Scam Season – some warnings

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NALC (Norfolk Association of Local Councils) has collected a number of warnings together about scams current in our area.

Fraudsters exploit easyJet customers affected by cancellations

Customers affected by easyJet’s latest flight cancellations are being bombarded on Twitter by fake customer service accounts. Although some of the accounts have been shut down, we found five that are still active.
Some of these accounts included dodgy links to an ‘online help hub’ in their bio. These lead to phishing websites where scammers try to obtain your personal information.


If you’ve been affected by easyJet’s cancellations, see examples of the easyJet scams currently circulating.

Taylor Swift ticket scams

Taylor Swift’s 2024 UK tour is on sale, and scammers will be looking to take advantage of fans who miss out on tickets.

If you don’t get tickets in the general sale, you may be tempted to turn to resellers. However, fraudsters can create fake websites and images to deceive buyers into thinking they’re purchasing legitimate tickets.

Did you know that in 2022, £6.7m was lost to ticket fraud? Be cautious of potential ticket scams when purchasing event tickets online. Here are some tips for buying tickets safely.

Beware of fake Microsoft ‘spyware’ pop-ups on your computer

Scammers are impersonating Microsoft in pop-ups warning your computer is infected with spyware.

These pop-ups appear suddenly on your screen. They claim that your device has a virus and that your personal and financial data is at risk, before asking you to call a phone number for support.

Read the stories about victims targeted by this scam and get advice on what to do if you’re targeted by dodgy pop-ups.

Scammers impersonate your friends for gift cards

The latest wave of gift card scams involve fraudsters impersonating one of your email contacts and asking you to buy a gift card for them as a favour.

This scam begins with a fraudster sending a bogus email posing as someone in your contacts list. They then request gift cards for retailers such as Amazon, claiming that they need help purchasing the cards for a sick family member.

As the message appears to come from someone you know, you might think it’s real and agree to buy the cards. However, it’s important to be careful and double-check any unusual requests, even if they appear to be genuine at first glance.

Discover how fake gift card messages are written and how to keep yourself safe.

Scam Alert – Fake parcel delivery emails and text messages – July 2023

We are again warning residents about scam emails and text messages making claims about parcel deliveries. The messages will often state they are ‘shipping notices’, ‘package delivery notices’ ‘delivery status updates’ or ‘unable to deliver your parcel’.

This follows a recent report from a Norfolk resident who received a message claiming to be from EVRI which claimed a delivery could not be made and that the recipient needed to click on a link to ‘arrange redelivery’. When the link was followed the site attempted to charge a £1.25 fee.

These scam messages are sent by criminals who have created fake websites to look similar to the genuine websites, with the same branding, layout and font choices that attempts to gain personal or financial information.

Awareness Training

BSL Scam aware TikTok videos
The Citizens Advice financial capability and consumer education team is delighted to share the BSL videos produced by students from Hamilton Lodge School and College for deaf students as part of Scams Awareness week which took place in early July. The videos are available on TikTok and are:

Bogus seller online Bogus Seller
Bank scam email Bank Scam
Misleading selling techniques Misleading Selling

Stop Loan Sharks
Please find links to free training sessions in July & August 2023 below:
Introductory Training ‘How to spot a loan shark’
eventbrite.com/cc/illegal-money-lending-introductory-training-1478579
Follow on Training (Introductory training should be completed first)
eventbrite.com/cc/illegal-money-lending-follow-on-training-1481489

Report It

If you receive an email you are suspicious about, or think is a scam you can report it to the National Cyber Security Centre by forwarding the message to report@phishing.gov.uk
Suspicious or scam text messages can be reported by forwarding the message to 7726. More information on this free reporting service and how to forward messages from your device is available on the Ofcom website
If you think you have interacted with a scam message and provided scammers with your financial details you should contact your bank immediately.
You can also report all scam messages to us via our partners the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on freephone 0808 223 1133

Late Lotus News – track event

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Over this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, Lotus tested a car on their track. They had promised to advise the local community of extra track events which may create some noise. Indeed, the email was sent but not until mid-morning on Saturday (see extract below), and, I did not read it until Sunday evening!

Obviously this is post-event, but whether or not you were inconvenienced by the track testing noise please contact Lotus (details given below) and let them know. This way they can have real feedback about their actions and its impact on the community.

