Ridgewell - EssexInfo.net

Ridgewell
News
March 2012 – A host of golden daffodils
An Insight Into Our Village
No 67 – Spring 2013
March 2013
Where are the daffs – there ought to be daffs Well, may be next year!!!
In appreciation of the lyrics from a ‘Little Night Music’
Parish Council News
RIDGEWELL PARISH COUNCIL
NEW PARISH COUNCILLOR
We are very pleased to welcome Mrs Dawn Brailsford
to the Parish Council following the resignation of Len
Ellis. Dawn is married, with two young daughters,
and has lived in the village for 13 years.
COMMEMORATIVE TREE PLAQUES
Slate plaques have now been placed against four
commemorative trees set in the village in 2011/12.
One, on Chapel Green, was funded by donation and
remembers John Ellis, who was a great character in
the village’s history, and who died just short of his
100th birthday.
The other three plaques were funded by the Diamond
Jubilee Committee. One marks the Jubilee Oak,
donated by the District Council, and is set in the
Chapel grounds. The other two are situated either
side of Church Lane against trees donated by the
Garden Society. An ash tree commemorates the
wedding of HRH The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge in April 2011 and an oak celebrates HM
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012. This
plaque comprises an extract from the prize-winning
poem written by Ridgewell School pupil, Jack
Ainsworth-Mackay.
ASBESTOS BUILDING
Following a complaint from the Parish Council
regarding the poor condition of an old asbestos
building on land behind Colne Springs, Braintree
District Council inspected the structure and declared
it dangerous. They have been in contact with the
landowner who has agreed to demolish the building.
STONES ON THE VILLAGE GREEN
It has been noted that some individuals, with the best
of intentions, have placed stones on the village green
to protect it from vehicles. The Parish Council
respectfully requests that these are removed as the
proliferation of such stones must be avoided. It
should also be noted that any personal or vehicular
public liability claims arising from the stones will be
the responsibility of those placing the stones and not
the Parish Council. The Council will contact
households individually, as necessary, to seek their
co-operation if the stones are not removed.
TAKE-AWAY AND SHOP
The take-away and shop opened for business in
January. Two of the three planning enforcement
notices on the property (boundary wall and roofing
material) have been addressed and Braintree District
Council Planning Control has agreed that the third
(windows/doors) can be addressed at some time in
the future. BDC is satisfied that all the necessary
conditions for the premises to trade have been met.
Noise and smells are both controlled by legislation
and the owner is responsible for achieving
conformance in order to operate.
CORONATION OAK
Following the successful project to plant additional
trees in the village in 2011 with the help of a grant from
the Tree Council, Ridgewell has been offered the
opportunity to be one of 60 parishes in the country to be
given a tree to mark the 60th anniversary of HM The
Queen’s Coronation.
The Tree Council’s Jubilee Diamond Trees project will
supply us with a large tree, stakes, tie, mulch and a
commemorative plaque. The aim of the project is to
generate impetus for communities and schools to work
with children to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in a way
that will allow the Tree Council to offer something
more than the fact of having planted 60 trees. The
process, the people and the planting must be recorded
with photographs and some text and this will form the
basis of a book to be formally presented to Her Majesty.
The planned site for the tree is near the King George
V Silver Jubilee seat and the war memorial. It will
take time for the tree to reach its full height and most
of us here today will not live to see this. However, it
is important to leave a legacy for the future.
We want to look back at what happened in Ridgewell
during 1952-3 and involve those residents who were
living here during that period. Denise Madden, the
head teacher, has confirmed her willingness for the
school to be involved too. Time is short as the tree
must be planted this spring. If you lived in the
village during the period of the Coronation, please
get in touch with the Clerk (785681).
FUTURE MEETINGS
Meetings of the Parish Council will take place at
7.30pm in the village hall on the following Tuesdays
in 2013: 12 March, 14 May, 9 July, 10 September
and 12 November.
As well as being displayed on the notice board by the
bus shelter, minutes of previous meetings and the
agenda for the next meeting are displayed on the
Ridgewell Parish Council Community Website at
essexinfo.net/ridgewell along with a village Events
Calendar and a host of other information about the
village.
CONTACT
To contact the Parish Council, call the Clerk (Sue
Rouse) on 01440 785681 or send an email to
[email protected].
Parish & Community News cont’d
VILLAGE HALL
ST LAWRENCE CHURCH
By the time you read this, a new Village Hall
Management Committee should be in place.
Taking on the Chairman’s position when no one
seemed prepared to do so, I have relied on
working with many dedicated members such as
Lynda Whaley and Len Ellis who have both now
retired. Lynda was a very reliable Bookings
Secretary and we wish her and Alan well with
their move to Lancashire.
Len has made a great contribution as Treasurer
over the last twelve years, being instrumental in
getting grants as well as keeping the finances in
good order. With previous secretary, Lynette
Morris he ran the Playground Improvement
project and the new car park scheme and most
recently sourced funding and suppliers for the
new chairs.
Len took over as treasurer from Sylvia Patsilides
who, almost single-handedly, organised the
finances for, and the building of the kitchen,
toilets and storage extension in 2000. When she
was secretary, Sue Rouse streamlined the
administration.
With the commitment of such people and others, the
hall has been refurbished, updated and brought to a
position where rental income covers basic
expenditure. It is impossible to mention every
dedicated volunteer by name, but I am very grateful
for everyone’s support throughout my sixteen years as
Chairman.
However, as the hall ages, more essential and, no doubt,
expensive work will be necessary to keep the venue
comfortable, environmentally sustainable and compatible
with the requirements of the community. So I leave the
Village Hall in the hands of those younger and eager to
take on the challenges of its future.
Mollie Sellors
___________________________________________
On behalf of all the residents of Ridgewell, may we
send our thanks and sincere appreciation to
Mollie for all her very hard work over the years in
ensuring that the Village Hall has been so
effectively managed. Mollie will be the first to say
that she couldn’t have done it on her own and we
add our thanks to all those who have spent their
own time and effort in ensuring we have such an
excellent venue for various village functions.
March is spring time and this year also includes Easter.
Sunday 24thMarch is Palm Sunday – palm crosses will
be given out before the service at 11.15 am
Good Friday is on 29th and Easter Day is on 31st March
so please come along and enjoy one of our special
services.
Our Cheese & Wine Evening is in the Rectory on
Saturday 18th May – tickets will be on sale nearer the
time so please look out for posters. And this year we
will have our Open Gardens again on the week-end of
8th-9th June.
Our PCC Treasurer is looking to retire from her role
after quite a few years taking very good care of our
financial affairs. If there is anyone out there with
accounts experience who would like to take on this
task, please contact the rector or one of the Church
Wardens, who will be delighted to hear from you.
