and hardly present at
all despite the title. On the positive
side it was agreed that it was fairly
straightforward and quick to read
thus not taking up valuable time
which member might devote to
reading books with greater appeal.
The idea was good but poorly
executed and lacking in substance.
On 15th April the group will be
celebrating its 10th Anniversary.
This will take the form of afternoon
tea at a local tearoom when the
book for discussion will be The
Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine
McMahon.
1:45pm and there will be a street
collection in the High Street from
9am-2pm. There will be no set charge
for the lunch, which will consist of
homemade soup, and rolls (most
generously donated by the bread stall
on the market) followed by tea or
coffee. Donations will of course be
invited for the work of Christian Aid.
At the end of the week there is
another new and exciting way to show
support of this Charity when St
Marys are hosting a Ceildah which
will be a lot of fun for all the family.
There will be more details of these
events next month but do, please, get
the dates in your diaries!
Watton has a long and proud tradition
of wonderful support for this worthy
cause please help to uphold this and
give as generously as you are able
during Christian Aid Week.
Nearer the time donation envelopes
can be obtained through the churches
or by phoning me on 01760 441094
Thank you. Lesley Cowling

Councillor's
Chat
with Claire Bowes

By the time many of you read this we will be

only a month a way from what will probably
be one of the most interesting and engaging
General Elections for very many years and for
the first time ever, on 7th May, the local
government elections will be held on the same day as the General
Election. There will, therefore, be a larger turnout at the ballot box than
usual for local elections, which can only be viewed as a welcome
development for the democratic process! However, because these
elections will be taking place simultaneously there will doubtless be
more temptation than usual for some local candidates - in order to
bolster their political message - to fall back on issues, which can only be
addressed by national government but on which they will have no
influence locally at all.
I feel strongly that the local campaign for candidates to be elected to the
district council, should be fought on local issues only; those that the
District Councillor elected can influence and deliver on. For instance
Breckland Council is not responsible for immigration, health, education,
or transport policies or indeed the future direction that the country takes
regarding the EU. Any candidate who says that in standing for
Breckland District Council they will be able to influence any of those is
being disingenuous.
I have been proud to represent Watton, as one of it's District Councillors
for the last eight years and also proud of what has been achieved and
delivered by Breckland Council under local Conservative leadership,
during that period and under pressure of tight financial forecast
constrictions. Prudent financial management and investment have meant
that we have been able to continue to provide front line public services,
such as waste collection, recycling, environmental health and
community safety and development whilst keeping the cost to Watton
residents down. We have also been able, through our economic
development policies, to sucessfully enable significant growth in local
business, this is seeing a continuous increase in local jobs. Breckland
Council's investment in faster broadband for the area has already, and
will continue, to deliver huge benefits in connectivity to home owners
and businesses alike.
Having lived in the Watton area all my life and recently becoming a
grandmother for the first time it is very important to me that Watton and
Wayland is a thriving community where it's young people can find jobs
and afford to settle down, and where the older generation can retire in
the knowledge that their changing needs will be catered for. I will
continue to work for both.
I was recently taken on an impromptu tour of Watton's medieval market
place by this paper's editor (highly recommended!) and it served to
enforce my view that Watton as a market town can thrive and prosper, as
it has over the centuries, we just need to have vision and be forward
thinking. Breckland Council is the local planning authority and together,
to this end, I believe we can be selective about the development we
accept and raise the bar for sympathetic design and appropriate siting of
housing in the area in the future. I feel very strongly about preserving
and enhancing the character of our area but also realise that time doesnt
stand still. These are principles that I have always spoken up for and if
elected I will continue to do so.
Claire Bowes, Breckland District Councillor for Watton

The Wayland News Page 4

Dance Away
at the Queens Hall Ballroom, Latin and
Sequence dancing at the Queen's Hall,

March 7th, April 4th 8pm to 11pm

Admission 4

April 2015

A Quick Look
Round
By ORBITER
Well Spring seems to be upon us, with
the Winter fading away into memory
with no disasters to report weatherwise,
at least not in our part of the world.
Of course everything could change
before these notes come before you, but
I am keeping my fingers crossed.
No doubt the main attention of the
nation is being directed towards the
coming General Election and thus we
are seeing the various party leaders
making visits to local factories,
railway stations and other public
venues, where they don hard hats, or
little white ones while they peer into
microscopes, or mime the operation
of complicated equipment.
These appearances are dotted with
interviews with the local media where
they always manage to avoid answering
any questions by means of a technique
peculiar to all politicians. It may well
be a requirement of any person hoping
to obtain a responsible position in
government to pass some sort of exam
in this subject, which is known as
Obfuscation.
Should a point be reached when a
particular
short-coming
of
government cannot realistically be
denied, the failing is then invariably
blamed on a previous administration,
although it is noticeable that no party
ever praises any act of earlier rulers
of different affinities.
It never ceases to amaze me that so
many instances are still being reported
of frauds carried out on banks, since for
the last ten years or so it has seemed
almost impossible for most people to
carry out even normal transactions with
them, let alone naughty ones, what with
all their security requirements. Yet
almost weekly we read of how some
fairly junior clerk got away with several
thousand pounds. Of course they were
caught eventually and roundly punished
(six months jail, suspended) but one
wonders how many other such crimes
remain undetected.
No doubt many of these instances
emanate from the universal use of
computers, which offer a wide range of
opportunities for wrong-doing, besides
their sad propensity for complete failure
from time to time. Instances include a
breakdown just before Christmas that
froze all credit card transactions for
three leading banks, which also
precluded direct salary credits to
thousands of workers, a complete black
-out of operation of a busy London rail
terminus for some hours, as well as
another failure that put a whole Air
Traffic Control system out of order,
causing the delay of many flights.
Of course, computers have transformed
our lives completely in the last decade
or two, mostly to the betterment of
everyone, but these occurrences,
fortunately rare, do signal a warning
against complacency, particularly with
so many rebel causes threatening our
existence these days.
Apparently there is a proposal under
consideration for the introduction of the
Lynx to Thetford Forest, partly to act as
predators against the excess numbers of
deer that now flourish there.
On the face of it, this would appear to
be an excellent plan that would give the
area a boost of extra interest to nature
lovers, but the example of previous
introductions around the country should
act as a warning against taking such a
step without great thought, since such
actions can rebound several years later
as the alien species multiplies and

eventually becomes the very problem

that it was hoped to cure.
From time to time we read about the
enormous sums paid at auctions for all
manner of strange things, one recently
being Boxing Gloves that were owned
by Cassius Clay, later known as
Mohammed Ali. Someone shelled out
60,000 dollars for them (or was it
pounds?} But why? The new owner
would not want to use them for their
intended purpose, and would anyone
else be really interested?
Another such auctioned piece was a
famous painting that raised several
MILLION pounds. Well it is nice to
be able to buy such an item, though it
may well be relegated to the confines
of a bank vault for safety reasons. But
a painting is an inanimate object and
thus cannot increase its value. The
fact that someone is willing to pay
simply to be able to boast that he is
the sole owner does not mean that the
painting is actually worth more. It is
all a bit of The Kings New Clothes
syndrome. Yes, the item can be kept
as a means of insuring against a rainy
day, but its eventual sale will just
involve another vain human. A
painting should judged on its artistic
merits, not by these false values.
Once again the matter of Digital Radio
completely superseding the FM system
has been brought forward, even though
this proposal was thought to have died a
natural death last year. Why this is still
being considered is I cannot imagine, as
there are thousands of FM sets that give
perfect service, while the DAB ones are
not universally efficient. But why cant
we just be left to choose ?
In Watton I notice that the alterations to
the junction of Saham Road and High
Street have now been completed at last.
Was this a result of my remarks last
month ? I doubt it, but . . .
One of the features of many eating
houses, and some hotels, is the
provision of numerous sachets
containing the various sauces and
condiments to enhance ones meals,
but what a performance some of them
cause when one tries to open them!
The worst of these seems to
invariably be the one containing
vinegar, and although it may have a
little arrow indicating where to
endeavour to tear, this seldom seems
to work. There is actually a useful
variation produced by one company,
whereby a twist readily avails one of
its contents, but this seems to be quite
a rarity, while occasionally the caf
owner thought-fully provides a tiny
pair of scissors. Oh, the pleasures of
modern dining.
While on the subject of refreshment, it
is good to see that three cups of coffee
per day will stave off those heart
attacks. Last month they were said to be
bad for you. I wish these experts
would make up their minds !
On a more serious note, I have noted
the recent trend in paying tribute to
those who have passed on. Such an
occasion used to be graced by a period
of silence, but the newest way seems to
involve clapping. Thus a football
crowd, invited to stand in honour of a
departed ex-star will salute him with a
continued round of applause. When I
was a boy a passing funeral cortege
caused any by-stander to come to a halt,
with men removing their caps, but these
days the hearse may often be greeted
with applause if the subject of the
funeral is well-known.
Personally I think this method is far
better than the rather oppressive silence
that was the previous way. What do you
think ? Why not text to let me know ?
Good afternoon.

Close
Harmony
With Jill Dobbs at Bradenham
The Friends of St Andrews Church
invite you to join them, on Saturday
18th April 2015, for a lively foot
tapping evening in Bradenham
Village Hall with Jill Dobbs (a
former Bradenham girl whom
many of you will know well) and
her Close Harmony group of
singers who perform popular music
mainly from the 30s and 40s with
the authentic sound of the Swing
era. From Ragtime to Romance
and Boogie to Blues, you will be in
for a real treat.
The entertainment starts at
7.30pm with tickets costing 8
per head; included will be light
refreshments and a glass of wine.
Tickets are available from
Marianne Kilmartin (01362

820744) and Lavinia Rix (01362

820349).
Furthermore, we are holding a
Plant Sale on Saturday 2nd May
2015 in Bradenham Village Hall.
Get ready for summer by coming
along to buy your summer
bedding, hanging baskets and
some vegetable plants.
If you have anything in particular
you would like to buy then
please do not hesitate to contact
Marianne Kilmartin (01362
820744) and every effort will be
made to fill your requirement.
Other News:
Our next meeting will take place
on Wednesday 1st April 2015 at
7.30pm in Bradenham Village
Hall.
If you have any queries or
questions regarding any of the
events then please do not hesitate
to contact Belinda Ashman
(01362 821442) or Lavinia Rix
(01362 820349)

Rocklands
Community
Shop

of income for the shop and they

can be found in the caf and
sited in the alcove further on
from the caf to the right. All
these cards can be personalised
and made to order. Please
enquire at the counter or ring
01953 488567. Shop Tel No:
01953 483855.
A lot of our prices are very
compatible with the large
Supermarket prices, particularly
our 1 corner, which is always
well worth looking at.
We would like to thank all our
Volunteers for their tireless
work that they do for the shop
and say that we will always
welcome more people to sign
up. Training is always on hand
and it is a very enjoyable
experience.
Our Easter opening hours are as
follows: Good Friday 08.3016.00, Saturday 07.30-17.30,
Easter Sunday Closed, Easter
Monday 08.30-16.00.
Normal opening hours Mon-Fri
7.30am-6.30pm, Sat 7.30am5.30pm and Sun 8.30am-1pm

Friends of
Shipdham
School

and books. Items are priced

from 50p and all proceeds go
towards school funds, pop in
and see what we have on offer!
We will soon be re-stocking for
Spring and Summer so please
save us any of the above items
suitable for resale. If you can
spare a few hours to help, either
on a regular basis or
occasionally, or you know
someone who may be interested
please contact us.
Contact Details: Please contact
us regarding any of the above
by
email
to
the
friendsofshipdhamsschool@gm
ail.com, via our Facebook page
or by phoning the school office
on 01362 820300.

