Page 1 Issue 47

Sept 2004

Issue 47

Village News is sponsored by James Sear Estate Agents, Theydon Bois Balti House & Woodland & Wildlife Conservation Co Ltd - see page 15

The Best Kept Village

Theydon Bois Village News

Produced for residents of Theydon Bois

On the 7 July, the Parish Clerk, Madeline Murphy and myself, John Eaton, attended the AGM of the Rural Community Council of Essex (RCCE) at Great Waltham. The RCCE organise both the Best Kept Village and the Village of the Year Competitions, both sponsored by Calor Gas. There are five categories in the Best Kept Village competition based on village population, category 1 being the largest. We fall in category 2. Each group has a winner and runner up and there are a number of merit awards. To our surprise and delight we won our category. As we sat there listening to the rest of the evening�s proceedings, reflecting on the flush of our unexpected success, we were completely taken aback when it was announced that in the judging for the Village of the Year competition, it had been very, very close between the winner and runner up but that Theydon Bois were runners up, Kelvedon taking the honours.

Continued at bottom of page 2

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Page 2 Issue 47

Theydon Bois NSPCC Keep a Straight Bat

Through the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Ward, a Summer Lunch was held at Birch Hall Farm on 6th June in aid of the NSPCC. The weather was kind, the food excellent and beautiful surroundings made for a most enjoyable day. Nearly £800 was raised for the charity assisted by the auction of a cricket bat signed by the members of the Essex County Team. DIANE RUMSAM

Roy Newland presents the bat to Mr. & Mrs. Ray Ward, the winning bidders

This means that we narrowly missed a place in the regional Finals. We were awarded the Whitmore Trophy and a certificate for the Calor Best Kept Village and a certificate for runner up in the Calor Village of the Year competition. We were also awarded a cheque for £150.

Many thanks go to all those who assist with the monthly litter pick and to those members of the Horticultural Society who help plant up and look after the summer and winter baskets and tubs in the village. Also thanks go to Epping Forest District Council who pulled out all the stops for a special clean of the Village on the day of the final judging.

JOHN EATON

The Best Kept Village (continued)

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Parish Council Chairman�s Report

The quarterly magazines take some time to draft and edit and it is necessary to do most of this work in the month before issue. In the last issue we managed to include the results of the uncontested election and a picture gallery of the new Council. I would like formally to welcome the new faces, Peter Hammond, Matthew Hayday, Susan Jones and Anthony Purkiss all of whom have settled in quickly and are already working for the good of the community.

I would also like to thank those who left us at the election. All served on numerous committees and acted as council representatives on a host of groups giving many hours of service to the community.

Sheree Powell served four years and enthusiastically engaged herself with her work on the Parish Council.

Wilf Shales also served four years but on taking up his duties as a councillor, also bravely took on the duties of Chairman. For this, special thanks to Wilf.

Margaret O�Connor served eight years and apart from her work on numerous committees also organised the very successful Village Day held on the Village Green on 13 June 1999.

Ron Smith served a magnificent twenty years on various committees and representative roles, ultimately serving as deputy Chairman and then Chairman of the Parish Council.

We all hope that in four years time, there will be enough willing candidates who recognise that they have also been very fortunate in life and who will be prepared to give something back to the community by standing as prospective councillors in 2008. Yes, I am sowing the seeds early.

Stop Stansted Campaign

The very professional group driving this campaign, need to resort to legal action on a range of aspects which hopefully will put the brakes on and eventually prevent the juggernaut BAA Stansted enlargement plan. Remember,

this is linked to the large scale housing development of the M11 corridor which is proposed to extend down to Loughton. These plans will consume large areas of the Essex metropolitan green belt. If you are concerned by the possible impact of these proposals on this Village, you can help the Stop Stansted campaign financially by joining the cause for a mere £10 per annum subscription. This will help provide the funds required for future legal action. To date their court actions have been very successful and their expectations of severely curbing the existing plans are high. The subscription forms to join Stop Stansted can be obtained from the Parish Office.

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Police Response

There is a general feeling of concern over the lack of response when people phone the police over incidents. A meeting is being arranged with Cllr Robert Chambers by

Essex County Councillor Janet Whitehouse to discuss this situation. Our concerns are further exacerbated by the recent publication on police stations gained or lost since 1997. It is most illuminating to compare Essex with our neighbouring counties and the City of London. Surrey + 2, Kent 0 (same), Thames Valley -2, Suffolk 0 (same), City of London 0 (same), Cambridgeshire -6, Essex -59. Perhaps this statistic most accurately reflects why the level of service has deteriorated and we will be exploring this with Cllr Chambers.

Youth Initiative Committee

The committee has evolved following a number of meetings arranged with the skateboard group including parents. We have acknowledged for two years the need to provide for the teenagers in the village but various events have prevented us making progress in this area, not least the closure of the Youth Community Centre by Essex County Council. John Padfield, who engaged with the youngsters in conversation and has played a leading role in the evolution of this group has agreed to act as chairman. The Parish Council is actively examining whatever possibilities may exist to provide youth with some facilities. Consideration is being given to producing a youth audit, to establish what sort of thing youngsters would like to see. Any outcome would be subject to feasibility and availability of finance. Furthermore, what ever the outcome, it will be essential to secure the support of the majority of villagers for any proposals. Outline planning application for up to ten housing units submitted by Essex County Council

Essex County Council recently filed an outline planning application for the piece of land on which the Youth Community Centre stands. The Parish Council put in a strong objection to the plan and a member of the Parish Council planning committee, John Eaton and Jim Watts of the Rural Preservation Society, attended the District Council�s planning meeting at which this proposal was discussed, to speak against the proposal. District Council rejected the application on grounds that a full and proper assessment had not been carried out. The Parish Council and other interested parties are actively pursuing avenues which may result in protection of the site from any proposed development.

Parish Council Chairman�s Report (continued)

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Parsonage Golf

The developers of Parsonage Golf have commenced the large scale importation of spoil onto the site of the proposed golf course. I have had many reports of lorries turning up very early with as many as 16 lorries in a very short period of time. The latest report claims that up to 200 lorries per day are entering the site with all the attendant problems of mud on the road, danger of slow moving

lorries turning onto the site in the path of fast moving traffic to name just a few. It appears that in their negotiation, Epping Forest District Officers laid down the maximum total amount of spoil permitted to be tipped, but failed to lay down controls on numbers per hour/day, start and finish times and routes.

It concerns me that before very much longer, what has been a pleasing verdant pasture might, for a number of years, become a site resembling a battlefield, a brown scar overlooking our village. I hope the developers and Epping Forest District Council will do their utmost to prevent this from happening.

Liaison with Loughton Town Council

A meeting has taken place between Cllr Anthony Purkiss and Cllr Ken Cushing with members of Loughton Town Council to discuss matters of mutual interest. It emerged that Loughton are planning to provide a new burial ground in Loughton Lane next to the Davenant Foundation School. This will help in creating buffer land between Theydon Bois and Loughton. This should be beneficial in the light of Government proposals for large scale housing development in the area.

Theydon Bois Senior Club 60th Anniversary

Theydon Bois Senior Club celebrated its Diamond Jubilee this summer with a celebratory meeting in June. Theydon Bois Darby and Joan Club was founded 60 years ago and since been renamed Theydon Bois Over Sixties club and finally Theydon Bois Senior Club, as it is now called.