Pauline Goldberg
A letter from Pauline Harmer and her family
expressing her appreciation to all friends and
neighbours in the village for their support
following the death of Steve. See next page for our
own tribute.
We as a family would like to thank everyone for
their cards and wonderful words of comfort.
Although Steve’s death was sudden, he had not been
in good health for a long time and many times we
were told he would not make it. Just to prove them
wrong, he always pulled through, but this last time
was a hurdle he could not overcome.
There are so many kind caring people in the village
and, as someone said, you only have to hold out a
hand and someone will be there to hold it. This is so
true. To know people care is a great comfort.
Pauline, Sharon & Mike
Parish & Community News cont’d
So many sad farewells to report on in this edition of
the Newsletter – first and foremost of which must be
our dear co-editor and friend, Steve Harmer.
At his funeral we all sang with great gusto ‘Bring me
Sunshine’ in true Morcambe and Wise fashion
(Steve’s favourite act) – and indeed the sun came out
to be with us at the crematorium! And we all smiled
when Steve’s friend Alex referred to him as Lazarus –
the name by which he’d be known over the past few
years as time and time again he’d been so dangerously
ill. Pauline would, of course, say that it was because
he was so stubborn that he kept bouncing back,
refusing to give up.
Steve, you will be greatly missed by all who knew you.
-o-O-oAnd Other Good-Byes from Ridgewell
Lynda and Alan Whaley have now moved up North
to be nearer their family – and nearer also to our old
friends Peter and Susan Jay.
Both Lynda and Alan have been great supporters of
so many activities in the village and their absence
will be keenly felt. Our warmest wishes to them
both for the future and our grateful thanks for all
the help and support given to so many aspects of
village life.
Over the last few editions of the Newsletter, we
have sent good wishes to both Steve and Pauline as
they have struggled with his declining health.
Steve has spent much of the last 3 years in various
hospitals – indeed I believe he has only been home
for a total of just six weeks over the past year or so.
He came home from hospital for the last time on
Monday 4th February and passed away peacefully
sitting in his own chair with Pauline at his side just
a week later.
Steve and Pauline have lived in Ridgewell since
2001 and both have given many hours of their time
in supporting various village organisations and
projects. Steve took over as editor of the Ridgewell
News from Ken Haskell in 2003 and passed it over
to me in May 2005. I relied on Steve’s knowledge
and expertise to guide me through the various dos
and don’ts and was so grateful for his support as a
co-editor.
Steve was such a fun guy – always ready with a
grin and cheery word. He will probably always be
remembered as Deputy Dawg in the promotions for
the Dog Show at the Annual Summer Shows, when
his wonderful sense of fun and humour was there
for all to see, as well as his love of animals.
For the past year or so Alan has been a co-editor on
the Ridgewell News – an opportunity here for a
replacement!! CAN YOU HELP?
And Dave our Postie has retired – a note here
from Peter Mason ….
I am sure some of you may have noticed that our
regular postman, Postie Dave, has been missing in
action over the past few weeks. It is with much
sadness on our part, we can report this is due to
him taking not only a holiday (or two!!) but also a
well-earned retirement.
Many of us will count Dave as not only a great
postman, but a good friend and all round nice guy.
I will be seeing Dave in the coming weeks, so if
anyone has any messages, I’ll gladly pass them on.
Either give me a call on 014409 785281; or e-mail
[email protected].
All good wishes for the future Dave from all your
many friends in Ridgewell and many thanks for
going that extra mile(no pun intended!) in your
service and attention to all the residents of
Ridgewel
Parish & Community News cont’d
News from Ridgewell Primary School
Whatever the weather!
Terms vary in length - last term was 15 weeks with a
week of half term in the middle. This term is 11 weeks
and after six weeks it’s suddenly half term! We will
only have four weeks and three days back to school.
We have a staff training day on the first official day
back after half term and then finish for Easter on the
Thursday before Good Friday, giving little time to fit
in all the things we are supposed to do. Somehow
teachers manage to cram in all the curriculum and
other exciting things for the children to do.
The first half term of 2013 seems to have been mainly
affected by the weather! I dread hearing the weather
presenter saying the word snow! I know I will have the
decision to make - do we open or not? There are so
many things to take into account. My staff travel in
from quite a distance, many travelling on little country
roads. The bus brings 25 of our children - again on
country roads. These roads are often not gritted and in
some cases quite difficult to travel on. Even for those
who live in Haverhill it may not be easy. I have found
my own drive at home is almost impossible to drive off
– it’s only a slight uphill incline but the smallest
sprinkle of snow turns it into an ice-rink! The major
roads may be clear, but getting to them is the difficult
bit!
Then the final hurdle is always Church Lane in
Ridgewell itself. Having battled all the above we are
faced with the most difficult part of all. The lane is
never gritted and the cars using the road soon compact
the snow and we end up with something resembling a
bob sleigh run rather than a road! By the time the
children arrive the bus cannot reverse down safely and
all the children slip and slide their way down to school.
So if it snows overnight I have staff sending me early
condition reports from three counties and the village. I
then have to weigh up the chances of people getting to
work safely.
I also have to consider the weather predictions for the
day - will more snow be on its way and what impact
will that have on travel. As we all know a fall of snow
can make our roads impassable very quickly! If I have
to close during the day, staff are waiting for children to
be collected before they can go home. From making
the call to being able to close the school can take two
and half hours, in that time travelling conditions can
worsen for everyone.
Sometimes the closure call is an obvious decision, but
occasionally it is not so clear cut. This year I took
everything into account, the snow appeared to be sticking
to the playground and falling quite fast; the forecast was
for heavy snow; the bus company were sending buses
early and a severe weather warning had been issued by
the Met office. I made the decision to close and by the
time everyone had been collected conditions had changed
to sleet. At the end of the day the safety of pupils and
staff has to take priority. If only I had a crystal ball!
I am hoping that there won't be any more snow for the
second half of term. I am also hoping there won’t be too
much rain. The children are desperate to play on the field
again. At the moment it is completely saturated with all
the rain we've had and the melted snow. There seem to
have been too many days when the children haven't been
able to play out. Even when we didn't have snow or rain
it was extremely cold. Guidelines recommend that we
don't let children out to play if the temperature falls lower
than minus 6 degrees. We had a couple of days like that
to contend with this term. Very low temperatures can
cause breathing difficulties in young children. The bad
weather and children 'trapped' inside for days presents a
perfect breeding ground for germs. We have had our
share of 'bugs' with colds and sickness! One week we
only had 35 children in school, with one class only
having 7 children present each day - a different seven
every day. As some recovered and others went off sick,
it was almost impossible to deliver the curriculum under
those conditions.