Email extract:

… as previously agreed, we would advise you should there be a requirement for some extra-ordinary track use outside the track calendar as circulated at the start of the year. 

You may be aware that Lotus has developed an Emira GT4 racecar which will campaign in various series around the world.  

More details can be found here:

https://media.lotuscars.com/en/news-articles/lotus-emira-gt4-with-enhanced-performance-ready-for-customers.html

And here:

https://media.lotuscars.com/en/news-articles/lotus-launches-emira-gt4-race-car-with-hot-laps-at-hethel.html?highlight=gt4

I have just been informed that, in readiness for a number of activities and events over the next two weeks involving the Emira GT4 race car, our engineers need to conduct two “shakedown-tests’ today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday 08 and 09 July 2023) at around midday for around one hour on both days. Being a race car for global competition, it is louder than a road car and the engineering team here are veru much aware of our neighbours, especially with it being a weekend. 

As always, if you have any questions or queries please contact me. 

Should you wish to submit a formal report of noise (or indeed any other environmental nuisance at any Lotus site) to our Safety, Health & Environment Manager via https://app.uk.sheassure.net/lotuscars/p/Lotus-Contractor-sOXoZgioUm/forms/12404 

for investigation and discussion at the Group SHE Steering Group Meeting. Acknowledgement of receipt will be sent to the complainant and feedback will also be provided to the complainant following conclusion of the investigation. 

In addition, issues can be raised via the Security Lodge at any time – 01953 608000. 

NCC Highway Rangers coming!

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NCC Highway Rangers will be visiting Wreningham parish over the coming weeks. They use local knowledge to identify defects that may develop in between their routine inspections.

Their priorities are the essential elements of safety on the Highway Network and associated paths.

If you are aware of any issues with the following, please let our Clerk know by 12 July:

Parish Clerk – Mrs Tina Higlett
Crofton House, Norwich Road, Long Stratton, Norwich NR15 2PG
Tel: 01508 530733
E-mail: clerk.wpc@gmail.com 

  • Potholes – provide an accurate location, the dimensions width, length, depth), the position on the Highway (i.e. centre, wheel track, side).
  • Regular incidents of standing or flooding water – additional inspection of gullies and grips at these sites – Location and area affected. Whether any features may be blocked (i.e. gullies/grips). State whether the water eventually clears over time and if it only occurs during heavy rain. (Recent heavy rain fall may cause issues out of their control. They can clear gulley pots and grips but only within the highway boundary).
  • Signs – ensuring visibility and good condition of Highway signs, removal of illegal signs
  • Paths – need for siding out and ensuring a safe surface for the user
  • Public Rights of Way – needing clear access within the village

Please note the following on ditches, hedges and utilities: 

  • Ditches – In almost all cases ditches are the responsibility of the adjacent landowner. First inform the Parish Council which will contact the landowner directly. If the landowner refuses to act on the Parish request we will then pursue this on your behalf (provided we have contact details of the landowner).
  • Hedges – Almost always the responsibility of the adjacent landowner. It is always best if the Parish Council contacts the landowner directly. If the landowner refuses to act on the Parish request we will then pursue this on your behalf (provided we have contact details of the landowner).
  • Anglia Water and BT – Both of these companies respond quickest to online reports, and their preference is for this to be done by locals with knowledge of the location and area. Essentially: if their covers are leaking, loose or broken they are fixed by the utility company – we would fix potholes around the covers as long as they are not loose. Anglia Water reports can be called through on 0800 771881 and BT defects can be called through on 0800 023 2023 (option 1).

Normal service 

  • They still respond to enquiries regarding highway maintenance and public safety risk, using the reporting system (www.norfolk.gov.uk/highwaysproblem) and signing into your ‘My Norfolk’ Parish account.
  • Highway teams will continue to carry out routine and reactive inspections and programme repairs as necessary.
  • Resources and access to materials may affect their ability to respond to some lower priority defects.

For further information contact Hannah Denney, Area Technician

Highways, Transport & Waste

Tel: 0344 800 8020

Ketteringham Highways Depot – Station Lane, Ketteringham, Norfolk, NR9 3AZ

Bird’s-eye view of Wreningham village photo

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A bird’s-eye video view of the Wreningham Village commemorative photo has been published.