On the menu was a finger buffet, pear and strawberry jubilee, orange juice followed by tea and cakes at 4pm. During the afternoon entertainment was provided by Norman Davies who led community singing. A big thank you must go to Wendy and her team of organisers Pauline, Ruby, Lionel and Rene, who organise the weekly meetings throughout the year and did so well to provide such a memorable meeting to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.

JOHN EATON CHAIRMAN

Parish Council Chairman�s Report (continued)

Page 6 Issue 47 The Summer In Theydon Bois

Summer is not yet over but editorial "pleas" mean that this account is being written in late August when the whole country is suffering from monsoon conditions with, locally, 3 inches of rain in as many days and property suffering from lightning strikes. Elsewhere people had to be evacuated by helicopter from the Cornish village of Boscastle and parts of the Scottish Highlands, and farming has suffered badly as crops can not be harvested.

But it has been a good summer for Theydon Bois, generally, and what best to set the scene than the performances in the Village Hall of Shakespeare�s �A Midsummer Night�s Dream� presented by the Theydon Bois Drama Society�. This delightful and popular comedy was played by a high calibre cast who ensured that the poetry of the Great Bard remained as timeless as ever and unchanged by the relatively modern setting of the 1900s. And for the second year running, the Society received an award from the National Operatic and Dramatic Association for their earlier production of �Deathtrap�.

Outdoor events were as popular as ever. The 24th Theydon Bois Annual Open Gardens Day included nineteen gardens, St Mary�s Churchyard, Wansfell College Gardens (sadly for the last time) and the Garden of Remembrance in the Village Cemetery. A particular visitor was the local police community officer, in uniform, who brought a ticket and took the opportunity to visit many gardens and get to know more about the village and its residents. The event was organised, for the tenth successive year, by Joy Wainwright. Another popular event was the annual garden party held by the Theydon Bois Branch of the Epping Forest Conservative Association at Thrifts Hall, with the kind permission of Jean and Robin Llewellyn Jones.

Once again the Plain in Epping Forest by Coppice Row was transformed into a hive of activity and entertainment when the Theydon Bois Scout Group held their annual Donkey Derby. A great family occasion, facilities for children were predominant ranging from roundabouts to sideshows and sweet stalls. However, as usual, the donkeys and riders were an entertainment in themselves; some youthful riders walked away with sore bottoms after being thrown by their mounts, while others refused to give up and tugged their protesting steeds along the race course. This year's event was sponsored by the publisher David Sullivan of nearby Birch Hall, and organised once again (for the seventeenth time) by Peter Simmance.

One equally popular but sad event was the last Garden Party at Wansfell College prior to its official closure this August. Nearly 300 ex students, staff and Friends of Wansfell were present; the conversation and wine flowed freely as old friendships were renewed and past experiences recalled. The College Principal, Marilyn Taylor,

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said that all should look back on the success of the College over some fifty-four years and expressed her grateful thanks to the College staff, the Friends and all the students for their loyal support. She disclosed that the authorities, including the Prime Minister and even the Queen, had received hundreds of letters against the College closure. She then announced that a Wansfell College 2 had now been registered and she was preparing a syllabus for courses in 2005, which would be held at locations in the local area. A few weeks previously, the Greek Theatre Player made their last appearance at Wansfell with a performance of Shakespeare�s Julius Caesar, in the College grounds. And the Friends gardening team, some from the village, who had tended the grounds for many years finally put away their gardening tools.

The 95th Theydon Bois Horticultural Show was held in the Village Hall with 138 entrants in the various classes which included home brew, photography, handicrafts, cookery, floral and vegetable. The Horticultural Society had put much effort into keeping the tradition of the village show alive in this way. The collection of garden refuses by the EFDC increased in popularity, but not the new charge being made for replacement sacks.

A very bright spot for Theydon Bois was the village becoming the outright winner for its class, at village level in Essex, in the Calor Best Kept Village competition, and also the runners up at region level. These two awards reflected only too well the efforts of the many residents who maintained the strong community spirit in the village and also helped keep the village tidy, especially with the monthly �litter picks�.

The Village Hall was used as the polling and vote counting station for the Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) and European Parliament (EU) elections. Elections for the Theydon Bois Parish Council (TBPC) were not held because the elev candidates, including 4 new candidates Peter Hammond, Matthew Hayday, Susan Jones and Antony Purkiss (all Conservative Alliance), were returned unopposed. However an election was held for the Theydon Bois seat on the EFDC where Matthew Hayday and Kay Rush (Liberal Democrats) stood in opposition; Kay Rush was elected. An upset was the return of the UK Independent Party (UKIP) candidate for the Eastern Counties MEP seat. The Hall also took centre stage in national politics, briefly, when the three BNP (British National Party) candidates for the Debden area were all elected. This result generated considerable interest with TV and press coverage leading to the mistaken impression that the three had been returned for Theydon Bois!

The decision by the Essex County Council (ECC) to close the Village Youth Centre in Loughton Lane and develop the site was strongly criticised by the EFDC Area Planning Committee. Outraged councillors rejected the proposal on the grounds that

The Summer In Theydon Bois

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the assessment for the needs of youth provision in the village had not been properly carried out; moreover, the case had not been proved that the building was surplus to requirements. It was also pointed out that the premises were being used five days a week by children "out of school". The EEC decision to close was flying in the face of public and government concerns that juvenile lawlessness and vandalism was increasing, and appeared to be linked to the decline in youth amenities. It later emerged that the land could be registered as a village green (because it had been used by a significant number of people for lawful recreational activities for 20 years since January 1970 eg. by scouts and other young people (youth centre); steps were therefore being taken to register the land accordingly.

The Robert Daniels Court in Thrifts Mead was formally handed over by the EFDC to Warden Housing of the Home Group Ltd. which will convert the existing 33 bedsits into 33 one bedroom flats, provide an emergency flat for homeless elderly people and a guest suite for visitors.

Brother�s Jonathan Smith 18 and Edward Smith 20, and Mark Simmance 17, were presented with their Queen Scout Awards, a considerable achievement as only thirty awards were made to Essex Scouts. Once again a local youth football team emerged in association with the village. The Theydon Predators team, comprising players under 15, with parental coaching and managing will play in the Cheshunt Youth League with home matches at the ground of the Theydon Bois Cricket Club. A new score board for the Theydon Bois Cricket Club was unveiled in memory of Dave Thomas, a Club life member.

The International Sport of Pentanque came to the village when the Local team, the Victorians played JBC Uden, their Dutch national opponents at the Queen Victoria Pub in Coppice Row. The event was the final in the Petanque Euro Cup 2004 and the local team was defeated by 2 games to 5.

Summer was also the time for anniversaries. The Theydon Bois Senior Club held a celebratory lunch to mark the sixty years since its formation and the Theydon Bois Wine Circle, originally the Loughton Hall Wine Circle, celebrated its 35th anniversary with a �wine tasting party". The Theydon Bois WI celebrated eighty-five years of companionship and community spirit with a special meeting where the reigning President Doreen Snell and the longest standing members, Ivy Lock and Ruby Gill, cut a celebration cake.

The Theydon Bois Music Society announced another successful season under the Chairmanship of Barbara O�Connor, with nine musical events in the Village Hall and several visits to concerts at London�s Festival Hall. Not to be outdone, the Crofton Singers gave a vocal concert in St Mary's Church entitled �Songs before Supper�; the

The Summer In Theydon Bois (continued)

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audience afterwards enjoyed a light summery buffet with wine and punch in the Church grounds. Last but not least, the Theydon Singers gave their annual recital in the Village Hall to a capacity audience with songs and readings for mid summer, also followed by a summer buffet.

