little baddow newsletter...e mail: [email protected] councillor john scott contact...

LITTLE BADDOW NEWSLETTER SPRING 2017

YOUR PARISH ASSEMBLY

WEDNESDAY 5TH APRIL 6.30

DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT LOCAL ISSUES.

COME ALONG AND MEET YOUR LOCAL COUNCILLORS, AND COUNCIL OFFICERS.

GET TO KNOW ABOUT LOCAL VILLAGE ORGANISATIONS.

REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE ON HAND TO HAVE A CHAT

GUEST SPEAKERS POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER ROGER HIRST & HIS DEPUTY JEAN GARDINER

FREE REFRESHMENTS AND LICENCED BAR

www.littlebaddow.org.uk

CHAIRMAN DR NIC COOPER

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING DATES

2017

FOR ALL NEWS & INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARISH COUNCIL GO TO THE WEBSITE www.littlebaddow.org.uk

HAVING A PARTY OR CELEBRATION?

WHY NOT BOOK THE MEMORIAL HALL

SPECIAL RESIDENTS RATES.

IT HAS A FULLY FITTED KITCHEN AND STAGE FACILITIES.

PERFECT FOR CHILDRENS PARTIES, WEDDINGS AND CONFERENCES.

CALL JACKIE RYMILL 01245 227816 FOR AVAILABILITY

MEET YOUR LITTLE BADDOW PARISH COUNCILLORS

Councillor Nic Cooper

Chair of the Council

Contact details Telephone 01245-224436 E Mail: [email protected]

Councillor Peter Irvine

Vice-Chair of the Council


Councillor Keith Bonsor


Councillor Mary Buckley


Councillor Mel Coates-Jones


Councillor Martyn Richmond


Councillor John Robinson


Councillor John Scott


Councillor Bob Shepherd MBE


Roger Upward

Parish Clerk Telephone 03376-619506 E Mail: [email protected]

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT LOCAL ISSUES? DON'T JUST TALK OVER THE GARDEN FENCE - FEEL FREE TO ATTEND THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH 7.30PM

War Memorial Rededication The highlight of the year was the service to rededicate the War Memorial and to lay wreaths. The funding group deserve great praise for raising the money and I think everyone will agree that the ‘new’ War Memorial looks great. Many villagers and organisations attended the ceremony and that laid wreaths and a special thanks go to the Cubs and Brownies who came along to support their village and remember the fallen. The turnout was excellent and thanks again to everyone who took part. The WI supported the day with refreshments much enjoyed by all. Neighbourhood Plan At the December Council meeting it was agreed that we should apply to the County Council to submit a Neighbourhood Plan. This has been approved. Chelmsford City Council will not be publishing their local plan until March. A steering group has now been set up and will meet again in March - more volunteers will be needed. It is now patently obvious that our existing Village Design Statement will carry much less weight and that therefore the adoption of a Neighbourhood Plan is extremely important for the village. Memorial Hall After all the improvement work over the last 2 years and longer the Hall is now much warmer and we have had excellent feedback. I would encourage all residents to think about booking it for their various functions. Thanks to Jackie Rymill, Hall Caretaker, for all her hard work. Road Safety/Speedwatch The Council have requested a further Speed survey and we await the results with interest. We also hope to be able to acquire a speed detection device to help facilitate reducing speeding in our village. Messages of Thanks The Parish Council is working hard and I would like to thank all the Councillors for their many contributions during the year. Roger Upward, as Parish Clerk, has performed a great deal of work and we have now heard that we have achieved Quality Council status at Foundation Level. There are various other projects that you will read about in this newsletter and I think that everyone is working hard to make Little Baddow a great village to live in. Nic Cooper

THE FILM CLUB YOUR LOCAL CINEMA

WHERE THE BEST IN POPULAR FILMS ARE PRESENTED IN A GREAT SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE ONCE A MONTH AT THE MEMORIAL HALL

DOORS OPEN AT 7PM & FILM STARTS AT 7.30PM TICKETS ON THE DOOR

CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR FORTHCOMING FILMS www.littlebaddow.org.uk

LITTLE BADDOW IN BLOOM

BLOOMING MARVELLOUS Mel Coates -Jones

What a truly beautiful and picturesque village we are all so lucky to be part of.