Once more we thank everybody

for their continued custom of
the shop. Easter is upon us and
we have in stock several Easter
products.
Stephen Houchen will be in the
shop on April 4th selling his
mugs together with Easter Eggs.
Just to remind you, that the Post
Office is open the same hours as
the shop, including Sunday
mornings. If you are thinking of
going on holiday, may we tell
you that you can order your
foreign currency in advance and
as long as you order it before
midday on the day before
needing it, it will be there to
collect the next day. The Post
Office also sells One 4 all gift
cards, for all occasions, which is
an excellent gift to send anybody.
Shirley Cards are a good source

Thank you to everyone who

came along to support the Old
School Disco in The Golden
Dog in January, we had a great
time and raised 170 for school
funds. Thank you to Paula,
Dave and staff for the fabulous
food and all your hard work on
the night! We are planning
another disco at The Golden
Dog on Saturday 25th April,
more details to follow!
Summer Fete Saturday 11th
July 12-4pm
Planning is already underway
for the Summer fete to be held
on the school field, if you would
like to help us plan the fete,
book a stall or give a display or
have any ideas on how to make
the fete bigger and better, please
contact us, we would love to
hear from you.
Thriftique The FOSS Charity
Shop, Market Street Shipdham We are open Saturdays from 1012 noon, we sell a range of
good quality childrens and
adults clothes, shoes accessories

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 5

Positive Planning by the

Community for
Waylands Future
Planning for our future
Exciting times lie ahead for the
Wayland community provided
that we can grasp the
opportunities that are becoming
available over the next few
months and years.
New funding streams for both
neighbourhood planning and
delivering
a
Community
Economic
Development
Programme will soon be
available and the Wayland
Partnership,
as
the
local
Community
Partnership,
is
preparing an expression of
Interest to Locality, the national
network of ambitious and
enterprising
community-led
organisations, working together
to help neighbourhoods thrive.
The Wayland Partnership is a
member of Locality and so is
perfectly placed to bid for the
initial funding for Community
Economic Development though
we are not eligible to bid for
funding for Neighbourhood
Planning which must be done by
Town and Parish Councils.
The Community Economic
Development Programme is a
new initiative designed for local
community
groups
and
organisations who want to take a
lead in shaping their economies
for the benefit of local
communities.
It
provides

support, advice and funding to

help key partners to work
together to develop the best ideas
to strengthen the local economy.
Our community the Wayland
community has wide-ranging
concerns
from
weak
infrastructure to inappropriate
development.
Community
Economic Development (CED)
gives people the opportunity to
shape how their economy
develops and this approach
recognises that local economies
are
characterised
by
the
relationships and activities which
everyone faces, based around
where they live, work and play.
The plan will help us to identify
practical
opportunities
to
develop the local economy so
that the Wayland community is
actively shaping the economic
future of the local area.
Our next action will be to submit
an expression of interest to
Locality by March 18th and then
complete a bid for 5,000 to
create the Community Economic
Development Plan which we
hope will help us to bid for
regional funding later this year
or in 2016.
For those who would like to
know more the link is:
http://mycommunity.org.uk/
programme/communityeconomic-development/

Spring has
Sprung at
Westfield

What a busy, fun filled few weeks we

have had at Watton Westfield Infant and
Nursery School! Spring has most
definitely sprung and all the children are
thriving in the sunshine and making the
most of the outdoor learning opportunities
our grounds abundantly provide. It is
wonderful to see them all learn and
progress so enthusiastically.
On March 5th we celebrated World Book
Day and all the children came to school
dressed as their favourite character and
enjoyed lots of book themed activities,
including a fun quiz! There was a winner
from each year group who got to choose a
prize from the Book Fair the following
week.
March 13th was Red Nose Day for Comic
Relief. We feel it is important for the
children to learn the importance of charity
and helping others. For a 50p donation,
they were able to wear red non-uniform
and decorate a cake in the style of the
Great British Bake Off! Mrs Futers, Mrs
Pask and Miss Thomas were great sports
and performed a comedy sketch for the
children, to their great delight, showing
them how NOT to do it!
With Easter just around the corner we are
looking forward to a Year 2 performance
of Jesus is Alive! in Assembly, an Easter
Egg Hunt and a raffle to raise funds for
the Friends of Westfield. The Easter
message of new life and beginnings is
always so beautifully appropriate to our
young pupils just starting on their journey
through school.
We enjoy sharing it with them!

Pictured top are Lauren, Emily, Austin and Macey with their
chosen World Book Day Prizes. Below Millie and Junior are
proudly showing their cakes from Red Nose Day!

The Wayland News Page 6

In your Garden
with Lotta Potts
It doesn't seem very long since last
spring. Those of us getting on a bit
will feel the years are much less than
the allotted 365 days but there's some
sort of scientific reason for this.
Something to do with the fact that if
you're 10 years old you don't have
much to remember whereas we have
lots crammed in there so there isn't so
much new... no I don't understand it
either. Let's just accept that somehow
we might need to accept that spring is
here a lot sooner than it should be.
As such we should be better prepared
as we expect it sooner. As if.
Anyway, here we go.
March was largely dry in the middle.
In fact as I write, right on the
deadline, the sun is shining and it's a
bit chilly but not too bad. I wonder if
this is a good thing as we could do
with some rain. No doubt my wish
will be granted sooner rather than
later but I do hope for the gentle
spring showers not a huge downpour
that washes everything away. April
is supposed to bring such perfect
growing conditions but don't hold
your breath as we can also get some
pretty nippy frosts. I'll repeat the
advice from last year about staring to
garden at Easter, particularly as it's
three weeks earlier than last. The
garden centres and sheds will be full
of attractive bedding plants, all
flowering beautifully. Unless you
can keep them protected in a shed or
greenhouse or in a cold frame under
cover, keep your money in your
wallet for a few weeks. You can't
guarantee outdoor survival for tender
plants until next month. This is
frustrating. If you can find a few
pounds for a cold frame you can get
ahead quite nicely. If you have a
modicum of skill with wood you can
make a cold frame from odd bits of
wood or wooden boxes for the sides

April 2015
and a lower front and if you can find
a discarded window or two these are
ideal for the top with a hinge. This is
the sort of thing championed by Bob
'make do and mend' Flowerdew.
There's still quite a lot of
maintenance-type tasks: clean up
borders, feeding as you go with
general purpose fertilizer. The lawn
should be treated for moss and weeds
and re-seeded if you have bare
patches and start that depressing
weekly mowing routine.
Other
maintenance starts off with pruning
winter jasmine, which will very
rapidly turn into a tangled mess of
stems, hydrangeas (this is because the
dead flowers are normally left on
over winter to give a bit of protection
to emerging shoots in spring), so the
pruning consists of removing these
dead heads. Any wall or supporttrained plants will need to have new
shoots tied in.
These include
rambling and climbing roses, clematis
and other climbers you may have.
Otherwise any spring gales will bring
them tumbling down. This might
seem a bit like stating the blindingly
obvious but some of these tasks can
be overlooked. A year or two ago I
left a clematis until it became totally
out of control. Sadly it had to be
given a haircut and I lost quite a lot of
flowers.
Nothing like a bit of
experience to keep the memory
going.
While you're about the
maintenance tasks turn over stones
and piles of pots in a slug and snail
hunt. They'll be about early this
month so although you'll never
eliminate all of them it's worth
removing all you can to minimise the
damage they will cause. This is a
pretty disgusting task but you always
feel better if you shift them. If you
find the new Spanish slugs huge
great things the bug people at the
John Innes Centre in Norwich are
interested in tracking the spread of
them.

If you go to the garden centre and

manage to get past the jolly bedding,
look for perennials as this is a good
time to plant. They'll need regular
watering but it's worth it. You might
find some that had been left too long
and are on the 'last chance' shelf.
These are well worth looking at as
most of them will just need a decent
drink. It will pay to knock them out
of the pots as they are probably well
pot-bound. This will prevent their
taking up water so if they are badly
pot-bound put them back and sink
them in a bucket of tepid water for a
few hours. After that take them out
of the pot again and try to pull them
apart a bit or remove all the worn out
compost. You might have the nice
surprise of being able to split them
into two or three separate plants a
real bargain! Either then pot them up
in good compost or plant them out
according to what they are. Potgrown evergreen plants and shrubs can
also be planted, either as individuals or
for hedging. This is an expensive way
to do hedging, better to wait for autumn
and get bare-root plants in bundles. If
you check the gardening magazines
these are widely advertised.
There's lots to be done in the veg plot.
Sow broad beans, summer cabbage,
Brussels sprouts, early peas, calabrese,
summer/autumn cauliflowers, sprouting
broccoli, leeks, beetroot, radish, spring
onions, lettuce, rocket, turnips, kohl
rabi, spinach, parsnips, Swiss chard,
chicory, endive, carrots and onions.
Don't be ridiculous! If you have an
allotment and/or a market stall then go
for it. Otherwise decide what you like
to eat and what you have room for,
bearing in mind the things not
mentioned that will also take up space
later; the later sown peas, climbing and
runner beans all of which are tender.
The potatoes can be planted now and
earthed up completely covering the
shoots to protect them from a late frost.
Keep an eye on the spuds as the shoots

will grow through very quickly so

earthing up can develop into a frequent
job. As well as guarding against frost
this keeps the developing tubers from
exposure to daylight which turns them
green and inedible.
If you have a metre or so square you
can commit to permanent planting, why
not try asparagus? They are very easy
to grow and ten crowns could be
accommodated in this relatively small
area. I think people are put off as they
believe they need to wait years to eat
anything. Admittedly the standard
instructions are to plant, take nothing
the next year, a few spears the year
after that then a decent crop thereafter.
Plant breeders have now developed
new strains that can be cropped from
the year after planting. After they're in
all they need are water and weeding
with a mulch in autumn after the ferns
have yellowed and cut. These are
pretty in themselves and placed
strategically will give a six or seven
foot screen!
If you've planted seeds they will
probably need to be pricked out. This
can be problematic if you can't give
them frost-free conditions. We all do it.
The seeds don't look like many when
the tiny bits of brown dust are scattered
in a pot or propagator then they all
come up and need pots of their own. If
you are trying succession planting try to
keep the quantities low so they don't
run away with you. If you overdo it
and prick out all the seedlings there will
be an almighty glut later. We all learn
year by year on this one but until then
give the seedlings to friends. They may
well do a swap!
So there we are, watching the weather
forecasts, planting, sowing, watering
and it's only early spring. We do
everything according to the weather so
don't despair if it rains solidly for ages.
Things will catch up except those that
will just keep on going and going.
That'll be the weeds then.
Keep after them.

Ashill and Holme

Hale Garden Club

Despite a miserable rainy day over 50 members

were at the February meeting to hear Trevor
Harrison talk about 'Winter in the Garden'. As
usual, Trevor brought numerous plants from Creake
Plant Centre both for sale and to illustrate his talk.
In addition to perennial flower favourites, such as
snowdrops, aconites, hellebores, primulas and
cyclamen, there were examples of various
flowering shrubs, such as winter honeysuckle,
which can flower from November to April, and the
highly scented Daphne. Of the evergreens
Euphorbia is extremely drought tolerant and for
colourful winter stems of red and yellow Cornus
looks great planted in groups of three or five. As
the colour is held on new stems Cornus should be
pruned to 18" in March and again in July if size
needs restricting. Trevor always brings something a
little different. One strange shrub was the Chinese
Edgeworthia 'Grandiflora'. There are no leaves but

Bradenham &
District
Horticultural
Society Spring
Show

A reminder to you all that the

Societys Spring Show will be open
to visitors from 3.30pm on Saturday
11 April at Bradenham Village Hall,
so do come to enjoy afternoon tea
and view the exhibits which will
range from beautiful spring flowers
to delicious bread, cakes and
preserves. If you become a member
of the Society then who knows, this
time next year we could be admiring
your entries and you could be the
proud recipient of a prize or two!
For more information about the
Society and the Spring Show, please
contact our Chairman, Marianne
Kilmartin, on 01362 820744.

Ovington
Gardening Club

The March meeting was a series of very

interesting slides of various garden
fungi in all their different forms,
ranging from tiny myxomycetes to the
large puffball. This talk was given by
Robert Maidstone and gave a
fascinating insight into the smaller
hidden realms of the garden.
The April meeting will be on
Wednesday 1st April at 7.45pm in the
village hall on Church Road, Ovington,
IP25 6RY. Please feel free to join us for
the next meeting which will be given by
Simon White on the subject of
Climbing and Rambling Roses.
Simon is the Sales Manager of Peter
Beales Roses of Attleborough. For
more details, ring Ed on 01953 885848
or Carol on 01760 440719.

the main stem produces three branches, each of

which produces another three branches and so on.
Small pink flowers appear from the end of each
branch. Corokia Cotoneaster from New Zealand
looks like a natural bonsai with twisting twiggy
stems and star like yellow flowers.
The presentation concluded with a variety of
carnivorous insect catching plants most of which
can be grown outside in Norfolk. (In summer I need
a garden full just outside my kitchen door!!)

Thursday 23rd April

Holme Hale Pavilion 2:30pm
An afternoon with Alan Gray
from the beautiful
East Ruston Old Vicarage
Garden
Entry for non-members 3 to
include light refreshments

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 7

Planning to object??
Planning Chat
With Cllr Michael Wassell
Many of you have commented favourably
on the article I wrote in the last edition of the
Wayland News concerning planning
matters. However, as a result of the meeting
regarding planning issues held on the 10th
March in the Queens Hall, I have been asked
to try and provide further guidance. There is
a wealth of information available both on the
Breckland Website at: http://bit.ly/1BneDfZ
and also throughout the internet. So this
article is intended to provide a broad brush
stroke and it is not a comprehensive guide.
When a decision is made on a planning
application, only certain issues are taken into
account, these are often referred to as
material planning considerations. The
following is intended to offer assistance on
the most common matters that may be
relevant in the consideration of any
application. The list may not be exhaustive
and the relevance of each matter will vary
for each specific application.
It is quite difficult to provide a standard
comment template, as stated above, each
application will be different and each
person commenting will have a different
perspective. However, a few pointers may
be of use.
The comment should contain your name and
address, the planning application number
and the description of the application, so for
example:
3PL/2015/0254/O
Outline planning
application for residential development of up
to 177 dwellings Land South of Mallard
Road Watton
You then might want to put the name of the
case officer dealing with the application
For the attention of
You then need to outline any or all of the
issues illustrated in the panel above right,
which can be taken into account and which
are relevant to the application you are
commenting on. The more evidence that
you can provide the better, just saying I
object because I dont want any more
houses, or it would spoil my view does not
carry much if any weight. All of the
comments received will be available on the
Breckland website. That is also a good
source of previous comments letters,
So for example in your comments you could
refer to:
Reference to Government policy and sitespecific local development plan policy
which, though not yet adopted, is the most
recent and has already been consulted:
Reference to Government policy and to
'planning history' - the local authority's
previous planning decisions in the area:
Reference to other issues which affect the
community as a whole, rather than
individual interests.
Reference to other bodies in the local
community who support your position:
You could end with a request to be kept
informed so:
If this application is to be decided by
councillors, please take this as notice that I
would like to speak at the meeting of the
committee at which this application is
expected to be decided.
Please let us know as soon as possible the
date of the meeting.
(You can keep up to date on planning and
other matters by using the Breckland Direct
facility which is available on the Breckland
Website and allows users to decide which
are their areas of interest.)
Reproduced right is an actual letter sent in
(With thanks to Margaret Upton)