The new CCTV system in the village proved effective in deterring some crime but did not prevent minor criminal acts such as damage to cars and the use of air guns to damage windows. However, a milk float was stolen in Coppice Row but quickly recovered less the milkman�s cash bag. And in nearby Theydon Garnon, a large house was occupied by squatters and systematically looted despite legal action by the owners to seek repossession.

The Theydon Bois and District Rural Preservation Society, under the chairmanship of Peter Newton, continued its vigilance on planning matters concerning the village and particularly objected to the extensive redevelopment plans for the area, especially in the green belt. The Society organised several local walks during the year and also a fascinating lecture about the species of deer to be found in the locality.

The sixtieth anniversary of the World War Two �D Day Landings� in Normandy was remembered by many villagers who watched the TV screening of the commemoration ceremonies at the landing beaches in France attended by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the American President, the French and German Presidents. Church parades and remembrance ceremonies were held locally including Loughton where two D Day veterans laid wreaths. And to remind the village of its own wartime experiences, incendiary devices of German origin (probably incendiary bombs) were discovered by workmen on private land half a mile from the Abridge Road where they were destroyed by bomb squad officers. It was possible that these devices were dropped by the German aircraft responsible for bombing Rigs Retreat in the village on 18 November 1940 resulting in the deaths of 30 members of the Kings Own Southern Borders.

And finally back to mother nature. The astronomical phenomena of the planet Venus passing between the sun and the earth, which occurs every 132 years, was clearly seen from the village on a June mid day. And as this summary ends, a harvest moon is now visible in the night sky signifying that summer is almost over.

TREVOR ROBERTS

Local History Recorder for Theydon Bois Summer 2004

The Summer In Theydon Bois (continued)

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The original shopping centre in Theydon Bois was situated either side of the old �Cabin� which stood on the corner, adjacent to Wood and Krailing�s garage (opposite the Bull public house), at the junction of Forest Drive and Coppice Row. Unfortunately, both establishments have disappeared. The shopping centre once provided the residents of Theydon Bois with all their shopping requirements. We had a fresh fish shop, two bakers, two butchers, two green grocers, a wool shop and drapers and a wonderful delicatessen which between and after the wars, supplied village residents as well as London based brewers directors dining rooms, with excellent specialised delicatessen. The advent of supermarkets has provided customers with once a week, one stop shopping opportunities. However, this has had a detrimental affect on the well being of the village community as well as detracting from the number of village based retailers some of which have already disappeared over recent years. To remind you they are, a green grocers, a wool shop, a drapers, two bakers, a florist (although we are glad to see Theydon Bakers and Venus Flowers taking their place). Small retailers are struggling to survive in some circumstances. From a purely selfish view point, the worst case scenario that one could imagine for our village centre and the village as a whole, would be for a number of shut up, boarded-up and graffiti ridden business premises. This would detract from the village centre, encourage further anti-social behaviour and probably have a bearing on house prices in the village. The advent of Tesco�s Express store has brought new people to Theydon Bois but they do not bring prosperity to other shop-keepers and have spawned several other problems attendant to their presence in the village. We are talking to the management of Tesco�s and they have been sympathetic to our cause especially with regard to our efforts to regain Best Kept Village status. Our concern as a Parish Council is to support those old businesses and I ask you to consider giving those businesses your support. In this edition of Village News, I would like to bring to your attention two of the original retailers in the village. Spar Grocers and Market Garden, formerly Quality Fare.

Support Your Local Shops

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Spar Grocers is run by Bibin Patel. He took over from Mr. Baxter (remember him?), in 1978. He currently carries a wide range of groceries, high quality frozen goods and associated household goods at very competitive prices. Spar�s �Heritage� branded goods include excellent dairy, sausage and cured meats products, all of which I can recommend. Bibin offers free deliveries direct to your house and is open Monday to Saturday 8am � 7.30pm and Sunday 8am � 1.30pm. Market Garden has seen a number of owners since the departure of the owners

of what was then know as Quality Fare, Eddie and Jill Littler. The shop has been under new management since 8 May this year. Conscious of the need to provide fresh green grocery every day of the week, current owner, Stephen Wolfus, has endeavoured to find fresh suppliers and contracts to see that his produce is reasonably priced and is moved on quickly. He currently supplies Theydon Bois Primary School with

fresh fruit and vegetables for the children�s dinners, following the cessation of Essex County Council�s provision for schools dinners in spring this year. He has fresh fruit and vegetables daily, provides free local deliveries, and is willing to negotiate to supply contract orders. He is open 7am � 5pm Monday to Saturday with ½ day closing on Wednesday. You can contact him on 01992 812792. Both these retailers in addition to all the other local retailers, need our support in the light of strong competition. Remember the old adage, �If you do not use them, you will lose them�. They are all very nice people looking forward to serving you with a smile � please support them.

JOHN EATON

Support Your Local Shops (continued)

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YOUTH REPORT The Parish Council has recently agreed to set up a �Youth Initiative Committee� in an attempt to give greater prominence to its desire to be more proactive in supporting the youngsters in our village � some of whom it would appear feel rather neglected.

Traditionally, it has been the responsibility of Essex County Council to cater for the needs of our Young People. With the closure of the village�s Youth Centre and the County Council�s policy of focusing on areas of greatest need, Theydon Bois will not, it would seem, qualify for much support within the village in future.

The Parish Council, in conjunction with Theydon Bois Village Association, has now held a number of meetings with young people and parents to hear of their concerns.

The Youth Initiative Committee is now attempting to address the issues raised. However, in order to ensure that whatever assistance the Parish Council and Village Association may decide to give has the support of as many people as possible, it has been decided to conduct a �Youth Audit�. Advice has been sought from E.F.D.C. and E.C.C. as to how best to secure a relevant response for our village. To this end, and enclosed with this Newsletter, you will find a questionnaire which we would urge as many young people as possible to complete and return to the Parish Office at the Village Hall. As an alternative, many may prefer to complete the questionnaire via the village�s website � www.theydon.org.uk

We would ask all parents to encourage their youngsters to involve themselves with this request or, if this cannot be achieved, to complete it on their behalf.

This information is urgently needed by MONDAY, 18th OCTOBER

and your co-operation will be much appreciated.

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Theydon Bois Baptist Church The origins of Theydon Bois Baptist Church are to be found in the early 1880s when open air services were held on The Green. By the mid-1880�s a small building had been erected on the site of the present halls.

In January 1894 Theydon Bois Baptist Church was formally constituted.

In its early years the church usually relied on Student Pastors, but since 1917 has had a regular minister.

Between the wars the membership gradually increased, but was still small by today�s standards. After World War Two the church grew significantly. Our current minister, Revd David Penegar, has become the longest serving minister, completing seventeen years in the pastorate in December.

Although extensions were added at various times, there was always need for a new and better-built building. Eventually, this was opened in December 1962 with part of the old building remaining as church halls. Ten years later new halls were constructed. As a Millennium project, a new toilet block, new minister�s vestry and new vestibule were created.

As the only non-conformist church in the village, we welcome into membership people from all denominations, as well as those professing faith for the first time. We enjoy good relations with the Parish Church, meet regularly for United Services, and jointly organise the Churches Representatives Scheme whereby new residents to the village are welcomed with a New Home card and a booklet about the churches.

In addition to the Sunday Services at l0.30am and 6.30 pm, the church provides a variety of groups and activities for men, women and children. Details of these are available in the new Quarterly Newsletter, on the Church website (www.tbbc.org.uk), or from the Church Secretary, Colin Huckle (Tel:813520). The minister (Tel: 812196) is always prepared to discuss matters of faith and to provide help in times of crisis such as bereavement. We invite you to experience the warm welcome we seek to offer on a Sunday and during the week.

