Sheering News August 2006 ( Issue 95)
Next Issue December 2006 ---- Copy Date 1st November 2006
All contributions and adverts for the printed issue of
Sheering
News should be sent to: Ron Ainsworth, The Editor,
Sheering News, The Willows, The Street, Sheering,
Bishop's Stortford CM22 7LX or sheeringnews@sheering.co.uk
In this edition:
Flower Show - Police Matters - Help the Aged Security Offer
District Councillor's Report - Annual Canvass of Electors - Parish Council News
Local Organisations - Stansted Airport Community Trust - Summertime ...
Noisy Bikes - What’s On - Race For Life - The Invisible City
Waste and Recycling - www.sheering-pre-school.co.uk
Flower Show
Sheering’s
annual flower show will be held on Saturday 2nd September
in the Village Hall. Doors open for viewing at 2.30.
To encourage more people to exhibit their produce and artwork, it has been decided to make no charges. You can enter as many exhibits in as many categories as you like at no cost. There will be no money prizes this year.
Please
see the Schedule on page 30 and hand in your entry forms to
Berenice Spicer, whose home is on the corner of The Street
and Orchard Close, or Valerie Monk in Lower Sheering. All
residents of Sheering, Lower Sheering and neighbouring
villages are eligible to enter.
There is always
someone willing to give a hand if you don’t know the
ropes so why not have a go? Our expert judges will be on
hand from about noon to make their decisions and then
it’s a scurry to add up points and write the first,
second and third prize cards.
Teas will be
provided by the WI in the small hall where all the
children’s art will be on display. There will be a
Happy Circle Tombola and a greetings card stall.We hope as
many people as possible will come to the show.The prize giving will take place at 4.00 and the auction at 4.30. Between those events, a plaque will be unveiled in memory of Stan Barker who organised the Flower Show in the last two years, and who contributed so much to the life of Sheering.
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Police Matters
Sheering Murder
Sheering Murder As most of you will know, Joe Shipton, aged 61, was murdered in his home at 55 The Plashets on 24 or 25 March this year.
If you know anything about Joe’s life or death that might assist the investigation, please phone the police on 0800 555111 or 01268 775588.
Police News
Since the introduction of the new style of Policing adopted by Essex Police on 17th April 2006, I have taken up my position as the sergeant with responsibility for rural Epping which includes the area of Sheering. Our aim is to provide more accountable local policing with closer links with the community.I have overall responsibility for the policing of Sheering and currently have two Police Officers and a community Support officer covering your area. These officers are PCs 1219 Martin Andrews, 70139 Nelson & PCSO Dilloway. I am in possession of a mobile phone and when on duty can be contacted on 07779 317211. Urgent matters should still be phoned through via 999. It is hoped further officers will be joining the team soon.
Sheering remains a relatively low crime area and hopefully in future editions I will be in a position to give you a break down of what crimes have occurred and how many arrests have been made.
The rural police bus is attending both Sheering & Lower Sheering, on Wednesdays at Four Acres in Lower Sheering between 1.00 and 2.00 & The Street Sheering near to the Cock Pub between 2.10 and 3.00. This will be on a fortnightly basis. Unfortunately the officer who previously manned the rural station passed away and there has been a delay in putting a replacement in place. I would urge the local community to make use of the mobile Station.
Finally if you have a problem, please contact myself or one of my officers. PCs Andrews and Nelson currently work from Epping Police Station whilst PCSO Dilloway works from Ongar. She now has use of a newly acquired Smart Car and this should make it easier for her to travel around. The officers can be contacted on Harlow division switchboard 01279 641212. Alternatively call myself on the above mobile telephone number.
Tony Walker Police Sergeant 2525 Epping Police Station.
Chris Caten
It was with great sadness we learnt of the death from cancer of Chris Caten on April 7 2006.Chris was a regular fortnightly visitor to Lower Sheering with his Rural Mobile Police Unit. He gave his time freely on a Wednesday lunchtime to listen to our problems and worries and to offer advice. Although a volunteer (retired from the police) he was totally committed and professional.
