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July Dragon 2020
Dragon Editorial Team
Editors Sheena Bigland 850373
Carol Elson 850057
Wendy Hogg 850141 Marie Errington 07787 502584 Nola Marshall 07773513248
Advertising Jan King 850001
Church News William Coleby 814322
Distribution Ros and Jim Heywood 850441
Finance Sian Reynolds 850449
.
2. Editorial 19. Daisy May’s Farm
3. Letters to the Editor 20. In the Garden
4. Village Defibrillator/ 21. The Gardens of Easton Lodge
Food bank Update 22/23 Adjusting to Lockdown?
5. Henham Village Shop News 23. From the Parish Registers
6. From the Barrow Boy ‘n’ Girls 24. Church Contacts/Where is
at Mount House God in a coronavirus world?
7. Henham Fruit and Veg - A 25. Church Services and Events
Lockdown Success/Update from in our Villages
the delivery scam 26. Hazel End Care Home
8 All Change at the Chimney Pot! 27. The Hundred Parishes Society
9. The Cock Inn 28. Aid for Romania
10. Henham & Ugley School 29. Gerry’s Giggles
11. Henham History 30. The Dragon’s Den
12/13 Henham Parish Council 31-33 Henham Tennis Club News
14 SSE Press Release. 34. Village Calendar/Hall Bookings
15-18 Henham Walks 35. Community Information.
Contents
2
Editorial
Dear Reader
As we go to print this month and lockdown is slowly being relaxed, there
appears to be a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.
This month’s edition reflects some of the positives we can take from these
strange times and some hope of a return to a “new normal” way of life.
We have received several messages of thanks for the fantastic support given to
our community over the past ten weeks. I make no apology for publishing them
all, as they express the strong feelings of appreciation and gratitude we all feel
for those who have stepped up to the plate on our behalf.
We have great news from Mel at The Cock, as she is busy preparing for
re-opening and also from the Gardens of Easton Lodge, who are welcoming
visitors once more. Sadly (and somewhat inexplicably), Daisy May’s Farm is
not allowed to open yet, even though zoos are!
Eastenders may have run out of episodes, but we still have the unfolding story
of the Jackdaws to read about! There are also plenty of gardening jobs still to
do for July. Maybe we could organise Open Gardens soon to celebrate the
fruits of our labours!
My guess is that if you’ve been walking a lot over the past ten weeks, you have
probably exhausted all of the Henham Walks. Have no fear, Sian Reynolds has
worked out a new one for you to try! (Walk 14 in the centre pages).
If you find yourselves reflecting on pre-Covid19 times, you can travel back to
the Henham tennis finals in the summer of 2010 with John G Smith – those
were the days!
Hopefully you will find much more in the Dragon to help keep body, mind and
soul positive as we stay alert, control the virus, save lives and gradually ease
into the “new normal”.
Carol Elson
3
Letters to the Editor
"Duck house builder wanted" for village pond
In Henham we are lucky enough to enjoy ducks and ducklings on our village ponds,
which have given hours of joy to many. We actually have a pond in our front garden and
my husband built a very rudimentary duck house, in an effort to provide safety from
predators. To our delight, one Mummy duck with her 8 ducklings (now only 3) spent
many happy hours in, out and on top of the duck House . I have spoken with Fred, who
thought it would be a lovely idea for the village pond and the Parish Council would be
happy to make a contribution towards the cost.
Would anyone like to make a duck house, as a small project ?
If so, please contact me.
Sarah Coke 850438 or [email protected].
Three cheers for the fruit and veg team!
Three rousing cheers for Charlotte Phillips, Simon and Vicky Bambridge, Karen George-
Lafferty and all those who helped establish the "pop up" vegetable and fruit stall in
Charlotte's garage in Henham.
Not only did it fill a need and provide a service in the crucial early days of the "lock
down", but it became a very valuable centre of village social life and interaction in these
difficult days of social isolation and social distancing.
The team worked ceaselessly with energy and enthusiasm and clearly thrived on the
market culture banter and humour. I am sure they will all miss doing the stall, just as we
will miss but remember a little episode in the history of the village.
David Morson, Crow Street
Support for Daisy May’s
We have just heard the news that zoos are now allowed to reopen. We were very excited
because we thought that Daisy May’s would fit into this category. Unfortunately we
were wrong! It begs the question what animals do you need to have for it to become a
zoo or wildlife park?!
I am about to write to our MP. If any of your readers feel so inclined to join me,
lobbying for places such as Daisy May’s and other community farms to be allowed to
reopen, we would greatly appreciate it. We definitely have more open space than a zoo
and can really help with home schooling at this time or just in giving families a trip out
together.
Elaine Terry
4
Village Defibrillator
A reminder to all, that our defibrillator is located by the side, main entrance
to OSCA. A code would be issued by the ambulance service for its release
and, if it is thought appropriate, by the 999 emergency services. The
procedure, therefore, is always to call 999. In the first instance, you will be
asked to give your symptoms and then directed to the defibrillator, as above.
No previous training is needed, as the machine gives very clear, verbal
instructions for use at every stage.
It is therefore wise to have a neighbour’s / local person's phone number to
hand, as one person would need to stay with the " patient", while someone
else fetches the equipment.
The machine is checked and serviced regularly and it is reassuring to know
we have one and where it is located.
Jill Foster and Sarah Coke
Food Bank Update
In the first ten weeks of lockdown
we have supplied 248 food boxes
and fed over 550 people.
Thank you to all the Henham residents who have generously
donated food via the church and the village shop.
5
Henham Village Shop News
To say the least the last 12 weeks or so have been very testing for all. However,
there have been some great positives with regard to the focus on village life. I
have enjoyed the walks to Mount House for vegetables and to the fish man and
then visiting the shop for general groceries on the way home. I have met many
friends not seen for a while and also some new faces doing their essential
shopping in the village or
enjoying their daily exercise in
the sunshine. It has been good
to chat, be it at a safe distance.
It has been great that the
village shop has been here to
help during lockdown and we
have seen a substantial increase
in turnover during this period.
As the lockdown eases turnover
is dropping again, although it is
still higher than before the
arrival of Covid-19.
