About Keith Morris

Wreningham food heritage exhibition draws crowds

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On Saturday May 7, Wreningham Heritage Group were pleased to welcome the Stowmarket-based Food Museum to the village hall with their touring exhibition. Jean Lambourne reports.

The exhibition focused on two subjects – firstly on the discovery of traditional recipes of the region – they had many on display and were asking for new contributions from visitors who may have been handed down a family favourite.

The second aspect of the tour is in co-operation with Leeds University, on a long-running project starting in the 1950s to identify the many dialect words in the English language. One of their original recordings, which we were able to hear, was of members of the Clark and Brown families in Ashwellthorpe. Where possible they are finding current family members to record their memories. There were some priceless examples to be read and listened to and, again, visitors were encouraged to contribute their own words.

The Wreningham Heritage Group contribution to the day was a reprise of our farming history as seen at WHG’s October exhibition, together with new details of the history of our village shop. We also provided much appreciated refreshments.

Eighty visitors, one from as far afield as Norwich and others from Tacolneston, Ashwellthorpe and Fundenhall, enjoyed a very sociable gathering whilst, hopefully, learning something about our shared past.

The Museum staff were delighted with their day and kindly extended an invitation to WHG to visit them as guests on a day to be arranged this summer.

All residents of Wreningham are welcome to attend our meetings, which are advertised in the Mardle and other media.

Wreningham service and oak to remember Covid victims

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A service of Remembrance, Thanksgiving and Hope, and the dedication on an oak tree in memory of all those who have died from Covid 19, was held at All Saints church in Wreningham, South Norfolk, on Sunday (March 20).

A congregation of Wreningham villagers and Upper Tas Valley Benefice church members gathered for the service, led by retired minister Rev Linda Ricketts, as all regular clergy in the benefice are currently isolating due to having Covid.

During the service, symbols of the last two years, including a face mask, bowl of salt water (to represent tears) and a jug of daffodils (to represent hope), were placed on the altar. The congregation were invited to tie yellow ribbons on a tree to remember the millions of people who have died during the pandemic.

Speaking words written by Rev Lydia Avery, Rev Linda Ricketts said: “As we look back, we see that each of our lives have changed to some degree. Perhaps we are more anxious than we used to be and many of us have found ourselves reappraising what’s important to us and how we want to live the rest of our wild and precious life.

“Though the invisible enemy is still at hand, we’re now striving to recover what we value not only as community and family members but also as individuals.

“There are now new and very demanding challenges ahead – the devastating consequences of a war in Europe and a rapidly changing climate.

“Today we claim the radical right to have hope and to carry this into the future. We do this in the yellow that we wear and in the tree that we are about to dedicate and in our day-to-day living. With the care of many generations, the Wreningham Oak tree may live for centuries – well past our current concerns and challenges.

“Today, as we reflect on the pandemic and what it has done to us all, we also give thanks that we are not alone in times of trauma devastation and that we and those we love and miss are promised a place of safety and new life in death.”

The congregation then went out into the church yard to see the dedication of the Wreningham Oak tree.

Pictured above is the Wreningham Oak dedication (by David Kirk) and, below, the tree of yellow ribbons.

Wreningham responds to Ukraine refugee crisis

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There has been an overwhelming response to an offer from Wreningham villagers to collect together much-needed medical, food and other aid supplies for refugees from the Ukrainian conflict, fleeing to Poland and other neighbouring countries.

Village resident Ian Macrae led a small team in offering to receive clothing, sleeping bags, nappies, medicines, personal hygiene items and food to be taken over to Poland.

The response was overwhelming with a room at the village hall filled with medical and sanitary items and Spratts Coaches offices in the village filled with clothing, bedding and footwear.

Ian said: “People in Wreningham and nearby areas have been wonderful, very thoughtful. We were absolutely overwhelmed and eventually, sadly, we had to start turning people away.

“We got a good lorry load of aid, so thank you very much everybody. We will be taking it to a larger local centre where they will be loading up a lorry to head to the Poland border area. We cannot take any more items at this time.”

Pictured below donated toiletries from Wreningham being taken by Colemans Removals to Diss for onward distribution

Help keep Wreningham Parish litter-free

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Wreningham Parish residents can now help keep Wreningham, Top Row and Penny’s Green litter free after the Parish Council bought litter-picking equipment which can be borrowed for free.

