Latest News…
Bringing the Playfort back into use
We’ve been receiving many queries and comments about the Playfort in the play area at Cemetery Road, which has been out of use now for much of the year. Firstly, we wanted to re-assure you that the Parish Council has been working hard to bring the Fort back into use, as we are aware from parents and guardians comments how much the children enjoy this play equipment…
Speeding figures in Wickhambrook released 30-08-19
Suffolk Police have recently circulated the latest figures for speed enforcement for Haverhill and surrounding villages, these figures relate to formal action / prosecutions i.e. more than just ‘words of advice’ to drivers…
West Suffolk Council Community Chest
Community groups, charities and voluntary organisations in West Suffolk can now apply for Community Chest funding for 2020/21. West Suffolk Council is to make more than £350,000 available as it looks to invest in community projects to improve the lives of local residents. Money is available to local projects that can help strengthen families and empower communities so that they can better support themselves…
Special taskforce survey seeks YOUR evidence to help tackle rural issues
Residents, businesses and organisations are being urged to help a new West Suffolk Council taskforce identify opportunities and issues in rural areas…
Stansfield South & Assington Green Walk
This circuit is around five miles and takes two and a half hours of steady walking. You join the Bury to Clare route for a short distance, pass the Stansfield Compasses pub, cross the baby River Glem twice and pass through the small but attractive village of Assington Green…
The Members Take over – August 2019
“The Members Take Over” was the theme for the August meeting of the WI with the rider that “anything can happen”! This year it turned out to be a visit to a local vineyard complete with wine tasting. We were invited to Cooper’s Croft at Ashfield Green where Nick Watson gave us an interesting insight into setting up and maintaining a wine making venture…
No Cold Calling Zone
We now have well over 100 No Cold Calling Zones (140 in fact, with four more due to be launched soon) across Suffolk. Nominate your road by emailing us on and help us get to the next milestone of 200!
Fake Trading Standards Calls
We have been responding to a call from an elderly Suffolk resident, who had received a telephone call from a woman advising that her name was Anneliese, and that she was from Trading Standards. The woman advised that she would be visiting to inspect her solar panels, as the company that installed the panels five years ago were being investigated by Trading Standards as they did not meet Building Regulations…
Loft Insulation Cold Callers claiming that they are from the Council
We have had reports of a company cold calling residents in West Suffolk, asking to inspect their loft insulation as it may now be illegal. Although the callers may give the impression that they are from the Council, this is not the case and they are not calling from, or on behalf of, West Suffolk Council…
First West Suffolk Skills Share Fair to take place next week
Residents young and old from across West Suffolk are invited to two events being held next month designed to boost skills and reduce social isolation. The West Suffolk Skills Share Fair is free to attend and is open to anyone who would you like to learn new skills or improve existing skills, or who is looking to return to work, perhaps following time out looking after children or a period of unemployment.,,
Outdoor Bowls Club September / October News
With the end of the season drawing near it is time for the Club to look back, see where we are now and make plans for the 2020 season..
Suffolk Family Carers – Workshops
Do you care for a family member, friend or neighbour? Suffolk Family Carers are currently booking in their latest Information and Wellbeing programmes and workshops which are free to family carers 18 or over across the county.
August 2019 Estates Committee Meeting postponed
PLEASE NOTE : The Parish Council Estates Committee meeting on Thursday 1st of August 2019 has been postponed until Thursday 15th of August 2019.
Would you like to become a Parish Councillor?
Wickhambrook Parish Council currently has a vacancy for a Parish Councillor which may be filled by co-option. If you care about the area that you live or work in and the issues facing local people, you could be a councillor…
History Society Summer 2019
Although there are no meetings in June, July and August, members of the History Society have had a busy time…
TV Licensing Scam
We have been made aware of a scam email purporting to be from the TV Licensing company. It claims that your TV licence has failed its renewal, and that you need to set up a new direct debit using a link in the email. DO NOT click this link…
House buyers are being warned to be on their guard when purchasing new properties
The warning comes as a charity worker buying his first home had £67,000 stolen after fraudsters hacked into emails sent between him and his solicitor…
Are you planning to take your pet abroad after Brexit?
