29th October 2022

Oct 31, 2022

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Village News and Events

in Boxted and Langham

Welcome to the latest newsletter. If you wish to have an item included in this newsletter, please email us at newsandevents@boxted.org.uk by Thursday 5pm at the latest. Thank you.

Food bank donations

We are pleased to inform you that the Boxted RBL Club is now collecting on behalf of the Colchester food bank. We have a box ready for donations.

Please see the list below of currently sought-after items in the image.

For more information, please visit their website:  https://colchester.foodbank.org.uk/

Thank you in advance for donations. We kindly request that donations are not left outside the Club, please see our opening times.

Last minute reminder:

* HALLOWEEN PARTY TONIGHT * (from 6pm)

The RBL is open to all (including children and dogs)! Please see below upcoming events for tonight and the rest of the year.

Church services

Sunday 30 October

10 am United Holy Communion
St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Little Horkesley

Langham Parish Council

Wednesday 2 November at 7.30 pm
Langham Community Centre

Langham Bonfire & Fireworks

Saturday 5 November, 5-9 pm
Recreation Ground

Live music, Fairground rides, fun stalls, street food, Prosecco & Gin Bar, Beer Tent.

For tickets and information visit www.langhamfireworks.com

Village Green Update

In early summer, the green’s two designated wildflower zones were planted with a rich assortment of native species of perennial wildflower plug plants including oxeye daisies, knapweed, devils bit scabious, wild carrot, yarrow, field scabious, geranium pratense, salsify, wild marjoram and thyme and many others. Alas, the summer’s relentless heatwave and lack of rain thwarted a decent display in its first year. Fears that all the plants may have succumbed to the dry and heat are alleviated as amongst the long grass, some of the plug plants have recovered and are now growing strongly.

One of our successes this summer was the abundance of yellow rattle grown from seed scattered last autumn. Yellow rattle weakens the grass which prevents it smothering any newly planted wildflowers.

Wildflowers on the grass verge opposite the village school were allowed to flourish this summer by not mowing during the summer months. No wildflowers were planted but plenty of species grew including musk mallow, vipers bugloss, fennel, verbascum, teasel and knapweed to name a few. It was good to see bees and butterflies enjoying their blooms too.

At the end of June, Parish Councillor Jonathan Hunt along with other members of the Wildlife group, attended a tour of Wivenhoe’s Wild Spaces Project areas. Wivenhoe Town Council are trialling an alternative way to manage selected verges and areas of open space in order to encourage wildflower growth and help develop the area for invertebrates such as bees, butterflies and moths. By leaving these areas uncut for the summer, five times as many wildflower species were found in the unmown sites compared to the mown sites. As the Boxted Wildlife group have similar aims for the village green and adjacent verges, the group were pleased to learn that they have already adopted similar maintenance regimes.

At the beginning of October, volunteers spent the morning mowing, weeding and giving the Village Green an end of season tidy up in readiness for the group’s Wildlife Activity Day last Sunday. The grass has been left long in the wildflower zones until late autumn to ensure all plants have set and dropped seed before cutting. It is planned to leave other areas of long grass uncut over the winter months as a habitat for hibernating insects and invertebrates.

The wooden circular bench around the central oak tree has been removed in readiness for a wrought iron circular seat in memorial to Colonel Jeremy Carter which is being installed very soon.

The Wildlife group has put up a selection of bird and bat boxes in the hedgerows and with the help of additional volunteers on the Wildlife Activity Day, creatures will be able to shelter this winter in a newly built bee and bug hotel and stag beetle pyramid.

The group now has a Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/BoxtedWildlife  and we plan to develop a website proper over the winter months. If you wish to express any interest in, or comment on these activities, please feel free to contact Councillor Jonathan Hunt or the wildlife group on the email addresses below.

Cllr. Jonathan Hunt: cllr.hunt@boxtedparishcouncil.org.uk
Boxted Wildlife Group boxtedwildlife@gmail.com

St Peter’s Churchyard working party

Saturday 19 November, 9.30am – 2.00pm

If you are able to join in for part of the morning, it would be very much appreciated. Sadly some of last winter’s participants will not be able to join us so we hope you will do what you can to encourage some fresh talent to join in and help with clearing and tidying up the grounds!

