Village News and Events

in Boxted and Langham

Alexa, what is there to know about love?

Alexa, what is there to know about love?
What is there to know about love?
A glove is a garment that covers the hand
for protection from the cold or dirt and – 

Alexa, how does a human heart work?
How does a human heart work?
Blood is first received in the right atrium via
two veins, the vena cava superior and inferior –

Alexa, where do we go to when we die?
Where do we go to when we die?
Activating Google Maps. Completed activation.
Would you like to start from your current location?

Alexa, what does it mean to be alone?
What does it mean to be alone?
It is the silence left by words unsaid,
the cold expanse of half a bed.
It is the endless stretching of the hours,
the needless tending of plastic flowers.
It is an echo unanswered in a cave,
the fateful ping of the microwave.
It is the fraying of a worn shirt cuff,
and the howl –   Stop, Alexa. That’s enough!

Brian Bilston

Wet weather

The recent wet weather has been exacerbated by the snow and ice and caused problems in the village.  Some properties have suffered raw sewage in the gardens as well as surface flooding.

Below: Tankers pumping out raw sewage from gardens

Below: Ellis Road. which had to be closed due to flooding from neighbouring fields.

Below: A car tyre that has been fly tipped partly blocking the drainage pipe that runs under the road at the junction of Carters Hill, Cooks Hill and Parsonage Hill.

Regular maintenance of ditches and any underground drainage pipes by landowners will help keep surface water flowing to the designated water ways which flow through the village. Boxted has several which eventually lead to the River Stour.  They can be traced on Essex County Council’s Public Right of Way interactive map (PROW)   and when out footpath walking parts of them can be quite interesting to follow and observe.

Information on ditches (including maintenance) waterways and flooding can be found at:
https://flood.essex.gov.uk/media/1289/essex-county-council-ordinary-watercourse-maintenance-guide.pdf

Flooding and blocked drainage galleys can be reported here:
https://www.essexhighways.org/transport-and-roads/tell-us/report-flooding.aspx

Straight Road as you’ve never seen it before!

The winning combination of flood, ice and mud created brown icicles.

The intrepid photographer faced more than one driver who didn’t think to slow down….

Photo courtesy of Anne Slater

Online Arthritis Support

Arthritis Action Groups are an opportunity for people with arthritis to talk with others and share their tips on how to manage their arthritis and stay active whilst at home, and we actively welcome new attendees. We discuss a variety of self-management techniques. Participants will need to contact us directly for the log in instructions for the meeting, and we have produced ‘How To’ guides for those not familiar with using Zoom.

East Anglia Groups:

• Afternoon: Tuesday 16 February 2pm
• Evening: Thursday 4 March 6pm
• Morning: Friday 5 March 10:30 am

For joining details see http://www.arthritisaction.org.uk/media-centre/events

Signpost photo mystery solved!

Alison Phillips recognised the signpost photo from last week as being situated on the junction of Langham Road, Langham Lane and Severalls Lane, when at that time there was still a grass triangle in the road,

Although Alison cannot be sure she thinks maybe the hidden central directional sign was pointing to Ipswich Road.

In those days Severalls Lane was just a country lane all the way to the Ipswich Road with just 5 properties:  Severalls Hall and some cottages.

It could possibly have said Mile End because Mill road was further down the lane on the right leading to Myland Hospital.

Boxted bridge

Petition updates

Two updates for you this week:

Boxted bridge, built in the heyday of agricultural steam traction engines .
Read the full update here

In Highways England’s own words .
Read the full update here

Save our bridge! For more information and to sign the petition, please head to  https://www.change.org/p/essex-county-council-save-our-bridge

Essex Libraries Service Update

In this week’s update:

• Get your little ones writing with author Catherine Emmett!
• A new community project, we want to hear from you!
• How to get rid of your waste
• Find out about The Last Family in England with our Book of the Month
• Time is running out to register for the Essex Energy Switch

Go to the Essex Libraries website for the full story on these topics:  https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKESSEX/bulletins/2bfba4d

Church services

Photo courtesy of James Amos

Both St Mary’s Langham and St Peter’s Boxted are now open for private prayer.

A weekly service is streamed via Zoom.

• Zoom Eucharist Service –  February 14, 2021 at 10:00 am – 11:00 am
• Zoom Eucharist Service –  February 21, 2021 at 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Please email lwb.wb.gh.parishes@gmail.com to request details of the zoom link; a recording of the service is available from Sunday afternoon at the following link:

https://lb-churches.co.uk/streamed-services/

Volunteers needed!

Stephen Whybrow is seeking volunteers to help co-ordinate the fund-raising effort for this year. He writes:

“As we are all aware Langham with Boxted Church Finances have been badly hit by the pandemic. Traditional fundraising events will not be practicable for some months, so we will be launching two online fundraising initiatives which can be supported from home. However we will still need a raft of volunteers to participate!”

The two initiatives are

1) eBay Sales of unwanted items

This was run with great success by Patsy Ann Maggs as part of the St Peter’s Tower fundraising so we know it works. Patsy Ann has agreed to mastermind the initiative again and will handle all the eBay offers and the dispatch/collection of the sold items. However success will depend on having a flow of items to sell throughout 2021.in addition to identifying items which you no longer have use for and are prepared to donate we are looking for a group of ten or more volunteers who are prepared to ask their friends, families and neighbours for similar donations. Guidance will be prepared as to the sort of items which will sell and which we are looking for and also those items which will not and which we should avoid.

2) Virtual Plant Sale

Over the years plant sales have been a productive means of raising funds and with the ever growing interest in gardening and the growing cost of plants this is likely to continue. Although  much remains to be worked out the essence of the ideas is that volunteers will contribute plants from their gardens and that these will be offered for sale on a website at very attractive prices. I am looking for lots of volunteers to contribute plants in 2021, a couple of volunteers to help with the planning and coordination and someone to set up and manage a website!

“Please please help Patsy Ann and myself succeed with these Covid safe fundraisings.”

You can contact Stephen on 01206 272773 / 07801749575 or email  stephenwhybrow@msn.com

In brief …

Your quick reference guide to newsletter regulars.

Mobile library

Following the latest Government guidelines the mobile library service is suspended until further notice.

To keep up to date with any changes please visit the Mobile Library Service website

Thursday opening times for the Post Office at the Langham Community Shop are from 12.30 to 4.00 pm.

Monday opening times remain the same at 9.00 am to 12.30 pm.

Remember that this service is still available online. Michael Smith at Colchester Borough Council is still offering digital support via a remote service. See the Council’s webpage  or, for further information.

• Colchester 01206 282 452/ Clacton 01255 686497
• Email:  Digitalaccesssupport@colchester.gov.uk

Useful links:

Boxted Parish Council
Boxted Village Hall
Boxted Village Website
Boxted Neighbourhood Plan
Boxted Primary School
Boxted British Legion

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Our mailing address is:
newsandevents@boxted.org.uk

Newsletter editor: Angela McLauchlan   :   Design and layout: Shirley Szymanek