DAVID WALLING

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Village Association A report on the successful Open Gardens Day may be found on page 23 of this edition of Village News.

Residents may like to know that one of the main hirers of the Village Hall is the Montessori Nursery School. This is open every morning and two afternoons a week for the whole of the school year. The Montessori occupies one of the Multi-Purpose rooms at the rear of the Hall as well as using the specially fenced and floored outdoor space as an exercise area.

Since the opening of the new Hall when a substantial amount of planting took place in the surrounding grounds, work had been carried out by a few members of the Committee. However, due to the considerable volume of growth during the Spring of this year, it was decided to seek the services of a paid gardener. Fortunately, a local man has been willing to take this on and is now working one day a week in the grounds.

Notices have been placed round the Hall forbidding the use of skateboarding anywhere on the premises. Despite this, youngsters continue to skateboard and others are cycling around the Hall. This is causing damage to the steps and problems with broken hinges on the gates of the children�s area.

In the Best Kept Village Competition, the Committee was delighted that Theydon Bois came first this year, and that the Village Hall received a mark of 10 out of 10 � the Judges thought that Theydon had a �magnificent building, too good to be true for a village�!

CAROLE RISDON

LOUGHTON CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU Volunteers Needed

The Citizens Advice service helps members of the public solve their legal, consumer and other problems by providing free advice, and by influencing policymakers. Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity and more than 20,000 of the people involved in the service are trained volunteers, helping people to resolve nearly six million problems a year.

If you are interested in becoming a CAB volunteer ring Sue Britton or Martin Sowerby on 0208 502 0032

or if you prefer go to http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/join-us

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James and Heather Sear, proprietors of James Sear Estate Agents, were born and raised in Theydon Bois and have now worked together in the property industry for some 28 years and their combined experience together

with other family members gives them an unrivalled knowledge of the business.

They have been at 311 High Street Epping for the past 7 years and they specialise in property in Epping, Theydon Bois, North Weald & all of the

'surrounding areas�. They employ staff with good local background & specialist knowledge of the local marketplace an important consideration for house-

hunters who rely on local agents with local knowledge. website: www.jamessear.co.uk

THEYDON BOIS BALTI HOUSE TANDOORI

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FULLY LICENSED & AIR CONDITIONED

STATION APPROACH COPPICE ROW

THEYDON BOIS ESSEX CM16 7EU

TEL: 01992 813850/814104 10% Discount on take aways

Opening hours 5.30pm till 11.30pm everyday

Including bank holidays

Village News Sponsors Page

The Woodland & Wildlife Conservation

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REST FOREVER IN A BLUEBELL WOOD.

Our funerals offer full burial, cremation or ashes internment, as individual as

you want.

Why not book and pre-pay for single, adjoining or family plots.

Use our beautiful Hall of Remembrance for all types of religious/non-religious

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Call 01992 814909 for our free brochure

www.green-burial.co.uk

Page 16 Issue 47

In July I visited Shropshire County Council with other county councillors and officers to find out about their services for older people as Shropshire is a Beacon Council for Older Peoples Services. Beacon Councils are recognised by the Government as excellent in specific areas. Essex is a Beacon Council for Adoption Services.

During our visit we went to various day centres, had discussions with county officers and presentations by local organisations working in partnership with the county council. From Age Concern I heard about Pub Clubs and I wonder if Theydon Bois would like to have one.

Pub Clubs are for older people who would like to meet with others over a meal in a local pub. They can be held monthly or more often. People pay for their own meal and the price and food is usually agreed in advance. A co-ordinator is required to take the bookings and to welcome people when they arrive. If you are interested please contact me and I will arrange a meeting so that everyone can discuss it further and we can decide if we want to try out a Theydon Pub Club.

Shropshire also has Senior Citizens Forums which are open to all retired residents. The district forums feed into a county forum which seems to be well listened to by county officers. In Epping Forest the former Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), now renamed Voluntary Action, has started meetings of retired people called the Older Persons Advisory Group. At the last meeting a senior social worker came from Essex Social Care to speak about home care as concerns had been raised at a previous meeting. If you would like to know about future meetings please contact Voluntary Action (tel: 01992 564178) and put your name on the mailing list.

Janet Whitehouse Tel: 01992 812503 Email theydon.libdem@btinternet.com

News From County Hall

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - WANTED A bugle player (m or f) to play the last post at our Royal

British Legion Services of Remembrance at the War Memorial, Coppice Row. This year it is being held on

Sunday 14th November starting at 10.45 am. Replies please

to Harry Memory tel : 01992 812696

Page 17 Issue 47

Forthcoming Village Events 18 Sept National Autistic Society - Bingo Quiz Night - Village Hall 7.30 pm

18 Sept Tennis Club - Junior Finals

30 Sept Tree Strategy Annual Meeting 10am Village Hall

30 Sept Open Parish Council Meeting

1 Oct Tennis Club - Quiz at Village Hall

2 Oct Litter Pick - 9.30 am Village Hall

8 Oct Rural Preservation Society - Talk on Forest Retreats - V Hall 8pm

9 Oct Horticultural Society - Outing to Marks Hall Coggeshall

9 Oct Loughton Friends of St Clare Hospice - Autumn Bazaar - V Hall 10.30am

21 Oct Horticultural Society - Talk - London�s Central Parks

22 Oct Friends of Cancer Research - Bridge Evening at Village Hall

28-30 Oct Drama Society - Lettice & Lovage, a Comedy - Village Hall

2 Nov Litter Pick - 9.30 am Village Hall

14 Nov Royal British Legion Service of Remembrance - War memorial 10.30 am

18 Nov Horticultural Society - AGM preceded by a talk by Tricia Moxey

19 Nov Friends of Cancer Research - Thanksgiving Supper & Auction - V Hall

20 Nov Loughton Friends of St Clare Hospice - Band Concert - V Hall 7.30 pm

25 Nov Open Parish Council Meeting

3 Dec Lighting of Christmas Tree at 6.30 pm

4 Dec Litter Pick - 9.30 am Village Hall

4 Feb 05 Friends of Cancer Research Quiz Night

Various Friends of Copped Hall - see ad on page 31

Various Music Society Concerts-14 Oct, 11th Nov & 9th Dec - see ad page 26

If you would like your event included in the forthcoming events section either in Village News or the Village Web-Site please notify the Parish Clerk on 01992 813442 or by e-mail at theydonboisclerk@supanet.com. Entries for Newsletter diary must be received by the relevant copy date and are NOT automatically rolled over to the next diary. The onus is therefore on the organiser to re-confirm for the next newsletter.

Page 18 Issue 47 Theydon Bois bank holiday weekend was considerably brightened by the bi-annual St. Mary's Church flower festival. The impressive quality of the flower arrangements and the interpretations depicting 'journey of a lifetime' were thoroughly enjoyed by all who saw them over the three days. This experience was further enhanced on Sunday afternoon by a live jazz band playing in the Church grounds. This event continues to provide displays of the highest quality and have made this a 'must see' event for many, both from Theydon Bois and for visitors. On Saturday the Church Hall hosted many stalls and provided lunches/refreshments whilst on Monday the addition of

games and side shows created a 'fun day' atmosphere that survived a few heavy showers to allow St. Mary's to complete a full family village weekend programme. Some photos are shown on the opposite page. For a fuller selection, visit the village website at www.theydon.org.uk

MIKE HANNIBAL

Times Educational Supplement Success

The annual T.E.S. Newsday competition resulted in an overall Curriculum Award for the school. This was awarded for the use of ICT throughout the curriculum and the way in which our newspaper work is incorporated in our planning and curriculum.