Most equipment will be provided as will refreshments.

Please contact Stephen Whybrow on 07801 749575 or 01206 272773 for further information.

Regulars in Boxted

Did you know there is an events calendar for Boxted Village Hall on the Boxted Village Website. Click here to view the calendar .

Boxted Royal British Legion

Check out the latest events on the RBL Facebook page .

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Boxted History Group

3rd Wednesday of each month
Boxted Village Hall
For further information call 01206 272774

Boxted WI

2nd Tuesday of each month 7.30 – 9,30
Boxted Village Hall

You can find us on Facebook

Art and Craft Club

1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month 2 – 4 pm
Boxted Village Hall

Bowls club

Every Friday 2 – 4 pm
Boxted Village Hall

Monthly Pencil Art

Boxted Village Hall
Upcoming dates:

Saturday November 12th
Monday November 21st

Contact willowsofdedham@gmail.com for more info

The Edge & The Zone

The Zone for 6-11 year olds 5.30pm-7pm and the Edge for 12-18 year olds 7.30pm-9.00pm. Fortnightly during term time at St Peter’s Church. Contact Dominic Sheil 01206 273324

Regulars in Langham

The Langham Community Centre hosts a wide range of regular clubs and unique activities. Many of these groups would welcome new members, so don’t hesitate to browse the ‘Activities’ page on the website or see the Facebook page to find out more.

If you have an idea for a new club or event, please contact Sue Armstrong by calling 07741 284132 or emailing LanghamCC@gmail.com to further discuss your idea.

Langham Ladies meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month, 7:30pm – 10:00pm at Langham Community Centre. Contact Gill Brown on 01206 273286 or Tricia Gooding on 01206 230510

Langham Community Cafe

Main Hall of the Community Centre on the last Friday of each month, from 10:30am until midday. All are welcome to join us for coffee/tea and cakes.

Beer and the Bible

The Shepherd and Dog, Langham
Second Monday of the month, 8pm

In the Community

Good Neighbours

For help with transport to an important appointment (hospital, dentist, flu/covid booster, collection of prescriptions or a visit for some company. Call so we can help, Monday to Friday, 8am – 7pm:

Mon 230525 or 272773
Tue 271813 or 273195
Wed 272755 or 272774
Thu 07842 034489 or 07765 037892
Fri 619907 or 07598 133413 or 07510 504026

Please phone for the day on which you make your call, not the day of your appointment.

Green Energy Consultation

For further information on what’s going on with the National Grid Green Energy Project, please visit https://boxtedparishcouncil.org.uk/national-grid-green-energy-project/

A petition has been set up to ‘SAY NO TO 180km of Essex Suffolk Norfolk pylons’ and is asking the Government to look realistically to the green future and build a strategic offshore grid instead. You can find the petition at www.pylonseastanglia.co.uk or you can write to local MP Sir Bernard Jenkin – bernard.jenkin.mp@parliament.uk who is chair of OffSET (the Off-Shore Electricity Grid Task Force).

St Peter’s Markets Plants

Over 500 plants are for sale in aid of Langham with Boxted Church Funds. Most plants are £1.50 to £3.50 with quantity discounts. Perennials, English native trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers are available. First come first served but all will be done to fulfil requests. Contact Stephen Whybrow on 07801 749575 or email stephenwhybrow@msn.com to order or arrange viewing or visit https://stpetersmarketplace.org/ for more information.

Digital help at home

This service is 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

Mobile library

10.10am to 10.40am
Boxted Village Hall car park

17 November
8 December

For all mobile library dates go to https://libraries.essex.gov.uk/mobile-library-service/boxted/boxted-village-hall/

Useful links:

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

Little Owls Pre-School
Langham and Boxted Churches
Boxted Cricket Club
Mobile Library Service
Boxted Runners
Boxted 10K

Boxted WI on Facebook
Boxted WI on Twitter
Boxted Airfield Historical Group
Langham Community Centre
Langham Community Shop
Langham Village Website
Langham Parish Council
2nd Langham Scouts
Dedham Vale & Stour Valley ANOB
Essex County Council’s PROW Interactive map
Colchester District Neighbourhood Watch