Every year we are able to delight in Bluebell walks through Heather Hills and enjoy romping through Holybred and Scrub wood; throwing off the mantle of our week and enjoying all that nature has to offer, and just may be stopping for tea and cake at the lock along the way.

Little Baddow is exceptional in its array of open spaces and attracts people from far and wide who come to enjoy all that the Village has to offer. This is especially noticeable in the Summer months when many of the community unveil their loved and tended gardens to the public for one or both 'Little Baddow Open Gardens’ in May and then the ‘Danbury and Little Baddow Open Gardens’ in June.

To support and enhance our village and its beauty Parish Councillor Keith Bonsor and

myself are establishing a Committee to support the Village towards ‘Village in Bloom’. This will hopefully see flowerbeds and planters appearing around the village for all to

enjoy, and for people in the village to become involved with. Commemorative planters and tubs are also likely to be part of the specification so if you know anyone who has

loved and enjoyed the village, whether as a visitor or resident, please let people know.

If you would like to get involved, whether in ideas, plant donations, organising or maintaining then please make contact us as soon as possible as we need you to make our budding ideas into a spectacular exhibition. Call Keith Bonsor on 07482 098408 or email [email protected]. Last year I was inspired by the wonderful floral displays outside many of the local houses. With this theme in mind I invite other homeowners to contribute to the look of the village by joining in with their own arrangements . This does not mean you have to have a Chelsea show display but you can use the traditional troughs and barrels, and if you feel so inclined use interesting or artistic props. I hope the overall effect will evolve into a blooming marvellous sight to see. Keith Bonsor

OPEN GARDENS ALL SET FOR 2017

SPONSORS NEEDED FOR LITTLE BADDOW IN BLOOM

WELCOME TO THE VILLAGE The Little Baddow Welcome Pack Little Baddow is one of the most sought after places to live locally, with its close proximity to Chelmsford City and frequent rail services to London, yet still surrounded by stunning countryside. WHAT ARE WELCOME PACKS As a way of informing new residents coming to live in the village the Parish Council decided to prepare a folder that would help to welcome those coming to live here and also provide an insight into what goes on in the village, the clubs and the facilities that are available in our community and in adjoining areas. We feel that it is important to welcome everyone who comes to our village and show them how vibrant and active we are, what village life is all about, what we can offer them and their families and what facilities are available close by. HOW CAN YOU GET ONE FOR A NEW NEIGHBOUR If you want a Welcome Pack you only have to ask and one will be provided. The contact is John Robinson 01245 224858. He would like you to tell us who it is for so that we know who is new in the village and the address. This will allow us to keep a record and ensure that everyone is included. HOW WE HAVE UPDATED THEM We review the format of the Welcome Pack each year to update items that may have changed such as bus timetables and Principal Clubs and Societies. The Parish Council Newsletter is replaced each year and if something new is created in the village we will include that as well. We hope that all newcomers to the village will welcome and appreciate the Welcome Pack. John Robinson

NEW COUNCILLOR JOINS THE TEAM I would like to introduce myself to you as the newest Parish councillor for Little Baddow. Both my wife Liz and I have lived in the area for well over 20yrs and I am proud to be part of a village that has many interesting people and a wealth of history. At present I own a small film production company and I am well known for my video skills for business', theatres and schools throughout Essex. My background is within the entertainment industry and I have worked as a musician, writer and producer with numerous recording artists and celebrities. One claim to fame is that a few years ago I reached the North Pole with the Arctic Challenge as a cameraman in aid of the N.S.P.C.C. Something I am proud to have done. What has all this got to do with being a councillor you may say, it proves I love a challenge and my involvement with my press, TV and the public has given me valuable skills which I hope will generate enthusiasm and drive to my

fellow councillors and to the local community. You will have seen the "In Bloom" project which I have put forward for the village. I believe this scheme will both inspire and create an atmosphere of sociability for all residents. Please get involved, it will be brilliant for us all. It is obvious that there are a great number of people in Little Baddow that do all they can to make it a good place to live in. I hope I can make a worthwhile contribution to the many local issues for the benefit of all.