The Parish Council collaborated with the Village Hall Committee, All Saints Church and the Wreningham Heritage Group to stage the group photograph on the village playing field on Sunday June 11, following a shared lunch in the village hall.

A video of the occasion has now been published online, taken by photographer and drone operator Graeme Taplin.

The people in the picture were (in no particular order):

Val Keel, Hilary Tinner, Jean & Peter Levis, Anne & David Osborn, Hilary & David Gauthier, Graeme & Helen McAndrew, Christine Minns, Pat and David Tinsley, Michael Hill, Steven, Alison, Elsie, Austin, Sandra, Raymond Turner, Andrew, Elizabeth, Harriet, Ottilie Groat, Ben, Sarah, Connie, Erin Liddiard, Ian Macrae, Sue & Mick Ryder, Keith & Helen O’Neill, Sue & Chris Brighton, Kym, George, Farah, Austin Tufnell, Oliver & Sarah Holgate, Annelies & Barry Hall, Emma Lindop, Lewis & Oakley Knight, John & Jenny Bligh, Lloyd, Katherine, Florence Baxter, Paul Askham, Christine Moss, Alex, Alice, Ophelia Hunton-Wood, Tim & Leesa Groucott, Keith & Nicky Morris, Jill Maidment, Jim Cooper, Dave & Mary Loader, Bill & Masha Smith, Lydia, Leo, Alexander, Peter Grant, Ian & Kim Priestley, Nick & Sue Pink, John & Sue Knight, Cathy & Mason Paul, Allan & Heather Bond, Lis & Mike Whalley, Janet & Stephen Richardson, Karen Nunn, Brenda & Stuart Merchant, Sue & Tony Wright, Claire, Talula, Hermione & Willow  Rennie, Katie, Florence & Beatrice Burrell, Valerie Banham, Jean Lambourne, John & Ann McIlwham, Malcolm & Lynda Craig.

You can download high quality pictures from the Flickr picture gallery here or view and download the video on YouTube here. If you would like a higher resolution version of a single picture, please email keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk

Wreningham village photo is published

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More than 100 Wreningham residents gathered for a commemorative village photograph on a sunny Sunday afternoon on June 11.

The Parish Council collaborated with the Village Hall Committee, All Saints Church and the Wreningham Heritage Group to stage the group photograph on the village playing field in brilliant sunshine, following a shared lunch in the village hall. The photos have now been published online and are available to download for free.

Organiser Keith Morris said: “The last time a village photograph took place was back in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee and we wanted to mark a decade since then, and King Charles’ Coronation, with an updated picture.

“This time we were able to get some aerial pictures from photographer and drone operator Graeme Taplin, and a video as well. I hope everyone likes them.”

The people in the picture were (in no particular order):

Val Keel, Hilary Tinner, Jean & Peter Levis, Anne & David Osborn, Hilary & David Gauthier, Graeme & Helen McAndrew, Christine Minns, Pat and David Tinsley, Michael Hill, Steven, Alison, Elsie, Austin, Sandra, Raymond Turner, Andrew, Elizabeth, Harriet, Ottilie Groat, Ben, Sarah, Connie, Erin Liddiard, Ian Macrae, Sue & Mick Ryder, Keith & Helen O’Neill, Sue & Chris Brighton, Kym, George, Farah, Austin Tufnell, Oliver & Sarah Holgate, Annelies & Barry Hall, Emma Lindop, Lewis & Oakley Knight, John & Jenny Bligh, Lloyd, Katherine, Florence Baxter, Paul Askham, Christine Moss, Alex, Alice, Ophelia Hunton-Wood, Tim & Leesa Groucott, Keith & Nicky Morris, Jill Maidment, Jim Cooper, Dave & Mary Loader, Bill & Masha Smith, Lydia, Leo, Alexander, Peter Grant, Ian & Kim Priestley, Nick & Sue Pink, John & Sue Knight, Cathy & Mason Paul, Allan & Heather Bond, Lis & Mike Whalley, Janet & Stephen Richardson, Karen Nunn, Brenda & Stuart Merchant, Sue & Tony Wright, Claire, Talula, Hermione & Willow  Rennie, Katie, Florence & Beatrice Burrell, Valerie Banham, Jean Lambourne, John & Ann McIlwham, Malcolm & Lynda Craig.