Sets of two litter-pickers, bag hoops and high-vis jackets are now available for residents to borrow for ad-hoc litter picking around the area. Litter picking would be done at residents’ own risk.

Sets are located at homes on the main roads in the parish and can be borrowed via a quick email or phone call as follows:

Wymondham Road and general enquiries:

Cllr Keith Morris, on 01508 488318 or at keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk

Ashwellthorpe Road:

Cllr Hughie Glaves: Porthtowan or at: hugh.glaves@btinternet.com

Church Road, Hethel Road & Penny’s Green:

Sarah Lidington: Cloverside, Church Road or at sarahl@live.co.uk

Mill Lane

Christine Bilham: Cha-Am or 01508 489626 or at: bilham8@aol.com

Top Row 

Nicky Allen: The Birches or at: clerk.WPC@gmail.com

Pictured is Cllr Keith Morris with the litter picking equipment available for residents to borrow.

Dozen volunteer litter pickers tidy up Wreningham

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A dozen or so intrepid volunteer litter pickers helped to tidy-up Wreningham, Top Row and Penny’s Green as part of the Big South Norfolk Litter Pick on Sunday October 10.

The volunteers spread out from the Village Hall to clean verges, paths, playing fields and other public locations across the Wreningham Parish area.

Items including metal grills, wheel arches, lots of tin cans, plastic and glass bottles, sweet wrappers and even a bucket were gathered up and disposed of.

The effort was part of the annual Big South Norfolk Litter Pick, organised by South Norfolk Council, who lent equipment for the event.

If you would like to litter pick in Wreningham, equipment can be loaned from members of Wreningham Parish Council.

Please contact Cllr Keith Morris at keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk for details.

Pictured above are some of the volunteer litter pickers outside Wreningham Village Hall with rubbish they collected.

Big Litter Pick to tidy up Wreningham

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Please help us to tidy up litter in Wreningham, Top Row and Penny’s Green by joining the Big South Norfolk Litter Pick on Sunday October 10, at 2pm.

Volunteers are required to help us keep our lovely village tidy by taking part in South Norfolk’s Big Litter Pick 2021.

We will provide litter pickers, bags and holders and high-vis jackets (you can bring your own). You just need to bring yourself and, ideally, some gardening gloves or similar.

We will start at 2pm in the Village Hall Social Club and finish off with a free drink and cake in the Social Club from 3.30pm onwards.

If you have any queries, or to confirm you are coming, please email keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk, or ring 01508 488318 – but you can just turn up.

Wreningham response to South Norfolk Village Clusters Consultation

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Wreningham Parish Council has published here its proposed comments on the South Norfolk Village Clusters Consultation relating to a large proposed development in Wreningham.

We urge residents to give their views to the consultation, which you need to do by August 2 and which can be done via the Consultation website (you need to register with site before making a comment): https://vchap.exhibition.app/

The Wreningham/Ashwellthorpe/Fundenhall section can be seen here:

https://south-norfolk.oc2.uk/document/1/697#d697

There are two questions relating directly to Wreningham – questions 170 and question 172.

The council’s comments are below and parishioners are welcome to pick points which they think are relevant and include them in their own submission if they wish:

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Wreningham Parish Council submission to questions 170 and question 172.

QUESTION 170: Do you agree with the extent of the Settlement Limit in Wreningham and any changes proposed?

SUMMARY: Wreningham Parish Council sees no reason to have the Settlement Limit enlarged for the reasons given below.

In the current existing South Norfolk Local Plan, adopted in 2015 and covering up to 2026, ten houses were allocated to Wreningham. Since 2015 no fewer than 25 houses have been built, meaning Wreningham is already at almost double the previous set limit with no further development in the next five years.

The GNLP which resulted in the ten-house Church Road development, included the comment that Wreningham roads were at capacity. The point is repeated in this consultation document saying “The road capacity of the village is a limiting factor”.

All roads into Wreningham have considerable highways constraints in terms of narrowness of roads, twisting and turning with several blind corners – they are not conducive to the additional traffic 25 homes would introduce both during and after construction.

We would suggest that with some small scale infill development within the existing settlement limit, Wreningham will have already provided its fair share of development to meet housing targets.