Spring can't come soon enough at Ridgewell. I am
looking forward to seeing the daffodils on The Green and
to seeing the sunshine again and most importantly to
being able to drive to school without worrying about
weather conditions. Summer is just around the corner!
Our PTFA have continued to fundraise for us, they have
been running film nights for the children, holding cake
raffles and planning new events. This summer we are not
running a school summer fair but joining in with the
village fair. These events always represent a lot of work
for the people involved. It will be good to be part of
something big in the village and will help to share the
workload for everyone involved. In the meantime we are
planning smaller fundraising events - more cake raffles, a
sponsored bounce and a quiz night on March 22nd. The
children were planning to do something funny for Red
Nose day; participating in a tree planting on the village
green and the village litter pick. Somewhere along the
way we will try to do a little learning too!
Denise Madden – Headteacher
____________________________________________
Parish & Community News cont’d
Ridgewell Parish
Plan Refresh Group
COMMUNITY SHOP
A public meeting, hosted by the Parish Plan Refresh
Group, took place at the Village Hall on Friday, 15
March at 7.30pm to give residents the opportunity to
form a new committee to set up and run a community
shop in part of Amin’s Indian Take-away premises.
Only 5 villagers turned up for the meeting and,
although some believed there should be a community
shop in the village, they had no interest in forming a
committee to explore this further. The meeting closed
at 7.55pm.
Spring Clean Up Day
The Parish Council has arranged for a refuse
vehicle to be in Church Lane on Saturday, 20th
April between 9am and 12 noon for you to dispose
of any unwanted household and/or garden waste.
Certain hazardous materials cannot be accepted
and the drive can advise on this if required.
SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW
ABOUT MOVIES ???
WHY NOT COME ALONG TO OUR MOVIE THEMED
QUIZ NIGHT FOR A FUN FILLED EVENING.
RUN BY RIDGEWELL SCHOOL PTFA RAISING FUNDS
FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE SCHOOL
FRIDAY 22 MARCH 7.30PM 10.30 PM AT RIDGEWELL SCHOOL
TEAMS OF 6 TICKETS ONLY £5 EACH INCLUDING
WARM INDIAN NIBBLES & LICENSED BAR
FIRST PRIZE CINEMA TICKETS
WHETHER YOU ARE A FULL TEAM OR WANT TO
COME ALONG AND JOIN UP WITH OTHERS
BOOK YOUR TICKETS THROUGH
NIKI MINNETTE OR NICOLA JONES
E-MAIL [email protected]
YOU CAN ALSO BOOK THROUGH THE SCHOOL OFFICE
PLEASE BOOK EARLY TO AVOID
DISAPPOINTMENT AS LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE
SUPERFAST BROADBAND
You may recall that in an earlier edition of the Newsletter
we advised you of Essex County Council’s intention to
bring a Superfast Broadband service to all areas of Essex.
There has understandably been a big demand across Greater
Essex for such a service and we are assured that any delay in
arranging relevant meetings will not affect our receipt of the
service.
However, we are asked to encourage residents and
businesses to complete the survey on their website
www.superfastessex.org, where some useful information
and FAQs can be found.
Village Road Sweeping
Dates when the roads in our village will be swept this
coming year are as follows :
3rd May
23rd August
8th December
28th March 2014
You may wish to ensure that if possible your vehicles
are parked off the road on these dates to allow the
sweeper easy access.
Parish & Community News cont’d
Ridgewell Neighbourhood Watch
In this Neighbourhood Watch report I have to thank
Alan Whaley for his help and support with covering
the Mill Road part of the village for a number of years
and to wish him and Lynda good luck with the move to
the Midlands - which also means that there is a
vacancy to cover the Mill Road stretch from Moat
House to Madura Cottage.
NEW BLOOD NEEDED
Ridgewell has had a Neighbourhood Watch scheme
since 2004 and at the moment is in need of more
members to ensure that the whole village area is
covered and to help run it -in short it needs new blood
I would like to make a general call for more members
to join the Ridgewell Neighbourhood watch. It doesn’t
take up a lot of time - merely passing out information
from the police and other agencies to the residents in
your area, and passing on to police information of
suspicious incidents, which may help to make our
village safer.
Unfortunately, there are still burglaries in the local
area. There was one in the village a couple of months
ago where sentimental jewelery was stolen as the result
of a very untidy search by the thieves. Also stolen were
tools from a van in the village.
Heating oil and Catalytic converters are also being
stolen in the local area, as are any metal objects and
garden ornaments - seems nothing is sacred any more.
www.essexinfo.net/braintree-district-nhw which
will take you to the Braintree Eye, is a new web site
set up by Braintree Neighbourhood Watch to keep
residents informed of local threats. Ridgewell
NHW is also signed up with its own email address
at [email protected]. If you want to
pass on any suspicious information you can do it
that way.
If you have a GPS facility on your mobile, then
using 112 when telephoning the police should
enable the authorities to locate your position by the
GPS from your mobile. A very useful tip particularly if you are travelling alone at night and
are unsure of your exact location and/or are
perhaps worried about another vehicle that seems
to be following you.
There are, unfortunately, more scams about and this is
one of the latest:
School Absences – Fraud Alert
Essex County Council is warning parents and
schools to be aware of a fraud scam around
unauthorised absences.
The Counter Fraud Team at Essex County Council
were alerted in early February by the parents of a
pupil at an Essex school who received a phone
call purporting to be from the Education Welfare
Service stating that their child had not attended
school that day and as a result they had to pay a
fine of £340. The parent was asked to provide her
credit/debit card details so that a payment could be
made over the phone.
The Education Welfare Service do not phone
parents demanding immediate payment over the
phone. Invoices and penalty notices are sent
through the post by the Education Welfare Service
and parents are then given the option to pay by
phone. Although payments can be accepted over
the phone, at no time would the Education
Welfare Service phone a parent demanding an
immediate payment. Any parent who receives
such calls should inform their school and the
Essex County Council’s Trading Standards team
on 0845 404 0506.
Malcolm Mason 01440 785549 – NHW Co-ordinator
Parish & Community News cont’d
Peter Caulfield has taken on responsibility for Crime
Prevention across both the Uttlesford and Braintree
districts and is keen to continue providing us with
articles just as Stephen Armson-Smith has been
doing for the past few years. If at any time you would
like him to address any particular concern, or topic,
please let him know.
Please find below Peter’s Ten Top Tips for shed and
garage security :
Sheds and garages have always been easypickings for thieves and until recentlybreak-ins
have mainly occurred during winter and spring.
For the past year however, there has been no letup and we have seen offences occurring almost
daily in the Braintree and Uttlesford area.