You can download high quality pictures from the Flickr picture gallery here or below. If you would like a higher resolution version of a single picture, please email keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk

1Wreningham group_1Cropped3

Green Spaces consultation – 10 May to 21 June

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You are invited to take part in a consultation on green spaces in and around Norwich. They want your views on green spaces – benefits, issues, improvement, access, use, design, etc.

Well-designed green spaces are vital to our way of life. They include features that can be natural, like woodland and rivers, or man-made like parks, allotments, hedgerows, playing fields, cycleways, footpaths and even road-side verges.

Your views will inform the Greater Norwich Growth Board’s new Green Infrastructure Strategy for the areas of Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk. This aims to deliver:

  • A fresh approach to managing and improving existing green spaces to make sure they benefit as many people as possible, with a focus on inclusive access.
  • A strategy for creating new green spaces in the area that will benefit people and nature.

To participate in the survey and be entered into a prize draw to win an annual family membership pass for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, please visit https://www.greaternorwichgrowth.org.uk/projects/giconsultation/

Should you have any questions about this consultation, please e-mail greaternorwich@norfolk.gov.uk

About the Greater Norwich Growth Board

This a partnership between South Norfolk and Broadland District Council, Norwich City Council, Norfolk County Council and the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership. It uses income from the Community Infrastructure Levy to support projects that deliver infrastructure across four themes: Green Infrastructure, Transport, Education and Community. To find out more about the Growth Board visit www.greaternorwichgrowth.org.uk.

Map from Greater Norwich Growth Board website

Revised Mobile Library visits / routes

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The mobile library service is implementing changes. They are to decommission one mobile library and continue operaing five vehicles and an electric mini mobile (which is due for commission later in 2023). All routes and stops have been reviewed and in a number of cases the day and time which the mobile library visits has had to change to optimise mobile library resource for as many people and communities that they can.

If you are unable to visit a branch library, you can contact your local library and request a visit from the Home Library Service (HLS). This is operated in partnership with the Royal Voluntary Services (RVS).

A copy of the new timetable which includes Wreningham is here:

CEN-215-Public-2Download

The new timetable’s introduction date is Monday 3rd July. All the new stop and route information will be on the website www.norfolk.gov.uk/libraries (from 30th June).

Should you have any comments about these amendments please contact The Mobile Library Team:

email: central.mobiles.lib@norfolk.gov.uk

post: The Mobile Library Team, Community Information & Learning, Whitegates, Norwich Rd,Hethersett, NR9 3DN

Telephone: 01603 222594 | Dept: 01603 222303

Wreningham residents turn out in force for the Big Help Out

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Dozens of Wreningham residents turned out for the Big Help Out on Bank Holiday Monday (May 8) to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.

Around 40 villagers and school parents gathered to spend the morning clearing paths and gardening at All Saints Church, filling rabbit holes and cutting hedges on the village playing field, litter picking on village roads and carrying out repairs and gardening at Wreningham Primary School.

The community effort was organised by parish councillors Andrea Tancred, Keith Morris and Michael Hill.

Keith said: “It was heartening to see so many people turn out to give up their morning for the Big Help Out. It was a sunny day with a great community feel and to top it all the Witch and Wren social club generously gave all helpers a free drink to thank them for their efforts.”

Pictured above are some of the helpers at the village playing field.

Bank Holiday Bin Collections

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South Norfolk have written about the impact of the Coronation week on bin collections in the area. It is minimal!

“There will be no delayed collections of any materials next week, due to the King’s Coronation bank holiday we WILL be collecting Garden Waste bins for those scheduled Monday 1 May and all other collections days will remain the same. There will be no delayed collections of any materials next week, due to the King’s Coronation bank holiday we WILL be collecting Garden Waste bins for those scheduled Monday 1 May and all other collections days will remain the same.

Week commencing Monday 8 May we will revert back to normal service, Garden Waste collections will be delayed by one day.  Rubbish and Recycling will remain on their normal collection days Tuesday to Friday and not affected by the bank holiday Monday. 

To keep up to date with bin collections please download the South Norfolk Bin Collections app: http://ow.ly/u83j50Nw2cX

Alternatively, you can find bin collections dates at: http://ow.ly/riFs50Nw2cY“