The shop has managed to cope with the extra demand thanks to quite a bit of
extra work by Linda and Richard and support from others including, Nina
Gaubert, who has been collecting chiller and freezer products. Apart from the
hopeless task of finding flour we have done pretty well in a difficult market.
Thank you to Nina and all our volunteers and temporary stand ins for helping
with the shop and for the co-operation of customers with social distancing. Also,
thanks to Clare for manning the Post Office and providing another valuable
village service that we need to support.
Hopefully everybody will reflect on how pleasant it can be shopping locally and
not driving some distance, queuing and then fighting their way around busy
supermarkets. I would like to think that I can walk to our village shop for many
years to come and will be chatting with friends and neighbours in the shop and
along the way.
Trevor Ellis-Callow
6
From the Barrow Boy ‘n’ Girls at Mount House
Over the past eleven weeks we
have been privileged to be part of
a fantastic team and witnessed
community spirit at its best at The
Henham Pop Up Fruit ’n’ Veg
Stall.
As well as, we hope, providing a
much-needed service during
lockdown, we have had far too
much fun and silly antics with our
customers, who for some reason,
seemed to have enjoyed the
juvenile banter freely provided,
even if it meant we were at the
stall from 5am.
In these unprecedented times it has
been quite humbling to witness the
generosity of our villagers who have cared for others in self-isolation and
made sure they were supplied with fresh fruit ’n’ veg every week (although
Simon can’t believe they would keep coming back for the abuse and sarcasm!)
We must not forget to thank our wonderful supporters with their kind
donations, keeping us well “oiled”!
The generosity of our villagers towards the Essex Herts Air Ambulance Trust
has been overwhelming too, and we would like to thank you all for raising
£1735.00 plus gift aid, bringing the total to £2025.00 - We salute you!!
We all really hope that you will continue to support our outstanding supplier
Berry Best Produce, who is based locally, and is looking to supply villagers
with bespoke boxes if demand meets.
Contact Richard at [email protected] 07971098559
www.berrybestproduce.co.uk
Team Mount House
7
Henham Fruit and Veg - A Lockdown Success
At the start of lockdown Charlotte Philipps of Mount House decided to create a
pop-up store from her car port so that residents would not need to leave the
village for their essential supplies and stay safe. Orders for meat, delivered
from Kings Butchers and overseen by the ever-able Sue Leech, and fish
supplied by Kelvin ‘The Fish Man’ supplemented this, with Jo and Chris
Mowbray organising its smooth running.
The fruit and veg stall, however, was the highlight of the week for many
residents. It was to be held every Thursday, although in these strange times, it
was soon to be called "Veg-day”.
Over the course of those eleven weeks many new friends were made, and many
laughs were had while queuing and being served. Charlotte, Simon and Vicky
Bambridge and Karen George Lafferty did a fantastic job with this huge
charitable effort. And loved every minute of it!
Unbelievably, each week, a considerable amount of fruit and veg was sold
generating much needed revenue for the local supplier, Berry Best
Produce of Clavering and sold to residents at cost.
Eleven weeks later the enterprise came to an end as restrictions were eased and
life started to go back to normal.
In addition, over a six-week period residents were incredibly generous and
donated £2025, including gift aid, in support of the Essex Air Ambulance.
The village shop and extensive team, overseen by Linda Peake, also provided
an invaluable service as always.
Incredible initiative and a positive lockdown story.
So, on behalf of all Henham customers, thank you to all involved.
Simon Lee
Update from the delivery scam - featured in last month’s Dragon
My two suspects were arrested and charged for these and other offences.
Statements have been taken and there could be court appearances if the
suspects plead not guilty.
Looking forward to it.
Top marks for Essex Police!
Simon Bambridge
8
All Change at the Chimney Pot!
Oh me of little faith. As recorded last month we had been watching Jack and
Jill the jackdaws building a large nest in the chimney and were eagerly
anticipating the arrival of new life. Then sadly, the nest building had abruptly
stopped as an interloper arrived on the scene who appeared to break up the
normally life long partnership.
However, thanks to my neighbours’ observational skills, there is exciting news
which I am sure you have all been waiting for. There has apparently been a
reconciliation as Jack and Jill have returned to the chimney pot and the
interloper appears to have found a new mate, possibly of the same sex which is
common in the species. We now await the promising signs of new life.
When in September the nest will be removed we will be keen to see what they
have stowed away as they, like magpies, love to pick up shiny objects. Indeed,
after Hitler embarked on the art theft campaign in the 1930s, he was derided as
the Jackdaw of the Linz, reflecting an appetite for bright objects.
Jackdaws are known for forming strong bonds with people, to the extent of
accompanying their companions on the golf course, hitching a ride on their
human friend’s shoulders. Not sure we have quite that relationship but keep an
eye open if you are on Saffron Walden Golf Course!
Jim and Ros Heywood
9
The Cock Inn
Reopening at the Cock
We are working towards the 4th of July and eagerly await confirmation and
guidelines. We anticipate that outside areas will be the first to open, so we are
busy getting the garden areas ready. We may also extend the seating area into
the car park. This will of course mean more limited car parking spaces, but
will allow more people on the premises at the distances required.
PPE will be made available for all members of staff and there will be a number
of changes which we are working on and we await full details of what this will
involve. We will keep you updated, but please be assured we will have stringent
hygiene procedures in place. Staff and customer safety will be our number one
priority.
We are currently looking into an ordering app which will mean you won’t even
have to leave your table to order your drink!! Stay safe and we look forward to
seeing you all soon! Let’s hope the sunshine comes back in good time!
Contact 01279 850347
Email: [email protected]
10
Henham & Ugley School
How things have changed and developed in the last
couple of months, living with coronavirus!
We are now operating with limited year groups, namely: Nursery, Reception,
Year 1 and Year 6.
It is with sadness that we are unable to welcome more children back to
school, but with the current guidance of 2 metre distancing and 15 children
in a bubble, we don’t have the capacity to fit anymore year groups in, or in
fact, have the staff to supervise, as they are unable to move across bubbles.
The provision for the four year groups has meant a lot of logistical juggling,
but we’ve managed it, albeit with a part time offer.