A couple of new sites are about to enter the planning process we believe – one for two houses at Pear Tree Cottage on Wymondham Road and one for around six homes at the brownfield former Spratts Coaches site at the main village crossroads. Both are much more suitable developments, on already developed brownfield locations, within the existing settlement limit and not facing the flooding and drainage issues which a development of 25 houses on the agricultural open landscape site of SN2183 would inevitably cause.

Any development which proposes 52 houses (SN2183) in greenfield site outside the settlement boundary  is completely out of context/scale for a village of our size. It is five times any previous development.

There is a primary school in the village but it is already at capacity, including two mobile classrooms which have a limited lifespan. It is unlikely that many children from the new homes would gain access unless at reception age.

QUESTION 172: Do you support or object to the allocation of the preferred site in Wreningham (south of Wymondham Road)?

SUMMARY: Wreningham Parish Council objects to the proposed large development on Wymondham Road because it believes that the village has already had its fair share of development and there are other opportunities within the existing settlement limit to facilitate more appropriate development.

In Wreningham, windfall infill development has and should provide its share of the extra homes needed, including half a dozen at the brownfield Spratts Coaches site.

Any development which proposes 52 houses in a greenfield site outside the development boundary  is completely out of context/scale for a village of our size. It is five times any previous development.

Village character and Settlement limit:

The SN2183 site on Wymondham Road is completely out of character with the existing linear ribbon development of Wreningham, in both scale and density. Described as a “reasonable alternative” site only within the whole consultation (and only “preferred” within the context of even less suitable sites within Wreningham), we would suggest it should only be considered when all “preferred” sites within South Norfolk have been developed.

There is nothing even comparable within the village of anything more than five houses away from the roadside and nothing outside the settlement limit. The existing four-home cul-de-sac on Wymondham Road is on the brownfield site of a former farm.

The GNLP (5.89 Wreningham) suggested incremental growth would be most appropriate for Wreningham (including the already developed site GNLP0431 at the top West end of Wymondham Road for three houses), rather than a much larger single development.

Drainage / flood risk / sewage

Wreningham is a “wet” parish, as recent flooding of gardens on Wymondham Road and Ashwellthorpe Roads and blockage of both roads for significant periods due to flooding around and since Christmas 2020, demonstrate.

It seems that the existing drainage and sewage system on Wymondham Road is already at capacity given the issues it is regularly throwing up. An almost doubling of homes on the road would surely overwhelm this.

According to existing flood maps, SN2183 sits directly on an area of significant surface water flood risk (which does not apply to any of the other already rejected sites within Wreningham), with implications for those further downstream from it.

See flood risk map below on gov.co.uk, On the map link use drop down to ‘Flood Risk from Surface Water’ and ‘Extent of Flooding’

https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk/map?easting=616131&northing=298347&address=2630155186

A much smaller planning application in 2019 (2019/0644) for six houses on the same site as SN2183 was recommended for refusal due to “unacceptable flood risk” (letter from Shirley Bishop, South Norfolk Environmental Quality Team to Glen Beaumont). Surface water flooding of between 30 and 90 cms was quoted for most of the suggested plots. The application was quickly withdrawn after this was pointed out by Mr Beaumont to the applicant.

In March 2019, Glen Beaumont wrote to the developer to say: “I am not convinced that the social, economic and environmental benefits of six dwellings outside of the development boundary are sufficiently overriding to warrant recommending that the application is approved.”

We would ask how a 25-home development is now deemed acceptable when a six-home one is not, on flood risk grounds among others.

If any development is deemed necessary then a water management plan should not only encompass the development site and surrounding homes and roads but also those downstream from it. Digging out existing ditches upstream of the site and no filling in of them on the site would be necessary in addition to any mitigations.

Rurality and ecology

Any development should ensure the rurality of the village is maintained with no loss of trees, hedges, habitats and ditches. The village is a rural one and requests no loss of trees, hedges and other habitats. The still essentially rural nature of Wymondham Road with fields completely down one side, would be destroyed by such an intensive, deep development stretching away from the roadside.

Great Crested Newts have reportedly been seen in nearby Long’s Wood and a survey to see if they are present on the SN2183 site needs to be requested before any development.

Highways

All roads into Wreningham have considerable highways constraints in terms of narrowness of roads, twisting and turning with several blind corners – they are not conducive to the additional traffic 25 homes would introduce both during and after construction.