There are a number of methods by which

you can make your comments:
By post to: Planning Department, Breckland
Council, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke,
Dereham, NR19 1EE
By email to: planning@breckland.gov.uk
By telephone to: 01362 656 873
If you wish you can deliver your written
objection to Brecklands Watton Customer
Service Centre at Wayland House, High
Street Watton IP25 6AR
Opening Times Wednesday 0900 16:30
Friday 09:00 16:00 Closed for lunch from
1pm for 30 minutes each day.
The officers at the Watton Customer Service
centre will not be able to advise on specific
planning applications or planning matters,
they will arrange for your letter to be sent to
the planning department at Breckland
District Council. Please note that you only
need to send your comments by one of the
above methods, and dont forget there is a
deadline for submission.
All comments are counted, a petition no
matter how many signatures are on it, is only
counted as 1 objection.
If there are 5 people living in a house and all
5 submit a comment then that counts as 5
comments. It is much better to have an
individualised comment that reflects the
same concerns than to just copy exactly the
same words and just add your details.
When and if the application comes to
committee you can attend, and if you have
previously requested you can address the
committee. Each speaker will be given a
maximum of 3 minutes or in the case of
more than one objector or supporter wishing
to speak, 3 minutes for each relevant
group. The time will be allocated to a
spokesperson or shared between all speakers
for each group. Where an applicant and
their agent intend to speak the 3 minutes is
split between the 2. Your District Councillor
(s) can also speak, and it makes sense that all
those that are speaking on a common theme
(i.e. either in support or against) get together
beforehand to ensure that you are a)
covering all the relevant points and b) not
wasting the allotted time by repeating the
same point multiple times. The District
Councillor(s) each get 3 minutes and will be
given the option of whether he or she wishes
to speak first or last, I always go for last, as I
feel that gives the opportunity to emphasise
any previously made points or pick up on
any that have been missed.
The above has been a very short run through
planning matters, whole volumes of books
have been written on the subject and a
simple Google search of comment on
planning matters led to over 17 million
items returned! I am far from a planning
expert, but I will attempt to answer any
questions, or find out the answer. The one
thing that I will say is that even as Leader of
Breckland Council, I have not been issued
with a magic wand on planning or indeed
any other matter! Planning is vital, but it is a
complex, and not always exciting matter
(apologies to any planners reading this) but
the bottom line is, the rules that the planners
at Breckland, and indeed every other
planning authority, have to abide by are laid
down by statute at a National Government
level, and inevitably they are of a one size
suits all nature. We can only interpret them,
we cannot change them, although we lobby
incessantly to have them changed, and so
we attempt to work within the rules whilst
striving to achieve the most suitable and
acceptable outcome for Breckland
residents as a whole. My contact details:
Email:michael.wassell@breckland.gov.uk
Twitter @CllrMWassell

Issues which may be taken

into account when writing an
objection include
Relevant planning policies and previous

appeal decisions
Traffic generation, highway safety and parking
Noise, disturbance and other loss of amenities
Effect on trees
Landscaping issues
Conservation issues
Loss of light and overshadowing
Overlooking and loss of privacy
Design and layout; e.g. height/bulk/position of
buildings, appearance, effect on surrounding
area, density of the development
Ecological concerns

Issues which cannot be

taken into account include:
Boundary disputes, covenants or other

property rights
Inconvenience and matters dealt with by other

legislation (e.g. noise)

Opposition to the principle of development

where this has been settled by another

planning permission
Personal remarks [e.g. the applicant's
motives)
Loss of private view over land
Opposition based on business competition
The applicant's personal circumstances
unless, exceptionally, they can be material
(e.g. disability)
Reduction in property values

Five year
housing land
supply - in a
nutshell
From Breckland Council
Government changes to planning
guidance made in 2012 are nationally
impacting on the powers of many local
councils to refuse applications for new
housing
development
outside
settlement boundaries.
Breckland's Core Strategy 2001- 2026
for sustainable growth, was adopted in
2009 and set a target for new housing
over a 25 year period. The Strategy was
prepared
in
accordance
with
government guidance and the housing
target set was achievable given market
conditions at the time.
However, in March 2012, a significant
change to planning guidance was made
by government with the introduction of
the
National
Planning Policy
Framework. This placed a new
emphasis on the requirement for
councils to demonstrate that a certain
number of homes would be built by
developers over a rolling five year
period this is what is meant by the 5
year land housing supply. The new
government guidance is specifically
intended to boost housing delivery
significantly. It also anticipates that it
can be delivered evenly over the life of
the Core Strategy.
For Breckland, and for many other
authorities, this simply is not possible
as it is not something they are able to
influence. The number of houses built
within a five year period is determined
by the number of planning applications
coming forward from developers and,

once planning permission has been

granted, how quickly those developers
complete these sites.
Following the economic slow down
there has been a significant drop-off in
the number of planning applications for
housing coming forward, and also in
the housing that is subsequently
delivered after planning permission is
granted. This is one of the main reasons
that Breckland, like many other
authorities, is not able to deliver the
number of houses required by central
government over the next 5 years (i.e.
the 5 year land housing supply).
Breckland is more adversely affected
by the new guidance than many other
authorities because the bulk of our
planned
housing
development
contained in the Core Strategy is
concentrated in two main areas - the
Thetford Sustainable Urban Extension
and new housing in Attleborough.
As both are major developments that
will
need
complex
planning
permissions
and
substantial
infrastructure, it was always anticipated
that the majority of this development
would be delivered towards the end of
the life of the Core Strategy.
Consequently Breckland's planned
housing development will not be
delivered evenly as required by the new
government guidance. Because they
are in the early years of our Core
Strategy, when there is less housing
planned, Breckland is classed as under
-delivering.
A penalty imposed under the new
guidance
for
under-delivering
councils compounds the problem; this
states that under-delivering councils
must demonstrate a further 20% of
housing in addition to the 5 year
supply. In 2014 the Government
clarified the approach through the

National Planning Policy Guidance

stating that Local planning authorities
should aim to deal with any
undersupply within the first 5 years of
the plan period where possible
The consequence of the 2012 change in
guidance is being felt in Breckland with
a number of applications coming
forward
for
large
housing
developments outside settlement
boundaries. For example, recent
applications for up to 91 homes in
Mattishall, 175 homes in Attleborough
and 55 homes in Swaffham.
Following the change in 2012, many
councils find themselves in the same
situation as Breckland. Due to the slow
down in the economy and in housebuilding, there are simply not enough
houses or housing developments
coming forward and being completed
by developers to meet the 5 year
requirement. Because of this, under the
new guidance we are required to favour
applications for sustainable housing
development
outside
settlement
boundaries except where there are other
strong planning reasons for not doing
so.
What is being done to address the
problem?
Breckland says they are the only
Norfolk council taking a proactive
approach to addressing this problem by
working on developing a new Local
Plan with an ambitious timetable for
adoption. However, this is a long
process prescribed by government that
cannot be shortened.
The first stage, the Issues and Options
consultation ended on 9 January this
year, but there are many more stages to
be completed before the new Local
Plan is adopted, which is likely to be
towards the end of 2016.

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 8

Watton
Girlguiding takes
to the Airwaves
22nd February each year means only one thing
to the Girlguiding movement and that is
Thinking Day! You may be wondering what we
think about, maybe the weather or the latest
song. Well although we might think about those
things, the 22nd February is the day when we
think about others in the world who are also
members of the World Association of Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). The date
of the 22nd of February is chosen because it is
the joint birthdays of the founder Lord Robert
Baden-Powell and his wife, Lady Olave BadenPowell who was made the World Chief Guide
in 1930.
This years celebration however was extra
special. It all came about when my brother
Julian (editor of Wayland News) was showing
me his Amateur Radio set up and demonstrating
what he could do with. I must confess that I was
thinking I am really not interested in this but I
played along until ping - a light bulb in my
head lit up Thinking Day On The Air! I have
often thought I would like to take part in this
and now I saw the opportunity. Suddenly I was
interested. So I mentioned this to him and to cut
what would be a longer story short Julian got in
touch with the Bittern DX group to see what
they could do. I originally thought I would like

to do this with my Brownie Unit but after

speaking to Joanne Oxborough (District
Commissioner for Watton Girlguiding) it had
grown into a somewhat bigger District event.
After what seemed like quite a long time of
nothing much happening the day was rapidly
approaching and I learnt very fast of what it
means to be a co-ordinator with emails flying
here and there, text messaging, good old
fashioned telephoning and even face to face
conversations!
The Bitter DXers and I, separately, came up
with the idea of asking radio Norfolks Treasure
Quest to use us as a clue location. So that was
arranged too and was the icing on the cake for
me! It was very hard keeping quiet about it!
So on the actual day of Thinking Day, Watton
District Guiding and the Bittern DX club from
North Norfolk coast met at Saham Village Hall
(Wells Cole Community Centre) for a day of
thinking and learning about and speaking with
other Guiding members in the world. Also
various activities were provided by the Leaders
which included finding out more about
WAGGGS, learning to tie friendship knots,
making friendship bracelets, learning lots about
Morse code by icing biscuits and putting their
initials on using sweets in Morse code, making
bracelets of their name in Morse code, learning
the phonetic alphabet by completing a jigsaw
and finding out about time zones by making
time wheels. Also the Bittern DX club provided
us with yet more activities with memory
puzzles, sending Morse code messages and the
popular fox hunt - but of the radio transmitter

variety. In fact it was this activity that led Radio

Norfolks Kirsteen Thorne to the treasure on
Treasure Quest.
In the region of 80 Brownies, Rainbows and
Guides and around 25 Leaders, Senior Section
and Trefoil Guild members attended. Half way
through the day we all had an indoor picnic
lunch after which we were joined by Rev Gerry
Foster and we had a short service when we lit
(battery operated) candles
representing
Members of the Guiding Movement over the
world and each section renewed their Promises.
Joanne then presented Vicky Rutterford, Alice
Oxborough, Bekka Page and Lauren Southgate
with their Leadership Qualification and
Catherine Burrows with her ten year Service
Badge and everyone who took part in the day
received a Thinking Day On The Air badge.
It was a day that took a lot of organising but
was certainly well worth it! Our special thanks
to the Bittern DX club for all their hard work in
making the day so special and Radio Norfolk
for choosing us as a clue location and my
personal thanks to Joanne and all the Watton
District Girlguiding Leaders for their help in
providing activities and giving up their time and
family for the day.
If you would like to find out more about
Girlguiding or are interested in joining please
visit the Girlguiding website
www.girlguiding.org.uk/interested
or call 0800 1 69 59 01
Bryony Horn, On behalf of Watton District
Girlguiding. Membership no. 406255

Above Left: Rainbow Guides and Leaders learn about

time zones and finding out the time in other parts of the
world using time wheels.
Above right: A busy radio room - brownies were able to
speak over the air with other units taking part and also
with amateurs many miles away.
Below: 2nd from Left, Radio Norfolks Kirstene Thorne
with members of the Bittern DX Group after finding the
weeks Treasure. This was done using what is know as A
Foxhunt the fox being a small radio transmitter that has
to be located used direction finding equipment. The full
line up form left to right are Donna M6HDM, Kirsteen
Thorne, Club Chairman Steve M0HET, Parsley M6FBE
and Adam M3OWX

Above: Trefoil Guild member Janet

Selvy and some Brownies learn how to
send out and receive simple messages
in Morse code.

The Wayland News Page 9

April 2015

Anger at
Planning in
Watton
The Queens Hall, Watton was packed to
capacity on the evening of Tuesday 10th
March for what was, at times, a bad
tempered public meeting debating the
increasing levels of housing development
applications in and around the town.
Organised by Watton Town Council in
response to increasing levels of
complaints on social media and comment
in the local press, the meeting heard
questions from the floor answered by
Mid-Norfolk MP, George Freeman, Cllr
Michael Wassell who is Leader of
Breckland District Council and Town
Councillor, local developer Mr Tony
Abel, Chief Inspector Paul Wheatley and
Martin Pendlebury Director of Planning
& Business Manager and representatives
from two of the developers who
presently have contentious applications
in for the town.
Opening the meeting Cllr Wassell
explained some of the background to the
meeting and declared that he was
appalled at the present situation.
Breckland Council, he said, would resist
any unsuitable development applications,
but Breckland was open for business and
it was acknowledged that there would be
some growth.
He highlighted the fact that in Watton,
growth since the year 2000 had not
actually been that high, but recent
problems at Watton Medical Practice
where 1,500 patients had been
deregistered because of lack of capacity,
had heightened peoples concerns about
the town's ability to cope with further
development. Cllr Wassell urged
residents to 'bring down' the councils online planning portal with complaints.
George Freeman MP said that the
planning system was broken and not fit
for purpose and that he would fight for
communities, as he has done recently,
where he could. But it was in the hands
of residents to make the difference.
Speaking after the meeting and drawing

Dereham Band
Spring Concert

On Saturday evening, 25th April,

Dereham Memorial Hall will once
again resound to the sound of music
when Dereham Band, directed by Mr
Tony Hampton, presents its Spring
Concert.
The programme for this the first
concert of the year, which is their

comparisons with recent applications at

Mattishall and Shipdham, Mr Wassell
said If people in Watton really object to
the type of development applications that
we are currently seeing in Watton, then
they need to make their feelings known,
not on Streetlife, not on Facebook, but
directly to the Local Planning Authority,
which is Breckland Council, either by
email or letter, or phone call. said Cllr
Wassell
ALL objections count, and are effective,
witness the 350 letters from the 2500
Mattishall residents, objecting to a
Gladman proposal to build 90 homes
compared to the (as of 8/3/2015) 73
letters that were registered on the
planning site for 4 applications for a total
of 510 homes.
Seventy three letters from a population
of 7,202 is 1.01%, so 99% of the
population are not objecting! If we had
the same proportion of letters from
residents as Mattishall (14%) there
would be over 1000 letters.
Cllr Wassell continued Also, people
need to look at the wider picture, dont
just object to the developments that they
can see from their kitchen window;
speculative and unsuitable developments
in Watton affect the whole town, not just
those that are in the immediate vicinity,
so we need to come together and speak
out either for or against the developments

across the town.