Chris was a person to whom you could tell anything and had a great sense of humour. I am sure everyone who came into contact with Chris will sadly miss him.
Sheila Caves
Help the Aged Security Offer
Senior citizens living in the Epping Forest district can beat the burglars this summer by taking advantage of a free security assessment from charity Help the Aged. Anyone aged over 60 is eligible for a visit, which includes an inspection of the premises and free fitting of locks, peepholes and door chains. For details, call (01255) 473999.Back to the Top
Lower Sheering District Councillor’s Report
A couple of months ago I found
myself pacing the streets of Ongar canvassing on behalf of
a hopeful candidate in the run up to the May Local
Elections. It prompted me to reflect on my first year in
office and at the request of one of the council officers I
found myself giving a presentation to the newly elected
councillors entitled, “My First Year”.I kept it light hearted for fear of them all running a mile but actually it did give me the opportunity to reflect on how the role has evolved.
Needless to say I’ve found that the job entails more than I’d anticipated and throws up different challenges everyday. It’s satisfying and frustrating in equal measures but I’m reasonably pleased with progress and look forward to reporting more on possible plans for traffic calming in the next issue.
My main priority is what happens in Lower Sheering. However, I have undertaken more responsibilities this year and I am now involved in the following committees: Area Plans Subcommittee C, District Development Control Committee, Housing Scrutiny Standing Panel, Leisure Task and Finish Scrutiny Panel (Chair), Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Staff Appeals Panel, Local Government Association – Rural Commission for Essex.
It is my hope that the experiences and contacts that I gain through my involvement in other groups and organisations throughout the district will allow me to exercise more influence on local issues and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead.
Hope you have a wonderful summer!
Kind regards Heather Harding
Annual Canvass of Electors
- At the end of August/beginning of September the initial annual canvass of electors form will be delivered to your property.
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- It will be addressed to “The Present Occupier” as it is for the address and not the people. The envelope will be clearly identifiable. The Government wants every local authority to achieve 100% response rate. We CAN reach this target with your help.
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- When the form arrives, PLEASE check the details, make any changes where necessary (ie by crossing out any wrong names or adding new ones), sign it and return it in the envelope provided IMMEDIATELY.
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- If you are moving, please complete the special section on the form.
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- If we do not get a form back, your name may not appear on the new register which will not only affect your voting rights but also any credit applications you may make (this includes opening a bank account or arranging a mortgage).
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- Just because you pay Council tax your name does not automatically appear on the electoral register – we have different rules and regulations.
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- A prompt reply means only one form is needed which saves the Council money. Even if the information is the same as last year, you MUST still return the form for our records.
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- The law says that you must give the information asked for on the form and that we could take you to court for not returning the form. We don’t want to have to do this so please fill in the form when you receive it. It only takes a few minutes to check the details and put it in the prepaid envelope.
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- The new 2007 Register will be published on 1 December. You can check the new register at the Civic Offices, Epping after this date to make sure the entry for your property is correct.
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Any questions, please call the Electoral Services helpline on 01992 564411.
Ian Willett
Electoral Registration Officer
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Parish Council News
Vice Chairman
Rodney Northwood has replaced David Le Grys as vice-chairman.Playground Equipment
Croudace, the builders in Sun Street, have donated £5000 towards playground equipment. Other money has been promised and the equipment should be installed soon in the Lower Sheering Playing Field and Sheering Recreation Ground. Other funds are being sought.
Councillors receive £5000 from Croudace
Left to Right : Heather Harding (District Councillor), Graham Bishop, Isobel Marsden, Donna Harris (Clerk), Joyce Thomas, John Harrington (Chairman), Sheila Caves and Ron Ainsworth in the garden of one of the Show Homes in Sun Street.
