Village News and Events
In Boxted & 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.
Raising Money for Cancer Research UK
Boxted resident and a member of Boxted Runner’s club, Ian Rayment is running the Suffolk Coast Path Ultra Marathon in September in memory of his late wife, Pauline, and hoping for donations.
Pauline and Ian moved to Boxted in early March 2006 where they settled into their home in Mill Road. At that time Pauline was working for the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) and privately training for and developing her own complementary therapy business, Shiatsu & Reiki.
In 2014 she took an early retirement package and concentrated on her business full time, adding Reflexology to her portfolio of treatments. Pauline then took on editorship of the St Peter and St Mary monthly church newsletter for 2 years whilst her business and client base fully developed. In 2016 Pauline and Ian became proud owners of their Cocker Spaniel, Asher, who many locals will have seen being walked around the village or barked at as they pass their house.
In the latter part of the 2010’s Pauline began volunteering at the Langham Community Shop, working a regular fortnightly Friday afternoon shift, right up until she became too poorly to continue. She was also an active member of the Boxted Wildlife group working alongside Jon Hunt and his team. Her key project was hedgehog awareness, a role she was passionate about.
Shortly after Covid and once Asher was no longer able to take part in dog agility events, Pauline and Asher enrolled with Essex Therapy Dogs and became regular visitors to hospitals, dementia cafes and care homes around Essex. Her passion and dedication to this newfound interest developed to the point where she was elected to the board of Essex Therapy Dogs as Events Coordinator for Essex, a role that also saw her visiting clubs, schools, churches and clubs giving talks and promoting the work of Essex Therapy Dogs as well as organising, setting up and attending doggy events such as All about Dogs at Highlands Park Chelmsford.
Pauline was completely symptom free until 7 weeks before her passing, the aggressive form of colon cancer had spread to her liver to such a degree that treatment or surgery was not possible.
Above: Pauline Coverley
If you wish to make a donation, please visit Ian’s JustGiving page.
Boxted Straight Road – Ditch Clearance
Do you own a ditch on or adjacent to Boxted Straight Road that could do with some clearance? Or know of one that does?
Although in the middle of summer, we are thinking ahead to winter conditions and the risk of surface water flooding in Boxted – which is still an issue during summer down pours! Much of the southern end of Boxted was once a boggy heath land before it was enclosed, made possible by the excavation of large, deep ditches to drain it. (See Douglas Carter’s excellent article at the bottom of this article: 28th December 2015 – Boxted Village Website)
Over the years the ditches have silted up and undergrowth has taken hold, reducing their effective capacity to drain the land and to hold excess water during intense rainfall.
Gulleys are also placed all along the roads which should take the surface water from the road and then often run under the road and into a discharge pipe in the landowners ditch. Despite Boxted Parish Council regularly lobbying them Essex Highways have not cleared these gulleys for the last 5 years.
This has a knock-on effect on the roads, which often drain into the ditches and of course properties that become flooded alongside them. So, in effect, due to lack of maintenance by both landowners and Essex Highways the surface water cannot get away.
Pictured below, an outlet pipe from the road which drains into a ditch. Essex Highways emptied the gulleys and jetted the pipes which were causing the problem and the landowner dug out the ditch to allow excess water to flow unhindered into the ditch. 
Anglian Water has established a Multi-Agency Group in the area which brings together relevant agencies to work to reduce the impact of flooding on local communities. Boxted Parish Council have been attending these meetings.
Although ditches and hedges are the responsibility of individual landowners, following discussion, Anglian Water has offered to arrange to bring machinery and expertise to the parish and conduct ditch clearance where required in Boxted, particularly the trouble spots along Boxted Straight Road. Anglian Water is not ordinarily responsible for these particular works, but we are grateful to them for making this commitment to volunteer to assist.
If you have a ditch that you know is silted up, or overgrown, and causes an issue for drainage, or you could pass this information to a neighbour who has similar issues, then please get in touch. We will collect the replies and put together a plan with Anglian Water.
We need responses by the 22nd of August, in order to schedule works ASAP before the end of the summer. Land ownership will need to be demonstrated to Anglian Water before they begin any work.
Please contact clerk@boxted-pc.gov.uk with any enquiries.
***
Read Douglas Carter’s article from 2015 here
Church Services
Sunday 10 August
St Mary’s, Langham
9.30 am Holy Communion
F.I.S.H.