The
Mid-Norfolk
Prospective
Parliamentary Candidate for the Labour
Party, Harry Clarke was in the audience
Keen to hear local concerns.
Mr Clarke said I've been involved with
residents in many other areas. What
struck me was a sense of dissatisfaction
with elected representatives. But
importantly no apparent responsibility by
our MP for the National Planning Policy
Framework that he helped bring in"
Mr Clarke continued In 2011 the British
Property Federation welcomed the
relaxation of planning regulation. The
National Trust and the Council for the
Protection of Rural England said it would
lead to a developers charter. And so it
has proved!"
Anna Coke, the Mid-Norfolk Prospective
Parliamentary Candidate for UKIP spoke
saying that what Cllr Wassell had said
was correct. people need to come
together to object.
Speaking after the meeting Watton
resident, Mr Norman Phillips, said The
meeting was a waste of time, nothing
was accomplished other than the letting
off of steam by local inhabitants, if I
were a councillor or developer, I would
have been very happy at the outcome of
the meeting as it portrayed residents as
an impotent group of NIMBY's, which
they are not!

prelude to summer, will include of a

wide variety of brass band music
including marches, film music and
show tunes.
Tickets are available at 6.00, under
16s free, from band members, on
01362 692374 or on the door. The
concert starts at 7.30 and doors open at
7.00.
The Bands very busy season will
continue with outdoor concerts in a
variety of venues throughout the

county including The Queen Mothers

Garden Dereham, The Sandringham
Visitors Centre, The Walks Kings
Lynn, Hunstanton Bandstand and
Swanton Morley Bygones Rally
together with Eaton Park in Norwich.
The year finishes with the Christmas
Concert back at the Memorial Hall on
12th December.
The annual charity collection will be
made while playing carols at Dereham
Morrisons on 20th December.

The Wayland News Page 10

April 2015

Moving On with Inner Wheel

Once again this has been a busy and

interesting month with a number of
activities to keep the Inner Wheel
ladies out of mischief. At the third
of the current season of Lunchtime
Concerts, guests were entertained
by Seriously Saxy (above) a wellknown local saxophone quartet
playing a variety of mostly familiar
tunes. Audience participation was
encouraged in the form of clapping
and singing thus ensuring that
everyone present worked up an
appetite for the delicious lunch
which followed the performance.
After expenses, a profit of 226:64
was added to the Charity Account.
The next event was a return of the
popular Queens Hall Coffee
Morning where the ladies were, at
times, rushed off their feet serving
eager, hungry and thirsty customers
with tea and coffee accompanied by
a huge selection of extremely
yummy home- made goodies. As a
result of their efforts and the
support of many people, 175 was
raised for the Queens Hall
Maintenance Fund.
At the regular monthly meeting,
members welcomed
Anne
Edwards from the John Innes
Institute. Using slides to illustrate
her talk, Anne gave a fascinating
and often amusing insight into the
origins of the Institute and its work,
from the early twentieth century to
the present day, including groundbreaking research into the causes
and spread of the terrible Ash
Dieback
Disease.
Questions
followed the presentation after
which the speaker was thanked by
Pam Challand. After a break for
refreshments, President Brenda
Davis chaired the Business Meeting
at which plans were made for some

very important future events. The

first is a Defibrillator Training Day,
hosted by Inner Wheel, to be held at
the Watton Christian Community
Centre on Tuesday 24th March
between
9:30
and
4:30.
Representatives from businesses,
clubs, organisations and churches
are urged to attend as are members
of
the
general
public.
Demonstrations by staff from the
Heart Beat Trust will take place
throughout the day and light
refreshments will be available. This
event is FREE so please come
along and learn how to use this lifesaving equipment. There is a fourth
Lunchtime Concert on Wednesday
25th March at which the
entertainment will be provided by
the ever-popular West End Waiters
(tickets available now 5 including
lunch). Then on Sunday 26th April
at 2:30 there is to be a Memorial
Concert to celebrate the life of John
Garratt. Run jointly by Watton
Rotary Club and the Inner Wheel,
the afternoon promises to be a very
special occasion. The West End
Waiters will once again be
performing and this time they will
be joined by Susie Turner and
Annette Jude, and Richard Crawley
and Karen Stuart. Tea and cakes
will be served in the interval and
there will be a raffle with exciting
prizes to be won. All profits will be
given to the John Garratt Tribute
Fund for Research into Motor
Neurone Disease. Tickets are
available (price 6) and, as always,
we are most grateful to Mullengers
for acting as Box Office for both
these events. Do come and join us,
we look forward to your company.
Lesley Cowling Club
Correspondent

A Welcome To Revd
Deborah Hamilton-Grey

At 3.30pm on Sunday 3rd May 2015, we will welcome Revd Deborah

Hamilton-Grey to join St Marys Watton and All Saints Threxton as
Curate (Assistant Vicar).
The Rt Revd Jonathan Meyrick, Bishop of Lynn will be with us and
hopefully stay for tea, coffee and cake after the service. We do hope as
many people as possible will come to this service.

Wayland - a Dementia
Friendly Community
The Wayland Academy kindly hosted
an Age UK Norfolk/Wayland
Partnership event to launch a training
programme to help businesses and
organisations become more aware of
the needs of people living with
dementia - and their carers. About
70 people from local businesses and
organisations heard some excellent
speakers explain the nature of
dementia and its impact on those
living with the condition and those
who care for them. Those attending
enjoyed an enormous cake kindly
made by Partnership Board Member
Katharine Wolstenholme of College
Farm Thompson.
We were extremely grateful to
Wayland Academy and Principal
Glen Allott, for hosting this event and
especially to year 11 student Daniel
Pratley who provided the sound and
presentation facilities.

The Dementia Caf

In the week following the training

launch came the event we had all
been looking forward to with
considerable excitement as well as
nervousness - the launch of the
Dementia Caf at Watton Christian
Community Centre. Would anyone
turn up? Would there be too many for
the space? Would we be able to cope?
In the event it was an amazing
morning. Guests and representatives
from a range of agencies came to
wish us well, volunteers came to help
or to offer help in the future and there
were nine people with dementia and
their carers. Frank Buckley brought
his guitar and music - and his wife
Gill, and there were games to play.
The tea and coffee flowed, as did the
conversation and Rita, our guest from
Wymondham Pabulum Caf, cut the
cake (pictured right) so kindly
provided by Steering Group member
Katie Powell.
There is much still to do; the
volunteers need to be registered in
order to be covered by the Partnership
insurance and DBS checked in order

Hackers, Tackers
and Stuffers
At the session on the 24th February
members spent the evening making,
preparing or finishing Heart Cushions
for those who have had breast surgery
as a result of cancer. Many were taken
home to complete. These are given free
of charge as needed.
At the meeting on the 24th March a
member will demonstrate the making of
a jewellery pouch, details for this are
available on the Blog as usual.
Much of our time in recent weeks has
been taken with preparations for the
Coffee Morning for Project Linus

to work with vulnerable adults. We

are very grateful for all the volunteers
who offered help and support and the
Co-Op/Breckland Funeral Service for
providing refreshments. In the
meantime the training will take place
in the training room at Wayland
House and we shall soon see
Wayland Dementia Aware stickers in
local shop windows.
The next event is the Fashion Show
which is being promoted by Wayland
Women in Business to raise funds for
the Dementia Aware programme and
will be presented by fashion outlet
Artichoke. Once again we are truly
grateful for all the hard work that has
gone into organising this.
The Dementia Caf will be open
again for people who live with
Dementia and their carers at the
Christian Community Centre on April
7th from 10 12. We regret to say that
while we would love to be able to
provide coffee and company for the
public, we have neither the funding
nor the space to do so.

Ray & Janet do the washing up!

which we are hosting on 18th April.

This has been widely advertised
locally and nationally so we hope for
many visitors, having had over 70 the
last time in 2013.
If members have not yet volunteered
for making cakes for refreshments;
objects for the craft sales table and a
little time on the day itself please
contact Pauline on 01760 788110 or
email mer80rsj@gmail.com
We have established a very good
reputation for hosting such events and
hope to make this the best ever.
For information ring Jane on 01953
884215 or look on the Blog at
http://htsqgroup.blogspot.

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 11

Shellrock
Circle Club

The Phoenix
Pipes &
Drums are
Recruiting
As a result of being awarded a grant
in the Breckland District Council
Participatory budgeting recently, The
Phoenix Pipes & Drums are now
recruiting individuals living in
Breckland to learn the Bagpipes and
Drums.
Although the Phoenix Pipes & Drums
are a new name to Watton, their
involvement in the Pipe Band world
is certainly not. In the last 12 months
alone, Pipers from Watton have
performed at the Cenotaph in
London, at the Antwerp Tattoo in
Belgium, at a private ceremony for
Prince Laurent of Belgium, for the
Canadian High Commission In
London and have many high profile
events home and abroad planned for
this year, including the Last Post
Ceremony at the Menin Gate in
Ypres and at the Ystad Military
Tattoo in Sweden.
The Band Pipe Major, Stan Hebborn
said, We are extremely grateful to
Breckland Council and would like to
thank those who voted to support our
project. Whilst we are delighted to
have been given this grant for
equipment to help learners, we want
to ensure it is used properly and for
the right reasons. We are now in a
position to offer piping and

For The Over 50s of Rocklands

& The Surrounding Districts

drumming tuition to anyone over 13

in the community that would like to
learn, without exception to gender or
ability This grant will allow us to
introduce individuals to the benefits
of one on one learning, and allow
those who have the ability to play to
get involved without fear of financial
constraint. Wherever possible we
issue all uniform and equipment free
of charge. Our aim is to recruit 15
new members in 2015.
Pipe Sergeant Natasha Rudd said, I
am absolutely delighted that this
money has been made available to
invest in new members. There is now
no restriction on anyone learning to
play in a Pipe Band! Young or old,
employed or unemployed, everyone
has the same opportunity. We try to
run the Band on a cost neutral basis

so that the only commitment people

have to make is their time
Pipe Sergeant Catherine Lee added,
We all start on a level playing field,
this grant allows for people from all
backgrounds and ability to begin
from scratch. This is a great
opportunity for everyone and
anyone
The Band meet most Wednesdays at
the Blenheim Families Club, Tedder
Close Watton, from 7 until 9 pm. If
you would like to know more please
email Stan on stan@hebborn.co.uk or
call 07792 135071 for more details.
The photograph shows the two Band
Pipe Sergeants, Natasha Rudd and
Catherine Lee playing at the Battle
of Waterloo 200th Anniversary
Dinner at the East India Club, St.
James Square in London

Venue: The Village Hall, The Street,

Rocklands. (Contact: Allyson
Blandford 01953 488103)
All fellow flower arrangers of the "pop
it in a vase and hope for the best"
school of thought will have to wait a
few more months to learn how to make
interesting and attractive floral
displays.
Due to unfortunate
circumstances Margaret couldn't be
with us on the 11th of March but had
to be rebooked for October.
Thankfully, Elaine Denny was able to
step into the breach and she entertained
us with songs of the 50's and 60's. We
were encouraged to don cowboy hats
for the country and western numbers
and to shake tambourines and shake
maracas to the other easy listening
songs. A few members, with very little
encouragement got up and danced.
"Strictly " has got nothing to worry
about. Altogether a very pleasant
afternoon was enjoyed. The task was

won by Allyson of Rocklands. Next

month's letter will be "W."
Our AGM will be held on the 8th of
April. Do come along to give the
committee your support. Although
several members who have served for a
few years are happy to carry on, our
Chairwoman is standing down along
with three other members, so if you
would like to see the club continue and
can give a little of your time to serve on
the committee please let me know
( phone number as above.)
On the 16th of May, our fund raising
Spring Fete will be held. Please start
collecting things for the usual stalls.
All contributions will be most
gratefully received.
If there is somewhere of interest you
would like to visit, please let Margaret
English know. We need a lot of
support for outings as the cost of hiring
the coach has risen and we need it to be
as fully booked as possible to make it
worthwhile. Don't forget you can have
family and friends with you even if
they are not members of the club. A
small extra charge will be made for non
-members.
NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS
WELCOME

The Ovington Annual

Quiz and Buffet

Saturday, 2nd May 7.30pm. Attention all you quiz buffs! The annual Quiz and
Buffet is taking place in the village hall, Ovington, on Saturday 2nd May at
7.30pm. Ring 01953 885848 to enter (teams of 4) without delay as space is
limited and tickets will not be available on the door. Tickets cost 7.50 per
person and include a full buffet supper of cold cuts or veggie options and
salads. Proceeds from this and the raffle will go to village hall funds.