Astro Turf
It has been decided by a majority to keep the astro turf in The Street.Stan Barker
A memorial plaque to Stan Barker will be unveiled in the Village Hall at the Flower Show on 2nd September.School Swimming
£320 was donated to Sheering School to help children to go swimming.Cricket Club
It was agreed to share the cost of repairing the Cricket Hut with the Cricket Club.Back to the Top
Local Organisations
Happy Circle
Members enjoyed a Beetle Drive
at the April meeting, run by committee members as I was on
holiday. Thanks to them for standing in for me. An outing
to Bury St Edmunds, and then a visit to the Wyvale Garden
Centre in Woodbridge were undertaken in May. We have
recently been to Linton Zoo, which was appreciated by
members and visitors alike. Forthcoming events are the
annual Strawberry & Cream Tea in my garden, coach trips
to Hunstanton and Hastings and tea in Barbara
Barker’s garden at the end of August. We also hope to
have our Tombola stall at the Flower Show on 2
September.Unfortunately, our membership is diminishing, and we would welcome newcomers to our monthly meetings in the Village Hall, and also people to help fill the coach on our various trips throughout the year. If interested, please contact me on the telephone number below.
Valerie Monk. Leader of the Sheering Happy Circle
Tel: 832502
PS This year’s Carols and Mulled Wine Evening is on 15 December.
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Friends of Rivers Orchard
Everyone is welcome to join in any of the activities, just
bring your enthusiasm! For practical tasks no experience is
necessary and all tools are provided but please wear
suitable clothing and bring a packed lunch if you are
staying all day. Contact telephone numbers are listed at
the end.- Sunday 3rd September
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10.30 - 2.00 General Maintenance in the Orchard
2.00 - 4.00 Community Plum Picking
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Sunday 1st October
10.30 - 2.00 Autumn Maintenance in the Orchard
2.00 - 4.00 Community Apple Picking -
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Saturday 14th October
1.30 - 4.00 Apple Day in Church House, Sawbridgeworth
- Sunday 5th November 10.30 - 2.00 Seasonal maintenance in the Orchard
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- Sunday 3rd December 10.30 - 2.00 Seasonal maintenance and preparing for Wassail. Festive refreshments.
Friends of Rivers Nursery is a group made up of people with a common interest - their local countryside. Unless otherwise stated all tasks and events will start at 10.30. The entrance to the Orchard is through the red gates at Brook End, off The Crest, Sawbridgeworth. The site is private land owned by East Herts District Council and access is by invitation of the District Council as landowner and no public rights of access are implied.
www.riversnurseryorchard.org.uk
Further information:
Hazel Mead 01279 724503, Kate Yarnold 01279 723617, Susan Clark (Rural Enterprise Project) 01920 822735
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West Essex and East Herts Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers
Come along and join a friendly
group while enjoying interesting and relaxing crafts. We
meet at Harlow Museum which is off First Avenue and Muskham
Road, have workshops, visiting speakers, demonstrations and
outings. Membership only costs £15 per year and there
are books, equipment and videos to hire when you join. Our
forthcoming meetings are:-
Saturday 12th August 1.30 - 4.30
Spinning workshop in the Museum Gardens -
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Saturday 9th September 10.00 - 4.00
Felting workshop with Rebecca Dallas. Please check for venue. -
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Thursday 12th October 7.30 - 9.30
Annual General Meeting -
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Thursday 9th November 7.30 - 9.30
Rigid Heddle flax weaving -
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Thursday 14th December 7.30 - 9.30
Christmas Social Evening -
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St Mary's Mother and Toddler Group
img src="news/images/stmaryschurch.jpg" alt="St Mary's Church" style="width:100px; height:92px" class="floatright"/> Are you in charge of a pre-school child? Would you like to meet with other parents/carers and have a chat over a cup of tea while the children play together?Why not join us at the Church Room in Church Lane, Mondays from 9.30 – 11.00 a.m. during term time.
Attendance is free and the children are able to play in a safe, secure environment while you enjoy time to relax.