Additionally, I am pleased to say we have still been able to maintain our key
worker provision for those parents whose jobs are vital to the Covid-19
effort, as well as for those more vulnerable children in our school
community.
As the first of our children from years 1 and 6 came back this week, it was
once again wonderful to hear laughter and giggles fill the school! It really is
an emotional time; wonderful to hear the joy from the children that are back
in school, once again reunited physically with their peers, but alongside this
is much sadness for the many, many children, who are unable to return.
Hopefully in September this will change – we will have to wait a bit longer
before we know for sure if this is the case.
As a school, we are still providing online learning for all year groups,
regular phone and email contact with parents and of course our school
information Facebook page, where the school community share their
experiences of being away from school.
It’s not the same, but with schools having to adhere to strict guidelines, like
everyone else, we are doing our utmost to ensure parents and children feel
supported.
If you need support, please, please do get in touch with me. I will do
everything I can to help. [email protected]
We continue to miss you all, and really hope we continue making progress
in reducing the rate of infection so all children to get back into school as
soon as possible.
Continue to keep safe everyone x
Kim Hall, Headteacher
11
Henham History
Accommodation problems at Henham School in the mid 1800’s.
Social distancing? Hand sanitising? Problems from a different era. Adapted from information on www.henham history.org. This interesting site is
compiled and maintained by Nina Gaubert. It provides a valuable source of
information and an insight into how Henham has changed over the years.
In the 1880’s Henham School was expected to accommodate one hundred and
fifty two children and was based on one large room with a smaller room for
infants with a gallery at one end. Only six years after the School was built the
Education authorities required an extra classroom as, in their Lordships’
opinion, the attendance exceeded the capacity for which the school had been
planned. The School Board protested that the average attendance had not
reached the initial figure, and begged that the plan need not be carried out
especially as the area was dependent on agriculture which was depressed. The
Education authorities threatened that unless the work was carried out the
Annual Grant would be withheld. The work was immediately put in hand, the
cost of over £200, being covered by a loan from the Public Works Loan
Commissioners.
The gallery in the infants’ room was eight or nine steps high and the small
children used to fight so that they could sit on the coveted top form. The
benches were so close together that before backs were fixed, the children’s
clothes were dirtied from the boots of those behind them. In 1880 a Schools’
Inspector stated that “the gallery seats should be furnished with rests for the
backs of the children”:
However, Henham was never very keen on innovations and the gallery
persisted into Edwardian days. Eventually in 1904, the managers met and
agreed to have the gallery removed and new desks put in place.
Progress at last - but not however as regards water, which was not piped to the
village till 1938. The School depended on the pump on the village green for
water; there was a bucket and bowl in the porch for washing, and the children
used their cupped hands for drinking. The Letter Book in July 1897 stated that
the Parish Council were told that water from the Pump on the School Green
was unfit for drinking purposes and the Board required that the well was
cleaned out to improve the water. However, in summer droughts the pump
was chained up, and water unobtainable, so children walking from long
distances, such as Pledgdon Green, called at various friendly cottages for
a drink of water on their way home.
Many thanks to Ros Heywood for this article
12
Henham Parish Council News
The Parish Council continues to conduct its business by social media during
the lockdown. This short note brings villagers up to date on the main issues.
Planning applications
Fairfield The planning appeal against the refusal of the 350 houses on
Henham Parish land NE of Elsenham looks set to be heard w/c 9th November.
It is to be held at the UDC offices and the PC will alert residents when this
date is confirmed.
Mill Road The consultation on the planning application for 45 houses in Mill
Road is now closed. Thank you to the residents who responded. We now await
a date for the hearing by the UDC Planning Committee.
Chickney Road The appeal against the refusal of the 16 houses at the end of
Chickney Road has been determined. The Inspector has dismissed the appeal, a
result which will please residents. The Inspector ruled that the effect of the
proposal on the character and appearance of the area was unacceptable. He said
that the 16 new dwellings would mean significant urbanisation of the area and
they would not be in an appropriate or accessible location. He also said that the
developer’s proposal was originally recommended for approval by UDC Coun-
cil Officers and that the decision to refuse planning permission was a Member
over-turn at Planning Committee. He said this is part of the democratic process
and does not affect the weight of issues he placed on the refusal.
This is a very helpful ruling and the PC is delighted that its decision to contest
the appeal has been vindicated.
Bedwell Road We still await a planning hearing date for the application to
build 230 houses off Bedwell Road. Helpfully Essex Highways have
expressed concern of the air quality and the egress from the development.
13
The PC would like to thank residents who support the Save Our Village
lottery and residents who have left donations at the Village Shop. It is
important that we continue to object strongly, with the right experts, to
speculative housing applications, but it is expensive! If you would like
details of the monthly lottery draw, please contact Cllr Fisher whose contact
details can be found on the village website www.henham.org.
Tree work
The PC is expecting to complete the second tranche of tree work soon. This
affects the churchyard trees, trees at the back of the ponds and the allotment
trees in accordance with the arborist’s recommendations.
Bonfires
There have been complaints from residents on the incidents of bonfires being
lit in the village. Can the PC remind residents of the UDC instruction that
bonfires are to be avoided whilst the coronavirus controls are in place. If
residents are experiencing issues with smoke from bonfires, they can report it
to Environmental Health Team at UDC via the UDC website.
Lockdown
The PC would like to again express its thanks to those residents who are
helping others during this difficult period. Of particular merit was the fruit
and veg stall organised by Charlotte and Simon, well done to you both. The
Village Shop has been a focal point for many residents, and our thanks must
go to Linda and Richard for keeping it so well stocked, and the volunteers for
keeping it functioning. I know that there have been many acts of kindness by
residents during this period, many unsung, but they go to make Henham the
great place it is.
Village website
Residents are reminded that any issues or notifications of importance are
always immediately posted onto the Henham website www.henham.org by
our clerk Mareike. The website has a contact sheet should residents wish to
raise an issue of concern.
Nick Baker, Chair HPC
14
SSE PRESS RELEASE – 25 MAY 2020
Air travel clampdown produces a silver lining
The current clampdown on international air travel has produced a silver lining
for the UK Balance of Payments in the form of a reduction in the country’s
trade deficit by an estimated £3 billion a month.
