Stambourne

In this issue:

• STAMBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL
• CHAIR’S REPORT
• ST. PETER & ST. THOMAS BECKET PARISH CHURCH
• SERVICES AT STAMBOURNE FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS
• RECTOR’S RAMBLINGS
• STAMBOURNE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
• WHAT’S ON
• STAMBOURNE ACTIVITIES
• COMMUNITY HELP

Pavilion

The Pavilion will re-open after 21st June 2021 and only in compliance with government guidelines. This will be kept under review.

As you will know from the newsletter, the Parish Council have been updating and refurbishing the Pavilion with the help of grants from the Essex County Council CIF Fund and Braintree District Council’s Councillors’ Community Grant. We were able to replace the old fridge and freezer with new ones as part of this work.

The old fridge and freezer are still in working order and free to a good home if anyone can make use of them. Please get in touch if you are interested.

Footpaths

We have been made aware of a number of footpath issues across the parish, including broken or damaged footbridges and blocked paths. These have all been reported to Essex County Council and will be repaired in due course. If you are aware of any issues please let me know, photos are always helpful too.

Litter

We have had a number of Stambourne Wombles out and about litter picking around the village.

Thank you to everyone who has been doing this, it is very much appreciated!

Next meetings are 22nd July 2021, 16th September 2021 and 17th November 2021 and we hope that they can continue to be in-person meetings in the Village Hall.

Full minutes are available on the village website: stambourne.com/parish-council.

Debbie Hilliard, Parish Clerk

debbiehilliard614@gmail.com, 01440 785 629

It has been a very interesting year to become Chair. Last year’s AGM began our use of Zoom which we have continued with for all our
meetings. However, it has been very nice to get back to face to face tonight.

Playing Field

With COVID we have not been able to use the Playing Field or Pavilion for any social events. However, we must thank Michael Turner for cutting the grass and keeping the playing field tidy.

Planning

There have been a few applications to consider but nothing too onerous.

Communications

Thank you to Steve Platt (village website) and Karen Crago (village newsletter) for providing a valuable village resource, especially during the last year.

Bonfire Night

Unfortunately this was another event that had to be cancelled due to COVID but I hope it will be able to go ahead this year.

Finance

The Parish Council remains solvent and this was helped by a COVID Business Support Grant of
£10,000 from Braintree District Council.

Finally, thank you to all the parish councillors for all their work for Stambourne, to Richard Van Dulken (Braintree District Council) for his support and also to Debbie, our clerk for her hard work and guidance.

Neil Pyman, Chair

Stambourne Parish Council

Well, what a difference in the weather to when I was preparing my contribution to the newsletter two months ago!!! There is an Autumn/Winter feeling around us and not the warm Spring/Summer air I had been hoping for. Nonetheless, we are continuing the slow move out of lockdown which we are all hoping will not be delayed.

The first service of the year in the Church on Easter Sunday was very well supported with a congregation of 20. So we will continue with two services per month on the 1st and 2nd Sundays and now I am pleased to confirm that the Church will be open daily for private prayer, visitors or just to have some quiet time to reflect.

At last we have the glorious weather of June – after such a chilly May. Everything looks different in the sunshine!

Nature is trying to catch up with a slow start to the year. It’s as if our gardens and countryside are reluctant to come out of winter lockdown.

I know a lot of people are feeling the same. On the one hand, we can’t wait to see and hug the friends and family we’ve been missing, or have only been seeing on a laptop screen for months. On the other hand we are so out of practice at being with people it’s all a bit daunting.

A year ago we talked about the Church that meets in the Chapel being “not closed, but deployed”. And over this last year we have developed from a church that meets on Sundays to one that includes Stambourne Chapel Care – an organisation supported by charitable giving that aims to provide support services to the vulnerable and at the stages of life changes, whether that is through bereavement, divorce, illness, or age related changes. We provide befriending and support helping people to make appropriate decisions for their own health and wellbeing, and supporting the social services, care and health organisations in their work with individuals. We also fetch and carry and offer lifts to people. So we have volunteers who provide these services (and are always looking for more!) to work with people in the villages surrounding Stambourne including Sible, Yeldham, Ridgewell, Wethersfield, Cornish Hall End, Gainsford End, Toppesfield, and all the hamlets and “greens” in between!