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 12

Watton Rotary
Round Up
Ed: My apologies for the omission of the
monthly RoundUp last month.
We held our annual awards evening the
Young Chef and Young Poet
competitions in February, organized in
association with the Wayland Academy.
The 6 students - the winners and runners
-up in each category - and 2 staff: Mrs
Mandy Beckwith (for Young Chef) and
Miss Jo Paterson (for Young Poet)
attend a weekly dinner meeting and were
joined after the meal by parents to
witness the presentations.
YOUNG CHEF. For the final the
students had to prepare and cook a 2
course meal. The judges were Rotarian
David Branson, Tia Bird (Hare & Barrel
Hotel), Mrs Beckwith and other
Academy staff; they all enjoyed the
tastings! Despite working to a prescribed
marking sheet covering heath & safety,
presentation, taste and texture, the
judges still found it difficult to sort out
the final order.
None the less they did and Emma Rear
was declared the winner; she cooked
Minted Meat Balls, Green Beans &
Potatoes
followed
by Pineapple
Upsidedown Pudding. Runners up were
Toni Cobb (Meatball Casserole; Swiss
Roll), and Harrison Gillespie (Baked
Salmon Fillet with Cream & Pesto
Sauce; Bitter Chocolate Pot with
Raspberries). Photographs of the meals
were projected at the meeting.
YOUNG POET. The students were
given a theme - this year it was 'Life at
Night'. Initially the poems were submitted
in draft form and reviewed by retired
English teacher Rotarian Peter Cowling.
Peter gave each entrant a short interview
with guidance on how to improve their
poems for his final judgment. The winner

Pictured left to right back row: Harrison Gillespie, Callum Hughson

Front row Megan Green, Megan Evans, Emma Rear, Toni Cobb
was Megan Evans, with runners up Megan
Green and Callum Hughson. Prior to
receiving their prizes and certificates, Peter
commented on each piece, which the
composers read out to the assembled
company.
POLIO Elimination. In the February
issue we mentioned about our polio
awareness crocuses, they came into full
bloom in the 2nd week of March, in
Thetford Road (opposite Tesco), Harvey
Street junction with Nelson Court,
Merton Green, and elsewhere. The same
colour as the finger dipping dye used to
show a child has been dosed with the
oral vaccine, these deep purple crocuses
are symbolic of the constant but
impactful immunization programme.
Worldwide, just 17 cases of polio have
been reported so far this year, half that
of in the same period last year. 16 were
in Pakistan and one in Afghanistan (27
and 3 respectively last year). There have

been no cases in Nigeria since July

2014, and none in 6 non-endemic
countries where there were outbreaks
last year. Were getting there! Donations
always welcome, especially through the
crocus lapel pin scheme. This can be
found at our events (below) or requested
from any member.
EVENTS: You may read this in time to
come to the ever-popular biannual
traditional jazz gig with DixieMix at the
Queens Hall on 27th March. Tickets 12
at Adcocks or pre-booked on 01953
884224, or on the door 12.50(includes
light supper). If its too late to visit the
first of our monthly Wednesday market
bric-a-brac stalls on 18th March, the
next one will be on 22nd April and,
normally, the 4th Wednesday thereafter.
We are doing the refreshments (coffee
&c, and soup) at the Craft Market in
Queens Hall on Saturday 4th April
9.30am to 1.30pm. Martin Anscombe.

Wayland
Academy
excellence
recognised in
innovation
awards
Staff and students from Schools across
Norfolk, together with representatives
from business and community gathered at
Wymondham High Academy for the
Norfolk Innovation Awards 2015
presented by The Norfolk Way, an
organisation set up eight years ago to
promote the spirit of innovation and
enterprise in Norfolk and encourage the
next generation.
Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman who
founded The Norfolk Way in 2007, said
Together we will help build a network of
Norfolk enterprise and Innovation to help
power the Norfolk Economy for the 21st
century.
"For too long Wayland and Mid Norfolk
has been treated by Brussels and
Whitehall as a rural backwater. But with
Cambridge and Norwich Science and
Innovation Parks only 30 miles away,
with the A11 opened up, the A47 now
being dualled, fast broadband and my
campaign to upgrade the Norwich Cambridge railway gaining strength, we
are now starting to be better connected.
"With better connectivity we can spread
the cluster of fast growing small
companies out from Norwich and Hethell
into areas like Wayland. Bringing jobs
and opportunity back to our villages and

four of the five 2014 winners of Norfolk Way Bursaries, from left Catherine Lee
and Marcie Francis from Wayland Academy, Tapi Mamutse from Wymondham
High and Josh Ratcliffe from Dereham Neatherd with George Freeman MP.
towns, and strengthening our communities.
It's wonderful to see Wayland High now an Academy - being recognised as a
leading school in vocational skills and
training - and our youngsters talent being
recognised."
Awards were presented in nine categories
for staff and students from Norfolk
schools and there were 38 nominees from
big city schools and small rural ones.
Wayland Academy, and Wayland Junior
Academy were nominated for in six
categories and won an award in four.
Student Robin Reece won his award for
the Best Idea for Commercial Innovation,
Science Technician, won a special award
for her work, while Katja Galea from
Wayland Junior Academy was recognised
as the Most Inspiring Junior School
Science
Teacher.
The
Science
Department at Wayland Academy won
the award for the school which achieved
the most with the least.

The Final award of the evening went to

Lord Sainsbury of Turville for his lifetime
of work in both science and the Arts.
The audience were also introduced to four
of the five 2014 winners of Norfolk Way
bursaries, two of whom were from
Wayland Academy. The bursaries are
awarded to students to enable them, with
financial support and mentoring, to
pursue innovative projects.
George Freeman MP said The Norfolk
Way is about promoting a new vision of
rural development, based on smaller oganic
growth, and supporting our small growing
businesses and our youngsters to be enabled
to access those opportunities.
The Innovation Awards are not just about
science but about turning science into
innovation; new products, businesses and
jobs. There are opportunities for all our
workforce in this: not just the 'boffins' in the
labs.
http://thenorfolkway.co.uk/

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 13

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 14

Letters to the Editor

Meeting Watton`s needs?
Those at the meeting at Queen`s Hall made very clear the public`s dismay
that the increase of housing development fails to take into account the load
on services that this imposes and destroys for ever precious green sites. That
this is due largely to government policy was not acknowledged fairly either
by our M.P. or by local councillors. We should not blame developers,
wishing to expand their business taking advantage of flawed legislation and
enjoying the encouragement given them.
Although the Hall was full, the attendance was low when we see for
example from the extensive documentation in Hopkins Home plans for
development off Saham Rd. they claim to have sent papers to 4.452
households. That the Town Mayor started by limiting discussion to Watton
ignored the very significant affect of housing outside the boundaries and of
road and transport problems caused to nearby villages.
The essential need that objection to planning proposals be on valid grounds,
by individual letters was emphasised by Anna Coke and both she and others
of us are concerned that full weight of the Town`s opposition is diluted by
the fact that we do not have a central body as is so efficiently established at
Matishall. Action in smaller numbers on individual sites is less effective. It
is believed that plans are afoot for a central "Watton Matters" group and this
must have your support.
Only by clear sustained public action can there be hope to overcome the
problems of failure properly to influence and control development. Keith
Taylor. Watton.
Thank You to anonymous Polish couple
Thank you to the anonymous Polish couple who who returned my wallet
which I had dropped in Watton High Street. They refused to accept any
reward and I feel their honesty deserves a mention. Mark Adcock
The A11 Thanks
Thank you to all those involved in making the A11 a great road for
us to travel on. Revd Gerry Foster, Watton.

Holme Hale Bingo

At the Village Hall,
Weds1st and Sat 11th April
Cash Prizes Eyes Down 7.30pm

PRIZE BINGO
Wednesday 8th April
Ashill Community Centre Eyes Down 7.30pm
In aid of St Nicholas Church Roof Appeal

DEREHAM & DISTRICT

CAT ADOPTION CENTRE

Hoe Road, Longham, Dereham NR19 2RP
Rehoming Cats and Providing Advice
& Help With Neutering
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Letter from
Australia
By Chris O'Connor
This story begins one quiet Sunday
afternoon when a man decides to take his
beloved dog for a walk. They do this
each day and try to take a
different route; in the first
instance so that the dog gets to
mark his territory in a different
place each time and secondly
so that the owner can take a
peek at what the locals are
doing to their homes not
much Im afraid to say.
By Australian standards this is
an old town, just over 150 years old and
it sits on the edge of a vast farming area
in the north of South Australia. Some
parts of this area are particularly dry and
farmers struggle each year to return a
good harvest but in the area where I live
the weather is mostly kind (although it
can be a literal killer in summer) and the
farmers manage to earn a good living.
One problem with living in a farming
area is snakes. You see when you have
wheat farming, as this area does, there
are a lot of rodents feeding off the seed
and thrash from the harvesting.
Consequently snakes find this a gourmet
haven and an easy one at that. To put it
simply they dont have to work very hard
to get their daily feed.
However before I go too far in this story
let me explain a few things to you.
Australia is home to at least five of the
most venomous snakes in the world and
several of them happen to live near me
hidden most of the time amongst the
rubble of the farms. Of course like all
reptiles they have to come out during the
day to sun themselves and for want of a
better term recharge their batteries.
Well, on this aforementioned day as I
walked my dog we happened to come
across one of these little critters resting
in the sun but ever aware of the dangers
around.
Unfortunately my dog, whose nose must
be the most sensitive in the world sussed
him out too and decided to have a closer
inspection. Now any person knows (or at
least they should do) that when you spot
a snake you go in the opposite direction
as quickly as possible.
However my dog was intent on having a
closer look and as I tried to drag him
away the snake struck. Not the dog but
me. His fangs momentarily embedded
themselves just above my thumb and
inserted their venom.
I have to be very honest and say that for
a moment I thought I saw my life flash
before me but common sense took over
and as luck would have it we were
walking near the local hospital at the
time. With some speed (which my body
has not known for some time now) I
hastened to the Emergency Department
where a very switched on senior nurse
began the process of stopping the venom
rushing through my body and calling
medical teams locally and at the main
emergency hospital some 200 kilometres
away.
We have a term in Australia called the
tyranny of distance and I have to admit I
knew exactly what that term meant as lay
on the local emergency bed and thought
of my future. Would I make it to the
main hospital 200 km away before
somebody up there decided my time was
up?
Now I have to admit that much of the
rest of this story is a bit of a blur so bear
with me as I try to explain what
happened over the next few hours, days
and weeks. I do recall one of the local
medical staff assuring me that I was ok
and that, most importantly to me at the

time that my dog would be taken care of.

We tried to identify the snake and
worked out (although we were never
sure) that it was an Eastern Brown one of
the most deadly in Australia if not the
world. (As the initial bite is generally
painless and often difficult to detect,
anyone suspected of receiving a bite
from an Eastern Brown Snake should
call for medical attention
without delay. This species
has the unfortunate distinction
of causing more deaths from
snake bite than any other
species of snake in Australia
Source:
australianmuseum.net.au)
Then I recall an ambulance
officer telling me that I was
being transported to the local airport for
a medical evacuation. I recall a nurse on
the plane holding my hand and
reassuring me that all was ok and then
everything is a blank that is until
several hours later when I work up in
Emergency 200 km away and the
medical team was quietly going about
their job of ensuring I was safe, my
blood was flowing although not
coagulating as much as it should, that my
breathing was ok although a little rapid
more from fear than anything else and
telling my son that his old man was
going to make it. By the way, even
though I lost a few hours of my life the
medical evacuation took a mere 23
minutes from airport to major hospital
which tells you something about the
brilliance of a medical system that
operates in a remote area.
For some days I was in out of
consciousness and dont recall very
much. My hand was sore although not
painful but there were times when my
lucidity was almost nonexistent. Im
going to get technical here and do some
medical speak about this little critter that
decided to take me on: The medical
dictionary will tell you that: what the
snake lacks in venom delivery it makes
up for in potency. The venom contains
powerful
presynaptic
neurotoxins,
procoagulants, cardio toxins and
nephrotoxins,
and
successful
envenomation can result in progressive
paralysis and uncontrollable bleeding.
Occasional fatalities have occurred as a
result of bleeding into the brain due to
coagulation disturbances. What that all
means to us lay people is that it is not a
very nice snake and can cause problems
with the nervous system, the heart, blood
coagulation and paralysis. Most of which
Im told I endured or came close to.
Such was my state that the medical team
decided it would be safer to place me in
an induced coma for a week so that my
mind and body could would be in a
controlled suspended state where the
doctors and nurses would have total
control over what went on rather than my
mind which I have to admit was racing at
a million millions an hour and making an
old atheist begin to wonder whether he
should start believing again. I didnt by
the way although Im sure there is some
external being that looked after me over
those tumultuous days.
Let me finish by saying that after several
weeks and losing eight kilos in weight I
was allowed to go and stay with a friend
for a few weeks while I rested up and
thought back on how lucky I had been.
My dog, oblivious to how close he had
come to being a fatal statistic (animals
rarely survive such an attack) jumped all
over me when we were reunited and
although we have not started walking
again just yet you can be assured that it
will be a more vigilant human being who
scans the ground around him as we take
out daily constitutional.
Hopefully that was just the first of my
nine lives.

