21st July 2019

Village News and Events

in Boxted and Langham

Welcome to this week’s newsletter – giving you a reminder of some of the regular events taking place in Boxted and Langham. It’s a quiet week ahead in the village events calendar, so relax and enjoy the hot weather but take care to look after your property – we’ve included an article from the crime prevention department at Essex Police, giving you hints and tips on how best to keep your home secure.

Next call: Tuesday 23rd July

Help to go online

Tuesday 23rd July
Boxted Community Hub
10.30 am – 12.00 noon

Drop-In Sessions
Run by Colchester Borough Council

At the online drop in sessions, you are encouraged to bring your own device where you will receive help using it. Third and fourth Tuesdays every month

Wednesday 24th July

… is the last day of Boxted St Peter’s primary school summer term.

Read the summer term newsletter here

Enjoy the summer holidays! School autumn term begins Tuesday 3rd September.

________________

Boxted primary school In the departure lounge

In the departure lounge,
she drew him near,
then softly whispered in his ear,
not words of parting’s
sweet, sweet sorrow,
but DON’T FORGET THE BINS tomorrow.

Brian Bilston

Photo: School’s out at Boxted Primary School

Mobile Library

Thursday 25th July 10.10am 10.40am
Boxted Playing Field car park

__________

Book review

Why Social Media is Ruining Your Life by Katherine Ormerod.

Katherine explodes our social-media-addled ideas about body image, money, relationships, motherhood, careers, politics and more, and gives readers the tools they need to control their own online lives, rather than being controlled by them.

Read the full review here

Boxted Evergreens

Thursday 25th July 2.30 pm
Boxted Village Hall

“Colchester: 1880 to 1980” – a talk by Norman Jacobs

All welcome.

Church Services

Sunday 28th July

9.30 am Sung Eucharist at St Mary’s Langham

Do you qualify for a single person council tax discount?

A review of the Single Person Tax Discount is about to take place to help update records and enable residents to notify Colchester Borough Council of any change in their household circumstances.

Letters are being sent to see who is over the age of 18 and living at a property on their own.

If you are currently in receipt of a 25% Single Person discount you may receive a letter from the Council asking if your circumstances are still the same.

It is very important that you complete this letter and return it to the Council either by email or through the post.

Failure to do this will result in the discount being cancelled.

If you think the discount applies to you, click here.

THANK YOU
from Boxted School Association

A HUGE thank you to everyone in the village who responded to our plea for plants for the plant stall at Boxted School Association’s Summer Fete on 28th June.

It was very much appreciated and with your help this year we managed to raise £114 on this stall.

Added to our Summer Fete total, this helped us to raise nearly £2,900 for the school, which will be used towards initiatives that enhance our children’s learning journey, including a bigger goal – a Lodge to house Forest School, Boxted Runners and the wrap–around care provider Rainbow Rangers.

We’d also like to thank the following companies, whose support was invaluable:

Boxted Fencing Panels Ltd
Barrett & Coe Photography
Boden
Beauty at the Bay
Colchester Castle
Colchester Reflexology
Exclusive Networks
Firstsite
Garden Furniture UK
They Greys Retreat, Boxged
Gymfinity Kids
Hastie’s Mad Hutters
Hatfields
Hollow Trees Farm Ltd
John Coleman Butchers
Jude’s Beadwitchery
LockMech
McLauchlans of Boxted Fruit Farm
New Wolsey Theatre
Nicholas Percival
Pantry 61, Boxted
Phonics Stars
The Princess Charlotts (McMullen & Sons)
The Shepherd, Langham
Simmons Building Services (SE) Ltd
Smyths Toys Superstore
Stoke By Nayland, Golf and Spa
Tesco Extra, Highwoods

Sincerely,
Boxted School Association

Summer crime prevention advice

Stephen Armson-Smith, Essex Police

During the summer months we see a rise in the number of ‘creeper burglaries’ where burglars take advantage of open gates, windows and doors left open for ventilation or ones which you forgot to close.

If you have unoccupied rooms that are accessible from outside or off flat roofs, make sure the windows are close. If you need ventilation in these rooms whilst at home, at least lock the larger window and only have the small window open, even during the daytime. If you only have bigger windows, consider a lockable window restricter and a small alarm sensor on the window to detect unauthorised entry.

Leave any external door open and in comes trouble, even during the day. If that door is accessible (ie. if your garden gate is left insecure) an opportunist thief will pop in and anything left lying around will be gone. You may have only popped next door or down the end of the garden, or you may be having a quick shower – it only takes a second for a thief to steal.

Check the simple things:

Parked cars – don’t leave property on display in the car. Are the windows shut and doors locked (don’t assume that by pressing the button on the remote it is locked – try the handle too). A lot of thefts are from insecure cars and vans.

Don’t leave unattended pedal cycles insecure and out the front.

Is the side gate shut and locked? Are sheds and garages secure?

Are doors closed and locked? Don’t forget that with UPVC multi-locking doors you may have lifted the handle but until you turn the key or thumb turn on the inside, you have not locked it. Before going out or turning in for the night check all doors. Someone may have closed it, but did they lock it?

Windows – lift the blinds or open the curtains and check they are closed. Make sure, in case of fire, that keys to windows and doors are readily accessible to occupants but not in view of possible burglars.

If you have an intruder alarm, activate when going out and activate the zone for the unoccupied area whilst in.

Car keys – don’t take them to bed with you. Where possible leave them in a noisy drawer/location. Keep the keyless fob in a ‘Faraday bag’.

If you do hear a suspicious noise in the house that you are not happy with, dial 999 and make a noise, shout out. It could cause any intruder to flee. They may not have known you were at home. Remember, your life is more important than your property. If safe to do so, get a good description of the person(s) and, if possible, car index number and their direction of travel.

Stopping for lunch, a drink or a cuppa whilst out, soaking up the sun, or going down to the sea – don’t drop your guard! If you don’t pay attention to your camera, mobile phone, sunglasses, purse or wallet and a thief sees them, they will steal them.

Social media – when using ‘Facebook’ or other social media, be wary of announcing to the world that you are away and your house is empty. Make sure your profile does not contain private information that would identify you or your address to a stranger.

Finally, going on holiday? Cancel the milk and newspaper deliveries and look after each other. Get a neighbour or friend to keep an eye on your property. Ensure neighbours have contact numbers for a key holder and, where possible, let them park their car on your drive. If you create the illusion that your house is occupied (TV simulator, lights and radio on timers), it is less likely to be broken into.