Just come along or if you want to find out more, please contact:
Jo Crossley – 01279 734269
Jean Franks – 01279 734439
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Sheering Village Pre-School
The children have had a very busy and
fun filled term since the last newsletter. Our annual
Sports Day was eventually held after one cancellation due
to bad weather. The children had fun and some mums and dads
joined in too! We have also enjoyed a Teddy Bears Picnic
which unfortunately was an indoor picnic - again, due to
the bad weather. We didn’t let this spoil our fun
though, the children helped make sandwiches and teddy
shaped biscuits and brought along their teddies to join in
too. The Pre-School staff worked very hard to keep the
children busy and fully entertained.The Pre-School Committee ran a successful stall at the Sheering School Summer Fayre selling Toffee Apples, Popcorn and Candyfloss raising funds for Pre-School, thank you to everybody who visited our stall and supported us on the day.
The Bingo night which is planned for 18th July in the Village Hall is a fund-raising event for Pre-School. This is an enjoyable night and always great fun.
Summer Trip
By the time you read this article we will have been out on our annual summer trip. This year we will be visiting Broxbourne Paradise Park and the weather forecast is looking good. Hopefully we will have a great time as we have done on past trips.
Staff News
Janet Wederall who has worked at the Pre-School for many years will be leaving at the end of this term. Janet will be sadly missed by parents, staff and of course the children, and we would like to wish her all the best for the future.
New Build
Our planning application has now been approved by the Council for the new build extension and we are now waiting on quotations for the project to be returned. We are looking for people to join the new build Committee to help drive the process forward. If anyone would like to join this exciting project, please contact a Pre-School Committee Member.
Pre-School closes for the Summer break on Friday 21st July , we would like to wish all our leavers the best of luck for when they move on to their new schools, and look forward to welcoming all our new children who will join us in September.
Debbie Pennell, Sheering Pre School Committee
www.sheering-pre-school.co.uk
Village Hall
Since the last Sheering News Brenda Cummings, who has been our Treasurer for around 17 years has moved and so resigned from the post. Berenice Spicer was invited to Brenda's last meeting to present her with some flowers and a voucher for Bretts Farm so that she can purchase some plants for her new home. Lynda Case has taken over the post. The Bingo sessions continue to be well attended and numbers are increasing all the time. Plans are well in hand for the Flower and Produce Show in September. No decision has yet been made about a New Year’s Party this year so if you are one of the families who would want to go, you need to keep your eyes on the local notice boards. The Annual Quiz Night takes place in November. We have purchased some new tables for the small hall. On a serious note since December the hall has been broken into twice, a window also smashed and some guttering has been broken. These incidents have been reported to the police as damage has to be paid for.Beryl Gurteen
Chair, Management Committee
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Short Mat Bowls
We
started March with the United Friendly League Triples
Competition taking place over three weekends. The first one
was held at Epping. Our club hosted the second round
(making tea etc most of the day!) The Semi and Finals were
held at Bantham & Ongar. Two of our teams got through
to the semis.OWe played another two matches at Tye Green,. All members who wished to ‘have a go’ got their chance. We have been given three dates for 2007 so that will be something to look forward to.
April saw another good evening at Harlow Dogs, and our own Triples Competition held on a club night. Also a party went to the League Presentation/Social held at Epping. In May our Fours Competition was played to the end. The Winners were Avril Jackson, Pat Newton, Jim Lambert, and Bob Jackson. We also started our new League year with a good win.
June saw our Mixed Pairs competition held on a Sunday. It was won by Ivy Noble and Fred Gagg just beating Barbara Wright and Les Tinsley. We were due to go to Woodford Wells for a Friendly on a Thursday afternoon but unfortunately it was cancelled at the 11th hour due to their premises being flooded (the day of the great storm) but has now been rearranged for September.
We look forward to our Annual BBQ in July, and the many games to follow.
Maureen Wright (Sec)
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Sheering School P.T.F.A.
This term has been a busy one for the committee. In May we
held our Annual Plant Sale. The weather was not kind to us
which reflected in our sales but nevertheless we still
managed to raise money for the school so thank you to those
of you who came to buy plants.In June we held our Summer Fayre and although we do not like to complain it was just a little too hot !
The Fayre had a World Cup theme, with a football shoot out and England Tattoos. We also had Quad Bikes which proved very popular along with the more traditional stalls such as Lucky Dip, Tombola and Hoopla.