The Ovington Crower

Ed thank you for the feedback as

requested last month. It has been
overwhelmingly positive.
There were two negative comments, both
anonymous, which is disappointing given
that I promised confidentiality.
One was only one sentence and the other,
more detailed.
There is no intention to offend, upset or
bully anyone in the Crower and having
thought very, very carefully, my judgement
is that, subject to Sid being wiling, the
Crower will continue. If you don't like
Sid's scribblings, then please don't read
them and, dare I say, don't read The
Wayland News either. And if you find the
Wayland News coming through your door
unwanted, do let me know and I shall try
to make it stop. So, over to Sid . . .
Thas me agin, thort Ide betta kip yew
upterdeart wi wos gooin on in tha citi of
Ovinton.
Thet hent rearned fer nigh on a week so
allonus is owt in the gardin or lottmints
gitting orl tha seed inna tha grownd reddy
fer a marsterful crop of suffin good learta
on.
I hed a wurd wi Boy Julian, (he print orl
this ole squit yew no) and he rekkun thet I
hev ffended a lotta fooke in tha willage
wi my scriblins. Cor blarst ole partna I
say. I nivva ment tew hut ennywuns
feelins, I am reely sorry. I say ter him I
say. Tell yew wot, iffen orl them wos bin
upset cum up tha pub of a Satdi, Ill showt
em orl a harf o moild, jist ter show I dint
meen noo harm
Dint I tellya thar wos gooin ter be anutha o
tha doos uppa tha Horl? I thort I did.
Ennyhow thet tunned owt to be a reel
good eevnin, thar ware tew ole boys
alonguv a yung mawtha a singin an torkin
abowt orl tha diffrunces atween us pore
peepal an them wos got plenny o munny.
We hed a good larf.
Cos tha mawthas did us prowd wi orl tha
wittals onna tha tearbles, I gotta hand it
tew them ole boyz an gells wot run tha
horl leartly, thar no how tew lay on tha
jollifications. Horry spent moost o his time
mardlin wi tha blook sarvin tha beer, he
dint git a free wun tho. We dint goo short
o ennything thet evenin.
I hatta larf, I tolt tha ole Cowncil
chairwummen thet me an Horry an
Horrys neffy ware orl gooin ter hev a goo
at gitten on tha cowncil cum tha lecshun
in May, cos we thort thas time fer a
chearnge o lookal govmint, an we rekkun
we cud git enuff votes down tha pub ter git
us lected unposed. Cor blarst dint she git
orl rowsed up, nex day she wos hossin up
an down tha Street givin bits o pearpa wi
har piktur on to evrawun, an sayin she wos
gooin ter meark shoor orl tha owld people
hed free milk an the littluns wood git a
free bus pass.
We hent got tha hart tew tell har we wos
onny pullin har leg, be trewfull, kin yew
see Horry on tha cowncil? No I dint
rekkun so eetha.
We hed a bittof a hellup in tha pub tha
otha day, tha ole landlord is an Ipswitch
sporta, an wen citi beat em cor he was
suffin raw, thar wos more beer went onna
tha flore than went in the pots. Cos we dint
let him fergit tha score, howsomeva we
got ower cumuppence cos he corled
closing time arly, fust time Horry hed
gone hoom sooba fer menny a day.
Boy Julian sed thet sumwun rekkun I
coont spell Thetford rite, thet shud be
Feford.
Hes rite, but wen I wos at skool our
teecha cum fra Thetford and tha oonla bit
he tort me wos how tew spell and say
Thetford, nun of his otha teechins stuck
but thet bit did, so thas wun bit o skoolin I
got rite, or praps not.
Well thas gitten on fer suppa so I shell
wish yew orl well an doont fergit.
Dew Yew kip a troshin. Boy Sid

The Wayland News Page 15

News from the

Wayland
Partnership

As usual it has been a very busy month!

Apart from managing the Pride in
Breckland
Participatory
Budget
Programme for the Wayland area, which
culminated in 10 local projects receiving
funding, and the Wayland Dementia
Aware and Dementia Caf programme
reported elsewhere, we have been
bringing our website up to date. This has
been at the planning stage for some time
congratulations to Suzanne for grasping
the nettle, teaching herself the basics and
getting the job done within three weeks of
her return to us in February. Newsletters
and minutes will now be posted there
making it easier for the Wayland
community to keep in touch.
Business We are looking forward to
welcoming Daniel, an Academy student,
for Work Experience from March 16th.
Following the success of Jobs in
Thetford we have introduced Jobs in
Wayland a New Facebook group to
inform people looking for work of what is
available in the Wayland area.
Following the success of the Farmhouse
Breakfast, we are planning a business
lunch event possibly with a tourism
theme, with the Wayland Chamber.
In the Acorn Training Room we are
planning more tablet training. We are also
working with voluntary Norfolk on
website training for beginners and
exploring the possibility of accounts and
marketing management training for new/
small businesses. A number of craft
workshops are at the planning stage.
Dragonfly Gallery/Visitor Centre
The Gallery opened for the season on Sat
28th Feb. The first exhibition was a
Ceramics Showcase with 6 nationally
known ceramicists. The second exhibition
Spring is in the air will be a mixed
media show with work form artists across
East Anglia, which starts on March 28th
with a coffee morning and runs for two
weeks.
Heritage
The WWI project is
progressing well. Apart from the planned
written/pictorial report,
the
main
commemorative event and exhibition will
take place over the weekend 14th and
15th November at the Sports Centre.
Health Dementia Aware.
(Reported
elsewhere)
A number of organisations have raised
funds to support the programme and
WWIB are holding a fashion Show on
March 17th
We will be organising a health and wellbeing marquee at this years Wayland
Show on August 2nd.

Breckland
Harmony
Concert
Popular choral music
& readings
Raising funds for Carbrooke Church
Roof repair following lead theft.
th

25 April 2015 7pm

Carbrooke Church.

April 2015
Partnership Representative meeting
March 2nd In addition to the usual round
-up pf Partner news, we discussed
potential new funding opportunities and
neighbourhood planning.
Neighbourhood planning was introduced
in 2011 through the Localism Act. It
allows local residents and businesses to
have their own planning policies in a
neighbourhood plan that reflects their
priorities, delivers tangible local benefits
and has real weight in planning decisions.
A neighbourhood plan is a document that
sets out planning policies for the
neighbourhood area. Such planning
policies are used to decide whether to
approve planning applications. Its value is
that it is written by the local community,
the people who know and love the area,
rather than the Local Planning Authority.
It should be a powerful tool to ensure the
community gets the right types of
development, in the right place. A
neighbourhood plan is an important
document with real legal force; therefore
there are certain formal procedures that it
must go through.
In order to give the parish partners the
opportunity to discuss this together, there
will be an additional Partners meeting in
April. Clerks and representatives will be
notified individually.

New Knit &

Natter Group
in Watton

The saying goes that it is better to give

than to receive, and when you are
having fun doing so, what could be
better?
A new group of Norfolk Knitters and
Stitchers is starting in Watton, on
Thursday 9th April from 2.00 to 4.00
pm at the Watton Christian Community
Centre on the High Street.
Meetings will take place every 2nd
Thursday in the month and cost only
1.50 including refreshments.
Whatever your knitting and stitching
skills, from complete beginner to expert,
you are welcome to come along. We
have lots of pattern ideas for you, and
can supply needles and yarn if required.
All our knitting goes to charities - for
more details see our website
www.norfolkknitters.org.uk.
Please spread the word amongst your
neighbours and friends. If you find it
difficult to come along for the meetings,
you can still be part of the group.
For more information please contact
Rayne on raynestoner@hotmail.com or
01953 885095

Ashill
Harmony Choir
FREE FUN TASTER SESSION
Ashill Harmony Choir invites adults
18+ to come along to our Free
Choir Taster Session

on Friday 17th April

From 7.15pm till 9pm

Tickets 6 (inc. buffet supper),

accompanied children free.

Ashill Community Centre,

Hale Road, Ashill.

Available from Members of

Carbrooke PCC
Tel:01953 885353

"Group singing is cheaper than therapy,

healthier than drinking and more fun than
working out!!! Come along and learn to
sing in harmony with a Choir rather than
to oneself in the bathroom!!"

Email:church@carbrookehistory.co.uk

Watton U3A

At our February meeting Patrick Thompson

returned to entertain us with his presentation
entitled The Royal Family (Part 2). Patrick
worked as Deputy Master for the royal household
for many years. He kept us entertained with some
amusing anecdotes about members of staff
working within the Royal household, and
explained about the changes that have happened
over the years. For example the numbers of
members of staff have been reduced drastically,
even in the kitchens, which means staff having to
take on more work, just like in the real world.
Apparently the Queen will become the longest
serving monarch since Queen Victoria in
September this year. Something to celebrate
perhaps!
Once again both pub lunch groups will meet at
the same venue, The Windmill at Great
Cressingham. The No 1 group met on Thursday
12th March, and the No 2 group will be meeting
on Tuesday 31st March. Please telephone Brian
to let him know if you will not be going. This will
be the last pub lunch for the No 1 group until
further notice. Please telephone Brian if you
would be interested in running this group, and he
will let you have all the details.
Susan Shepherd-pages garden group will be
visiting Gayton Hall, Near Kings Lynn on
Sunday 29th March, with a lunch at The Crown
in Gayton prior to the garden visit.
Our meeting on 26th March will be the Annual
General Meeting which will be held at our new
venue, The Gallery Room at Watton Sports
Centre in Dereham Road. Please do not arrive
until 1.45pm as the meeting will not be starting
until 2.15pm..
For those of you that have not renewed your
membership yet, payment is due at the March
meeting. The final date for renewing your
membership will be 30th April. If you have not
renewed your membership by then, you will have
to rejoin again at a later date.
Our speaker at the April meeting will be Jackie
Noy with her presentation entitled East Coast
Truckers Charity.
For further information on The National U3A go
to www.u3a.org.uk

Barbara's Day at
Rocklands

We warmly invite you to come along to

Cheyney, Low Lane (Opp The School)
Rocklands on Wednesday May 20th anytime
between 10am until 3.30pm approx. to enjoy a
party in the garden (undercover if wet) to
celebrate Barbaras Day. Ploughmans lunches
and delicious desserts will be served between
noon until 2pm. Teas and coffees will be
available all day. There will be various stalls
including plants, home made cakes, preserves,
bric-a-brac, hand made cards, tombola and a
raffle. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of All
Saints Church, School Room and Churchyard.
Entrance is free and we look forward to seeing as
many of you as possible.

Easter plans at Wretham

St Ethelberts Church and the former rectory gardens opposite, at

Wretham Lodge, will throw open their doors to visitors from the region
on Easter Sunday and Monday, April 5th and 6th.
Following the Easter Day service of Holy Communion, led by the
Rector (the Rev Canon Bob Baker), the inside of the church will be reordered, as various beverages and home-made cakes are served for both
days.
The church will, as usual, be full of flowers arranged by members of
the Wretham Ravers group and friends and there will be the usual large
array of second hand books for sale.
Across the road, Mr Gordon Alexander and Mr Ian Salter will welcome
visitors to the lovely gardens of Wretham Lodge, with the 4 admission
charge going to charities named by the National Gardens Scheme, of
which they are members.
The gardens will be open and refreshments served in the church from
11am to 5pm each day.

Project Linus Norfolk Coffee

Morning 18TH APRIL

Oops! Firstly and most importantly I would like to apologise to

anybody who tried to go this on 18th March as a result of my
misinformation and temporary mind lapse! As you will know, we
werent there. I just hope everyone had seen the posters and read other
articles and advertising with correct information and saved a wasted
journey.
Now for the real facts! The coffee morning, hosted by HTS, is at the
Watton Christian Community Centre on Saturday 18th April from
10a.m.-1 p.m. There will be Tombola, trade stands (including Rob
from Sew and Sos at Bungay and Crafty-UK); a craft sales table and
refreshments with delicious home made cakes . You will also have an
opportunity to find out more about Project Linus Norfolk and see
examples of our childrens quilts. Admission will be 1 with children
under 10 free. All proceeds will go towards making quilts for children
from birth to 19 in Norfolk who are born prematurey,very ill or
traumatised for whatever reason. At least pay your 1, chat to me on the
door (Ill need the company if you dont) and buy a coffee and cake.
For further details contact Pauline on 01760 788110 or email
mer80rsj@gmail.com or ring Jane on 01953 884215.