Whilst the police are doing everything they can to
prevent, deter and detect these offences, homeowners also have a clear part to play if we are to
reduce these thefts and keep your possessions
where they should be – in your shed or garage,
not in the thief’s. Please take a moment to read
through these ten top tips and implement as
many of the suggestions as you can…
1. Site the shed as close to your house as possible.
This will make it harder for the thief to break-in
without being noticed.
2. Add a perimeter of crunchy gravel around the
shed or garage, and plant some nice thorny plants
under the windows.Pyracantha, Berberis and
Common Hawthorn are popular and effective.
3. Obscure shed and garage windows with net
curtains or whitewash – a burglar seldom steals
what he can't see.
4. If your garage has a rear door, fit it with a 5-lever
mortise lock certified to BS 3621. Try to do the
same for your shed, but if the door is not suitable,
fit a "close-shackled" padlock instead and ensure
that the fittings are bolted into the shed, not just
screwed.
5. For garage rear doors, fit hinge-bolts in the back
edge of the door. These prevent a thief from
opening it by removing the hinges.
6. For sheds, if the door isn't suitable for hinge
bolts, make the hinges harder to remove by
bolting them to the door or by drilling out the
screw heads.
7. If your garage has an up-and-over door, you can
secure it from the inside by drilling a hole in each
runner, just above the wheel (with the door is in
the closed position). Snap a padlock through each
hole and you now have a simple device to block
the wheel's movement and stop the door opening.
8. Secure cycles, mowers, strimmers, hedgetrimmers
etc with a lockable steel cable and ground anchor
- thieves like to work fast, so slow them down!
9. Visibly mark removable items. Thieves seldom
steal property that can be traced back to its
owner.
Visible marking makes it obvious to a thief that
the item is traceable. For details of suitable
products, contact your local Crime Prevention
Officer
10. Fit an alarm. If you have a house alarm, you
should extend it to cover your garage.
Otherwise, you can always invest in a simple
battery-operated alarm to protect your shed,
garage, caravan or boat. Most have a volume of
around 130db and few burglars will be able to
stay in the protected area for more than a few
seconds.
A hardcopy of these tips, complete with illustrations
is available from your Crime Prevention Officer,
Peter Caulfield, on 101 ext 395385 or if you would
prefer an email copy
[email protected]
Peter CaulfieldAd Cert ED&CP
Crime Prevention Tactical Advisor & Architectural
LiaisonOfficer (Uttlesford & Braintree Districts)
Essex Police
East Street
Saffron Walden
CB10 1LX
Telephone 101 Ext 395387
Club and Society News
Ridgewell Garden Society
The long cold winter seems to have been endless and
rather discouraging for all gardeners; but Garden
Society events have helped to dispel the gloom! We
held a successful Quiz afternoon on Saturday 8th
February which was very well attended and made a
good profit for the Society. Thanks are due to all our
hardworking helpers, who prepared a sumptuous tea
and to our quiz setters Pauline and Trevor Goldberg.
This event replaced the usual November evening
event and deserves to be repeated.
On 28th February a photographic tour and talk on the
Gardens of Gertrude Jekyll by Sue Robinson was
well attended and the raffle of a Gertrude Jekyll rose
was won by our newest members Richard and Sue
Day who live in Stambourne. This was followed by
our annual dinner at the Old Moot House on Friday
8th March attended by 41 members – a capacity
crowd and a very enjoyable evening ! The Chelsea
tickets were won by Sue Ellis and an excellent raffle
was organised by Pam Amos. Thanks to Deirdre
Rose who masterminded the arrangements very
efficiently so that it all ran smoothly.
The membership has increased this year and we
have 14 new members which is most encouraging;
Pam Amos has taken over the secretarial duties as
well as membership and the majority of our
members have paid their subscriptions – thank you
all as it makes Pam’s task so much easier. We will
continue to send out fliers, but we will also
communicate with all members who are happy to
receive email information.
The next two events being arranged by the Society
are the Village Litter Pick on Saturday 23rd March
10am at the Village Hall and a talk by Mr Rodney
Tibbs on “Restoring a Cottage Garden” on Thursday
4th April at 7.30pm.Details have been circulated.
Later in the year a joint outing to Little Bentley Hall
for their Horticultural Show on Sat 1st June is being
arranged with the WI. If you are interested please
contact Mollie Sellors (785413),
John Arthur – Chairman
_____________________________________________
Garden Society Committee – 2013
John Arthur
Chairman & Acting Treasurer
- 788286
[email protected]
Lantern House, The Green
Pam Amos
Hon Secretary & Membership Secretary
[email protected]
- 788595
Brentley House, Meeting Lane
Deidre Rose
Joint Acting Treasurer
[email protected]
- 785510
Otters Halt, Tilbury Road
Janis Woods
Show Secretary & Schedules
[email protected]
- 788067
19 Ashen Road
Frances Walters Seeds Co-ordinator
[email protected] - 785214
Jane Bennett
[email protected]
- 785682
7 Moat Road, Birdbrook
Pete Farthing
[email protected]
- 788892
6 Ashen Road
Fred Woods
[email protected]
- 788067
19 Ashen Road
Mollie Sellors Hatters Cottage, Drury Lane
- 785413
_____________________________________________
Plans are well underway for the Summer
Horticultural show and Village Fete. Janis Woods
our Show Secretary has completed the schedules,
which will be distributed to members shortly.
However, if you are not a member please let Janis
know if you need a schedule as anyone can enter
exhibits. Further details about the show and fete will
be circulated and will be included in the next
Ridgewell News; this year the theme of the Fete will
be fun for the family and there will be plenty of
activities arranged for the children. We are also
writing to all the Village organisations about taking
a stall at the Fete and we hope you will come along
and enjoy the afternoon.
Club and Society News cont’d
Ridgewell Women’s Institute
Christmas lunch this year was at the White Hart in
Great Yeldham and was enjoyed by everyone.
The Christmas season seemed to be busier than last
year - helping with the sausage rolls and mince pies
for the tree lighting event; decorating a Christmas
tree at Hyde Hall – it wasn’t as cold as last year!!
In total there were 66 other Essex WI’s who also
decorated a tree and we all used recyclable material.
It did make a very jolly sight.
We participated at the very successful Pamper Night
organised by the PTA and received quite a few
orders for chilli jam to be made for Christmas. More
mince pies, sausage rolls for the Christmas Fayre to
donate to the refreshments and to sell! There may
have been those who thought that they were
beginning to look like mince pies and sausage rolls
towards the end!