Fortunately we do not have to look very far for a main attraction as we were lucky enough to have our very own Maypole Dancers who danced beautifully in their red and white costumes decorated with the St George flag finishing with a dance including family and friends.
The fire engine did manage to make it to the Fayre and we were treated to the siren and flashing lights as they were called to an emergency half way through!
The Fayre was a great success raising approximately £1500 so thank you to everyone who came to support us and help make this a true village event.
The end of term is almost upon us so we will be holding our Annual End-of-Term Disco, this year with a slight difference: the Mums and Dads are coming much to the delight of our Year 5 and 6 children! For a small fee the PTFA are selling ‘dance exemption’ tickets for children to purchase to keep their Mum and Dad off the dance floor! On a serious note the Disco is going to be a farewell to Mrs Kincey our Deputy Head who we are all sad to see leave us at the end of the term. So this is a chance for us all to get together and show our appreciation for all that she has done for our school.
Once again thank you to everyone in the village who supports our school through these events.
Pamela Gaines
Chairperson.
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Chigwell Orienteering Club
Sunday 3rd September Epping Forest Festival, Chingford Plain Saturday 9th September. Epping East Introductory Event Sunday 17th September HAVOC District Event, Weald Park Sunday 19th November Epping North District EventFor further information please contact
Tim Pribul 01279 724482
or visit www.chig.org.uk
or www.orienteering-havoc.co.uk
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An Airfield at War
Productions in conjunction with Exposure TV are producing a documentary on the history of Sawbridgeworth Airfield during World War II.The documentary will include the following:
The memories and recollections of those who served at RAF Sawbridgeworth during World War II; the memories and recollections of the local people; a look at the airfield then and now; the RAF Regiment at Sawbridgeworth; the Moon Squadrons (Special Duties) and the Special Operations Executive; the memorial dedication weekend (May 2006) and the men behind the project ............and much more.
The documentary will be available on DVD (October 2006) priced £15.00 + p & p If you are interested in any further information regarding this documentary or would like to purchase a copy of the film, please visit
or www.wartime-airfields.com
or contact the producers on 07808 144 328
or e-mail at cam.productions1@ntlworld.com
or write to Cm Productions/Exposure TV, The Date Centre Cooks Way Hitchin Herts SG4 0JE
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5% VOLUME "The Original Rock Band"
Have you heard the song "Waterloo Sunset" plus many others from "The Kinks".Well this is the band to hear it from or dance to, as played by some original members. This will be a night to remember. Come and join us and have some fun. Saturday 21st October 2006 7.30 - 11.30 at Sawbridgeworth Memorial Hall. Tickets only £8. from David or Hazel Mead 01279 724503 david.hazel@virgin.net
Raffle, Bar, Proceeds to local charities.
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St Mary’s Church
The recent Flower Festival was
very well attended and raised nearly £2300.
Arrangements combined seasonal plants and colours with
imagery from specific church celebrations and reflected the
changing seasons.Over ninety people attended The Friends of St Mary’s concert in July. The varied programme was a great success including contributions from musicians young and not so young. Delicious refreshments were served afterwards in the Church Room.
Irene Harriss is organizing some flower arranging workshops in the Church Room starting in the Autumn. Please contact her for details 734334
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Harlow Theatre Company has lined up two productions for performance at the friendly Victoria Hall Theatre, Old Harlow. October 18 - 21 at 8.00 will see the premiere of a brand new play from local playwright, Andy Prangnell, entitled ‘Half Time’. This follows the hopes and heartaches of a 5-a-side amateur football team and promises to be both poignant and funny. It could plug any World Cup withdrawal symptoms!
December l4 - 23 sees the return of Harlow Theatre Company's acclaimed ‘The Snow Queen’, captivatingly brought to the stage by Paul Johnson from a Hans Christian Andersen short story, In 1998 "The Star" headlined their review "Tale of icy menace leaves a warm glow".
Come along and visit Victoria Hall Theatre, Bury Road - (only 2 miles from Sheering), with raked audience seating 100 and a licensed bar.
Further information and tickets at £7.50 (£5 concessions) from Victoria Hall Theatre 01279 420062 (answerphone) or watch out for the local press.