Six newspapers were submitted from the school:-

Class 1/2W Theydon Bois Times received Highly Commended Class 1/2 L Theydon Bois Echo received Commended Class 3/4S Primary Newsletter received Merit Class 5/6W Theydon on Thursday received Commended Class 5/6M Theydon Tatler received Merit Class 5/6P Theydon Bois Telegraph received Commended

Children and staff attended a special ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on Friday 18th June to receive the Curriculum Award and then all classes were represented at another ceremony on Monday 21st June when the class awards were presented. At both ceremonies the school was promoted as an example for other schools. Mrs Eleanor Laing met the Monday contingent and gave them a tour of the Palace of Westminster. All the children and staff should be jointly proud of their achievements and hard work.

Theydon Bois Primary School

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Drama Society - Midsummer Night�s Dream

Open Gardens Day June 27th

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In early June, Theydon Bois Drama Society transformed the village hall into an enchanted fairy glen for their production of �A Midsummer Night�s Dream�. Director Tee Greener had put together a large cast comprising many

well-known and experienced actors as well as some new faces. Fifteen year old Simon Goodman made his debut with the society, playing Puck, and handled this large role with

confidence and energy. A couple of photographs from the production are pictured on the opposite page.

Wonderfully atmospheric lighting and beautifully painted sets created the right feel for the Edwardian garden and enchanted forest, and audiences seemed really to appreciate the overall effects and the individual performances.

This was just the right production for a summer evening, and as the audience spilled outside with their drinks during the interval to enjoy the warm weather and chat about the play, the village hall was feeling like a �real� theatre for a few hours.

The Village Association�s 24th Annual Open Gardens� Day took place on Sunday, 27th June. This was once again a special

village day, with many people coming from near and far to enjoy the 22 gardens on show. A small selection of photographs from the day shown on page 22 of this edition of Village News. If you would like to view further photographs, please visit the village web site at www.theydon.org.uk. Ploughman's� lunches were provided in the Village Hall and this was followed by tea and cakes.

A profit of £2,345.00 was made overall and this has been shared between �Playground at Theydon� and the CCTV cameras at the Village Hall. At a �Get-Together� in July, the Village Association Committee expressed their sincere appreciation to the garden owners for all their hard work, and to Mrs Joy Wainwright for masterminding the event.

Theydon Bois Drama Society

Theydon Bois Village Association 24th Annual Open Gardens Day

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BARRY TURNER

Formal Garden Hardstanding with

Planting

First �Midhill� Coppice Row

First 57 Woodland Way

Second 48 Green Glade Second 3 Dukes Avenue

Equal Third 15 Baldocks 14 Hornbeam Road

Third 13 Theydon Park Road

Informal Garden Commercial

First 8 Hornbeam Road First Queen Victoria

Second �Elmcroft� Robins Lane

Second Premier Valet

Third 26 Heath Drive Third Nigel James

Theydon Bois Horticultural Society Results of Front Gardens Competition July 2004

Royal British Legion The Annual Royal British Legion Service of Remembrance will take place on Sunday 14th November starting at the War Memorial at 10.45 a.m. and then continuing in the Church. In the event of wet or bad weather the entire service will be held in the Church. Medals may be worn and Standards carried. Would Legion Members and other adults please form a line on the pavement facing the War Memorial and the

younger people congregate on the sides of the Memorial area and in time for the start of the service.

The Royal British Legion is a charity whose work is to help disabled service and ex service personnel and their families. Please give generously when you see the poppy sellers around or if they call on you at your home, and please do �Wear your Poppy with Pride�.

Armistice Day Thursday November 11th at 11.00 a.m. Please pause for 2 minutes �Just to Remember�. Thank you.

HARRY MEMORY

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Youth Anti-Social Behaviour Whilst most of us are proud to learn that Theydon Bois has recently won a �Best Kept Village� award, there are some residents who are unlikely to be impressed. These are the youths who seem determined to make others� lives a misery. During recent months the Parish Council has received numerous complaints from residents who have been the target of foul language or abused by a group of youths who congregate in various areas around the village. The consumption of alcohol and use of drugs is evident.

THIS IS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

In addition, considerable damage has been caused to the bus shelter, the roof of the toilet building and the youth club. Missiles have been thrown from the roofs of buildings and there seems to be a worrying fascination with the game of Chicken whereby the aim is to suddenly run, cycle or skate board in front of passing cars. It is probably only a matter of time before a child is killed or seriously injured by these activities.

The identity of many of the main trouble-makers is now known and most of them live in the village. Two anti-social behaviour orders are being considered and new Police powers include action against the parents. The activities of what is clearly a minority element are tarnishing the reputation of all the youth in the village and the Parish Council can only assume that this minority are aware of their rights but not learned their responsibilities.

A number of meetings have been and will continue to be held with all interested parties to discuss the perceived shortage of organised youth activities, and for all young people to complete, a questionnaire is enclosed. However, lack of facilities is no excuse for anti-social behaviour.

Your Parish Council is prepared to use the full force of the new laws to rectify the current situation, but before doing so an appeal is made to all our youngsters to behave in a responsible manner & to all parents to ensure that they are aware of exactly what their children are doing when out in the village.

IF THEY ARE OUT, ARE THEY INVOLVED IN OR EXPOSED TO THIS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR?

Any parents wishing to discuss this issue should approach the Parish Council through the Clerk.

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Theydon Bois Music Society

We meet at the Village Hall Coppice Row at 8.00 pm on the second Thursday of the months September to June. We have vacancies for new members and if you have an appreciation of good music, in good company

then why not join us � or come as a visitor, you are welcome. We have booked excellent artists for our late autumn programmes.

14th October. Samantha Binnie � Soprano with Piano accompaniment.

11th November. The two Rachels � Viola and Piano.

9th December. Quintessence � a group of seven. A Victoria drawing room evening of popular songs and carols, plus supper. A charity evening in aid of St. Francis Hospice. For more information please contact Harry

Memory- telephone 01992 812696

Epping Forest & District Stamp Club

Epping Forest and District Stamp Club had a very busy evening when they met for their June meeting. The first section of the evening was devoted to the A.G.M., at which it was reported the Club had made a satisfactory surplus during the year, and the officers and committee were re-elected en bloc for the coming year.

This was followed by an auction sale at which over 400 lots of stamps and philatelic items were on offer. Lots sold for sums ranging from 30p to £75, with the Club earning £60 on the evening. The Club meets at 7.45 pm on the second Tuesday in every month throughout the year at the Methodist Hall in Loughton High Road. Visitors and prospective members are always welcome. For further information, contact the Hon. Sec. Mrs M. Browning, telephone 0208 508 1244.

Theydon Bois Drama Society presents

LETTICE AND LOVAGE a comedy by Peter Shaffer Theydon Bois Village Hall

on 28th, 29th, 30th October 2004 - 8pm

Lettice, the daughter of an actress, has inherited her theatricality and eccentricity. Now employed as a tourist guide in a shabby stately home, she enlivens its dull history with her own fantasies, until she is caught in the act and promptly sacked. The starchy Preservation Trust official who sacked her later visits her, and an unlikely friendship develops between the two.