West Norfolk Aviation Society

Part two of the West Norfolk Aviation Society AGM took place on
Tuesday 3rd of March at the Methwold Social Club. The meeting was a
triumph of rejuvenation with the election of a number of supporting
officers to complement the existing establishment. The meeting closed
with a film show depicting the development of commercial aircraft over
the last 70 years.
The next meeting will be held at the same venue on April 7th at 7-30pm
when the club chairman, Chris Lucas, will give an illustrated talk with
photographs taken during the last two years on and off bases in the
UK, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany; air shows and major NATO
exercises included. For more information about the society, please visit
www.westnorfolkaviationsociety.org.uk

The Wayland News Page 16

April 2015

April 2015

The Wayland News Page 17

Watton Library News

"Captive in East Anglia" is a book about the plight of German/

Italian prisoners of war working in the fields of East Anglia during
WW2. On 14th April at 2.30pm, we will be hosting a talk where the
authors will talk about researching, photographing and arranging
with printers to produce the book. Admittance is free. Phone the
library on 01953 881671 to book your tickets.
We still have places available for our craft workshop on April 10th,
and we will be exploring Zentangle. This is a mediational doodling
and is great fun, but never fear it requires no drawing skills! This
workshop has been opened up to all ages and abilities and is free for
the Easter Holidays. All you need is a fine tip pen. Phone and book
your place today.
During April we want to get the whole town reading, as part of
Norfolk's Great Big Read. We have chosen two very different titles
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, and Rush of Blood by Mark
Billingham. To join our Big Read, pop in now, collect your copy,
read it, and then tell us what you think!

Mid Norfolk Flower Club

Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday 21st April (3rd
Tuesday as the Blood Donors will be using the hall on 14th) when
Margaret Thomas will be demonstrating "April Showers". Our May
meeting is on 12th May when Ann Colby will show us "All the
Good Things". We meet at the Queen's Hall at 2.15pm and visitors
are always welcome.

St Marys Church QUIZ NIGHT

Friday 24th April at 7.00pm
In aid of the organ refurbishment fund & sponsored by
Breckland Funeral Services
Quiz masters: Laura Stevens & Howard Leeder
Table of 4 for just 10!
To book call the Church Office 01953 881252
Please Bring your own drinks & nibbles

Extended support
for over 65s

Watton Medical Practice has teamed up with

Age UK to offer a new advice and support
service to older patients.
Aimed at over 65s who need extra help to live
a happy and independent life at home, it can
help on issues such as bereavement,
loneliness, befriending, financial matters,
power of attorney and other non-medical
needs.
Patients, their relatives, or practice staff can
refer to the weekly service, which was
launched in Watton in February and is part of
a wider initiative being piloted at 13 GP
practices across South Norfolk until 2016.
With 8-10 appointments available at the
practice every Thursday afternoon, there are
also opportunities for telephone appointments
with an Age UK counsellor.
The initiative has been developed after GPs in
South Norfolk were finding a growing
number of older patients were in need of
social care and support rather than medical
interventions to resolve their problems.
Age UK Norfolk staff will discuss their
needs, offer help and advice and point them to
other local services provided by voluntary
organisations and also to support provided by
Breckland and South Norfolk District
Councils.
Practice manager Mary Osborne said the
service is particularly relevant for Watton
Medical Practice.
With 28% of the population over 65, we
regularly see patients who are in need of this
sort of care, especially around bereavement,
she said.
Age UK will also work with the practice to
try to reduce the number of patients who are
entering hospital with medically-unexplained
symptoms or help reduce the need for them to
see a doctor.
The service will enable older people with
these issues to access support and advice
within the surgery, freeing up the GPs time
to deal with medical issues. It is also available
for relatives of patients over 65 to access help
and signposting.
NHS South Norfolk Clinical Commissioning
Group (South Norfolk CCG) and Norfolk
County Council have invested 200,000 to
put the pilot service in place jointly as part of
their Better Care for Norfolk and Strong
and Well programmes.
More information is available from Watton
Medical Practice and through leaflets at
Adcock & Sons Ltd electrical retailer stores
and Edwards Newsagents in the town.

Diabetes UK

We held a shorter meeting than usual in

March, because it was our annual lunch date
at The Mill in Necton. 20 members and
guests enjoyed the meal, which was ably
arranged by Shirley one of our committee
members.
At our next meeting we will have as our
speaker Geoff Ray from the Total Health
Pharmacy. Amongst other things, Geoff will
be talking about being newly diagnosed with
Diabetes through to managing your Diabetes
as a long term patient and how a pharmacist
can help you. The meeting will be at the
Pentecostal Church, Watton, who we thank
for the use of their facilites, on Monday April
13th at 10.15am.
We welcome all people who have Diabetes
and their Carers.
For more details of our group and any of our
future meetings please phone Helen, 01953
884713, and leave a message. Alternatively
you can email
rjwhrt56@btinternet.com

Watton Country
Market
Though we do not seem to have experienced
a particularly harsh winter, plants have taken a
while to start into growth, but, with the advent

of warmer days, new season produce is now

available. A good selection of perennial
garden plants are almost ready for sale and
annuals, hanging basket and container items
are coming along nicely.
Elsewhere in the Country Market our cooks
are really back in the swing and producing
both tasty savouries and appetising cakes,
confectionery and a range of preserves
including jams, marmalades, chutneys and
honey. With Easter almost here why not treat
yourself or a friend to a special cake - orders
are always most welcome.
Handicrafts, Greetings Cards and a colourful
array of Knitwear suitable for all ages
continue to be ready for purchase, or ordered
to your specific requirements. The popular
free range eggs are always available.
Adjacent to our room in the Christain
Community Centre, the church volunteers
offer a friendly welcome with hot drinks and
cakes for sale.
The Market opens at 8.30am every
Wednesday and closes 3 hours later. Come
and visit us soon.

Watton Evening
Womens Institute

At the March meeting Ann Mason gave a

fascinating illustrated talk on the Rabbits of
Thetford Forest. Rabbits for centuries were
prized both for their meat and their fur and a
large area between Mildenhall and Watton
was used for the production of rabbits in
warrens. These were ground works designed
to keep the rabbits in areas and were overseen
by a Warrener in lodges, hence the name
High Lodge in the forest today. Few of these
lodges remain but a recent survey and project,
which Ann managed together with the
Breckland Society , has preserved two. The
survey, the first of its kind, has recorded
through both groundwork and archive
material the extent of the areas involved and
the workings of the warrens and those who
worked there. As modern farming techniques
improved the land rabbits were replaced by
arable fields and so most of the rabbits have
now disappeared and only tell tale signs
remain.
The WI is celebrating the100th Anniversary
of the forming of the first WI at Llainfair pg
and a special garden party at Buckingham
Palace in June is to be held and it is hoped
two members from Watton will attend.
The craft group and diners club will both
meet in April these give members the
opportunity to meet informally during the
month, enjoy delicious food and learn new
skills.
At the WI Coffee Morning held on March
28th ten members received their Level 2 Food
Hygiene Course Certificates from Michael
Wassell, Leader of Breckland Council. A
tutor from the council had led the course
which was sponsored from a grant from the '
Big Lottery Fund'.
The next meeting is on Thursday April 9th at
the Watton Christian Community Centre in
the High Street starting at 7.30pm when
Bollywood Comes to Watton. An evening
of Indian Culture, Food and Fun.
New members and visitors are always
welcome, just come along to the Community
Centre by 7.30pm or for further details ring
Hazel Gillingham on 01953 881510.

Out & About

By Bus with Anthony Morris
Last Wednesday's trip (11 March) was to
Bury St. Edmunds to meet my wife's
brother and his wife, who had had a
coach journey from Southend-on-Sea. I
seem to remember that the last bus
journey to Thetford had been done on a
post bus many years ago, but this one, via
Coach Services 9.50am from Watton,
was much more comfortable. In spite of
having a large market at Bury on a
Wednesday, we had managed to do our
weekly shopping at Watton's smaller

version before we left. This enabled us

to walk around Bury without having to lug
around bags of shopping.
The first thing that we were able to
appreciate at Thetford was the new bus
interchange which is not much further from
the shops than the old bus park. We noted
that by the end of this month the toilets will
be ready, an improvement on the previous
facilities as are the new shelters and
pavements. Details of routes emanating
from Thetford are clearly marked, a great
held to all travellers by bus and coach.
It was the second part of the journey which
introduced us to more of Thetford as
Service 84 went through three estates,
picking up passengers also bound for Bury.
'Humps' on the road made for slow
progress but gave us a chance to view
houses and road names. Just past the
railway station the names on the Abbey
estate were all of cathedral cities,
appropriate for the estate's title.
Eventually we gained the A134 to Bury
from where the bus was able to pick up
speed. The only diversions were through
the villages of Barnham and Fornham
St.Martin. After previous visits to Bury,
where a car had been used, it was pleasant
to sit back and view the countryside south
of Thetford, which is quite attractive,
without having to concentrate on the road
and it's heavy traffic. Much use seems to be
made of grazing pigs, allowing them to dig
up the ground with their snouts and manure
it. All too quickly we arrived at the bus
station in Bury, nicely planned with indoor
space and an information desk for waiting
passengers and well-marked bays for the
numerous services bringing in shoppers and
visitors from outlying towns and villages.
It being a sunny day, even if a little windy,
after coffee and lunch, the four of us sat in
the Abbey Gardens watching the gardeners
tidying up the lawns and flower beds, the
latter having been planted with polyanthus
and wallflowers and which were already a
colourful display.
All too soon it was time to make our
journey back to Watton but we had enjoyed
our outing and at no cost.
We will now explore for more visits to
places in Norfolk and Suffolk but always
using the bus.

Watton Bowls Club

If you have recently moved into the

Watton area and wondering what to do
then look no further. The new outdoor
bowls season starts at 2 pm on Sunday
19th April at Watton (Loch Neaton)
Bowls Club at the Watton Sports Centre
on Dereham Road.
Everyone is welcome, old and young,
boys and girls, men and ladies,
beginners, amateurs and professionals
(we hope!) We are a long established and
friendly club. Come along for a chat and
a cup of tea, you might just be surprised
whats on offer.
We again have a full fixture card this
season. The EBA mens league starts on
Wednesday 29th April, away to
Bradenham. There is also a mixed team
in the Ashill and District league and two
teams in the Age Concern league. Our
men have entered in the County
Competitions for the singles, pairs,
triples and fours. There are numerous cup
matches and friendlies in May through to
September.
Details of all these events will be
included each month in The Wayland
News.
For further information contact Richard
Exley, Captain, phone 799064 or John
Hunter, Vice Captain & Match Secretary
882419
The coffee mornings on Saturdays at
10.00am in the club room will continue
for the 11th and 18th April and resume
again in October.

The Wayland News Page 18

Watton Churches Together

St. Marys Church, Watton. April
Follow us on @StMarysWatton

If I can be of help to you please do not hesitate to contact me,

on 01953 881439, I shall be available at church on Tuesdays
between 10.30am and 12 Noon. Gerry Foster
1st, 3rd & 4th Wednesday at 9.30am Holy Communion 2nd
Wednesday Morning Worship. Tuesdays 7.30am-8.00am, Thursdays
5.00pm5.30pm Saturdays 9.30am10.00am Parish Prayers.
Church Office opens Tues, Wed & Thurs 9am-1pm
Tel: 01953 881252 margaret@churchadm.freeserve.co.uk
Thu 2nd
Maundy Thursday
7.30pm
Five Parish Holy Communion,
followed by Silent Vigil for those who would like to stay
Fri 3rd
Good Friday
10.30am
Silent Procession leaves Watton Methodist
Church for
11.15am
Service at St Marys Church
Sun 5th
Easter Day
8.00am
Holy Communion
10.00am
Holy Communion
Sun 12th
8.00am
Holy Communion
10.00am
Holy Communion
Sun 19th
8.00am
Holy Communion
10.00am
Holy Communion
3.00pm
Holy Baptism
Sun 26th
8.00am
Holy Communion
10.00am
All Age Worship
6.30pm
Praise & Worship
Watton Methodist Church
www.wattonmethodist.btck.co.uk
Every Wednesday the Church is open for quiet reflection and prayer
between 10.15am & 11.30am. 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. Minister: Deacon S Sowerby 01953 881035
Fri 3rd
Good Friday
10.30am
Silent Procession leaves Methodist Church for
11.15am
Service at St Marys Church
Sun 5th
Easter Day
8.30am
Easter Breakfast
10.45am
Revd D Greenaway
6.30pm
Mrs J Roebuck
Sun 12th
10.45am
At Swaffham
6.30pm
Rev J Forsdyke
Sun 19th
10.45am
Local Arrangement
6.30pm
Rev D Greenaway
Sun 26th
10.45am
Mrs S Greenaway
6.30pm
Local Arrangement
Roman Catholic Community
Each Sat 5.30pm Mass at Watton Methodist Church
Sat 28th Mar 5.30pm Vigil Mass of Palm Sunday with Blessing of
Palms at Watton Methodist Church
Sun 29th 8.30am & 10.30am Mass of Palm Sunday
with blessing of Palms at Our Lady of Pity, Swaffham
All Holy Week Services at Our Lady of Pity Swaffham
Thur 2nd
Maundy Thursday
7.30pm
Mass of the Lords Supper with
watching until 10pm
Fri 3rd
Good Friday
10.00am
Childrens Stations of the Cross
11.00am
Churches Together Act of
Witness at The Buttercross
Sat 4th
Easter Eve
8.00pm
Easter Vigil
Sun 5th
Easter Day
8.30am
Holy Mass
10.30am
Holy Mass (no evening Mass)

Tues 31st
Fri 3rd
Sun 5th
Sun 12th
Sun 19th
Sun 26th

St. Nicholas Church, Ashill

Tuesdays at 10.00am Holy Communion
7.30pm
Holy Communion
2.00pm
Good Friday Meditation
Easter Day
9.30am
Holy Communion
9.30am
Lay Led Worship
9.30am
All Age Worship
9.30am
Holy Communion