These highways constraints have largely ruled out other proposed development sites in Wreningham and they apply equally, if not more, to  SN2183, given the blind bend at the top of Wymondham Road.

School

The SN2183 site appears to have been chosen because it is the nearest to the village primary school, but that school is already at capacity, including two mobile classrooms which have a limited lifespan. It is unlikely that many children from the new homes would gain access unless at reception age.

Alternative site

It has been suggested to the parish council that if the owner of The Poplars and the SN2183 site wishes to see such a development then a more suitable location would be behind The Poplars itself with an existing road already in place and on a brownfield site which would avoid the flood-risk area on SN2183 and not encroach onto existing views and open countryside. It would also avoid the blind bend highway constraint at the Wymondham Road/Ashwellthorpe Road junction directly opposite a primary school (though no roads into Wreningham are without considerable highways constraints both for construction traffic and the extra traffic generated by such a large development.

Wreningham Handbook for residents is published

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A Wreningham handbook with useful information for village residents has been published by Wreningham Parish Council and a printed copy distributed to all households within the parish.

The 16-page booklet contains information on village history, local government, places of worship, village amenities, clubs and societies and regular events.

There is also information on waste collections, library facilities, education, public transport, sources of information, health and other useful contacts.

The publication was edited by parish councillor Keith Morris, whom you can contact with any amendments or other information you think might be useful for a future edition. Also if you did not receive a copy and would like one, please send your name, contact details and address to: keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk

You can download a PDF version of the Wreningham Handbook below.

Updated Wreningham Welcome booklet published

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An updated welcome booklet for new residents to Wreningham has been published online, providing useful information and a warm welcome to village life.

Written by parish councillor Keith Morris, the updated Welcome Pack contains information about village history, local government, faith, village hall, regular events, clubs and societies, facilities, education, media, public transport, health and useful contacts.

If you spot anything which is incorrect, or anything you think should be added, please email keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk

Download  the booklet by clicking here

The packs are delivered to new village residents but are also available to existing residents. If you are new to Wreningham and have not received one, please contact council chairman, Michael Hill at wrendriff@gmail.com

Great recycling news for Wreningham

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Great recycling news for Wreningham as thanks to resident Val Keel there is now a drop off point for (normally) impossible to recycle plastic – particularly pet food packaging, baby food packaging, biscuit wrappers and crisp/snack packets.

The recycling costs are being met by manufacturers so there is no cost to users. The scheme is operated by TerraCycle which awards points for items sent to them; these are converted into money which is then donated to a nominated charity. In this case, that is PACT Animal Shelter. The more items collected, the more funding PACT will receive. Recycling

The items collected are: pet food packaging from cat or dog food or treats; biscuits, crackers and cake bar packaging; crisps and other snack packets; baby food pouches and snacks. Please make sure everything is clean and dry, especially the pet food pouches.

“I’m happy to take other types of printed packaging too such as coffee bags, sauce sachets, chocolate bags (basically anything with a silver lining) so if you want to include it, I’ll check whether I can do anything with it,” says Val.

“In addition, I’m happy to take any stretchy plastic/polythene such as bubble wrap, magazine mailers, bread bags, toilet roll outers, carrier bags and mailing bags – just cut off any paper labels first. You probably realise these items can go in supermarket carrier bag bins so you can take them there yourselves but if it’s easier to drop them off with everything else, I’ll do it.

“The thing you have to be careful about is that the plastic needs to have stretch in it. If it is noisy when crinkled and doesn’t stretch, it can’t be recycled, don’t pass it on to me, please put it in your normal waste bin.

“Just drop off the items (clean and dry) in the bin at Atherstone House, Wymondham Rd, Wreningham (24/7) and I will do the rest. Please spread the word; talk to friends, family, neighbours, people at work, school, church or groups you might be a part of and let them know I will take their items and pass them on so they don’t add to landfill or worse, the rivers, lakes or seas.

“If in doubt as to whether an item is acceptable, put it in the bin anyway, I’ll sort it out. If you have any questions, feel free to knock on my door or call 01508 488231,” says Val.

Don’t forget, Wreningham School also collects stationery items under a different TerraCycle scheme.

https://www.terracycle.com/en-GB/