Tickets £6 from Mrs C.James Tel. 01992 812250

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St Mary�s Mothers� Union invites you to An AudioVision presentation of

�London Pride� evoking the spirit of London

with artworks, photographs and music

in St Mary�s Church Hall

on Wednesday, 24th November 2004 at 1.45 pm

Tickets on the door : £1.50 to include tea and cake

Everyone Welcome Enquiries to : Carole Risdon (81 3724)

LIGHTING OF THE VILLAGE CHRISTMAS TREE

Friday 3rd December 2004 6.30pm at the Village Hall

*** Carols *** Music *** Festive entertainment ***

** Many of the Village organizations taking part **

** Father Christmas ** Festive refreshments **

COME ALONG AND JOIN IN THIS EVENT

Rock the Nite Away At Theydon Bois Village Hall

On Saturday 23rd October

Scirocco Live 50�s Band With Special tribute to ELVIS

Adult £15 Chicken & Chips Bring Your Own drinks

Ring Jack White 01992 561161 or 07761 006462

In aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital

Bone Marrow Unit

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�The Queen Victoria is changing�, like a forest fire the rumours swept through Theydon that some awful future was planned for the very successful pub that stands guard over the village green.

�Why had the food changed?� �Why order at the bar?� �Why was the public bar going to be demolished?�

We hope that this short note might allay some of the fears that have gone before us when we took over the Queen Victoria.

Yes, a major internal redevelopment of the Queen Victoria is about to be undertaken by McMullens Brewery. This was not a sudden decision but has taken years of planning to ensure that any changes that were made were sympathetic to both the pub and to the customers. Consideration was given to outside conservatories & internal renovations, but eventually it was decided that the very underused old public bar could be incorporated into the existing large lounge and restaurant area.

In doing this it would ensure that their was adequate seating for those busy times, when the pub literally runs out of eating space, and secondly it will give an added amenity to the village of an area of the pub that could be used for private parties, wakes, small wedding receptions and other events. It also gave the brewery the opportunity of putting both disabled toilets and disabled access into the pub, ensuring that we heeded the needs of all the people in our community. The no smoking area can now increase to cover the whole of the lounge and eating areas, and the children�s area can also increase in size.

�So what else is changing?� Very little really. The old and somewhat inefficient food servery area will be removed so allowing more space for drinkers and diners, and the whole of the Essex bar and the eating areas will benefit from new carpeting and redecoration. Behind the scenes new kitchen and refrigeration equipment will ensure that your food is prepared and cooked more efficiently.

�What you�re not going to change the Victoria bar?� Certainly not, why change both a village tradition and a great local�s bar, nothing could be further from our thoughts.

�Why change the food?� Because like all things in life the pub has to evolve or whither away. The eating and drinking public demand more variety, more flexibility

The Lady is For Turning

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and certainly better quality, and normally all for less money! We cannot always deliver on our promises but we certainly try very hard. Food is now available at The Queen Victoria all day every day. We have ensured that the everyday favourites of pies, fish and chips, salads, sandwiches etc are all still being served, but instead of having to queue in front of the food counter to place your order you can now order at any of the till points around the pub.

We have added a great selection of ever changing �Daily Specials� using fresh fish sourced in part from local fishmongers in Loughton and superb meat dishes from butchers in the area and beyond. We also pride ourselves in having at least three or four vegetarian options every day. We have certainly tried to keep the cost of eating at the Queen Victoria to a sensible but sustainable level. Please don�t forget that Sunday lunches no longer finish at 2.30pm with set booking times, we serve food all day on Sunday and at a time of your choosing.

�Why order at the bar?� Because most people come to a pub for a meal for a more relaxed atmosphere than a restaurant. They don�t want waiters hanging around their tables taking orders, they would like to stand at the bar with their friends and have a drink whilst deciding on their meals, or they will sit at their table and order at their convenience, not ours. Remember it�s only the first course that we ask you to order at the bar, as long as you have a tab on your table, you can leave the rest to us.

Sure there have been teething problems, but they are behind us now. You cannot change the path of a lovely old lady that hasn�t altered her route in 15 years without expecting some difficulties, but the old lady graciously has accepted the changes and looks forwards to many more years of success. We can only hope that all our customers, both old and new, will feel the same and come and experience the new look Queen Victoria.

GAYE & JOHN ARMSTRONG - MANAGERS

The Lady is For Turning (continued)

New Opening Hours - Epping Library

The new opening hours which were introduced several months ago are: The main change is that the library is now open on a Friday afternoon.

Books can be renewed or catalogue reviewed on elan.essexcc.gov.uk Enquiries - telephone 01245 438438

Monday 9 - 5 pm Thursday 9 - 5 pm

Tuesday 1 - 5 pm Friday 9 - 5 pm

Wednesday Closed Saturday 9 - 5 pm

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Annual Show 31st July 2004 - A lot of effort and hard work goes into keeping the tradition of the village show alive, many thanks to all who contributed in making this year�s event such a success. The support of committee and helpers is invaluable in continuing to make this event an enjoyable day for all the exhibitors and visitors. The general standard in every section, especially the wine, was very high even though the entries were down on previous years. Comments from the judges praised the variety and quality of both vegetables and flowers in the open and closed classes. A flower arrangement in a wine glass proved to be a popular class and the public had the opportunity to vote for their favourite display, which was won by Mrs S. Sowerby.

Mrs J Harvey - Best Fuschia, Frank & Josie Way Cup A Hollingbery - Best Cacti - Ted Lock Cup, Photography, Committee Cup Most successful exhibitor Sect A, William Way Cup

B Turner - Buxton Cup G Haselhurst - Monkhouse Cup

Miss A Pollard - Elcee Cup, handicraft D Seaborne - Buxton Cup, wine

Mrs J Turner - Keswick Cup and �spoon�, cookery

James Hollis - Garden Shield, Junior section

Emma Hollis - Mini Shield, runner-up, junior section

Stacey Vanbergen - R.H.S. merit certificate, awarded for miniature garden

J Parsons - Stole the Show! Banksian Medal, most successful in Sect. A& B Gazette Challenge Bowl, best vegetable Secretary�s Cup, most successful in Sect B Jubilee Trophy, specialist group entry Well done to everyone. Think ahead, titles for the photography section for next years show are - Sunrise or sunset, Cityscape, Funny faces, Abstract (man made or natural),

Inclement weather, Traditions, Set of 3 photos...the flower, the plant & the habitat.

TRICIA HASELHURST SHOW SECRETARY

Theydon Bois Horticultural Society Affiliated with

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THE MANSION - Further work of restoration is taking place in the Copped Hall Mansion. The stables have now been cleared and tidied; artefacts recovered during general clearance of the Mansion are now on display there. The roof and some of the floor structure in the Servants Hall is being reinstated thanks to a grant from the Essex Environment Trust; this will provide further accommodation for general use at the Mansion. The area around the service lift in the Victorian extension has also been cleared and the lift secured to permit viewing during tours. The glazed brickwork, within the extension has been cleaned, not an easy operation.

WALLED GARDEN - The Herculean task of clearing the Orchard Greenhouse of earth and non-original masonry is almost complete and restoration of the Vine Greenhouse will now begin. The lack of water for the Walled Garden will soon be over when a temporary irrigation system, which transfers water form the reservoirs by the Conservatory into a large holding tank in the Garden, comes onto operation. The Pond is now fully restored and contains aquatic fauna and flora including, unfortunately, large quantities of blanket weed which is being removed using natural methods.