My personal view is to restrict over development and to preserve the feel and look of the village. I also believe local people have an important voice and they are welcome to attend the monthly council meeting and have their say. Let's love where we live! KEITH BONSOR

PARISH ASSEMBLY WEDNESDAY 5TH APRIL 6.30pm, SEE YOU THERE!

HAVE A VOICE AT THE MONTHLY PARISH MEETING

YOUR OPINION MATTERS. BE THERE AND MAKE YOUR POINT.

THE BABY AND TODDLER GROUP BECKY TALKS ABOUT THE FUN DAYS AT THE ST ANDREWS ROOMS EVERY TUESDAY MORNING.... JUST WHAT

EVERY MUM AND DAD LOVE FOR THE LILTTLE ONES

A year in the life of Wickhay Play area, and what a year it was!

Where once there were stones, now there is grass. Football netting has replaced shredding.

The ditch, which at one point had smelt of eau de toilette now smells of eau de Cologne

(well, eau de Little Baddow to be precise) And the roundabout,

having collapsed after years of usage, now revolves effortlessly. "Phew", said Zebedee!

If you weren't aware of this local facility it's time to check it out!

COMMUNITY CARE VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY CARE GROUP

This village group is in essence a ‘good neighbour’ scheme, the aim of which is to lend support to our elderly or otherwise vulnerable villagers, which we do in several ways. On the second Sunday of every month we run a Sunday Lunch in the Memorial Hall, whilst every Tuesday we hold a ‘Drop in’ soup lunch in St Andrew’s Room. Our Transport Scheme provides transport to Doctors’ surgeries, hospital clinics and to other local clinic appointments. All drivers are vetted in accordance with statutory

requirements. We have recently revitalised our Social Afternoon (fortnightly on alternate Fridays): meetings are held in the homes of volunteer hostesses to play cards, board games or just chat over a cup of tea and a biscuit. We also operate a long-established Link Helpers Scheme. Link Helpers are located throughout the village, keeping a neighbourly eye on the more vulnerable people, of whatever age, in their immediate areas and check on them during bad weather and power cuts etc. Link Helpers will on request help arrange assistance with shopping or medicine collection. They also deliver the Parish Council Welcome Pack to new residents. We have a good number of volunteer cooks, drivers and hostesses but we could always do with more! Our activities are available to all who live in Little Baddow and you will always receive a warm welcome. For further information, please phone me on 226241 Joan Atkinson

WICKHAY PLAY AREA

Little Baddow Baby & Toddler Group is a relaxed and informal group open to residents of Little Baddow and surrounding area.

Often we stay afterwards for a picnic and we organise some special events through the year including sports day, Maldon Splashpark, a seaside trip, Christmas party, Easter egg hunt and a Mums night out! We are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and we purchase Public Liability Insurance through their scheme. The group is run by volunteers - there are currently 6 Mum's on the committee, Becky, Sharon, Kate, Jenny, Larissa & Kelly. We have a rota for opening up and appreciate everyone taking their turn. We are all responsible for our own children during the session. We welcome new members, come along and give it a try at St Andrews Rooms or The Manse, Little Baddow, Essex CM3 4TB Call our chairman Becky on 07764 758473 [email protected]

DEFIBRILLATOR NOW INSTALLED AT THE SPORTS PAVILLION

We meet on Tuesday mornings from 10.00 - 11.30am, all year round including school holidays. From October - Spring (date tbc) we meet at St Andrew's rooms North Hill, Little Baddow. From May - September we meet at The Manse Garden, Chapel Lane, Little Baddow. Playtime with lots of outdoor toys to suit from babies rising 5's plus crafts, drinks & snacks and song time to finish the session. If it is raining there is a small room at The Manse for us to meet.

TO FIND OUT ABOUT LOCAL CLUBS AND SOCIETIES LOOK ON THE PARISH WEBSITE

www.littlebaddow.org.uk

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF LIZ & KEITH BONSOR

little baddow newsletter...e mail: [email protected] councillor john scott contact...

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