So a peaceful start to the New Year. Mind you our
speaker, Celis Stevens, woke us up as she is a racing
driver. She has competed in and completed several
24hour Le Mans races, one of which both drivers
were ladies. Her racing days are not over as she is
still competing in the UK. The cars are not Grand
Prix racers but are personally owned and are usually
restored sports cars.
February was a complete change. Becky Poynter Knits.
She has an online store selling top quality yarns.
Firstly she gave us some history of knitting. The first
piece known comes from Egypt – a pair of sandal
socks with a big toe (think of flip flops). She had
brought along a variety of yarns from various
sources. Sheep –Wensleydale, Alpaca, Possom NZ,
Camel, re spun cotton and silk from Sari’s, banana
fibre, milk, silk, mohair, angora, musk-ox like a
bison. However I am sure that I won’t have won all
the prizes on the conveyer belt!!
Our next two months’ Speakers are:March - Major Lucy Lewis ‘ A Women’s life in the
Army’ and April is a Chinese Painting demonstration
And, like everyone else I’m sure, I am really looking
forward to some warm sunshine!!
Helen Morris
Ridgewell Golf Society
Our first Society Day of the 2013 season is at
Braintree Golf Club, Stisted on Wednesday the 3rd
April 2013.
The format for the day will be to meet at 9.00am for
bacon rolls and coffee. The first Tee-off for the 18
hole Stableford Competition will be 10.00am.
About 3.00pm we sit down to lunch of steak & ale
pie with veg. The cost for the day will be £30.50,
which includes prizes.
It is intended to have the second Society Day at
Haverhill Golf Club on the 14th May, the details for
this will be sent out shortly.
Two further dates for your diary are:9th July 2013 at Brett Vale Golf Club
19th September 2013 - venue still to be agreed
The date for the Charity Day this year is on the 18th
October 2013 at Gosfield Golf Club as previous
years, and consists of the following:
Meet for bacon rolls & coffee; 18 hole Stableford
Competition and a three course meal in the evening,
with a carvery as the main course. Non golfers are
welcome to attend the meal. All monies made on
this day go as usual to Cancer Research together
with any monies made during the year.
Anyone wishing to attend any of the above days, or
future Society Days, then please contact Len Adams
on 01440 785474, and I will add you to the
circulation list.
Len Adams
__________________________________________
Club and Society News cont’d
RIDGEWELL HISTORY SOCIETY
“HISTORY PAST”
History Society Social
The History Society’s Annual Social took place at
the Rectory on Saturday 1st December 2012.
Twenty-five members were present and everyone
enjoyed the chance to socialise in comfortable
surroundings. As in previous years there was an
excellent hot buffet followed by some delicious
puddings, all home-made by Helen Morris and her
team. In keeping with tradition there was a raffle
and a fiendish quiz, both of which were wellsupported. This year’s quiz was, appropriately, on
Ridgewell History and was won by a team
consisting of Helen Morris, Frances Walters and
Michael Hewitt.
We are very grateful to the Reverend Michael
Hewitt for allowing us to take over the Rectory for
the evening, to the extent of allowing us to put up
our own Christmas tree and to play our own
Christmas music! Thanks also to the ladies who did
the catering and to everyone who helped before,
during and after the event.
We plan to hold this year’s History Society Social
on Saturday 30th November 2013. All welcome. If,
as seems likely, the Rectory is no longer available,
the Social will take place in the Village Hall.
Christmas Fayre
The Christmas Fayre, which was once again
organised by the History Society, took place in the
Church on Saturday 8th December 2012, and once
again proved to be a great success, both as a
community event and as a fund-raising event. The
Christmas Fayre – the fifth event of this kind to be
held in the church – attracted many visitors from far
and wide and raised an impressive £466.91 For
Church Funds, in addition to any funds that
stallholders raised for themselves. The bulk of the
money raised (£416.91) will be used to “kick-start”
the Church Building Improvement Fund which aims
to install a kitchen and toilet in the church.
Many thanks to everyone who supported the
Christmas Fayre, either as a stall-holder, a helper or
a visitor. There were 11 stalls this year, including
Ridgewell Garden Society, Ridgewell WI,
Ridgewell Congregational Church, Ridgewell Hall
honey, a hamper raffle (Sue Rouse), second-hand
books (Village Hall Management Committee),
hand-made crafts, a guess the weight of the cake
competition (Barbara Wiffen) and Christmas
greenery (Christopher Ridsdill-Smith), as well as
refreshments, including mulled wine, kindly
organised by Janet Ridsdill-Smith.
Musical entertainment was once again provided by
the Ridgewell Choir which led the carol-singing,
accompanied by Dr David Hyatt on the organ. In a
new departure the Ridgewell Choir gave a
performance of a piece that they had learnt
especially for the Christmas Fayre, entitled “Six
Minute Nativity”, conducted by Dr Hyatt, who had
travelled all the way from Trowbridge to take part.
The church, used with the kind permission of the
Rector and Churchwardens, really is the perfect
venue for this event. Unfortunately, if the Rectory is
no longer available when the current incumbent
retires, it will not be possible to hold future
Christmas Fayres in the Church until a kitchen and
toilets are installed. We are therefore planning to
hold this year’s Christmas Fayre in the Village Hall,
on Saturday 7th December 2013.
Carol-singing round the village
Carol-singing round the village was organised by the
History Society and took place on Friday 14th
December 2012.
Fortunately the weather was kind to us this year, and
sufficient singers turned out to enable the carolsinging to go ahead. Although we were short of
collectors we managed to raise an impressive
£111.43 for the homeless charity Crisis at Christmas.
The mince pies and mulled wine that were kindly
provided by Robin at the White Horse Inn
afterwards were very much appreciated by all who
took part.
Given the problems that we have experienced in the
past due to poor weather, and the difficulties of
ensuring enough singers and collectors, the History
Society Committee has decided not to continue with
the carol-singing round the village. Many thanks to
everyone who has supported the carol-singing in the
past, either by singing, by collecting money, or by
donating money. The first carol-singing round the
village in this series took place in 2007 to raise
funds for the Six Bells Appeal and, since then, a
total of £857.25 has been raised for good causes
within the village and further afield.
Club and Society News cont’d
RIDGEWELL HISTORY QUIZ
Just for fun – There are no prizes!
“HISTORY FUTURE”
Quiz Evening and Fish & Chip Supper
(1) To which saint is the Parish Church dedicated?
Our sixth annual Quiz Evening and Fish & Chip Supper
will take place on Saturday 18th May 2013 at 7.30pm in
the Village Hall. All welcome!
(2)
Entry to the quiz costs £2 per person for History
Society members and £3 per person for non-members.
Teams, of up to six people, can be formed in advance or
on the night.
Supper (either fish & chips or chicken & chips) costs
£5.50 per person but must be ordered and paid for in
advance (no later than Sunday 12th May). Please bring
your own drinks.