St. Georges Church, Saham Toney

10.00am
Procession of Witness leaves Wells Cole CC for
Good Friday Meditation in church
Easter Eve
7.30pm
Group Service of Light with
Renewal of Baptismal Vows
Sun 5th
Easter Day
11.00am
Holy Communion
Sun 12th
11.00am
Lay Led Worship
Sun 19th
11.00am
All Age Worship and Holy Baptism
Sun 26th
11.00am
Holy Communion
S.S. Peter & Pauls Church, Carbrooke
Wed 1st
7.30am
Holy Communion
Fri 3rd
2.00pm
Good Friday Meditation
Sun 5th
Easter Day
10.30am
Holy Communion
Sun 12th
10.30am
Morning Worship
Sun 19th
10.30am
Holy Communion
Sun 26th
10.30am
Lay Led Worship
Fri 3rd
10.30am
Sat 4th

Mon 30th
Sun 5th
Sun 19th

St John the Evangelist Church, Ovington

7.30pm
Holy Communion
Easter Day
9.30am
Holy Communion
10.30am
Lay Led Worship

April 2015
Breckles, Caston, Great Hockham, Griston,
Merton, Stow Bedon & Thompson

Worship Calendar for April

God has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead. The Apostle Peter (1 Peter 1:3)

Holy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

30th March to 1st April 7:00 pm Compline, Griston
Maundy Thursday - 2nd April
7:00 pm Commemoration of Institution of the Lords Supper
(Holy Communion), Thompson
Good Friday - 3rd April
10-12:00 am Messy Church, Caston Primary School
Creative activities for children aged 4 to 11 and their
families, brief worship, refreshments
12-3:00 pm Church to Church Pilgrimage
Revised route and times for 2015
12:00 Thompson, 12:20 Merton, 12:40 Griston, 13:00 Bring
your packed lunch to the Rectory; 14:00 Caston; 14:20 Stow
Bedon; 14:40 Breckles
Holy Saturday - 4th April
8:00 pm Service of light on the Eve of Easter, Breckles
Sunday 5th April - Easter Day
No service at Merton due to repair work
10:30 am United Holy Communion, Breckles
Sunday 12th April - Second Sunday of Easter
10:30 am United Holy Communion, Thompson
Sunday 19th April - Third Sunday of Easter
10:30 am United Holy Communion, Breckles
Sunday 26th April - Fourth Sunday of Easter
9:00 am Holy Communion (BCP), St. Peters, Merton (t.b.c.)
10:30 am United Holy Communion, Caston
Sunday 3rd May - Fifth Sunday of Easter
10:30 am United Holy Communion, Caston
Note: alternative venue, due to repair
work at Holy Trinity, Gt. Hockham
For all our Parishes
Pray and Play
Wednesdays from 15th April at 10:15 am
Caston Primary School Hall
The Way Youth Group (Ages 11+)
Sunday, 12th April, 7:00 pm, Rectory, Caston
Friday, 17th April, 7:00 pm,
Connecting with other deanery youth, Rectory, Caston
Enquiries Revd. Bob Nichols
Tel. (01953) 483222; Email revbobnichols@gmail.com

All Saints Church, Threxton

The April service at Threxton will be on
Easter Day, Sunday 5th April at 10am
WATTON PENTECOSTAL CHURCH
April Services Theme: "Mission Possible"
Sunday mornings at 10.30am
Sunday School meets during the service
Everyone welcome Web site: www.wattonchurch.org.uk

WATTON BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP

Wed 1st 2pm Meeting Tea and Chat at Watton CCC. Speaker Ms
Denise Janes will talk on Life in a Tourist Information Centre
Mon 20th 12 for 12.30pm Lunch at Griston Waggon & Horses

Thought For The Month

By Rev Roger Sparks of the Catholic Community in Watton
Exactly half way through the Christian Season of Lent, sunshine in
the day and cold and frost at night, trying to prepare ourselves for
the events of Holy Week - the death and resurrection of the
Saviour, Christ. Our thoughts also turn to the hope of better
weather to come, sunshine and warmth. It has often struck me that
our vision of our two major Christian celebrations Christmas cold
and snow covered, Easter bringing warmth and new life depict a
reality in terms of weather and climate in only part of our world.
We will, hopefully, in April in the Northern hemisphere, be
experiencing this return to life of trees and plants, birds building
their nests and feeding in our gardens all showing the rebirth of the
Easter story and the risen Christ. Our March equinox on 20th
March marking the first day of Spring, part of a cycle of nature that
happens year after year and the return of life at this time speaks of
Gods ability to bring life from death each new year.
Heading to the other half of the world, to the Northern
Hemisphere, it is, of course, all topsy turvy Christmas in midsummer and Easter in the autumn no snow and very little new
life. Does this pose a problem in a theological sense for our
fellow Christians? I was fortunate enough to find some words
written by someone who moved from the North to the South
describing her thoughts after a few years experiencing the
difference, and I summarise these for you:
Easter in the South is autumnal, leaves are falling, plants withering
and the days getting shorter. This tells us that death and darkness are a
very real part of human life on earth. Therefore we need a Saviour, a
Redeemer. These are appropriate thoughts for Lent, because each day
we draw closer to Holy Week and the Cross. Life out of death. Life in
the darkness. Redemption of Human sin. Freedom from slavery to the
fear of death. All these provided by our belief in this great gift of God
to us in Jesus Christ.
Hopefully you have had a happy Easter!

Queens Hall Carpet

Bowls Club

It is with hopeful expectation that the Queens Hall Carpet Bowls Club
will be informed that subject to favourable press reports the club will
get the 2nd 500.00 of the initial 1000.00 grant already received for
the purchase of 2-30ft bowls mats.
The 2 worn mats have now been replaced from available club funds
and have been enthusiastically received by club members. They have
expressed their delight with the new thicker playing surfaces, which
has given them a greater degree of accuracy. The old mats were given
to the Wayland Academy to give the pupils there an opportunity too
play in this competitive game. Then in turn the chance is there if they
wish too join our club in this activity.
Our club has a lively atmosphere, it is a friendly club in the splendid
setting of the Queens Hall in Watton. It is a thriving club with 32
members who wish it to be known to the Breckland District Council
and the Watton Town Council that they are truly grateful for the
invaluable financial help given to our club.
This active help is already showing signs of increasing the
membership by enquiries from potential members from the
Swaffam area.
An advertisement has been placed in the new "Watton Streetlife"
social network, which in turn will prove helpful in placing our club
before the general public of Watton and surrounding villages. We are
grateful to the "Wayland News" and the "Swaffam and Watton
Times" for the inclusion of our club in their media coverage.
If you wish to have a carefree afternoon playing carpet bowls with us,
come along to the Queens Hall in Watton at 1.30pm on Wednesday
afternoons. You will be guaranteed "a good time" with a refreshing
cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit for a modest weekly and yearly
fee. Carpet bowls is great fun !
"Do yourselves a favour and come on down and have a taster
with us".

The Wayland News Page 19

April 2015

Parish Church
transformed for an
afternoon in
the Bahamas

This year St Marys Church, Watton hosted the annual

Womens World Day of Prayer Service on Friday 6th
March. A congregation of 70 plus enjoyed the experience of
sharing with the Christian Women of the Bahamas, the
service they had prepared. The church was decked with
symbols of the many Bahamian Islands, pictures, sea shells,
flowers, tropical fruit and playing a delightful cd of music
from that area.
During the service we were challenged to learn about Jesus
radical love for us through the Reading from Johns gospel
13: 1-17 about the washing of the disciples feet and then to
think how we might demonstrate that radical love in our
own lives.
It was a privilege to share in this worldwide annual event
and enjoy the fellowship in our locality.
Womens World Day of Prayer Committee.

Joint Coffee Morning for Brownies

On the 16th February Brownies
from 3rd Watton and 1st Saham
Toney held a joint coffee morning.
They had a fun time serving tea,
coffee and cake to the public and
there was quite a buzz as people
came for a chat as well! It must
have been helped by the enjoyment
of all delicious cakes that the
Brownies and parents provided.
We also had an amazing tombola
with lots of lovely prizes, a book
stall and a homemade craft stall. By
the end of the day, and including a
subsequent donation, we had raised
122.30 towards providing the
Brownies with an opportunity to go
on a Brownie Holiday. Thank you
to everyone who supported us.
Pictured Flat Brownies at the
coffee morning

Turning
Negative
Into
Positive
Are you a stress manufacturer - are
you the real cause of much of your
stress, do you shrug things off by
saying well thats the way that I am
even though this in itself may cause
stress. Take for instance people who
may say I was hopeless at maths
when I was at school or one of the
favourites I hated PE, then add a
reason for this by saying, Maths, I
could not understand a word of it or
P.E. My legs were too short and I
have no sense of balance. Many
years later you still believe you are no
good at maths nor does a visit to the
gym excite you WHY ?
Although these two particular things
have not caused you any stress it still
comes under the broad heading of
NEGATIVE THOUGHT PATTERNS.
Negative thinking can ruin your life
whilst positive thinking can enhance it,
as the above example shows.
Lets
look at positive thinking, the jar is
half full not half empty a good place
to start.

Take a look in the mirror, what do you

see? Nice h air, good skin, good
physique, winning smile or do you turn
away quick and hunt for a screwdriver
to take down the mirror. Take another
look find the positive, such as a
pleasant smile good hair laughing
eyes, those three alone would make
you handsome or attractive. being
positive is really so easy. When you
find yourself saying I CANT DO IT
say instead Ill give it a go or IM
NO GOOD AT . say instead
Ill do it with a bit of practise
Think of old saying - which by the
way was my school motto - I
THINK I CAN I KNOW I CAN I
WILL Now try the following, be
aware of each negative thought and
transform it into a positive thought.
Example (negative) I ought to try and
lose some weight,
(positive)
STARTING TOMORROW I AM
GOING TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT
Say it over and over again to yourself
all day, then get up in the morning and
say it over and over again - start
planning how you are going to do it.
When you have started, keep saying I
WILL DO IT, I WILL DO IT saying it
as if you mean it as often as you can
during the day, just like a mantra eventually it will sink deep into your
brain and become a positive thought
pattern, once the negative has become
positive, the rest is easy
As I have said before there is so much
you can do for yourself to alleviate

stress, become confident, become

positive, and the wonderful thing is
that it costs you hardly anything, just
some time and a pen and paper.
Having made one positive decision and
worked on it, you can make another
positive decision such as I WILL
GIVE UP SMOKING - or think up
your own decision and turn the
negative into a positive the best one
of all is I WILL NOT ALLOW
MYSELF TO BE STRESSED - so
hard but so worthwhile just turn
negative into positive, make
the
decision, keep saying it to yourself,
put it to music and sing it like a
mantra, singing is therapeutic anyway.
Look in the mirror and tell yourself - I
am not going to be stressed look
deep into the mirror and mean what
you say - talk to yourself, really mean
it, emphasise it, shout it if that helps.
What have you got to lose no one can
hear or see. Then slowly work out
what is causing the stress and attack
the cause head on,
stop thinking
negatively
and
start
thinking
positively, plan your attack, make up
your mantra(s) and go for it, even if
there is no positive outcome you will
feel so much better because you made
the effort, the pride in yourself has
been boosted and somehow the stress
seems to have lifted.
For further information about
stress management both personal
and corporate phone 01362 820994
or e-mail fredajudd@hotmail.co.uk

The Wayland News Page 20

April 2015

Breckland Nordic Walking Charity Walk

For further details on Breckland Nordic Walking visit www.brecklandnordicwalking.co.uk

On Saturday 21st February several
members of Breckland Nordic Walking
and their friends strode out for 8 miles
along a rather muddy Pingo Trail at Stow
Bedon in aid of Sarcoma UK. A total of
152.50 was raised on the day.
Sarcoma UK is the only cancer charity in

the UK focusing on all types of sarcoma

which are rare cancers that develop in the
muscle, bone, nerves, cartilage, tendons,
blood vessels and the fatty and fibrous
tissues.
Breckland Nordic Walking instructor
Kate said that she was thrilled with the

response and support shown by the

walkers in raising so much money for a
charity which her 11 year old nephew has
chosen to support having been diagnosed
with a form of sarcoma in October.
Further charity walks will be arranged
throughout the year for different causes.

Richmond Park
Golf Club

Two of our ladies, Lesley Davis and Ann

Achilles have reached the 3rd Round of the
Daily Mail Foursomes competition by beating
Barnham Broom 5 & 4. Also in March, our
section held a 9 hole Texas Scramble, won by
Ann Bayes, Ann Achilles and Yvonne Shaw.
This was followed by a Bring & Buy sale.
The ladies brought fresh garden produce,
plants, home-made cakes, clothes, books and
costume jewellery etc. to choose from plus
generous donations of wine and other
interesting items for the groaning raffle table.
A total of 100 was collected for our Lady
Captain's (Elaine Aberdeen) charity, The East
Anglian Air Ambulance.
If you are new to the area and are looking to join
a new club then why not consider Richmond
Park. The ladies run both fun and serious
competitions plus a whole lot more. For further
Lesley Davis and Ann Achilles who have reached the 3rd Round of the Daily Mail Foursomes
information contact 01953 881 803.

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 may not reflect the
views of the publisher 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:

Sharman & Company Ltd, Newark Road

Peterborough PE1 5TD. Phone: 01733 424 949