Nina Forth
Treasurer http://www.harlowtheatrecompany.org.uk
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Women’s Institute
We are now taking a break until September when our speaker will be Peter Leemer in the Village Hall at 7.45 on Tuesday 12th.As we write our Meetings up to July have closed on a sad note and a happy event: May Kenworthy, our oldest member at the age of 94, has sadly passed away. May was a very loyal WI member for many years.
Another member, Ann Andrews, has been blessed with her first Grandchild, Max, whose parents are Simon and Angela.
Happy Summer Holidays.
Barbara Barker Hon. Sec
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Stan's Sheering Walks

Stan Barker lived in the village for most of his life and kindly organised a walk three times a year to encourage locals to keep open the footpaths, have a chat, enjoy our surrounding countryside and maybe even keep fit. Sadly he died in September 2005. As so many people wanted this arrangement to continue, further walks were planned. The walks both at Xmas and Easter were well supported and another one is organised for Bank Holiday Monday 28th August, meeting at Sheering village Hall car park at 10.15 and returning in time for lunch. We do not overstretch ourselves and the pace is very casual. If you would like to join us just turn up. See you there.
Any queries phone 734580.
Debbie and Lee Tennant
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Stansted Airport Community Trust
In
April, the Trustees of Stansted Airport Community Trust
were pleased to award grants of around £44,000 to
local organisations.The Trustees will next be considering applications in the summer and would welcome applications from Community and Voluntary Groups in parishes within a ten mile radius of Stansted Airport. Applications for grants of up to £2000 from sports clubs, churches, village halls, scouts, guides, etc for items of a capital nature such as repairs, disabled access, heating systems, hearing loops, lawnmowers, cricket nets, will be welcomed.
If you think that your organisation qualifies and could benefit from some additional funding to help with a project that you have in mind then please contact SACT, PO Box 11, County Hall, Chelmsford CM1 1LX or email:
cllr.susan.flack@essexcc.gov.uk for an application form or advice. The trust does not fund parish council or individuals' projects and does not grant money for completed projects.
For further details contact:
Cllr Susan Flack, Chairman Stansted Airport Community Trust
Tel: 01245 231250
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SUMMERTIME.....
........ and the living is easy. Well, that's the theory,
but it has probably never been as easy as all that,
certainly not for the farm worker at harvest time in the
days before mechanisation, nor for the housewife, who had
problems of her own as the days warmed up.Certainly it was
pleasant not to have to worry so much about boring things
like drying the washing, but for many a fire remained a
necessity all the year round, certainly in the country in
those pre-gas/electric days, for the kitchen range had to
be kept going for cooking and water heating, and I remember
the blast of heat meeting one on entering the
kitchen/living room on a midsummer Sunday morning, for, as
long as funds allowed, the tradition of the Sunday roast
had to be maintained, both as a status thing and a treat
for the 'workers' and school children who, during the week,
wouldn't get a proper midday meal. (None of this 'lunch'
nonsense! If it was the main meal of the day, then it was
dinner; lunch was a mid-morning snack of bread and cheese -
'elevenses', I believe, only entered the vocabulary of the
'workers' some time in the 1940s - or later). Sunday tea
was, of course, bread and jam. The daily bread of my
childhood was very good indeed, and the jam was often
homemade - though 'shop' jam, like shop cake, was becoming
more popular (and considered superior by us
children).