ARCHEOLOGICAL ACTIVITY - Archaeological research at the sites of the Medieval and Tudor Mansions is continuing under the professional supervision of the West Essex Archaeological Group and it is hoped to discover more about these buildings.

SUMMER OPEN DAY - More than 500 visitors and Friends attended this event on 30 Aug and enjoyed conducted tours of the Mansion, including the newly restored stables, the new gallery and the Walled Garden. The Racquets Court was the centre of activity with an exhibition of paintings by the handicapped artist James Merriot and another of prints of botanical paintings by Matilda Conyers, several of which were purchased. There was much demand for the renowned Copped Hall refreshments and a brisk trade in home - grown vegetables, preserves, plants and Copped Hall items including historical publications. Liquid refreshment was available in the open-air picnic area where many enjoyed their meals in the sunshine. It is hoped that the event will raise a record £5,000 to help finance the continuing the work of restoration at the Hall.

FUTURE EVENTS 11th Sept 7.30 pm - �Moonlight Fantasies� a piano recital in the Mansion given by Ian

Llewellyn Jones at 7.30 pm. on Saturday 11th September 2004

12th Sept 6.30 pm - �Jazz Concert� in the Copped Hall grounds given by the Vic Rogers Trad Jazz Band . Tickets for both events can be booked on 0208 505 1041.

10th Oct 8pm - A lecture entitled �Essex Parks� by Mark Hanson

21st Nov 8pm -A further lecture �Art in London in the 1740s� by Hugh Belsey. Both lectures are in the Theydon Bois Village Hall tickets are available on 01992 619 834.

Sunday Morning Tours: 19th September, 17th October, 21st November and 12th December between 10.30 and 10.45 am.

Copped Hall Corner

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Cricket Club Let League Title Slip A loss of form in August cost Theydon Bois Cricket Club the chance of winning the 1st Division of The Herts & Essex Observer Cricket League.

The 1st Eleven - Following on from last season�s success, prospects for Theydon�s 1st Xl had looked very good as they led the table in July. However, in a crunch game against Rickling on the 31st of the month Theydon lost a tense thriller. Chasing 247 to win Theydon lost by just 1 run. This marked a change in fortunes for the Clubs as Rickling went on to win the League whilst Theydon lost 3 out of their 4 games in August to slip to third (see table opposite). Despite the disappointment, this was a highly satisfactory performance overall particularly as this was the Club�s first season in the top division of the League. Top run scorers for Theydon were Simon Hughes, Tom McIlwaine and 1st Xl skipper Paul Sartoretti.

The 2nd Xl had a more difficult season which eventually saw them relegated to Division 4 of the League. Availability problems involving some of the Club�s senior players often resulted in the side fielding young inexperienced teams. However, this enabled several of the Club�s promising youngsters to gain experience of senior cricket which can only bode well for the future.

The Colts section which provides professional coaching and organized matches for boys and girls from eight years old upwards goes from strength to strength. They won more matches than they lost, but most importantly the season was enjoyed by all.

If you are interested in cricket and would like to become a member, either as a player or as a social member, then the Club would like to hear from you. Further information on Theydon Bois Cricket Club can be found on their web site at www.tbcc.co.uk or contact Club Secretary Peter Gooch on 812908. Anyone requiring further information on the Colts section should contact Ameet Sharma on 01992 813274.

THEYDON BOIS CRICKET CLUB BAR STAFF VACANCIES

The club currently has vacancies for part-time bar staff to work in their Clubhouse which is open all year

round. Good rates of pay and flexible hours are available. For more information contact

Club Secretary Peter Gooch on 812908.

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ANNUAL MEETING - Thursday 30th September 2004 10am in the Village Hall

This Annual Meeting is to discuss the work and progress made during the past year. We are working on a 5 year plan and one of the purposes of this meeting is to plan for the period up to the end of March 2005, this will include the next phase of planting which is scheduled for November this year until March next.

This however is reliant on adequate funding being available and will no doubt be one of the main items of discussion where we try to identify sources that may be available.

The trees that were planted earlier this year were funded by, The Parish Council, Rural Preservation Society and the Horticultural Society. We were also pleased to be able to plant a number of additional trees under the Memorial Tree Scheme, this is where a resident can pay for a tree to be planted in memory of a loved one.

(Please see separate notice on page 40 of this edition of Village News for those interested to have their names added to the list for the next planting)

Cricket Club Let League Title Slip (continued)

P W L T NR Bat Bowl Pen Total

Rickling Ramblers 18 12 4 0 2 13 8 0 341

Farnham 18 11 4 0 3 13 11 0 322

Theydon Bois 18 10 6 0 2 18 13 0 299

Ilford Catholics 18 10 7 0 1 15 20 0 299

Stansted Hall 18 8 9 0 1 33 21 0 266

Takeley 18 8 8 0 2 31 18 0 264

Langley 18 8 7 0 3 22 17 0 259

Willingale 18 7 8 0 3 31 19 0 244

Stansted 1 18 0 16 0 2 52 34 20 74

Herts & Essex Observer Cricket League 2004 - Division 1 Final Table

High Roding II 18 6 11 0 1 24 19 0 213

Theydon Bois Tree Strategy

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District Council News

District Councillor Kay Rush

rglozier@btinternet.com Kay Rush tel: 01992 813717

District Councillor Robert Glozier

Parking Controls Progress All of the responses from the consultation letters sent to residents in the affected roads are now being analysed. This is a major job as Theydon Bois was only a small part of the total programme covering the whole District. As has been stated before, where a significant proportion of residents, in a particular road, have objected to the proposals then they will not be introduced, (unless there is a clear safety requirement). Where a clear majority of residents have not objected to the scheme then implementation will be rolled out across the District during the Autumn. This in itself is a fairly lengthy business, just with the physical task of painting and signage. We will keep residents closely informed when, or if, there will be changes to their roads.

Youth Club. As you may know already, the District Council has refused an application by the County Council to develop the Youth Club site. We feel very strongly about preserving this amenity for community use. Various strategies and options are being evaluated by all the Councils involved, including the Parish Council. Once again, we will keep residents informed as the story unfolds. Robert Daniels Court. Monday August 2nd saw the handing over of the keys of this sheltered housing scheme in Thrifts Meade from EFDC to the Warden Housing Assn. There will be no staff changes but, as a result of the renovations after the transfer, all residents will have a self contained flat. Many other improvements will be made to the building and those of you who have visited the Surgery recently may have noticed the activity between it and Robert Daniels court. It is estimated that the improvement works should be completed in just over a year.

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The Tennis Club held the finals of the Veterans Tournaments on Saturday, 11th July, on a fairly sunny day, although rain interrupted play early on. As usual, the ladies of the Committee provided a very nice ploughman�s lunch, followed by fruit flan, and our thanks goes to them and all who helped with umpiring, etc. on the day.

Ladies Doubles Final - In a closely fought match, Kay Henderson and Lesley List beat their opponents, Mandy Price and Pat Walter, 7 - 5, 6 - 2.

Mens Doubles Final - Gordon Morris and Mike Wheeler took the first set 6 - 1 from their opponents, Paul Brake and Philip Walter. However, the latter pair came back in the second set to take it on a tie break, but the match finally went to Gordon and Mike, 6 - 1, 6 - 7, 6 - 0.

Mixed Doubles Final - Again, a closely fought match, eventually going to Pat Wilson and Mike Wheeler, who beat their opponents, Mandy Price and Brian Barrett, 6 - 4, 6 - 4.