Monday 11 August, 11.30am
St Mary’s Church, West Bergholt
Boxted Airfield Museum
1940s Cinema Evening
Friday 15 August, 7pm
Village Walks
Sunday 16 August, 10.00am
Boxted Village Hall
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 .
Pylons in Boxted
For all the latest information regarding the National Grid pylon project, please go to https://pylonseastanglia.co.uk/news/
Sing to beat Parkinsons
Fortnightly Wednesdays 10.30 – noon (term time). £5.00. Contact Emma Bishton at colchester.singtobeat@gmail.com for more information and check session dates at www.ejbmusic.co.uk/colchester
Boxted Royal British Legion
Check out the latest events on the RBL Facebook page.
All are welcome to all events
Email boxted.legion@gmail.com for further information
Forest Church
Fourth Saturday every month, 3pm, St Peter’s Churchyard
Boxted Bingo!
Contact Dot for more details on 01206 272676
Boxted History Group
3rd Wednesday of each month
Boxted Village Hall – 7.30 pm
For further information call 01206 272774
Planned trips
19 June: Bawdsey Radar
20 August: Electric Palace at Harwich.Dates and topics for this year
16 July: Out of Town with regular speaker to the group Roy Treloar
17 September: Tudor living and Mead Hall
15 October: History of London’s Docklands
19 November: 200 years of Railways
17 December: Christmas songs through history
For more information contact Scott on 07904 887000.
2nd Tuesday of the month 7.30pm @ Boxted Village Hall
Contact:
Geraldine Russell 07840 746953
Email Essex HQ @ admin@essexwi.org.uk
Find us on Facebook
Art and Craft Club
3rd Wednesday of each month 2 – 4 pm
Boxted Village Hall
Bowls club
Every Friday 2 – 4 pm
Boxted Village Hall
Our club meets in the village hall every fourth Thursday of the month from 2.00pm to 3.30pm. The age of our members varies but the club would suit anyone over 60, so please come along and you would be given a warm welcome. Our members are always asked for their suggestions before our yearly entertainment programme is arranged and we do try our best to cater for everyone. If you would like more information about our club please call Linda on 01206 272710 or Elaine on 01206 273183.
Monthly Pencil Art
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 Linda 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
Mobile Library
Moor Road, Langham, 9.35am – 10.05am
Thursdays;
13 February
6 March
27 March
17 April
8 May
29 May
19 June
10 July
31 July
21 August
11 September
2 October
23 October
13 November
4 December
You can call ourContact Centre on 0345 603 7628 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm, to speak to an advisor, or use the 24-hour automated service (option 1) to renew your items (also at weekends).
In the Community
Join the Boxted Players for their 10th anniversary pantomime with an original take on a classic tale with Dorothy whisked off to a magical place far away from her rural roots.
For tickets search ‘Boxted’ on www.wegottickets.com or call into Harper’s Caffe at Boxted Hub
Adults £10.00, children (under 16) £5.00
Aldercar Wood is a locally run club for any of us wanting to get a good deal for heating oil. To sign up, please provide your name and email address to aldercarwood@gmail.com.
East Anglia GREEN project update
Following the name change we have also updated our project contact details which you can now use to get in touch with us here:
– contact@n-t.nationalgrid.com
– FREEPOST N TO T
– www.nationalgrid.com/norwich-to-tilbury
Langham Community Shop now has leaflets regarding National Grid’s Norwich to Tilbury pylon/cables plan. If you would like to object to their proposals, please pick up and complete the forms, which can be left at the Shop to be sent to the Secretary of State.
You can also find the petition online at: https://pylonseastanglia.co.uk/
or join the Facebook group at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/718238339216424/
North Colchester Men’s Shed
Contact Roger Newnham 07988 736571 for more details.
Food bank donations
Food bank collection points are at Boxted British Legion Club, St Peter’s Church, Boxted, St Mary’s Church Langham and Langham Community Shop
Find out what’s needed and how you can help. Go to: https://colchester.foodbank.org.uk/
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:
- Monday……….230525 or 272773
- Tuesday……….271813 or 273195
- Wednesday….272755 or 272013
- Thursday……..07842 034489 or 323007 or 07765 037892
- Friday………… 07510 504026
Please phone for the day on which you make your call, not the day of your appointment.
Boxted Village Website 