Tickets are available from Dave Kynnersley (785031).
History Society activities in 2013
The proposed programme of activities for 2013 includes
the AGM, a trip to the Ridgewell Airfield Museum and
a guided tour of Sudbury, as well as the annual History
Society Social (on Saturday 30th November) and the
Christmas Fayre (on Saturday 14th December). History
Society members will receive further information about
these events in due course. Non-members should look
out for posters and announcements in the Ridgewell
News.
Membership
History Society membership fees for 2012 are now due.
Membership costs just £2 per year, or £3 for a couple at
the same address. If you would like to become a
member, or to renew your membership (if you have not
already done so), please contact Dave Kynnersley on
785031 or e-mail [email protected].
Michaela Cottee
If you would like to know more about the activities of
the History Society, or if you have any information that
may be of interest, please contact me on 785031, or email MichaelaCottee@gmail.
_____________________________________________
Ridgewell has, historically, also been recorded
as Radeswella, Redeswell, Rodewell, Ruddywell,
etc. What is the most likely meaning of the name
of the village?
(a) Reedy stream
(b) Well on a ridge
(c) Red stream
(3) How many bells are there in the Church tower for fullcircle change-ringing?
(4) Bridge Cottages, at the west end of the village on the
road to Haverhill, are named after:
(a) A small wooden bridge that was used to
cross a stream here.
(b) The Revd. Samuel Bridge who was a
Minister at the Congregational Chapel.
(c) The card game which was very popular
with the US Airmen who used the
Chapel as a Canteen during the Second
World War.
(5) Ridgewell is (currently) one of four parishes in a
benefice. Name the other three.
(6) Which (one) of the following aircraft types flew
from Ridgewell Airfield during World War II?
(a) Lancaster Bombers
(b) B17 Flying Fortresses
(c) Hurricanes
(7) If you sit in the nave of the Church, facing the altar,
where is the pulpit?
(a) On the left
(b) On the right
(c) There isn’t a pulpit in the Church!
(8) Ridgewell appears in the Domesday Book.
True or False?
(9) How many men are named on the village
war memorial?
(a) 5 (b) 10 (c) 15
(10) What, according to National Census records
(which date back to 1801), is the largest the
population of Ridgewell has ever been?
(a) 695 (b) 839 (c) 1051
(Answers on back inside page)
Club and Society News cont’d
Delighted to report on Annual Jaunt of the Jolly Boys :
Skiing 2013
The 23rd annual outing of the Jolly Boys was a return
to Mayrhofen in Austria. Unlike last year, everything
went to plan, with no significant delays either going or
coming back. We were a party of 10, which is a nice
number and makes it possible for us all to ski together.
Mayrhofen is less than 2 hours from Innsbruck and is a
huge ski area, accessible from a single ski pass. One of
the main lift stations is next to the Hotel Strass, where
we were staying, and the first day was spent skiing the
Penken area above Mayrhofen town.
The on-piste skiing was good, the off-piste not so
much. As it turned out, the weather was unseasonably
warm and much of what would have fallen as snow fell
as rain. We never had the huge falls of snow required
for perfect skiing but it was always possible to find
plenty that was good. A feature of the Penken area is a
black run called Harakiri – enough said. Part of the
slope has a gradient of 78°, although it’s not quite as
desperate as it sounds – unless it’s icy. One of the
chairs offers a fine view of the slope from which one
can watch the spectacular falls. If you do fall it tends to
be a long humiliating slide to the bottom of the run.
For all round enjoyment the best of the ski areas is
probably the Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach region, a short
ride from Mayrhofen. Several days were spent here, as
the Penken area gradually became more icy. However
my personal favourite area was the Hintertuxer glacier,
a bit on the vicious side with the wind prone to shower
you with icy shards, but with stunning views.
The off-piste skiing here was excellent, as the wind
mills the snow to a fine powder. Within minutes of
skiing one of the off-piste ski trails that the Austrians
do so well, the wind action had erased all trace of our
tracks. Near the end of this particular trail was a nice
jump with a blind finish, and we witnessed a
wonderfully spectacular wipe-out that left one poor
soul scattered over the snow and his mates laughing so
hard they couldn’t stand-up.
Visibility was a bit of an issue on a couple of days. The
light can become oddly grey, and matt, so that seeing
the surface can be difficult. If, like me, you wear
glasses it can be a bit frustrating. This leads to an odd
effect where it is sometimes difficult to tell whether
you are going up or down-hill, a dilemma that usually
ends with a face plant.
It is incredible how far we ski in a week. There is now
a web site that, if you type in the number of your ski
pass, will show where you have been and how far you
have skied. We comfortably did in excess of 50
kilometres a day.
I finished the week with a spectacular bruise on my
back (for which I received no sympathy whatsoever)
and returned 5 pounds heavier than I had set out.
However we all arrived back in one piece this year.
Once again, many thanks to Len and Gavin (and
Gavin’s sister-in-law) for organising things so well. If
anyone fancies joining us you will be more than
welcome. Contact Len Adams on 01440 785474 if you
are interested.
Robert Whittle
__________________________________________
Round & About
MANAGING A MASTERPIECE GOES PUBLIC
‘Managing a Masterpiece’ is a three year
programme to understand, conserve and celebrate the
landscape of the Stour Valley and February and
March saw the culmination of the project with a series
of public events taking place to mark the area's rich
artistic heritage. The programme is funded by the
Heritage Lottery Fund and co-ordinated by the
Dedham Vale (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
and Stour Valley Project. These public events include
poetry readings by Poet of the Valley, Dean Parkin; an
art exhibition featuring local artists; a fantastic
'celebration of light' event in Sudbury, which included
the showing of a film by young local film makers and
light installations in the town and surrounding
countryside; and a full day of talks, readings, films
and music in Stoke By Nayland, to celebrate the 90th
birthday of Ronald Blythe. Details of these events can
be found on the MaM website
www.managingamasterpiece.org
The Stour Valley has been one of the UK’s most
extraordinary inspirations for artists down the
centuries. The area has a distinct cultural history,
being the birthplace and inspiration for artists Thomas
Gainsborough and John Constable. Sir Alfred
Munnings, the famous society and equestrian artist
lived in Dedham, whilst the landscape artist John
Nash lived in Wormingford. Ronald Blythe, the well
known chronicler of village life, still lives in
Wormingford – a parish which he has made famous
through his writing.