So if you know of anyone who could do with a visit, needs support through some difficult decisions, or is just lonely, please let us know and we will do all we can to support them.

Stambourne Chapel has the strap line, “being church every day, gathering on Sundays to Worship” and Stambourne Chapel Care is part of being church every day offering the care and love that Jesus showed to people around him regardless of who they are or what they believe. But part of that strap line is “gathering”, and we have started to do that again on Sunday mornings at 10:45am in line with government guidelines and rules keeping everyone safe. Over the coming weeks we hope to be getting back to something approaching normal again and if you would like to come along, then please book your place with our minister or secretary, as we have limited space! (see the telephone numbers below).

Our Plant Sale and Swap in May was very successful and we would like to thank all who provided plants and cakes as well as books for sale.

Over £700 was donated to the Chapel through this event and we thank everyone who turned up and took away plants. We ended up with very few left which have now all gone, though we do still have a smaller plant swap and sale going on each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings! Do pop in to see what we have available!

Now we are looking at all the books people have donated and so aim to have a book and cake sale in the next couple of months! Watch this space.

If anyone would like to go to Butlins, Skegness at Easter time 2022 please call! We are booking for the annual Spring Harvest Christian conference event and a group of people from Stambourne, Haverhill and Steeple usually go together (search Spring Harvest 2022 on the web). Contact the Chapel for more details of this five day event!

So we look forward to what the next few months will bring! We pray you will all stay safe and keep well. We are here to help and to pray for you all!

Every blessing,

Adrian Burr, Minister

Village Hall available again

Well here we are again! Let’s hope we are slowly getting back to some sort of normality. The hall is now up and running. Sanitizers are in the entrance. Please read the signs in the hall and comply with requests. We ask you to wipe any surfaces touched. Sprays and paper towel are in the kitchen. No need to mop the floor as Joanne will do that afterwards.

Jumble sale

A Jumble Sale is provisionally planned for 26th June 11am – 2 pm (or the Saturday following if it is raining) assuming that the current restrictions are lifted to allow larger groups to meet. Updates will be provided via social media so if you have neighbours who are not part of the village Facebook or WhatsApp chats please update them when you see news.

Litter

We would like to say a big “Thank You” to the Wombles who have been keeping our village and the surrounding areas clear of rubbish.

Recycling bags

Braintree Council has supplied us with Recycling bags. If you require any please ring Cath on 01440 785678.

See the current Recycling calendar.

Bingo

Bingo started on Wednesday 26th May and will be every two weeks at 6:30 pm in future. It is advertised by a board outside a few days before as a reminder.

Indoor bowls

We would also like to start indoor bowls. Are you Interested? If so let Sian or Cath know.

Other activities

Would you like to start a club or do a class for the villagers?

For this and anything else to do with the village hall please contact Cath on 01440 785678 or Sian on 07505 355994.

Post-lockdown celebration

Wednesday 21st July 2021 – 4pm until late
Stambourne Playing Field

Bring your family and friends, a picnic, chair/rug, umbrella, gazebo. The best selfies and videos will be posted to stambourne.com.

A great opportunity to mark this epic time in Stambourne! *

* all subject to being able to adhere to relevant restrictions on 21st June.

Befriending from Age Concern

AGE Concern – Charity no 1142414

Do you know someone who is lonely and isolated?

Our befriending service could be just the ticket…

• The chance to chat – Telephone befriending
• Write letters – Penfriending
• Share common interests or just enjoy some company.

Contact 01206 368 420 (option 3).

All our volunteers go through DBS checks and personal references to ensure a safe high service.

Community transport

For any resident of the Braintree District Council area who does not have access to transport. We are currently able to provide transport for emergency health related appointments including coronavirus vaccinations.

Transport is offered to those who have a mobility difficulty, people who need to travel in their wheelchair and those who are able bodied. To allow for two metre distancing we carry one passenger at a time or two from the same household or if the individual needs a carer. The driver sits behind a Perspex screen and vehicles are sanitised between every trip.

Transport for vaccinations is currently free of charge and is offered seven days a week from 8am until 6pm – for other health related appointments e.g. doctors, dentist, etc., a subsidised fare is chargeable.

To check availability or to book a trip call 01376 557883 Monday to Friday 9.00-15.00. An answerphone is available to leave a message outside of these hours.