Figures published last week [Friday 22 May] by the Office of National
Statistics (‘ONS’) show that the UK posted a record trade deficit of £33.9
billion on international tourism in 2019. This is more than £2 billion above
the 2018 figure which was itself a record tourism trade deficit.
UK residents made 93.1 million visits abroad last year, spending a total of
£62.3 billion overseas whilst overseas residents made 40.9 million visits to the
UK, spending £28.4 billion.
The net result was a £33.9 billion deficit in the UK Balance of Payments.
Just 9.0 million of the 93.1 million overseas visits by UK residents in 2019
were for business purposes.
Brian Ross, Deputy Chairman of Stop Stansted Expansion (‘SSE’)
commented: “The current pandemic has an endless list of negative impacts
upon peoples’ lives and livelihoods but the impact on international tourism is
undeniably good news for the Balance of Payments. This is, of course, at the
expense of countries such as Spain, Greece and Italy who are losing billions of
euros in revenue from UK tourists.”
It remains unclear as to how long it will take before there is a meaningful
resumption of international air travel and overseas tourism. Restoring
consumer confidence will be particularly challenging.
New guidelines published last week [20 May] by the European Aviation
Safety Agency (‘EASA’) state that passengers will need particular reassurance
that filtered air on airplanes is safe. However, there is still no guidance from
EASA on the testing and certification of aircraft air conditioning to measure
its effectiveness in filtering out particles as small as bacteria and viruses.
Brian Ross concluded: “The general expectation is that it will take several
years to restore consumer confidence in international air travel and overseas
tourism. The upside is that the UK Balance of Payments account is already
seeing the benefits and the UK domestic tourism economy should benefit once
we can all safely get moving again within the UK.
For more information and comment go to [email protected]
15
HENHAM WALKS
WALK No: 14
(added 2020 by Sian Reynolds)
TITLE: Widdington and Debden Churches
16
WALK No: 14 Widdington and Debden Churches
SUITABILITY All walkers No Stiles
DISTANCE Approx. 3 miles
TIME 1 hour 10 minutes
Condition Mixture of minor roads, tracks and footpaths around
field edges. Dependent upon the time of year it may be
a little muddy and or overgrown in places
This walk starts at Widdington Church rather than Henham so you will need to
drive or cycle to Widdington to start. If you are feeling energetic and wish to
walk from Henham and back then the whole route would take about 3 hours,
but for those wanting a shorter walk it is possible to park by Widdington
Church. (If you have walked from Henham there is a bench under a tree in the
shade for a rest.)
A-C Standing on the road facing the front of Widdington Church (point A)
walk to the right and then turn left following the concrete footpath sign post.
This path leads you around the end of the church into an open field. Turn right
and walk along the track with the hedgerow on your right. Keep going until
you see the path curve left across the field towards the nearest telegraph pole
(waymarker sign on pole). Follow the path around and then walk straight across
the field towards the first wood. At the wood you will see a plank bridge with
metal railings. Cross over and keeping the wood on your right. Continue
walking in a straight line past the wood and across the next open field towards a
corrugated iron roofed shed in front of Cabbage Wood. ( C)
C-D At the shed keep going straight across the dirt road and follow the public
footpath sign on the left into the wood (NOT the BYWAY sign to the right).
You will now enter Cabbage Wood passing through a metal kissing gate.
Follow the track through the woods staying on the main path until you emerge
into open fields once more. Keep going straight across, down the slope to the
trees/hedge line at the far side. Here you arrive at a bridge which crosses an
overgrown ornamental pond. At the far side of the bridge look for a pathway to
an overgrown ornamental pond. At the far side of the bridge look for a pathway
to the right before the large red brick building. This is a small path and there is
no footpath sign until you are 50 yards along the path. This sometimes muddy
17
18
path leads to a small gate at the rear of the churchyard at Debden. Walk
through the churchyard keeping the church on your left and out the main gates
of the churchyard. (D)
D-E Once through the church gates follow the hedge on your right and turn
right at the corner of the hedge. There is a sign saying Debden Hall Gardens.
About 10 yards further on, where the wire fence on your left ends, take the
footpath into the field on the left and follow around the corner of the
hedgerow on your right. Cross the corner of the field towards a gap in the
hedge opposite. Walk through this gap on the left (not the metal gate on the
right). There is an unofficial footpath sign among the bushes in this gap.
Follow the path along between the hedge and trees, through the edge of the
woods with the fields visible on your left. Just keep going straight through the
wood and field edge and you will eventually cross a plank bridge with a
wooden hand rail. Continue along the field edge with the hedge on your right
until the path turns right through the hedge and over another bridge: this time
with metal railings. Once across this bridge walk diagonally across this field
until you reach the road (Rook End Lane) (E)
E-B Turn right and walk to the end of the lane where there is a thatched
cottage facing you. There are two footpath signposts in the hedge on the left.
Follow the left-hand path, keeping the thatched cottage on your right and
continue along the footpath with the hedge on your right. Ignore the first
opening into a field and keep going straight on (there is a way marker post in
the hedge). Look out for a white and red utility pole in the hedgerow. Once
past this you need to turn right through the hedge at the next corner. Then
turning left follow the edge of the field uphill towards a small copse of trees.
The path turns left through the hedge and on the far side of the hedge there is
a way marker post. As you stand facing the open field follow the path that cuts
diagonally to the right towards the corner of the hedge that juts out into the
field. Once you reach this hedge continue straight on with a wide ditch on
your right and keep going until you come to a junction with another footpath.
(B)
B-A Turn left and you are now on the path where you started. Head back
towards the telegraph pole. At the far edge follow the path around to the right
until you reach the corner of the field where the path turns left and you are
back at Widdington Church.
19
Daisy May’s Farm
Hall Road, Elsenham, CM22 6DN
I was really hoping to have some good news for you, but sadly at the time of
going to press, there isn’t any and we are still closed.
However, we have not been idle! We have created a calming sensory area that
leads safely down to the stream (it’s glorious), made a lovely forested picnic
area with den building nearby and the chicken sheds and hutches have been
repaired. Lots of things have been repainted and work is ongoing to the
Woodland Trail which will be magical. We really cannot wait for you all to
see it when we reopen!
