The Braxted Bulletin October 2014 VILLAGE INFORMATION Clerks to the Parish Councils: Great Braxted Sarah Mann Tel 01621 892821 Little Braxted Gordon Musset Tel 01376 520103 Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator Great and Little Braxted Mandy Chapman Email: thebraxtedsneighbourhoodwatch@yahoo.com Non-urgent contact for Police: 101 or 0300 333 4444 Point of Contact Mobile*: 07970 844179 *This is picked up by the officer on duty. Responsibility for Essex Highways Essex County Council 0845 603 7631 Library Information Wickham Bishops Library School Road, Wickham Bishops, Witham CM8 3NU Tel 01621 891216 Opening times Monday 14.00 вЂ“ 18.00 Wednesday 14.00 - 18.00 Saturday 09.00 вЂ“ 13.00 Next Parish Councils Meetings Great Braxted 8 pm - 6th November 2014 Little Braxted 11th November 2014 2 BRAXTED GARDEN & SOCIAL CLUB The members had a good day on Sunday 14th September when they visited The Beth Chatto Garden in Elmstead Market. We travelled in four cars and met up for a coffee in the cafe before wandering round the lovely garden. There was a lot of autumn colour, and the weather was quite good with only a short shower. All 16 members attending enjoyed the day, and came home with plants they had not intended to buy! The next meeting will be the Harvest Supper on the 18th October in the Pavilion at 8pm. This will be Fish or Chicken and Chips and a glass of wine, followed by the usual excellent choices of lovely homemade desserts. The price will be ВЈ10 per head, and is open to all villagers and their friends. You do not have to be a member. This is a chance for us all to get together for a fun evening and a chat, before Christmas festivities begin. I hope as many of you as possible will come along. Please let me know if you would like Fish or Chicken when booking. The programme for next year will be available, and the membership fee of ВЈ15 will be due if you wish to join. I look forward to hearing from you. Jenny Hornett 01621 891424 hornettk@hotmail.com PROPOSED EXTENSION/IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR GREAT BRAXTED PAVILION A planning application for the proposed development has now been made to Maldon District Council. Full details and plans can be seen on the council website at http://www.maldon.gov.uk/site/ Reference FUL/MAL/14/00697. 3 ALL SAINTSвЂ™ GREAT BRAXTED CHURCH NEWS OCTOBER 2014 October, now autumn is more or less here and the nights are drawing in. The clocks change [fall back] on 25th/26th. On Sunday 5th we will hold our Harvest Festival. As in recent years we would like gifts of produce that can be used for the Colchester Soup Run which provides sustenance for the homeless and disadvantaged every night of the year. All SaintsвЂ™ and St LukeвЂ™s attend once a month. So cans of soup or tins of tuna or corned beef [or money!] would be very appreciated. We welcome Mike Puttick to the PCC and he has kindly agreed to be our Fabric Officer, replacing Nick Crick who has moved to Suffolk. As shown below, the wedding season carries on with three more this month. ThatвЂ™s it then until next year. The forthcoming services for the month of October are as follows: Saturday 4th Oct Wedding at 2.30 pm Sunday 5th Oct HARVEST FESTIVAL at 11 am Saturday 11th Oct Wedding at 3 pm Sunday 12th Oct Communion at 11 am Sunday 19th Oct Matins (Morning Service) at 11 am Sunday 19th Oct Baptism at 12.30pm Saturday 24th Oct Wedding at 1 pm Sunday 26th Oct Communion at 11 am NOTE on Sunday 2nd November there will be a Dedication Communion service as it is All SaintsвЂ™ Sunday. Contacts: Rector Revd. Anne-Marie Renshaw 01621 815260 Churchwardens Ken Hornett 01621 891424 Philip Holmes 01621 818476 Curate Revd. Liz Barnes 01621 813094 4 BRAXTED ANNUAL GOLF COMPETITION This annual event was held at Braxted Park Golf Club on Saturday 27th September in near perfect conditions. Many thanks to Braxted Park for the loan of the course, which was also superb. This year there were new trophies for each of the winners to commemorate Angela Roast and Fred Rodford, who both sadly passed away earlier this year and had played many times. These