My
mother's cooking wasn't always a great success. Her rock
cakes were just that, chiefly because the coal-fired oven
was unpredictable, but also because she was, of necessity I
suppose, sparing with some of the ingredients. It might be
assumed that, living in the country, eggs would be cheap
and readily accessible, but this wasn't necessarily so. We
kept a few hens ourselves, but for some reason they were
always bad layers, or developed a taste for eating their
own. Perhaps we spoiled them, for we made them pets. One,
Susan, took to strolling through the open kitchen door and
flying up to sit on an ancient beam, from where she
occasionally sent down her 'blessings' on the unwary
visitor or uncovered utensil. It's surprising to me that
most of us country children survived so many assaults on
our health (the survival of the fittest, perhaps).Which brings me to my mother's treatment of perishable foodstuffs in hot weather. We accepted that butter would 'go off, though overnight it stood in a cooler vessel on the back step. Fridges, of course, were almost-though not quite, unheard of. (I had a well-off friend whose family owned one, but my mother thought it couldn't be good for the food!) She boiled our milk (I knew summer was officially here when I heard her say, 'I'd better scald the milk tonight; I loved to hear her say that, signifying that the long school holiday would soon be upon us). Meat, brought to the door by the butcher on the Friday, would be hung under a shady tree on the north
side
of the house in a wire mesh cage, reasonably safe from
flies (who hovered hopefully, nevertheless). Sometimes, in
a heat wave (were there more of them in those days?) she
would cook the meat slightly, a day or two before its final
roasting - a practice to bring forth cries of horror now,
in our more enlightened days, but fairly common then. I
never remember suffering with stomach upsets in those days,
and don't remember them being a regular feature of life -
except for other reasons, richly earned, as a result of
apple scrumping and the like.
Aah, happy days! Were they? Well, some
of them. And perhaps it's our modern children who are to be
pitied because they'll never know the thrill of hearing the
Wall's 'Stop Me and Buy One' tricycle tinkling down the
lane on a hot day, and the almost excruciating pleasure of
wrapping the lips round the fruit-flavoured 'icicles'
(which always tasted faintly of cardboard), Now, ice cream
is just something you get from the fridge any day, any
time. Where's the pleasure in that? Am I being a real old
grouch in suggesting that occasional deprivation might be a
kindness?All the same, high on my list of candidates for the sainthood would be the man who invented fridges.
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Noisy Bikes
Residents fearing noise from motorcycles, mopeds and
mini-motos on public spaces and recreation grounds this
summer can take heart.Powers under the Police Reform Act 2002 (Section 59) allow Police to confiscate these vehicles if they are ‘being used in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public’.
While this is bad news for the owner of the vehicle, Epping Forest Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership believes that enough warnings have gone out about not buying or using these vehicles in public places, that they must now face the consequences! Police must have issued a warning to the user of the vehicle on a previous occasion before they can confiscate it. This does not have to be the owner of the vehicle. The warning applies to both the user and the vehicle. If the same vehicle is seen subsequently in similar circumstances with a different user, the Police will still be entitled to confiscate it.
As
if this isn’t enough of a deterrent, the owner will
have to pay for the recovery and storage costs before they
can reclaim their pride and joy. Motorbikes have already
been confiscated by Police in the Epping Forest district
using these powers and they will continue to do so until
all users/owners have got the message!From the Forester Issue 46 Summer 2006
www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/Library/files/Forester/forester46.pdf
www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/community/crime_reduction/default.asp
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Race For Life
Nine local girls met at the pub for a
night out and ended up committing themselves to take part
in 'Race for Life', a 5k run in aid of Cancer Research
UK!What had we let ourselves in for! Some half-hearted training took place which involved running up and down The Street in Sheering, much to the amusement of passing traffic and local residents and it proved just how unfit we were!
The morning of Sunday 4 June arrived, the weather was beautiful and we all met at Harlow Town Park for the big event. Thousands of women and young girls gathered for the warm up and then the orders were given to start at 11.00.
Some people ran and some walked. Running was very hard as it was getting hotter and there are some nasty hills in the park! But we all made it back safely and collapsed in a heap on the grass! The photo was taken when we'd all finished (with some friends) so I have to say, we all look very fresh considering!
This is a very important cause and we all feel very proud to have taken part and raised some money for charity.
If you would like to make a donation, you can send a cheque to 'Cancer Research UK' and send to Race for Life, PO Box 442, Northampton, NN3 6UU.
Donna Harris
www.raceforlife.org
www.cancerresearchuk.org
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The Invisible City
Imagine if every single resident of a vibrant, flourishing
city like Manchester was overnight displaced from their
home. That’s approximately 380,000 people without a
home. Their plight would cause outrage and we’d want
to do all we could to enable these people reclaim their
lives.But an invisible city of vulnerable and excluded people does exist in Britain today. Crisis has estimated that there are 380,000 Hidden Homeless people trapped in circumstances that leave them on the fringes of society. They live in hostels, squats and bed and breakfast accommodation or stay with friends or family.