Of course, on top of all the new things, we have our wonderful animals and at
this time of year. They could not be better as there are SO many lovely babies.
As you can imagine, all this costs a terrific amount and as we have no income,
things are tight to say the least.
So, if you would like to help us, you can do this in a couple of ways. We have
an Amazon Wish List with all sorts on it, nothing is terribly expensive, but
everything is very much needed. If you would like to buy something, please
follow the link below.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/1B5UNRLQREZDL?ref=cm_sw_sm_r_wl_mw_jrTk174ecxfGq
We also have a Crowd Funding page and you can find it by visiting www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/alison-thomson-5 to donate to this appeal. Anything you can give is MASSIVELY appreciated.
Keep an eye on our website for reopening news – www.daisymaysfarm.org.
20
In the Garden July is normally the month when you start enjoying the fruits of your labours
throughout winter and spring. It’s a time to relax a little and enjoy the wonders
of nature.
Before we get carried away, let’s remember that there is still plenty to do in
the garden. This spring has been incredibly dry and very warm and therefore
many things in the garden have developed early. Many plants have flowered
and need to be regularly dead headed to encourage them to continue flowering.
Once seed heads start to develop, the plants will put all their energy into
developing those seed heads, rather than producing flowers. If you didn’t put
plant supports in earlier, now is the time to do so to prevent tall or straggly
plants from falling over.
Now is a good time to take softwood cuttings of herbaceous perennials and
herbs. This is a very simple process and requires no specialist equipment. Take
a 4 inch cutting just below a leaf joint from a stem which has no flower. Pinch
out all the leaves except the top two, fill a plastic plant pot with compost
(either a seed & cutting- or a multi-purpose) and plant the cutting up against
the edge of the pot. You can plant several cuttings in the same pot. Water the
pot, then place a plastic bag over the pot and secure this with an elastic band.
Place the pot in a warm, light, position and leave it until you see leaves
developing. Once the roots start to appear through the holes in the bottom of
the pot, it is time to pot the cuttings up in individually. This is a cheap way of
increasing your stock of plants. Remember that plants raised from cuttings will
be true in colour to the parent plant, whereas if you save seed from plants and
sow them there is no guarantee that this will happen.
Once Lupins, Peonies and Delphiniums have flowered, cut the plant stems
down to ground level and hopefully you will get a second flush of flowers.
If you are growing tomatoes, remember to keep pinching out the side shoots on
determinate varieties. Indeterminate varieties can be left, but it is a good idea
to provide a little support for them.
If you have planted new trees recently, make sure you give them a good soak at
least once a week in long, hot and dry spells, or you risk losing them.
Finally, July is a good time to cut Hawthorn (and other)
hedges. I always wait until the chicks have fledged and left
the nest before cutting. What does it matter if the hedge
stays a bit untidy for a little longer?
Happy Gardening!!
Norman Elson
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The Gardens of Easton Lodge
We are now expecting to be open in July
and we are keeping our fingers crossed for
rain to help bring on more flowers. The
Gardens will be looking lovely, but we will
have social distancing arrangements in
place.
For the Open Day on Sunday 19th July,
there will be our usual catering fayre but no
special activities. We cannot put a booking
arrangement in place to keep visitor
numbers down, so we will be limited by
the size of the car park, with no overflow
car park in operation. There will be no risk
of being turned away if you arrive by
bicycle or on foot.
From the beginning of July, for those local
enough to be able to arrive without a car, we will also be open to visitors on our
Thursday volunteering day. There will be no catering on Thursdays.
Our Facebook page and website will have further details on our opening
arrangements for July onwards www.eastonlodge.co.uk.
The Gardens have survived remarkably well, despite the drought conditions through
April, May and June. Our volunteer gardeners are now back in force - getting back on
top of the weeds and continuing with additional planting. One job which took our
Trustee, Sue, a whole day was taking out duck weed from the lily pond. The lilies are
spreading out now and showing the variety we have, white, yellow and a range of
pinks. The lavender is flowering, providing beautiful borders for the Italian Garden
and the walled kitchen garden and providing a good larder for our bumble bees and
butterflies. Our honey bees have also made a really good start to the year with all that
early sunshine and spring blossom, so we should have lots of honey available for sale
at the Gardens. We are also continuing to make our vegetables and fruit available
through the Isolated Shop at Little Easton Manor.
Thanks to our volunteers we have many lovely photos of the Gardens on our
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thegardensofeastonlodge/ and our
Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/eastonlgardens/ .
Best wishes from us all, stay safe & see you soon.
Jill Goldsmith
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Adjusting to Lockdown?
Who would have predicted that in 2020 we would be in
lockdown because of a global pandemic? This has been
such a shock to our everyday lives and as I write this we still don’t know what
the future looks like. The Pandemic has caused much death, much sorrow and
fear. Even for those not infected, the everyday things of life, the things we took
for granted, have been taken away from us or significantly adjusted. Holidays
abroad and at home have been cancelled. We have been separated from family
and friends. Work and school life has changed. We live under the “2 metre rule”.
This has been difficult for regular church–goers as well and those planning
weddings and funeral services in church. The churches have been trying to play
catch-up ever since as the government advice has changed over time, and no
doubt we haven’t always got it right.
As we saw what other churches were doing we started doing a weekly recording
(from home) of a full service with songs, prayers, Bible readings and a talk on
video and uploading it on to YouTube, linking in contributions from other
people. (On YouTube, search for Henham, Elsenham and Ugley Churches.)
Other church members have similarly found themselves using technology in new
ways. A lot of prayer meetings, fellowship groups and church business meetings
are now done via the internet by video-conferencing software such as “Zoom”.
Indeed in early May, the “Zoom” platform experienced serious connection
problems resulting in an amusing tweet ‘Looks like the church broke the internet’
as thousands streamed their Sunday morning services.
Of course none of these are substitutes for the real thing – for actual face to face
fellowship with each other. We crave relationship - a phone call can mean so
much - seeing other friends on a computer screen can be uplifting - but we
hunger for more. We are relational people made in the image of the only one and
true God, Father, Son and Spirit in loving fellowship. We’re glad that our
churches are now able to be open for private prayer (open to all - have a look at
the church notices for details) but we long for the time when we can all regularly
meet together for worship.