If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, the rules for taking your pet to any EU country will change. Pet passports issued in the UK would no longer be valid for travel to the EU…
Parish Clerk’s Report for July/August 2019
Wickhambrook Parish Clerk Report for July/August 2019 including change of Parish Clerk telephone number, Footpaths, July Litter Pick, Planning, Play Equipment at the Recreation Ground and Bury Road Pocket Park and dates of next Parish Council meetings…
WI Teas at the Wickhambrook Village Carnival 2019
The Annual Wickhambrook Village Carnival and Flower Show took place on Saturday 13th July 2019. The weather was kind and the sun shone, though not as hot as last year. As usual it was down to the Women’s Institute to provide refreshments and the WI Hall was decked out with bunting and fresh flowers for the occasion…
Scarf
This scarf was left behind in the WI Hall on Carnival Day (Saturday 13th July 2019)…
Anglian Water – Upcoming Works
Anglian Water have advised us of a number of upcoming works in our area…
Couture Millinery
In July Oggie Weldon gave us a a talk and demonstration of “Couture Millinery”. Oggie was originally a private secretary but when her boss sadly died she took up hat making as a hobby. She did several courses and then began making hats for family and friends before eventually turning her hobby into a business…
Fair to boost skills and reduce social isolation
Residents young and old from across West Suffolk are invited to two events being held next month designed to boost skills and reduce social isolation. The West Suffolk Skills Share Fair is free to attend and is open to anyone who would you like to learn new skills or improve existing skills, or who is looking to return to work, perhaps following time out looking after children or a period of unemployment. The Fair is also targeted at anyone who is willing to support the local economy through volunteering as well as people who are recently retired, but willing to support younger people in learning about the world of work…
West Suffolk Council Community Chest opens for applications
Community groups, charities and voluntary organisations in West Suffolk can now apply for Community Chest funding for 2020/21. West Suffolk Council is to make more than £350,000 available as it looks to invest in community projects to improve the lives of local residents. Money is available to local projects that can help strengthen families and empower communities so that they can better support themselves…
Parking Scam
Action Fraud have received an increase in reports and intelligence where elderly victims are being targeted by individuals purporting to be police officers or traffic wardens…
Archaeological Dig Opportunity in Clare
There is an opportunity for anyone interested in having some practical archaeological excavation experience locally in Clare between 9th and 13th September…
Ugandan Asians at Stradishall 1972
The Wickhambrook Local History Society has been invited to be involved in an exciting oral history project being taken forward by the India Overseas Trust…
Council Tax Refund Scam
West Suffolk Council has been made aware of a scam targeting local residents saying they are due a Council Tax refund and asking for their bank details. The Council would never ask for bank details to pay a refund and is warning residents not to fall for this scam. Please pass this message on to friends and family. If you receive a call like this simply put the phone down…
Documents relating to Annual Audit
Documents relating to Annual Audit…
11th W.I. Literary Lunch with Terry Waite
The Eleventh Wickhambrook WI Literary Lunch was held in the WI Hall on Friday 21st June. This year we were very fortunate to have Terry Waite as our guest speaker…
Malicious Calls purporting to be HMRC
Action Fraud has experienced an increase in the reporting of malicious calls and voicemails, to members of the public purporting to be from Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC)…
Suffolk Community Awards
Community Action Suffolk (‘CAS’), Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk Association of Local Councils (‘SALC’) have launched the new Suffolk Community Awards…
Public Notice of Rights of Inspection
Public Notice of Rights of Inspection…
Visit to Lackford Lakes
On Tuesday 18th June a group of Wickhambrook WI members plus one or two husbands and friends made a third visit to Lackford Lakes. As on previous occasions the manager of the site, Will, took us round on a guided walk…
The Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Care Service
Victims and witnesses of crime in the county have been benefiting from a free, confidential advice and support service for 12 months now…
Notice of Vacancy in Office of Councillor
Notice of Vacancy in Office of Councillor…
There’s a book in Everyone
“There’s a book in Everyone” was the title of this month’s talk. Jeanette Moser- Bardouleau, accompanied by her husband Alan, came to inspire us to take up writing as a form of therapy and a way to commit to paper memories of life and experiences…
Scams Awareness Campaign
Scams Awareness is a yearly campaign which aims to create a network of confident, alert consumers who know what to do when they see a scam. This year’s campaign will take place over two weeks, from the 10th-23rd June…
Outdoor Bowls Club July/August News
With the playing season now well under way the weather has been particularly kind mostly being dry for the Club sessions (10.30 a.m. start Tuesday and 2.30 p.m. Sunday for those who wish to come along) with enough rain in between for the watering system not to have been deployed so far. The after-school club run by the Wickhambrook Primary Academy each Monday at the green has not had rain stop play to date!
Missing Board
by Dorothy AndersonFollowing our Spring Fair at the WI Hall in April, one of our advertising boards has gone missing. They are large boards with photographs which we use to publicise WI events. It was securely tied to a pole in Ashfield Green, so it is unlikely to...
History of The Elveden Hall Estate and its development to a modern farm
At our last meeting of the season before the summer outings, we welcomed Ian Robertson who talked on the Elveden Estate and how it evolved from a country estate to a modern farm…
W.I. AGM 2019 and Blind Auction
As usual the May Meeting of the WI takes the form of the AGM. This involves a recap on the year’s activities plus reports from the various groups which run throughout the the year. This includes two walking groups, two reading groups and a newly formed craft group meeting on a Saturday morning. We also had the Secretary’s report and a roundup from the President…
Funds available to reduce crime and disorder and raise awareness of loan sharks
The England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) has funds available to enable local organisations to access grants that actively reduce crime and disorder and raise awareness of loan sharks. The Fund is formed of money seized from illegal money lenders under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) and is awarded to groups who wish to invest in local community projects…
Annual Parish Meeting 2019 Poster
Annual Parish Meeting – everyone invited, please see the poster for more details…
Walk to the CHERRY TREE and onwards
This is one of several walks to neighbouring pubs and it can be a ‘there and back’ exercise (a mildly interesting 4½ miles) or it can be extended to take in Denston (a more rewarding 7 miles)…
AGM and The 50th Anniversary Celebrations of the Cambridge Music Society
At the April meeting of the History Society, the evening started with the AGM. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer reported on a successful year and members re-elected all committee members to serve for a further year, thus showing great faith in the team…
W.I. Spring Fair 2019
The weather for the Spring Fair was a bit chilly, but there was a warm welcome in the WI Hall for those in search of tea, cake, craft and books. There was a chance to win a hamper or one of the many raffle prizes and eight children braved the hail showers to look for treasure (well, 20 pieces of Lego each) which could be exchanged for an Easter Egg or Chocolate Rabbit…
CAMSIGHT
The April meeting was originally billed as a talk by the RNIB but in fact turned out to be an interesting introduction to CAMSIGHT. Sally Nott spoke passionately about an organisation that many of us were unaware of…
Cheveley and Ashley Walk
This 6 mile circuit makes use of well maintained paths around some of the Newmarket studs, quiet country roads and a section of the Icknield Way, supposedly the oldest road in Britain. The latter was already ancient when the Romans came and extends from Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire to Knettishall Heath in Norfolk along the chalk ‘spine’ of England. This local walk can be enjoyed during the winter period.