Their situation is not a temporary interlude – many are trapped in it for years. This is a city that doesn’t appear on any map of Britain. Its population is found spread across the country. Ignoring this problem comes with a heavy price. Hidden Homelessness is costing Britain as much as £1.4 billion every year, a sum equivalent in scale to the local government expenditure of a city the size of Birmingham.
The people of this city are amongst the most vulnerable in Britain today, and the problems they face are not just about being without a roof. Many are struggling with problems such as unemployment, family breakdown, mental ill health and substance abuse. With the right support they could overcome these, but all too often they are left to cope alone.
It is time that hidden homelessness was recognised as a major social problem facing Britain today.
Providing people with a roof over their head is not a solution on its own. It has to go alongside solutions that help people rebuild their lives. But in order to provide solutions, we need a proper understanding of the situation. We want politicians and policy-makers to carry out a census of Hidden Homeless.
What can you do?
For further information visit our website
www.crisis.org.uk/index
0870 011 3335
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Refuse Collections
Wheelie Bin Roadshows
Residents in Sheering will have their first opportunity to see the new wheelie bins at special roadshows in their area.Council Officers will be on hand to deal with enquiries about the wheelie bins at four locations. They will also be explaining how alternate weekly collections will work and taking requests for different sized bins where appropriate. Residents who have never used a wheelie bin before will get the opportunity and find out how easy the bins are to move.
The Roadshow in Sheering has been organised for Thursday 17 August, 10.00 - 12.00 at the Village Hall. Residents are encouraged to come and find out more.
According to EFDC website Sheering’s bins are due to be delivered in mid August with the first collection being approximately three weeks after the delivery date.
The wheeled bins have a capacity of 180 litres equivalent to about 3 or 4 black sacks (residents in special circumstances can apply for a larger or smaller bin).
Compost Bins
Epping Forest District Council has
teamed up with WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action
Programme) to provide composting bins - along with a free
guide to composting and a useful sticker highlighting what
can and can't go in.The scheme will play its part in the nation-wide drive covering 6.5 million households across England and Scotland to promote the recycling of kitchen and garden waste and reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.
This
scheme provides residents with composting bins starting at
the special price of £3, delivered free, direct to
people's doors and comes with a free kitchen caddy.People eager to start home composting straight away should call 0845 077 0759 to order their bin. (Please note: this service is provided by a contractor working closely with Essex County Council and Epping Forest District Council but not the Councils themselves). Around a third of the rubbish we produce can be composted at home
. Residents will be surprised to discover that it's not just fruit and vegetable peelings and prunings that can go in the compost bin - cardboard, eggshells and teabags make for great compost too.
A Home Composting Advisor will be working closely with the Essex Councils. Local residents can call 0845 600 0323 for advice and information on home composting.
Converta Bin
Made from black recycled material this compost bin has a sliding hatch for easy access to your finished compost. No assembly required. Height 90cm (35"), diameter 74cm (29"). £4
Compost Converta
Made from black recycled material this compost bin has a sliding hatch for easy access to your finished compost. No assembly required. Height 100cm (39"), diameter 80cm (31") £6.00
Soil Saver
This square shaped compost bin is made from 100% black recycled plastic and is easy to assemble with no tools required. It is strong and sturdy and allows easy access to the finished compost on all 4 sides. Height 111cm (44"), Width 86cm (34"), depth 86cm (34") £15WRAP
0845 077 0759
www.recyclenow.com/home_composting
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Deadline for next
printed copy of Sheering
News is: 1st
November 2006.
Publication date for next issue is: 1st December
2006.
Sheering News Editorial
Team:
Ron Ainsworth (Editor): 734333.
Linda Ainsworth: 734333.
Barbara Barker: 734354.
Sheila Caves: 725578.
Sheila King: 831971.
Valerie Monk: 832502.