At this difficult time of lockdown, we need to remember that the church is not
the building but the people. We worship God in Spirit and in Truth and we can
truly have real spiritual fellowship without being in the same building as we
fellowship with God by His Spirit and gather together using technology. Indeed,
God can’t be locked down - He is not confined to a building - but He is the God
of the Universe!
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The apostle Paul speaking in Athens said: "The God who made the world and
everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples
built by hands.” (Acts 17:24).
Some sort of normality will return - we don’t know quite when but God does.
Look ahead to the time when we can gather together all in the same place -
but in the meantime we are to worship God, whether we can physically get to
church or not. God wants people to reach out to Him! He is to be our Lord
and King - we are to look to Him and give Him honour and praise.
More people are praying today than have for many years because of this
pandemic and more and more people are asking deep questions about God.
Why not have a look at the church website heuchurch.co.uk for more of what
is going on (like the Christianity Explored course) and check out the YouTube
service? Life on earth is fleeting and fragile - but look to God, who sent His
Son Jesus, to bring us into a loving fellowship with Himself by His Spirit and
a life forever with Him.
God bless and stay safe!
Rev Gary Tubbs (Associate Minister)
From the Parish Registers
Funerals:
Service of Thanksgiving at St Mary’s Elsenham graveside on 26th
May
2020, Alan Ernest Smith, aged 95 years, formerly of Alsa Gardens,
Elsenham.
Service of Thanksgiving at St Mary’s Elsenham graveside on 26th May
2020, Mary Madge Claydon, aged 91 years, formerly of Alsa Leys,
Elsenham.
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Church Contact Information, Email and Website Addresses
Gary Townsend 01279 850281 [email protected]
Gary Tubbs 01279 817698 [email protected]
Church Office 01279 814285 Anna Hicks
Church email address [email protected]
Church website address www.heuchurch.co.uk
Where is God in a coronavirus world?
Maybe, like so many of us in lockdown, you have found yourself pondering the Really Big Questions of life: Why am I here? Is there more to life than this? Where is our hope now? And, if He exists at all, where is God?
Your friends at Henham Church would like to offer you a free copy of “Where is God in a Coronavirus World?” by Christian and mathematics professor, John Lennox.
You can collect your free copy from Henham Village Stores, or if you can’t get to the shop, please contact [email protected] and a free copy will be posted out to you.
We would be thrilled if you could find time to read it and reflect upon it. And we welcome any questions you may have. Please email questions to [email protected].
If you would like to know more about the Christian faith and discover who Jesus is, we are running Christianity Explored sessions via Zoom. These sessions give you the chance to look at an eyewitness account of Jesus Christ, find out why he came, and why it matters (more information at (www.ceministries.org).
Please contact the church office to join a group [email protected]
Enquiries about thanksgivings, baptisms, weddings and funerals should be made in the first instance to Anna Hicks at the Church Office 01279 814285.
25
Church Services
We are currently unable to meet for services in our church buildings but we can still meet ‘virtually’!
Join us for any or all of our Sunday gatherings each week:
HEU Combined Churches Service via recorded video stream; www.heuchurch.co.uk
Or search ‘Henham, Elsenham and Ugley on YouTube’
Elsenham ‘Zoom Services’ 8:45 &10:15am
Same link each week.
Contact Charles Willbe ([email protected]) for the link.
HEU Coffee &Catch-up: 11:40 am-12:30pm
A chance to chat and catch up and have fellowship with the church family via Zoom:
Same link: Meeting ID 77159180523
Password: heuZOOM
Church buildings are open for personal prayer:
St Mary’s Elsenham – open all times
St Mary’s Henham - 8am - 8pm every day
St Peter’s Ugley - Sundays 10am – 8pm
A poster is displayed at each church with directives on how to stay ‘COVID-19 safe’. Please ensure these instructions are followed at all times to keep yourself and everyone else safe. God bless!
Other regular events
Ugley Junior Church
A weekly lesson document is emailed to
parents. Contact [email protected] to be
added to this email list.
Elsenham Sunday Club/Explorers
(Y1 –Y6) We are running a magazine
programme each week. This includes a story,
teaching sheet, family prayers, quizzes and
crafts. Contact [email protected] to
receive the magazine.
Henham Sunday Club (age 5—Y3)
Recorded stories are sent weekly to parents,
along with pictures retelling the story, plus
activities, colouring & puzzles. Contact
[email protected] to be added to email
list.
Pathfinders (Y7-Y9) via Zoom each Sunday, 6
-7pm to chat and play games. Contact
[email protected] for the link.
Crammin’ (Y10-Y13) Meeting weekly on
Zoom for fun, chat and Bible! Contact
[email protected] for the link.
Christian Play (Y1-Y2) We are running a
magazine programme each week. This
includes a story, teaching sheet, family prayers,
quizzes and crafts. Contact
[email protected] to receive the
magazine.
Little Fishes Pre-School Group Henham
Thursdays, 10:30am. Now via Zoom!
Everyone with a pre-school child or baby is
welcome. Contact Vanessa Gibbons 07968
596304 for details.
Little Fishes Pre-School Group Elsenham
Fridays, 10am. Now via Zoom! We welcome
new mums. Contact [email protected]
for the link.
Church Services and Events in our Villages July 2020
26
27
Recently we have enjoyed above average hours of sunshine and walking or
cycling along paths, bridleways and less busy roads has enabled us to admire
the abundance of wildflowers and their insect visitors on field margins and
wayside verges.
Many of these insects are the familiar pollinators such as butterflies, hoverflies
and bees. For obvious reasons, observations of insect / plant interactions after
dark are less well studied, especially pollination activities. Concerns about the
impact of bright lights on the behaviour of night-flying moths assumed a
greater importance when a report published in 2017 revealed that crop yields
could be reduced by as much as 13% in well-lit areas as the pollinating moths
became disorientated. Ongoing research is revealing the importance of various
moths in pollinating flowers, including those of crops such as soft fruits, peas
and beans.
Moths transport pollen on their tongues and undersides as they flit from flower
to flower under the cover of darkness. Maintaining a wide variety of food
plants for their caterpillars is a good reason for the retention of unmown verges,
wildflower meadows or flower-rich gardens.