have been kindly donated by the families. This was the 25th year of this event and the two shields will be maintained and engraved and kept - possibly at Braxted Park Golf Club or in the Braxted Pavilion/ Community Hall. After paying for prizes, engraving and minor expenses, this event has raised just over ВЈ700 for the church which will go towards urgent repairs and the 900th anniversary next year. Thanks to all who took part; Woodlands at TomвЂ™s Farm Shop for the lunch venue; the golf course; and everyone else who helped. The results were as follows: WINNERS: Ladies вЂ“ Cyd Rodford [38] Men вЂ“ Paul Gillett [43] Runners up: Ladies вЂ“ Kate Humphreys [36] Men вЂ“ Steve Baker [41] Longest drives: Ladies вЂ“ Sarah Mann Men вЂ“ Freddie Rodford Nearest the Pin: Pam Baldwin Best front 9 Ladies вЂ“ Sharon Bennett [19] Men вЂ“ Peter Neal [21] Best back 9 Ladies вЂ“ Catherine Craddock {18] Men вЂ“ Ian Philpot [23] Junior prize вЂ“ Josh Coleman [35] 5 SUPERFAST SUPER SLEUTH! - RESIDENT TURNS DETECTIVE IN SEARCH FOR THE ELUSIVE FIBREOPTIC BROADBAND. From Wickham Bishops, they find their way up Goat Lodge Road, straight across and through the wood into Great Braxted and beyond. On a good day they bring with them enough вЂ�oomphвЂ™ to watch an episode of вЂ�The Great British Bake OffвЂ™ on BBC iPlayer, or send a couple of pictures via email to friends or family. On a bad day, we have time to make several coffees whilst our PCs struggle to engage with the wider world. IвЂ™m talking about our broadband connections of course. Great Braxted has enjoyed rubbish performance for years, while the rest of the UK population seems to increasingly be enjoying the fibre optic broadband benefits that enable streaming high definition films or TV catchup, uber fast email and the ability to move large documents and pictures to other parts of the globe in an instant. Great Braxted in the meantime, whilst making significant contributions to the GovernmentвЂ™s Council Tax and Business Rates coffers, suffers with a service that many would have been thrilled with вЂ“ 15 years ago! 6 It was therefore enough to make me jump for joy when, at a Parish Council meeting in May this year, it was announced that local MP Priti Patel had stated that we are provisioned to be upgraded to вЂ�superfastвЂ™ broadband between Jan and March 2015. Strange then that the BT & Essex CC Broadband website at that time said: вЂњThis area is covered under the Superfast Essex Programme. The programme will ensure that by summer 2016 available download speeds in this area will be at least 2Mbps. However, for technical and financial reasons there are currently no plans to deploy fibre or alternative technologies to achieve higher speeds.вЂќ An email winged its way to Downing Street - I wanted Ms Patel to know that someone somewhere was making her look a chump and that she was sending misleading information to our Parish Council. Nothing changed during June through August either despite regularly checking the website. Did Ms Patel take up my issue and get stuck into BT? Or was it pure coincidence that a couple of weeks ago, driving through the woods, I saw an OpenReach van installing a new cable junction cover and вЂ�pulling throughвЂ™ some cables. On the way home I noticed a nice new BT box near to the Du Cane too. I checked the BT Broadband web site for the new superfast service. It read: вЂњComing soon Your area will be enabled within the next six months and weвЂ™ll provide more details nearer the time. At the moment you canвЂ™t order Superfast Fibre.