Between 2nd and 5th September, a group of 23 tennis players will visit the club from Mosbach, Germany. This is the second visit in three years to Theydon Bois by a mixed group of seniors and juniors from the German Club. A mixed programme of events is planned including tennis tournaments, cycle rides and ten pin bowling. As in the past it is hoped that many good friendships will be made between members of the two clubs.

P r ev io us l y , 2 5 members including 14 juniors from T h e y d o n B o i s visited Mosbach and had a very enjoyable time.

Annual Finals Day Saturday 11th September - Some of our younger members will be in action. Visitors are most welcome to come and see some very good tennis played.

Junior Finals are to be held on Saturday 18th September - Again, visitors are most welcome.

Quiz Evening - Village Hall Friday 1st October - Please come and support our Quiz Evening, details front Pat Walter on 01992 81 3485.

PAT WALTER Honorary Secretary

Theydon Bois Lawn Tennis Club

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News & Notices in Brief Fly Tipping There have been two incidents at the entrance to the cemetery over the past couple of weeks. Fortunately we were able to get these removed very quickly and spare unimaginable grief to any funeral parties unable to gain access to the cemetery on the day of a funeral. The Parish Council is considering how it can improve security at the cemetery. Please Help to Keep Our Village Clean

The Parish Council liaises with EDFC in an effort to maintain the appearance of our verges and regular grass cutting takes place. We do have problems where residents put out sacks and

blue boxes on the verges, sometimes days in advance of collection. On occasions sacks are broken into by animals and the contents are strewn around making it look most unsightly. The Village has recently won an award in the Best Kept Village Competition, please help to keep it that way. Please remember bags and boxes should be placed within your property at the front boundary on collection days. Reminder - Dog Mess It is an offence to let your dog foul in public places. Please clear it up or you could be fined! Parish Council Highways and Environment Committee

At a recent meeting of the above committee mention was made about tree and shrub overhangs from some householders properties. Any foliage which is allowed to grow without trimming becomes unsightly but more so is a danger to all. This is especially relevant to the elderly, the disabled and parents with infant prams.

It is the responsibility of the householder to ensure their shrubs and trees are trimmed properly. We therefore appeal to everyone to keep this in mind and to act positively towards improving the overall appearance of the village

Thank you. Theydon Bois Parish Council

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The Dad�s Army of Theydon Bois At this time of year, the older generation is reminded of the dark days of 1940 when this country had its back to the wall and faced the might of the German Army just across the Channel. The decisive Battle of Britain fought against the Luftwaffe was won by the Royal Air Force who saved the day. But the whole country was thrown on the defensive especially the civilian population, many of whom became air raid wardens, auxiliary firemen, special police officers, ambulance drivers etc. and members of a special force, �Dad�s Army�.

The British Army was in a bad state after its retreat from France and so an auxiliary force was formed as a back up, the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV). They comprised men, young and old, from all walks of life who were not already in military service and who trained in their spare time for military duties; they subsequently became the Home Guard, nowadays more affectionately known as Dad�s Army, from the excellent TV programme of later years.

Every city, town and village had such a unit and Theydon Bois was no exception. I recently came across two photos, reproduced below, of the village unit taken during the war. The first shows the unit in the garden of its headquarters, the Bull Inn (where

else!). For the Village News this photo has been trimmed, but the original has some interesting background detail such as a �Players Please� sign in the top left-hand corner; this was an advert for a brand of cigarettes as then sold in the sweet shop and tobacconist, partly seen in the background of the original, by the Misses Whitlow and New. This building was formerly the Toll House at the Forest Gate, which would have spanned the road to Abridge in early days, probably before the coming of the railway (and the present day viaduct). Also in the original can be seen the road running up into

Theydon Bois Home Guard Outside the Bull Inn

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the top right hand corner of the picture; this is Forest Drive with a large hoarding (just visible) advertising the sale of land for the erection of shops, which are now part of the shopping parade. The second photo shows the unit on a �march past� in the village (?) I understand that the group photo includes Sgt Bridgland the owner of the village store

of the same name, Sgt Rush (the father of the late Charles Rush), Peter Warner the village milkman and Freddie Broadbent who was a Registrar in Walthamstow. But who are the others?

In later years, the Dad�s Army programme entertained us all with what was often hilarious comedy. My father was a member of the Ilford Unit and I know that some of the humour in the series was based on real incidents; it has been said, perhaps unkindly, that the only wartime action the Theydon Bois unit experienced was the accidental discharge of a firearm in the Bull Inn. But in reality, the function of the Home Guard was a deadly business. In the event of invasion, they would have had to engage the enemy with poor equipment (broom sticks initially) and have stood little chance against German Panzers.

This is how Dad�s Army, including the men of Theydon Bois, served this country so well like the Yeomen of England in the past; but, sadly, only the evergreen TV programme remains to remind us of that fact. However, the Dad�s Army programme served to introduce the Home Guard to subsequent younger generations. A surprising comment about the programme came from a group of today�s youngsters who said that it was very funny and they liked it because it did not contain any violence, bad language or sex. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings! More than sixty years have elapsed since those days but I would be interested to learn, via the editor, the names of those depicted in the photos and, particularly any information regarding the �march past� and where it took place. Perhaps your Dad or Grandad is there!

TREVOR ROBERTS

The Dad�s Army of Theydon Bois (continued)

Theydon Bois Home Guard on Parade

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Children�s Hospital Charity Days at Theydon Bois Golf Club

£5,000 WAS RAISED FOR Great Ormond Street Hospital by a charity golf day at Theydon Bois Golf Club. The day was organised by Jack White who lives in Morgan Crescent Theydon Bois whose grandson Nicholas is recovering from a bone marrow transplant at the hospital The event featured 100 golfers including BT�s round the World yacht skipper Richard Merriweather. The money was raised through charity golf sweeps, a raffle and an auction for which many local shops and businesses donated items. The money will go towards buying a new Optipress, which conditions bone marrow ready for transplantation.

Over £3,000 was raised for University College Hospital neo-natal unit through another Charity Golf day which was held in memory of 3 month old Thomas Eaton. Thomas�s grandfather John Eaton from Coppice Row Theydon Bois helped, amongst many other supporters, organise the day. The Eaton family also gave the Thomas Eaton memorial Rose Bowl to the winning team. Thanks went to the event�s sponsors, which included NV Printing, McMullens Brewery, Packfords Hotel, Bywaters, The Woodland and Wildlife Conservation Company and a host of friends.

John Eaton said that �Those who knew of Thomas�s fight for life recognised the tremendous contribution made by the hospital and its dedicated staff. Funding for units such as the neo-natal unit is subject to the tight budgetary disciplines necessitated by Government funding�.

Page 40 Issue 47

Plant a Tree for a Loved One We are planning our next phase for tree planting to enhance our village, it is hoped this will be carried out between this November and next March.

In the first phase, completed this March we were able to offer residents the opportunity to have a tree planted in memory of a loved one. This proved to be of great interest, a number of trees were planted and we have a list of those who, have so far, expressed interest for the next planting.

The cost this year was £100 per tree including planting and we hope the cost for next planting will be about the same. This does depend on how much the trees cost.

If you would like a Memorial Tree please register your interest as soon as possible. Contact the Parish Office 813442

Copy for the Village News and Village Website to be sent to

Madeleine Murphy, Parish Clerk, Parish Office Theydon Bois Village Hall

theydonboisclerk@supanet.com Deadline for copy 30th Nov 2004

Village News

Edited & Produced

by Tony Ames

Village Website

www.theydon.org.uk

Edited & Produced by Jim Watts

YOUR VILLAGE NEWS & WEBSITE