Darker nights also help our own appreciation of the wonders of the universe.
Away from ‘civilisation’ there are many excellent locations for star gazing
across the Hundred Parishes where there is little artificial light after dark. You
can check the details for your own location on the online map of CPRE’s 2020
star count on www.cpre.org.uk/starcountresults.
Bright lights can be intrusive and there are concerns about their impact on
human health and wellbeing. Local councils can adopt policies to tackle light
pollution and protect our dark skies. Minimising the use of bright lights can
save money and will enable moths to keep busy with their valuable pollination
services in unlit areas.
Tricia Moxey, Trustee
The Hundred Parishes Society
www.hundredparishes.org.uk
28
Aid for Romania
Our spring lorry has been significantly delayed as you might expect with limits
on social distancing and Romanian lorry drivers somewhat unwilling to
venture out of their country for fear of having to go into quarantine on their
return. So as I write (late May) the lorry has not yet been loaded but we hope
to do this in about 4 weeks. We are still intending to send another lorry load in
October in time for their winter and Christmas.
Some of the goods will be given free to needy families as nominated by the
local Baptist church, with the remainder sold through our charity shop with
proceeds helping the same poor sections of the population with health,
education and improving their terrible housing conditions.
We are wanting:
Warm winter clothes and boots for adults and children (under 3yrs must be
new).
Single and Z beds with mattresses (sturdy iron or wooden framed beds are very
desirable). Bed sheets, pillows, duvets and blankets (single and double),
Towels, toiletries (including loo rolls), umbrellas and rugs.
Building and workshop tools (also some types of gardening tools and sturdy
wheelbarrows). Ear defenders for the manual workers.
Surplus school tables (must be 2ft clearance underneath ie not infant) and
stackable adult size chairs (please ask any contact with a local school or village
hall who are/maybe re-furbishing).
Small sturdy chest of drawers, (not flat pack built as these do not survive the 5
day truck journey to Romania) bedside cabinets and folding tables.
Irons and boards.
Kitchen items (crockery, cutlery, utensils, pots/pans – especially big sizes eg
preserving pans).
Wheelchairs, crutches, walking sticks, zimmers and I have a special need for
all sizes of bikes (especially smaller children’s sizes).
Bandages and dressings (absolutely NO pills, medicines or creams).
Rucksacks and holdalls (must be in good condition). Costume jewellery.
Suitcases - but not the old ‘cardboard’ types.
If you have any of the above please bring them around to 1 Hall Close,
Henham during July. Contact Richard Peake first on 01279 850374 to
arrange delivery etc.
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Gerry’s Giggles
Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the American Darwin Awards are bestowed, honouring the least evolved among us.
Here are just a few.
1. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger.
The chef's claim was approved.
2. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.
3. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K(?), put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer - $15.
4. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street by sucking on a hose, he got much more than he bargained for... Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.
Note: They walk among us, they can reproduce.. and THEY CAN VOTE!
30
The Dragon’s Den
My Life as a Pawnbroker
Back in 2011 my son had a short summer job at a
pawnbroking business; this is his account of his
experience. (thanks to Wendy and Christopher Hogg for this article)
My parents, in their infinite wisdom, decided that a job at the pawnbrokers would be
just the thing for me to do in my summer holidays. I had two and a half months
holiday and had been singularly unsuccessful at finding any work for myself. They
thought it would be an interesting thing to put on my CV and be “character building”
Why a pawnbrokers you might ask, well Dad has a friend that owns a small chain of 5
shops all in very inconvenient places to get to from Henham, (although nowhere is
that convenient for Henham). Basically, a pawnbroker works by people bringing in
gold items that are weighed and assessed for value and money lent against that value.
The item is then kept for a period of up to six months when it can then either be
redeemed by paying the interest or kept and re-sold. The customer is given plenty of
time to redeem the item and various letters are sent before the gold is disposed of. It’s
not like in the Dickens novels where your beloved engagement ring is immediately
put into a shop window and sold to the unscrupulous landowner!
For my first week I get sent to Woolwich and I have to be there for 9am. A 6am start
is not what I am used to! Arriving at the shop I am soon re-christened “Alfie” because
Chris isn’t cockney enough. The girls are very nice and take me through the ropes;
this is the first time I have had to sit behind bullet-proof glass. I serve my first
customer who isn’t very impressed with my degree studies in History - I can’t even
work the till. The week progresses and I start reading The Sun because that is what
everyone else reads. I am told that I am to be sent to the Clapham branch the
following week and that the manageress is fondly know as “Hitler”. What have I let
myself in for?
At Clapham “Hitler” isn’t as bad as I expected, and I learn all about hallmarks and the
value of gold. Those big chunky chains and rings with Mum on them are worth much
more than dainty small jewellery because they are heavier. I get to sell some jewellery
and to buy some as well so if anyone has any unwanted gold to sell, they know where
to come! The highlight of the week comes as we are preparing to leave on the Friday;
one of the girls accidently puts the wrong code into the alarm pad and the whole shop
is flooded with thick grey smoke. Passers-by keep asking if we are alright and one
man wonders if the smoke is toxic. The police and fire service turn up but the smoke
soon disappears and all is back to normal.
My third week is spent back in Woolwich with the “Rottweiler” ie the manageress and
seems rather tame compared with the previous week. My friends keep asking me out
but to be honest mid-week I am just too tired, roll on September 12th!
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Henham Tennis Club News
Oh! to be in England…, not that we have a lot of choice at the moment. At
least there is a certain tranquillity in the air as we can savour the songs of the
birds, the flowering plants, the colourful butterflies and, until recently, blue
skies and sunshine. As I write this I begin to wonder if summer has come and
gone; let’s hope not. In a normal year we would be looking forward to
Wimbledon and our own Final’s Day. Unfortunately, we are experiencing a
‘new normal’ as lockdown only tentatively eases, so delving into the archives
seems to be the order of the day. As we enter a new decade I thought I would
offer some reminiscences of the summer of 2010.