Over the past year, a number of participatory arts
projects have taken place with local people, including
children’s centres, painting groups and disability
groups across the area, and with schools in Sudbury,
Stratford St Mary, Hadleigh, Great Waldingfield,
Clare, Bures, Stoke by Nayland, Flatford Mill,
Ridgewell, Bulmer St Andrews and others. These are
co-ordinated as part of the arts programme of the
Managing a Masterpiece project which is supported
by the Heritage Lottery Fund and co-ordinated by the
Dedham Vale (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
and Stour Valley Project (DVSVP).
In February and March, the culmination of the project
took place with a series of public events. First off was
MY STOUR VALLEY – an open, unselected
exhibition of artworks by local people, celebrating the
Stour Valley, and an opportunity for the public to buy
the Masterpiece of the Future! It was held St Peter’s
Church, Sudbury from 1st – 13th March.
On Thursday, March 7th there was a POETRY
Evening at Gainsborough House, Sudbury, where
one could hear the new collection of poems by
“Managing a Masterpiece” poet Dean Parkin, who has
found inspiration in the artistic history of the Stour
Valley. He has written poems on Constable,
Munnings, John Nash, Ronald Blythe, Gainsborough
and many others. There will also be an announcement
of the winners of a county-wide poetry competition
for adults and young people now published in a new
book – “Poems of the Stour”.
The following day Friday March 8 was SUDBURY
LIGHT NIGHT - a celebration of light through the
heart of Sudbury and into the countryside. The town
was given over to a range of events – including an
original projection of images onto St Peter’s Church,
inspired by the old masters of the Stour Valley. There
were young people’s short animation films in shop
fronts in the Market Square area, which have been
produced by Offshoot Films . Lanterns and light
installations guided the way from the Market Square
to the rear of The Granary and a walk into the woods
and Friars Meadow will see light installations picking
out details of the landscape - there were other
surprises along the way, including a giant swan!
Admission to all events, including the MY STOUR
VALLEY EXHIBITION was absolutely free of
charge.
Finally, on Saturday March 9th RONALD BLYTHE
– A CELEBRATION at St James Church, Nayland.
A day of talks, readings, films and music reflecting
the career of Dr Ronald Blythe, as he celebrateted his
90th birthday. With contributions from naturalist and
author Richard Mabey, Dr James Canton, and Dr
Marina Warner from The University of Essex, music
from the Aldeburgh Festival’s resident quartet, films
from the BBC archives, and poetry inspired by the
Stour’s rich artistic history. One of the great essayists,
poets and novelists of this century and the last, Ronald
Blythe is author of Akenfield: Portrait of an English
Village and made films for the BBC. He was editor of
Penguin Classics for more than 20 years, worked with
Benjamin Britten at the Aldeburgh Festival, and
continues to live, preach and work in rural Essex. In
2012, The Independent called him “England's greatest
living country writer.
For information on all these and future events, please
visit www.managingamasterpiece.org.
Round & About cont’d
“Hold a Fish and Chip Supper to help spinal cord
injured people live full and independent lives.”
Great British Fish and Chip Supper – Friday 17th
May 2013
Want to do something different? Want to raise money
where you live or work? Want to eat Fish and Chips,
while raising money for charity? Hold a fish and chip
supper on Friday 17th May 2013 whilst raising
awareness of spinal cord injury and supporting SIA’s
information and support services.
You can hold a fish and chip supper in your own
home, at work or hold a larger supper at your local
community centre. SIA will provide a fundraising
pack containing hints and tips, recipes, invitations and
donation envelopes. By inviting 7 friends and asking
them to donate an additional £5.00 means you will
raise at least £35.00 from your supper but we will
also give you additional fundraising ideas to raise
even more money for SIA.
Since 2009 we have raised over £20,000 and it has
become our flagship community fundraising event.
We want to raise £10,000 from this event in 2013 we
can provide more support to spinal cord injured
people. The money raised from the suppers will help
the Spinal Injuries Association offer support to
individuals who become paralysed and their families,
from the moment a spinal injury occurs, and for the
rest of their lives by providing services and
publications which enable and encourage paralysed
people to lead independent lives.
Every year in the UK over 1,000 people experience a
spinal cord injury and there are an estimated 40,000
spinal cord injured people in the UK alone.
Community Fundraising Manager, Elizabeth Wright,
says, “The Fish and Chip Supper is a wonderful
opportunity for a great evening with friends and
family. We are also encouraging people who work to
hold a Fish and Chip Lunch in their work places to
raise even more funds. You may be even a local
community group wanting to run a fun evening with
your group.
Be a part of something special and make a real
difference to help spinal cord injured people gain
access to the information and support they need to
enable them to live full and independent lives.”
For more information or request a fundraising pack
call Elizabeth Wright on 0845 071 4350 or email
[email protected] or visit
www.siafishandchips.co.uk.
__________________________________________
BRAINTREE, HALSTEAD & WITHAM
CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU
Braintree, Halstead and Witham CAB have a team of
volunteer advisers who visit people in their homes to
help fill in Attendance allowance and Disability living
allowance forms and help with other benefits following
any award of the disability benefits.
They cover the Braintree District Council area helping
people who cannot get to their local bureau due to
disability.
The work is very rewarding. During 2011-2012 they
helped gain a total of £410,434 worth of benefits for
residents of the BDC area.
One person said “ I could not have done it without the
help of the CAB the lady who came to visit me was
very helpful and patient”
The CAB are looking for more volunteers to help with
this rewarding work. Full training will be given.
Knowledge of computers and use of a car is essential.
So if you can spare about 5 hours a week or more then
please contact the CAB by email:
[email protected].
Come and give something back to the community and
join the Disability Outreach service of the Braintree
Halstead and Witham CAB.
Village Notice Board
NICOLA JANE DESIGNS
SITUATIONS VACANT
Many of you are aware and are great
supporters of my handicrafts
There is a vacancy for at least two villagers to join
the editorial team. Could it be you!!!
If you are after hand-painted
Shabby chic rustic painted furniture
Take a look at my website
www.nicoljanedesigns.com
We are now desperately seeking additional help to
continue bringing this publication to your
doorstep every quarter, with all the news of recent
and future events in the village. We do need a
fresh - and if possible a younger - approach to the
Ridgewell News – perhaps you are new to the
village or would just like to get more involved in
village life.
I have an ever-changing range of furniture and
am happy to quote for painting a piece of your
own furniture or search for a specific item you
might be after.
Please feel free to pop in to my workshop
I will be more than happy to have a chat
Phone or e-mail
Telephone No 01440 785204
If you could volunteer just to be a reader that
would be helpful, or if you would prefer to be
more involved then there’s certainly a gap in the
team for you!!!
Please give me a call (don’t need your cv or
references!!) on 01440 785549 or by e-mail
[email protected].
Village Notice Board cont’d
Your Village Agent
Richard Ould, our village agent, is still operating in
Ridgewell and several other neighbouring villages.