вЂќ Progress indeed. Since then I have seen several BT OpenReach vans locally вЂ�doing stuffвЂ™. MATTHEW RUFFLE Chimney Sweep Service 01621 810711 07938 439253 Finally, coming up to Mountains Farm on19th Sept, I saw a BT OpenReach van with вЂ�Fibre CableвЂ™ Team, alongside which was a big cable drum. Am I getting all excited for nothing or are we really going to be moving into the 21st century with our local communications? Well, six months off takes us to February/March 2015 so in the meantime, keep your eyes open for the OpenReach vans, ask then what they are doing, and check your own postcode on the site below just to make sure the service is still вЂ�coming soonвЂ™. http://www.superfast-openreach. co.uk/where-and-when/ Pilates Classes held weekly at Great Braxted Pavilion, Wickham Bishops and surrounding areas. Also 1:1вЂ™s, 2:1вЂ™s and small private groups available in the comfort of your own home, office or in a studio. Suitable for ALL Levels regardless of age, gender and fitness level. Pilates can help you strengthen your core, lengthen and tone your body, increase flexibility, improve posture, help lower back pain and develop a greater body awareness. Contact Jemma: t: 07795 197 520 e: info@popup-pilates.com w: www.popup-pilates.com 7 MARQUEE TENTS FOR RENT TO BRAXTED RESIDENTS Some while ago funds were obtained for the purchase of four sturdy and attractive marquee tents. These are put to good use for such occasions as the Braxted Fete. They are also available to residents of the Braxteds, to rent for private functions. Invaluable given the unpredictability of the Essex weather! Sizes are: 2 tents @ 3 mtrs sq, and 2 larger tents @ 3x 6 mtrs. They are fairly easy to erect and can be used with side panels up or down. Please note: They must be completely DRY prior to repacking on return, as storing them whilst damp leads to mildew. A minimum donation of ВЈ20 per tent is the agreed amount. If you are interested in hiring the marquees please contact: Richard and Sheena Collins on 01621 893136. 8 NEWS FROM GREAT TOTHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL www.greattotham.essex.sch.uk 9 BRAXTED NEWS Tony Read who used to live at Lane End Cottage and for many years was Chairman/Secretary of the Braxted Garden Club has sadly passed away in hospital in Norfolk. Sympathy to his widow Sheila and the rest of the family. Mr and Mrs James (Jim) Goody have moved into The Old School House, Braxted Park Road. It has been the subject of major renovation recently, and has been filmed for showing on the Channel 4 programme вЂњRestoration ManвЂќ in the near future. Also new to the village are Peter & Jane OвЂ™Driscoll who have recently moved to Holly Tree Cottage, Bung Row. We wish them all well in their new homes. PROJECT 900 PROJECT 900 BRIDGE AFTERNOON BRIDGEWHEN? AFTERNOON WHEN? Saturday 18th October 2014 Saturday 2pm 18th- 5pm October 2014 2pm - 5pm WHERE? Great Braxted Cricket Pavilion Great Braxted Cricket Pavilion WHERE? HOW HOWMUCH? MUCH? ВЈ8 ВЈ8per per person person Pay the day.Refreshments Refreshments included Pay onon the day. included WHY? WHY? To aid the celebration of our beautiful ChurchвЂ™s 900th Birthday To aid the celebration of our beautiful ChurchвЂ™s 900th Birthday Do come along for a relaxing afternoon of Bridge Do come along for a relaxing afternoon of Bridge To book your place, please contact: To book your place, please contact: Hilda Hazell 01621Hazell 892417 Hilda ken_hazell@icloud.com 01621 892417 ken_hazell@icloud.com Sue Copsey 01621 892697 Sue Copsey randscopsey@hotmail.com 01621 892697 randscopsey@hotmail.com 10 STOP PRESS - POSSIBLE CHANGE OF DATE! Further to publicising the next Fete as 12 September 2015 in the last issue, it has come to our attention that the date may be changed to the 5th September, due to conflicting national events. Will confirm definite date asap. Whatever the final date, plans are underway, so if you are interested in getting involved, please contact Ken Hornett on 01621 891424. Content for the next Braxted Bulletin by Friday 24 October please to: julie@thedesigningwoman.co.uk 01621 891241 Please contact me if you are interested in advertising in the Bulletin. Any editorial gratefully received too - Christmas Fayres; Quiz Nights; Jumble Sales; etc. вЂ“ happy to give all a mention! If you would also like to receive the Bulletin via email in pdf format, please send me your email address and I will add you to the mailing list. Braxted Art Group All levels welcome вЂ“ very friendly afternoon group with tutors. Watercolours,drawing or any medium you are interested in. Great Braxted Cricket Pavilion For more information: 01621 891241 drjoyce38@btinternet.com 11