Saturday 10th July: Glorious blue skies and soaring temperatures! Yes, this
really was the way that Final’s Day, 2010 dawned. As the players arrived
there was more than a little hint of trepidation; were they really going to have
to play tennis in conditions more akin to the Australian Open? A constant
supply of jugs of water, soaked towels to drape around necks, limited space at
the back of the court. It was patently obvious that the first set on such a hot
day was going to be crucial, and so it proved, not only in the singles matches
but in all five finals. In the Men’s Singles Matthew Robinson was playing Phil
Holder. Having lost the first set Matthew had chances at the start of the
second set but Phil used his height to good advantage powering down some
big serves which led to him winning 6-4, 6-3, reversing last year’s result and
Phil becoming the (H)holder in more ways than one! The Ladies Final was an
intriguing encounter between Monica Sutherland, an experienced campaigner
on Final’s Day, and Gill Foster who was making her debut in a final. After a
confident start Gill soon found Monica’s solid ground strokes difficult to
handle and, in spite of some dogged defence from Gill, Monica’s use of the
full court swung the match her way and she closed out the match on her first
match point winning in straight sets. For the first time in many years both
singles finals were completed before lunch!
By the time the Men’s and Ladies Doubles took place, the temperature…had
risen still further. The Ladies Doubles was a repeat of last year’s final in all
aspects, with Monica and Ali Maxwell beating Fiona Price and Hazel
Maundrell in straight sets. The Men’s Doubles, however, was a completely
32
new final with Phil Holder and Dave Reynolds defeating Simon Price and
Brian Brooks 6-4,6-3. The match was keenly contested proving notable for
some high-quality serving (Brian held serve throughout) and volleying.
Spectators and players alike then enjoyed the traditional tea (scrumptious
cakes, scones and cream) and plenty of liquid from the pot! Eventually, almost
reluctantly, four persons with rackets condescended to play the Mixed Doubles
Final. The holders Ali Maxwell and Simon Price took on Fiona Price and Dave
Reynolds. Energy was in short supply and, after a ‘cagey’ opening few games,
which saw the Ladies hold serve and the gentlemen lose theirs (!!), Simon
began to attack more (did I really see him hit the ball at Fiona in one rally?) –
the history books state that he actually had to forgo supper that night – as he
and Ali won in straight sets. All five finals had been settled in straight sets.
Not even Paul the psychic octopus had managed to predict that! Fortunately,
everyone had survived the hottest Final’s Day in memory. No deciding set had
been required which was just as well as no plans had been put in place to avoid
a repeat of that epic 70-68 set between Isner and Mahut at Wimbledon! How
can a tennis match last 11 hours 5mins? – and no less than 168 consecutive
service holds! A personal thank you to all those who turned up to watch and
support the finalists, and a special thanks for leaving your vuvuzelas at home!
33
Well, that brought a few memories to the surface, not least the psychic octopus
and those noisy vuvuzelas! We will no doubt all miss the ritual and excitement
of Wimbledon this year but ten years ago, or should I say ten years on, not a
lot has changed. In 2010 Nadal (World no.1) beat Berdych in straight sets and
Serena successfully defended the women’s crown defeating Vera Zvonereva.
The good news for tennis players now is that not only can we play tennis again
but play is permitted with people from outside your own household, as long as
you remain 2 metres apart…as far as possible! However all is not plain sailing
as: You should agree in advance which player will take the shot if a ball
travels to the centre of the court. “ After you…no, no, after you….!” This
probably will throw up contenders for ‘What happened next!’ Full details of
the LTA guidelines have been sent to all members and please take note that the
Clubhouse is still not accessible at this time.
In conclusion a touch of optimism and a ray of hope: ‘If you keep a glass of
wine in each hand, you can’t accidentally touch your face.’
Before I sign off we wish Simon a speedy recovery from his recent hospital
visit and we hope to see him back on the courts in the not too distant future.
Keep safe.
John G Smith
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Village Calendar 2020
Please let us know of any future events that we can include in the village calendar, email [email protected] or contact one of the committee members. (phone numbers on the contents page) October Saturday 17
th OSCA Quiz
2021 June Sunday 27
th Henham 3kand 10k Fun Run
Please note that the Henham and Elsenham Gardening Society have cancelled all their planned meetings until the New Year.
At the time of printing all events in July are cancelled. Please
check in the next Dragon for updates.
Hall Bookings
Church Hall Isobel Brooks 850354
OSCA Jill Smales 850541
Village Hall Pauline Foster 850610
HUSCH [email protected] 850213
(book in term time)
35
The Mobile Library is still currently suspended but there are books and dvds to borrow in the telephone box opposite OSCA
NEXT EDITION: Copy deadline is 12th
July. Please send contributions to Sheena Bigland by email to [email protected]. as an attachment
Editorial Policy is to use Times New Roman, font size 14 on A4 paper with left and right margins of 2.5cm (1”). Different font sizes may be changed. The Dragon reserves the right to edit contribution and does not take responsibility for the given information or the views expressed. Nor is any culpability accepted for work undertaken by the advertiser.
Advertising Rates for one-off advertisements are as follows:
Full page £48, Half Page £24, Quarter Page £12
Small ads, (non commercial), placed by village residents £5.
Village functions and charity fund raising events are advertised free.
Preferential annual rates are available. Our advertising year runs from April
to March and all annual advertising must be placed by mid-February.
Contact Jan King on 01279 850001 for details.
Printed by CZ Design & Print, Southmill Trading Centre, Bishop’s Stortford
Refuse and Garden Waste Collections in July In most of Henham Brown, Black and Green Bin Collections are on
Thursdays. However, in a few areas collections are made on Tuesdays.
BROWN BIN: (kitchen leftovers) collection every week
BLACK BIN: (non-recyclables) Thursdays: 2nd, 16th, 30th
GREEN BIN: (recyclables) Thursdays: 9th, 23rd
GREEN GARDEN WASTE (Week 2 Collection) Thursdays: 2nd, 16th, 30th
Village Post Office & Shop Opening Hours
Post Office:- currently open Wednesday & Friday 9am to 12 noon
Shop:- Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 2 to 4.30pm
Saturday 9am to 1pm, Sunday 9.30am to 12.30pm
Telephone 850644 Opening hours are subject to change at the present time as they are
entirely dependent on the availability of volunteer staff.
