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OPEN MEETING
 

This says it all - standing room only!!
Meeting notes

Additional information on a related Freedom of Information request can be found at
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/c/klg89t5pw96a9cqostr

Well that's the first ORACLE Social Evening under our belt; with its last minute panics as the Redlingfield lurgy spread through our proposed contributors and then I set off the alarm in the hall.

A completely new idea in a completely new venue has meant a steep learning curve for us but we think we have the basis for developing this in 2010.

Thanks to Josie Allen, Angie Broadberry & John Thompson of Beyond the Image Gallery at

As many of you will know, the Dunnett family have recently undertaken a Lands End to John O’Groats cycle relay to raise funds for two local cancer charities and to celebrate Steve himself beating cancer.

We would like to thank all those in the village who have supported us in this venture and this is a brief account of our trip. We have been most touched by peoples’ generosity.

We left Lands End at 10 am on Sunday 21st June in lovely sunshine. The route through Cornwall and Devon and onto Bristol had been difficult to plan as we didn’t want to get on roads that were too busy. As it happened, the route was fine but some of the hills were as steep as we had been warned!

Stephen, Martyn and Richard were to do the riding and Kate was the support driver. Our plan was to ride about 40 miles each at a time with the van going on ahead to the change over point. This worked well and all of our stages were around 40 miles with a few longer ones put in during the night. Yes, we really did ride 24 hours a day!

After Bristol our route took us up the Wye Valley, close to Shrewsbury and eventually into the Midlands – another route planning nightmare. The roads were quiet as it was about midday on Monday so we went straight through the centres of Warrington, Wigan and Preston with few problems. Monday night saw us at Gretna Green but they got little custom from us!

We had been looking forward to getting into Scotland, but the roads out of Glasgow to Loch Lomond were some of the busiest on the entire route. It soon quietened down though and the scenery just got better, the sun was out and life was fine again.

We took a central route through the Highlands as the ‘extra mile’ bit was a visit to Dunnet Head – the most northerly point in mainland Britain. By this time it was 5 am on Wednesday morning and the clear weather of earlier had been replaced by a cold, damp sea mist. It was a quick visit with all 4 of us riding together.

One hour later saw us at an equally misty and cold John O’Groats but that didn’t matter – we had Dunnett!

We cycled 969 miles in just over 68 hours, well below our target of 100 hours. We had little more than 5 or 6 hours sleep so we were ready for a good rest at the John O’Groats campsite.

The support van also covered over 2000 miles during the trip so we packed a fair bit of travelling into 1 week. However, it was fun, it was a challenge, it will raise a lot of money for our nominated cancer charities and it reminds you that with a bit of determination, anything is possible.

The Dunnett Family – Yew Tree Farmhouse

PS The total sponsorship raised is now £3,000

from all of us in Occold - Ed.

As autumn rapidly approaches, it is time to bring back indoors any house or other tender plants, before the onset of frosty nights.
Collect seeds from your favourite plants, put them in paper packets or envelopes (don’t forget to write the variety on the packets), and store in a dry airtight container in a cool place. Remember the old fashioned varieties are the best for saving, as seeds from F1 hybrids do not always come true to type.

When cutting back and tidying borders, do not cut stems too short, as a few inches of old growth will not only protect the crown from severe frosts, but also provide shelter for ladybirds and other insects.

Now is the time to buy your spring bulbs – tulips, hyacinths and crocuses etc need to be planted from late September onwards, but daffodils can be planted up to mid-December and still provide a good show.

Pansies and polyanthus are now available at the garden Centres (if you don’t grow your own from seed), ready to fill your containers, or plant in the borders for late winter or early spring displays. Wallflowers are one of my favourites as they come in such cheerful colours, and they smell nice too.

Remember to put small gauge netting over your fish ponds before the leaves fall or blow into water, as some leaves such as laburnum and walnut are poisonous.

Plant new strawberry runners as soon as possible on a sunny sheltered site, preferably NOT where potatoes, tomatoes or chrysanthemums have been grown before, to prevent contamination from disease they may have had.

Hedges will soon need their final trim of the year; if you have yew trees or hedges consider donating the cuttings for use in cancer treatment. (Limehurst Ltd collect in most areas and can be contacted on 01243 555110 or www.limehurst.com ).

A log pile in an unobtrusive position is an ideal place for beetles, woodlice etc to over-winter. Treat fences and sheds before the winter sets in.

Finally remember to keep feeding our feathered friends.

Are you a budding actor or actress longing to perform?

Young or not so young………….?

Would you like to help form a Drama Group in the village of Occold and take part in a play to be performed in our new village hall? Then contact John Trythall on 01379 678071 and register your name, or better still, call round to 3, The Causeway, have a cup of tea or glass of wine and a smile.

We also need a medley of stage hands, lighting, sound experts, and helpers generally. It's a wonderful project, but we need the actors and actresses - beautiful or not so - but above all we need enthusiasm.               John Trythall

Shop @ Eye Parish Church open Monday, Wednesday & Friday 11am – 1pm

Here again with a quick update.  We had a fabulous week in the Church Shop during the Art Exhibition – thanks to everyone who helped out and bought things!  As it was so successful we have decided to do the:

Big Fair Trade Day @ Eye Parish Church WEDNESDAY 11^TH NOVEMBER 11am – 7pm

There will be a huge display of Fairly Traded food, gifts, stationery, incense, clothes and Christmas goodies available to buy – and we are going to turn it into a party, with cakes, balloons and food sampling – with refreshments available all day.  By this time, building work in the Church will be complete and it will be a great opportunity to show off the Abbey Room (and use our own toilets!)  This will be our biggest event for over 2 years so do put the date in your diary.

Events we are taking a stall to in October include:

Syleham & Wingfield Village Hall Mini market and craft fair 10am – 4pm on Saturday 17^th October
Eye Green Fair 10am – 4pm Saturday 31^st October
Framlingham market on Saturday 3^rd & 24^th October.

My diary is still quite empty for the autumn/winter season – so if you would like the fairtrade stall to come to your Christmas events just give me a call. Contact:  Sue Watson 01379 384558