He can help with a whole range of services and is happy
to visit folk in their own homes by prior arrangement.
All information discussed takes place in the strictest
confidence.
.
If Richard can help in any way, feel free to contact him
by e-mail [email protected] or by telephone
on 07540 720610.
Village Notice Board cont’d
Guildhall Doctors Surgery
Patients at the doctor’s surgery in Clare will be pleased
to learn of the appointment of Dr Simon Whitehead,
who is a new partner at the surgery. He will be
replacing Dr Tim Garrett-Moore who is moving away
from the area after nearly 18 years working in Clare.
It is intended that all patients currently registered with
Dr Garrett-Moore will transfer to Dr Whitehead and a
notice from the Health Authority will be sent to these
patients in due course.
Following on their building works at the surgery, there
will be a lift installed, which will be appreciated by all
those who have a problem with stairs – particularly the
wobbly ones at the surgery!
In an attempt to simplify telephone numbers required to
access NHS service, there is a new 111 system up and
running in Suffolk and NHS Direct is to become
incorporated in this new 111 number in the near future.
This is designed as a way to obtain medical care or
advice when calling 999 would be unnecessary or
inappropriate.
Calls to 111 are free from landlines and mobile phones
and the service is available day and night. If you call
the surgery when it is closed, the answerphone will give
you this 111 number, which will then help patients
towards the most appropriate service.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Saturday 18th May : 7.30 pm Village Hall
HISTORY SOCIETY QUIZ EVENING &
FISH & CHIP SUPPER
Contact Dave Kynnersley (785031)
Saturday- Sunday 8th/9th June OPEN GARDENS
TO ALL OUR READERS
Saturday 6th July – 2.00pm Village Hall
RGS SUMMER SHOW
Saturday 7th September – 2.00pm Village Hall
RGS AUTUMN SHOW
Answers to History Quiz
1. St Lawrence 2. Reedy Stream 3. Six 4. The Revd. Samuel Bridge 5. Ashen, Birdbrook and Sturmer
6. B17 Flying Fortresses 7. On the right 8. True 9. 15 10. 839
The Odds and Ends Page
Your references for contacts and events in Ridgewell
Directory
Alison Sargent School of Dance: Ballet, Tap &
Modern classes for 2 1/2 year olds upwards. All
levels and ages welcome. Contact 702731
Amin’s Indian Take Away & Café: Open 7 days
a week. Tel 01440 788977/788855 or
07854985185
Carpet Bowls Club: Regular meetings at 7.30pm
on Wednesdays in the Village Hall, plus occasional
matches against other villages. Contact Iris
Mountford on 788543
Congregational Church holds a service of
worship on the first Sunday in each month at
10.30am.
District Council: Braintree District Council
general number 01376 552525, customer care
number 01376 331616.
Golf: Ridgewell Golf Society meets periodically.
For details, contact Jackie Adams on 785474.
Garden Society: Annual Summer and Autumn
horticultural and handicraft shows. Talks, plant
sales, outings and social events for the whole
community. Hon Secretary Pam Amos 788595.
Discounted seed purchase contact Fran Walters
785214
.
Kings Head L Contact Andy and Aziza to book
a table or a take-away on 01440 788197 for a
Thai delight.
Library: Mobile library calls on alternate
Wednesday from 6th January at Church Lane
from 2.55 to 3.40pm and the Traveller Site on
Monday from 3.55 to 4.15pm
Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator : Contact
Malcolm Mason on 785549, or your appointed
representative
Parish Council: Meets at 7.30pm in the Village
Hall on the second Tuesday of alternate months.
See calendar for dates, Village Notice board for
agenda. Contact the Clerk, Sue Rouse, on
[email protected]
Police: Our community policeman can be
contacted at Hedingham 01787 237254.
Primary School: Office manager Carol Bliss can
be contacted on 785364.
Ridgewell History Society: Group researching
and documenting Ridgewell’s history. Contact
Dave or Michaela on 785031
Ridgewell Quilters: Every Tuesday morning in
the Village Hall. Contact Daphne Jude on
788270.
St Laurence Church: Sunday services at
11.15am as follows – 1st Sunday in the month,
Mattins; 2nd Sunday, Holy Communion; 3rd
Sunday, Family Service; 4th Sunday, Holy
Communion.
Village Notice Board: Located on Village Green
at the end of Church Lane. Used for Parish
Council notices and community notices.
Village Hall: For hirings contact Daphne Jude on
788270. Keys are with Daphne or alternatively
Mollie Sellors on 785413.
White Horse opening times: Wednesday to
Saturday inc - 12 noon to 3pm;
Evenings: Monday to Friday inc 5pm to 11 pm;
Saturday evenings 6 to 11 pm;
Sunday 12 noon to 11 pm.
Food available most sessions. Phone 785532.
Women’s Institute: Regular meetings on the
third Thursday of each month in the Village Hall
at 8.00pm. Contact Helen Morris on 788139.
RIDGEWELL NEWS is supported by Ridgewell Parish Council, who meet the printing costs, and is produced by an editorial
team of Mollie Sellors, Dave Kynnersley and Diane Osborn. Deadline for copy of our next issue 25 th May 2013 – Publication
date 15th June 2013. We welcome comments, reports and stories on all aspects of village life past and present and also general
correspondence, which may be edited for space reasons. The views and comments published in Ridgewell News do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of the Parish Council.
CAN YOU HELP???
Various organisations in the village are seeking
new members and/or help, particularly for fund
raising ideas and events
Still seeking that elusive
NEW EDITOR FOR
THE RIDGEWELL NEWS
COULD IT BE YOU???
PLEASE, PLEASE RESPOND AND PUT
YOUR NAME FORWARD FOR ONE OF
THE VERY WORTHY CAUSES THAT
MAKE UP OUR VILLAGE
We need your views and news of events that may
affect the village and on which you may have
concerns, or just a newsworthy item.
If you are a newcomer to the village, have you got
your Welcome Pack? Do let us know what
you think of your new surroundings and our
village. We’d love to hear from you.
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We welcome advertising, subject to our approving
the content.
The rates per issue are:⅛ page, (6.75 x 8.36cms approx), £15.00
¼ page, (13.5 x 8.66cms approx), £25.00
Special rates available for series.
Contact Diane Osborn – 01440 785549.
Copy Date
Please have all copy in by 25th May with
publication date on 15th June 2013. Hand written
or typed copy to Mollie Sellors, Hatters Cottage,
Drury Lane, or to Diane Osborn at 6 Colne
Springs. Better still e-mail
[email protected]. Please use Word
2000 format for e-mail - Times New Roman size
11 preferred font.